The Project (Rarity x Anon, Chapter 2)

>Lunchtime, the next day
>You get your tray from the lunch line, and look for a place to sit down
>You're about to take your usual seat in the corner, when you see Rarity at a table, with some of her friends
>The issue is, the friends she's sitting with are Hoity Toity and Photo Finnish, the two most stuck up people in the school.
>It wouldn't necessarily hurt to try and give it a shot, so you walk over to her table.
"Hey, Rarity, would you mind if I sat here?"
>"Anon! No not at all, please sit!"
>They don't even respond to her or greet you, they just glare.
>"Uoah. And... why would you have him here? He's not even... dressed."
>"Hoity don't be like that! Why, I in fact admire his more simple look. You should try it some time."
>Not sure if that was a compliment to you... or a backslap to him...
>"As I was saying, this is Anon. Anon, Hoity Toity and Photo Finnish."
"Hello."
>You extend your hand, but they merely scuff at the sight of it.
>How is Rarity seriously friends with these people? She's nothing like them.
>After they finished judging your hand, they went back to their own meals, and the table fell in silence.
>Rarity apparently took notice of this, as well.
>"So, Photo, how has that new photo line been going for you?"
>"Fine, just fine."
>With Photo shutting her down, Rarity turns to Hoity.
>"And what about you? Anything new?"
>"We already spoke about it."
>Again shut down, Rarity looks to you with an apologetic expression.
>"Well, since you two appear busy, Anon and I will head out to work on out project."
>Rarity nudges at you, and you both pick up your trays and leave the table.
>You try to find somewhere else to sit.
>"Anon... I'm sorry about them. They can both be terrible sometimes. I'd sit with my actual friends, but every other day I don't share a lunch period with them."
"What do you mean? Why do you bother hanging with them if you don't like them? They don't even seem like you!"
>She responds with a heavy sigh.
>"I have to sometimes. Hoity Toity's parents are responsible for my daddy's distribution, and Photo Finish's parents of course manage some of the photography. I have to have to hang out with them sometimes to make things look good.
"Why? If you don't like to, what's the point?"
>"It's meant to make relationships look good. My dad said if I'm nice to them they'll speak nicely of us to their parents, and there's no strain on a relationship. It also keeps them from bullying my other friends. I guess they just really were in a judging mood today. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. I understand."
>You settle at a two-person table at the other side of the room. As you sit down, Rarity looks at you and giggles.
>"Though maybe I can take you for a bit of a wardrobe overhaul."
"Absolutely not, I don't need anything like that."
>"I'll make you see otherwise soon enough."
>Despite saying you would talk about the project, you find yourselves just having another casual conversation about each other.
>Before you know it, the bell rings, ushering everyone out.
"Hey, Rarity, before we go... shouldn't we talk about when we should actually meet up for the work?"
>"You have my number Anon! If we don't meet in English later, you can always text me."
"You'd be alright with that?"
>"Oh Anon, don't be so silly! Of course I would be. I got to get along now. I'll see you later!"
"Alright, I'll see you later."
>You had a free period after lunch, so you weren't really in a rush to get anywhere.
>So you head up to where you usually go, the library.
>Normally, it'd be to use the computers to shitpost. But that wasn't something you were really in the mood for at the moment.
>Instead, you decide to go to the desks to stare at your phone.
>And so, the internal debate begins. Should you send her something? You could say something to start up a causal conversation, but would that be too soon? Are you still just partners, does she even consider you a friend?
>Maybe if you send something about the project, she'll think it's not weird. Right?
>You look down at your phone. Maybe it'll help to get some thoughts out.
>So you type.
"Hey Rarity. I had a quick question about the project, do you have a moment?"
>Alright, looks good. Send.
>Wait shit! No don't send she's in class!
>Fuck it's already sent, there's no turn back right now.
>Could you already have blown it? Great. This couldn't get any worse.
>You shut off your phone, and slam your head on the desk. You don't want to make this any worse.
>The period finishes, and the bell rings.
>You spent the entire time with your face slammed on the desk.
>Unfortunately you can't hide forever from her impending wrath for disturbing her class and probably making her look terrible
>You try to escape the library and try to sprint into your next class when-
>SLAM
>"Ow! Oh, Anon, it's you. Are you alright? I'm so sorry."
>Crap it's her! The time you're trying to avoid her you slam right into her!
"Oh, um, hi Rarity, I'm so sorry about interrupting you."
>"What?"
"I sent you a text, I wasn't paying attention, I forgot you were in class for a moment, I'm so sorry."
>"Anon, I have my phone off during classes anyway! You're fine."
>Okay, perhaps you overreacted slightly.
"My bad, sorry. Where are you headed off to now?"
>"Anon, dear, are you feeling alright? We have class together now, we're heading to the same place. I thought you knew."
"Right right my mistake! I'm sorry."
>"Come on, let's go. What did you need to tell me anyway?"
"What?"
>She giggles at you again. You know she doesn't mean any harm, and she actually comes off really cute doing so.
>"Is your head screwed on right darling? You told me you just sent a text, I said my phone was off, what did you need?"
>She does have a point. Freaking out over that nothing incident really scrambled yourself for a moment.
"Oh, um, right. I was thinking since we do need to make progress, do you maybe want to come over to my place today?"
>What are you thinking? Inviting her over?
>"Sure, we'll talk about it right after class."
>You both enter the classroom, and take your seat. When it suddenly hits you what you just did.
>Asking her to your home, seriously? Forget the fact that her father seemed like the, well, scary type, but the other implications of this.
>When you had that lab report with Flash, the one or two occasions he did show up you didn't go to each other's homes, you worked in the library.
>With Trixie, well, she just had you do everything and she went god knows where.
>But successfully inviting Rarity over? Is it just a project thing, or did she accept because she sees you as a friend?
>Yes, she did invite you over to her place.... but even that could have just been for the project.
>"Alright class. I hope things are going well with your partners. We will not be working on the assignment itself in class as..."
>The teacher's words just became noise to you, you can't even pay attention to them.
>And your room! It was a mess compared to hers. If you don't have time to clean it up, what the hell are you going to do? She'll be disgusted with you and your setup.
>What are you going to do about this new mess.
>Looks like it's time for another period with your head slammed on the desk.