//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Let's try again 
// by Bru-swan-sen 
//------------------------------//

It’s been about a week since the fiasco at camp Everfree and so far everyone is a bit tired with all the magical events happening throughout the school year. Many of the students are hoping for a nice simple last few months at Canterlot high till summer break. 
It was eighth period and a few minutes till school was officially over. Most of the students were busy staring at the clock. Nearly all of them were ready to jump out of their seats and make a mad dash for the exit. 

Tick...tock...tick..tock.

Thirty more seconds. Just like the countdown for new year's students began to count down the last ten seconds. 
“Ten.”
Book bags were packed and slung over shoulders.
“Nine, eight, seven.”
Many of the teachers made sure to stay away from the door so that they wouldn’t be trampled by the incoming stampede.
“Six, five, four.” 
All eyes were on the clock now.
“Three, two.” It was as if time stopped for everyone, but then it happened.
“ONE!” 
The final bell of the year rang and everyone jumped out of their seats and ran out of their respective classes. Cheers and cries erupt in the halls as students and a few teachers let out the excitement. Some students threw their old homework in the air and some just dropped their school supplies and ran off in celebration. 
A group of friends were walking through the halls past their fellow schoolmates. Each of them had a different look of excitement on their faces.
“Watch out summer break, here comes Rainbow Dash!”
“Ooh wee, this summer break is sure going to be a fun one,” Applejack started to have a giddy look on her face. “Granny Smith put me in charge of this year's Apple family reunion, then there's the town fair after that ah can just smell all them pies.”
“OOOOH don’t forget about the cakes, cupcakes, pancakes, lava cakes and oh oh oh don’t forget cheesecake.” Pinkie’s mouth began to water as the list of different cakes began to form in her mind. 
Rarity cringed as a  pool of saliva begins to form next to her.
“Yes that all sounds fun, but I personally can’t wait for some R&R, a few nights of brainstorming new ideas. My my with it being senior year next year we’re all going to think of prom dress designs.” She goes off on the different materials and colors to use and this and that. Most of the girls just roll their eyes at their fashionista friend. 
“I can’t wait to go on my nature tour to all the cute fuzzy animals,” Fluttershy said. “All the little critters coming up to eat snacks from your hand and then you sometimes pet them and then read them bedtime stories.” 
“I think you're the only one who can actually do that Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash says. She turns to the last two members of the group. “What about you two? Got any plans for this year's summer break?” 
“Get a job, hang out, relax, meh.” Sunset said. “Nothing I’m really too excited about, what about you Twilight?” 
“Oh you know just your normal girl stuff, college studying, preparing for college, and maybe even a few college visits here and there you know all the fun stuff.” She had a wide smile on her face.
Everyone else stared at the girl with a blank expression.
“Really?” 
Twilight gave them a confused look.
“What? I thought we were all sharing all the fun stuff we were going to do this summer?” 
Rarity places a hand on her shoulder giving her exceptionally academic friend a look.
“Darling it’s just that most of the things you said were just um...” She was trying to figure out the right words to say.
“Boring?” Rainbow said.
“A big snoresville?” Pinkie said.
Rarity gives the two of them a glare.
“I think what they mean is that why worry about things like college now?” Sunset says. “You should be relaxing at least a little bit, you know spending time with your friends and maybe spending time with a certain someone?” Sunset waggles her brows at the last point. This got the other girls to giggle causing Twilight to blush a deep red. 
“Well I..I...we...um.” Twilight began to stutter her words. Her phone began to ring, catching everyone’s attention. “Hello?”
Everyone else watches as Twilight's expression changes as a small smile  grows on her face. Within seconds she began to twirl her fingers in her hair as she was talking into the phone. 
“Looks like someone's got a call from a certain green haired gentleman.” Rarity teases as she watches Twilight grow a shade of crimson.
“Ok I’ll see you at five then,” She covers her mouth with a hand in hopes to muffle her next four words. “I love you too.” Hanging up her call, Twilight looks back up at her friends, all of them giving a cheeky look.
“Adorable.” Rarity coos.
“Ohohoho looks like someone's got themselves a date.” Rainbow says poking at Twilight's stomach.
“What no...maybe...yes.” Twilight said in defeat.
The rest of the girls giggle at the news of their friend. They sent her a barrage of questions, mainly Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. 
Before anything got too out of hand Sunset pulls her away from her three friends' interrogation.
