A Pinch Of Sugar


                                            A Pinch Of Sugar

                                            ft Anon and Sugarcoat, classmates at Crystal Prep

                                            29 October 2020: So this became an unexpected write-up, inspired by a single thread with Sugarpantsu.

                                            7 November 2020: Okay, burned the midnight oil again for a long continuation into Day 2. Sleep and writing don't go well together...


                                            --------------------


                                            >"Anon, where do you think you're looking!?"

                                            >You catch a glance of heavenly white before Sugarcoat's skirt falls back down

                                            >You half-expected a bear print, but the plain design had its own charm

                                            >Tearing your eyes away from the now-hidden assets, you look to Sugarcoat's expression fully anticipating a harsh scolding

                                            >Maybe even a slap, you hope

                                            >She looked to you for a second, flustered, and then immediately averted her gaze

                                            >Seconds pass without either of you saying anything

                                            >You're getting uncomfortable, and by the looks of it Sugarcoat is feeling the same, with every passing moment of your gaze fixed on her

                                            "H-hey, sorry about that. I shouldn't have peek- I mean I should have just looked away."

                                            >You stammer an apology while scratching your head, fully aware of what a dolt you must have looked like

                                            >Sugarcoat blinked a few times, but didn't say a word

                                            >awkward silence.jpg

                                            >Unable to bear any longer, you start to turn around when you feel your shirt sleeve being pulled

                                            >You look down; she had grabbed you by the wrist but only lightly

                                            >She takes a step forward and you get a real good look at her eyes, looking from above the rim of her glasses

                                            >You could've sworn the rest of the school corridor just went dead silent, but maybe you were imagining it

                                            >You were close enough to see all the details on her face, down to the patterns on her hairclip

                                            >Sugarcoat still hadn't let go

                                            >"Anon -"

                                            >Her voice was low but calm, not a trace of anger like you expected

                                            >"Don't tell anyone. Or you'll get it from me later."

                                            >She released her grip and your arm fell limp by your side

                                            >Walking past you with that confident, brisk stride, you're left dumbstruck

                                            >Wondering if all that really happened or if your junk food-addled brain finally lost it

                                            >Looking at her back as she walks away, you just stand there

                                            >You catch her giving you a glance over her shoulder

                                            >She's still blushing


                                            ---


                                            >Lunchtime at Crystal Prep

                                            >You haven't fully recovered from the interaction earlier that morning

                                            >Sugarcoat sits in the same class, along the front row, and you kept stealing looks at her from your seat near the back to gauge her reaction

                                            >She hadn't looked back over her shoulder again all morning, as far as you know

                                            >Naturally you didn't focus on the lesson at all

                                            >As you grabbed your food you let out a sigh, turning to one of the empty tables

                                            >You hoped for more, but maybe part of you was relieved?

                                            >Yeah, relieved that you don't have to face her and just sulk back, like you usually do

                                            "Maybe I should've tried talking to her again."

                                            >Twirling your spaghetti as you monologue, you happen to catch the cafeteria doors opening

                                            >There she was

                                            >Sugarcoat hasn't spotted you yet as she makes her way to the queue

                                            >Scanning around the tables you spot one with Indigo Zap and Lemon Zest

                                            >They were talking excitedly and showing their phone screens to each other

                                            >You recall the Shadowcolts Incident a few weeks ago where Crystal Prep visited CHS for the Friendship Games

                                            >Something about tears in the fabric of reality or whatever?

                                            >You recall that one of the school's best students had transferred afterwards, but you couldn't pin the name

                                            >Whoever it was didn't interact much, probably

                                            >Your thought train got interrupted when you saw Sugarcoat finish paying for her food

                                            >Dang, she's gonna sit over by those two, and when will your next chance come along?

                                            >She's turning down an aisle, carrying her tray, face fully visible

                                            >You ignore the warning bells screaming at you, and put up your hand and give a big wave

                                            >You notice her notice you

                                            >Mental fistpump,jpg

                                            >Sugarcoat slows her gait, a few feet from Zap and Zest

                                            >She's looking at you with - a pretty neutral expression, actually

                                            >You gesture to the empty seat in front of you

                                            >Sugarcoat exchanges a few words with the other two, then incredibly -

                                            >Leaves the area and starts heading towards you


                                            ---


                                            >Sugarcoat is closing the distance when your brain starts frazzling

                                            >What do I do now!? Did she see me spying on her during class? What do we even talk about oh god-

                                            >She takes a seat directly opposite, gently placing her tray

                                            >It's a little unsettling how calm and collected she looks

                                            >You're obviously the unprepared one here

                                            "Er - hi."

