Letting Go | Appledash

Chapter Eight: Painful Embrace

Chapter Eight: Painful Embrace

As Applejack and Fluttershy entered the classroom, all of their friends, including Rainbow Dash, were already in place and waiting for the two missing girls. Sunset Shimmer was the first to notice their arrival. She hurriedly approached them.

"Where did you two go? We thought you were right behind us," she said.

"Well, we were, but we got caught up with a little sumthin on the way," was Applejack's reply.

She peered over Sunset Shimmer's shoulder to get a glance at Rainbow Dash. The girl was sitting by a desk with her arms crossed, facing away and frowning slightly. Applejack sighed before walking up and sliding into the seat next to her.

"Hey," she greeted softly.

Rainbow Dash looked alarmed as she hastily replied, "Oh hey, hello, er- I mean, what's up?"

"You alright, sugar cube?" Applejack asked her. She watched as the girl's face morphed into five different expressions before finally settling with puzzlement.

"Ugh, I don't know. I think I'm going through a phase or something," Rainbow Dash confessed.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. That was way off the list of things she'd expected the girl to answer. She tilted her head at the girl in question.

"A phase?" she repeated.

"Yeah," Rainbow said. She rolled her eyes. "It's super lame, I know."

AJ shook her head. She put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Not at all," she told her. Rainbow Dash peered at Applejack. "I mean, I don't know any details, but we all go through stuff every once in a while," the blonde added with a smile.

"Well, duh. I know that already. I'm not an idiot," Rainbow Dash pointed out. She sighed deeply. "But this isn't that. This is different."

AJ wasn't following. She let her hand slide off the girl's shoulder and took a quick glance at the clock. Class had started already and she knew the teacher would be here soon. She pondered for a moment before lightly nudging Dash on the shoulder.

"Tell me later?"

Truth be told, Rainbow Dash didn't want to tell her later. She hated feeling like a damsel in distress. She was more like a dude in bench press kinda girl. She waved away Applejack's arm.

"Nah, I'm cool," she said.

Applejack didn't answer. Not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't have time. Right as she was about to open her mouth, the teacher stormed through the classroom doors and yelled at the students to take their seats.

—

Rainbow Dash didn't talk about it for the rest of the day, and Applejack didn't push the topic any further. Somehow she felt like she'd touched an issue that the athlete wasn't ready to discuss yet.

The two girls walked alongside each other silently. They were finally making their way to Sweet Apple Acres after finishing classes for the day. Applejack felt a little awkward, but judging from the intense thoughtful expression on Dash's face, she was probably the only one. Rainbow seemed to be fully distracted with her thoughts.

AJ nibbled nervously on her bottom lip. Something was very clearly bothering Rainbow Dash, and she wanted to help so badly, but she was scared. She was scared that she couldn't – that she wasn't the one for the job; that Rainbow was, in fact, ready to talk about it, but just not with her. She was scared that, despite Rainbow claiming that she's her closest friend, she wasn't sufficient enough to actually fulfill the role.