“Alright girls, let's give her some room.” The two start to make their way towards the school entrance with their friends close behind. 
Sunset turns to look at the girl who looks as if she was about to jump out of her feet.
“Looks like you’re excited about that date of yours?” 
Twilight gave a meek smile as a tint of pink can be seen on her cheeks.
“Is it really that obvious?”
Sunset lightly pats her on her back.
“Don’t worry about it too much,” she says. “Besides, things seem to be going well with you and Timber ever since camp Everfree.” 
Going great would be an understatement to Twilight ever since they left camp she’s been keeping contact with Timber. The two would make plans occasionally seeing that he lives outside of town; it wasn't that hard for them to see each other. Twilight would admit that Timber being the first ever boy she’s ever dated made her a  nervous wreck when their first date came. Luckily with her friends being able to calm her down she was able to go through it.
“Yeah, since today was the last day of school he wants to take me out for dinner and then a visit to the science museum of astronomy.” Twilight began to go off on all the different things that were going to occur later today and then changed the subject to astrology which caught her attention. 
Sunset only rolls her eyes as she watches her friend going on and off about science this and Timber that. She was happy for her, after the Friendship games concerning Midnight Sparkle and then the whole fiasco with camp Everfree it was nice to see her friend finally relax and enjoy herself. 
Finally the doors of Canterlot high burst open revealing a swarm of students running out and onto the schoolyard and street. 
The seven friends head towards the school parking lot. 
“So meet up at Sugarcube corners later?” Rainbow asks as she clicks the unlock button to her car. Fluttershy walks over to the passenger seat of the car.
“Sorry darlings, but I’ve got a few projects that are due by the end of this week,” Rarity says walking over to her own car. “Maybe during the weekend.”
“Yeah same, ah got some harvesting to do back at the farm and with Applebloom gone I’m one hand short.” Applejack lets out a small sigh.
Rainbow Dash looks over at Sunset who stood next to her motorcycle. 
“Sorry tonight I was planning on just relaxing and sleeping early.” Sunset gives her an apologetic smile.
“Shrugging her shoulders she and Fluttershy said their goodbyes and drove off home as did the others. This left only Sunset and Twilight in the parking lot.
“Need a ride?” Sunset offers.
“No I’m good, my brother said he would pick me up today.” 
“Alright then, I’ll see you later then.” 
Sunset waves her off and rides off into town. It doesn’t take her long to get home being that it was in town about ten minutes away from school. She lived in one of the many different apartments in town. Luckily for Sunet, she was able to find a decently cheap one bedroom apartment for a decent rent price. Parking her bike in the lower garages she walks over to stairs leading to her apartment. 
Opening the door, Sunset flips the light switch on. Kicking off her shoes and dropping her bag on the ground Sunset walks over to her kitchen. She looks into her fridge and lets out a sigh seeing that there is nothing in it. She pulls out her cell phone and calls for takeout. After changing into some more comfortable clothes and receiving her takeout Sunset sat in her living room...alone. She switches through channels after channel while eating her meal. Letting out a sigh, Sunset turns off the TV and sits quietly on her couch. She pulls out her phone going through different social media apps. A certain image caught her attention as she stared into her phone.
It was a picture of Timber and behind was Twilight who was busy looking at something. He was smiling giving a thumbs up to the camera with Twilight completely oblivious. The text under the picture read ‘someone should learn to lock their phone.’
Sunset smiles at the picture, but then lets out a sigh as she closes her phone and slumps in her seat on the couch. She looks at the vacant spot on the couch next to her. It would be nice if there was someone to spend some time with. Ever since Twilight began to be in a serious relationship with Timber, Sunset began to feel a little lonely. Not really in the sense of being someone with no friends or anything friends was something she had an abundance of, no this was totally a different sort of loneliness. 
Don’t get her wrong, she loves her friends with all her being they are probably one of the best things to ever happen to her. It’s just that she sort of wishes there was that one person who she could be...intimate with. Someone she could spend some alone time with.
Pulling herself out of her seat she grabs what's left of her meal and throws it away. With her shoulders slumped she slowly saunters over to the bathroom. With a quick shower and then brushing her teeth Sunset walks over to her bed. Laying on her bed and pulling the sheets over her Sunset stares up at the ceiling.