"I'm sorry, Spitfire, but I don't think I love you anymore."
The flaming pegasus would have imagined everything, except for such a lapidary sentence, so devoid of possible alternative interpretations.
The relationship between her and Soarin had never been on the spotlight in the Academy, to avoid favoritism and malice that would have made the environment toxic. They dated, spent the weekends at each other's houses, but would not marry for the duration of their being Wonderbolts.
That was fine with them. After all, Spitfire didn't like to put her business under the sunlight and Soarin was not a particularly expansive type on the intimate front.
And now… That September 20 of the year 2019 threw everything upside down. It had to be an anonymous day, like all the others.
"What does it mean?" she asked.
The blue pegasus scratched the back of his neck, evidently in trouble. He didn't like having to explain.
"Spitfire, I respect and admire you a lot and that will never be questioned, but…Here…There is somepony else."
Spitfire perked up; she only needed to be cheated on to make the picture complete.
"Oh, are you telling me that between workouts you found time to flex your muscles to some other hot chick?"
The sharp-as-glass tone puzzled Soarin, but he replied quietly:
"It's not like you're thinking. I like Rainbow Dash, but I don't know if she likes me back."
Spitfire's orange eyes darkened, lost in a thousand lucubrations. Of course, Soarin had always had a special relationship with her, even a fond one. She didn't imagine, however, that this was the case.
"So, would you like to interrupt our story and run to her?"
Eyes of fire against eyes of grass. Soarin couldn't hope to cheat, to deceive further, to slip in new lies, he and Spitfire had known each other since they were babies and it wouldn't have been fair, with all the affection he felt for her.
"I…I would like…to talk to her."
The yellow pony treacherously felt the urge to cry, a feeling she hated, and which she fought back. She didn't feel anger towards Rainbow, but the prospect of having to see her again at her job was enough to give her anxiety.
Spitfire thus took a deep breath, then turned her back on her coltfriend.
"Go then. Go talk to her. Live your love story with her. I won't hinder you in any way, I promise."
Bewildered, Soarin felt like a huge boulder had moved from above his stomach, but at the same time he was appalled by Spitfire's compliance. So, while she left the room and took refuge in her bedroom, the blue-haired pegasus slowly opened the front door and closed it without making the slightest noise. It was over.
He was sincerely sorry for Spitfire, but at the same time he felt like he didn't love her anymore and wanted to be with Rainbow Dash. He felt sorrow and euphoria, two strange and conflicting sensations.
First, the stallion flew up to the Cloudominium, the apartment building where Rainbow Dash lived.
He was eager to see her! His heart leapt at the idea of revealing his feelings to her.
Unfortunately, however, there seemed to be no pony at home, and yet it was almost dinner time.
He was about to give up when it occurred to him that the blue pegasus often frequented Ponyville, so he decided to go there.
He flew faster than light, and saw her in the distance. A blue patch, flanked by an orange one. They were in Sweet Apple Acres, and he heard jolly laughters and Granny Smith's voice, who asked Rainbow to stop and have dinner with them.
Soarin's enthusiasm faded a little.
He couldn't have come out to Rainbow that day.
A little discouraged, but still confident, he returned home.
That evening, Spitfire didn't touch food.
She stared at the pendulum of the cuckoo clock for minutes, maybe hours.
That clock belonged to her late father, and had marked their wonderful afternoons, from when she had taken her first steps to when she had learned to fly, passing through all the snacks and games they had together.
An excruciating pain made its way into her chest.
She wouldn't have had a happy story like his and Mom's, and she wouldn't be able to confide in him anymore.
Suddenly, she felt small, a helpless filly, just her, always considered a steel mare.
Only around half past ten did Spitfire decide to prepare herself a relaxing herbal tea, which she drank listlessly, accompanied by some half-eaten biscuits.
She didn't feel like washing the cup and saucer, so she left them in the sink.
She brushed her teeth, washed her face, got into bed and turned off the light.
Luckily, sleep wasn't long in coming, so she didn't have to rack her brains too much with the thought of Soarin and Rainbow Dash together.