Upper Crust and Country Flour

Upper Crust and Country Flour, Part I

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
>"Out of my way, Hayseed!"
"Oof- hey, watch where you're..."
>Applebloom sighed as the very familiar pastel-purple hair disappeared around a corner, the jingling of jewelry following in her wake.
>Scootaloo made a face towards the direction that Diamond Tiara had left in, her tongue out and nose crinkled.
>"God ever since the formal a couple weeks ago Tiara's been a huge bitch."
"That ain't nice, Scoots."
>"It's true! It's always, get out my way, that, you're sitting in my seat, this, no, don't eat our lab project! God, she's gotten worse than ever lately."
"It's not her fault!" Applebloom protested, "She's under a lot of pressure, 'n' stuff. Right Sweetie?"
>"Well... She has been a bit more abrasive than usual."
>"Or a total bitch?" Scootaloo chimed in.
>Sweetie shrugged, "Yeah, sort of. She's been worst to you, AB, I don't know why you're defending her still. It's not like we're really friends anymore."
>Scootaloo snorted and shot Applebloom a smirk that left her cringing.
>"Hard to hate your crush."
"You're just makin' stuff up, it ain't like that."
>"You're still not over her? Come on, Bloom, we're not Freshman anymore..."
"I told you it ain't like that Sweetie! Honest!"
>Neither of them looked convinced, and Applebloom wasn't even sure she convinced herself.
>Damn it...
>"Oookay, we don't need another intervention do we?"
>Applebloom shuddered.
"No, no! I swear, I ain't all ga-ga like I was for that weirdo Pie sister. It ain't nothing, promise."
>"We believe you, Applebloom," They definitely didn't, "We're just worried you'll get hurt again. I mean, really, Diamond Tiara? She's been bullying us for years, even when we were sort-a friends she wasn't really nice to us."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Applebloom muttered, "Trust me, I remember."
>Before they could torment her any further the bell above them let out a soft tone.
>"Come on AB, if we don't get to class VP Luna is gonna kill us!"
"Err, you guys go on ahead, I gotta use the bathroom."
>"Whatever, come on Sweetie, it's her funeral!"
>Applebloom watched them go, finally happy with the moments peace.
>She spun on her heel and followed after Diamond Tiara's wake, turning the corner and strutting down the hall.
>It was lined with doors on either side, but none of them were classes.
>The first door on the left, the only one with light not visible through the criss-crossed window.
>It only took a soft knock, three in quick succession then one more after a moment.
>The door unlocked with a soft 'pop', and Applebloom quickly ducked inside.
>"Did anyone see you?"
"Nah, hall's clear."
>The other girl in the cramped closet sighed and slumped against the nearest shelf.
>"You're going to give me a heart attack with all of this cloak-and-dagger, you know."
"Cloak and dagger? You reading those... novels again?"
>Her blush lit up the room.
>"I do not read smut!" She hissed.
"Okay, sure," Applebloom muttered, scratching her cheek, "I guess, but when the guy has a thingy like a horse in them- mm!"
>A soft hand covered her mouth as her companion let out a low growl.
>"I. Do. Not. Read. Smut."
>The hand covering her mouth only lasted a second longer, as she recoiled, pulling away with a look of disgust and a palm full of spit.
>"You're gross sometimes, you know? You don't even know where my hand's been!"
"A prissy girl like you?" Applebloom smirked and took a step forward, so the tiny closet seemed even smaller, "Probably carry around hand sanitizer."
>She grumbled something under her breath.
"What's that?"
>"I said I have some in my bag..."
>Applebloom laughed.
>She circled her arms around the pouting, blushing girl in front of her, and pressed their lips together for a long, sweet moment.
>When she pulled away the girl in her arms was flushed for an entirely different reason, her eyes wide and moon-like cresting over the horizon of her glasses.
"I missed that..."
>"We did it yesterday, and... Ah... The day before..."
>She melted in Applebloom's arms as feather-light kisses trailed her jaw.
"Ain't enough."
>She laughed, low and breathy, and it spurned Applebloom on even more.
>"Your friends still think you're not over... Ah! Oh... Diamond?"
>Applebloom laughed, "I ain't that great an actor, but I can fool those two- mm!- like nothin' else. Tiara still think you're in an extra-ciricia?"
