//------------------------------// // Sometimes it was Easy // Story: She's Gonna Kill Me! // by Echo 27 //------------------------------// We fell asleep in each other’s arms that night, I too unwilling to leave her side than to let her slip into her room to be alone. We stayed up late and watched a movie together until neither of us could hold our eyes open any longer, and we simply stayed where we were on the couch. When I awoke, I found her still asleep, more at peace than I’d ever seen her awake. It was both gladdening and yet depressing, as I only wished for her to be so tranquil in the waking world, rather than to have to leave the world to find joy. I did a quick check of my phone for the time and saw, most unfortunately, we’d need to start getting ready for school. “Hey, time to wake up,” I said gently, squeezing her shoulders. “Come on, you get started and I’ll get breakfast set.” She shifted a bit before opening her eyes, looking half-awake and fully adorable. “Mmm… timetogetup?” she yawned. “Yeah, we gotta get going,” I said. “Listen, I’m gonna pop out for a bit, I’mma hit that Panera up the street, you want anything?” She was still pretty groggy, barely up off the couch and stretching herself out as she groaned and moaned her way to wakefulness. “Something really sweet… and a big cup of coffee.” “Music to my ears,” I grinned. “See you in a few minutes.” “Kalright,” she mumbled, finally staggering off to go take a morning shower. The morning was crisp and cold, a typical February morning around here. My breath came through in hot puffs as I walked along through the darkness, watching the sky as the faintest tinge of the sunrise was beginning to come over the horizon, a soft glow of yellow and blue blending with the black of the early dawn. Up ahead I could see the local Panera already open and its lights on, filled to the brim with customers who were already on their way to work or school just as I was. The thought that I may not be able to get us something and get back in time flitted across my mind. Ten minutes later and armed with a couple of coffees and a few bagels, I realized I needn’t have worried, though I’m starting to fear I won’t be able to make it back without spilling hot coffee all over myself. This was the only clean pair of clothes I had, and there was no desire to go to school stained brown and smelling of breakfast. When I got back to the apartment, I could still hear the shower going, so I simply set the bag and the drinks on the table and turned on the TV. At first I settled for the weather to see what it’d be like all day –predictably, cold and sunny, a typical winter day here- but found myself struggling to focus, so I just grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels like a madman, bits and pieces of the various stations weaving through my ears. “And that’s why you don’t wear-” “Studies confirm that eggs really are-” “Dangit, Bobby-” “And the latest update on peace talks with the Crystal Empire-” Something about the last channel made me pause, and I flicked back to the news station for a moment, trying to remember why I knew about this already. By no means did I keep up with what occurred in the world, so I struggled to know why I understood this. “According to analysts, this latest summit with the Crystal Empire, despite best hopes from congress, are still likely to end in failure,” said the newscaster, a square-jawed man who appeared to be in his early 40’s. The camera changed to feed of a large number of people in suits and military uniform mingling amongst one another, the distinct colors of the Empire easily spotted against our own. “Pressure has been mounting on the Crystal Empire for the last several months, as surrounding countries continue to report destructive missile attacks, and terror bombings have become the norm.” A quick change to cell phone footage of a building exploding, as dozens of people began to scream and flee. Another shift of camera, this time to the President, as he gave some speech that must’ve occurred a couple days ago. “We hope -as does the rest of the world- that the Crystal Empire will be open, humble, and willing to listen to the pleas for peace from its fellow nations, as well as those of its own people, many of whom wish to return to the peaceful ways of old.” I heard something settle beside me and I turned to see Sunset leaning over me, watching the TV intently. I reached up and grabbed her hand, glad to feel her warmth as she returned the gesture with her usual, comforting squeeze. I felt a flash go through my head as I suddenly remembered that she’d been talking about this very same thing with Manny just yesterday. The rest was an atypical news piece: guests, videos of the military performing exercises, endless debates that had no point, and more- so many reasons why I didn’t watch the news were in the rest. I was about to turn it off when Sunset asked me to keep it on as she grabbed the bag of bagels and coffee, handing me one as we settled down next to each other. I would’ve ignored the rest of the segment if I hadn’t glanced up in the bottom-right corner of the screen and saw today’s date and it read February 12th. February 12th. Today was Friday, so… “I’d be more worried about what they’re gonna be on Sunday,” Applejack had said just yesterday. