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August 18

I really don’t know how to start this. What are you supposed to do in a journal’s first entry? Give some exposition? I guess that’s better than nothing.

My name is Greentext. I’m about to start junior year at East Baltimare High, and I’m really, really nervous. That’s where you come in. I’ve always heard that putting your thoughts down on paper helps you clear your head. You know what I mean?

I hope all my friends are doing okay. We never talk much over the summer. Sure, there have been a few movies we’ve seen together, but that’s about it. Even Stratus only came over to my house twice, and he’s my best friend.

 

August 19

I’m back from my first day. What a disaster! I have the worst schedule they could possibly give me. None of my friends are in my classes with me, and I’m stuck with the last lunch of the day. Really, who eats lunch at 2PM? It’s ridiculous!

Speaking of lunch, I’m back at the lonely table. It’s this rickety old bench at the far end of the cafeteria where all the friendless losers sit. Does that make me a friendless loser? Opinions vary. I’m actually the only pony there during my lunch, which is nice. I can just sit there and read instead of having to talk to anypony.

Here, I’ll write down my classes in case I forget them.

1.      Intro To Design, room 4

2.      Gym

3.      Calculus, room 36

4.      AP Equestrian History

5.      Creative Writing, room 41

6.      AP Chemistry, room 45

7.      Lunch

8.      Magic 3

 

August 20

Stratus and I have figured out where everypony can meet up before school. There’s this place right by his locker that’s basically the center of the school. We can still get to all our first classes in time if we hang out there. Too bad it’ll be the only time I get to see my friends.

My new chemistry partner seems nice. I’m not very good at meeting ponies without them being shoved at me like this, so it’s lucky that he’s a cool guy. His name is Stocking Shelves, but he doesn’t like that name. He wants me to call him Stock.

Ooh, another thing happened today! I thought I’d be all alone at the lonely table, but get this: a gryphon is there with me now. I’ve never met a gryphon before. You don’t really see them in these parts.

He’s obviously new here, though. I kinda feel sorry for him. Moving into a school like this is tough, but it must be even harder when you’re not a pony. Let’s just hope he’s better at making friends than I am.

 

August 21

Finally got to see Cross Country again. We haven’t seen each other all summer. He’s just always so busy with track and applying to colleges. It’s like he doesn’t even try to find time to hang out anymore. Everything is college, work, or extracurriculars. He must be miserable right now, but he’s determined to get into University of Manehattan. I wish him luck, but I also wish we could spend some time together again.

 

August 23

My first week back is finally over. It’s been pretty uneventful. Stock and I both got shit classes, so at least we’re in this together. The more I talk to him, the cooler he seems. His dad’s the guy that runs the supermarket in town. That explains the name.

When school got out, I saw Rose Garden and Cross Country heading out to their practice. Rose is head over hooves for the guy. I hope they get together before Cross leaves town.

 

August 26

Happy birthday to me. I think everypony forgot that I’m 17 today. I woke up to some presents and a cake, but once I got to school it was like any other day.

 I actually thought that gryphon at lunch was gonna say something when he saw the slice of cake I brought, but he kept his silence. He’s been a constant companion at lunch for the last week. We’ve never said a word to each other, but we both know why we’re there. The lonely table is only for two kinds of ponies: those who want to be left alone, and those who are always alone. I wonder which he is.

 

August 27

Remember how I said that the lonely table was rickety? Today, when that gryphon came to sit on the far end of the bench, two of the legs gave out! I guess the thing didn’t like having two lonely guys so close together. It might’ve lost its reputation as the lonely table if we started talking to each other.

Now that that is destroyed, I need somewhere else to sit at lunch. There’s always the table with Cirrus, but I’d be asking for trouble if I sat with him. Don’t ask why.

After a long search, I found an empty table near the window. Finally, I would be alone again. That only lasted for a few minutes. That gryphon must have seen me sit down, because he joined me at the new table. He sat opposite me and read some book while I did homework.

 

September 2

Sorry, it’s been a while since I wrote. Nothing of note happened though, so it’s not like you’re missing some secret interesting part of my life. Today feels like it might be different, though. I’ll let you know what happens when school’s over.

