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Where Wallflowers Bloom

By Wowflower
Created: 2026-01-21 20:47:20
Updated: 2026-02-12 04:42:04
Expiry: Never

  1. 1.
    >Rainy days are your favourite, you don’t know why, maybe it’s thanks to how empty the streets get when it happens
  2. 2.
    >Skipping class is something you only do when you really need to clear your head
  3. 3.
    >Like today, or yesterday, and maybe the last couple days before that
  4. 4.
    >You’re not a good student
  5. 5.
    >Nor do you care to be, however much that frustrates your parents
  6. 6.
    >That coupled with your tendency to avoid people, branded you as an outcast as soon as highschool started
  7. 7.
    >You want to say you don’t mind but it gets pretty lonely sometimes
  8. 8.
    >Yet you don’t do anything to fix that, to go out of your way to make friends
  9. 9.
    >What a dilemma you’ve put yourself in
  10. 10.
    >In this school, no one seems to be quite like you
  11. 11.
    >Everyone’s in their own cliques, happily going through their day
  12. 12.
    >Even if those days include random magical antics happening every couple of months
  13. 13.
    >You can’t find a single person you feel like you could connect to
  14. 14.
    >Well, there is one
  15. 15.
    >But to be honest, you rarely ever see her
  16. 16.
    >Maybe she’s as much of an outcast as you are, she never seems to talk to anyone when you do see her
  17. 17.
    >In fact, you’ve never spoken to her before
  18. 18.
    >Not that you remember, anyways
  19. 19.
     
  20. 20.
    >Groaning, you walk back towards the school grounds
  21. 21.
    >Nice as these rainy days are, you’d rather not get suspended for skipping multiple periods again
  22. 22.
    >Sneaking behind school, you hope you’ll find the same back door you use to have these escapades
  23. 23.
    >That’s when you see her tending to the somewhat hidden garden behind school
  24. 24.
    >With her back turned to you, you can’t see her face but you know it’s her
  25. 25.
    >Her sea green hair catches your attention whenever you see her in the hallway, as is no different now
  26. 26.
    >Just like you, she seems to not mind the rain, letting it soak her hair as well as her sweater
  27. 27.
    >When she stands up to gather up her tools, you realise just how long you’ve been staring at her
  28. 28.
    >You didn’t even hear the school bell ring
  29. 29.
    >She turns to you, and you don’t bother trying to avert your gaze
  30. 30.
    >Her eyes lock with yours, clouded by the rain you can’t see them very well but you can feel her staring you
  31. 31.
    >It feels as if everything stopped just for a moment
  32. 32.
    >You can’t find words to speak
  33. 33.
    >You can’t even move from where you’re standing
  34. 34.
    >You feel your heart beating in your throat
  35. 35.
    >And that’s when she starts awkwardly walking towards you
  36. 36.
    >Like a feral cat judging your character, she cautiously keeps eye contact as she approaches you
  37. 37.
    >Just as you think she’s about to ask something
  38. 38.
    >She passes by you and picks up her pace, hurrying inside and leaving you in the rain
  39. 39.
    >You were a total creep, weren’t you?
  40. 40.
     
  41. 41.
    >Heading back inside, you go to your locker and grab your PE clothes to change to
  42. 42.
    >You hurry to dry up and go to your next period
  43. 43.
    >Which is now halfway over, so of course you get an earful from Ms Harshwhinny over it
  44. 44.
    >Sitting down you tune her out immediately as you mull over what happened with that girl
  45. 45.
    >You froze in place the moment you saw her
  46. 46.
    >Furthermore when she noticed you staring you did your best impression of a gargoyle and kept silent while staring at her
  47. 47.
    >Laying your head on your desk, you let out a mental sigh
  48. 48.
    >You have to find her again, apologise for being a creep and hopefully strike up conversation
  49. 49.
    >The class ends shortly, you didn’t even bother trying to catch up to what Harshwhinny was going over
  50. 50.
    >Lunch period
  51. 51.
    >Since the tables are always occupied by cliques, you begrudgingly decided to skip lunch altogether and just hang around school waiting for the bell
  52. 52.
    >It’s still raining, and you don’t want to get another set of clothes wet before you get to go home
  53. 53.
    >Passing by a hallway you don’t frequent, you notice the lack of classrooms and students here
  54. 54.
    >Actually this part of the school feels almost abandoned, decals and stickers on the lockers here show inside jokes of years past
  55. 55.
    >Why would people avoid this part of the school?
  56. 56.
    >Walking around a corner, you see the lights of a classroom on
  57. 57.
    >Curiosity gets the best of you as you make your way to the door
  58. 58.
    >Reaching for the handle, you look inside to find…
  59. 59.
    >A bunch of gardening equipment and what seems to be a greenhouse?
  60. 60.
    >This school doesn’t have a gardening club
  61. 61.
    >Stepping inside, you look at the variety of flowers blooming
  62. 62.
    >Marigolds, Orchids, Sunflowers
  63. 63.
    >They’re all so beautiful, so well taken care of
  64. 64.
    >Your mind immediately goes to the only person you’ve ever seen handling plants on this school
  65. 65.
    >No not that farm girl, the green one
  66. 66.
    >Which just so happens to have been in the corner of the room the entire time you were admiring the flowers
  67. 67.
    >With an expression that can only be read as “Mom just walked into my room while I was jerking off”
  68. 68.
    >Your eyes feel as if they’re about to bulge out of your skull
  69. 69.
    >You clear your throat and do your best to seem normal, and say the first thing that comes to your mind
  70. 70.
    “Are these flowers yours?”
  71. 71.
    >Her eyes remain locked onto you as she awkwardly stammers out
  72. 72.
    > “Um, Yes?”
  73. 73.
    “They’re beautiful”
  74. 74.
    >With that, the same silence from before slowly sets back in, though this time it doesn’t feel nearly as awkward as before
  75. 75.
    >In fact, she seems taken aback by the compliment
  76. 76.
    > “You.. really think so?”
  77. 77.
    >She brushes her hair back slightly and averts her gaze for a moment
  78. 78.
    >You can’t help but smile a little at her
  79. 79.
    >You can see her well now
  80. 80.
    >Her pale green skin, the small freckles on her face, her greyish brown eyes
  81. 81.
    >Her still-wet hair, and some of her locks gently laid against her face
  82. 82.
    >Her drenched sweater, practically glued to her figure and letting your mind wander for a moment
  83. 83.
    >Before you mentally slap yourself and return your gaze to her eyes
  84. 84.
    >She’s so cute
  85. 85.
    >In a very fragile way that speaks “Please don’t touch me”
  86. 86.
    >The way she’s crouched in the corner of the room only accentuates how invisible she is
  87. 87.
    >You’re staring again
  88. 88.
     
  89. 89.
    “I do, I always wondered who took care of the plants around school. I didn’t thought we had a groundskeeper”
  90. 90.
    > “We don’t anymore, he retired a year or so ago. I’ve been taking care of the flowers ever since”
  91. 91.
    “All by yourself?”
  92. 92.
    >She nods with a hint of sadness in her face
  93. 93.
    > “I have to. I won’t let them wither and die”
  94. 94.
    >She stands up and now you can see just how drenched she is
  95. 95.
    >From head to toe this girl’s clothes are still dripping from the rain
  96. 96.
    >Did she even bother drying out?
  97. 97.
    > “No, I don’t mind it.. It’s not like anyone would notice anyways”
  98. 98.
    >You said that part out loud without realising
  99. 99.
    “Aren’t you gonna catch a cold? I can go fetch you a towel if you want”
  100. 100.
    >Her eyes light up at your words
  101. 101.
    >When she turns to look at you, she just stares at you as if you had two heads
  102. 102.
    >Was that inappropriate? No, this is something else
  103. 103.
    >This is someone who’s been overlooked for years
  104. 104.
    >Finally being seen
  105. 105.
    >Someone is worried about her
  106. 106.
    >Someone is holding a conversation with her
  107. 107.
    >Someone is willing to do something for her
  108. 108.
    >A light blush creeps up on the girl’s face, as realization hits her
  109. 109.
    >She struggles to find her words, closing and opening her mouth a couple of times before she lets out a simple
  110. 110.
    > “Yes please”
  111. 111.
     
  112. 112.
    >As you turn around and grab the handle, you look behind you one more time to take a look at the star struck girl
  113. 113.
    >She’s recomposed herself slightly, and is now trying to avoid your gaze
  114. 114.
    >Your lips turn to a smile and stay that way while you fetch a towel from the showers and come back
  115. 115.
    >When you return, the girl is tending to a pot of daisies
  116. 116.
    >Shivering slightly, it seems like she’s gonna need more than just a towel with how drenched she is
  117. 117.
    >You approach her, holding the towel out for her to grab it
  118. 118.
    > “T-Thank you” She stutters while grabbing it and wrapping herself in it
  119. 119.
    >You look around the room while she dries her hair and what she can of her clothes
  120. 120.
    >Every flower here seems to be given the same care as the rest
  121. 121.
    >You don’t know much about plants, but you can’t find a single withering stem, so you just assume she’s really good at this
  122. 122.
    >A dozen questions rush through your mind
  123. 123.
    >Why is such a gorgeous room hidden from the rest of the school?
  124. 124.
    >Why does this girl care so much about the flowers?
  125. 125.
    >Why is she the only one doing this?
  126. 126.
    >Shouldn’t the school just hire a new groundskeeper?
  127. 127.
    >But all that comes to a halt when your eyes settle on a framed picture on the wall
  128. 128.
    >Its the girl, a couple of years younger, tending to a small bed of roses
  129. 129.
    >Next to her, an older man wearing a pair of overalls and rubber gloves, smiling down at the girl
  130. 130.
    >You can barely make it out, but you swear the man has the same eyes as the girl
  131. 131.
    > “it’s my dad, he and I started the gardening club a few years ago”
  132. 132.
    >Turning your attention back to the girl, she looks to you to make sure you’re listening before continuing
  133. 133.
    > “It wasn’t very popular, Principal Celestia must’ve agreed to it because of the free labor.”
  134. 134.
    > “Still, dad and I helped grow almost all flowers in school today.”
  135. 135.
    >So that’s why she does this
  136. 136.
    >Even at the expense of her health
  137. 137.
    >She looks at the picture with such melancholy
  138. 138.
    “Was he the groundskeeper?”
  139. 139.
    >She doesn’t answer for the longest time
  140. 140.
    >Letting out a sigh, she seems to come back to reality as she nods
  141. 141.
    >You’re not a smart kid, but you can tell that something happened
  142. 142.
     
