Cherry Bliss couldn’t stay inside his house. His stomach was full of butterflies. She was coming here. Feather Fieldgoal was actually coming to his house to talk. He could hardly believe his luck!
 
He had taken two baths, brushed his mane, tail, and coat, and bought a bouquet from a local flower shop. The unicorn hoped it wasn’t cheesy to get cherry blossoms like his name, but he had written a short speech that would hopefully make it make sense. Now all he could do was wait and try not to get his hooves muddy from his pacing.
 
He heard her coming before he saw her. Cherry could only assume the mare walking with her, talking her ear off, was her sister Storm Strike. It was uncanny how similar they looked. Feather had a much more graceful air to her, but he was oh so biased.
 
The other mare flapped away before they got to his yard. Feather continued walking up his sidewalk, face hidden behind her beautiful mane. She stopped in front of him, face tilted down shyly.
 
“Hello, Cherry,” Feather said softly.
 
“Hi Feather!” Cherry’s cheeks were sore he was smiling so much. “I’m so glad you came!l”
 
Feather nodded. She shuffled her hooves, still too nervous to look at him. It was so adorable!
 
“Cherry blossoms, huh?”
 
“Yeah! There’s a reason why. One moment, I wrote it down.”
 
“Cherry-“
 
“Just a second. I gotta do this.” Cherry floated the paper in front of him and cleared his throat.
 
“Feather Fieldgoal, I was so happy when you said you wanted to talk. I’ve been dreaming of this day since I met you. You are as pretty as a sunrise and as nice as morning cup of coffee. You won me over with your smile and spirit, and I am at your mercy in love. That’s why I’m giving you these cherry blossoms, because they come directly from me, from my soul, from my heart. I’m giving you my heart, Feather, and I hope you like it.”
 
He looked up from his paper. Feather was shaking, head still down. Cherry thought he heard a sniffle.
 
“Feather, are you ok?”
 
She let out a weak chuckle. “You really are a perfect stallion, Cherry…”
 
Now slightly put off, Cherry’s smile was a little smaller than it normally would given a compliment like that.
 
“But…”
 
Feather lifted her head up for the first time. Her eyes were full of tears, spilling down her freckled cheeks.
 
“I’m not a perfect mare.”
 
“Feather, what are you talking about? What’s wrong? Of course you’re perfect. You’re the most perfect mare I’ve ever met-”
 
“Please stop, Cherry. This is hard enough already. Look, you are amazing and any mare you choose will be lucky to have you. But it’s just not going to be me.”
 
“Why not?” Cherry felt himself tearing up and fought to not sniffle. “What did I do wrong?”
 
“Nothing! Please don’t think it has anything to do with you. It’s all me. I just don’t like you like that. You’re my best friend-“
 
“I-If you’re worried about ruining our friendship-“
 
“It’s not that. I just don’t feel that kind of love towards anypony. I never have, even when I was younger. I feel familial love and love of my friends, but I don’t feel romantic love for anypony. Not even you, Cherry.”
 
Cherry let out a pathetic whimpering noise. He couldn’t hold it back. “I-I just th-thought… you were a-always so nice t-to me…”
 
“I’m nice to everyone. But I didn’t lie when I said you’re my favorite customer. I enjoy spending time with you, but only as a friend. If I did lead you on in any way, I’m so, so sorry.”
 
The two stood there, looking everywhere but at each other. Cherry kept sniffling while feather wept in silence. The flowers in the stallion’s hooves shed petals on the ground like more tears.
 
“S-sso wha what happens now…” Cherry finally whimpered.
 
“I’ll leave that up to you, Cherry,” Feather responded weakly.
 
“I-i think I w-wanna b-be alone for awhile…”
 
“I understand. Take as long as you need. I know things will get better-“
 
“S-stop being so nice to me! It just hurts more.”
 
His outburst was minuscule, but powerful. Feather bent her head again. She turned to fly away. Cherry felt like part of his heart was going with her.
 
“Goodbye, Cherry.”
 
“B-bye Feather.”
 
With that, Feather Fieldgoal took to the sky, leaving behind a few feathers and a few teardrops in the dirt. Cherry Bliss looked at the flowers still in his hoof. With a glow from his horn, he levitated them into the trash can on the end of his street. Before he could start bawling uglily in front of the whole world, he turned and galloped back into his home.