WTTR: Side Stories

You Don't Need a Lover to be Happy

Gracie looked worriedly at where Twilight's room is, setting the last plate of food on the table. Twilight had came home from school with her head hung low and went straight to her room. She hadn't come out for anything, not even to greet Ford when he came home. When she had finished making dinner, she still hadn't come out to join them.

"Something wrong?" Ford asked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"Ford, I'm worried. She's been in her room ever since she came home from school." Gracie said, not hiding the concern in her voice.

"I'll go talk to her then."

Walking down the hall, he knocks on Twilight's door. When she didn't respond, he slowly opened the door to see her in bed. her jacket draped over the end of the frame with only her back visible. He slowly approaches her, sitting at the foot of her bed.

"Twilight? Aren't you gonna come eat? Gracie made your favorite."

"I'm not hungry..." She replied in a low voice.

Now he knew something was up, she never wants to skip on eating some of Gracie's cooking, especially her favorite dinner.

"Okay, what's gotten you down?"

She sat up, hugging the pillow close to her chest. "It's just... Today I realized, something's wrong with me."

"Wrong with you? Are you feeling sick?" Ford asked, placing a hand on her forehead to feel for a fever but she pushes it away.

"Not as in an illness. Something more... personal."

He allows her to lay her head on his shoulder, wrapping his arm around her shoulders gently.

"Let me explain... It started after the last class of the day, I was hanging out with Pacifica and some other girls. They were talking about boys they were crushing on, and one of them asked me if there was anyone I liked. I told them there wasn't anyone that caught my eye, not even girls... The others were shocked to hear this, asking why I haven't fallen in love or even had a crush before. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a Dream Demon or something, but I never felt that way towards anyone."

He could see tears appearing in his adopted teenage daughter's eyes, hugging the pillow tightly.

"The other girls started to pick on me for not having at least one crush on someone... but Pacifica stood up for me and got me out of there before things got ugly. If she didn't step in... I would've done something my other dad would've done."

"Twilight!" Ford scolded.

"I wasn't actually thinking it until it was done and over with!" Twilight replied. "But it got me thinking... Throughout all the time of me being in this dimension, even when I decided to stay... I haven't fallen in love with anyone. Is something wrong with me Ford? Is this a thing some humans feel? Or is it because... I'm different?"

She couldn't hold it in any longer as she started sobbing, leaning on him as she let it all out. It broke Ford's heart to see her break down like this, confused about what she was feeling. He's heard that there're some people who also don't feel any romantic or sexual interest in others, and perhaps Twilight is one of them.

"Listen to me Twilight. What you're feeling right now is a normal thing humans experience too. Sometimes they don't feel any romantic or sexual feelings for anyone, and it's because they're just not interested at all. Tell me, before today have you ever thought about being with that special someone?"

The teen with pink hair thought about what he said, thinking long and hard about it. No... she never thought of the idea of her getting married, finding the one for her. At first she thought it was because of everything going on when they were trying to stop Weirdmageddon from happening, but as she grew older... she never bothered with dating as she was never interested.

"No... no I haven't. I never bothered with it." She replied, setting the pillow down on her lap.

"Exactly, and that's not a bad thing. Those girls were wrong to pick on you for not being interested in romance. I thought I wouldn't find anyone until I met Gracie, and the same applies to Blythe and Stanley. the point I'm trying to make is that romance is not for everyone, and if you're not interested at all... then that's fine."

Twilight smiled, giving her adoptive father a big hug. "Thanks Ford..."

They hear the door opening to see Gracie coming in, smiling at the scene.

"I'm guessing you're feeling better?" She asked.

"Much. Now I'm feeling hungry after letting out my emotions." She gets up on her feet, wiping away the last of the tears. "Ford mentioned you made my favorite for dinner?"

"I did. Ramen with chicken."

Twilight's face lights up, almost squealing in the process. "Thank you! Let's go Ford, I'm ready to eat."

Gracie giggled as she watched Twilight grab her husband by the arm and pull him out of her room, heading straight for the dining table. Just shook her head with a smile as she followed them to set the table. She was grateful for this little family she has, and she wouldn't trade it for the world.