>"Extra-curricular," Silver Spoon laughed, "And yeah, home-ec, or government, or something. Hasn't noticed."
"Ain't she a peach," Applebloom drawled, "All the more for me, I suppose."
>Their lips crashed together, drawing a sweet groan from the both of them.
>They separated long enough for Applebloom to lean in close to Silver Spoon, drawing her close while holding them steady against the nearby shelving.
>Silver Spoon's arms came around Applebloom's neck, threading through her fiery red hair.
"I love your hair," Applebloom blurted.
>Her ears tinged pink as Silver laughed.
>"And I yours, darling."
"Huh?"
>"You gots perddy hair, darlin'."
"Better," Applebloom chuckled.
>They stayed like that a moment longer.
>Applebloom would probably be missed in class, but it was only art, and Silver was so far ahead she had taken a free period.
>The benefits of being a bumpkin and an over-achiever, they would both say about the other.
"This closets a little stuffy, ain't it?"
>Silver sighed, the glassy look in her eye being replaced with the cool, calculated stare that made Applebloom feel stupid.
>Not that she'd admit that, Silver had more than enough on her plate.
>"We have this conversation every time, Bloom."
>She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah yeah, your dad, Tiara, Tiara's dad, the whole frickin' world. I get it."
>"And that's why you're the best secret girlfriend in the whole world," Silver muttered happily, pressing a kiss to Applebloom's cheek.
>Applebloom pulled them flush together and sunk to the floor, Silver curled into her lap with her face pressed into her neck.
>Applebloom took a moment to relax, letting the darkness of the closet and the rhythmic breath of her girlfriend take hold.
>Hot breath washed over her skin and left goosebumps behind, but she didn't mind, not when she could Silver Spoon.
>It was all worth it.
>"I've got a date coming up," Silver Spoon muttered, her eyes closed and her lips trailing kisses along Applebloom's neck.
"Yeah? 'Nother set up by the old man?"
>"Hmm.. No, I found a lovely twenty-five year old son of one of my father's business partners to set myself up with. Dinner, dancing, procreation, all the fun stuff."
"Hardy har har."
>"Mmhmm... Funny enough, we'll be dining outside Twenty-Second and Seed in the city."
"Oh?"
>"Wouldn't know any cute hayseeds that have a truck that could come rescue me after, would you?"
"I might know one. Fancy a box of wine, or a bottle?"
>Silver laughed, "A box, you bumpkin."
"Only the best for my darlin'," Applebloom promised, tightening her hold around Silver's middle and burying her head into her short, soft hair.
>"Of course."
>They fell silent.
>The closet was the closest thing they had to somewhere they could be themselves, without going outside city limits.
>It was calm, serene even.
>A world within a world, free of bossy teachers and even bossier parents.
>Applebloom began to rub Silver Spoon's back, and, much to her delight, began to softly hum a tune.
>Yeah, Applebloom decided, she wasn't going to give this up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
>The roar of the crowd, the beat of the music, the thumping of her heart in her chest.
>Yeah, Silver Spoon loved the rodeo.
>Not because she liked the lingering stench of tobacco and bull feces in the air, nor the toothless hillbillies surrounding her.
>It was a simple joy, found only by the love of a certain Hayseed.
>She was captivating.
>Dressed from head to toe like a modern cowboy; denim jeans, a rhinestone shirt, and a pearly white ten-gallon hat made her the spitting image of a gun-toting, damsel-rescuing cowboy.
>Silver couldn’t get enough.
>Well…
>”This place is disgusting, can we go yet?” Diamond hissed, “I don’t even know why we’re here in the first place!”
“Shush,” Silver laughed, “We’re supporting our friends, right? Besides, it’s no worse than those dances your parents put on. At least the people are friendlier.”
>”My dances smell better,” Diamond sniffed, “And the food isn’t so greasy, either.”
“Calm down DT,” Silver said, before leaning forward enough to whisper conspiratorially to the taller, older woman, “Besides, I remember a certain someone fawning over that churro place at the last rodeo we went to.”
>”I’ve found something tolerable in a mountain of less-than-reputable, boorish, pig-headed troglodytes. A need in a haystack, truly.”