                                            >"Hey, Anon."

                                            >Dammit, get a hold of yourself man

                                            >Aside glance to Zap and Zest, and yup, they're not even trying to hide their gawking at all

                                            >Zest leaned in to Zap's ear and mouthed something

                                            >Shit, did they know!?

                                            >You can't recall any 'witnesses' during the Flash, but to be frank your thoughts had been somewhere...more poignant

                                            >You turn your attention back to Sugarcoat who had started on her meal

                                            >Rice and miso soup. Healthier than your mom's spaghetti at any rate

                                            >You take a forkful just to have something to do

                                            >"Did you tell anyone else?"

                                            >Her question stops you mid-chew

                                            >Sugarcoat looks at you inquisitively, but not accusingly

                                            >You swallow hard and regain your senses

                                            "Of course not. And I'm not planning to, ever."

                                            >Her lips - did she smirk just the teensiest bit?

                                            >"That's good," she says, "I don't generally tell people what I wear in private. Not like some girls like to do."

                                            >You wonder if she's talking about a certain pair of blue- and green-haired girls

                                            >You don't dare steal another glance, though

                                            >You wanna commit 100% of your faculties here

                                            "About this morning - it really was an accident. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

                                            >Sugarcoat finished a bit more of her soup

                                            >"I know. I didn't think you did, and I don't blame you for- for peeking."

                                            >Your eyes involuntarily went wide, then you force them back to normal

                                            >You want to talk more but felt afraid of saying something wrong

                                            >Does she mean she's ok with you looking?

                                            >No, you shake your head mentally. Don't delude yourself.

                                            >She's just being polite and trying to not make it a big deal

                                            "Oh, yeah. I was kinda worried. So- you're not mad?"


                                            ---


                                            >"I'm not mad," she says with finality, and a small smile, "but you were worried? Even during class?"

                                            "Yes, I was," you confess. "I thought about talking to you in between classes but there wasn't the right time."

                                            >"Just as well," Sugarcoat says with a hint of vigor, "I doubt our class was private enough for anyone to talk without word getting out."

                                            >You smiled with relief

                                            >You were glad Sugarcoat was already acquainted with you, although not to the level of being friends

                                            >You have many such 'acquaintances' in class, like Upper Crust and Jet Set

                                            >Classmates who would have small-talk with you during school hours, and be convenient partners for assignments, but nothing further

                                            >You don't like admitting it sometimes but you like to keep to yourself; you're a natural loner

                                            >You see the other students talking, laughing and generally having a good time

                                            >You've always had a bit of trepidation when opening up to your peers

                                            >But talking with Sugarcoat now makes you glad you're not completely beyond hope

                                            >And the fact you have a not-so-tiny crush on Sugarcoat makes it all the better

                                            "Yeah, you're right," you say, quite a bit relaxed now. "Do you usually have lunch with the other girls?"

                                            >"You mean Lemon and Indigo?" Sugarcoat looks over to their table, where the two were caught mid-stare

                                            >Zest and Zap immediately broke contact and resumed 'normalcy', scrutinising their phones

                                            >"I usually do, and normally Sour Sweet and Sunny Flare would be with us as well. They've gone to finish up our costumes for the dance."

                                            >Dance? This was new, and quite unexpected

                                            "You guys are into dancing?"

                                            >Sugarcoat pushed the bridge of her glasses up, showing a look of slight concern

                                            >"We entered this music video contest - well, the four of us, minus Indigo. She says she's not into that kind of thing. We wanted to win the prize money so we could buy ourselves a yacht trip."

                                            >Your curiosity piqued even more

                                            "Wow. That's a pretty big deal. How's the contest going so far?"


                                            ---


                                            >Sugarcoat seems to fidget a bit

                                            >She's usually the kind who would say whatever was on her mind, others' feelings be damned

                                            >"About that...we were up against those girls from CHS. The ones from the Friendship Games."

