//------------------------------//
// Friends 
// Story: A Glimpse of Shimmering Sky 
// by Long Long Way From Home 
//------------------------------//

	After a while, Starlight seemed to become more comfortable around Sunset. The girl in glasses was smiling more frequently, and even laughing with the redheaded girl. They talked about their interests, and where they were from. Sunset learned that Starlight was moving to Canterlot from Manehattan, and would be starting up at CHS that upcoming school year. Due to some difficulties in school, she was moving from her mother’s place in Manhattan to her father’s city apartment in Canterlot. Starlight quieted down a bit after that, but Sunset backed off in the interest of getting the girl comfortable sitting with her again.
Eventually, the topic of conversation moved to friends, and Sunset found herself gushing about her own. She loved her friends, and made no secret of it, growing brighter and more exuberant with every story. Starlight, on the other, hand only seemed to shy away from the subject, becoming more and more closed off until she had stopped speaking entirely. It took Sunset a moment to notice this, distracted as she was by her own stories, but once she did she was quick to quiet down.
A moment of awkward silence passed between the two.
“So…” Sunset broke the silence, leaning back against the bench and scratching her head, “Any particular reason you were sitting alone at Sugarcube Corner?”
Starlight winced, before immediately turning away with a scowl.
“It was nothing.” she said with a huff.
“Really? Because it sure didn’t seem like nothing.”
“Maybe I just like sitting alone, okay?” Starlight snapped back, anger flashing in her eyes.
Sunset, however, was not impressed, and didn’t flinch at the outburst.
“You sure? It didn’t seem like it.” Sunset responded calmly.
At this Starlight looked down, her angry look making way for one of sadness. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed heavily. There were a few more moments of silence, Starlight clearly collecting her thoughts and Sunset giving her a chance to gather them. After a while, Starlight spoke.
“I...don’t really have any friends.” Starlight spoke in a defeated tone, all traces of anger from before now gone.
“Growing up, I was always a bit of an outcast. I was always more interested in studying than in making friends. I only ever had one friend, Sunburst, but he ended up moving here when we were both still pretty young.”
“Was he the one you kept looking at at that table?” Sunset interrupted.
“Yeah. When he moved, I didn’t have anyone, and I wasn’t able to make any friends. I was the outsider.” Starlight sighed again.
“When I wasn’t able to get people to like me, I started...acting out.”
Starlight trailed off. When Sunset’s continued silence prompted her to continue, she flushed slightly and rubbed her arm with embarrassment.
“I...kinda became a bully. When Sunburst left, I didn’t feel like I had anyone...and I didn’t think it was fair that everyone else did. I started getting mean...breaking up friendships so I wasn’t the only one alone. I made up rumors, told lies to get people in trouble, all because I hated being alone.”
Sunset frowned, beginning to lose herself in thought as she listened to Starlight’s story.
“Eventually though, people figured out what I was doing, and, well...here I am now.” Starlight finished with a weak chuckle and a smile that was more of a grimace.
The sounds of children playing around the park and the ambient noise from the city filled the girls’ silence.
“I’m sorry” she continued, “You probably think I’m a terrible person. I just...I just didn’t know what to do.”
Starlight felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Sunset had turned on the bench to fully face her. There was a fiery look in her eyes that the purple skinned girl couldn’t help but shrink away from.
“You are not a terrible person.” Sunset said firmly. Realizing she was scaring the girl, she loosened her grip and softened her glare.
“Listen, I know where you’re coming from. To tell you the truth, I haven’t always been the nicest person either.”
Starlight’s eyes widened slightly at the thought of this girl who had sat with her and listened to her story out of the kindness of her heart could have ever been unkind.
“But eventually, I was shown that being a bully wasn’t a good way to get ahead in life. I had someone who showed me kindness, and offered me a second chance when I fell. I made new friends, and after that everything changed.”
Sunset smiled again, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she remembered Twilight offering her a new lease on life. Things really had changed since the days before that fated fall formal, and she was thankful every day for it.
“So don’t give up. Think of this as your chance to start over again.”
“But what if I can’t make any friends? What if...what if Sunburst doesn’t want to be friends with me anymore?” Starlight trailed off again. Her eyes turned misty and she let out a sniffle.
“Hey” Sunset said, slightly louder than she had intended, snapping Starlight’s attention back to her, “I’m sure Sunburst would be happy to be friends with you again. Besides, even if he doesn’t, you’ve already got a friend at CHS.”
Sunset smiled widely and waited for Starlight to catch on. Starlight’s purple eyes widened, and her shocked face turned into a bright smile.
“Do you mean it?”, Starlight asked excitedly.
“Of course! Now come on, since you’re new in town, I’ll give you the tour! It’s a beautiful day, so it’d be a shame to waste it, don’t you think?”
Sunset stood up and held out a hand to help Starlight up. Starlight looked at her hand and hesitated for only a moment before grabbing it to let Sunset help her up. The two friends turned to walk side by side, with the redhead leading the way, happy that she could spend such a beautiful day out with a friend.