“You know you didn’t have to come,” Silver mused, “I can take care of myself for a single night. Besides, Scoots, Sweetie, and AB are here. Plenty of protection.”
>”I may be less than pleased to be here, Silver, and I don’t know why you even want to come to these things in the first place, but I can’t just leave you to the wolves. Or bulls.”
>Silver laughed and bumped Diamond’s hips with her own, “It’s cool, go find a churro or something, I wanna watch AB crush that bull-riding record.”
“If you insist.”
>Diamond spun on her thousand-dollar heel, stalking away, even as Silver’s polish, aristocratic laugh followed in her wake.

**

>She sighed and slumped against the arena’s wall.
>The prickly wood scraped unfavorably against her back, but the cool night’s air and the calm atmosphere in front of her made it well worth it.
>Being surrounded by all those screaming, tobacco-chewing, smelly people made everything seem so tiresome.
>But here, surrounded by the smell of hay and the happy, but quiet, conversations of the festival’s patrons made everything tolerable again.
>She opened her eyes and took in the sights.
>Tiny fires blinked and flickered in and out of existence, propped up by the glowing of nearby diners and restaurants and market stalls, cut across by the shuffling crowd.
>It was almost enough to make following Silver to this ridiculous fair worth it…
>”Diamond Tiara?”
>Well... Almost.
“Scootaloo.”
>”Woah, stiff much? Chill out.”
“I’m… Sorry,” Diamond groused out,”Why are you here?”
>”It illegal to be walking around at a festival?”
“You know what I mean.”
>”Enlighten me.”
“Must you?” Diamond shot her a withering look.
>Scootaloo laughed, “Yeah, I must. AB is taking a break, so I am too. Beer?”
“I’m not old enough to drink that swill, and neither are you,” Diamond sent a narrow-eyed look at the brown bottle in Scootaloo’s hand.
>”It’s a party,” Scootaloo shrugged, holding the bottle out for her, “Besides, it makes the crowd almost pleasant.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
>”Oh come on, you think I’m blind? You don’t like all these people around you, right? Neither do I. Come on, I know it’s not million-dollar champagne, but…”
“Fine, if you are so insistent.”
>Diamond grabbed the bottle from Scootaloo’s hand and took a swig.
>Almost immediately she regretted it, her jaw clenched irritably and her throat stung as she tried to keep the alcohol from being spit back up.
>Scootaloo laughed.
>”Yeah, it’s really not million-dollar champagne.”
“So I’ve noticed. But… Thank you.”
>”That looked painful.”
“What?”
>”The thanks. Haven’t heard one of those from you in a while. Or ever, really.”
“Well I’m saying it now, so don’t take it for granted, dumby!”
>Scootaloo laughed at her reddening face.
>Diamond downed half the bottle to keep herself from saying something she wouldn’t regret.
>”Hey, you like churros?”
>Diamond grimaced as she pulled the bottle from her lips, but she kept the liquor down.
>Scootaloo was looking at her, hand in her pocket and legs crossed.
>She thinks she so cool…
“They are… Tolerable, for carnival food.”
>”It’s a rodeo.”
“Semantics, Scootaloo.”
>”Woah,” Scootaloo blushed, “That’s kinda… Why’d you bring that up?”
“...What?”
>”You know… Er, semantics?”
“You should’ve paid attention to biology,” Diamond groused, “Where are these churros? They sound much more tolerable than this conversation.”
>”Fine, fine, come on.”
“What are you doing?”
>Diamond look down at the hand clutching her own, soft and dainty and pale contrasting with calloused and rough and tanned.
>”Uh… Holding your hand?”
“Is that necessary?”
>Scootaloo laughed, “Chill, it’s not, like, a thing. Come on, I saw a stand over there…”
>Diamond let herself be pulled along, draining the rest of the bottle even as a warm blush colored her cheeks.

**

>”Mm, so good,” Scootaloo moaned, chomping down on her churro.
“They are acceptable.”
>”Acceptable? Glowing praise from you, DT.”
“What does that mean?” Diamond snapped.
>Scootaloo shrugged, “Just didn’t think you were into this kind of thing.”
>Diamond side-eyed her.
“What ‘kind of thing’?”
>”Do you have to make it weird?”