                                            >She put down her chopsticks, looking pensive

                                            >"The four of us really wanted to win- at any cost. But those girls were so good! They would've beaten us outright if we had stuck to our original plan."

                                            >You notice that she looks a bit embarrassed now

                                            >Her cheeks were a little flushed, but not as much compared to this morning

                                            "So what did you guys do?"

                                            >She suddenly looked cross, and you were afraid you crossed a line

                                            >Sugarcoat must have realised it too, as her expression softened a moment later

                                            >"We did something we shouldn't have," she admitted, arms crossed defensively

                                            >You don't want to push her too hard, so you waited calmly for her to continue

                                            >When she did, she told you all that had happened

                                            >About the Shadowcolts stealing the idea for their choreography from the CHS team- which now included the recently-transferred Twilight

                                            >About how their obsession with winning - which is practically the norm at Crystal Prep - drove the four of them to cheat to attain victory

                                            >As it went on, Sugarcoat seemed to ease up little by little

                                            >Maybe telling you all of this was a huge load off her shoulders?

                                            >Among her circle, you figure it was Sour Sweet and the two Z's who were the most talkative

                                            >The one you were smitten with was usually more deadpan

                                            >"By the end of it, it was Rarity who found a solution," Sugarcoat said

                                            >"They've got better songs and we had the dance routines, so we've decided to work together and combine our efforts."

                                            >She mentions they've scheduled the final video shoot after school

                                            >If they won the prize it would be divided equally

                                            >You felt relief upon hearing that the crisis was resolved peacefully

                                            >Right?

                                            "So everything worked out for everyone involved, didn't it?"

                                            >Sugarcoat didn't immediately respond, looking down


                                            ---


                                            >It was obvious that Sugarcoat still felt a little guilt from how she acted

                                            >If you were in her shoes you would've let bygones be bygones after an apology

                                            >But then you think about what you did just this morning

                                            >What you had said to Sugarcoat right at this table

                                            >Not too different from what she must be feeling, in a way

                                            >The sense of wanting to set things right

                                            >"Do you think I'm a bad person, Anon?"

                                            >Her question caught you off-guard

                                            >For your part you didn't feel indignant, even though she clearly did wrong

                                            "I don't think it makes you a bad person, Sugarcoat. The whole stealing of ideas was definitely wrong, but all of you made up with each other and decided to cooperate."

                                            >"But it shouldn't have come to that in the first place," she said defiantly

                                            >"After the Friendship Games we should have learned our lesson. About not taking things too far. It's like we ignored all the stuff that Sunset and her friends taught us."

                                            >She's got a stubborn streak, you thought to yourself

                                            "Now that you know that, you won't do something like that again, right? That's what matters most."

                                            >Sugarcoat is given pause

                                            >Wait, was she seriously considering 'relapsing' into a textbook Crystal Prep stuck-up?

                                            >It's a stereotype that your school hasn't been able to shake off from its image

                                            >Not least because it's not entirely inaccurate

                                            >"I- I don't know," she admits, looking strained

                                            >"You know how things are like here. We get drilled into our heads that if we're not the best at everything, then we might as well not be good for anything."

                                            >"That second place is for losers. That's how we're known as the best school in the district."

                                            "I can see that it has produced results," you concede. "But what about the Twilight girl? Didn't she transfer out because she felt like she didn't fit in here, with all the hyper-competition?"

                                            >Sugarcoat looked straight at you, blinking a few times

                                            >"Yes, she did that," she says, nodding


                                            ---


                                            >"She left Crystal Prep because of what Mrs. Cinch had done. Although she wasn't entirely to blame..."

                                            "Basically, even our own teachers are capable of going to such lengths just to- win an interschool competition? And look where that ended up."

                                            >Sugarcoat had no reply to that one

                                            >Damn, you didn't mean to put her down like this

                                            >You were just trying to assure her that she's not as bad as she thinks she is

                                            >Or rather, she can be as good or as bad as she believes herself to be

                                            >...this is getting confusing

                                            "Sugarcoat - "

                                            >*BRRRRRRRRNNNGG*

                                            >Oh for-

                                            >Your little assurance was gonna have to wait

                                            >You hear the shuffling of students, well what's left of them, picking up their trays

                                            >Has it really been an hour?