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday… Sweet mother of all that was holy, Sunday was Valentine’s Day and I hadn’t gotten her anything! I hadn’t planned a single date, done nothing, I was in crunch time and had zilch! I must’ve done something, pulled a face, jumped a little, anything, because Sunset glanced down at me away from the TV and asked, “You alright?” she asked. There was no way I could say I had nothing planned for Valentine’s Day, so I simple settled for saying, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a shiver, that’s all.” We sat there for a little while longer, enjoying the small quiet we had before we had to face the storm that was Canterlot High. Classes had been starting to ramp up as the school year began to find its way to the very end, and since we were part of the graduating class, we had a fair amount of pressure to perform well. I’d had zero college offers so far (unsurprising, as my grades during all of high school until I got transferred were terrible), but I’d been looking at a few technical schools nearby in the hopes that I could maybe find a solid blue-collar job somewhere. On the other hand was Sunset, who’d been getting offers from nearly every school across the country as she’d averaged almost a perfect 4.0 her entire academic career, which was more than enough to get her scholarships. Though it was only February, time flew by fast and I knew it wouldn’t be long before school would be over, summer would rush by, and- I didn’t like to think of that very much. “Well, the bus’ll be coming by soon, we’ll need to leave if we’re gonna make it to the stop in time,” Sunset said dismally, her relaxed attitude already fading at the thought of what was awaiting her. I and the girls weren’t enough to keep her afloat in the sea of hatred that constantly rushed over her. Lyra and Bon-Bon, and that ungodly banshee Octavia… “Wait a minute,” I said, getting up and looking at her. “What’s wrong?” “Just stand still for a second,” I said, regarding her for a good minute or two. She, as per usual, was lovely, but it was her usual outfit that she wore almost every single day: leather jacket, purple shirt, jeans that had been worn and washed so many times now that the color was almost totally faded. It was so typical a look for her, and –perhaps just to me- a reminder of the constant torment she faced whenever she wore it. “Uh… we need to go or we’re gonna be late,” she said. “We ain’t going. Least not yet,” I said. She was taken aback by that. “What? No, we need to be there, you need to be there, you know you need to-” “More important things right now. ‘Sides, gimme just a sec-” I grabbed my phone, sent a quick text, and slid it back in my pocket. “There, that’s done. Just let Miss Cheerilee know that we’re both going to be late, as you’re having some maintenance issues in regards to your apartment and I came over to help you.” Sunset looked appalled. “You did NOT just lie to a teacher,” she gasped. “Oh don’t be so shocked, you’ve done it before and you KNOW I’ve done this before. Come on, Miss Cheerilee’s on our side. She’ll make sure our teachers know what’s up.” “But… what even for?” she asked. “First, you’re gonna get out of those clothes-” “What?” she asked, instantly blushing a deep scarlet. “And you’re gonna change into something different,” I finished. “We’re shaking it up today. You need to go into that school today late, first of all.” “What? Why?” “Because it’s something you never do,” I responded. “Octavia, Lyra, all those other bullies? They’ve got your pattern pegged. They know where you’re gonna be, who you’re gonna be with, what you’re doing down to the second. They know exactly what they’re gonna say to you because you’re predictable to them! You need to throw them off right now and come into that school swinging.” “OK, and that has what to do with my outfit?” Sunset inquired. “Again, predictable,” I answered. “Same thing over and over. You look gorgeous as per usual, but it’s what’s expected of you. So guess what they’re gonna think when you come in wearing something totally different?” “That… I’m wearing something different?” “You’re not following me, babe, think about it: you go in wearing something nice, something different, it’s gonna look like you’re making a change, that you’re not the same girl who they’ve been picking on for months. You’re something fresh, brand new- a downright sexy young lady who ain’t gonna take their crap anymore, you hear me?” Sunset shook her head, giving me a weary look. “How many times have I told you, it’s not a big deal, I don’t matter-” “AH! ENOUGH OF THAT!” I yelled, effectively cutting her off mid-sentence. “Not today you don’t. The mentality behind it all is gonna take some work and that’s just gonna have to be over time, but today? No way, you’re not saying a negative thing about yourself. And if they say something, you’re either gonna ignore it or you’re gonna fire right back, you got me?” Sunset didn’t seem to know what to say to me. It was all those walls she’d built up, to keep people out, to stop herself from doing the wrong thing, and now she was being challenged to tear them down and fight for herself again. She was, if I was guessing right, frightened by the idea. Come on, beautiful, you’ve got to do this, I thought desperately. This is your chance to prove them wrong, show them all the reasons why I love you- Holy hell, did I just say that? “Alright… I’ll give it a try,” Sunset said with a shake of her