>Diamond stopped eating and her eyes narrowed at Scootaloo.
“Tell me what you meant.”
>Scootaloo sighed, exasperatedly, as if Diamond was the one not making sense.
>”I just mean that I didn’t think rodeos and greasy food and all that were your scene. Excuse me for assuming.”
>Diamond looked away, a blush coloring her cheeks.
“I… Silver Spoon is here. I do not know why she would want to show up to something such as this, but…”
>”You’d do anything for your friend? Yeah, I get that.”
“You would.”
>Scootaloo snorted into her churro.
>”How do you make that sound like a bad thing?”
“It’s not. It’s a commendable quality.”
>”Commendable quality? Jeez, if you were any more stiff you’d be a walking two-by-four.”
“Excuse me?!”
>Scootaloo laughed, “I’m kidding. God, you prissy girls are so easy to rile up.”
“I am not prissy!”
>”I bet you won’t even sit down to pee.”
“It’s not my fault that the toilet here is disgusting!” Diamond hissed.
>Scootaloo laughed and nudged her with her shoulder.
>”Calm down, I was just kidding. Hey, want another beer?”
“More drinking? I shouldn’t…”
>Scootaloo shrugged and took a large step towards another stall.
>It was mostly deserted, but a single worker just made an impression in the velvety blackness of the night’s sky.
>It only took a second for her to flash her ID before she got another drink.
“How do you do that?”
>”What? Oh, it’s all about confidence,” Scootaloo flashed her a winning smirk, “*Feel* 21, *be* 21.”
“I see…”
>Diamond shook her head.
>”What? I’m so convincing!” Scootaloo said, a smirk already on her lips, “Here, listen. ‘Hey, I’m all old, and stuff’.”
>It was a stupid joke, and not really funny, but Diamond couldn’t help but laugh.
>Scootaloo gave her a goofy grin.
“Very convincing. Mind if I?”
>Scootaloo took a long draw, then let Diamond do the same.
>They both shuddered.
“That’s… That’s really awful. And that’s not even including how much better the wine I have at home is.”
>”You really get to drink at home?”
“As if anyone would deny a Rich.”
>”Of course, I forgot, the all-mighty, all-encompassing Rich dynamic.”
“Wow, I’m truly impressed,” Diamond dead-panned, “I didn’t think you knew even half the words you just said.”
>”I just guessed,” Scootaloo laughed.
“Of course.”
>They fell in step together in a comfortable silence.
>Diamond enjoyed the peace that being around Scootaloo seemed to bring, much to her own surprise.
>She kept the crowds away, and didn’t demand her attention, and…
>And a million other small things that made being around her bearable.
>”So whats being a billionaire like?”
>Barely.
“My father is wealthy,” Diamond corrected, “I am not.”
>”What? So, like, you don’t get to use your dad’s money?”
“Foolish is the man that allows his kin to splurge of his own earnings.”
>”What’s that?”
“It’s an old saying. One my father loves to use.”
>Diamond huffed and bit sharply into her churro.
>”So you’re saying you act all richy-rich, without being all richy-richy?”
“I… Suppose you could say that.”
>”So you’re a poser!”
“W-what?!”
>Scootaloo laughed at her incredulous look.
“I am not a poser! I do not pose at being all, as you say, ‘richy-rich’!”
>”Right, so you’ve got all this money you can throw around, right?”
“Hold your tongue!” Diamond hissed.
>Scootaloo shoved a finger in her face, an idiotic smirk on her stupid, pretty face.
>”You’re totally blushing!”
“I am not!”
>The irritating twit laughed at her.
“I’m leaving!”
>Diamond began to stalk away, but a hand wrapped around her bicep.
>”Hey, hey, I’m sorry. I’m just teasing.”
>Diamond wrestled her arm away from Scootaloo’s grip and hugged herself around the middle.
“Well I do not like it.”
>”Woah, sorry. Are you really bothered about it?”
“I do not like being teased.”
>”Yeah, no one does, but, like, uh. Sorry, I just mean, is it a ‘thing’ for you?”
“A ‘thing’?”
>”Yeah. There are things that I won’t tease Sweetie or AB about, no matter what. Is that just all teasing for you?”