                                            >You look down at your lunch and realise over half is still untouched

                                            >You can't remember the last time you were this engrossed in conversation

                                            >Sugarcoat grabs her own tray and stands up

                                            >You wish you had more time...

                                            >"Hey, Anon."

                                            >She stopped in her tracks, looking at you thoughtfully

                                            "Yeah?"

                                            >"Thanks," she said with a small, clear smile.

                                            >"For what you said. I have a lot to think about."

                                            >This must be the first time you've seen that expression up close

                                            "Maybe once you've finished that dance video, you can tell me all about it?"

                                            >Huh. Sometimes you surprise even yourself

                                            >"Sure," said Sugarcoat, "I'll be busy for the day and after school too. Obviously. I'll tell you how it went during lunch tomorrow?"

                                            "That sounds good with me."

                                            >She nods, and with a brief "See you later then", heads over to Zest and Zap

                                            >Apparently they watched the whole thing

                                            >After placing her tray away, the three of them headed for the exit

                                            >Zest couldn't resist anymore, practically begging Sugarcoat to spill the beans

                                            >You couldn't see her expression, but you reckon she'd put on her neutral expression as a poker face

                                            >Half-way as you were getting up, you catch all three looking your way

                                            >Zap had a suave expression, Zest looked- confused, maybe?

                                            >And Sugarcoat-

                                            >Was smiling


                                            *End of Day 1*


                                            ---


                                            *Day 2*


                                            >You wake up early the next day

                                            >When was the last time you looked forward to going to school this much?

                                            "Only 6:00 AM..."

                                            >You slept way earlier than usual last night

                                            >Usually books or vidya would keep you awake past midnight

                                            >But your brain was too busy replaying the lunch you had with Sugarcoat

                                            >It was the first time in a long while someone told you about their problems like that

                                            >You can't get her smile of your head, either

                                            "You're just friends, idiot. Don't get ahead of yourself."

                                            >The self-reprimand got you out of bed, at least

                                            >You take your time with a shower and some cereal, surprising your parents

                                            >You head out, enjoying the fresh morning air

                                            >First class at Crystal Prep is in an hour, but it only takes ten minutes to walk there

                                            >You were hoping to see Sugarcoat on her way to school before class started

                                            >Sure, she agreed to see you during lunch, but you were a bit impatient

                                            >...Just a bit?

                                            >Arriving at the school entrance, you see the odd student here and there

                                            >None with white hair and pigtails

                                            "Wonder how that dance video went..."


                                            >"You mean Sugarcoat's video with those Wondercolt girls?"

                                            >The sudden line scared the crap out of you

                                            >You quickly turn around to see Indigo Zap

                                            >Standing against the wall with a smug grin

                                            "Oh... morning, Indigo."

                                            >Real smooth recovery there

                                            >You couldn't help but feel irritated by her successful ambush

                                            >"Did I manage to startle you? Sorry about that, but you were too easy. Couldn't pass it up."

                                            >You take a breath to calm your senses before speaking

                                            "You're here pretty early. Usually you'd come in just before the bell rings."

                                            "Or sometimes not even then."

                                            >She chuckled; even you had to admit your comeback was lame

                                            >That's what you get for keeping to yourself for most of your school life

                                            >At least Zap took it in stride

                                            >"Even I come here early sometimes, you know. My house is pretty near."

                                            >Hmmm, did she happen to live somewhere in your neighbourhood?

                                            >Those goggles she always wears would be hard to miss, though


                                            ---


                                            >"She hasn't come in yet, by the way," Zap said knowingly

                                            >You let out a small sigh

                                            >Was she always this teasing?

                                            "I thought I could see her before class starts."

                                            >"Can't wait any longer, eh?"

                                            >You don't answer, instead just giving a 'ya think?' look

                                            >"She usually arrives fifteen minutes before class. That's when I've seen her being dropped off a few times before, anyways."

                                            >That was...helpful

                                            "Good to know. I'll go and wait for her in class then."

                                            >You were about to head into the corridor when Zap steps in front of you, blocking your path

                                            >This was not what you had in mind this morning

                                            >"So what do you think?"