head. “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” I roared, grabbing her by the hand and positively dragging her into her room. “Now come on, we’re gonna find you something new to wear. Something… bright. Cheerful, confident. No hiding in a shell today.” Sunset rolled her eyes, but underneath the gesture was a small smile that was slowly creeping across her face, as if just a small part was wanting to believe me, and perhaps believe in herself. “A lot of stuff is hung up in the closet,” she said. “Most of what’s in the dresser is just stuff I wear around the house, or do to work, or… you know.” My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw her closet. Mini-dresses, dresses, coats and jackets, beautifully designed hoodies, a pair of pristine skinny jeans, a few pairs of crops pants, a few blouses, a snow-white sweaterdress, and even a full-length gown. Not once had I seen her wear any of this. “The winter stuff should be at the front, all the spring and summer clothing should be pushed to the back,” Sunset offered. “Yeah, yeah,” I said dazedly. “I’m sorry, why have I not seen any of this before? Just wearing one of these outfits would make you the most stunning girl in school, bar none. Not even Rarity could touch you.” Sunset gave a shy laugh and said, “Look, it’s all nice, but to go that far-” “I’m serious, why?” I pressed. “You don’t know how beautiful you are, that’s the only thing I can think of. You’ve- you’ve got to start wearing these. Break out of your shell, show the school who you really are. Prove them wrong for good!” Sunset look at me, looked at her clothes, then down at the ground as she mulled it over for a bit. “Just one thing,” she said. “I choose it, alright? And once I make my choice, that’s the end of it.” “Deal,” I said with a grin, eager beyond anything I’d ever been. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d look like, what she’d wear. I could already imagine the looks on everyone’s faces as she walked in, confident and more beautiful than she’d ever been before. Sunset took her time sorting through her things, carefully looking at each one before she moved on. Finally, after about ten minutes or so, her eyes lit up with that bright spark I’d come to adore and she said confidently, “This one.” “Which one, pull it out so I can see- Oh.” My heart skipped a couple beats as she pulled out a layered mini-dress the color of a soft fire, its multicolored pattern shining like a burning candle in the dimly lit closet, the fabric already shimmering and shining as bright as the sun. “It’s the one you bought me,” she said with a smile, “You know, back for Christmas.” “Yeah,” I said softly, a million memories and thoughts and feelings erupting in me as I saw the dress, every sensation I felt focused solely on her: the excitement when I bought it for her, the joy of when she saw it, the energy and life she brought to me in that moment- What should have been our first kiss. “You… you sure?” was all I could manage. “Yeah, I should’ve worn it already, really,” she said, pulling it off the rack and putting it on her bed. “I want everyone to see it, so I can tell them that you bought it for me because you cared about me. I want everyone to see how kind you are.” Her smile was so bright and genuine that I felt like I’d run into a wall. She meant every word. I’d pushed her for her own sake, and instead she turned it around and wanted me to share in her newfound strength. Like I was the one who gave it to her. I didn’t know what to say, and I felt touched beyond measure. “Now get out! I gotta change!” She said, pushing me out of her room and slamming the door shut, I still utterly dazed by her words… as well as my own feelings. We’d only been together for a little over a month. It’d been a blast, in spite of what the scum at school had tried to pull. She was more than I ever expected or dreamed of, more than I ever could have hoped for. She had problems of self-doubt and was her biggest critic, but when she let go of her inhibitions and came alive- no one on earth could compare to her kindness, happiness and utter joy. She was intelligent, beautiful, and talented in ways I never could be. She was far, far beyond anything I deserved. I think… I think I love her. The creak of a door being opened and… “Oh jeez,” I moaned, my knees weakening at the sight of her. Her eyes barely open, head slightly bowed, the hems of each layer gently swaying back and forth, her legs wrapped in fire-patterned pants that were skin-tight. She looked up at me with those stunningly beautiful teal eyes, sparkling like stars underneath a wave of brightly colored hair, all of it combining together to make her look like an angel of fire. I’d never seen anything so beautiful in my life. “How’s… how’s it look?” she asked, a shy smile on her face. “Like nothing I could’ve ever hoped to see before,” I said, enraptured by every inch of her. “You… you are…” I broke off laughing in a fit of riotous joy, pumping my fist in the air. “Oh man, wait till they get a look at you! You’re gonna stun ‘em into silence without even trying!” She smiled at me as I went off on my laughing fit, patiently waiting for me to regain control of myself as I rejoiced. “Well, we honestly probably need to get going now. For real, this time. You ready?” “More than ready!” I said eagerly, taking her arm with utter delight. “This is gonna be one of the best days of my life!” Sunset