My Little Fluttershy

Chapter 7 - Date Night

 Shit, we called it for 7 last night and now I'm gonna be late. I hope Cynder doesn't think I'm standing her up... we didn't exactly part on the best of terms

As I wade my way through the snow of the front path, I see strange paw prints etched into its white canvas, spackled in blood red. They lead in an all too straight line towards the house where a dead raccoon lies stiff below the window. The thing must've frozen or starved to death... although it's bloody mangled fur would denote a much more gruesome death. But with more important things on my mind than raccoon murder mysteries, I leave it and make a mental note to deal with the body as soon as I get back.

If I was thinking of walking before, I could forget it. The falling snow of earlier had turned to a slushy rain which slaps heavily against the white covered pavement. Shivers run up my spine as the cold slush bleeds through my leather gloves and down the back of my hoodless windbreaker. I consider canceling, but afraid it might ruin my chances with her, I play it safe and text her if we're still on. A prompt "yeah, I'm here already, U?"  tells me we're definitely on and I'm definitely late.

"So sorry :/ Weather probs. Be there in 10". That should give me enough time if I catch a ride. I walk to the curb and hail a taxi, only to get splashed at with black sleet as the cab speeds by. Luckily, I jump back in time and only my shoes get hit.

I'm more careful the next time, stepping back from the street as I signal. The driver pulls over and I tug open the door, thankfully taking a seat. "34th and N," I tell him as he eyes me, no doubt upset about his now-wet passenger side. He nods and takes off at a speed a little less than safe for the weather, but I'm late, so I don't mind.

I slip my phone from my pocket and pull up a picture I found on Cynder's Facebook. There's an injured kitten in her arms, Cynder feeding it through a little bottle. She looks so beautiful and innocent... could I really just leave her after I got what I wanted? Would I be able to hurt her like I've done to so many already, knowing that those beautiful eyes would be filled with tears?

The cab driver looks over, interrupting my thoughts, "Good luck on ya date, kid. A girl like that, you don't let go easy, ya hear?" There's a pain in his thick New Yawk accent that tells me he's been there before.

"But how-?" I begin to ask, wondering how he knows before he cuts me off, pointing at the coffee house."'cause she's right there." He chuckles as he rips the receipt from the meter, "Total's $12.50."

Cynder smiles at me as I walk in, then buries her face into her cocoa. I'm still trying to strike the cabbie's advice from my thoughts as I sit across from her. "Hey, sorry I'm-" I look at the clock above the counter "-15 minutes late. I forgot to take the weather into account."

If the wait bothered her at all, she doesn't show it. "No, it's fine. I had plenty to do here," she pats her bag, a spiral notebook visibly jutting from the top. Then she sighs, looking down at table, "and besides, I'm the one that should be apologizing," her cheeks flush.  "No, seriously, I'm so very sorry about last night."

"No," I sooth, placing my hand on top of hers, "it was my fault, pushing you to do something you didn't want to." What am I doing? I'm getting nowhere but mushville with her, why am I still trying? It'll take a miracle to get her into bed anytime tonight.

"R-r-really?" She stutters, blushing an even deeper red from the touch, "y-y-you're not mad?"

"Not at all."

"Oh, I was so worried-" she bites her lip unsure whether to continue. "-well... It's just..." She looks up from the table, her soft blue eyes locking with mine. My god, they're so perfect... like an angel cried a pair of topaz tears that crystallized into beautiful sapphire spheres.