                                            >You blink in confusion

                                            "What do I think...of what?"

                                            >"Well, duh!" Zap does a gesture that makes you think of a girl saying 'Like, hellooo?' with a valley accent

                                            >"I'm asking what you think of Sugar!"

                                            "..."

                                            >Sugarcoat's friends call her 'Sugar'?

                                            >You could say it's a pretty... sweet nickname

                                            >mental facepalm.jpg

                                            >You really are horrible sometimes

                                            "She's really nice to talk to. And she surprised me when she said she's into dancing."

                                            >"She seems more the bookish type, right?" Zap places her hands on her hips

                                            "You mean because of her glasses?"

                                            >"That, and because she doesn't normally talk that much, even with us."

                                            >"Lemon and I had a pretty good view yesterday."

                                            >She wiggled her eyebrows, but it doesn't annoy you as much this time

                                            >"Usually she would say something brutal right out of the blue, like the time she told Sour she put on a few pounds over summer break."

                                            >Uhm...

                                            >"Sour squeezed her phone so hard, the glass cracked. And she didn't talk to Sugar again for a week."

                                            >You vow to yourself to never let Sour Sweet know you had this conversation

                                            >"She wasn't wrong though," Zap said quietly, looking sideways

                                            >Let's steer this away from any more personal secrets, shall we?

                                            "Sugarcoat was totally different during lunch yesterday," you counter.

                                            "She definitely wasn't as... brutal as that."


                                            ---


                                            >"We noticed," said Zap, "You two had a really long talk. Haven't seen you really talk to Sugar that much before, either."

                                            >Zap crossed her arms confidently

                                            >"Something happen between you two?"

                                            >You feel your heart beat a little faster

                                            >Maintaining your best poker face while racing your thoughts at top speed-

                                            >Trying to avoid the topic of the Flash was getting dicey...

                                            >And Sugarcoat coming to sit with you for lunch must have looked like it came out of nowhere, too

                                            >More than a bit unusual, you admit

                                            >You decide to say something before Zap gets any more hints

                                            "We just happened to bump into each other yesterday morning."

                                            >"Oh?" Naturally, Zap wasn't convinced so easily

                                            >"What did you guys talk about?"

                                            "Mostly normal stuff."

                                            >You manage to say it as your memory recalled the mesmerizing view

                                            >Pushing that thought away for now, you choose your next words carefully

                                            "Sugarcoat looked like she was feeling down, so I asked her what was bothering her. The bell rang before I could get an answer, though."

                                            >Zap mulled over your words for a moment

                                            >"You sure about that? She can look pissed off to people who don't know her well. She's got a- what do you call that..."

                                            "Resting bitch face? She didn't-"

                                            >"Yeah! Sugar just has it naturally sometimes, you know? Made it hard to tell what she was thinking when we first met."

                                            "Indigo, she DIDN'T look like that. We've been in the same class for two years. I'd like to think I know what it looks like when she's actually upset about something."

                                            >Zap looked slightly taken aback at your defense

                                            >You mentally kick yourself for driving the point a little too hard

                                            >But somehow it didn't feel right if you'd just let Zap's assessment of Sugarcoat slide

                                            >Even if you are fabricating your past 'conversation' here

                                            "Anyway, I told Sugarcoat if she wanted to talk about it, we can talk during lunch. So I came to the cafeteria to wait for her."

                                            >"Hmmm, so that's why then," said Zap, sounding a little more convinced


                                            ---


                                            >"Hey, I didn't mean to diss her, alright?" Zap interjected

                                            >"I was just curious why Sugar would come to eat with you all of the sudden."

                                            >You felt a bit bad for being indignant earlier

                                            "It's fine; I really should have phrased that better. I just wanted to clear things up, is all."

                                            >Zap put one arm on her hip and let the other down by her side

                                            >"No problem," she said, looking relaxed

                                            >"You two looked like you were enjoying yourselves."

                                            >Zap's suave look matched the one she had yesterday, which would've fit nicely with a 'Nice!' caption

                                            >The scene made you remember Sugarcoat's smile too

                                            "We talked about the dance video she made with the girls from CHS. Apparently they'll be taking a trip on a yacht if they win."