and I usually took the city bus system to get around, as neither of us had a car. It was a pretty quick trip from her apartment to school, but it was enough to somewhat prove the point I’d been trying to make all morning. The entire time we were onboard, people kept staring at Sunset, occasional glances and whispers of admiration a near constant. A few guys our age were on as well and kept looking at her, enthralled by her beauty. “Why are they all staring?” Sunset whispered to me, noticing a little girl sitting with her mother, the young creature not taking her eyes off of Sunset for a moment. “I’ll give you three guesses,” I replied with a smirk. The day had gone well, and a few seconds later, got even better as the little girl hopped off the seat next to her mother and toddled over to us, gently pulling on Sunset’s skirt. “I really like your dress,” she said. Sunset was immediately flustered, her face red yet covered by a happy smile as she looked around for something to say. “Thank you,” she finally mustered, crouching down to be on the little girl’s level. “I love your dress, you look very pretty.” “My Mommy got it for me. It’s a princess’ dress,” she said. “You must be a princess, then!” Sunset declared. “Mommy say I’m her little princess-” “Alright, young lady, come on, that’s enough,” said the girl’s mother, coming over and scooping up her daughter. “I’m sorry, she’s really talkative. I hope she didn’t bother you.” “Not at all,” I said smugly before Sunset could say a word. “Y’all have a nice day.” As the pair left the bus, as if to put the cherry on top, I heard the little girl ask her mother, “Will I grow up to be as pretty as she is, Mommy?” Sunset bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, then looked over at me and accusingly said, “You made that happen. Somehow you did.” “I did nothing,” I said satisfactorily. “People are just seeing what I’ve been seeing for ages now. Told you there’d be a difference.” “Oh hush,” she said, but still smiling nonetheless as the bus carried on. It was as if a small portion of her had actually come to believe what I was trying to say, that she was actually worth something. I began to realize Canterlot High had no clue what was about to hit them. A few stops later and we were off, just a block or two from school. “Good thing, too, or else we’re gonna be late for second period, too,” Sunset remarked. We got to school a couple minutes later, and I was in an excited frenzy. I couldn’t wait for everyone to see Sunset, to see how beautiful she was and what she was really capable of being. It was gonna be an awesome day, it was… and then I realized she wasn’t standing next to me. I stopped at the doors and turned around to see Sunset looking up at the building, her left arm cradling her right as she stared ahead with a worried expression on her face. “Hey, you were the one worried about being late. Come on, we gotta go,” I said. “I know, I know, just a bit…” she trailed off. I thought I knew what was on her mind, so I went back down and stood in front of her. “Still nervous?” She sighed. “Are you sure it’s gonna work?” she asked. “Yes. Holy hell, yes,” I said firmly. “The bus ride was proof enough I was right, that you’re not what you claim to be. Stop thinking that you’re some hideous, wicked monster- just for one day. Do your best to leave it behind today and see what happens. OK?” When she still remained uncertain, I added, “I’ll be with you the entire time, so don’t worry. I’ll help you out whenever something comes up. Octavia and the rest of those morons ain’t got nothing worth listening to, and they ain’t got nothing on you.” She looked as if she was about to nod, but instead pulled a face and said, “Are you sure?” “What? Yeah, course I am! What kind of question- Never mind,” I spluttered, taking her hand and kicking the door open. “Come on, I wanna see the looks on their faces already.” The bell went off less than ten seconds after we walked in and what seemed like the entire student body was suddenly out in the halls, mingling amongst each other, heading off to their next class, or simply finding a place to relax and detox from the stressors of school. For a little while, Sunset and I went relatively unnoticed as we made our way through the mob of students. It was about three seconds later that I heard somebody say, “Who is that- whoa.” I turned around to see a guy from junior year -a kid who everyone called Crusoe- looking at Sunset in complete shock, mouth agape in the shape of a perfect ‘O’ as he stared. He kept staring for a moment longer before mouthing “Wow” and heading off, glancing back more than once to try and see her through the crowd. “That’s one,” I breathed smugly. “Probably because no one ever though I could be-” “Ah! Not another word!” I said sharply. “All I was gonna say was-” “No negativity. You promised,” I said forcefully. She gave me a bit of a frustrated look, but I was determined to make this work and prove my point. It didn’t hurt that at that moment Moore and his girlfriend Florina walked by, with Moore remarking, “Damn, she looks fine.” I think Florina was turning around to slap him and then caught a glimpse of Sunset herself, unable to do anything but stare in a hilarious mixture of jealousy and admiration. “I’ll let that just count as two,” I added. Sunset gave a mixture of a laugh and a groan. “Fine, I’ll stop. I think you’ve proven your