Shades of Love

Chapter Three: Outside Interference

As she and Teddy continued to date, Sweetheart couldn't help but notice how private Teddy made their dates. He always made sure they went somewhere with very few ponies, or places where they wouldn't recognised. Even now, they were walking through the far end of the local park, which was filled with hedges and cloaked with shadows from the surrounding trees.

"Teddy?" Sweetheart piped up.

"What's up, Sweets?" Teddy asked.

"Why do you always go out of your way for us to go so... out of the way on our dates?" Sweetheart came out and asked.

"Well..." Teddy cringed.

"Is it because you don't want to be seen with me?" Sweetheart voiced her greatest fear. "Because you don't want your tough-pony reputation ruined?"

"No way!" Teddy declared. "Trust me, Sweets, it's not like that at all!"

"It's not?" Sweetheart asked.

"I just like being alone with you, that's all." Teddy smiled. "Just you and me, together."

"Oh, Teddy..." Sweetheart blushed.

The two moved into a loving kiss.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Declared a voice from the other side of the path, shocking Teddy and Sweetheart out of their kiss.

It was Melody, one of Sweetheart's closest friends. She was quickly joined by Starlight, Bon Bon, Clover, Patch and Bright Eyes, who all looked as shocked and outraged as she did.

"Oh. Hi, girls." Sweetheart said sheepishly. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." Said Bright Eyes curtly. "Melody spotted you coming around here, so we decided to follow."

"We've noticed that you haven't been with us as much as usual." Declared Starlight. "So we decided to see what you were up to."

"But we never imagined it could be something like this!" Melody blurted out. "Sweetheart, how can you date that bully?"

"Umm..." Sweetheart mumbled.

"Hey!" Snarled Teddy, his infamous temper flaring up. "It's none of your business who she dates, so butt out!"

"We're talking to Sweetheart, not you." Growled the tomboyish Patch. "Sweetheart, why are you wasting your time on this jerk? I'm sure there are plenty of other guys that deserve you more then he does!"

"Hey!" Teddy roared. "What part of 'butt out' don't you understand?"

"The 'butt' part?" Clover offered.

"See, this is why I didn't want us to be out in the open." Teddy told Sweetheart. "'Cause I knew your friends would react this way!"

"If by 'react this way', you mean 'Stop Sweetheart from making the biggest mistake of her life', you were dead on!" Sneered Melody.

"I wish you were 'dead on'!" Teddy shot back.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Protested Bright Eyes.

"So?" Teddy challenged her.

"Stop it, stop it!" Sweetheart cried out, before running away in tears.

"Now look what you've done!" Teddy rounded on the girls.

"What we've done?" Melody asked indignantly.

"Yeah." Snorted Teddy. "You just had to put Sweetheart on the spot like that, didn't ya? Boy, some things never change..."

"Don't make us out to be the bad guys here." Protested Starlight. "We're just trying to look out for Sweetheart."

Teddy's temper flared up again, but this time, he suppressed it.

"You know something? You're right." Teddy declared. " I don't deserve Sweetheart. I know she's a kind, caring pony, and I know I can be a bit of a jerk sometimes..."

"Sometimes?" Snorted Melody.

"But I'm trying to be better." Continued Teddy, ignoring Melody. "For her. Because I care about Sweetheart, and if you so-called 'friends' cared about her too, you wouldn't make her feel so bad about dating me!"

"I can't believe I'm about to say this." Sighed Bright Eyes. "But... Teddy's right. We should just respect Sweetheart's choice."

"Yeah." Agreed Bon Bon. "Like when I accept my mom buying tiramisu cake, even though I don't like it."

"Then it's settled." Declared Starlight. "As long as you keep making Sweetheart happy, we won't object to the two of you being together."

"Thanks." Smiled Teddy. "And I know how important you guys all are to Sweetheart, so whattaya say we at least try to get along? For her?"

"I think we can do that." Nodded Clover.

"We sure can!" Smiled Patch. "Right, Mel?"

Melody didn't answer. She just crossed her forelegs around her chest.

"Melody..." Urged Starlight.

"Right." Huffed Melody.

"We'd better go find Sweetheart." Said Bon Bon. "I sure hope she's okay."

After an exhaustive search, they found Sweetheart sitting under a tree, head buried in her forelegs.

"Sweetheart?" Teddy whispered. "You okay?"

"No." Sniffed Sweetheart. "My coltfriend and my best friends hate each other. How can I be okay?"

"It's okay, Sweetheart." Starlight declared. "We've reached an... understanding."

"You have?" Sweetheart asked, lifting her head up.

"Sure have." Smiled Patch. "For your sake, we're going to put aside our differences."

"Really?" Gasped Sweetheart, tears of joy filling her eyes.

"Really." Said Melody grudgingly.

"And to prove it, why don't we go over to my house and enjoy some fresh-baked muffins?" Smiled Bon Bon.

"Sounds good." Teddy grinned. "Doesn't it, Sweets?"

"Yes, it really, truly does!" Cheered Sweetheart.

And with that, the group of ponies headed toward Bon Bon's house, where they would partake of the baked goods therein. As they ate, Teddy and Sweetheart at one point fed each other muffins, causing the girls to smile with approval (except for Melody, who just gagged).

To Be Continued...

(My Little Pony Tales and all associated characters are the property of Sunbow Productions.)