  143. 143.
    >You take a seat on the stool next to her and cautiously lay a hand on her shoulder in solidarity
  144. 144.
    >Your contact snaps her out of her trance for good as she jumps at your touch
  145. 145.
    >It was only for a moment but holy shit this girl is freezing
  146. 146.
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you like that. Are you okay?”
  147. 147.
    >She lets out an awkward chuckle and clears her throat
  148. 148.
    > “Yeah, sorry you had to see that. I don’t really know why I shared that with you.”
  149. 149.
    >You feel the silence settling back in
  150. 150.
    >But you refuse to leave this girl freezing to death
  151. 151.
    “Hey, you’re still cold. Don’t you have a change of clothes?”
  152. 152.
    >Shaking her head, she answers “I usually stay like this until I get home, don’t worry, I’ll be okay”
  153. 153.
    >She forces the tiniest smile you’ve ever seen
  154. 154.
    >You feel terrible for her
  155. 155.
    >You look down at your PE clothes and mull over your thoughts for a second
  156. 156.
    >Standing up, you head to the door and turn to her
  157. 157.
    “Then let’s take you home, not like anyone here’s gonna miss us, right?”
  158. 158.
    >A small blush sets in the girl’s face as she seems to smile genuinely this time
  159. 159.
    > “I.. I guess yeah” she mumbles as she stands up
  160. 160.
    >The two of you exit the school using the back entrance
  161. 161.
    >It’s absolutely pouring, your PE clothes are gonna need to be dried as well
  162. 162.
    >As you make your way past the outside garden the girl was tending, you notice something that matches up with the photo from earlier
  163. 163.
    >A pedestal in the middle of the garden has an odd looking stone looking over the yard
  164. 164.
     
  165. 165.
    >You hurry with the gardener girl through the streets of Canterlot as you realize you haven’t even asked her name
  166. 166.
    >But now doesn’t seem like the best time to ask
  167. 167.
    >You make a mental note to learn her name before the day is over
  168. 168.
    >Even though you’re rushing through the rain trying to get this poor girl home
  169. 169.
    >You realize this is the closest you’ve ever been to hanging out with a girl before
  170. 170.
    >Hanging out with anyone really
  171. 171.
    >You contain a chuckle and instead hear one coming from behind you
  172. 172.
    >Turning back, you see she’s giggling as the two of you hurry through the streets
  173. 173.
    >But when she notices you can hear her, she quiets down and mutters a “Sorry”
  174. 174.
    >You can’t help but let your laughter out as you pick up the pace
  175. 175.
    >She follows behind you, and even ends up taking the lead as she lets out a few quiet giggles
  176. 176.
    >Her gorgeous emerald green hair fully down thanks to the rain
  177. 177.
    >Her sweater which never really dried up is now even more drenched than you noticed back in the classroom
  178. 178.
    >Your PE clothes aren’t in any better condition, you doubt you’ll be using these again soon, or at least tomorrow
  179. 179.
    >Oh well, you never really liked attending PE
  180. 180.
     
  181. 181.
    >At the pace you two were running, you make it to her house in just a couple of minutes
  182. 182.
    >Exhausted, you laugh while taking refuge under the front porch of her house
  183. 183.
    > “Woo! You’re way too slow, Anon!~” she pumps her fist up in the air as she proclaims her victory in your little race
  184. 184.
    >You struggle to catch your breath as it hits you
  185. 185.
    >She knows your name
  186. 186.
    >But how? You don’t share any classes
  187. 187.
    >And you’ve never spoken to her
  188. 188.
    >Maybe with how she blends into the room, she overheard it somewhere?
  189. 189.
    “Hold up, you know my name?”
  190. 190.
    >Her eyes shoot open and her laughter stops
  191. 191.
    >It was as if all the joy you two shared dissipated as she stared at nothingness for a second before replying
  192. 192.
    > “Y-Yeah? You uh, told me when you uh.. brought me back the towel?”
  193. 193.
    >You did no such thing
  194. 194.
    >But why would she lie to you?
  195. 195.
    >You don’t really want to be an ass about it right now
  196. 196.
    >Instead, you decide to ask what you’ve wanted to know for a while
  197. 197.
    “I.. see, well, I don’t remember catching your name?”
  198. 198.
    >Clearing her throat, she fidgets with her pocket and fetches her keys
  199. 199.
    > “I’m Wallflower, um.. Nice to meet you?” She awkwardly adds as she unlocks the door and steps inside
  200. 200.
    “Nice to meet you, Wallflower. And sorry I didn’t ask your name earlier”
  201. 201.
    > “It’s fine, people tend to forget it”
  202. 202.
    >The sound of the pouring rain against the roofing above you fills the awkward silence
  203. 203.
    >The both of you waiting for the other to say something
  204. 204.
    >Noticing just how drenched you are, Wallflower eventually stammers out “Hey Anon, you um..”
  205. 205.
    > “Would you like to come inside and dry up?”
  206. 206.
    >Relief washes across your face as you gladly accept and step inside
  207. 207.
    >Wallflower heads upstairs and fetches you a couple of towels
  208. 208.
    >As you dry up, she yells down the stairs to let you know she’ll take a shower
  209. 209.
    “Don’t worry! I promise I won’t snoop around!”
  210. 210.
    >The sound of a door clicking close is your only response
  211. 211.
     
  212. 212.
    >You desperately wrap the towels around you and try to warm up
  213. 213.
    >But the clothes do their best to stay wet and it seems like only a shower will fix this
  214. 214.
    >Your mind runs wild and begins wondering if Wallflower would let you in with her
  215. 215.
    >But before you can consider any further, you find yourself looking at the pictures scattered throughout Wallflower’s house
  216. 216.
    >Her, her dad and who you assume to be her mom doing various activities together
  217. 217.
    >You can see she takes after her mom more than her dad
  218. 218.
    >There’s several pictures depicting Wallflower tending to flowers, bushes and plants
  219. 219.
    >There are also a couple of her sitting in what seems to be
  220. 220.
    >An airplane pilot’s cabin?
  221. 221.
    >Indeed, her mom is dressed up in uniform for some of these
  222. 222.
    >Though she looks like her mom, she really takes up on her dad’s hobbies
  223. 223.
    >As you continue admiring photos of a younger Wallflower being adorable
  224. 224.
    >You notice one where she’s surrounded not by her parents but fellow Canterlot High students
  225. 225.
    >Roseluck and Daisy seem to be chatting with Wallflower while Lily is seen bringing some supplies to them in the background
  226. 226.
    >And that’s not the only photo with these girls
  227. 227.
    >Theres one with all the girls lined up, smiling at the camera in the same room full of flowers you were just in
  228. 228.
    >And one more with Wallflower and the girls tending to the backyard school garden
  229. 229.
    >Wait
  230. 230.
    >In the middle of the garden
  231. 231.
    >It’s that pedestal with the weird stone again
  232. 232.
    >It’s such a minor detail but
  233. 233.
    > “Anon?”
  234. 234.
     
  235. 235.
    >You turn around to find a warm and clean (and dressed) Wallflower looking at you from the stairs
  236. 236.
    > “You’re still drenched, don’t you want to shower?”
  237. 237.
    >You notice the smallest hint of a blush on her face as she says this
  238. 238.
    >Nodding, you step away from the pictures and follow her upstairs
  239. 239.
    > “Just put your clothes in the basket, I’ll set them to dry once you’re showering”
  240. 240.
    >Entering the shower, you undress and place your clothes in the basket Wallflower mentioned
  241. 241.
    >God you needed this badly
  242. 242.
    >The hot water running over your body helped you relax and think
  243. 243.
    >Wallflower had friends
  244. 244.
    >The gardening club was a proper club
  245. 245.
    >And there’s the fact she knows your name
  246. 246.
    >Maybe she knew you through one of the flower girls?
  247. 247.
    >Roseluck was always the gossipy bitch
  248. 248.
    >Maybe Wallflower caught your name from her?
  249. 249.
    >But what about her friendship with those girls
  250. 250.
    >Did something go wrong?
  251. 251.
    >Does her attitude towards her father have anything to do with this?
  252. 252.
    >Maybe she lost her dad and distanced herself from her friends
  253. 253.
    >But that doesn’t explain how it feels like
  254. 254.
    >Everything about her just seems to not exist for anyone else
  255. 255.
    >Not the gardening club, not the fact the school had a groundskeeper, not even her mere presence in school
  256. 256.
    >There’s something really wrong going on here
  257. 257.
    >You can’t tell what it is, but you have to look further into this
  258. 258.
    >You ought to talk to the flower girls, maybe they can tell you more about Wallflower
  259. 259.
    >If they don’t pretend like she doesn’t exist, that is
  260. 260.
    >Wallflower mentioned Principal Celestia approving the gardening club too
  261. 261.
    >Whatever mean-spirited rumor spread to make people ignore Wallflower, Celestia wouldn’t condone that
  262. 262.
     