point.” “Damn right I have,” I said satisfactorally. “Now, relax, let loose, and let’s watch this day happen.” And, as usual when it comes to human nature, I was right. Sunset nearly knocked half of Miss Cheerilee’s class off their desks when she came in, a couple of the guys more than obviously having to hide their immediate arousal. Awkward, but hilarious to watch as about a dozen people are doing their best to get noticed just as they’re trying to attempt the opposite. I sought out the girls to see their reaction, noticing an unexpected look of surprise on Rarity’s face and a look of delight on Fluttershy’s, though I decided Miss Cheerilee’s expression was best- a look of unsurprised smugness that was rivaled even my own self-satisfaction. I diverted course from my desk to the front, bending down and whispering quietly, “Sorry about being late. Thanks for explaining for us.” Miss Cheerilee flashed a quick smile. “While congratulations on getting her out of her shell, I would advise you not to do that again.” I grinned and went to my seat, happily not paying attention to any of the lesson, more concerned with the fireball beauty that sat nearby. It wasn’t until about halfway through the class that I realized I wasn’t the only one totally transfixed by Sunset’s loveliness: about five or six other guys were shamefacedly gawking at her, while a few of the girls in the class were throwing her admiring looks. Sunset, in typical fashion, was more embarrassed by the attention than anything else, glancing around the room with a red face. Lunch eventually came around, marking the first time during the day I got to see the rest of the group, the seven of us taking root at our usual table in the thick of the cafeteria. Rarity was the first to truly react, positively gushing over Sunset’s dress and almost losing it completely when she found how that I gave it to her back on Christmas. AJ and I looked at each other and settled for rolling our eyes, our typical reaction for the fashionista’s hyperbolic overreactions. “Well, what ah wanna know is, what made ya wanna do this in the first place?” AJ asked after Rarity finally settled down, still staring at Sunset’s dress in apparent reverence. “Huh? Oh, not me, wasn’t my idea,” Sunset, pointing at me. “Who else would it be?” “You?” Applejack inquired of me. I nodded. “She needed the boost. And to prove all these jerks around here wrong.” AJ considered that for a moment before turning to Sunset and asking, “So how do you think it’s been working so far?” “I’m- well, I’m used to getting a lot of attention, but not like this. Everyone’s been looking at me since I walked in, so I guess it’s worked. It’s nice to have someone looking out for me like that.” I gave her a smile and squeezed her hand. “It’s what I should be doing for you, ain’t it? We look out for each other.” Sunset’s eyes gleamed and she smirked. “Or it could be that you’re just a complete softy.” My smile evaporated and I felt a twitch in my cheek. “Not gonna do this, babe.” Sunset laughed. “Oh come on, you can’t take even a little teasing. Besides, we all know it’s true.” “Not doing this,” I said more forcefully, trying to do my best to ignore that everyone else on the table was now watching. “Stop acting so tough and hard, I know you’re not. You try to make everyone think you’re this hardened ex-gangster when you’re about as soft as Fluttershy.” “Whoa, that’s goin’ a bit far,” AJ said, eyes widened. “No, that’s mean- no offense, Fluttershy,” I added. “It’s alright, I understand what she means,” the young girl said sweetly. “You’d do anything for Sunset, especially keep her safe and happy, right?” “Like a guardian angel,” Sunset giggled before leaning over and kissing me on the cheek. “Yeah, that sounds like you, for sure.” What else could I do? I simply shrugged, tried my best to cover up that I was smiling, and brought out my phone and started typing away. “Oh, don’t be sore, we was jus’ teasin’ ya,” AJ said. “Don’t sulk.” “I’m not, I swear,” I said. “Actually just looking around online.” “What for?” Sunset asked, leaning on my shoulder to glance at my phone, catching me surfing through a myriad of photos, all showing vehicles in the near vicinity. “A car?” I nodded. “Yeah, after yesterday, I think it’s time I get one. Besides, what Manny said… he was right. You and I can’t be just walking around like that anymore.” “Something happen at the gym yesterday?” Rainbow Dash asked. Sunset and I looked at one another. This was more serious than our usual foils at school, we’d both been in serious danger. I wasn’t sure how the girls would take it, and sensing I would be a bit too blunt about the matter, I told Sunset, “You take this one, I’m gonna keep looking.” As Sunset began telling the rest of the group about our run-in with Suds, I kept browsing across my phone for something feasible for my budget. I knew I had about $2700 sitting in my account, and I needed enough for Valentine’s Day on Sunday, so I knew I couldn’t go with something very expensive. Whether I liked it or not, my first car was probably gonna suck. Or at least I thought. The more I looked around, the more I saw that I could at least afford something serviceable, though not spectacular. It wasn’t a brand new muscle car, but I would at least find one that was decent. After a while, I had three good leads on semi-decent cars that were nearby, and easy to go visit. I think I had