>Diamond huffed, “I don’t know why I must explain myself to you, but I suppose I shall. I do not like being prodded at. I suffer enough of that in my daily life that I would prefer to keep the ‘teasing’ to a minimum in my private life.”
>”What do you mean? Someones bugging you?”
“I’m rich,” Diamond spoke bluntly, “My life is open to the tabloids because of it, whether I like it or not.”
>“All right.” Scootaloo sobered, her face stony, “I won’t push you anymore. I’m sorry.”
>Diamond let her arms fall to her side and she sighed, long and suffering.
“I am being ridiculous, I know that. I’m sorry I am.”
>”Nah, don’t worry about it. Everyone’s got their ‘thing’.”
“Oh? And what’s yours?”
>”Do you really have to ask?”
>Diamond nearly gulped, her eyes straying to the loose sleeve on Scootaloo’s left side.
>She clenched her jaw, before finally relenting.
>”I hate people making fun of my hair.”
“W-what?”
>”Yeah. It’s so overplayed, it’s almost sad now, but people making fun of my hair always bugged me. What, did you think I was talking about my arm?”
“Of course not!”
>Diamond totally did.
>”Yeah, everyone thinks that.” Scootaloo chuckled, almost bitterly.
>”Hey, I’m sorry but I don’t really want to get into it here.”
>Diamond felt a weight in her chest at that pronouncement, as if some door had closed off in front of her.
“I am sick of this festival. Maybe we could go somewhere else? Somewhere private.”
>”Er… Yeah. Yeah, let’s do it.”
>Scootaloo’s hand wrapped around her own, and Diamond was pulled along.
>She didn’t mind.

**

>They found a nice, isolated bench to sit on.
>Far from the festival, far from the crowd, even as the flickering lights blinked in the distance.
>Scootaloo stretched herself across the length of the bench as Diamond tucked herself in, the night’s chill brushing over her exposed, goose-bumped skin.
>”It’s nice out here,” Scootaloo started.
“Yes, it is. The woods around here are rather nice, aren’t they?”
>”Yeah.”
>Diamond slunk her arm around Scootaloo’s middle, snatching the still half-full beer and stealing a quick draw from it.
>Already her face was flushed and her head was fuzzy, but that didn’t matter.
>The beer in her hand tasted awful, but it did the job.
>They settled into silence, each of them stealing drinks and staring up at the stars.
>Diamond broke the silence first, slightly slurred.
“How… How does it feel?”
>”Huh?”
“To be missing a limb, I mean.”
>Tactful.
>”Oh. Oh, uh, I dunno. How does it feel to have two hands?”
“How could I explain that?”
>Scootaloo shot her a wry grin.
>”How can I explain what it’s like having one, then?”
“Humor me.”
>”Well its… It’s like, you reach out for something with something you know isn’t there, but it feels like its there. I can still feel my watch on my wrist, but I know if I stretch out my arm and look down I won’t see the time. Know what I mean?”
>Scootaloo sighed and slumped against the bench.
>”It’s… I can’t explain it better than that.”
“I’m sorry.”
>”Don’t worry about it, you didn’t cut my arm off, right?”
“I just mean that I am sorry that you are missing your arm, and that you have to live like that.”
>”It’s not so bad. The sympathy points from hot chicks is pretty nice.”
“Of course,” Diamond scoffed, “Lose an arm, and all you can care about is how it gets you laid.”
>”It’s better than being all woe-is-me about it.”
>Diamond huffed and smoothed her skirt unconsciously.
“I suppose it is commendable how blaise you are about it. I couldn’t even imagine.”
>”It wasn’t so bad. At least I didn’t get the best part of me amputated, right?”
“And what is that?”
>Scootaloo shot up, her hips rocking back and forth as she smirked over her shoulder at Diamond.
>”What do you think?”
>Diamond rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’ve seen better.”
>But not by much, Diamond kept to herself.
>”So you’ve been looking?”
“I didn’t say that.”
>”Wait, lemme guess. That weird Pie sister in our year? She’s got a cracking ass, under all that fabric.”
“Hardly. I have standards, you know.”
>Scootaloo collapsed back onto the bench with a laugh, “Really? Standards, huh? Soooo… Wait, not Coach Biceps?”
