Studying (with) You

A Fresh Start

As fast as his hooves can carry him Sandbar starts his not-so-long journey to his dorm, where all the other male students live during their school years.
Please let him be in his room. Please let him be in his room, the pony's thoughts repeat themselves over and over before realizing that there is no way that Gallus already left, let alone woke up.
It's not even 10am and it's a day off. he barely makes it to class when he has to so he surely will not be up so early without a reason.
On his way to the right floor, the second one, he meets a few familiar faces but anything besides a quick hello and a smile costs him too much time. If there is a way to fix everything with Gallus he has to try it! He reaches the door and knocks on it but no one answers him.
"Gallus? Hey! Open up!", he shouts as he bangs his hooves harder and harder against the obstacle blocking his way.
"..o...ay"
A voice, not louder than a whisper and even harder to understand than Miss Pinkie Pie sometimes, addresses the pale lime-green stallion, who stops his assault for a second. But he just can't figure out what the voice said.
"Gallus? Was that you?", he asks to make sure it was really the blue griffon he desires to speak to right now, "Can I come in?"
But this time his question stays unanswered but he didn't come this far to just give up! He has to try again and again until he opens the door.
After a few seconds he bumps his left front hoof against the door but this time weaker than before followed by a word he uses pretty often but this time it sounds more... desperate, "Please..."
Again silence fills the hallway for a moment, which feels like an eternity passing by, until another muffled sound scares it away.
"..t's.. op..n"
It's still hard to understand but at least it's volume increased a bit. Sandbar takes a deep breath before he slowly pushes the door open and steps into the darkness hidden behind it. The door falls shut and the only remaining light source dies with it.
"Gallus? Gallus?", Sandbar asks while his hooves search for the light-switch on the wall. It should be next to the door, at least that's where the switch is located in his room.
Ah, there it is!, a delightful thought appears in his head as his right hoof feels something, that could be either a switch or something he never felt before in his entire life.
Luckily it is the light-switch as pressing it activates the lamp in the room, which fills the room with it's bright light. And even more luckily for him he found it at that specific moment because right in front of his right left hoof is a purple and black ball. One more step and he could've tripped over it and hurt himself! He turns his eyes away from the round object and searches for something blue and yellow.

Finally he can see the griffon, who is still in his bed with a big pile of colorful books next to it.
"Are you... sleeping?", the pony asks even though the answer is obvious.
How can he sleep if he just answered him? Correct, he can't!
"I was sleeping but someone woke me up...", Gallus answers after opening one of his eyes, spotting the stallion and turning his whole body the other way, therefore facing the wall.
Go away before I hurt you again...
"Oh yeah... Sorry."
The atmosphere is even more strange than yesterday, which is surprising considering that they fought and Gallus just stormed off. The pale lime-green male begins to scratch the floor with one of his front hooves as they just stood and lay there, staying silent for an uncomfortable amount of time.

"So...", the pony decides it is time to talk to diffuse the tension between them, "What are those? Books? Did you try to study on your own?"
Gallus finally rises from his bed and stretches himself to relax his limbs.
"No. They are comic books. I like to read them when I'm exhausted."
His voice sounds cold and empty but his mind is telling an entirely different story.
Get the hint! You can't help me with my problem... Don't let me drag you down with me.
He usually doesn't sound much different but something in his voice makes Sandbar nervous. Something is definitely wrong.
The griffon picks up the comic on top of the pile and begins to read it, much to his guest's annoyance.
"Can you listen to me? I came all this way to talk to you", Sandbar asks for his attention but the only thing he gets is a quick glance and a shrug.
"Don't remember asking you to come", he says, now showing signs of annoyance, as he flips the page.
Can't you see that I'm trying to get rid of you for your own good. Just leave and forget it!
Again the tension grows stronger and stronger and Gallus's ruthless behavior and Sandbar's steadily decreasing patience can cause a big scene if they don't begin to resolve their conflict. The pony sighs again and finally says the words he knows he needs to say or else everything will be for nothing.
"I'm... sorry"
W...W...What...
He pauses to see if there is any reaction but Gallus keeps the comic right in front of his face, making it impossible to see any reaction he might has.
"I shouldn't have snapped at you yesterday. I knew that you were trying and I understand that you only told me your opinion but I was... confused. It's not a common thing for ponies to hear someone talk like that about something as beautiful as Generosity. I forgot that you aren't a pony. You are a griffon and I shouldn't have treated you like a pony and expect that you are okay with it."
Finally he did it. Everything he felt is now free for Gallus to hear but a reaction is still lacking. He is still hidden behind his comic book. A sigh escapes from the stallion's mouth before he turns around and makes his way to the door to leave his friend alone. It's obvious that there is no way to fix anythingn anymore.