This New Rhythm

Story 5

Chapter 4: She Needs Me

By: FluttersIsAwesome

I looked at my friend for a moment as her face got red. Not realizing that it probably made her more embarrassed, I put my arms around her and patted her back. “It’s alright, Scratch. Accidents happen.” It wasn’t necessarily bad... Scratch still didn’t know how I felt about her, but I decided that now wasn’t the time to tell her.

She stuttered as she tried to speak. “S-s-sorry Beat. Didn’t mean to... kiss you.”

A shy grin formed on my friend’s face as she spoke the word. It reminded me of how she used to be; the time when she was alone.

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When I was younger, about 15 or 16, and still live in Mystycs, I was still quite the popular unicorn. Ponies loved hanging out with me, but to this day I still have no idea why.  They would crowd around me as I played my guitar, and I even got a few autograph requests from a mare or two. However, one fateful day I decided to take a walk into the forest behind the town to get some alone time.

I didn’t know where I was headed, but I decided that anywhere where I could be by myself would be fine. That is, until I heard crying nearby. Curious, I followed it until I came to the source much deeper in the forest. A white unicorn filly with electric blue hair sporting thin streaks of dark blue was curled up against a tree.

“It’s not fair. it’s not fair!” She was screaming to herself between sobs. The hair under her eyes was wet and matted, and her eyes were slightly bloodshot.

Peeking through the brush, I tried to speak to her. “Hey... are you ok?”

Instantly she jumped up and drew back. “W-who are you?”

As I stepped out from behind a tree, I held my hoof up as an indication that I wasn’t there to hurt her. “Please, wait. I’m a friend. I saw you crying, is everything ok?”

She wiped her eyes and sniffled. “N-no.”

Sitting down beside her, I wiped another tear away for her. “Care to tell me about it?”

After another sniffle, the filly told me what happened. “Well... my mom and dad don’t get along very well. They fight a lot, and Tuesday dad left the house. I’ve been waiting for him to come back all week... and he never did. Mom said he abandoned us.” She hit the tree beside her with her hoof as more tears streamed from her eyes. “It’s not fair! He knows I don’t have any friends! Nopony ever liked me, and I don’t know why. Now mom is the only pony I have! I’m,” she began sobbing as she spoke the last words, “all alone...”

Listen to this filly and seeing what being alone was doing to her made me think of how lucky I was to have all the friends that I did. Without thinking, I put my arms around her and let her cry on my shoulder. As I held her, I did think about what I said. “Not anymore. My name is Beat Dubstep, you’re new best friend. What’s yours?”

She sniffled once more and looked at me. “V-Vinyl Scratch.”

I smiled and patted her back. “Awesome name. Come on, let’s get you back home.” I tried lifting her up, and was reminded that what just happened in the present time wasn’t our first kiss.

I didn’t think she’d be as heavy as she was, I guess I overestimated my own strength. When I picked her, I fell backwards and took her with me. Apparently she fell in just the right way, because when she landed on me her lips met mine. Stunned, we both lay there for a moment, lost in the sudden, unintentional kiss.

I recalled the things we used to do. We both loved music, so we would spend our days making music together. I would play and she would sing. Heh, it’s the exact opposite of the way it is now. She did manage to write me a music piece that I really liked, and to this day I still have the sheet.

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He looked kind of somber, so I tapped him. “Beat? You alright?”

He nodded. “Just remembering our... first kiss...”

I hated having a white coat. It made it painfully obvious when I blushed. Despite my embarrassment, I couldn’t help myself. “Beat... I know this is sudden, but I have to tell you.” I hesitated and realized that what I was about to say could destroy our friendship if he felt differently, but I had been holdin back for so long. I wrapped my arms around him, and this time I meant to do what I did. I leaned close to him and whispered in his ear. “About a year after we met, Beat... I realized that... I need you. You’re really my only friend besides Octavia. Beat, please don’t ever leave me.”

Now it was his turn to have his face turn red. He set his front hooves upon my shoulders with a smile. “I remember you, Vinyl. No way am I gonna let you be alone again, that I can promise you.”

He wrapped his arms around me gently. As I closed my eyes and felt his warm embrace, I began to recall the feelings I thought I had been developing for Octavia. Back when we were still getting used to living together, I thought I was falling in love with her, we were so close. However, sitting there in Beat’s arms made me realize that I saw her as a sister. Beat was the pony I was truly in love with.

I felt slightly ashamed at the fact that the famous DJ PON3 didn’t have the courage to tell the colt she loved how she felt, but as I thought, I remembered something. “Hey... Beat? I need to go somewhere today... can we meet again tomorrow?”

He shook his head. “I have plans. However, I do want to see you tomorrow night. You’ll have even better seats than you did during the show last week, ok?”

Nodding, I jumped up. “Ok, I’ll see you then!” I ran off towards a pony I knew could help. When it came to romance, she was the bravest pony I knew. Fluttershy.

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