Discoveries

Late Thursday night, September starting to roll around and the weather turning chilly, Tagalong and Orion are up late talking to each other.

       "Well, I've never had a girlfriend" said Orion, adjusting in his sleeping bag, trying to get comfortable on Tagalong's floor. He was spending the weekend at Tagalong's house, his parents in Canterlot supporting his older brother. Tagalong and Orion had been best friends for two and a half years and Tagalong's parents considered him to be part of the family.

       "Well, you know me and Sweetie Belle have been going out for two years now. Is there anypony you like?" Tagalong asked, peering down to his friend.

       "Me? No, but I have this one friend that kinda has a crush on Scootaloo," Orion said nonchalantly. Tagalong looked at Orion, then started to chuckle. "What's so funny?" Orion asked.

       "Well, I think your 'friend' better work up the courage to tell her!" Tagalong said, stifling laughs.

       Orion sat up, "A-am I that easy to read?" he asked. Tagalong nodded then put a hoof up to his mouth.

       "Shh. Do you hear that?" he whispered. There was someone up as well, as the sound of hoof-steps could be heard down the hall. Then there was a knock on the door. Tagalong always kept his door closed ever since he lived in the Manehattan orphanage.

       "Are you guy still awake?" Scootaloo's hushed voice said. "You're so loud! Go to bed already!' Tagalong and Orion looked at each other.

       "Alright, Scoot. Good night," Tagalong said.

       "Night," she said. The sound of hoof steps and closing door meant the end of the conversation. Tagalong turned to Orion again.

       "She's right, it's getting late." Orion looked at Tagalong's clock then nodded. Tagalong turned off his lamp and rolled over in his bed. Orion couldn't sleep, so he lied in his sleeping bag and simply listened to the sounds of the house. However, the only thing he could hear though Tagalong's snoring was the crickets outside the window.

      The next thing he knew, Tagalong was pushing him back and forth.

       "Come on, wake up! We're gonna be late!" he yelled. Orion stood up quickly and bolted out of the room. Tagalong shrugged and walked into the dining room. He sat down and started to eat his breakfast. Orion walked out of the bathroom and in the dining room and looked around.

       "Where's Scootaloo? Did she already head for school?" he asked. Tagalong shrugged and mumbled "I don't know" through a mouthful of cereal. Orion kept looking around, thinking maybe he missed her sitting on the couch. It wasn't like her to go to school early. Orion drowsily sat down at the table and poured some cereal and milk into a bowl then started to eat as well.

       After breakfast, the two colts grabbed their saddlebags and headed off to the schoolhouse. As they walked down the busy road, Sweetie Belle snuck up from behind Tagalong and jumped on top of him, knocking him to the ground and spreading the contents of his saddlebag all over the ground.

       "Hi!" she peeped with a smile on her face. Tagalong got back up and dusted himself off.

       "Hey, Sweetie." he said. They hugged and continued walking to school. When they arrived at the schoolhouse, they saw Apple Bloom waiting by the door, while other fillies and colts socialized before school started. As the group approached her, she instinctively turned around and greeted them

       "Oh, hey y'all. Where's Scootaloo?" asked Apple Bloom.

       "I don't know. She isn't here already?" responded Tagalong. Apple Bloom shook her head while Orion walked into the schoolhouse.

       "Well, I guess we'd better head inside. Maybe Scootaloo's skipping again." suggested Sweetie Belle. She and Tagalong walked side by side into school with Apple Bloom following close behind. They entered Cheerilee's classroom, which was nearly empty due to the fact that school hadn't started yet. They all sat in their assigned seats while the other ponies slowly entered the room. Tagalong turned around in his seat to talk to Orion. It was easier now that Scootaloo wasn't in class that day.

       "Do you really like Scootaloo?" he asked his friend. Orion looked around then leaned in to his friend.

       "Yeah, I think she's really cute," he said. Class had officially started and Tagalong and Orion were talking over Cheerilee, who was writing the day's assignment on the chalkboard.

       "I just don't believe you," Tagalong said, irritating Orion a bit. "Do you like her, or love her?" he asked. Orion sat back in his seat and without thinking about the volume of his voice, blurted out

       "Yes Tagalong, I love Scootaloo!"

       "Orion!" shouted Cheerilee, turning away from the chalkboard, "Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" she gruffly asked. Orion quickly turned red.

       "No ma'am," he quietly said. Cheerilee turned back to the chalkboard and Orion buried his face in his hooves. Then he heard Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom giggling from across the classroom. He looked at them and they waved to him. His mind raced and he tapped Tagalong on the shoulder.

       "What?" he quietly asked.

       "I think Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle overheard what I said! They're gonna rat me out to Scootaloo after school, I just know it!" he frantically whispered back.

       "So what?" Tagalong responded.

       "So what? I don't want anypony to know that, let alone Scootaloo!"

       "Fine, then we'll stop them before they get to Scootaloo." he reassured his frantic friend.