  263. 263.
    >Finishing your shower, you dry up and are about to step out of the bathroom
  264. 264.
    >Only to remember that your clothes are being dried
  265. 265.
    >As if on queue, Wallflower steps up the stairs carrying the basket full of your now-dry clothes
  266. 266.
    >As she sets eyes on your naked chest however, she drops the basket on the floor and freezes in place
  267. 267.
    >The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife
  268. 268.
    >At least, that’s what she feels right now
  269. 269.
    >You on the other hand begin closing the bathroom door to cut her line of sight of your body
  270. 270.
    “Sorry Wallflower! Just leave it by the door, I’ll-“
  271. 271.
    >Without saying anything, you hear the basket being thrown and landing against the door
  272. 272.
    >And the footsteps of a very embarrassed gardener rushing downstairs
  273. 273.
    >You really hope this doesn’t ruin whatever friendship progress you’ve made today with her
  274. 274.
     
  275. 275.
    >Showering and dressing up makes you completely forget about the rainy weather outside
  276. 276.
    >Remembering you forgot an umbrella however, means you’ll have to brave the outside soon
  277. 277.
    >You really don’t mind this, but you want to make sure Wallflower will talk to you next time you see her in school
  278. 278.
    >She’s been holed up in her bedroom since she saw you half naked just around an hour ago
  279. 279.
    >You’ve been pacing around her living room waiting for her to come out to talk but she hasn’t yet
  280. 280.
    >Biting your lip you decide to go upstairs and check in on her
  281. 281.
    >Stopping at the door to her bedroom, you gather up courage and knock on the door
  282. 282.
    >Seemingly shocked you’re still here, Wallflower answers from the other side of the door “Anon? Why haven’t you gone home yet?”
  283. 283.
    >You note a hint of hope mixed along the confusion in her voice
  284. 284.
    “I just wanted to make sure we were on speaking terms, you know? Maybe we can chat more tomorrow at school”
  285. 285.
     
  286. 286.
    >There’s a loud shifting around and the sound of footsteps from the other sound of the other door
  287. 287.
    >Wallflower unlocks the door and you’re treated to the messiest you’ve seen her yet
  288. 288.
    >Her disheveled hair, messy pajamas and slightly red eyes make you wonder if she was crying
  289. 289.
    >But instead of tears, you find a smile adorning her face
  290. 290.
    > “You… want to talk to me again? Really?”
  291. 291.
    “Of course I do! You’ve been nothing but nice to me, and I have a couple of questions I’d like to ask”
  292. 292.
    >You see her fidgeting with the door handle before she fully steps out from her bedroom
  293. 293.
    >If she looked fragile before, now it’s as if she had shattered
  294. 294.
    >Her messy look is that of someone who didn’t expect to see another soul for a while
  295. 295.
    >You probably shouldn’t have given her so much time alone
  296. 296.
    >She probably thought you left without saying goodbye
  297. 297.
    >You’re staring again, again
  298. 298.
    >You blink a few times before you start pitying the girl just based on her looks and clear your throat
  299. 299.
    “So, we cool to hangout tomorrow? Maybe you could show me around the gardening club?”
  300. 300.
    >She thinks this over, her eyes darting from the ground to you
  301. 301.
    >You hear her gulp a little before responding
  302. 302.
    > “S-Sure, feel free to drop by in the morning”
  303. 303.
    > “Most of my favourites are in full bloom by then” She adds while a smile creeps upon her face
  304. 304.
    “Alright well, see you tomorrow, Wallflower” You say as you make your way down the stairs
  305. 305.
    >Reaching for the handle of the front door, you stop to look behind you
  306. 306.
    >You see Wallflower’s face of doubt looking down from the top of the stairs
  307. 307.
    >Seemingly surprised at your every action, she awkwardly waves goodbye to you
  308. 308.
    >You can’t help but smile as you return the wave and exit
  309. 309.
    >Back into the pouring rain, you begin hastily making your way home
  310. 310.
    >Your heartbeat quickened, and not because of the pace you were running at
  311. 311.
     
  312. 312.
    >Roughly 50 minutes ago
  313. 313.
    >Be Wallflower
  314. 314.
    >Laying face down in your bed
  315. 315.
    >You saw a boy naked
  316. 316.
    >Well, half-naked
  317. 317.
    >You totally looked like a creep
  318. 318.
    >Where’s that stupid stone?
  319. 319.
    >Right, you don’t carry it around anymore
  320. 320.
    >Why did he not just wait for you to give him his clothes???
  321. 321.
    >Why did you invite him to come in?
  322. 322.
    >Why did you thought he’d remember?
  323. 323.
    >Why do you feel the tears rolling down your face?
  324. 324.
    >You were over this
  325. 325.
    >Right?
  326. 326.
    >Fuck, you’re not over this
  327. 327.
    >How long has it been? It has to have been months now
  328. 328.
    >But the fall formal was just a few weeks ago
  329. 329.
    >A year?
  330. 330.
    >Why are you thinking about this?
  331. 331.
    >He’s probably dressed up and gone already
  332. 332.
    >It couldn’t have been just a random thing
  333. 333.
    >You walk up to your mirror
  334. 334.
    >Out of every heartbreaking picture
  335. 335.
    >You couldn’t get rid of this one
  336. 336.
    >Anon and you, sitting together on a picnic blanket
  337. 337.
    >Adorning your better kept hair was a sunflower hairpin he had just gifted you
  338. 338.
    >That smile of his, you missed seeing it so much
  339. 339.
    >You hold your hand up to his face in the picture
  340. 340.
    >Was there anything you could’ve done differently?
  341. 341.
    >That fucking stone
  342. 342.
    >It seemed like a good idea at first
  343. 343.
    >But now
  344. 344.
    >You wished things would just go back to normal
  345. 345.
     
  346. 346.
    >A sob escaped your lips
  347. 347.
    >You couldn’t hide how much it hurt no matter how much you tried
  348. 348.
    >And for some reason, the stone just wouldn’t work on you
  349. 349.
    >And now you’re the only one who remembers anything about it
  350. 350.
    >About the two of you
  351. 351.
    >About your friends
  352. 352.
    >About your years in Canterlot High
  353. 353.
    >Your dad
  354. 354.
    >Dad
  355. 355.
    >You curl up in a ball next to your bed
  356. 356.
    >And just stay there sobbing
  357. 357.
    >It was all gone
  358. 358.
    >Why did you do it again?
  359. 359.
    >You fought over something
  360. 360.
    >You were spending so much time tending to the garden
  361. 361.
    >You missed a date or two with him
  362. 362.
    >But that wasn’t it
  363. 363.
    >You pushed him away
  364. 364.
    >You couldn’t spend time away from school
  365. 365.
    >Dad was getting worse
  366. 366.
    >You promised him you wouldn’t let anything happen to your garden
  367. 367.
    >And so you dedicated every hour you had to it
  368. 368.
    >Roseluck, Lily and Daisy chimed in when they could but
  369. 369.
    >You pushed them away too
  370. 370.
    >No one could understand just how important this was to you
  371. 371.
    >If you kept this garden alive until fall, Dad would make it
  372. 372.
    >He’d get out of the hospital and watch the sunflowers bloom with you
  373. 373.
    >Mom would be there too
  374. 374.
    >Everyone would be there with you
  375. 375.
     
  376. 376.
    >But no one was there
  377. 377.
    >Anon tried to comfort you after dad left
  378. 378.
    >The girls all tried their best to be there for you
  379. 379.
    >Rose in particular never left your side
  380. 380.
    >But they couldn’t get it
  381. 381.
    >You never tried to tell them either
  382. 382.
    >It was just so much easier to be alone
  383. 383.
    >And when they came to check in on you
  384. 384.
    >You lashed out
  385. 385.
    >You broke up with Anon on the spot
  386. 386.
    >You told them you never wanted to see them again
  387. 387.
    >You went back to school
  388. 388.
    >It hurt so much just thinking about the garden
  389. 389.
    >About the memories you had of this place
  390. 390.
    >You didn’t want them anymore
  391. 391.
    >You didn’t want to see these flowers bloom if it wasn’t with your dad
  392. 392.
    >You ripped off as many as you could
  393. 393.
    >Your tears clouded your vision but you could see the petals scattering all over the ground
  394. 394.
    >You rushed to the center of the garden
  395. 395.
    >And were about to break the pedestal
  396. 396.
    >But as your fist connected with the stone
  397. 397.
    >It glowed
  398. 398.
    >And you felt it
  399. 399.
    >That rush of power
  400. 400.
    >The boiling rage bottled within you
  401. 401.
    >You thought about how much you missed your dad
  402. 402.
    >You thought about how much you wanted to hang out with your friends after school
  403. 403.
    >You thought about how Anon would hate you after today
  404. 404.
    >And then, a bright green glow overwhelmed you
  405. 405.
    >And you passed out
  406. 406.
     
  407. 407.
    >You remember waking up in the messy petal-scattered garden
  408. 408.
    >And you remember their confusion
  409. 409.
    >At first, you thought it was a way to give you the cold shoulder
  410. 410.
    >The girls didn’t come to gardening club that day
  411. 411.
    >Anon didn’t even approach you
  412. 412.
    >And you got home to find out your mom hadn’t arrived from work
  413. 413.
    >She had left just before dad died
  414. 414.
    >She was supposed to return last night
  415. 415.
    >She never did
  416. 416.
    >After a week, you had enough of the silent treatment
  417. 417.
    >You walked up to Anon and asked him if the two of you could talk
  418. 418.
    >He seemed surprised you were talking to him at all
  419. 419.
    >At first you thought it was because you broke up with him but
  420. 420.
    >You brought up how much you wanted to go home and hug him
  421. 421.
    >How sorry you were for lashing out
  422. 422.
    >How you didn’t want to break up, and now just really wanted to be with him
  423. 423.
    >He looked at you so weirdly
  424. 424.
    >And then he laughed
  425. 425.
    >He thought it was a prank
  426. 426.
    >And when you got angry and told him you meant what you said
  427. 427.
    >He just said he didn’t know you
  428. 428.
     
