Sweetie Belle's Preformance

>You ran the comb through your mane for the 100th time that night

>All while practicing your smile, your seductive bedroom eyes, everything you could think of

>Teeth were clean, lashes straightened, horn polished, mane bouncy and curled where it should be

>Tonight was a special night, everything had to be perfect

>You take a breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth

"Calm down, Sweetiebell, it's just another show. Just keep telling yourself that"

>In truth it was exactly that, just another show, it wasn't about what you were singing

>It was about who was there

>Your sister finally came through with her promise to get a certain special someone to come to one of your shows

>It was a small venue, so that meant a small crowd

>He'd be easy to spot

>Not that one human in a crowd of ponies would be that difficult at all

>You check yourself in the mirror again

>Bounce your hair

>Come on, now you're stalling

>You peek at the clock

>Five minutes till showtime

>Oh boy, there goes your heart

>You close your eyes and count to 10

>This was worse than your first show

>What happened to that young filly who would jump on stage without a care in the world?

>Why ask a question you know the answer to?

>She fell in love, and suddenly she actually did care what other people thinks

>Well, one other people

>Hopefully he notices you, notices that the entire show is just for him

>You take one last look at yourself in the vanity mirror

"Here goes nothing..."

>Every hoofstep feels like an eternity

>From the dressing room to the stage

>If you could even call it a stage, it was more like a raised platform

>With what you knew was a lounge on the other side of the curtain

>A place like this was almost beneath your talent

>Once you discovered your cutie mark, you wanted to do nothing but sing

>You hummed when you ate, blared out off key in the shower, practiced while you helped around Rarity's shop

>All until you got your first real gig, in this very lounge

>That was six months ago, and you were branching into much more complicated stuff

>Rarity swore you could go to Manehattan and star in a show, and kept insisting you came with her to a fashion show to audition

>But you were never really after fame and fortune

>Most singers want everyone to hear there voice

>For you, it was just him

>Since the day you met him you've had a little fantasy of singing a melody that would capture his heart forever

>It was so silly, especially for a grown mare

>But Rarity, despite her being even older, refused to let you dismiss it as a silly dream

>"No no no! You must follow your heart!"

>She said that and put the wheels in motion to set this up

>Sure, there would be a crowd and he might not even know

>But somewhere, somehow, it would work

>You step out from behind the curtain

>The place was quiet, waiting for your introduction, you guess

>But the second you're through

>The entire lounge is dark and empty

>Save Anon, sitting along, at a single table in the middle of the place, his face illuminated by a tiny candle

>In the back you saw Rarity wave before slipping out the door

>She....rented the whole place...?

>You nearly faint>Butterflies dance in your stomach, your throat feels dryer than a desert

>You feel all of your knees buckling

>"Go on"

>His voice keeps you from hitting the cold wood of the makeshift stage

>You don't remember it sounding that wonderful

>He's sitting with a small glass of wine and his typical black suit and red tie

>You can make out his smile

>How much did Rarity tell him, you wonder?

>Taking a shaky breath, you approach the edge of the stage

"Umm....hi?"

>Your voice cracks and you feel your cheeks light on fire

>"Evening, Sweetiebell"

>Oh god he said your name, heart keep beating please

>He sounds so classy

>Your horn sparks a little and you squint your eyes to keep your magic under control

>Ok ok ok come on

"So...how's your night been?"

>"I have to say, full of surprises"

"Yeah...heh, me too!"

>Oh god what are you doing?

>You wanna tell him a knock knock joke too?

>Don't blow this, he wouldn't have come if he wasn't interested

>Right?

>Anon's a nice guy...maybe too nice that he wouldn't say no!

>Wait that doesn't make any sense

>"You want a glass first?"

>You swallow when Anon motions to the second wine glass

"N-no, it's ok, just...one second, kay?"

>He nods

>Alright this is it

>Just....first song that pops in your head

>You close your eyes, tossing your mane slightly

>With a deep breath, and one last nervous look at his handsome face, you let your voice flow

>At first I worried without a band or a crowd, things wouldn't sound right

>But the moment I heard my voice echo in the lounge

>All my nerves calmed and my tummy settled

>Before I knew it, I was trotting with confidence as the lyrics filled the room

>Right to the edge of the stage, where Anon was sitting

>All my practiced motions, the sway of my body, the way I looked to the crowd

>Except it was all for him

>Every note, every word

>It didn't even matter what the song was

>I would have sung the national anthem for him if it made him happy

>My heart was the only thing that never quite calmed down

>Especially when I climbed off the stage at the last verse

>Placed my hooves on his knees

>And held my face level with his

>A wistful smile on my lips as my horn glowed just enough to illuminate us both

>I blinked when the last words left my lips

>He must have recognized the song, and he began to clap

>My cheeks flushed red again and I looked away, slightly embarrassed at how close I had gotten so quickly

>"That was beautiful"

>He was slightly taken aback himself, his voice was barely a whisper

"Th-thank you.."

>I whispered back

>I felt his hand on my hooves

>He looked me right in the eyes and smiled

>I felt all the confidence I had a moment ago drain away

>His hands were so strong...

>"Thanks"

>Oh no I said the last part!

"I...I didn't..."

>He shushes you

>You swallow hard and take a breath, as best as you can

>"I didn't know you felt that way..."

>You nod your head weakly

>You can feel tears begin to well in your eyes

>Here comes the 'I only see you as a fri--

>"I've always kind of liked you too"

>No way...nowaynowaynoway

>Don't squeak, for all that is holy don't squeak

"You...you did?"

>Dammit, why did I squeak the 'did'..

>He heard it too, he chuckled a little

>He must think you're a--

>He squeezed your hoof

>Now you can't remember what you were worried about

>Or when you were born

>"You were the talk of the town when I first arrived here. I went to some of the places you sang to cheer myself up. You have a beautiful voice."

"..you think I do...?"

>"Yea. Rarity was always bragging about how you were going to be this huge star in Manehattan someday so I didn't really introduce myself. I figured you were going to move away soon and didn't wanna...well you know..."

>You can't stop your body from trembling

>He said he liked your voice

>He said he liked YOU

"I...don't want that...I just wanna sing for people that are...special to me.."

>You feel a bit of moisture under your eyes

>This was all too much for you

>No wait

>He's smiling and oh my is he wiping the tear away

>OK, now it's too much for you

>You feel lightheaded again

>"Thank you, then. I'm really glad you think of me that way."

>He slowly sets your hooves back on the floor

>They're tingling where his hands were

>"You want to take a walk? Its a nice night, just the right temperature"

"I'd....like that...a lot"

>"Its a date then"

>Please heart, pleasepleaseplease don't explode

>Not when everything just became perfect!

>He leads the way, opening the door to the lounge and holding it for you

>You swear you see Rarity run off from the doorway

>Oh my silly sister...

>...thank you so much for everything...