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Well, I was right. Today was different. I brought a book with me to lunch today, and it turns out that gryphon is reading the same one! I couldn’t resist the opportunity to introduce myself, so I pointed it out to him. He was surprised that I talked to him. I guess he did belong at the lonely table. His name is Mike, and he just moved here a few weeks ago. He seems like a great guy, but he’s kind of a recluse.

I don’t know what makes me think about the guy so much. We’ve had about enough interaction to fill a paragraph, and there’s no way he -- never mind. Maybe it’s just because I want to know more about him. I’ve only read about gryphons, and their culture is a complete mystery to me. He’s all foreign and stuff. Or maybe it’s just how he looks. His brown feathers make this really neat transition into tan fur on his neck. It’s a little rude to stare, but it’s just fascinating to look at. Ugh, I’m gushing. What am I, a 16 year old mare?

I’ve got something to look forward to tomorrow. That’s a welcome feeling.

 

September 3

Mike and I have been talking about this book we’ve both been reading. It’s the story of a pony that falls in love with her best friend. A little girly, I know, but it’s a good read. The author really captures her emotions in a way you don’t often see in young adult novels.

He asked me a bunch of questions about the references the narrator makes. It’s basic pony culture stuff, but he’s new here so I cut him a break.

 

September 6

I finished the book! I can’t wait to tell him what I thought about the ending! Lunch is my favorite part of the day, just because I get to hang out with Mike. I don’t know what it is about him, but every time we talk I just feel so great about myself. It reminds me of middle school, when I used to spend every afternoon with Cirrus, Stratus, and Cross Country. Those were fun times.

 

September 9

I’m at lunch right now and Mike isn’t here. It’s weird being all alone at lunch again. I hope he comes back soon.

 

September 10

Mike is still gone. He must be sick or something.

Stock invited me to come get some ice cream after school. The food cart that sells it is about to close down for the winter, so I decided to go with him. The place was packed! It seemed like half my class was there! Even Rose Garden came. Stratus works there, so we all got his employee discount when he saw us at the window. We ended up staying until the place closed so we could see Stratus pick up his last paycheck.

After the cart was hauled away, we all went our separate ways. It was a nice afternoon, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Mike. I just don’t get it. What’s so special about him? Is it just because I feel sorry for him? He doesn’t seem to have any friends in town yet. Maybe I should try to fix that. He’d probably get along well with Stock and the others.

Well, it’s getting late. I’ll bring the diary to lunch tomorrow so I can keep you updated.

 

September 11

Mike’s back! He told me that he’s been trying to get his schedule redone, so he stayed home a couple days. He didn’t get to choose any of his classes since he moved here on such short notice. He’s in my gym and Equestrian history classes now! Maybe this year won’t be too bad.

 

September 12

It’s Rose Garden’s birthday today. Everypony gathered around her locker before school with a big birthday cupcake for her. We baked it in the Chemistry room yesterday, but it should be fine to eat. She seemed to like it, at least. I wish I could’ve bought her a present because I kinda like her. Well, I’m not sure if I actually like her or just the idea of dating somepony. It’s weird.

Speaking of weird things, have you ever seen a gryphon running laps? They really get into it. Mike might even be a better runner than Cross Country!

 

September 13

Friday the 13th. What a day.

I was doodling in my history notes instead of paying attention. Just the usual stuff, you know? A swarm of changelings, a Wonderbolt flying back and forth, a castle. I didn’t know that Mike was looking over my shoulder to copy my notes. I should’ve expected it. He hardly knows a thing about Equestrian history, so of course he’d try to get all the notes I’d taken so far. Normally that would be fine with me, but he saw what I was drawing absentmindedly on the next page. It was a full-page sketch of a gryphon kissing a pony. By the time I noticed he was staring, it was too late to hide it. I hope he doesn’t take it the wrong way. I mean it’s not like the gryphon was him! It was fanart, I swear!

At lunch, I tried explaining it to him. He understands, but still. He probably thinks I have a gryphon fetish or something. I hope he isn’t too weirded out.