Ballad of Flowers

Chapter 4

               Orchid and Apple hung around in the quiet home, their minds wandering as they completed small errands and chores. After waiting... and waiting... and waiting... They realized what time it was "oh SHIT APPLE GRAB YOUR BAGS!" Orchid panics, falling out of her hammock and scrambling for her backpack. They both scramble up the ladder and into the crisp, night air.
After running for a few minutes, they finally reached the familiar campus, gasping and panting for air. Students swarm around the entrance, some eating, some talking, and others scurrying for their classes. Apple bid Orchid an aggravated farewell as he rushed to a separate building, desperate to get to his classes on time. Orchid starts to slowly make her way through the crowd, getting her fair share of kicks and trips before finally reaching her small art class. Nobody looked up to notice her, minus a ball of crumpled paper hitting the back of her head. She ignores it and sits down, sighing.
The class went as usual, following instructions and sneaking glances at the same person, turning a light pink whenever she did. Orchid had never told the person how she felt, knowing that if she did, they probably wouldn't feel the same, and she would be heartbroken. But, today she felt different, a bit more courageous than usual. After class she hesitantly approached the tall Dalmatian she had her eyes on for the past 4 months. What a beauty. "H-Hey... um... Spark, right?" She stutters out, turning a snow white as she did. "Yeah, what's up?" He barks in response, fiddling with a pencil. "I... uh... I've... had feelings for you... A-And I was wondering... if you felt the same way..." She blushes, looking down as the pink intensifies, overwhelming the white. "Why would I want to date you? A Rainwing? You're joking..." He chuckles, easily dismissing her emotions. Orchid felt something inside of her break as tears flow down her cheeks suddenly, backing away. "I... I understand...." She whimpers softly, feeling an ebbing sensation in her soul. She had only once felt this feeling... and it felt awful... Her scales were a pulsating blue, with small speckles of red and cyan as she bolted out of the room, tears still pouring as heartbreak hit her like a truck...

She still had one more class that evening, but decided not to go, sitting in the corner of the main hall, her scales never fading from the light blue and cyan. A few people noticed her, but decided to ignore her, not wanting any more drama in their already busy lives. After the next class ended and most of the students had left, she was still there, heart and mind in shambles. Suddenly, she hears a voice next to her, deep but warmhearted. "You okay Hun? You don't look so great..." He asks, sitting down next to her and looking into her hurt expression. She shakes her head, signaling she was in a great deal of pain. "What happened? It's okay if you don't want to talk, I understand..." She sighs and wipes away the few remaining tears, sniffling. "My crush rejected me... dismissed me like the piece of garbage I am..." He perks up and hugs her tightly, consoling the small dragon. "It's okay... everything's gonna be okay..." She knew she had reached a special age for Rainwings, but didn't expect to find the one so soon... She felt at ease in the large, grey canine's grasp, purring as the pain faded away, her old light blue shifting to a pink and yellow...