Letting Go | Appledash

Chapter Ten: Infatuated

Chapter Ten: Infatuated

Rainbow Dash didn't answer. Her lips parted and closed as she tried to formulate words and failed miserably.

Rarity rolled her eyes dramatically. "No need to look so stunned. You knew already, correct?"

The cyan girl blinked. She didn't trust herself to speak so she simply shook her head. Rarity's eyebrows raised, and so did Twilight's.

"You didn't?" the bookworm asked in surprise.

Rainbow Dash nervously glanced off to the side. She shook her head again.

"Not even the tiniest clue?" Rarity urged, to which she was rewarded with a third shaking head from her friend. She found herself finally letting go of the girl's hands to peer at her in disbelief. "But how? It's so obvious!"

Dash felt like a complete idiot. She cleared her throat before managing, "I-I've never felt it before, how was I supposed to know?"

Rarity couldn't help but facepalm. "Darling, you're beyond infatuated. It doesn't take a genius to understand the reason of such passionate feelings."

Twilight nodded in agreement and now Rainbow felt really stupid. Even the world's biggest egghead knew what this was. She anxiously scratched at her cheek.

"But... There's no way," she said lowly.

"Why not?" Twilight asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Rainbow Dash bit her lip. She struggled with what to say next. She sat silently, gathering her thoughts for a moment or two before finally mumbling, "Because... It just can't be. I can't have feelings for that person."

Twilight glanced over at Rarity. The fashionista was quietly studying the defeated state of their friend. "You can't because it's wrong or you can't because it'll ruin things?" she questioned.

Dash had to think about that. In a way, it was wrong, wasn't it? Applejack was her closest friend and trusted her with every fiber in her body – Rainbow Dash had absolutely no right to have these inappropriate feelings about her and do all those creepy things like watching her sleep. Not to mention that it would most definitely ruin things, not only for them but also for their whole friend group.

"Both, I guess," Rainbow replied lowly.

Twilight circled around the table to take a seat next to her friend. She put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You don't want to tell us who it is?"

Rainbow Dash immediately shook her head. There was no fricking way she would ever admit having feelings for Applejack; not to her friends, not to anyone. This was something that only she herself would ever know.

"Are you sure? Maybe we could help," Twilight told her. Rarity nodded sympathetically.

"It's fine," Dash said. She took a deep breath and strengthened into a display of confidence. "You two are being way too dramatic. They'll probably go away on their own."

"What will?" Rarity asked with a frown. She crossed her arms across her chest. "Don't tell me you're referring to your feelings."

Twilight's arm fell off Rainbow Dash's shoulders as the girl stood up from her seat. She stretched casually before saying, "That's right. It's not my thing. I mean, feelings and love and... You know, all that weird stuff."

"I don't think that's how it works," Twilight answered.

"It totally is. Just watch, I'll get over it in a second," Rainbow Dash retorted. She threw a glance at the clock. "Oh, man. Gotta run. I got practice."

Twilight looked at her suspiciously. "Okay then. Let's talk about this another–"

"Bye!" Rainbow interrupted.

Rarity and Twilight watched in puzzlement as their friend rounded the corner and left through the café door.

"Should we be concerned?" Rarity asked after a while.

Twilight sighed. "Beats me."

—

"Spitfire," Rainbow Dash called out.

"Oh, hey Rainbow Dash," Spitfire answered. She came walking up to her. "I thought you weren't coming to practice today."

"I wasn't," Rainbow replied simply.

Spitfire stared at her, waiting for an explanation. As she realized one wasn't coming, she asked, "Then why are you here?"

"Change of plans. Still got a spot?" Rainbow questioned.

"Of course. Get in there," Spitfire said, not bothering to ask any further questions.

Rainbow Dash did as told. She hadn't planned on going to soccer practice today; she was supposed to be helping Applejack, after all. But after her talk with Twilight and Rarity, she had a lot on her mind. She needed to distract herself somehow, and there was no better strategy for that than sports.

All of these strange things she was feeling towards Applejack started when she spent more time with the girl. They'd been friends for years and she had never experienced this before. Dash figured she needed to go back to her old habits instead of spending so much time with the blonde. That way, these feelings would probably start fading. Just like they should.

—

Applejack:
[9:49 PM] You doing alright?

Rainbow Dash:
[9:55 PM] yeah why wouldn't I be

Applejack:
[9:56 PM] I dunno... You've been acting off all day

Rainbow Dash:
[10:00 PM] I'm doing fine

Applejack:
[10:00 PM] Okay

Applejack stared blankly at her screen. Was she overthinking it or did Rainbow Dash not seem very eager to talk to her right now?

Applejack:
[10:01 PM] You know I'm here for ya

Rainbow Dash:
[10:05 PM] thanks but nothing's wrong

Applejack:
[10:06 PM] I'm just letting you know

Rainbow Dash:
[10:10 PM] well thanks I guess

Nope. There was no doubting it. Rainbow Dash definitely didn't want to talk to her. The girl's current texts were on the opposite end of the spectrum compared to the ones she sent the night before.

Applejack:
[10:11 PM] Good night then

Rainbow Dash:
[10:15 PM] night

AJ couldn't tear her eyes off the one-word reply. Rainbow Dash couldn't have made it more obvious that something wasn't right. She seemed fine when they parted; did something happen after that?

It wasn't until Applejack's screen started dulling due to inactivity that the girl finally managed to put it away. She sighed deeply and buried her face into her pillow, forcing her eyes shut.

Despite the efforts, Applejack laid wide awake for a long time that night.