  429. 429.
    >The girls were the same
  430. 430.
    >They just dismissed you as if you were crazy
  431. 431.
    >Rose called you a stalker when you asked to go with them to your hangout spot in the mall
  432. 432.
    >As if she hadn’t been the one to ask you to go mere days before
  433. 433.
    >You went to see Principal Celestia about the damage to the flowers, and how you’d help repair them
  434. 434.
    >She couldn’t even remember if you were a student
  435. 435.
    >You rushed to the garden and stopped right before the stone
  436. 436.
    >And as you touched it
  437. 437.
    >Once again, it lit up
  438. 438.
    >You felt something reaching out for you
  439. 439.
    >For your memories
  440. 440.
    >What happened earlier still fresh in your mind
  441. 441.
    >Anon, Rose and the girls, Celestia
  442. 442.
    >And again, a green flash of light
  443. 443.
    >When you woke up, you did everything again
  444. 444.
    >Anon didn’t remember you
  445. 445.
    >You showed him the pictures of you together
  446. 446.
    >You showed him the hairpin
  447. 447.
    >But he didn’t remember anything
  448. 448.
    >No one did
  449. 449.
    >But the worst thing was
  450. 450.
    >No one remembered your dad either
  451. 451.
    >Whatever you did, whatever that rock did
  452. 452.
    >It erased everything involving you
  453. 453.
    >Including the memory of dad
  454. 454.
     
  455. 455.
    >People only interacted with you if you talked to them first
  456. 456.
    >But otherwise it was as if you didn’t even exist
  457. 457.
    >The bacon-haired bully didn’t even bother harassing you for lunch money anymore
  458. 458.
    >You hate to admit it but you stalked Anon for a while after that
  459. 459.
    >You knew everything about him already so
  460. 460.
    >What was the harm in going to the same places he was heading to anyways
  461. 461.
    >You tried to approach him a few times
  462. 462.
    >But it usually ended up weirding him out
  463. 463.
    >You started carrying the stone around
  464. 464.
    >Erasing any awkward conversations
  465. 465.
    >Or failed attempts at reconnecting
  466. 466.
    >But no matter what you did
  467. 467.
    >Nothing could bring back how much you lost
  468. 468.
    >And it just hurt remembering what you had
  469. 469.
    >What you threw away
  470. 470.
    >And now you’re here
  471. 471.
    >Bawling your eyes out because you were reminded of it
  472. 472.
    >Fuck, you’re gonna have to use that stone again if you want to face to him ever-
  473. 473.
    >There’s a knock at the door
  474. 474.
    >But
  475. 475.
    >He’s still.. here?
  476. 476.
    >Your throat is hoarse from crying so much
  477. 477.
    “Anon? Why haven’t you gone home yet?”
  478. 478.
    >You say a bit too aggressively
  479. 479.
    > “I just wanted to make sure we were on speaking terms, you know? Maybe we can chat more tomorrow at school”
  480. 480.
    >Your heart stops beating
  481. 481.
    >You rush to get up, not minding the fact that you look like a broken mess
  482. 482.
    >You leap to grab the door handle
  483. 483.
    >As if whatever was on the other side would just go away if you waited another second
  484. 484.
    >You open it to find him looking at you with worry in his face
  485. 485.
    >That only seems to worsen when he takes a good look at you
  486. 486.
    >But you can’t help but let a smile fall on your lips
  487. 487.
    “You… want to talk to me again? Really?”
  488. 488.
     
  489. 489.
    >Back to the present
  490. 490.
    >Seeing him walk out that door
  491. 491.
    >It made you realize just how much you’ve missed him being in your life
  492. 492.
    >You weren’t gonna ruin it this time
  493. 493.
    >You promise to yourself that no matter what
  494. 494.
    >You won’t give this chance up to the stone
  495. 495.
    >Even if he ends up hating you
  496. 496.
    >You wipe your eyes clean and let out a sigh
  497. 497.
    >Your life for the last year has been nothing but attempt after attempt to get back what you lost
  498. 498.
    >How will it be different this time?
  499. 499.
    >Well, maybe because
  500. 500.
    >It’s not just you who will be trying this time
  501. 501.
     
  502. 502.
    >Be Anon
  503. 503.
    >Be running back home after such a rocky visit
  504. 504.
    >Wallflower
  505. 505.
    >There’s something about her that always made you want to talk to her
  506. 506.
    >But now that you have, you realize just how careful you’ll have to be
  507. 507.
    >She seemed genuinely happy you wanted to hang out with her
  508. 508.
    >You’ll have to do your best to not make her hate you
  509. 509.
    >You get home and greet your parents
  510. 510.
    >Your mom asked why you’re in your PE clothes
  511. 511.
    >You don’t have an answer for her so you just say you’ll wash them later
  512. 512.
    >You head to your room and change out of the once again damp clothes
  513. 513.
    >It’s just 3pm, you have plenty of time to kill
  514. 514.
    >Booting up your PC, you sit down to play when you notice it in the corner of your screen
  515. 515.
    >A text file that you don’t recall making
  516. 516.
    >Clicking on it is a list of places
  517. 517.
    >the local movie theatre, the nearest park, the beach
  518. 518.
    >And next to them, activities you could do with… someone?
  519. 519.
    >They don’t say who, just “her”
  520. 520.
    >Huh
  521. 521.
    >You click to see the last time this text file was edited
  522. 522.
    >13 months ago
  523. 523.
    >You don’t really remember anything from that time
  524. 524.
    >You remember last year’s Fall Formal
  525. 525.
    >That schoolwide bully getting her ass handed to her
  526. 526.
    >Something to do with a trio of girls causing trouble in school
  527. 527.
    >And the Friendship games a couple of months after
  528. 528.
    >But before all of that?
  529. 529.
    >it’s like your mind is blank
  530. 530.
    >In fact, there’s periods of time between those events that
  531. 531.
    >You also seem to have no recollection of
  532. 532.
    >It hurts trying to remember
  533. 533.
    >Returning your attention to the file
  534. 534.
    >You don’t even remember writing this, or even letting it sit this long in your desktop
  535. 535.
    >A flash of light and a sting of pain rocks your head for a second
  536. 536.
    >You’ve felt this before
  537. 537.
    >Why?
  538. 538.
    >You’re exhausted
  539. 539.
    >It’s so early but
  540. 540.
    >You just want to get in bed and sleep it off
  541. 541.
    >It was quite an eventful day
  542. 542.
    >You lay down in your bed and think back to that girl
  543. 543.
    >Wallflower
  544. 544.
    >You feel your chest tighten as you think about how cute she is
  545. 545.
    >You fall asleep thinking about her
  546. 546.
     
  547. 547.
    >You wake up in the middle of the night
  548. 548.
    >Well, more like 5am
  549. 549.
    >Which is pretty much the same thing to you
  550. 550.
    >Your head throbs a little, still hurting from whatever yesterday was
  551. 551.
    >Sitting up on the edge of your bed, you take a look at your computer, still powered on
  552. 552.
    >Just looking at that text file makes your head spin a little
  553. 553.
    >Still, it feels weird that you wouldn’t notice it for so long
  554. 554.
    >Your mind immediately goes to the image of that disheveled, messy girl from yesterday
  555. 555.
    >Wallflower told you to meet her behind the school early
  556. 556.
    >Standing up, you head to the mirror to make sure you look presentable
  557. 557.
    >And that’s when you notice another oddity to add to the growing pile
  558. 558.
    >A photo on the corner of your mirror
  559. 559.
    >Of none other than Wallflower, You and… Roseluck?
  560. 560.
    >The three of you are gathered around a bed of flowers, smiling at the camera
  561. 561.
    >Wallflower looks like a completely different person in this one
  562. 562.
    >For one, she’s happy
  563. 563.
    >And she doesn’t look like she struggled to get up from bed
  564. 564.
    >You don’t remember any of this
  565. 565.
    >In fact you don’t remember hanging this picture in your room at all
  566. 566.
    >You check your window to make sure it’s locked, and sure enough it is
  567. 567.
    >Your eyes return to the picture and you study it for any signs that it’s fake
  568. 568.
    >But you can’t find any
  569. 569.
    >Above all, you can’t imagine being friends with Roseluck
  570. 570.
    >She’s the complete opposite from you, she and those other flower girls aren’t hurting for friends
  571. 571.
    >A good student, well regarded and has no trouble speaking to people
  572. 572.
    >So yeah you pretty much hate her guts
  573. 573.
    >You could see yourself befriending Wallflower, the two of you being outcasts
  574. 574.
    >But Roseluck?
  575. 575.
    >You can’t even imagine her recognising either of you
  576. 576.
     
