The next evening, Blanche showed up in that same red high-collared formal tunic, but this time she'd rolled up the sleeves. Even so, the little tyke was sweating bullets from her forehead, the summer heat clinging to her like a second skin. Add in her love for dashing around everywhere, and she'd quickly gone from smelling sweet like Melody to downright stinky.
To keep from getting any riper, she had to hole up in the classroom, parked under the AC flipping through picture books or joining the other kids in games and songs. Soccer? Forget about it—that was off the table, much to her dismay.
The sun hadn't dipped below the horizon yet, and the summer twilight painted the sky in vibrant sunset hues, golden rays spilling across the landscape like molten treasure. At the Little Red Pony Acad
