At first, I am taken aback by Pinkie's words. I try to process them.

I love you.

Nobody has ever said that to me and meant it. Pinkie meant it. I'm pretty sure I can tell. Wait... can I?

No.

Yes.

I honestly don't know.

Aw, shit. I'm taking too long to reply! Come on, answer her!

"I love you, too, Pinkie."

She pulls away and smiles, though I detect worry in her eyes. "Don't worry about it," I assure her, "I'm sure those people at BronyCon wouldn't dob on us. In fact, I think they might treat us like celebrities!"

Okay, I know what you're thinking. My words of encouragement suck. You thought right.

"Yeah," is what she replies with half heartedly.

I sigh. "Look, Pinkie, I'm sorry. We can still go?"

"No, never mind," Pinkie says, "I think I'll go paint or something."

I nod as she turns and walks slowly away with her head down. Oh, no. What have I done? "Pinkie, if we're careful, it won't happen!" I call.

No reply.

Dammit! Why do I have to be such a downer? Pinkie was probably looking forward to going. I poke at my cereal with a spoon. I've suddenly lost my appetite.

I pick my laptop up, carry it into the living room and dump myself on the purple couch. I'm sprawled out on the damn thing in a relaxed manner with my legs over one of the arms and type whatever comes into my mind.
Crap, I just wrote that.

I sigh and press backspace. Before I know it, I'm on Wikipedia. How the hell did I get on here? I sigh in frustration and slap my laptop closed. I strum my fingers on the computer and look around, now restless. What to do, what to do?

I haven't cleaned the house in a week. Good God, a week? No wonder this place is a pig sty! There's like, four dishes in the sink, and two grains of sand on the couch! And don't even get me started on the shocking state of the bathroom.

I dash upstairs to find my cleaning supplies. Hm... running a bit low on sink wax...

A few hours later, I'm scrubbing profusely at the brown roof tiles. God dammit, why is it so hard for the pigeons to poop somewhere else? Suddenly, I accidentally knock the silver bucket containing soapy water. It topples over, spilling water everywhere as it rolls down the slope and crashes into the garden bush, making loud and annoying clattering noises on the way. I growl in frustration, running a hand through my hair and pulling it. I finally take a moment to look around.

Wow, okay. I guess I am as OCD as I suspected. I mean, if I wasn't, I wouldn't be on the roof right now scrubbing at the tiles. Well, I know you saw it coming, so don't laugh!

A warm, spring breeze flows through my hair and I lean my face into the wind. This is the season I like best. Spring. It reminds me of happier days, the weekends I spent with my old boyfriend just lazily sketching with him in our hidden treehouse which used to overlook a big, beautiful lake, not a care in the world. That was before everything else happened. My eyes fill with tears as I remember when everything went downhill. I shake my head, rubbing my eyes in hopes of rubbing the tears away.

No. I am not going to cry. I have Pinkie. I know nothing will ever be the same as it used to be. When he died, a part of me died, too. My thoughts are interrupted by a shout below. "Hey!"

I look down. "Pinkie?" I call.

She's bouncing around with the tin bucket, the handle in her mouth. "What are you doing?" She asks through clenched teeth.

"What? Oh, nothing," I reply, sliding down the roof and grabbing the metal ladder by the edge, slowly ascending it and leading myself into the backyard.

Pinkie giggled loudly as she swung the bucket back and forth. It's amazing how much one can get so much enjoyment out of such a meaningless object. "Did you want something?" I ask.

"Uh, yeah!" Pinkie smiled, "I was just watching a TV show about two people falling in love! They looked so happy together, I wanted the exact same thing for you! So go out there and let me be your wing pony! Or more like a pegasus! But I'm not a pegasus, I'm an earth pony!"

"Pinkie, you don't have to exclaim everything-"

"I wanna!"

I face palm. "Look, Pinkie, relationships need commitments, and I'm not ready for those commitments," I try to explain, kneeling down to her eye level.

"But I want you to be happy with your very special somepony," Pinkie whines.

"I am happy," I smile, "With you. My special somebody will come at the right time."

Or rather, my special somebody is gone.

