Retro Dash stormed down the hallway, the walls seeming to stretch out endlessly before him. He was fuming with rage and embarrassment; How could Ophelia make a fool of him like that? How dare she?!
His hooves echoed on the tiles as he neared the exit. This was his senior year, the most important time in his schooling career! Not only that, but since Casey graduated the year prior, this was really his time to shine with all of the pretty fillies without the giant goofball overshadowing him.
Retro's neck feathers began to ruffle with anger once more. There was no way in Hell he'd have a date to the Hearts and Hooves Day dance now after Ophelia's little stunt...
Ophelia has been in love with Retro Dash for as long as he could remember. They grew up together and were best friends for the longest time; of course some sort of infatuation was bound to happen at some point, right? But for whatever reason, may it be puberty and raging Draconequus hormones, Ophelia's infatuation turned into a slight obsession, and this unsettled Retro.
She was his number one supporter, which he appreciated for the most part, but when will she realized that it can be too much? He cared for her as a friend, but she's embarrassed him for the last time. Retro Dash angrily shook his head to rid his mind of the chaotic princess as he threw open the doors at the end of the hall, blinding sunlight washing over him as he exited the school.
The chilly February light caressed his muzzles and cheeks, taking a deep inhale, he breathed in the cold air. He was ready to clear his mind and renew his mojo. Ophelia wasn't going to get the better of him.
Before he could exhale a massive, sturdy force flanked him hard, knocking the scrawny Pegasus onto the frozen ground.
Winded, he wheezed, "what the hel-", before he could say anything he was shoved once more across the school yard, scoring the ground with his body. His sides burned as the rashing set in. An extremely large being loomed over him ominously, the sun shining behind their massive silhouette. It was a Centaur... None other than Nessa Mae.
"How could you," Nessa began, her image becoming more apparent as Retro blinked the sunlight and debris from his eyes. His right wing ached badly. Nessa yanked the stallion harshly to his hooves by the back of his neck. His wing hung lamely at his side.
The Centaur had her fists clenched, her limb visibly shaking with her wrath.
"Well?!" she shouted at Retro, hot tears sitting in the corner's of her eyes.
The confusion finally left Retro as he realized what was taking place. Nessa had always been Ophelia's guard dog of a friend, never letting anything harm the Draconequus. He scoffed as his cousin towered over him, then grimaced as pain rippled through his wing.
"How could I what? Turn down the precious princess?" he said snottily; Nessa Mae always pulled an attitude into Retro's tone.
A dangerous flash of anger flickered in Nessa's eyes at the tone in Retro's voice. She was desperately holding herself back from wailing on the smaller pony. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure.
"Ophelia worked very hard on her proposal," she said through gritted teeth, "you didn't have to respond the way that you did."
Retro glared at her with disbelief. Was she blind?! Or did she completely miss the scene that took place in the hallway? The feathers covering his chest fluffed up defensively.
"She embarrassed me!" He yelled, causing Nessa to Flinch. "Ophelia made a fool of me in front of everypony," he drawled on, his legs beginning to tremble as he dared raise his voice and approach the daunting monster he called family.
"Why do you even care," Retro asked, "if you like her so much why don't you take her? You two freaks would make a memorable couple!"
Hurt crossed Nessa's face as Retro spoke, but the hurt quickly turned back into rage as she no longer could hold herself in restraints. Her bullish anger took hold of her emotions.
"She loves YOU, you fucking pathetic excuse of a Pegasus!" she screeched as she flung a closed fist into Retro's face.
The crack and yelp was starling at first, but satisfying as it became clear that Nessa's fist connected with its target. The entirety of Equestria seemed to have fallen silent in those moments as Retro's mouth and nose spouted blood and gore. His jaw went sideways with the force of Nessa's calculated strike. Nessa thought she'd even seen a tooth flying in those short, glorifying moments.
Retro's skull and body hit the ground once more with a dull thud, his lame wing once again absorbing the impact of his fall. Hot, sticky blood blossomed like maroon flora from his nose and mouth, spilling onto the dirt.
Nessa Mae drew in ragged breaths as she stood over Retro's quivering, bloodied body. Her fists, the left one now bruising, clenched once again at her sides. For a moment she was scared of the damage she'd inflicted on her cousin, but only for a moment.
The Centaur chewed her tongue for a second, quickly becoming calmer now that she'd vented her rage. She glanced over Retro's body once more, noticing the crushed wing under his shoulder and side. She'd hurt him pretty badly...
Nessa gently reached for the Pegasus as he slowly began to sit up, refusing to look at her. She thought she could hear him choking quietly.
"Retro, I didn't mean-" she started, her tone slightly edged with worry.
"Get away from me Nessa," he slurred, his voice cracked as he held back pain.
Retro continued to keep his back to his cousin as he rose up on shaking legs; his side was road-rashed with dirt caking the wound. The blood from his nose was clotting but his face was stained with scarlet trails.
Nessa awkwardly stepped back, now annoyed that he wouldn't hear her apology. She snorted and furrowed her brow, watching as the stubborn stallion gingerly limped out of the school yard, his wing pathetically dragging along on the ground.
"And for your information," Nessa called out, causing Retro to halt and tilt an ear towards her, "I don't even like Ophelia in that way!" she retorted childishly, kicking dirt out towards him.
Turning to head back into the building, Nessa couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for harming someone weaker than herself, but she'd be damned if she ever had to see her friend hurt the way she did after Retro's outburst. Hopefully he understood fully what he had done wrong, and would later forgive her for the knuckle sandwich....