  577. 577.
    >You’ve been too hung up on this Roseluck business
  578. 578.
    >And not the fact that this picture just appeared in your room all of a sudden
  579. 579.
    >But if the file truly was there all along
  580. 580.
    >Could these two have been here for much longer than you realised?
  581. 581.
    >You grab the photograph and tuck it in your pocket
  582. 582.
    >You’ll ask Wallflower about it when you see her
  583. 583.
    >You head down the stairs and make your way to school
  584. 584.
    >You feel awfully drowsy despite having a 10 hour sleep
  585. 585.
    >How did you even manage to sleep that long?
  586. 586.
    >Was it really just trying to remember things from before your Junior year?
  587. 587.
    >Maybe you’re just dissociating again
  588. 588.
    >Your train of thought comes to a halt as you near the school grounds
  589. 589.
    >A couple of students are gathered around the entrance
  590. 590.
    >Mostly the nerds and athletes who got up early
  591. 591.
    >You don’t pay attention to them
  592. 592.
    >Instead, your gaze falls on the flower bushes that you never noticed sprinkled around the school grounds
  593. 593.
    >They’re absolutely gorgeous
  594. 594.
    >Well cared for, maintained and freshly watered it seems
  595. 595.
    >Wallflower must do a lot to keep all of them looking this good
  596. 596.
    > “Pretty, aren’t they?”
  597. 597.
    >You hear coming from your side, and turn to see a certain redhead looking at the shrub in front of you
  598. 598.
    >Her recognisable single pink streak running along the side of her hair would be all you need to spot this girl
  599. 599.
    “Hey Rose, and yeah, I guess so”
  600. 600.
    >Her light green eyes lock onto yours as she scoffs under her breath
  601. 601.
    > “You guess? Come on, these are the mark of someone who’s done this for years!” She says, almost indignant at your answer
  602. 602.
    > “Someone works tirelessly to upkeep not just this bush, but ALL bushes at school! And no one but me seems to even notice!”
  603. 603.
    >You can’t remember the last time you spoke a word to Roseluck
  604. 604.
    >No one must give these flowers any attention if it makes her talk to you
  605. 605.
    “Yeah, I’d have thought at least someone tells Wallflower what a good job she’s doing, but it seems like not even Principal Celestia even acknowledges them”
  606. 606.
    >Out of the corner of your eye, you see Roseluck’s entire composure change
  607. 607.
    >She stops moving altogether for a second, as if you had just said the world will end tomorrow
  608. 608.
    > “Wall…flower?” She utters at such a low level you only realise she’s even spoken after a moment
  609. 609.
    “Yeah, that girl from the gardening club? Hey, did you know we have a gardening club? Pretty crazy huh”
  610. 610.
    >You turn to look at Roseluck properly as you say that
  611. 611.
    >She looks deep in thought, her eyes laser focused on the bush in front of her
  612. 612.
    >You can almost hear the cogs in her head turning
  613. 613.
    >She reaches in her book bag and pulls out her phone, and starts fidgeting with it
  614. 614.
    >She stops soon enough, and you see her eyes grow wider with each passing second as she looks at something on her phone
  615. 615.
    >Looking up at you, Roseluck’s shaky yet determined voice snaps you out of your awkward staring
  616. 616.
    > “Where is the gardening club room?”
  617. 617.
     
  618. 618.
    >The two of you head inside CHS
  619. 619.
    >Some teachers call your name out, probably the ones that are close to flunking you from skipping class
  620. 620.
    >But you don’t care about that right now
  621. 621.
    >Someone else besides you is having a sudden recollection of this mysterious girl
  622. 622.
    >Roseluck didn’t explain anything to you, but you could see it in her eyes
  623. 623.
    >Well that and you remembered the pictures that Wallflower had in her house
  624. 624.
    >Could the two of them have had a falling out?
  625. 625.
    >You raise the question to Roseluck as you two head to the abandoned section of the school
  626. 626.
    > “What? No!” You hear Rose answer from behind you
  627. 627.
    > “I mean, I don’t know? I don’t remember”
  628. 628.
    > “But I need to do this, I need to see who’s been tending to the flowers”
  629. 629.
    >You felt something similar yesterday when you saw Wallflower tending to her garden
  630. 630.
    >You don’t know why, but you feel a sense of kinship with Roseluck at the moment
  631. 631.
    >Maybe the two of you have something in common after all, if it means the two of you are drawn to Wallflower
  632. 632.
    >Reaching for the handle, you open the door to the gardening club to find Wallflower sitting on a desk, waiting for you
  633. 633.
    >She looks much better than yesterday, although still not as healthy-looking as she was in the photograph
  634. 634.
    >You realise now that she’s actually gotten much paler and skinnier than she was when the photograph was taken
  635. 635.
    >You see the traces of a small smile as she speaks up to welcome you
  636. 636.
    > “Anon, I’m glad you-“
  637. 637.
    >Which is cut short as Roseluck steps in front of you and Wallflower locks eyes with her
  638. 638.
    >Neither of you move for a moment
  639. 639.
    >Until Roseluck takes another step towards Wallflower
  640. 640.
    >The gardener girl leans back in her chair, unsure of what the redhead is doing
  641. 641.
    >Roseluck stops in front of the desk, and takes out her phone
  642. 642.
    >Shoving it in Wallflower’s face, Rose speaks up “Do you know who I am?”
  643. 643.
    >Wallflower stares at the phone for a second before nodding, “I-I do”
  644. 644.
    >Roseluck lays the phone on the table, still keeping eye contact with Wallflower
  645. 645.
    >Rose’s pale yellow hands rest on the desk, which support her as she sighs and slumps over
  646. 646.
    > “Then why don’t I remember you?” A defeated Roseluck whispers as she hangs her head low
  647. 647.
    >Wallflower sits awkwardly in front of the redhead currently having a crisis
  648. 648.
    >As you begin walking towards the two of them, Wallflower stands up and reaches for Roseluck, laying a hand on her shoulder before clumsily pulling her into a hug
  649. 649.
    >One that the redhead immediately returns, squishing Wallflower in her arms
  650. 650.
    >You hear the faintest sob come from Roseluck as you take a look at the phone on the table
  651. 651.
    >Roseluck’s home wallpaper
  652. 652.
    >A picture of her and Wallflower smiling at the camera
  653. 653.
     
  654. 654.
    >The two girls eventually let go of each other, though Wallflower is reluctant at first
  655. 655.
    >Making sure Roseluck isn’t crying, you feel like it’s the appropriate time to bring your own photo up
  656. 656.
    >You take the picture of the three of you out of your pocket and lay it next to Roseluck’s phone
  657. 657.
    “I feel like there’s something we ought to know, or something we used to know?”
  658. 658.
    >Wallflower’s eyes water up as she lets out a sigh
  659. 659.
    > “There’s plenty, but I don’t know if you’ll believe me. I just ask that you listen to the entire thing before you decide to walk away”
  660. 660.
    >Roseluck and you share a look of curiosity and worry, the two of you looking back to Wallflower and nodding with a hint of uncertainty
  661. 661.
    >Wallflower walks to a nearby open closet and pulls out a small box
  662. 662.
    >She sets it on the nearest table, and opens it up
  663. 663.
    >There are dozens of pictures piled on top of each other
  664. 664.
    >All of which include Wallflower, Roseluck, and you
  665. 665.
    >With her dad, Principal Celestia, Lily, and Daisy sometimes showing up
  666. 666.
    >As Roseluck and you grab and look at each and every photo, Wallflower speaks up
  667. 667.
    > “We knew each other, you two were my closest friends” She says while reaching for something at the bottom of the box
  668. 668.
    >She pulls out an engraved necklace out with the initials RL + WB BFFs “Rose, we went to the Fall Formal in our freshmen year together, along with Daisy and Lily”
  669. 669.
    >Roseluck reaches for the rose-adorned necklace, holding it with utmost care, as if it were to shatter in her hands
  670. 670.
    > “Anon, we met that night at the Fall Formal. We um.. You helped me a lot with the club” Wallflower pulls out a sunflower hairpin, her fingers tracing it momentarily before she offers it to you
  671. 671.
    >You take the hairpin and try to remember giving it to her, but your mind comes up blank
  672. 672.
    >The headache returns just for a second, making you wince and reminding you that you ought to not think too hard about it
  673. 673.
    > “Yes that’s.. happened before, don’t worry. I doubt you’ll remember after all this time” She says as her shoulders slump
  674. 674.
    “Wait, before? Have you tried to do this before? Why can’t I remember anything before last year’s Fall Formal?”
  675. 675.
    >You don’t mean to interrogate Wallflower, but the urgency in your voice betrays your intentions
  676. 676.
    >Wallflower keeps her composure, although her eyes shift from photo to photo, wanting desperately to avoid making eye contact
  677. 677.
    > “We were friends, we did everything together. But something happened, and I kinda pushed you guys away” She continues
  678. 678.
    > “I didn’t know what I was doing, and by the time it was over, you guys forgot everything about me. About us”
  679. 679.
    >Out of the corner of your eye, you see Roseluck’s eyes watering as she tries to make sense of all of this
  680. 680.
    >Wallflower isn’t fairing any better, she’s shaking, you can tell this is hurting her
  681. 681.
    >And you… You don’t know how to feel
  682. 682.
    >It hits you just how little of Highschool you remember
  683. 683.
    >A month of freshman year… then it’s all gone until junior year
  684. 684.
    >You weren’t an outcast
  685. 685.
    >You had friends
  686. 686.
    >And they were taken from you
  687. 687.
    > “What did you do to us?” Roseluck finally speaks up, it sounds like she’s about to break into tears
  688. 688.
    >Wallflower sighs and turns to look in the direction of the garden
  689. 689.
    > “It was a relic from my grandfather, I didn’t know what it would do. But I wanted you guys to forget about me”
  690. 690.
    > “I wanted to be alone” Wallflower finishes, and you can see the tears rolling down her cheeks
  691. 691.
    >You feel compelled to give her a hug
  692. 692.
    >To tell her it’s alright, and she doesn’t have to worry about it
  693. 693.
    >You’ll be friends again
  694. 694.
    >But you can’t move
  695. 695.
    >You can’t help but resent her, even if just a little
  696. 696.
    >You let out a sigh of frustration and take a seat on one of the nearby stools
  697. 697.
    >The three of you remain in silence for what feels like an eternity
  698. 698.
     