"Yeah, but..." Pinkie started, then sighed, "Okay. No pony can force two ponies to be together."
I nod approvingly.
"So anyways... I found a new cookie recipe! You wanna help me make them?" Pinkie asks, throwing the previous topic away like it never happened.

"Of course!" I cry and we rush into the house to start.

-

The oven makes a ringing noise. "They're done!" Pinkie exclaims, bouncing over to the oven and moving on her feet impatiently.

She looks up at me expectantly as I finish the last sentence of my book. Soon, I'll be rolling in money. "They're done! They're done! They're done! They're doooooone!" Pinkie repeats.

I roll my eyes and get up from the table, shoving my oven mitts on and pulling the hot tray of vanilla cookies with smarties spiked in them. The delicious aroma hits our nostrils and we sniff in unison. "Can I have one now? Please please please please please?" Pinkie begs.

"Sorry to be the party pooper, but they're too hot. You'll have to wait for them to cool down like always," I say, disappointment in my own words.

"But what will I do until then?" Pinkie whines.

I grin etches across my lips and I look down at Pinkie. "How about we go for a drive?" I suggest, putting the tray on the stove.

Pinkie looks at we with wide eyes, mouth agape. "But... but you never let me in the car..."

"Yes, but it'll be fun," I say, grabbing the keys.

I haven't used the car in a while but I still have to pay interest and all that shit. Fucking interest. "I dunno," Pinkie says warily.

"We'll drive somewhere were not many people go," I say temptingly.

"Well... alright," Pinkie says, following me as we make our way to the garage through the backyard.

The garage smells like soot and fuel. I run my hands over the glossy white paint on the car. I got it two months before I found Pinkie, as an early Christmas present from my parents. As much as I dislike the two, I didn't have to pay any money for it, and I do kinda like it so, meh! Freebie. That's why it's almost like new. I mean, it still has that new car smell.

I open the back door for Pinkie, who leaps into the backseat. I buckle her in, but she's still bouncing under its restraint. I dump myself into the driver's seat, where the garage door remote is waiting for me on the dashboard. With a click of the red button, the garage door folds open. I haven't driven in a little while, so I'm slightly nervous. I twist the key and the machine springs to life. Slowly pushing my foot on the accelerator, I make it out of the garage and click the remote button. Then I slam my foot on the accelerator for an awesome and dramatic start and drive down the road like a boss.

Pinkie squeaks in shock and surprise. I steal a glance at Pinkie through the front mirror and chuckle to myself. She's sunk herself into the black seat so only half of her is viewable, wide eyed and mouth agape.

I shake my head and slow down, knowing that I probably shouldn't be speeding. "D-don't... ever... do that... again..." Pinkie hisses through breaths.

"LOL soz not soz," I reply. Did I just say that?

Pinkie cocks her head at me, a confused expression plastered across her face. "I'm sorry, what?"

I giggle, "Never mind."

Pinkie pops out of the seat and smooshes her face against the glass window. Normally, I would've told her not to because she'd dirty up the window, but now... not so much. I mean, I've actually been starting to realise how OCD I really am and am starting to freak myself out. I mean, a little dirt never hurt anyone, right?

"So where we going?" Pinkie asks after a few minutes of staring at the outside world in wonder and fear. Before I can reply, she jumps up. "Ooh, OOH! Look, over there!" She exclaims, pointing a hoof towards something off in the distance and tapping on the window.

I slow down even more and peer at what she's pointing at. It's a sign saying 'park' beside a semi dirt, semi sandstone path leading to, you guessed it, a park. There's a playground with three slides, swings, all that kid shit, sitting on a small hill. Long, luscious green grass circles it, growing off into the wood not so far away, the trees starting off dotted all over the place but slowly forming into bunches. And, though known to not many people, if you climbed one of those tall, tall trees, you would get a beautiful view of the large, seemingly secret hidden lake.

I smile sadly at the scene, for this was where he and I used to go. Used to. As in up until...

"Please can we go there? Please please pleeeeeeeease?" Pinkie's high pitched voice breaks me from my train of thought once again. I shake my head and look down, the sad smile still wavering on my face. "Oh, puh-LEEEEASE! It looks like so much fun!"