                                            >"Yeah, Lemon told me about that. What a way to spend the prize money, huh?"

                                            >You asked Zap why she didn't take part in the video, too

                                            >Especially since the 'Shadow Five' did practically everything together these days

                                            >Sugarcoat and the others were already friends before, but it was mostly the two Z's who were close

                                            >Ever since the Friendship games, the five of them were often seen together, in and out of classes

                                            >Come to think of it, a lot of students seemed a bit different after the Games

                                            >Less invested in one-upping each other, and more just enjoying the time they had at Crystal Prep

                                            >Whatever reality-warping voodoo at CHS changed things for the better, you thought

                                            >"I'm just not cut out for that frilly stuff," Zap said, rubbing the back of her head

                                            >"But it sounded like they had a lot of fun, from what Lemon told me last night."

                                            >"Good thing they managed to patch things up after trying to steal their idea too, jeez."

                                            "So you heard about that as well?"

                                            >Zap laughed as she talked about the ridiculousness of it

                                            >She insists she would've tried to get them NOT to do something so stupid, had she been around


                                            ---


                                            >"Well, all's well that ends well right? Bet you can't wait to see how they did."

                                            >Zap winked mischievously

                                            "Wait, you've seen the video already?"

                                            >"Whaddya think?"

                                            >You can't help but shake your head

                                            "Seriously, Indigo? You could've just said so from the start."

                                            >"And miss out on getting the details between you and Sugar? Yeah, no. I made the right choice!"

                                            >Zap stands there proudly, with that childish grin

                                            >...You'll let it go this time. At least she didn't get you to spill the beans on- the other thing

                                            >You notice the number of students had increased considerably

                                            >They were walking through the entrance doors and moved around you and Zap, heading for the main corridor

                                            "Just about time then. Only about fifteen minutes-"


                                            "- Anon?"

                                            >Wait-

                                            >Wasn't that-?

                                            >You turn around, getting a full frontal view of Sugarcoat who had just passed through the entrance, and stopped

                                            >And not just her, either

                                            >Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet and Lemon Zest with her ever-present headphones were there too

                                            >They looked at you, then at Zap (still grinning), then back to you

                                            >None of you said anything for about a second

                                            "Hey Sugarco-"


                                            >"Morning, Sugar!"

                                            >Zap steps towards you and puts one arm around your shoulders in one swift motion

                                            >You're caught completely off-guard

                                            >Before you had time to react-

                                            >"Anon and I were just having a nice chat! Weren't we?"

                                            >All eyes went to you

                                            >Sugarcoat's face quickly switched from neutral, to surprised, and then to... more-than-slightly annoyed

                                            >Oh shit

                                            "H-Hi Sugarcoat... I was just talking to Zap since I got to school early."

                                            >"And?" Sugarcoat asks you

                                            >- No, this is more like an interrogation than a question

                                            "And we just talked about some stuff-"

                                            >"We wanted to know what you two were talking about during lunch yesterday!" said Zap excitedly

                                            >Zest clapped her hands together, as if saying 'Oh, yeah!'

                                            >Sunny Flare and Sour Sweet looked at each other, puzzled

                                            >Sugarcoat just keeps looking at you, though

                                            >Quick, man! Say something! Anything!


                                            ---


                                            "We were just talking about the dance video you guys shot yesterday. H-How did it go?"

                                            >Having this many eyes on you makes it difficult to keep your voice steady

                                            >You were praying to the gods that Sugarcoat would see that Zap was just messing around

                                            >"..."

                                            >She must know that you would never tell another living soul about her... garments, right?

                                            "..."

                                            >Or what she really felt about what she and the others did to beat the Wondercolts?

                                            >"..."

                                            >Neither of you seem to be able to say anything

                                            >Your silent 'stand-off' is attracting more than a few onlookers, too

                                            >You're gonna faint if this keeps up

                                            >You wished you weren't standing just by the entrance when Zap was -


                                            >Hang on.

                                            >Wait just a goddamn second.

                                            >Indigo Zap, standing by the entrance before school starts, the day after she saw you and Sugarcoat have an hour-long talk?

                                            >And she just happens to be by the entrance where all students have to go through?

                                            >...To keep you talking until your crush showed up!?