  699. 699.
    >Wallflower turns to look at the two of you again, a couple of fresh tears rolling down her cheeks
  700. 700.
    > “I tried to make you guys remember, several times already” She begins, reaching into the box for a copy of the same picture you had hanged in the corner of your mirror
  701. 701.
    > “But it never worked, you guys would always get a headache or I’d weird you out, and every time I’d erase your memory of it”
  702. 702.
    >Wallflower’s tears fall on the photo, and looking at the ones near you, you can tell she’s cried over these pictures before
  703. 703.
    > “I’ve been trying for all of last year. I hoped the Fall Formal would’ve helped but, it didn’t, I just accepted it wouldn’t work and let you guys enjoy it”
  704. 704.
    >You remember this year’s Fall Formal just well, actually
  705. 705.
    >Bulk Biceps and Derpy being crowned homecoming king and queen
  706. 706.
    >Flash making a fool of himself in front of that Sunset girl
  707. 707.
    >And
  708. 708.
    >You remember seeing Wallflower
  709. 709.
    >Just looking at you from the sidelines, and then leaving through the back door
  710. 710.
    >You wanted so badly to go after her and ask her to dance
  711. 711.
    > “Does that mean- are you going to erase our memory this time, too?” Roseluck’s voice snaps you out of your flashback
  712. 712.
    >She’s still holding onto that necklace
  713. 713.
    >Guarding it against her chest, as if Wallflower would snatch it from her
  714. 714.
    >Wallflower shakes her head, her voice carrying a hint of defeat “No, I’m done doing that. I don’t want to take any more away from you guys”
  715. 715.
    > “If this is the last time we talk, that’s okay. I just wanted to clear things up now that both of you are aware of me”
  716. 716.
    >Your heart feels heavy
  717. 717.
    >You don’t know just how much you really lost
  718. 718.
    >Did you really lost anything, if you don’t remember it?
  719. 719.
    >Even if you had friends, does it matter now?
  720. 720.
    >You’re still holding onto that sunflower hairpin
  721. 721.
    >You offer it to Wallflower
  722. 722.
    >And besides you, you see Roseluck struggling to part with the necklace
  723. 723.
    >The two of you lock eyes for a moment
  724. 724.
    >An odd hint of resolve in your eyes, in contrast to the doubt in her's
  725. 725.
    “This isn’t the last time we’ll talk”
  726. 726.
    >Your words echo in the quiet classroom as you turn to Wallflower
  727. 727.
    “You might have given up, but I just met you”
  728. 728.
    “And I’ve wanted-“
  729. 729.
    > “I’ve wanted to know who you were, for the longest time” Roseluck interrupts you, a hint of desperation in her voice
  730. 730.
    > “And now I do, and I want to know who you were, who we were”
  731. 731.
    >Wallflower is stunned for a moment, her eyes growing wide as she looks at the both of you
  732. 732.
    >Roseluck steels herself and offers the necklace to her
  733. 733.
    >Joining you in your show of blind trust
  734. 734.
    >Wallflower however, can't bring herself to take either of the keepsakes
  735. 735.
    >Her eyes are full of fear, her hand shaking with indecision
  736. 736.
    >You take a step forward to make it easier for her
  737. 737.
    >As does Roseluck
  738. 738.
    >Wallflower leans back in her chair, away from your offerings “But I hurt you, what if it just happens again? If you two are better off without me?”
  739. 739.
    >You look at the photos scattered on the table
  740. 740.
    “Wallflower, all this time I thought I was a loser. An outcast without friends”
  741. 741.
    >You look down to the sunflower hairpin, and notice it’s collected a couple of tears
  742. 742.
    >Your own tears
  743. 743.
    “And I wasn’t, and that was thanks to you. So, let’s try again, if it's alright with you?”
  744. 744.
    >Wallflower’s doubt is painted all over her face
  745. 745.
    >You can see her internal struggle, her heart torn between wanting to accept it, yet hating the idea of hurting
  746. 746.
    >Hurting either of you, and hurting herself
  747. 747.
    >But she’s not afforded any more time to decide
  748. 748.
    >It might’ve never been her choice to make, truthfully
  749. 749.
    >Roseluck wrapped her arms around her so quickly, the two of them almost fell over
  750. 750.
    >Wallflower merely stays still, her facial expression stuck in the shock
  751. 751.
    >You walk over, and slowly wrap your arms around the two girls
  752. 752.
    >Roseluck and you sandwiching the broken-hearted gardener
  753. 753.
    >You feel your shirt begin to dampen
  754. 754.
    >And the sobs just confirm what you were thinking
  755. 755.
    >Wallflower’s words struggle to come out, her bottled up emotions making it impossible for her to form a sentence
  756. 756.
    >But she finally does utter two words in between sobs
  757. 757.
    > “Thank you”
  758. 758.
    >You don’t know who they’re directed to
  759. 759.
    >If they’re meant for you, or Roseluck
  760. 760.
    >Or she’s just relieved that she’s been given a second chance
  761. 761.
    >But you don’t care
  762. 762.
    >This is the closest you’ve felt to someone
  763. 763.
    >You can’t help but let your own tears flow
  764. 764.
    >And the gentle weeping coming from the redhead next to you reassures you
  765. 765.
    >The three of you are together in this
  766. 766.
     
  767. 767.
    >The following 13 minutes were a blur
  768. 768.
    >You don’t remember if you were this sappy when you knew Wallflower
  769. 769.
    >But you’re not afraid to say you joined the girls in the intense emotions being shared
  770. 770.
    >The three of you slowly broke off the bundle of relief and sorrow that had become your hug
  771. 771.
    >Wallflower still seemed overwhelmed with what to feel, her face a mix of emotions
  772. 772.
    >Save for the smile that settled on her face for good once she looked at you
  773. 773.
    > “I thought I’d never give you a hug again, sorry” she says as she wipes the last few tears from her eyes
  774. 774.
    >Before you can reassure her that it’s okay, she stands up and clears her throat
  775. 775.
    > “You- The both of you, have given me a chance to make this right. So let me start off on the right foot..”
  776. 776.
    >Roseluck to your right, shares a look of curiosity with you as Wallflower tries her best to chin up and sound confident
  777. 777.
    >You watch as she adjusts her posture to try and look stronger, which would work were it not for her puffy red eyes from crying
  778. 778.
    > “My name is Wallflower Blush, nice to meet you. I hope we can be friends”
  779. 779.
    > “again” she adds, her voice quiet as a mouse, betraying the aura of confidence she tried so hard to establish
  780. 780.
    >You feel the need to match the seriousness she’s trying to set, and extend an arm to Wallflower as you speak
  781. 781.
    “Nice to meet you, Wallflower. Properly- I mean” you stumble upon your words
  782. 782.
    >Your voice is a bit coarse, but neither of them seem to mind it
  783. 783.
    >Wallflower takes your hand and shakes it awkwardly
  784. 784.
    >Giving you a smile, before turning to look at Roseluck
  785. 785.
    >Who has finished wiping the last bit of her tears and matching the vibe in the room
  786. 786.
    > “And I’m Roseluck, I’m glad I finally figured out just who the mysterious flower caretaker was!” Rose chimes in, extending an arm to Wallflower as well
  787. 787.
    >To your surprise, Roseluck turns to address you once Wallflower and her are done shaking hands
  788. 788.
    >Any other day, you would’ve walked away from her, thinking that she was faking being nice to you
  789. 789.
    >But those photographs proved that you two used to be close
  790. 790.
    >Neither of you might be the same people you were then
  791. 791.
    “I’m Anonymous, nice to meet you Roseluck” you say, shaking her hand
  792. 792.
    >But if you were friends before, it had to be for a reason
  793. 793.
    > “Anon, you know my friends call me Rose! Please?” Roseluck says, a playful giggle escaping her lips
  794. 794.
    “Yeah yeah I know, Rose. I’m just trying to be nice and proper for once” you mentally roll your eyes at the girl
  795. 795.
    >To be quite honest, you don’t really remember why you are this way towards her
  796. 796.
    >So you’re more than relieved there’s no awkward air around the two of you
  797. 797.
    >Not any more than crying together would bring
  798. 798.
     
  799. 799.
    >Rose was more than happy to keep the playful energy, her smile as sincere as that of Wallflower’s
  800. 800.
    >Who seems to be elated that the two of you are talking
  801. 801.
    >Returning your gaze to her, some worry returns to your mind as you remember how she looked in the pictures
  802. 802.
    >Yeah the three of you were just messily crying
  803. 803.
    >But Wallflower still seems shaken up, her disheveled look; one that made you wonder if she had forgotten how to take care of herself
  804. 804.
    >Your look of pity is painfully clear, Wallflower coughs a little as she tries to avoid your gaze
  805. 805.
    > “Sorry, I wasn’t really sure if I was gonna see you again.. let alone see both you and Rose!” Wallflower speaks up while fixing a strand of hair behind her ear
  806. 806.
    >You mentally kick yourself for making her feel self conscious about this
  807. 807.
    >Roseluck moves to her side and places a hand on her shoulder, a warm smile on her face as she speaks up
  808. 808.
    > “You’ve had it rough, though I do envy you for not having to brush and look proper every day.. I’d love to go under the radar for a day or two!”
  809. 809.
    >Wallflower chuckles at her comment, “Yeah well, I did skipped a lot of classes at some point.” She adds while trying to return the smile
  810. 810.
    “I don't have to be invisible to do that” You chime in, earning a giggle from Roseluck, and a worried look from Wallflower
  811. 811.
    >The bell rings just as the mood in the gardening club was lifting, reminding you of your early arrival to school
  812. 812.
    >The three of you share a look full of mixed emotions
  813. 813.
    >None of you want to leave
  814. 814.
    >But you’re pretty sure you’ll be expelled if you skip any more classes
  815. 815.
    >Roseluck has her near-perfect scores to keep up
  816. 816.
    >And Wallflower.. seems the saddest that she doesn’t really need to be anywhere
  817. 817.
    “Why don’t you join us for some periods?” You say before you can even think twice about it
  818. 818.
    >Wallflower gives it some thought and ends up agreeing to it, “Alright, as long as I’m not bothering either of you!”
  819. 819.
    >Picking up your stuff, Roseluck and you talk about your schedules
  820. 820.
    >Since you don’t have any matching periods besides lunch, you’ll take turns hanging out with Wallflower
  821. 821.
    >And given you spend yesterday with her, it’s only fair Roseluck gets the first half of the day with her
  822. 822.
    >Waving them goodbye at a fork in the hallway, you watch the happy-go-lucky Rose hold Wallflower’s hand and slip into the sea of students
  823. 823.
    >As you head to class, the photos you saw in the gardening club spring to mind
  824. 824.
    >You don’t know Wallflower, and you for sure don’t know Roseluck
  825. 825.
    >But you can feel your heart flutter just thinking you were friends
  826. 826.
    >You'll do your best to make this work out
  827. 827.
     
