Persona EG LTE | Mythril Moth Creations

Today's Horoscope (Virgo): Never put off until tomorrow what you should have done yesterday.

Early Morning

It's seven in the morning...

After everything that happened last night, especially after that call from Cadance, I just need some space today. I don't need to deal with any of the girls, I don't need to deal with my guilt...

...the resentment I still feel...

...but mostly the guilt...

I check my phone. There are a couple of texts from Cadance and one from Pinkie. I shake my head and turn it off, then get dressed and jam my phone and wallet into my pockets. Nobody else is up yet...

I leave the dorm and take the bus to Hinny's, where I eat breakfast by myself. After breakfast, I head over to the hotel where Mom is staying.

Daytime

Once Mom is ready to head out for the day, we drive over to the university. "I haven't actually seen where I'll be working yet," Mom says. "I'm so excited!"

I smile. "I'm glad."

At Canterlot University, we meet the dean, as well as the department head who will be Mom's immediate boss. And Dad's too, I guess. Things are relatively quiet on campus today, so we get a nice tour of the campus. I field a lot of questions about whether or not I'll be attending Canterlot University and if I've given any idea to my major. Mom's boss seems disappointed when I say I'm likely to study music and communications, but politely encourages me to follow whatever passions I have.

"Flash is very passionate about his guitar," Mom says with a fond smile. "I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a famous rock star one day!"

I duck my head. "I honestly just want a steady career as a session player," I say. "You can make good money in music without dealing with screaming fans, trash tabloids, and all that drug pressure."

Mom's boss seems impressed with that answer. "You're sensible," he says. "I admire that."

Funny, I don't feel all that sensible lately...

After finishing up our campus tour, we head to a nearby sandwich shop for lunch.

"I'm surprised you haven't had a single call or text from your girlfriend all day," Mom says.

I shrug. "I'm unplugged," I say. "Today's about you. Today's about starting a new life in Canterlot, right? Total focus."

Mom raises an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. That's why you've been so tense all day." She looks around; seeing there are few people in the place besides us, she leans in and whispers, "What's really going on, Flash?"

I shake my head. "I don't want to talk about it." I grimace at her narrowed eyes. "Okay, but not here, alright?"

Mom nods. "Alright. We'll...we'll head back to the hotel after this and talk there."

"Thank you." I sip my soda. "So, when's Dad coming down?"

"I think he's coming on Friday," Mom says. "Once he's here, we'll get serious about the house hunting."

I nod. "Alright."

After lunch, we head back to the hotel. The suite Mom reserved is nice. It reminds me of...

I shake my head, sitting down in one of the plush leather armchairs.

Mom sits down on the love seat next to me. "Alright, Flash. Out with it. What exactly is going on?"

Letting out a shaky sigh, I tell her everything—the pool party, Twilight blowing up at me, me blowing up at her and throwing the dirtiest of her family laundry in her face. The tension between us after that. My stupid, stupid sleeping with Trixie to get back at Twilight blunder.

When I'm done, Mom looks disappointed in me. And angry. And also upset. She sighs heavily. "God, Flash. Why?"

"I don't know," I say. "I just...I don't know." I shake my head. "I think Twilight's still got..." I pause. "I think she's just...scared. I mean, her brother and Cadance went through their thing, and I thought Twilight was...you know. Over that. I mean, she acted like it, especially at Spring Break. And there's Pinkie, the thing the three of us have..." I shrug. "I never expected Twilight to just freak out like that because I went to a party with some friends. But there it is. She freaked out, she yelled at me, I yelled at her—"

"And then you slept with another girl to get back at her, which is the exact thing Twilight thought you were doing at that party," Mom says with a thin-lipped frown.

I hang my head. "I'm an asshole," I say. "That's...that's why my phone's off. Why I left before everyone was up this morning. I just...I can't face her right now, Mom. I'm an asshole, and I can't face her. I..."

Mom sighs, gets up, and moves over to hug me. "If you don't face her, you'll never get past this," she says. "I...I don't know for certain how Twilight will react. I never expected you'd do something this stupid. I guess...maybe when you told me you were worried about her breaking up with you, the thought crossed my mind, but I never honestly thought you'd..."

I sigh. "The worst part? My exact words to her, the thing I said because I knew it'd hurt her, were 'I'm not Cadance.' And then I went and did exactly what Cadance did." I bury my face in my hands. "I'm such an asshole..."

"Yes, you are," Mom says with a heavy sigh. "But nobody's perfect, Flash. What you've done...it's bad. You've really screwed up, and you'll be lucky if Twilight wants anything more to do with you. But if you just keep this from her, if you let this guilt eat away at you..." She shakes her head. "You'll end up like your uncle."

I wince. Mom never talks about her brother. With good reason.

"You don't want that, do you?"

I shake my head.

"Then deal with this," Mom says. "Deal with it soon."

I sigh and nod. "I will," I say. "I just...I need a day or two."

Mom frowns at me. "I was thinking you should deal with it tonight, Flash."

I shake my head. "I'm...I'm not ready."

Mom facepalms. "Were your dad and I this stupid when we were kids?"

A few minutes later, Mom gets a call from Dad. The storage units with all our stuff have arrived in Canterlot. We decide to go check and make sure everything made it alright. By the time we're done, it's late...

Evening

When I get back to the dorm, Twilight is waiting by the door, pacing anxiously.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?"

I wince at Twilight's tone. She's glaring at me, Pinkie has a worried look on her face. Sunset is frowning at me.

"I was helping my mom," I say. "You know, the big move?"

"Why weren't you answering your phone?"

"I turned it off," I say. "Forgot to charge the battery." Not entirely a lie; I'm down to 22%. I shake my head. "Look, if you don't trust me, you can call my mom. I was with her all day." I head for the stairs.

Behind me, Twilight makes a whining sound. "Flash...I...I'm sorry," she says quietly. "I do trust you, I just..." She sighs. "I'm sorry."

I feel a white-hot knife of guilt pierce my heart. I feel Sunset's glare burning into me.

"I'm tired," I mumble. "I'm sorry I worried you. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"But—"

"We'll talk tomorrow." I head up to my room and lock the door, then plug my phone in to charge.

I need to come clean to Twilight. I need to tell her the truth, apologize...

Thinking about the very real probability that I'll lose every friend I have at the dorm scares the hell out of me.

Tomorrow...

I'll tell her tomorrow.