Sweetie Belle at the Ball
It was a chilly September afternoon. As I was making some warm tea, I heard the front door open along with a roar of laughter and commotion. My sister, Sweetie Belle, was home from school. And it seemed she brought her friends, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom with her. They found me in the kitchen as I waited for my tea water to boil.
“Hi Rarity!” the 12 year olds said in unison.
“Hello there. You three seem in a good mood.”
“We’re excited for the first school dance of the year in a couple weeks,” Sweetie Belle explained.
“Oh yes, that is coming up, isn’t it?” I said. “Are the three of you making plans?”
“Yes, but we’re especially excited because…” Scootaloo began.
“Shhh!” Apple Bloom interrupted. “We don’t know if she wants to tell her.”
“It’s okay, Scoots. She’s my sister,” Sweetie Belle said. “She should know!”
“Know what?” I asked.
“I’ve… got a date,” Sweetie Belle said. “Just today.”
“Oh! How wonderful!” I exclaimed. “Do I know this lucky individual?”
“I’ve mentioned him a couple times… Cory.”
“Yes,” I recalled. “You have homeroom with him, right?”
“Yeah, along with a couple other classes.”
“Well congratulations, Sweetie,” I said. “We’ll talk later. I’ll let you go spend time with your friends.”
The three said their goodbyes and laughed and joked as loudly as they did when they came. I smiled with nostalgia as I drank my tea. Seventh grade was only 3 years ago for me, but I remembered times at my middle school dances fondly. I was happy for Sweetie Belle–now my not so little sister.
It wasn’t long before I saw Scootaloo and Apple Bloom at the house again just as excited as they were before. My mom was with them as I was watching TV.
“We’re going to the mall to find a dress for the dance!” Mom said.
“Alright, have a great time!” I said.
I got a text from my mom later that they were on their way home. I responded asking if Sweetie Belle or the others found anything good with no response. I wasn’t too surprised as she was probably focused on getting everyone home. But when Sweetie Belle arrived in the room, she had none of that happy energy she had when she left.
“Hey Sweetie Belle. Did you and your friends have fun at the mall,” I asked.
“Yeah. It was fine,” said said flatly. I’m tired now. I’ll be in my room.”
I furrowed my brow slightly as we both knew things weren’t fine, but let Sweetie Belle go to her room. My mom followed Sweetie Belle as she left. I looked at her with concern.
“What happened at the mall?” I asked immediately.
“Sweetie Belle didn’t find a dress, while Scootaloo and Apple Bloom did,” mom explained. “She showed us a couple things that we thought looked nice, but for whatever reason, she didn’t want them. I did my best to ask her to explain why without prying too much, but she didn’t seem to want to say.”
“I’ll talk to her in a few minutes,” I promised.
I took everything in me not to go to Sweetie Belle’s room right away. But I controlled myself and gave Sweetie Belle space to process whatever happened. But even before I intended to talk to her, I heard commotion from her room.
“Sweetie Belle, what’s going on?” I asked from outside the door.
“I… I can’t do this. Why does everything make me look so… FAT!!??”
My concern turned to shock and anger. Sweetie Belle was only 12 and she was saying these things. She never expressed any insecurities about her body before. How long had she had these feelings? How many signs had our parents and I missed? Had we done anything wrong as a family to make her feel this way? But I couldn’t focus on the past. I needed to be present for my sister.
I opened the door and saw Sweetie Belle sitting on her bed with her knees propping hands to her face with pieces of clothing scattered all over the floor.
“Hey, hey, hey,” I said, sitting beside her on the bed. “Look. I don't know who or what has taught you that you’re anything less than beautiful, but they’re wrong. You’re an amazing, strong, young lady who I will be forever proud to call my younger sister. Do you understand me?”
The biggest smile came on Sweetie Belle’s face as she nodded and wiped her tears.
“Thanks, Rares. I was just so excited for this dance. And when I didn’t find anything I liked that fit me and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom did…”
“You know what?” I decided. “If you couldn’t find anything you liked, why don't I make something for you?”
“You’d… be willing to do that?”
I’d be willing, most definitely. But I had to be reasonable, of course.
“We might have to figure out a backup plan just in case, but yes,” I declared. “I’ve never made an entire outfit, but I think you’d be the perfect person to be my first.”
“I would love that,” Sweetie agreed, still with the biggest grin on her face.
“Well, it’s settled then. Come downstairs! Let’s get your measurements.”
As we went to my section of the basement, I saw Sweetie Belle look around the room intently. I realized that not too many people came in there. She was shocked and intrigued that my passion seemed to entail more than she previously thought.
“Where did you learn… all this?” she asked.
“The internet has helped me loads. I can learn so much so easily!”
“That might be. But you know, you could do this. As a job, I mean. If that’s what you want, of course.”
I looked at my sister, mouth agape. Logically, I obviously knew that lots of people pursued a career in fashion. But I never envisioned that as a career for myself because no one instilled that desire in me. I was still young. But fashion and creating were still always hobbies and nothing more.
I thought of what had just happened. I had always loved fashion. I had always been interested in the fashion world. But I knew it wasn’t perfect. Far from it. Especially as Sweetie Belle and I were getting older, I realized how much the fashion industry benefited from people’s insecurities. I often wondered why someone didn’t do anything. It was at that moment I knew that I was someone.
“You’re the first person to tell me that,” I told Sweetie Belle. “It’s definitely something I’ll think about a great deal. Helping others see the beauty I see inside them like what I’m doing with you right now would be such a wonderful gift.”
“And I know you can do it. You’re amazing at this. I don’t think enough people have told you that.”
I smiled as I had my notepad and pencil in hand.
“Thank you, Sweetie Belle. I think you’ve always been my biggest fan. I hope you’re as ready for this as I am. Come on up, everything’s ready.”
Throughout the process, I found myself more nervous than I anticipated. I had taken on something that was a huge responsibility. But I got it done, Sweetie Belle looked amazing, and most importantly, she had a wonderful time at the dance. A day or two later, I was doing homework in my bedroom when I heard a knock.
“Hey Rarity. You busy?”
“No, come on in, Sweetie Belle,” I said.
I turned to greet my sister as she came in and noticed that Sweetie Belle had something in her hands.
“I have a gift for you,” she told me. “To thank you for my outfit.”
Sweetie Belle handed me a wrapped rectangular box on my desk. I looked at my sister in surprise as I started unwrapping. Inside were two pairs of what seemed like ordinary scissors.
“Scissors?” I asked.
“Lefty sewing scissors!” Sweetie Belle said proudly. “I figured if you’re going to be a fashion designer, you’ll need them. They weren't easy to find, let me tell you! But mom helped and I had enough saved to pay for them.”
I laughed as I held the pair of scissors and cut the air to test the feel. I learned to cut paper with right handed scissors okay, but these would definitely be useful for fabric and other things.
“Thank you, Sweetie Belle. How thoughtful!”
“Well, if you’re going to be a fashion designer, you’ll need them. And even though the rest of the family doesn’t know much about fashion, or about being left handed, I wanted to help you achieve that goal in any way I can.”
I got up from my desk and gave my sister a hug.
“It won’t be an easy journey,” I said. “But I will be forever grateful to have people like you by my side.”
Author's Note
Oh how I love writing for Rarity and Sweetie Belle!!!!
