The pretty unicorn under the green blanket

There she sat. The white unicorn with the soft, pink and blue mane. Her cheeks were flushed with pink as her hoof held on to the green, dotted blanket around her. Sky blue colored eyes looked straight at Merille, who themselves found it impossible to suppress a blush.

Merille had waited for this moment for weeks, no, months. Ever since that gym class where Rivet and they balanced on a few boards, as far away from the other students as possible, Rivet not stopping to ask and pester about who Merille had a crush on.

“Is it Cora? It has to be Cora! There is no way it's not Cora!”

It wasn't Cora. Just the day before that gym class, Merille had confided in Cora about their romantic feelings for their mutual friend. The first time that Merille felt comfortable admitting that they had a crush… on somepony not of the opposite gender.

It did not take long for the feelings to bloom after Rivet introduced herself to Merille either.
After the young, orange-maned unicorn with the yellow coat had to switch schools, Rivet made them feel as if they had always attended the same class within just one day.
From the very beginning, Rivet had enchanted Merille. She was cute, pretty and so very sweet.
Within just one day of school, they became friends. A few more days and Rivet had become Merille's best friend. Just a little longer and those feelings would bloom into more.

The day after the gym class, Merille could not withstand the urge to confess to Rivet any longer.
It struck them as Merille listened to music in their room. One song that would change everything.
With a nervous swallow, Merille mustered up the courage and played the song for Rivet to hear.
The coat of the other unicorn, usually white as the clouds in the sky, almost turned a deep fuchsia on her cheeks as it clicked for her.
A shy nod, followed by an enthusiastic showering in affection was the answer to Merille's question.

“Do you… feel the same?”

“Y-Yes. I think I do.”

From then on, Merille's heart felt light, as if all burdens had lost their weight. Their father was still bad, the trauma from the bullying still haunted them, their anxiety and depression still caused many sleepless nights- but now, knowing that Rivet was their marefriend, it all felt bearable. Survivable.

They would hold hooves in chemistry class, cuddle at Rivet's house and draw themselves in cute and romantic couple moments together. It all felt like a dream that Merille never wanted to wake up from.
Sleepovers, rushing home from appointments to see Rivet sing at an event, building snow ponies together on a playground; it all led to the day that yet another sleepover would take place.
This time at Merille's place.

Merille's hoof slowly held on to the blanket as well. Having draped it over the shivering unicorn just a minute earlier, Merille now asked themself if Rivet was actually cold at all, or just acting like it so that Merille would warm her up.
After all, Rivet was known for how well she could withstand the cold, even wearing barely any winter clothing outside when it was snowing. She always said that ability came from her mother's side.
But that did not matter right now.
Merille found it endearing and cute how shy Rivet was. If this was truly just her way of getting herself into a romantic moment with Merille, then Merille welcomed it with open arms.

Just a week ago, Merille had attempted to kiss Rivet, but she turned away. A quick mumbling that Merille understood as something along the lines of “I have to go to the toilet.” escaped the white unicorn's lips before she darted out of her own room, leaving Merille in confusion and a little bit of emotional pain.
After a while, the shy mare returned and quietly explained herself. She did not feel ready for a kiss like that yet, she said. Though a cheek kiss was okay.
The rest of the evening was spent talking and with occasional kisses by Merille on the blushing cheek of Rivet, before both of them went to sleep.

But now, the moment was there. Merille's heart beat faster than they even knew was possible and they could almost hear Rivet's heart doing the same, if it wasn't for the deafening “BA-DUMP” coming from their own chest.
Rivet's eyes closed as her face, slowly but surely, moved closer to Merille's.
It was happening. Actually happening.
Merille's first kiss. Ever.
Their own eyes closed and a last swallow slid down their throat before their lips gently met Rivet's.
Suddenly, it felt like the entire universe stopped, if just for a moment. An electric jolt zapped through every cell of Merille's body, stopping in their lips, where the tingling lingered. Their body radiated warmth and they felt as comfortable as they never did before.
It felt as if Celestia herself had wrapped them in the most comfortable blankets the royal Canterlot castle had to offer, weaved from threads of the sun's everlasting light.
Time itself slowed to halt for the moment. Despite only being in 8th grade, Merille knew in that second that they wanted Rivet to be their one true love. That they wanted to be with her until the end of time.

What Merille didn't know was that Rivet had been talking behind their back for months.

It did not take long for Rivet to introduce her best friend Cora to Merille. And even less time for the gossiping to begin.

Cora wasn't exactly comfortable with it and just sort of let Rivet talk without saying much herself. Though, rarely, she would feel the pressure induced by Rivet and the fear of setting her off and it would make her say what Rivet wanted to hear.

Agreement. Or at least tolerance of her views. Confirmation that Merille was an awful pony. A horrible friend. A selfish, stuck up egomaniac.

Merille knew of nothing. No one had ever told them there was any issue at all. Rivet acted as sweet and lovely to them as she always had. There was no problem in their friendship, their romance even. Not that Merille would know.

As Merille's lips left Rivet's, time began to move in the yellow unicorn's mind again.
Their first kiss. And it felt amazing.
Before Merille could say anything, Rivet's lips pressed herself against theirs again, this time with more hunger. Their eyes widened. This was… unexpected.
Rivet kissed and kissed and would not stop with the kisses. Hungrily, as if needing to kiss Merille to stay alive, she kept kissing.
Merille's brain could not comprehend what was happening right now. Yes, the kiss felt good, but this was a bit… much.
Reluctantly, they kissed back, their heart racing with a mixture of not only love, but also confusion and anxiety now.
But all that Merille wanted, all that Merille needed in life was Rivet's love and Rivet's affection.
How hard would it be to just survive a quick, wild kissing session if it meant being with someone who loved Merille as deeply and truly as Rivet did, after all?