"Pinkie, I-"

"I'll keep out of sight from everyone else, I promise! Just, please can we go?" Pinkie begs.

"I'm not going to get some peace unless I take you, am I?" I chuckle.

Pinkie nods, somehow managing to unbuckle her seatbelt. I sigh in defeat, parking the car in the nearby parking lot. "Aw, yeah!" Pinkie smiles, skipping around in the cramped back seat.

I get out, opening Pinkie's door and slamming it once she jumps out. I click the car keys and the car makes a beeping noise to show that it's locked.

It's late afternoon, so things are slightly orange from the setting sun and the park is deserted. Pinkie skips over to the swing set and inspects it. "I've never seen one of these up close," she half whispers, rubbing a hoof on the blue seat. She looks up at me with hopeful eyes and roll mine playfully.

"Sure," I chuckle, walking over and lifting the pony up onto the seat.

I push her on the swing softly at first. Her eyes widen in fear at first and she wobbles on the plastic before regaining her balance. "Higher! Uh... please," she adds the last part on.

I push harder and she cries in delight, demanding to go higher. Soon, she is swinging as high as the swing will go and laughing hysterically. The wind whips through her hair, the sparkle of true happiness in her eyes.

Suddenly, I hear the noise of children coming up the path, their laughter sending anxiety chills down my spine. Oh, shit. If they see Pinkie, our secret will be blown. With a final, big push with all my might, I yell, "Pinkie, jump!"

To my surprise, she actually obliges, leaping off the swing and into the air when it's at its highest point. Of course, the sandpit is only a few feet away. I sprint forward into her line of landing, my shoes kicking up white sand, some grains landing in them uncomfortably. I abruptly turn around, arms out as Pinkie crashes hooves first into my chest, receiving an 'oomph' from both of us. Good lord, Pinkie, did you have to crash into my tits of all places?

I wrap my arms around her as the force of her landing pushes me butt first into the sand. I quickly scramble to my feet, somehow without using my hands as I see out the corner of my eye a bunch of kids, big and small, heading towards the playground. I dash into the woods, knowing exactly where to go.

I shield Pinkie with my jacket as stray twigs and sticks from bushes and trees graze past me and scratching me. It hurts like hell, but then my eyes land on the correct tree trunk. It's a thick tree trunk with rectangular pieces of wood nailed to it to make a sort of a ladder. I run up to if, my pace slowing until coming to a complete stop. Panting, I set Pinkie down next to the tree and beckon for her to follow me as I begin to ascend the tree with the blocks of wood.

She nearly slips at one point, quickly snagging the bottom of my pant leg and regaining some stability. I reach the large, wooden platform near the very top of the tree, but it still has some leafy shelter. I reach my hand out for Pinkie and help haul her up, before we stand up properly to take in the breath taking view.

The sun shines on the large forest of trees, overlooking a glassy, aqua blue lake that stretches far and wide. Sometimes, you can see beautiful birds flying above it. Pinkie stares at the scene in awe. "It's... amazing," she breathes.

She pulls her eyes from the scene and they trail down to that sandy, faded, wooden platform. It goes all around the tree, with a very small barrier, with sketches of birds, trees and the lake pinned and taped against the trunk. In one corner, the most sheltered part of the platform, the barrier gets higher and two rolled up sleeping bags, one blue, one red, sit in the corner, they've clearly been here for some time. Ever since... he left, I never came back here. Well, up until now.

Sprawled out on parts of the platform, unfinished sketches lay, paper crinkled slightly and gone a bit wavy because of the rain. Along with them are pencils, erasers and a few pencil cases, all obviously seen better days. Pinkie kicks a pencil and looks up at me in astonishment. "Did... did you know about this?" She asks.

I smile sadly and nod, swinging my legs over the edge of the platform, facing the lake's view. Pinkie skips over to the sleeping bags, the wood creaking under the weight. She glances at the bags and gives me a questioning look. "There's two of them, but you...?" she starts, trotting over and sitting next to me.
I stare at my hands in my lap, a stray tear trickles down my cheek.
Pinkie looks and me and speaks.
"What happened?"