“That’s an insult, if I’ve ever heard one!” Diamond spat, “How dare you even suggest such a thing!”
>”Sorry, sorry, didn’t mean it like that,” Scootaloo said, with an infuriating smirk on her face, “So, who is it then?”
“Who is what?”
>”Who’ve you been checking out?”
“No one, obviously!”
>”Not what you said.”
“It’s what I meant.”
>”Come on, tell me! Promise I’ll keep it a secret!”
“I thought I told you that I didn’t like teasing?”
>”Not teasing, I swear. I really, really, promise to keep whoever you’ve been ogling to myself.”
>Diamond squinted at her.
“That sounds suspiciously like teasing.”
>”Trust me?”
>Diamond didn’t, not for a moment.
>Trusting meant letting people in, and that was a mistake.
>Her father had educated her on what letting people in meant, and it was never good.
>Just heartbreak and pain and suffering.
>Still…
>Scootaloo wasn’t really one of her detractors.
>She was sweet, if a bit naive, and utterly devoted to those she called ‘friend’.
>”So, so? Who’re you checking out? Come on, DT!”
>And utterly, utterly annoying.
“I don’t remember us being friends,” Diamond spat acidly.
>”Ouch. I know we aren’t really, but it’s one of those nights, right?”
“Whatever are you talking about?”
>”You know? One of ‘those’ nights. Where everything is so calm and quiet, and we make huge discoveries about ourselves, and confess stuff, and whatnot. So tell me.”
>Diamond huffed, “That’s a ridiculous notion.”
>”Promise I won’t tell.”
>Scootaloo shuffled closer, they were barely an inch apart now.
“I’m… It’s not like that. I’m not superficial.”
>”Never said you were.”
“I’m not an egotist. I just like… I just want…”
>”Chill, okay?”
>Scootaloo’s wide, magenta eyes and wild, devil-may-care hair were in her face now, and the overpowering scent of cinnamon tickled her nose.
>”It’s all cool. No judgement, I swear-”
>Scootaloo stopped, the last inches closed as Diamond pressed their lips together.
>Scootaloo gasped, sucking in a sharp breath even as Diamond pressed together ever-insistently.
>They separated for a second, long enough for Scootaloo to quip out, “So, me then?”, before their lips came together again.
>If Silver could see her now…
>Diamond let her arms circle around Scootaloo’s neck, drawing them closer together.
>It was only moments later that their lips parted, both of them panting.
“I… I… Don’t think this means anything,” Diamond muttered, eye half-lidded.
>”Right. A full on make-out sesh, and it doesn’t mean a thing. Got it,” Scootaloo panted, her tongue running around her lips.
“Not a thing,” Diamond moaned as Scootaloo’s teeth nipped at her neck.
>Scootaloo hummed, sending a shiver up Diamond’s spine at the sensation that vibrated up her throat.
>They were almost molded together now, Scootaloo pulling Diamond into her lap and pressing their lips together once more.
>Diamond pulled away, finally, after several long minutes.
>She buried herself into Scootaloo’s shoulder.
“Keep this to yourself,” she muttered, “Please… Please don’t tell anyone.”
>”Why?”
“I don’t…”
>Diamond pulled away, far enough for Scootaloo to see her trembling lip.
“I don’t want people to think I’m a freak.”
>Scootaloo shot up, throwing Diamond off her lap as she reeled back.
>”Is that what you think? Cause I like girls I’m a freak?”
“N-no! I- I don’t, I mean-!”
>”Come on DT, just spit it out! We’re not friends,” Scootaloo’s jaw clenched and her hand curled into a fist, “We’re not anything, so just say whatever bullshit you wanna say and get it over with!”
“I don’t want everyone to know!” Diamond grasped desperately, “I don’t want them to know I’m- I’m…”
>”Gay? A faggot? Just spit it out. Spit it out! Say it!”
“I don’t want to be abandoned!” Diamond screeched, burying her face into her hands as she let out loose, uncontrolled sobs.
“I don’t want my friends to ditch me, or my dad to leave. It’s selfish, but I…”
>”It’s cowardly.”
>Diamond looked up at Scootaloo, at her scowling face and clenched jaw and trembling arm, like she was about to hit her.
>Like a caged animal.