                                            >You could feel your stomach churn when you realised what just happened


                                            >"Hmph."

                                            >Sugarcoat sighs and walks forward resolutely

                                            >You're completely convinced you fucked this up

                                            >Just as she was about to walk past you and Zap -

                                            >She reaches out -

                                            >And grabs your hand firmly with hers, still not stopping!

                                            "Wha-"

                                            >Her momentum yanks you out of Zap's grip

                                            >"Woah!" Zap didn't see that coming

                                            >Neither did the other three, apparently

                                            >They just stared at you, eyes wide, as Sugarcoat pulls you away

                                            "Sugarcoat, wait -!"

                                            >"Just come with me!"

                                            >Sugarcoat keeps marching forward, taking huge steps, pigtails swinging wildly

                                            >You concede to being pulled further and further away from the gathering crowd of curious students

                                            >Despite all that, you can't help but be awestruck by the simple fact -

                                            >That Sugarcoat is holding your hand

                                            "..."

                                            >Looking back, you see a blue-haired girl with goggles, grinning ear-to-ear, raising a thumbs-up


                                            ---


                                            >Sugarcoat keeps pulling you farther and farther with no signs of stopping

                                            >The both of you are way past your classroom by now and even the students are thinning out

                                            >...Not that you're complaining

                                            >She finally slows down near the library

                                            >As you two come to a halt, you take a deep breath from all the exertion

                                            "Jeez Sugarcoat, what was that about-?"

                                            >You started to retort, but midway you notice Sugarcoat wasn't facing you

                                            >She WAS still holding your hand though

                                            >"...Did you tell her anything?"

                                            >You get the the gist of what she meant right away

                                            "Nothing about yesterday. And nothing about - how you really felt."

                                            >You tried to lower your voice so that only the two of you could hear, just in case of any curious eavesdroppers

                                            >Sugarcoat's grip softened a bit, but she still faced the other way

                                            "When Zap asked me about what happened yesterday," you continued, "I told her you looked a bit down and that's why I wanted to talk to you. During lunch."

                                            >You really, REALLY hope you weren't making things worse by saying what you just did

                                            >"Given the circumstances, the explanation you gave wasn't a bad one."

                                            >Sugarcoat turns towards you as she says this, and releases your hand

                                            >"I should have anticipated those two would be curious. Especially after how I behaved yesterday."

                                            >She seemed to have calmed down a lot, you note with relief

                                            "I didn't tell her anything I thought you didn't want anyone else to know, I promise that."

                                            >You were still a little on edge, but you wanted Sugarcoat to know that


                                            >As you say this to her, you take a look around

                                            >You see a couple of students coming out of the library, but they were busy rushing off to class and didn't spare a glance

                                            >There's not a lot of people studying in the library at this hour (who does that this early?)

                                            "We should probably head back before we get yelled at."

                                            >"...Yes, let's just - "

                                            *BRRRRRRRRNNNGG*

                                            >The demon's bell made you both jump

                                            >Well, shit

                                            >Now you BOTH have to face the music once you get to class

                                            >As you curse all the horribly bad luck you've had today, you hear a snort

                                            >You look down and see Sugarcoat suppressing a laugh

                                            >"This is the first time I've been tardy. Ever."

                                            >Is it, now? There goes her perfect record

                                            "And we're at the other end of the school near the library, too. Let's just tell them we wanted to study, like REALLY hard."

                                            >You look to each other for a moment


                                            >And after that moment the both of you burst out laughing

                                            >Pretty sure a bit of it is nervous laughter for what you'll have to go through soon

                                            >As your laughter died down, you notice the corridor is totally empty, save for the two of you

                                            >"This is not the best start to the day, at all."

                                            "No, definitely not. And to think I came to school early today too."

                                            >"You came here early?"

                                            "Yeah. I wanted to see you before school started, until Zap ruined it. Just my luck."

                                            >Sugarcoat seems caught by surprise, and starts to blush

                                            >Seeing her like this makes your heart race a little too

                                            >She pushes her glasses up to regain composure

                                            >"Well... it's a long walk back to class. We might as well make use of the time."

                                            >The two of you start the long path back, taking the time you need

                                            >Maybe it's not all bad luck after all