//------------------------------// // This Sucks // Story: A Place Where The Sun Might Shine Upon Me // by Eggtaro //------------------------------// My life sucks. Not really a good way to start eh? Well, get used to it. Cause you're gonna hear it a lot. Where was I? Oh yeah, my life freaking sucks. I hate my job, I hate the people working with me at my job, I hate my manager. Hell, I hate all of it. Everything. Even the city of Canterlot, and everyone in it. Come now man-- you might say --surely it isn't really that bad. I mean, you are living in Canterlot! Do you have any idea, how many people can only dream of living there? No, I don't. In fact, I don't care. Just because a lot of people are saying it, does not mean that it is true. Ever since moving here, my life has been nothing but pure, raw suckyness. I mean, what was I thinking? I decided not to go to college. I thought living the free-from-education life would suit me just fine. A life where you don't need any more education, a life with no more textbooks to read or assignments to hand in. It was going to be smooth sailing from here on out. I was wrong. So wrong. Now here I am, a 20 year old, working at a MacHoofins fast food restaurant. Standing next to a cash register and greeting people with the same stupid lines I have been repeating over and over again for the past year. "Good day sir, welcome to MacHoofins. Having here or take away?" At this point in life, my voice is completely deadpanned. I lost the joyous tone that my manager has been always bossing me to use a few months back. "Yeah, can you get me a--" Now I don't want to bore you with play-by-play details of my work. Trust me, nothing amazing ever happens. A person walks in, makes an order and pays. That's it. Big Whoop. Life goes on. "YOU!" Oh great, here we go again. That unmistakeable voice always sent shivers down my spine. And a bucket load of annoyance. "Yes?" I gave the customer his change and turned around to come face to face with my ugly looking manager. Her face was fat and round. I suspect it was from all those burgers she has been stealing and stuffing her mouth with when no one is looking. "Did you make that spill at the back?" She jabbed a fat thumb behind her, her spit spraying all over me, and the heavy smell of onions oozing out from her breath confirmed my earlier suspicions. "No I was here the entir--" "Go clean it up! NOW!" More onion smelling spit showered me. God, she is disgusting. I gave up arguing with her a long time ago. I rather clean up whatever mess is at the back than standing here listening-- no wait -- being showered with her foul smelling saliva. I hastily left her and headed towards where her chubby thumb was pointed at. Now, this just sucks. Some idiot has spilled coke all over the floor. Clearly, not giving a second thought to clean it up. Whatever happened to 'Safety First'? I could hear my other colleagues snickering behind me. They've always enjoyed seeing me being shouted at by the manager, like I was some sort of freak show. I'm used to it by now. Heck, I've been going through this for an entire year. I'm a pro at getting yelled at. Now where is that mop? "YOU!" Here comes that voice again. I've always wondered if the manager remembers my name. Maybe that's why she gave me the nickname 'you'. Heh. "Why aren't you cleaning?" It wasn't a question. My monkey-like colleagues were snickering again. Stupid baboons. "I'm on it!" Where is that mop? "I just need to find that stupi--" "Mop?" A lighter and much sweeter voice came from beside me. Okay, when I said that I hated everyone working here at MacHoofins, it wasn't entirely true. I might have exaggerated on that a bit. There is one person that I still find tolerable. "Thanks Sunset Shimmer," I grabbed the mop she was holding out towards me. "You've save my butt yet again." She giggled. Did I said tolerable? I mean adorable. "Any time." She left me with the mop and proceeded to clear and wipe the tables out front. Now, if you're still here with me, let me give you a brief introduction about this girl. Sunset Shimmer, 17 years of age, studying at Canterlot High School, and currently working here part-time at MacHoofins. Why? You might ask. Heck if I know. Now, Sunset Shimmer is a really nice person, and kind. She's so nice, in fact, that whenever the manager talks to her, the manager actually smiles, not that smiling makes her any less ugly. And the manager never smiles. Anyway, Sunset Shimmer applied to work here from the beginning of my second year here. She's a quick learner, a hard worker even though she is only here as a part-timer, and a polite person as well. We don't talk a lot with each other, besides work stuff. But at least she treats me much better than everyone else here has. And yes, I might have the teeniest bit of a crush on her. I mean she is quite pretty. And adorable. And pretty. Did I said she was pretty? Okay, so my job doesn't really sucks that bad. I mean, at least its much more tolerable than before she got here. I tried to take a quick peek at her. But, boom, straight in my face is the last person I would ever think of peeking on. "CLEAN UP THIS MESS!!" Yup, its my