a chance. “Hey AJ, take a look for a second,” I said, distracting the farmgirl from the end of Sunset’s story. “What’cha need?” “Take a look at these three,” I said, handing her my phone. “Out of these, which one would you rather have?” “Hmm…” Applejack scrutinized the cars for a while, looking over descriptions and pictures for anything suspicious. “Ah’d say this one here, second vehicle.” “Alright, cool. Would you mind coming with me after school to go take a look at it? I want something there who knows more about mechanical stuff than I do. I just punch things.” “Sure, ah can do that,” AJ said, but not before adding, “That is, if you can force yerself to be away from Sunset for that long.” We stared at each other for a minute or two before I grinned. “You ain’t got nothing on me, farmgirl. Sorry, but only this vision of radiance and my mother can embarrass me.” It was then that I noticed, lurking at a table not far away from us, was Octavia and the rest of her group of friends, the unpleasant musician glowering from beside her cello case. Her gaze kept flitting between Sunset and I, grumbling something to Lyra who sat beside her. My smile must have slid from my face because Rarity took notice and asked, “What’s the matter?” “Just the usual pain in the neck,” I said, gesturing to the table behind her. She didn’t even bother to turn around and look, having long ago declared that such staring and snooping was unladylike. “Please, darling, you must learn to ignore her and the rest of her troupe of ruffians,” she implored. “She only continues to try and ruin your day because she continually has success doing so.” “She is not gonna take today away, I absolutely refuse,” I said harshly. “I am not gonna let it happen-” “Oh relax, what is she gonna do?” Sunset cut in, her words so incredible that the entire table stopped and gaped at her. Looking taken aback by her friends’ reaction, she added, “What? It’s true, isn’t it? All she ever does is call a bunch of names, what else can she do?” To top it all off, Sunset looked over at Octavia, who had just glanced over at her with a fairly murderous expression. That was when Sunset simply smiled and waved. I could not believe my eyes. I think my jaw went slack and collided with the floor before it finally registered that yes, Sunset had actually just smiled and waved at her greatest tormentor. I burst out laughing, bursting into hysterics when I looked over and saw Octavia had the expression of one who’d just been forced to swallow a gallon of soap. “For Pete’s sake, t’ain’t that funny,” Applejack said, barely able to hold back a grin of her own. “I’ve been waiting for that for months,” I managed to splutter out through hiccups. “Oh man, her face- that was the best thing you could’ve done.” Sunset gave a smile and said, “I wasn’t actually trying to make her mad- no, I’m being honest!” she added at the sight of my skeptical expression. “I just wanted to prove to her that she wasn’t going to ruin your day. This matters too much to you.” I shook my head, unable to find a more suitable reaction. There wasn’t any way that this day was going to get better… until it did. The rest of the day went by fairly uneventfully, Sunset and I splitting up for the remainder of the school day, she heading off to Home Ed. whilst I went to my Algebra class, promising to meet her before we left for the day. The next couple hours passed by with me more or less quivering with anxiety, silently pleading with the Creator the for Sunset to continue on with her confidence for the day, begging for her not to burn out. As I left my final class, I waited at our usual meeting spot with bated breath, praying that she wouldn’t come back as crushed and defeated as she normally would. To my great pleasure –and immense relief- she was still wearing a smile, and even more welcome was to see a few other random students coming up from behind her and dropping a few words, smiles and open expressions on their own faces. It looked like all some people needed was a chance to see her in a different light. “Classes go alright?” she asked. “Went well enough,” I said, glancing over her head to see Octavia walking down the hallway, her gaze practically locked onto us. “Hey, I’m gonna need to start heading on out, find Applejack…” “Going car-shopping?” “Yeah, I’d rather get it done early. Wanna get you home first, though, make sure you get back safely.” “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Applejack’s giving you her time-” “She’ll understand. I want to make sure you’re alright.” Sunset opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the loud accent of a young girl, who said, “Ugh, do you still have a reason to be here? Both of you just make the world worse simply by breathing. Especially her…” I could feel a pulsating sensation in my temple, fear mixing with anger as her words bored into my skull. No, she was not going to take this day away, she was not going to get to Sunset this time. “A witch and a criminal… it’s like she was the worst person on earth and had to settle for something sub-human. Poor girl deserves it…” I felt a blood vessel pop and I opened my mouth to fire back and dismantle her smug sense of self-satisfaction- “Settle?” It was such an unexpected response that I didn’t even realize for a while that the person who had spoken up was Sunset Shimmer. She had turned around to face her tormentor, exuding a