I sigh and look at her, tears brimming in my eyes. I suck in a breath and decide to tell her.

"It all started five years ago. Now, back then, I used to go to art classes, hence the drawings," I start, waving towards the sketches. "Man, did I love to draw. Didn't have OCD back then. In fact, I was quite the disorganised one. I met a guy in art class one day, his name was Mark. He had black hair, green eyes, and he sat next to me after a few lessons. Soon, we became friends. And then best friends... after that, more than friends.
We would do everything together, he meant the universe to me. We would always take walks in the park, down the beaches, always exploring. We found a secret place - here - and built a tree fort. We used to draw, hang out... I even shared my first of many kisses with him, right here, where we spent most if our time together."
I chuckle at the immaturity in my sentence, adding seriously; "But also my last."

Pinkie frowns and stares at the ground below us, before looking up at me again. "So, uh... why didn't I know about him up until now?" She asks.

"You never asked," I breathe out a weak laugh.

"Huh... so, why haven't I met him yet?" Pinkie inquired.

I break eye contact and stare at my hands once again. "Yeah, that's the thing," I murmur, "he, uh..." I trail off, my voice breaking as I'm breathing heavily to try and fight the tears back.

"He what?"

"He passed out in class one day. I was with him when the ambulance arrived, but at the hospital they told me to go back to class. Of course, I refused, but they wouldn't take no for an answer. So that night, after all the shit that happened, we were up here, and he... he was talking to me. About his parents and how much they sucked, because ya know, it was out last year in high school.

"He said they were smoking around him. Passive smoking has an even worse effect on the victim than it does on the smoker. Then he said... he said it was cancer.

Lung cancer.

He was going to have surgery to try and remove it.
Two days before the operation, we were up here. He had trouble breathing. He was choking and coughing...
He collapsed on the creaky wood.
I shuffled up to him, holding his head in my hands. I tried to call an ambulance and get him down from here, but..." Before I could finish, I burst into tears, my whole body shaking.

Pinkie's hair deflated slightly, now only a little wavy. She nudged my arm and I wrapped them around her, crying on her shoulder. I could feel Pinkie's tears landing on my jumper and pulled her away to see her face. "Please don't be sad, mommy," she whimpered.

I sniff and wipe my nose with the back of my hand before continuing. "H-he... he said he was going to die, and he knew it. He didn't want to go in an operating theatre, he wanted to go in the... the place he loved most... with the... p-person he loved most. Then, I... I..."

I can't speak any more.

"You... you watched him die in your arms," Pinkie half whispered, pulling me into another hug. "I'm so sorry."

After a long silence, with only the heavy sniffles of me, I speak up again.

"Back then, things weren't the way they should be. So I started cleaning things. Like, everything. The roof, the house... my parents thought it 'annoying' and kicked me out with no job, no nothing. It's why I hate them so much. I don't know how I survived it, but somehow I got back up on my feet. I never did come back up here. Well, not until today," I murmur, staring at the lake that was glowing orange because of the sunset.
"The day Mark died, a part of me died with him."

Pinkie pulls away from the hug and presses her side against mine. I push away, standing up. I grab a nearby twig, throwing it violently at the ground far below me. "Damn it!" I scream.

Pinkie jumps away slightly, giving me a wary look. "Mommy... don't be sad because it's over, smile because it happened," she says.

"What kind of stupid poetry is that?!" I half yell, my face going red and hot tears of anger flooding down my face.

Pinkie flinches back at my raised voice and looks up at me with sorry eyes.

"Pinks... I-I'm sorry-" I start.

"I'll make you smile," she says, closing her eyes and tilting her head downwards. "Oh, and for your information, that 'stupid poetry' was Dr Seuss."

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Well, hope I got at your feels a little bit. Tell me if this part is sad? Or nah? I'm not the best at writing sad stuff. Sooooo hope y'all enjoyed. I decided to add a part of the next chapter to this one, it's just a little bi more convenient, ya know?

Next chapter will be fun, ja?

And yeah, I know this 'Mark' guy just freaking pops up outta nowhere, but it's important to the story, and also giving the main character a bit of a back story.

Thanks for reading!

Stay happy.

~ilovepinkiepie