  828. 828.
    >Be Roseluck
  829. 829.
    >And be rushing to class
  830. 830.
    >Dragging behind you a girl whom you’ve seen dozens of times before but you never truly noticed
  831. 831.
    >Maybe she didn’t want to be noticed? Surely she wasn’t expecting it
  832. 832.
    >But your sudden confrontation alongside Anon left the girl with no place to run
  833. 833.
    >And you finally cleared up a question that’s been bugging you for the longest of times
  834. 834.
    >Longest as in, last Spring Break
  835. 835.
    >When you were made aware of the rose bushes behind school
  836. 836.
    >And you couldn’t believe how well-cared for they were
  837. 837.
    >How absolutely gorgeous they were
  838. 838.
    >In fact, there were dozens of flower bushes like them all over the school grounds
  839. 839.
    >And neither you nor Daisy or even Lily had noticed!
  840. 840.
    >You call yourselves the flower girls for goodness’ sake!
  841. 841.
    >You just had to find out who was taking care of these
  842. 842.
    >You spend the rest of the year asking around, but no one could answer your question
  843. 843.
    >And then
  844. 844.
    >Then
  845. 845.
    >You don’t really remember
  846. 846.
    >Although, with what you know now, you can suspect the girl behind you has something to do with it
  847. 847.
    >Nevertheless, you finally found who’s taking care of the flowers
  848. 848.
    >You aren't fully sure why this was so important to you
  849. 849.
    >And you were beyond shocked at just how much you had learnt in the last half hour
  850. 850.
    >If you didn’t had that picture on your phone, you doubt you’d have truly believed what Wallflower was talking about
  851. 851.
    >You've seen it hundreds of times, but somehow you never paid attention to her in it
  852. 852.
    >Something to do with your bygone memories perhaps?
  853. 853.
    >Truthfully, you’d have loved to be her friend even without the revelation that you were once close
  854. 854.
    >But now there were more questions sprouting to your mind than those that were answered
  855. 855.
    >Who were you two before all of this?
  856. 856.
    >Was Anon really amicable towards you?
  857. 857.
    >Was she really your friend?
  858. 858.
    >And what did you do that could've pushed her away?
  859. 859.
    >No matter, one step at a time, Rose
  860. 860.
     
  861. 861.
    >Taking your seat in Mr Cranky’s classroom, you smile at Wallflower as she sits beside you
  862. 862.
    >Lily spots you from the door and gives you an odd look as you two usually sit together for this class
  863. 863.
    >You give her a confident smile and a thumbs up, hoping she gets the message
  864. 864.
    >Wallflower notices this and you can see her posture stiffen for a second
  865. 865.
    > “You sure I won’t be a bother? I know you’re popular so I wouldn’t want to-“
  866. 866.
    “It’s okay! I’ll tell them during lunch, and besides I’m not really thaaat popular to have a new friend every period”
  867. 867.
    >Wallflower can’t help but let out a laugh that she quickly tries to quiet to not be so loud
  868. 868.
    > “Rose you’ve been nominated homecoming queen three years running, don’t be so modest!”
  869. 869.
    >A red not unlike that of your hair sets on your cheeks
  870. 870.
    >You almost won this year’s! You only lost because no one could beat Derpy and Bulk Biceps in the cute couple factor
  871. 871.
    “Hey that’s not fair! I don’t really remember one of those years..” You pout, looking away from Wallflower, baiting her into conversation about some of your lost memories
  872. 872.
    >Taking the bait, Wallflower speaks softly “That was the year we all went together.. you looked so pretty in that velvet dress with the rose accents”
  873. 873.
    >You hear her voice trail off, and turn to look at her staring at nothing in particular
  874. 874.
    > “You argued endlessly with me about what I should wear, I still have that yellow dress in my closet”
  875. 875.
    > “Anon surprised us with some cheap rental that we rode to homecoming, he looked so proud of himself”
  876. 876.
    >Wallflower’s volume is loud enough for some people to overhear her monologue
  877. 877.
    >But there’s not anyone particularly paying attention that you can tell
  878. 878.
    >She’s still invisible, even if she’s with you
  879. 879.
    > “And when we found out you were nominated for homecoming queen?” She scoffs under her breath and turns to look at you
  880. 880.
    >Your eyes meet, and for some reason, you feel your heart skip a beat
  881. 881.
    >The way she looks at you is filled with such melancholy, you can’t help but get lost in her eyes as she speaks
  882. 882.
    > “You said you wouldn’t even consider it unless we were up there with you” She finishes with a warm smile
  883. 883.
    >A single tear forms in her eye that she quickly wipes away, and turns to look away
  884. 884.
    > “Sorry, it’s still a lot to remember. It was a beautiful night”
  885. 885.
    >You can’t even respond, your mouth hanging slightly ajar and your mind processing what you just heard
  886. 886.
    >Unfortunately for you, you’re not invisible like Wallflower
  887. 887.
    > “Is something amiss, Miss Roseluck?” You hear the unmistakable cranky voice of your teacher call out for you
  888. 888.
    >And you turn around with your cheeks flushed, out of embarrassment and something else you can’t begin to comprehend
  889. 889.
    “Wh- No! Um, no sir. Nothing at all” You blurt out, recomposing yourself as you sit up right
  890. 890.
    >You hear Wallflower stifling a laugh next to you
  891. 891.
    >And you try your hardest to suppress the smile that desperately wants to form on your face
  892. 892.
    >Mr Cranky returns to his lecture right as the bell rings, marking the end of the period
  893. 893.
    >Wallflower stands up and offers you her hand as the rest of the students make their way out
  894. 894.
    >You grab her hand and look up at her
  895. 895.
    >She seems much more different than the fragile girl you met earlier today
  896. 896.
    >You stand up and exit the classroom together
  897. 897.
    >And she’s the one dragging you through the sea of students to your next class
  898. 898.
    >Where did that broken girl from the gardening club go, you wonder
  899. 899.
    >No, she’s still there
  900. 900.
    >This is just the remnants of what she was before shattering
  901. 901.
    >What made her like this? What caused her to chase after isolation?
  902. 902.
    >You wonder if it’d be too much to ask her so soon
  903. 903.
    >And if what she said was true, no one would be able to tell you
  904. 904.
    >You’ll have to talk to Anon at lunch
  905. 905.
    >Maybe you’re being nosy, but you need to know
  906. 906.
    >Your train of thought stops suddenly as Wallflower turns to smile at you
  907. 907.
    >And you can’t help but return the smile as you enter the classroom
  908. 908.
    >You’ve got a feeling your grades might tank for a couple of weeks
  909. 909.
    >You simply won't be able to focus on your studies with her around
  910. 910.
    >But it’s worth it to see her smile
  911. 911.
     
  912. 912.
    >Be Anon
  913. 913.
    >Be doing your best to keep up with class after skipping however many you have
  914. 914.
    >So much so, your teachers skipped the lecture they usually give you and just went with class normally
  915. 915.
    >The semester isn’t close to ending but if you don’t start fixing your grades, you’re sure you’ll flunk out
  916. 916.
    >Which sucks because now there’s a reason you’d want to stick around
  917. 917.
    >You wonder what Rose and Wallflower are talking about
  918. 918.
    >Looking at the clock, you’ll meet them next period for lunch
  919. 919.
    >It’ll be weird having to interact with Lily and Daisy again, since you’ll have to sit with Rose and those two never leave her side
  920. 920.
    >Finishing your assignment, you spend the rest of class idly scrawling on your notebook
  921. 921.
    >You don’t really know why but you always end up sketching up plants and flowers when you do this
  922. 922.
    >Sunflowers being the most prominent
  923. 923.
    >Maybe you picked this up the years you spent with Wallflower, although it’s no use trying to remember
  924. 924.
    >As the bell rings, you pick up your stuff and begin heading out
  925. 925.
    >And are stopped by Ms Harshwhinny calling your name out
  926. 926.
    > “Mr Anonymous, a moment of your time?”
  927. 927.
    >You turn around to face her and walk to her desk
  928. 928.
    >Her gaze doesn’t deign to look at you, stuck instead at the papers in front of her
  929. 929.
    > “Since I know reaching out to your parents would be useless, I’ll instead deliver the news to you”
  930. 930.
    >She finally turns to look at you as she hands you the papers, “If you’re unable to improve your grades by the end of the month, you’ll be expelled”
  931. 931.
    >Grabbing the papers, the gravity of the situation finally hits you
  932. 932.
    >You were sure it was just a few classes you had skipped before, but looking at your report card
  933. 933.
    >Nearly every single class has you at a D, or worse
  934. 934.
    > “Principal Celestia wanted to tell you herself, but I wanted you to hear it from your.. ‘favorite’ teacher.” The venom in her words plain, she stands up and looks at you proper
  935. 935.
    > “Anonymous, I’m aware you’re troubled. By what, I simply don’t care. But if you require assistance, know I’ve students willing to help”
  936. 936.
    >Unlike before, there’s no sarcasm, no disdain and no condescending tone
  937. 937.
    >This might be the nicest Harshwhinny has ever been to you
  938. 938.
    >You speak up for the first time in the conversation, “Thank you Ms Harshwhinny, I’ll.. I’ll try”
  939. 939.
    >You turn around to avoid looking at her, a weird sense of embarrassment taking over you
  940. 940.
    > “That is all, go make the most out of your month here. If you can”
  941. 941.
     
