The bell above the door of Sugar Cube Corner rang as the group of three walked in. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were already sitting in a booth, beside of one where Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were sitting.

As Rarity joined her friends, Sweetie sat next to Scootaloo, while Silver sat next to Apple Bloom. "Where's Diamond Tiara?" the farm pony asked.

"She went to her house. She's a little upset over something I said, it's no big deal." Silver waved off the question with ease. Sweetie found herself wanting to believe Silver, even though she knew the truth. Silver smiled, glancing over at Scootaloo. "You know, I thought you would hate me."

The orange Pegasus shook her head. "I can't say I like you, or trust you. But so long as you're acting okay, there isn't a reason for me to act different." Scootaloo crossed her hooves over her chest. "Just don't cross the line."

It was better than what Sweetie had imagined. Scootaloo wasn't openly hostile to Silver at all. Not long after, Pinkie and Twilight walked out of the kitchen, along with the Cakes. Pound and Pumpkin we're carrying out drinks to the group, while the older ponies were carrying trays of cupcakes and brownies.

"So, why haven't ya been written much, Scoot? I get a letter a week from Belle," Apple Bloom asked, looking at the pony in question.

Scootaloo had just taken a large bite of chocolate cupcake, but that didn't stop her from answering. "I've been busy," she said around the mouthful of cake. She swallowed and shrugged. "There isn't much to say. I go to class and back to my dorm, and to that job the college gave me. There are a couple on cool ponies, but not much worth mentioning, really."

Silver smiled. "Not even a nice colt? Sweetie Belle is practically the most popular girl at the university."

Sweetie shook her head. "One colt does not make me that popular."

Silver raised her eyebrow and glanced at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "Really? Do you pay attention to anything? Everyone is always talking to you or waving at you when we walk together and stuff."

"Yeah, but that's normal. People here in Ponyville do it too." Sweetie felt oddly uncomfortable. She wasn't popular, she never had been. "They're just being friendly."

Silver gave Sweetie an 'are-you-serious' look before glancing over at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "Has she always been this dense?"

Apple Bloom shrugged. "They could just be trying to be neighborly."

Silver shook her head. "You three…I'm sure you're popular at your school to, aren't you Scootaloo?"

The Pegasus smiled. "Of course I am, everyone loves me. 'Specially when I showed them my awesome moves."

With a groan, Apple Bloom put a hoof to her face. "Why'd ya ask her that? Her ego is huge."

"That hurt, Bloom." Scootaloo placed a hoof over her heart in mock sadness.

Silver giggled, which caused Apple Bloom to chuckle. Then Sweetie started laughing, which made Scootaloo join in. None of the four young mares knew what they were laughing about, only that they were, and couldn't stop. Sweetie was wiping the tears from her eyes, trying to gain control of herself. Each time she would feel that she could stop laughing, she would catch one of her friends eyes, and the cycle would start again.

It was a good five minutes before any they could settle down enough  to answer the six older mares questions. "What's so funny?" Pinkie asked with a grin. "If it's a good joke, I wanna know."

"Scootaloo…it…well, it ain't really that funny in retrospect. We were just bein' silly, is all," Apple Bloom answered.

As the older ponies turned back to their conversation, the four younger ones simply picked at their food. "I haven't laughed like that in ages," Silver said finally.

"You mean, your heart of ice has melted before?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie shot Scootaloo a disapproving look but it was too late. Silver's smile had already shrunk. Now the silence was more awkward than anything. Finally, Apple Bloom started talking about how well the farm was doing, and the group began talking again.

The Cakes would come by from time to time and make sure they had their drinks and everything okay. Pumpkin was asking if any of them needed refills on their drinks when the bell above the door tinkled.

It had been doing so all morning, since the sweet shop was very popular, but Sweetie glanced at who had walked in. The customer was standing just inside the door, starting at their group. Sweetie smiled at Diamond Tiara, waving her over to their table. Memories of what had happened just hours before filled her mind, as did what Silver said. Maybe she was here to apologize.

"Hey DT," Silver said happily when she saw her friend walking over to their table.