palpable aura of indignation. “Settle! As if! You’re just jealous-” “Jealous?” Octavia cried. “Of you two?” “Of me,” Sunset said forcefully. “Jealous that you passed up your chance in the first place, jealous that you’ll never get the chance, jealous that you’ll never be able to have someone that’s anywhere near as good, as brave or as kind…” and finishing by turning around to give me a glowing smile and adding… “as you.” I gave a roar of utter delight that echoed across the hall, coursing its way through the gathering of students who had stopped to watch the argument, and –just like Octavia- were completely and utterly dumbstruck. “OH, did you hear that!” I yelled, immediately bounding forward and getting right into Octavia’s face. “Did you hear that! She just torched your ass, bitch- torched your ass!” I laughed maniacally, taking Sunset’s hand and leading her out towards the door. “Well, there ain’t nothing that’s gonna beat that today. Deuces, people, I’m out!” Sunset and I struggled to maintain our composure as we made our way through the stunned throng of students, a few of whom look just as inclined to laugh as I did, pushing our way through the doors and out onto the front lawn, where, after a few moments of silence, we burst out into hysterical laughter. “Where in the hell did that come from?” I spluttered, doubled over and rolling on the cold ground. “I’ve been trying to draw that fire out of you for ages, what happened?” “I- I dunno, honestly,” Sunset said, wiping away tears. “She’d been saying a bunch of stuff all day since I got into Home Ed. and at first it wasn’t bad, but then she started saying a bunch of stuff about you and I finally just couldn’t take it- it just came out!” “It was the best thing you’ve ever done. Her face…” My words were lost in a wheeze of laughter. “Oh man, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for you to do that.” After a while I finally managed to recover and we were on our way, my only moment away from her being to send AJ a text and telling her to meet me at Sugarcube Corner. “So, what do you think of my idea?” I asked teasingly as we stopped at her front door. “Maybe it was a smart thing to do?” Sunset gave a weary giggle and nodded assent. “It was a good idea, you were right,” she said tiredly. “Kinda wore me out, though. It was fun, but… tiring.” I shrug and half-nod, understanding her exhaustion, recalling my first days at Canterlot High. “I can understand that. Get some rest, sleep in.” “See you Sunday?” she called as I walked away. I felt a chill run down my spine as I remembered, yet again, that Valentine’s Day was coming up- only two days away. “You know it,” I said winningly, my mind starting to get a hold of an idea. I just needed a bit of time to figure it out… Surprisingly, it actually looked like the car in the pictures I’d seen online. A mid-size black sedan, probably mid-to-late 90’s, some rust eating through on the back bumper. “How long you had it for?” I asked the owner, a middle-aged man who seemed to be wearing a shirt two sizes too small for his bulging stomach. “Five years,” he answered pleasantly, waddling over to me with an unrestrained expression of greed on his face as his eyes darted towards my wallet. It was a pretty noticeable bulge in my back pocket now that it’d been stuffed with wads of bills. I wasn’t happy about it, but it made it pretty obvious I was going to buy it. “It’s a solid vehicle, needs a bit of surface work, oil is gonna need changing in about a week.” “How many miles it got?” “Oh, let me see…” he scrunched his face in concentration. “Should be somewhere between 105,000 and 112,000, last I recall.” “Hmm…” I didn’t like the hesitancy behind that sort of answer. “What do you think, AJ?” Applejack tore herself away from beneath the hood, where she’d been spending the entire duration of our visit as she checked the inner working for any obvious defects or absent parts. “Well, she don’t look terrible, at least,” she said appraisingly. “Just looks sorta like what you’d expect- an old car. Battery’s got some grime on it, looks like the coolant’s low, too.” She turned her attention from me to the owner. “Got a record of maintenance and repairs?” “Sure do, let me get ‘em from inside. Hang on a sec,” and with that the aging man shuffled back into his house. “Well?” I asked her when I was certain he was out of earshot. “It’s not a bad car, but not a great one, either,” she said. “It’s getting’ up in years, so it’s got a chance of givin’ ya problems, but that’s about the best you can do. Y’can’t really afford a car much better.” “But she’ll do what I need just fine?” I pressed. “Should, depending on what kinda work he’s done on it,” she answered. “Let’s see how she’s been treated before saying anything else…” Eventually my overlarge salesman returned from inside with a folder’s worth of paperwork, detailing the various repairs and tuneups he’d done over the years, mileage also provided alongside each entry as well as the date. “Not bad, been keeping track of it,” I remarked as AJ looked over my shoulder. “Give it real quick,” she said, and I handed the file over my shoulder. She perused the contents for a good five minutes, scrutinizing every entry within until she snapped it shut with an air of finality, adding a nod of approval. “She’ll work well enough, ah’d say,” she declared. “Probably worth about… oh, $1500 or so right now.” “$1500?” the