>”You’re a coward, you’re pathetic, and I’m so fucking sick of it! You think you’re so much better than everyone else, but you’re not!”
>Diamond whimpered.
>Scootaloo didn’t stop, though, she was in a rage, her face flush as she paced back and forth across the small clearing.
>”You- you act like this perfect little girl, but when push comes to shove you’re daddy’s bitch.”
“I-”
>”Don’t! Just… Don’t.”
>Scootaloo sighed and tugged at her hair.
>The clearing was silent, at least between them.
>Diamond could still hear the distant roaring of the crowd.
>This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.
>She wasn’t supposed to kiss Scootaloo, she wasn’t supposed to offend her in the worst was possible, she wasn’t supposed to be anything but a hanger-on for Silver Spoon.
>But…
>Scootaloo, her face, her voice, her presence drew her in.
>Commanded her, made her want to break the rules.
>Finally she spoke, barely audible, but she knew Scootaloo heard it.
“I’m sorry… I don’t think you’re a freak, for being… For being gay.”
>”Yeah, you say that, but what happens when I show up to school on Monday and you call me a faggot in the middle of the hall? Is that what this is? Some sick game to make fun of me?”
“No! No, I promise!”
>”You promise? Yeah, like a promise from a Rich is worth anything-”
>Scootaloo was cut short as Diamond pressed their lips together again.
>She tried to pull away, but Diamond wrapped her arms around her neck and kept them together.
>Only after a few more moments did she let them pull away, both panting, and flushed.
“I promise. I’m…”
>Diamond sniffled and buried her head into Scootaloo’s neck.
“I’m gay. I’m gay, and I hate it, and I’m so sick of ignoring it!”
>Scootaloo couldn’t help but wrap her arms around Diamond’s middle, but she stayed silent.
“I just want to be normal,” Diamond whispered, “Normal, and not gay, and ready to take on the family legacy. Normal. But I’m not, and I just… Cant I have an easy ride, for once?”
>Scootaloo hugged her tight and spoke, her voice soft.
>”There’s no such thing as an easy life, it all sucks. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, figured that out.”
>”You’re a smart girl.”
“No teasing.”
>”Is patronizing, teasing?”
“Yes!”
>”Alright, sorry.”
>Scootaloo laughed, then pulled Diamond into a hug, and Diamond relented easily.
>They let themselves sink into each other, now silent and calm and collected.
>Everything seemed so serious and so trivial.
>Diamond kept herself focused and tried to ignore the growing urge to kiss Scootaloo again.
>They pulled themselves from each other after another long, still moment.
“The rodeo is nearly over,” Diamond muttered, “Silver will be expecting me, soon.”
>”How soon is soon?”
“I thought you hated me?”
>”I’m mad,” Scootaloo admitted, “Madder than I’ve ever been, but I know it’s not your fault. It’s your fucked up family’s fault.”
“My family is… Contentious.”
>”That’s a word for it.”
>Diamond sighed, and nodded.
“I’m sorry, very sorry. I can’t just change, not on a dime.”
>”Which is why I’m not walking away,” Scootaloo murmured, her breath hot in her ear, “I believe you’re better than that. Prove me right?”
“Hmm... Maybe. Let’s get back to the festival, before we’re missed.”
>”We were missed half an hour ago,” Scootaloo admitted sheepishly, “Sweetie’s been texting me for forever.”
“Wait… Scootaloo, you oafish buffoon!”
>Diamond’s phone was blinking for her attention, demanding she answer the two-dozen texts and half-dozen calls.
>”Hey, you kissed me!”
“If I knew that being gay would cause me this much trouble I would’ve reconsidered it!”
>She dialed the most recent number - her father’s - and prayed that it wasn’t too late to stop the hounds from being sent to look for her.
>”So your saying that kissing me was worth missing all those calls?”
>Diamond screeched, inarticulate but full of malice and rage.
>The phone answered and her father’s voice, harsh as it was, relaxed her.
>Diamond placated her father for a moment longer before the line went dead, and suddenly she was thrust back into reality.
>’the moment’, as Scootaloo described it, was gone, replaced instead with a shitty bench and cool night’s air and uncomfortable silence.
>”So I know you’re kinda closed-off, but, you wanna make out?”
>Diamond threw her phone at her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*