Zapped by an Apple | An Appledash College AU Fanfic | Human Characters

⓸ 『 About Rain 』

Marketing class was perhaps AJ's least favourite class of all. Her beloved Granny Smith had insisted upon taking it as an elective because 'The technology is different nowadays so ya gotta get yer foot in the door to make sales the proper way.' AJ chuckled to herself, saying aloud, "Since when did Granny like to do anythin' all non-traditional anyway? Stuff's all over the place lately I swear."

     As she strode down the hallway, AJ reached for her phone from the back pocket of her low-waisted jeans to check her schedule for the room number, but found herself in an unwarranted anticipation for a message from a certain someone...

     Her leather boots snapped at the floor as she stopped in front of the door. "Right, still ten minutes till class," she noted. And each one of those minutes, the flaxen-haired lass spent thinking about Rain. That dumbass... she reflected as the corner of her maw pealed into a slight smile. 

     Rain's behaviour had been pestering her a lot lately. More than usual, believe it or not. It wasn't unlike the haughty athlete to get on her nerves over trivial disputes and mishaps from time to time--that hot-headed dud took every chance she could get to try and best her, or get he best of her. At least that was what it felt like. 

     I've always wondered what that darn trick thinks she's doin' actin in such-a-way. She's the top athlete at Earthquest, what in Celeste's name does she have to prove?  she pondered.

     The cowgirl took no offence to the lack of an answer Rain presented her with last night, as it was customary coming from her. She had given her a straightforward text asking: 'What are ya doin tmo after school?'-- and Rain had responded with jests without ever giving a hardline answer. For some reason though, it intrigued AJ to leave the topic open-ended, and she didn't bother to prod any further. She would soon find out whether or not she'd be seeing her spunky friend today when the time came. For now, she had other things to take care of--like prepping for that darn ad-presentation due next week. 

     "AJ, darling, you're here early!" a familiar voice sounded from further down the corridor. The farmer turned and smiled as Rachel approached. The fanciful woman before her had an extravagant lavender beret balanced delicately atop her cranium. 

     Unlike AJ, Rachel adored this class. She didn't too much mind the embellished product-advertising and extortionate over-selling tactics. She embraced it actually, leaping gracefully into the role of a charming sales-person and frontline designer. 

     "Hey Rach," AJ greeted her genially before proceeding, "How has yer day been so far?"

     "Oh, it was lovely. Up until Sewing Class that is--some asshole ran out of the Turkish-rose thread and thought it would be a good idea to take from my supply. Now I only have Mulberry-rose! Isn't it simply dreadful?" Rachel's cerulean oculars flashed with disdain as she pressed open the door to the classroom. 

     "Sorry to hear that Rach. That must have bothered ya a might more than I could ever know," she reflected honestly. Because the truth was, she couldn't know. She couldn't even fully distinguish a pure-white from a light cream--let alone two strikingly similar hues under the same name-category. All she knew was that they both contained the word 'rose', which was enough to confirm that she had zero chance in understanding the situation to the same capacity as her fashion-savvy companion. But she knew that this dilemma of Rachel's had tarnished her spirits, and for that, she sympathized. 

     "Oh it did. If I ever find that ratchet little thief, I'm going to strangle the living...HMPH!" she huffed before collecting herself in a deep breath. "Anyways, how about you dear? How was your day?"

     AJ sighed, "To be quite frank with you, I don't even know," the blonde took a seat in the middle-row towards the left of the class. After getting settled, she gestured for Rachel's belongings and set them on-top and around the table while her friend fixed her blanche skirt and sat down next to her. Even she wasn't expecting the words: "Has Dashie been acting weird to you?" to fall from her own lips. 

     Rachel pouted and stared at the ceiling in thought for a moment before replying, "I didn't think so, but I did manage to catch Soarin this morning before school started, and she asked me the same exact thing." 

     "Really? What else did she say?" AJ's emerald gaze broke towards Rach, intrigued at her remark. At least now I know I've not gone crazier than a soup sanwhich... I ain't the only one noticing Rain's wack-doings, she reflected. 

     "Nothing much really, I said the same as I just did to you--that I didn't notice it--and the topic was pretty much dropped after that. But now I am quite curious, why is it that you ask this dear?" Rachel tilted her head. 

     Slightly abashed, AJ broke eye-contact and started retrieving writing utensils from her bag, "I find it hard to put into words. I just...know...when something's up with Rainbow. And something just seems rather...all-over-the-place as of about a few weeks ago."

     "More all-over-the-place than usual, you mean?" Rachel jested. 

    "I don't know. She's hiding somethin'. Or she's stressed, or sad--Heck, maybe I am just overthinkin' it Rach. She could just be plum-tuckered out from all-uh-that darn soccer training." AJ worked out an answer openly to Rachel, feeling confident that she was safe to confide in her as one of her 5 closest friends. 

     "You're probably right," the fancy woman agreed, "but I do hope she feels better soon." 

     "Me too. I worry about her, y'know. She wouldn't tell a soul she's struggling if her life depended on it, let alone ask of any help for that matter," AJ lowered her voice into a whisper as the professor entered the classroom, another ten minutes late himself. But he seemed to be in no rush to start the class just yet, taking his sweet time to type away at his computer. 

     "Coming from you, AJ..." Rachel mocked playfully, attempting to locate her prized 0.33mm-tip gel-pen within her bejewelled pencil-case.  She's got a point... AJ mulled to herself. 

     "But other than this, 'feeling' you have, was there anything in particular that she's done to make you seem this concerned?" Rachel prodded curiously. "No, not that I can think of off the top of my head. Nothin' unusual for Rainbow anyway..." AJ admitted. 

     It was true, over the course of the past few weeks, something about Rain's attitude toward her felt more and more obscure. But AJ was no supernatural junkie like that 'tree-hugger' friend of Fae's, so the fact that she couldn't manage to elaborate further forced her into accepting her most recent, practical conclusion: Rain was just overtired from all of her relentless activities and was too proud to get off her high-horse and rest. And while it wasn't for the same reason as her, AJ felt that (as Rachel had pointed out), this was something she could relate to and understand quite well. She was equally as stubborn when it came to taking breaks from whatever duties she felt obligated to fulfill. Whether it be herding the sheep, feeding the pigs or harvesting the crops, she would refuse to stop until all was done, and done well. 

     As she shuffled through her messy, miscellaneously placed notes, the one with Rain's name on it caught her eye and she swiftly slid the top page over to conceal it. 

     Sheesh! I didn't throw that away already? What am I doin'?!

     Thankfully for AJ, nobody noticed as she crumpled it up and tucked it back into the side pocket of her bag.

___

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hope you all have been enjoying this story so far! I know it has been moving a long a bit slow, but I promise it is going to pick up more and more--and man, it WILL be worth it!! I can't help myself, gotta have me my slow-burn sapphic-yearning before we get to the good stuff.

This has been really fun, and I hope you'll like what I have planned just as much as I do! I will feed you gays some quality content, trust me. Patience my friends...