A Search For Something More

Chapter 22: One Last Try

That night, I stayed at home, depressed over Octavia, dumping me. My parents were furious that I was part of a fight even though it was made clear that I didn't start it, but I was too sad to care. I stayed in my room not doing anything but lay in my bed, already missing all the time I was spending with Octavia from our movie nights, to our meetings with the E.M.R. to all the times we would kiss and hug each other and say "I love you."

I'm sure I sound pathetic moping and doping like this, but I can't help it. Losing Octavia hurts me inside. I thought I was heartbroken before when I found out that Sunset Shimmer was using me, but this is so much worse. Three days ago, we were happy and deeply in love with each other, and then because of one video posted by Applejack's sister and her friends, she suddenly decided that she had enough with our relationship. The moment she broke up with me keeps replaying in my head, and I keep thinking of things I could have said that could have changed her mind. Or maybe if I had just not lied to her to try to find a gift for her and bumped into Sunset Shimmer at the mall, none of this would have happened. But then again, I would have regretted not trying to get her something to show her how much I love her. I wish I could go back in time and warn myself that this would happen, or maybe stop Apple Bloom and her friends from creating Anon-a-Miss so that way no one in CHS would have been a victim of that profile let alone me.

But I can't, and what's done is done. Octavia and I are broken up, and there was nothing I could have done to stop it.

The next day was the Friday before finals week,, and everyone is quiet. Word spread quickly that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were behind Anon-a-Miss and have detention for the next six months. Most of the students in class are letting the day go by glumly, probably feeling guilty for whatever part they played in the whole scenario. Regardless, the silence suits me just fine as I want the day to pass by quietly and then stay home the entire weekend.

When lunch started, I met Caramel and Soarin at our usual spot. They have their own band-aids and shown bruises from yesterday's fight.

"You doing okay, Rough Draft?" Soarin quietly asks as we eat.

I stop eating and sadly reply, "No. Not really, Soarin. I barely feel better knowing that the whole Anon-a-Miss thing is over. By the way, thanks for trying to defend me yesterday."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Soarin says sincerely. "You're our friend, and there was no way we were going to let anyone like Sandalwood beat you up over a post even if we were gonna fail to protect you."

"I know, and I appreciate that you guys did all the same succeed or fail," I say with a small smile. "Still, it was scary to see all of us act like that. The anger that everyone had looked...demented. Like we were kind of possessed."

"Were we? I hardly noticed. I was probably paying too much attention kicking butt," Soarin says boastfully.

"Yeah, and I was feeling a little too scared despite throwing as many punches as I could muster," Caramel says sadly. "I feel a little pathetic trying to fight all of those guys."

"Ah, don't be too hard on yourself, Caramel, we were outnumbered," I say before a grin forms on my face. "Besides, I think Applejack was impressed that you tried to defend me."

Caramel's eyes widen as he turns his head to me, and nervously asks, "W-what do you mean by that?"

My grin grows.

"You're welcome. That's all I'm going to say," I say teasingly before I notice someone walking behind Soarin and say, "That goes for you too, bro."

"What does that mean?" Soarin asks.

But before I can respond, Rainbow Dash walks behind Soarin and wraps her arms around him from behind. Soarin yelps, startled before he turns to see her looking at him with a smug look.