The fuchsia mare snorted. "Still hanging with the blank-flanks, Silver? How the mighty have fallen so quickly."  Sweetie watched as Silver deflated. Apple Bloom's mouth was hanging open. Sweetie felt Scootaloo tense next to her. "I guess you've gotten over Sweetie's annoying you then?" Sweetie's gaze shifted from Diamond to Silver, though Diamond was still talking. "'That self-righteous mare thinks she's better than everyone else, flaunting that she knows the Elements like it's nothing, acting like she doesn't even know she has everypony in the university wrapped around her hoof. Maybe being around her will at least help me out some."

Silver's face was drained of color. She looked over at Sweetie, shaking her head. "That was the first week, Sweetie. I swear, I-"

"Self-righteous? You think I'm self-righteous?" Sweetie's emotions couldn't decide whether to be angry or sad, so they chose both. "I hope being around me helped you out enough so far, because I'm done."

Sweetie stood and left the shop quickly, ignoring the calls of her name from various ponies. She didn't know where else to go, and she knew she wanted to be left alone, so she teleported herself to the old clubhouse. She and her friends hadn't used it in years, so hopefully no one would think to look there.

Still, her emotions didn't know if she wanted to tear the place apart or simply cry. She had thought Silver was her friend. She had thought the mare was actually interested in getting to know her.

She couldn't believe she had been so stupid. Everything was so fake. Of course it was. It wasn't like Silver was going to get very high using her as a ladder anyway. She only talked to Karat and Silver.

And Glimpse. She snorted, remembering how she had thought of double-dating with Silver. A small noise escaped her, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. She didn't cry though. Instead, she just sat and sighed. She should probably go back to town now, since she had calmed down.

She teleported back to Sugar Cube corner. She knew not much time had passed, so they might all still be there. She was right. "Where did she go?" she heard Rarity ask Apple Bloom. Diamond Tiara was nowhere to be seen. Scootaloo was in Silver's face, saying who knows what every lowly.

"I'm here," she said walking over to the group. "Sorry, I just needed to think." She glanced over at Silver Spoon.  "Why?" she simply asked.

Everypony but Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked confused. Scootaloo glared at the grey earth pony, though everyone else simply looked curious. "I didn't-it was the first week. I'm sure you thought the same of me. I don't know what you want me to say, Sweetie. Yes, I did say that. But guess what? I don't care anymore. I don't have to be an important somepony to do mass. comm. It was partly my dad's idea too."

"What are you talking about?" Rarity asked slowly. "What happened?"

Sweetie ignored Rarity's questions. "We're putting the past behind us, right? And that was before we became friends." She walked over too the grey mare and gave her a friendly nuzzle. "I forgive you," she whispered.

To her surprise, she felt Silver's hooves wrap around her neck as she whispered a thank you.

--

Sweetie was laying of Rarity's chaste lounge, flipping through a fashion magazine while Rarity cooked the three of them some dinner. "Oh, that is simply fabulous," Silver said, looking over Sweetie's shoulder and pointing to the dress she was referring to.

Naturally, Rarity was there a second later. "What is?"

Again, Silver pointed at the dress. "That? Why, what about this one?" Rarity said, pointing to a dress she had finished the evening before.

"That's lovely, really. It's more…sparkly than I like, though," Silver said.

"Hmm," Rarity said in response. As she walked back into the kitchen, the two young mares heard her say to herself, "Rarity, you are getting too gaudy. Cut back on those gems."

Sweetie still wasn't sure whether or not to trust Silver but she also knew she couldn't just turn her back on the mare. She sighed and closed the magazine. "Silver?"

"Yes?"

"Did you really just want to be friends to use me as a ladder?" Sweetie looked at her.

Silver sighed. "At first, yes. But…not now. I-" she sighed again. "Sweetie, you know that day you asked me why I was crying? It seems like ages ago now." Sweetie nodded. "I sent that letter to DT the next day. It wasn't like it was last week or anything. I am sorry."

"It hurt to think that you didn't actually want to be friends." Sweetie admitted. "I kinda like you, you know. I mean, I know you probably don't think so, but I like you better than Karat. She asks way to many questions about Dash."

Silver and Sweetie giggled just as Rarity called them for dinner.

As she sat at the table and saw the food her sister had fixed, Sweetie decided she needed to come home more often.

Next Chapter: XI: Train Station Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 11 Minutes