manager. * * * * * * Finally, my shift is over. I can leave the fat lady's rule and return to my crappy apartment. Not that I look forward to it much. I still have to do the same thing all over again tomorrow. I shivered at the thought. I locked my locker and slung my bag over my shoulder, heading for the welcoming dim green light of the words 'EXIT' above the door. It was around 11 pm, but the streets were still busy with life. Bah, Canterlot and its night life. What's so great about that? I made my way slowly down the path leading towards my apartment. Ignoring the chatter and laughters of passers-by. I wanted to get back home as quickly as I can. Maybe have a cider or two, and get whatever rest I could before waking up the next day and returning to MacHoofins. "OOF!!" I felt someone bumped into me. Hard. A bunch of books fell to the ground as I regained my balance, staring at the girl who had her butt on the ground. The crimson coloured hair and yellow stripes caught my attention. It seems familiar somehow. "Oooh..." The sound of the girl's voice refreshed my memory almost instantly. "Sunset Shimmer?" She looked up at me, rubbing her thigh. The lights from a nearby lamppost was reflected in her cyan coloured eyes. God, she is so pretty, even if she has fallen down because I've bumped into-- Crap. "A-are you all right?" I offered my hand to her. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." "I-I'm fine, thanks." She took my hand, and I tried to gently pull her up. Not easy. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I was so focused on my books that I wasn't looking up." We both stared at the books on the ground. I quickly kneel down and began picking up her books. She did the same, but we were so close to each other that she head-butted me on the way down. I groaned in pain, rubbing where she had struck me. "S-Sorry!" Sunset Shimmer cried, massaging her own head. It was impossible to not accept her apology. I grinned a little. There was a book about science, and something about history, But I wasn't really paying attention to the books anyway. I held the books as she piled them on my arms. There was at least 5 books. "Were you studying?" I asked her, she nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, we have a test that is coming up soon at Canterlot High. I wanted to cram in whatever I can whenever I get the chance." I know that Sunset Shimmer was still a student studying at Canterlot High, but damn, to be studying, working and then studying again right after work. This girl means business. "That's impressive." I told her, not knowing why I did so. I handed her books back. "Thanks!" Our fingers brushed each other for a moment. And I was suddenly filled with a sudden jolt. Like a shock. We stood there awkwardly for a moment. My hands in my pockets and hers under her books. "Y-yeah, looks like is my turn to save your butt huh?" That, my friends, is one of the dumbest things I have ever said to Sunset Shimmer. She stared at me blankly. "You know--" I continued "because your books-- never mind." Better cut it short or risk sounding like an idiot. She remained silent, glancing back and forth at her books and me. "Well..." she began. A wave of relief washed over me for some reason. "Yeah." Damn it, I wish I could come up with something better to say. Well, I could but it's not something that you say to a girl. Or anyone else. I'm just gonna shut up now. "See you tomorrow!" Sunset Shimmer gave me a wobbly wave with one hand, balancing her books with the other, and went the opposite direction. I waved at her back. Feeling more stupider by the second. Oh well. I was about to continue on my journey home, when something else caught my eye. There was another book on the ground. Surprising, I know. I mean the book was like just right there, and yet we both failed to noticed it. I bent down and picked up the book, I quickly turned around, wanting to call out to Sunset Shimmer, but she was long gone. Meh, I can give it back to her at work tomorrow. I glanced at the book. It was a hardcover book, and brown, the spine is also brown, but with two thick golden lines one each near the top and bottom. The front cover was a bit different though, I mean, yeah it is brown too, but it has a weird sun looking thing in the middle. One part of the sun's flames were yellow, while the other side was red. And between the two flames was a yin-yang, the bottom red, and the top dark yellow. Weird. But, whatever, the book is not mine and whatever taste Sunset Shimmer has for books, it is strictly her business. I'm not even sure if this is hers. Couldn't hurt to ask though. So tucking the book into my bag, I resumed my quest to return home and grab a bottle of apple cider. Tomorrow, everything will began exactly the same once again. And that really sucks. To see my manager's mug again. To greet the customers with the same dumb lines. Great, just great. Here, in the city of Canterlot, people will tell you that a lot of amazing things will happen here, it is a place where your dreams can come true! And that it is also a place where you can find your true love. Yeah, no, I don't think so. It sucks. Or so I thought.