The ear-rattling sound of the school bell flooded the hallways of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.  The students started to pack up their supplies and get ready to depart and go their own ways after school hours.  The hallways were packed with unicorns making their way for the schools exit.  

Today was the first day of Summer Break.  Three months of a break from hard schoolwork.  No more studying, no more homework, just rest and relaxation.  Most ponies had plans to see their family, others just wanted to lay in bed all day and forget about learning.  

Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns was a boarding school.  Ponies take an entry exam to apply for acceptance into the school, and they live on-campus in their own separate dorms.  So then during breaks ponies may go on vacation to see their families who miss them dearly in other towns.  There aren't many breaks in Celestia's School. There are really only two major ones: Hearth's Warming Vacation, and Summer Break.

Whatever the case may be, it was three months of rest and relaxation, except for one pony in particular.  A creme colored unicorn with a light, fluffy pink mane.  Her cutie mark was of three stars, and her eyes a gentle baby blue.

Twinkleshine, a gentle minded student at Celestia's school, was all but relaxed for the upcoming break.  In fact, she was downright stressed out.  She has been closely counting down the days, and that one day she has been waiting for was almost there.  

Twinkleshine has had a crush on Moondancer, arguably her best friend since foalhood, for almost a year now.  She can never tell why, but those feelings had came up recently for reasons unknown.  She had never felt this way around her.  Whenever she stared into her light purple eyes, the entire world was tuned out.  It was as if nothing existed expect her, and Moondancer.  Her body was perfect, slim and toned, not one imperfection stood out.  

Twinkleshine sighed, it was never easy for her to explain her feelings to anypony.  She had even tried talking to Moondancer about those feelings, but of course not telling Moondancer that it was her that she had the crush on.  Most of the time she found herself at a loss for words when talking to her best friend.  

The creme colored unicorn sighed again.  She decided to take a walk to ease her troubled mind.  Exiting her dorm room, she started to trot in the direction of the Royal Gardens.  Twinkleshine had always loved the Garden.  Something about the place was just so tranquil.  The beautiful flowers and statues that surrounded the gardens, along with the soft songs that the birds sang.  She came here on a normal basis to ease her stress.  Most of the time she usually sits on a bench, and stares off into the horizon, overlooking the valley that was below where the small town of Ponyville was located.

The treatment seemed to be working, her mind was becoming more at ease.  The Royal Gardens acted as sort of a sanctuary for her mind.  She allowed herself to be too calm, however.  Celestia's suns' warm rays felt stimulating on Twinkleshine's white coat.  Her eyes grew heavy, and her vision started to cloud up.  Within seconds, her focus on the world around her was gone, and she drifted off to sleep.

Her subconscious mind brought her to her most desirable dream.  One that had stayed with her for months.  Twinkleshine found herself sitting on a hilltop, overlooking a lake.  It was night out, and the stars were visible all throughout the sky.  Moondancer was with her too, and the two of them sitting together gazing at the lake.  Twinkleshine had her head positioned in the crook of Moondancer's neck, and Moondancer tilted her head so that it was resting on top of Twinkleshine's.  The two would sit there for hours, leaning gracefully onto each other.  

Moondancer lifted her head up.  Twinkleshine noticed the absence of her marefriend and also lifted her head.  Their eyes met, but it wasn't long until Moondancer leaned in and passionately kissed Twinkleshine.  The pink maned unicorn showed no signs of withdrawal.  Instead, she pushed back on her, making the kiss more passionate.  Twinkleshine's tongue had managed to slip passed Moondancer's lips.  Their tongues collided and battled the other for supremacy, causing Moondancer to grunt with approval.

This is what Twinkleshine had always wanted:  To love, and be loved back, by Moondancer.  She would give up everything to be with her.  The feelings inside Twinkleshine pounded against the metaphorical cell that they were locked up in, just waiting to be released.  Each day the feelings intensified.  She knew that one day she had to tell her.

Her fantasies were interrupted by the feeling of a hoof on her shoulder, and her name being called out.  Twinkleshine sat up on the bench she had fallen asleep on, and stretched out her arms, yawning.  She rubbed her eyes, and looked to see who had woken her up.  She saw standing in front of her a light gray coated mare with a dull scarlet mane with a streak of purple in it, and instantly recognized her as none other than Moondancer.

"There you are, Twinkle!  I was worried about you!"  Twinkleshine and Moondancer shared a dorm room together, which just made it more awkward each day to be around her for Twinkleshine.  The lighter coated unicorn looked upon the horizon; it was dark out.  Moondancer must have been worried because Twinkleshine never came back to the dorm, and set out to look for her best friend.

