Before the Friendship Games: Lemon Zest
Chapter 20: Let's Do Lunch
Previous Chapter Next ChapterLunch period seemed to creep up rather quickly after Lemon's encounter with Sunny Flare. She entered the cafeteria and sighed as she found a seat.
Sour Sweet walked over and noticed the look on her friend's face. "Hey, something happen? You look like my sour side on a good day."
Lemon snickered. "Well, here's the thing..." She told Sour about her conversation with Sunny.
"Ah, I see." said Sour. "She can be a real pain in the ass sometimes!" she snapped.
Good to not be on the receiving end of her sour side for once... thought Lemon. "I know, but still..."
"Hey now, don't let her get to you." said Sour, placing an arm around Lemon.
"Speaking of which, I'm surprised her comment about your existence didn't piss you off." said Lemon.
"Oh, it does." said Sour. "I'm just going to wait until I see her to wallop her in the face!"
"Hey now, don't let her get to you." said Lemon, placing an arm around Sour.
Sour giggled. "Yeah. I guess you're right." she sighed.
"Besides, you're not lonely." said Lemon. "You've got me now."
"Us against the world, huh?"
"Well I don't think I'd say that..." Lemon said.
Sour shrugged. "Eh. Whatever works for you."
"Hi, Lemon!" said a new arrival. "Uh...hi...Sour."
"Hey, Twilight!" said Lemon. "How's it going?"
Twilight stayed silent, pulling at her hair.
"Oh, Twilight. You don't need to worry. I don't bite." said Sour Sweet. "Unless you give me a reason to!"
"Eek!" Twilight flinched.
"Go easy on her, Sour, she's a friend too." said Lemon.
"If you say so." said Sour.
"So...um..." Twilight said nervously.
Lemon smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Twilight. "It's okay. There's no reason for her to be hostile towards you."
Twilight calmed visibly, but still seemed nervous.
Lemon glanced at Sour. Sour simply shrugged, causing Lemon to roll her eyes.
Sour then sighed. "Okay. I won't be hostile towards you." Sour said. "At least not for today!" She blinked. "Dammit, Sour Side!"
Twilight simply stared at Sour. "Are you...okay?" she asked.
Sour sighed again. "I'm...bipolar."
I'd better choose my words carefully. This sounds like a sensitive subject for her... thought Twilight.
Sour smiled at Twilight. "It's okay. You're not walking on eggshells here, it's no secret."
Twilight let out a deep breath she didn't realize she was holding. "That's a relief. But I wouldn't be surprised if it's a sensitive subject for you."
Sour shrugged. "Eh, I'm used to it."
"Before we go any further..." said Lemon, becoming visibly tense.
Sour looked at Lemon. "Is something wrong?"
Lemon took a deep breath and exhaled. "Sour. I told Twilight everything."
Sour's expression became blank. "You told her...everything." she repeated. "What do you mean by 'everything'?"
"I mean everything. Even..." Lemon could feel tears coming, fearing the aftermath of her next few words.
Sour slowly got up from her seat. "Even...even what?"
"Even what happened at the session with Radiant Hope." Lemon said. "I'm sorry I haven't told you everything, but I was just so excited about what happened that I didn't think of how it would affect you and our new friendship."
"You told...Twilight." Sour said, her tone surprisingly neutral.
Twilight looked at Sour, then at Lemon. Oh dear. She began pulling her hair slowly.
Were it not for the other students eating and speaking in the cafeteria, the silence between Sour Sweet and Lemon Zest would have been deafening. They both stood motionless, looking at each other for what seemed like ages. Sour, still trying to process what she'd heard and Lemon, afraid for one of her two only friendships.
"You told Twilight. That I had no friends. That I was lonely." Sour said as she finally broke the silence. "That I have no family."
"Sour..." said Lemon.
"You told Twilight about my self-loathing...that I cried out my tears while fighting with you." continued Sour.
"Sour, I-" Lemon said, sniffling.
"You told Twilight fucking Sparkle that I tried to kill myself?!" said Sour, shedding tears of her own. "Lemon Zest...I told you those things in front of Radiant Hope because I trusted you. That it would just be between the three of us. You, me, and Radiant Hope."
"Sour Sweet...I'm sorry." said Lemon, who immediately put her hands to her mouth.
"You're...sorry." said Sour. "Given what happened between you, me, and Radiant Hope..." she said, narrowing her eyes. "That was a very, very poor choice of words.", Sour Sweet's voice cracked. "As you said that session; 'That's not going to cut it, and you fucking know that.'"
Twilight stopped pulling her hair and simply stayed still, afraid that any sudden movement would incur Sour Sweet's wrath.
"I trusted you, Lemon. I told you my deepest and darkest secrets that day, and you told someone else. I don't care if she's your friend, you should have at least asked me first." said Sour, now shaking.
"Sour..." said Lemon, her voice quavering.
"No." said Sour. "Not another word. I...I need some time alone right now." Sour said and walked away, leaving her tray of food half-eaten. She stopped after a few steps. "Oh, and Twilight?"
Twilight tensed up as she felt the chill of fear spread throughout her body. "Y-y-y-y-yes, Sour?" she stammered.
"Don't you dare tell anyone about this. If you do and I find out..." she turned around and walked back to Twilight, mere inches away from her face. Her eyes were still teary and puffy. "I will bite. And I will bite hard, Twilight Sparkle. Do we have an understanding?"
Twilight shrank, trembling with fear. "Y...y...."
"That's all I needed to hear." said Sour as she walked away with what little composure she had remaining.
"Sour..." said Lemon, reaching out a hand.
"DON'T." said Sour, her voice quavering. "Don't make this any harder than it already is for the both of us." she walked away from Lemon Zest and Twilight Sparkle.
"Lemon..." said Twilight. "Are...are you okay?" Before she knew it, Lemon shot towards her and hugged her tightly, sobbing into her now only friend's chest.
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