After rain comes a rainbow

*CHAPTER 3*

When I wake up, I hiss at the pain. My back and legs hurt so much. I'm used to being hit, but last night I was hit in the same place, so it hurt much more. I really want to improve my social status at school. I'm sick and tired of being a freak. Then, I think of a brilliant idea. What if I wear jeans and my shirt underneath my baggy clothes so that dad doesn't see? That would be nice. I can also sneak a hairbrush in my backpack and brush my hair in the girl's bathroom. I go to the bathroom and wash my fresh injuries. I then put on my "posh" clothes and my baggy ones on top. I run down the stairs and head to school. Once I arrive, I rush to the girl's bathroom and change. I feel better already. I brush my hair and I hear footsteps coming closer. They kind of sound like high heels. "Oh no" I gasp and hide in a stall. The footsteps are even louder now as I embrace myself for detention. Then, they come to a stop. I hear a female voice say:

"Hello, anyone here? I thought that I heard someone." She said.

I go out and awkwardly wave at the girl. She is about my height and she has purple and violet hair. She has diamond hair pins and she is wearing a tight skirt and a blouse with high heels. She is also wearing a lot of make-up.

"Hello, darling! I'm Rarity, and who might you be?" She asked with a very refined accent.

"I'm Applejack, nice to meet you"I said and smiled.

"My goodness, you face, it's..." She started to say

"Dirty, I know, but-" I tried to say when she interrupted once more

"I can fix that!" She said and squealed. She took out all kinds of make-up products and dumped them on my face.

"Et voila!" She exclaimed as she showed me my reflection in a mirror. I stared at my face, surprised. I look awake and cheery. Gosh, make-up can really change someone's face.

"Well, tell me what you think, darling" She impatiently said.

"Well, I look nice. Thank you Rarity" I answered

" May we meet again soon. I have drama class and I don't want to be late. Au revoir, darling!" She said and ran with her bag towards her class. I was still a bit confused, when I heard a familiar voice.

"Hi Applejack! Are you alright? You left very suddenly yesterday and I was starting to get a bit worried about you" It was Rainbow Dash. I still had to think of an excuse for yesterday.

"Well, I had to come home at 10:30 because I had a meeting with my father. I'm really sorry for worrying you." I said and hugged her.

"Never mind! Come on, we have gym class!!"She said and dragged me to the changing room. I went to my locker and opened it. I took out my clothes and when I closed the door, I heard an evil laugh.

"Oh no, Applejack has decided to dress nicely for once. And do my eyes deceive me or are you wearing... make-up" Said Adagio Dazzle. She has always bullied me since I was in preschool. Her and her two minions, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk laughed right on cue. How pathetic. They really think that Adagio actually cares about them...

" Well, what if I have decided to change my style? There is nothing wrong with dressing as I like." I said and tried to escape. Then, Aria held me and Adagio came closer once again.

"Listen here, I choose what everyone does and wears in this school, and I will not tolerate you talking back to me. Do you hear me?" She said as she ordered for her minions to hold me as she started to hit me. At that moment, Rainbow Dash, who was silently watching everything, sprinted into action and stopped Adagio.

"Leave her alone!!" She said, angrily turning to face the orange haired girl.

"My my... It looks like Applejack has got herself a friend... Pity she's also going to get hit"She said and lifted her arm, as if about to hit her. I ran up to her and slapped her instead. I didn't think about what I was doing at the moment. I didn't want her to hurt anyone else. We then went to class. The teacher made us do pushups and an obstacle course. Halfway through the obstacle course I slipped on a water puddle and fell to the ground. I screamed, as I fell just on the spot where dad cut me yesterday. I started to cry, as the teacher came next to me.

"What is wrong, Applejack?" She asked me.

"I hit myself there yesterday really badly." I answered.

"Let me have a look" She said and looked at my leg. It was scared and bruised all over. She gasped.

"Who did this to you!" She said with a concerned look on her face.

"No one, I scratched myself in the countryside yesterday" I said.

"Hmmm, Miss Dash, take her outside to rest" She instructed and went back to class.

When we were outside, we sat in the grass and she said:

"I need you to tell me the truth about your injuries. It's not normal for someone to be like this just by accident. Please, you know that you can trust me. I promise, I won't tell anyone. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye" She said and extended her hand to me as if to strike a deal.

"Fine. I have been hiding a big, horrible thing from you. I didn't want to worry you, but I just can't take it anymore. When my mum died, my dad became depressed. He didn't go to work, drank alcohol and refused to leave the house. After some months, he got fired and I had to beg in the street for a little bit of money. Times were very bad, as I was only three years old and Applebloom was just a baby. He eventually became addicted to drugs and was hung over often. He would spend the hard earned money that I had to buy alcoholic drinks. Big Mac and I had to work on the farm, trying to grow some food to eat. Years later, I was allowed to babysit a tiny kid and walk people's dogs for a bit of cash. When I turned eleven, I was told how mum actually died. The doctors told me that she didn't die of birth complications, but because of dad. He abused her for years, even when she was pregnant with Applebloom. The day that she was born, her body was completely warned out, causing her to pass away just minutes later. She didn't alert the authorities, as dad had blackmailed her into not telling anyone, or else he would kill the three of us. I remember hearing screams from their bedroom, and mum begging for him to stop. Even like that, she still tried to look well around us and showered us with love. I still remember the bedtime song that she used to sing to us when I was little. Mum was very good at music, which I guess she passed on to me. After her death, dad showed his true colors. He would insult my brother and I until we cried. That went on for years. The problem was that he hurt me even more, because I looked just like mum. I have managed to keep one photo of her. She was beautiful. Dad always blamed me for her death, and I felt guilty about it until I learned the truth. Up to now, I have lived like this. I haven't alerted anyone yet, because with the new law I need proof and I have none. Will you help me?" I said and started to cry, hugging Rainbow Dash. I had finally gathered up the courage to tell her, and it felt so nice to just let my troubles out after years.

"Of course I will. You are so strong, Applejack" She said as she also cried and we stayed like that for at least five minutes.

Now it's time to figure out a plan.