Moondancer sprawled her arms out and hugged Twinkleshine in a friendly gesture.  This wasn't abnormal, but it still always made Twinkleshine feel happier, and also slightly blush.  Before Moondancer let go, she tried to keep her face from becoming more scarlet.  Maybe the night will make it so it was harder for her to see the blush?  She hoped so.

"Sorry, Moondancer.  I just...got distracted and had to come here.  Then I fell asleep."  She smiled meekly and averted her gaze from Moondancer's eyes.

"Next time you decide to disappear for a couple hours, would you mind telling me?"  She smirked at her.  "Let's just go back to the room, you look like you could use a bath and a real bed."  Moondancer pointed at her.

Twinkleshine's coat was covered in marks from the bench's split wood.  Her curly light pink mane was all ruffled up.  "Yea," She chuckled sheepishly, "I guess I could."

The two walked side by side back to their dorm room.  Twinkleshine kept finding herself trotting closer and closer to Moondancer, but before the latter noticed, she pulled back and kept her a suitable distance.  Twinkleshine didn't know how much more she could hold her emotions back.  They kept pounding at her to spill her guts out in front of her dearest friend.  How would she take it though?  Will she accept Twinkleshine and go out with her?  Or will she denounce her and never want to see her again?

Those thoughts made Twinkleshine freeze in fear.  She stopped trotting and stared off into oblivion.  The thought of losing her best friend was too much to bear.  Moondancer and Twinkleshine were like a pegasus and her wings; they were always next to each other, no matter what, and Twinkleshine felt as if she couldn't live without her.

Moondancer noticed the absence of her friend, and looked behind her.  Twinkleshine stood stone cold and stared into an infinite void.  Being the caring friend that she is, Moondancer nuzzled Twinkleshine's cheek, causing another wave of crimson to wash over her face.

"Something wrong, Twinkle?"  She asked.

Twinkleshine quickly turned her head away to hide the furious blush on her cheeks, "Um, no, nothing's wrong...I'm fine.  I...uh...just got lost in thought for a second."

Moondancer stood in front of her and stared her straight in the eye, Twinkleshine tried to resist, but was pulled in by her beauty, "Twinkleshine, I'm your best friend, you can tell me anything.  I can tell something is wrong.  Please, tell me, maybe I can help?"

Twinkleshine backed away from Moondancer, almost bursting out into tears.  She tried to hold back her emotions.  She wanted to just tell her, right then and there, all her feelings towards Moondancer.  For some reason, she couldn't.  Something inside her wanted her to tell her, but another overpowering force extinguished that thought and kept it vaulted.

"I...I have to go!"  Without another word or second thought, she galloped away.

<~>

Each door to each dorm room had special magical locks.  Only the unicorn that that dorm belongs to can break the magic seal and open the door.  When a new unicorn moves into the dorm, one of the royal guards, or Celestia, cast a spell on it to open it up to the magical ID to any unicorn.  The unicorn channels his or her magic into the lock, and then it is sealed.  Only the unicorn, or unicorns, that channeled their magical ID into the lock can break the seal and open it.

Twinkleshine had made it to her dorm room before Moondancer was able to, she channeled her magic and cast the spell to unlock it.  When she entered her room, she immediately plopped herself onto her bed, and cried into her pillow.

Why couldn't she just tell her?  Why is she going through so much pain over this?  As these thought's crept into her mind, she cried more deeply.  She loves Moondancer.  That's that.  She wanted so badly to hold her, to relinquish all her feelings and just love her, and snuggle with her....and kiss her.

Another wave of tears broke through her eyes and soaked her pillow even more.  She stuffed her face harder into her pillow to further muffle the sounds of her crying.  She knew it was only a matter of time before Moondancer came back to the dorm and demanded to know what was bothering her.  To solve this solution, she continued to cry deeply until fatigue got the best of her, and drifted to sleep.

<~>

Moondancer used her magic to unlock the magic lock on her and Twinkleshine's dorm.  She walked inside and looked around, noticing Twinkleshine laying dead asleep in her bed.  Her fluffy pink mane had been ruffled even further, and her pillow was soaking wet.  She wanted to know so badly what was troubling her best friend, and why she wasn't telling her.

Moondancer sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Twinkleshine.  Her back rose and fell slowly as she slept.  Moondancer  raised her hoof and lightly stroked Twinkleshine's mane.  The troubled pony didn't respond to the gesture, she being too fast asleep to respond to light motions.  

It broke her heart, it really did, to see her best friend so broken.  Moondancer continued to gently stroke Twinkleshine's mane for a few more seconds before going to bed herself.  Maybe tomorrow she'll be willing to talk to her about it?  Hopefully.  Moondancer slowly closed her eyes, and drifted to sleep.

That night, neither pony had a good night sleep.

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