  942. 942.
    >Stepping out of the classroom, you sigh as you make your way to the school’s cafeteria
  943. 943.
    >Only a month, there’s no way you can improve that much
  944. 944.
    >Maybe you wouldn’t be in this situation if you just bothered keeping up with class
  945. 945.
    >Stressing about talking to the flower girls seems silly now
  946. 946.
    >You try your best to shove your conversation with Harshwhinny to the back of your mind as you open the doors to the cafeteria
  947. 947.
    >In the mix of colors, you spend some time trying to find the sea green of Wallflower’s hair
  948. 948.
    >And find it next to the vibrant red next to hers
  949. 949.
    >Walking past a few cliques, you can’t help but take a passing glance at the table with the most popular girls in school
  950. 950.
    >And that former bully sitting with them
  951. 951.
    >If someone like her was able to make friends after everything, maybe you’ll be alright
  952. 952.
    >Reaching the table, Lily and Daisy are the first to look at you, a puzzled expression on their faces that unbeknownst to you had been their default expression since classes had begun earlier today
  953. 953.
    > “Anon! About time, I was explaining to the girls here what happened earlier today” Rose turns around to greet you
  954. 954.
     
  955. 955.
    >Sitting down to the right of Wallflower, you exchange a similarly confused look with the two flower girls sitting in front of you
  956. 956.
    “As in.. everything?” Even the tears? You think to yourself
  957. 957.
    > “Well, I omitted some details but the good news is they haven’t called me crazy yet!” Rose digs into her lunch as she reassures you
  958. 958.
    >Wallflower has the gentlest smile on her face as she turns to look at you, “How were your classes? I remember Harshwhinny giving you trouble even months ago, is she still onto you?”
  959. 959.
    >No, she isn’t
  960. 960.
    >And you don’t have to worry about potentially losing contact with your newfound friends in only a month
  961. 961.
    >Or your future for that matter
  962. 962.
    >What exactly are you supposed to do if you can’t fix your grades
  963. 963.
    >Work in fast food for the rest of your life?
  964. 964.
    >Don’t you need a high school degree for most jobs
  965. 965.
    > “I’m gonna take that as a yes” Wallflower’s voice snaps you out of your downward spiral
  966. 966.
    “Sorry, uh, yeah she’s been giving me flack for skipping school for…” You trail off, not wanting to face the fact you’ve been slacking off that much
  967. 967.
    > “A couple of months?” Daisy chimes in with a bit of a smirk on her face
  968. 968.
    >Roseluck quietly whispers to her, trying to cut her off “Daisy please”
  969. 969.
    > “But it’s true! He hasn’t even bothered with being there for the tests” Daisy refuses to back off, having experience in dealing with your bullshit
  970. 970.
    >You’re reminded of the couple of times you ended up blowing her off on group projects
  971. 971.
    >And costing the both of you the grading
  972. 972.
    >You should apologize, but before you can
  973. 973.
    >Lily next to her adds in “And like, Rose, you yourself have told us we shouldn’t bother with him!”
  974. 974.
    >You turn to your left to look at Rose, who has this terrified expression on her face you’ve never seen her with
  975. 975.
    >And a very anxious-looking Wallflower sandwiched between the two of you, hunched over and playing with her food
  976. 976.
    > “Yeah! That he’d just end up as a fry cook and to just avoid him until he eventually flunks out” Daisy turns to Lily as they both continue their mean-spirited back and forth
  977. 977.
    > “Yeah like, Rose did you hit your head or something? I thought-“ Lily is cut off by Rose yelling at the two of them
  978. 978.
    > “Lily! Daisy! Please not- not now!”
  979. 979.
    >Which gets a couple people in nearby tables turning their heads to the commotion
  980. 980.
    > “That was before and I, I’ve” Rose struggles to find the right words
  981. 981.
    >Her eyes meet yours, her pupils turned to pinpricks
  982. 982.
    >You can’t read her mind, but her face remains stuck in this look of desperation, regret and annoyance
  983. 983.
    > “I’m sorry, Anon” Rose’s quiet voice seems to expect some kind of lash out from you
  984. 984.
    >Maybe to yell at her or walk away from the table and tell her off
  985. 985.
    >But you’ve no energy for that
  986. 986.
    >You know they’re right
  987. 987.
    >Though it still hurts
  988. 988.
    >Your gaze falls to the empty space in the table in front of you
  989. 989.
    >Where your lunch tray should be, had you bothered to get some
  990. 990.
    >A painfully awkward silence falls on the group
  991. 991.
    >You feel Wallflower’s hand on your left shoulder, and you turn to look at her
  992. 992.
    >That gentle smile has returned to her face, though there’s a hint of pleading that strikes at some chords in your heart
  993. 993.
    >Looking past her, you see Rose with a mortified look on her face looking at you
  994. 994.
    >Letting out a sigh you didn’t know you were holding, you finally speak up
  995. 995.
    “It’s fine, you won’t have to worry about that in a month”
  996. 996.
    >The confusion in their faces is plain, while in the corner of your eye you see Daisy and Lily exchanging worried looks
  997. 997.
    >But before you can explain further, the bell ringing signifies the end of lunch
  998. 998.
    >The two flower girls sitting across from you take their stuff, readying to leave
  999. 999.
    >Roseluck however, just gives them a glance and stays seated in the table
  1000. 1000.
    >Alongside Wallflower, who worriedly takes your hand in hers “Anon? Why a month?”
  1001. 1001.
    >You can’t bring yourself to say it
  1002. 1002.
    >Not yet at least, it’s too embarrassing
  1003. 1003.
    > “You’re being expelled, aren’t you?” Your heart sinks a little as you hear Wallflower answer for you
  1004. 1004.
    “I didn’t thought I skipped that many classes” is all you can say to excuse your behavior
  1005. 1005.
    >Behind Wallflower, you can see Rose’s horrified look as it hits her that she’s been making light of your situation
  1006. 1006.
    >Roseluck stands up and in a hurry, picks up her backpack and joins the rest of the students in leaving the cafeteria
  1007. 1007.
    >Daisy and Lily hurry after her, both giving you a single apologetic look as they disappear into the crowd
  1008. 1008.
    >Leaving you and Wallflower as the only students who are still sitting as if lunch was still going on
  1009. 1009.
    > “Well, you can’t afford to skip anymore in that case. Right?” Wallflower forces a sympathetic smile on her face
  1010. 1010.
    >Despite it not being genuine, you can’t tell her no when she’s trying to cheer you up
  1011. 1011.
    >You make your way out of the cafeteria, Wallflower practically dragging you to your next class
  1012. 1012.
     
  1013. 1013.
    >You tried making light conversation with her, but Wallflower wouldn’t have it
  1014. 1014.
    > “I’m not letting it happen, there’s got to be something you can do. I don’t buy that Principal Celestia would just kick you out, so you better pay attention and try to learn something these periods” She told you as soon as you got to your next class
  1015. 1015.
    >Truthfully, you’ve already given up and accepted your fate
  1016. 1016.
    >It’s true you could try mending your grade, pay attention in class and actually do the assignments
  1017. 1017.
    >For one class at a time, maybe
  1018. 1018.
    >Every single one would need the same degree of attention, even PE for fucks’ sake
  1019. 1019.
    >But Wallflower didn’t give you a chance to screw up
  1020. 1020.
    >Given that she was overlooked in just about every room you two were in
  1021. 1021.
    >She took notes alongside you, and if she ever caught you daydreaming or staring off into the distance
  1022. 1022.
    >She would pinch your arm and point at your notebook to make you snap back to reality
  1023. 1023.
    >You only found it mildly annoying when she did it the first few times
  1024. 1024.
    >But by the end of your last class, you were glad she was there
  1025. 1025.
    >Cheering you on, keeping you from going back into a downward spiral
  1026. 1026.
    >You wonder if she did this back then too
  1027. 1027.
    >If maybe you were always a bit of a screw up, and she’s helped you get out of a mess before
  1028. 1028.
    >It wasn’t until the bell rang and class ended that she properly turned to talk
  1029. 1029.
    > "So, who was it that brought this up? I know Principal Celestia stays for a while, we- you could go talk to her if it'll help"
  1030. 1030.
    >Packing your stuff in your backpack, you shake your head and lean back in your chair
  1031. 1031.
    "It was Harshwhinny, she did offer some tutoring but I wouldn't know who to ask" You feel your shame pitting in your stomach as you confess
  1032. 1032.
    >The sounds of students making their way out of the classroom fills up an awkward silence between you two
  1033. 1033.
    >Your words struggle to come out, but a quick glance at her gives you the strength to spit it out
  1034. 1034.
    "And I dunno about asking her"
  1035. 1035.
    >Wallflower sighs and turns to avoid looking at you, a similar expression of shame in her face
  1036. 1036.
    > "I'm sorry, Anon. I feel like this is my fault"
  1037. 1037.
    >You wonder if maybe she's right
  1038. 1038.
    >You don't have a lot of memories related to your classes
  1039. 1039.
    >And what you do remember is filled with you lazing out
  1040. 1040.
    > "I already took your past" Her voice is shaky and quiet, but that changes when you turn to look at her
  1041. 1041.
    >Locking eyes with her, you see her doubt leaving her as she's reminded of what she's done
  1042. 1042.
    >Wallflower stands up and offers you her hand, "I'm not gonna take your future too"
  1043. 1043.
    >Her tone is more commanding now
  1044. 1044.
    >You can't help but feel a bit shocked
  1045. 1045.
    >This girl looks like she has gone months without properly taking care of herself
  1046. 1046.
    >And yet, you've never seen anyone as sure of their words as she is right now
  1047. 1047.
    >You take her hand, stand up, and pull her into a gentle hug
  1048. 1048.
    >You can't see her face, but you can just feel her smile as she returns it
  1049. 1049.
    "Thanks for not giving up, Wallflower" You say as you step back from the hug and pick up your backpack
  1050. 1050.
    >"Thanks for giving me a second chance" She says while you two make your way out of the classroom

Where Wallflowers Bloom

by Wowflower