Hot Summers In Ponyville

It was Monday again. The day Firecharge and Dark mane usually met up at the Advanced Fliers Academy. The two would usually meet up on the third flying course, which hardly took any socialization.

And that's how it went today. Except Firecharge and Dark Mane had more of a drawn out chit-chat waiting for the instructor to show up.

"So, what's in the bag?" Firecharge asked, referring to the satchel Dark Mane had on her back.

"Oh, it's just a bunch of poems I've been writing. It keeps the stress down." Dark Mane replied, tightening the strap.

"Cool, can I read one? I've recently gotten into poetry myself." Fire said, eyeing the satchel.

"No... I mean, it just wouldn't be comfortable" Dark Mane replied, looking Firecharge in the eye.

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Firecharge tackled Dark Mane onto the ground and gave her a brief noogey as she giggled like a schoolfilly.

"How about now?" he asked, fixing her man and helping her up.

"Fine. Because you're so pushy."

Dark Mane flicked her pack onto the ground and opened it up, pulling out a paper with her left wing. Firecharge met this by using his right wing to grab it.

He read it briefly and a solitary tear dripped down the side of his face.

"I-is that... true?" He asked slowly, trying not to offend or offset Dark Mane.

"Uh-huh." she replied, putting her papers back.

"That's... That's dark.... And yet you're so mellow about it...."

"Yeah, it's something you learn to live with after awhile."

Firecharge wanted desperately to hug Dark Mane and ease her pain- but she had none. She was a strong mare anyway. It just never seemed like it because of her cheery attitude.

He went to get closer to her but was cut off by the flight instructor, who had arrived ten minutes late and with five o'clock shadow.

"ATTTEEENNNTTTTTIIIOOOOONNNNN!" the instructor shouted. "Give me a line, Cadets!"

The ponies all scrambled to assemble their line and get to their designated spots. Unfortunately, Firecharge was twenty ponies away from Dark Mane and could never even hope to be paired with her.

"Your ordinary course has been canceled today, for obvious reasons. But don't think that you're gonna get away scott-free. You will each fly around the entire facility two times before heading to the mess hall! Am I clear, Cadets?"

"Yessir!" The ponies all shouted, putting a hoof to their heads.

The instructor blew a whistle and the cadets were all off. Firecharge had always been the fastest flyer of the group, but he somewhat hated the fact that he couldn't control his urge. Dark Mane was in the back talking to her friends and a race of questions fluttered through his mind.

What are they talking about? Are they talking about me? Is my love... a game to her? All of that went through Firecharge's mind as he completed his first lap.

Better not let it get to me... He thought to himself, bottling up his emotions.