Zapped by an Apple | An Appledash College AU Fanfic | Human Characters

⓵⓺ 『 Glue 』

One could never truly articulate the ache AJ was left with the evening Rainbow struck her with her conclusive comment; 

     'I can't stand you'

     Immature, almost benign in comparison to what other word choice could have instead been favoured in such a tense moment, but caustic coming from that which AJ regarded so dearly. 

     AJ could not have responded to such a remark because, well, she was really not there with Rain-- or in other words--she did not posses the same level of contempt towards Rain as the athlete demonstrably felt towards her in that moment. 

     Just as she had finally surrendered to divulging in her truth, her words were occluded with ones of an almost opposite nature--further proving her intrinsic theory that, perhaps, some of these feelings of hers were simply more trouble than they were worth. 

     AJ could hardly imagine seeing her best friend behave in such a way towards her--with such untethered anger. She had seen Rainbow come close to the intense outward feeling only on occasions where it was directed towards an opposing team member during a game, or some asshole picking fights at Earthquest in the hallways; and she had also heard tales of this fury of Rain's from back when the jock's oldest friend, Fae, was picked on in elementary school and Dash stood up for her. 

     But towards her, AJ, the cowgirl couldn't picture such a case until it was happening. She had remembered minor, petty disagreements here and there, sure, but nothing as weighty as whatever she had witnessed last night. 

     If anything, Rain seemed to harbour some peculiar sort of 'soft-spot' for her in the past. It was so bizarre, but AJ had noted on multiple occasions, instances where the brunette's temper or impatience would be boiling rapidly, and she could sizzle it down with only a few simple words or a genial nod, even when she had witnessed their other friends attempt to do the same and emerge unsuccessful. 

     But not this time. This time, AJ was Rain's perceived adversary.

     The morning after their argument, AJ resisted attending her classes. Not because she was necessarily afraid this time around, but because she recognized her own psychological exhaustion and settled on spending some more time on the farm to clear her head. The blonde began her morning with a mug full of Apple-cinnamon tea and some casual chatter with her little-sister, Bloom. 

     "Wish ah didn't have to go ta school today..." Bloom cavilled, cheek pressed against her inner-arm atop the hickory round-table. AJ rolled her eyes and ushered a smaller cup of the hot beverage to the younger lass, replying, "When yer in college, ya can stay home all ya want."

     Bloom's nostril's twitched as she cocked her head out for a whiff of the drink, and then, satisfied, she drew in a sip of the tea. "Really? College must be amazin' then..." the tyke remarked enviously. 

     Oh if only...AJ mused to herself at the innocence of the commentary, longing to jump back in time to that undemanding life. But the older cowgirl admired Bloom's hopefulness, and so masked her own despondency with a bittersweet grin and reached a hand out to ruffle the younger's hair. This seemed to successfully detract from the subject, as Bloom perked up and chirped, "Hey AJ! Crusader-Scout Club is havin' a big talent show in June. Do ya think yuh could come???" 

     The Crusader Scouts were Bloom and her friend's amusing little parody of Girl-Scout or Bear-Scout groups. She had always begged Granny Smith to send her to camp, but having never accumulated enough cash for registration and attire, Gran had disappointed the youngling enough times for her to resort to formulating her own group. AJ spent some time a few summers back trying to restore the old clubhouse out by the acreage for the cause, but could never do it justice until Bloom--with her creative expertise--spruced up the place and happily adopted it for her beloved Crusader-Scout Club; the kids had been adorably obsessed with it ever since.