owner said indignantly. “Preposterous, I bought it for $4000! $2000, no less!” “Oh come on, that’s just cheatin’ me outta money!” I said, Applejack giving a grunt of agreement behind me. “The car’s over a dozen years old, right? Can’t be worth that much now!” “$2000,” he insisted firmly. “Not so fast, pal,” AJ added, coming alongside me. “Now, in your li’l list of repairs, didn’t you say you jus’ did some work on her about two weeks ago? Car wouldn’t start so you had to replace the battery twice in the span of two weeks?” Most reluctantly, the owner nodded assent, looking fairly disappointed. “Look, ah know you want to sell it and get some good cash, but she ain’t worth that much no more. Repairs are creepin’ up on it, ain’t they?” The man gave a sigh before admitting, “Alright, so $1500’s a fair price. You’re willing to take it?” “Yeah, sure,” I said compliantly, fishing out a fistful of Benjamins and handing them to the man. “Paperwork for it is in the car, right?” “Yup, in the glovebox. Don’t forget to get it all registered to your name, kid.” “Thanks for the reminder.” He tossed me the keys and we shook hands, he still looking a little deflated that he didn’t get as much as he’d wished. “And thanks a lot for the car.” “Treat her well!” he called before heading back into the house. “Hey, bring it over to the farm, Big Mac and ah’ll help you check it over, change the oil an’ everything.” “Aight, see you there in a few,” I said cheerfully, sliding into the front seat –slightly squashed down from the previous owner- and felt a deep sense of pleasure at the sound of the engine coming to life at the turn of the ignition. For the first time in my entire life, I had a car. It felt pretty cool. Half an hour later, AJ and I were accompanied by Big Mac in the barn as we looked over the vehicle, the older Apple brother showing me around the vehicle so as to be capable of providing decent maintenance on my own. Showed me through the manual, stuff to look for when I checked it up, and recommended replacing the tires soon as I could as the front pair looked fairly worn down. “Well, now that’cha got a car, what’s yer plans for Sunday?” AJ asked me, the three of us heading up to the farmhouse for a bite of dinner. “Not sure yet,” I admitted sheepishly. “I mean, I got the tail of an idea, but nothing concrete yet. Gimme a bit and I’ll have something.” “Don’t do nothing cliché,” AJ advised. “Try for somethin’ special.” “No way, never woulda thought of that,” I said sarcastically. “That’s the problem, I’m trying to do something that’ll be unique, but I don’t really know what to do. I know I’m gonna get flowers, got an idea for something else, but beyond that-” I made a gesture with my hands. “Nothing.” “Pity it ain’t spring yet,” AJ said. “You’d have a little more to work with.” “And don’t I know it, Sunset and I are both warm-weather lovers,” I said. “Need any suggestions?” “Nah, I’ll think of something,” I said comfortably. “Just need to really focus on it, then I’ll have it.” AJ fished out some food from the freezer, tossing it into the oven before turning back to me. “So ‘bout today,” she began, “was it really your idea?” I nodded. “I got so tired of seeing her so defeated about school, having to face everyone… she needed a reason to believe in herself. And- oh yeah, did you hear her when the two of us were leaving?” AJ sniggered over a bottle of soda. “Octavia was all sorts of fired up when y’all left. Ah don’t think ah’ve ever seen her so man before, musta been one slap in the face.” “It was the best thing I’ve ever seen her do,” I replied. For a while we just stood there in silence, waiting for our meal to be ready, AJ lost in her own thoughts while I tried to formulate an idea for Valentine’s Day. In fact, the more I sat there the better grasp I had on something that could genuinely work. I’d just need- “You know,” AJ said airily, “ah don’t say it much, but… you two’ve gotten better since you got together. You especially.” I didn’t quite understand that one. “What makes you say that?” “You’ve calmed down a truckload,” AJ said, opening the oven and fishing out dinner. “Sunset ain’t gonna see it cause she can’t ever give herself a compliment, but you’ve grown up a lot since she came around. You’re mah friend and we had some influence on ya, but her- no one’s come close.” Her eyes softened as she looked at me with a smile. “She’s softened ya up. You’re still a fighter, but… you’re gentler.” I smiled, unable to find a single word to say. Though I’d never admit it aloud, I’d come to notice changes in myself since we’d been dating, ones that made me feel more awake and alive than ever before. Yes, there were times I struggled with self-control, but more and more I could hear Sunset’s voice and feel the warm squeeze of her hand, and with each time the burning fires of rage lessened. All because of her… And with that, I knew what I wanted to do on Sunday. I watched from a distance, my car parked stealthily behind the dumpster at her apartment complex, waiting to see her walk down the stairs and away with Rarity. I’d been stunned when she’d agreed to help me out, I having figured she’d be preoccupied all day with various guys from school. “Nonsense, I hardly consider myself that popular,” she’d said with a toss of her hair. “Please, how many guys came up to you on Friday alone?” I scoffed. “Four or five?” “I can’t say yes to all of them, you know,” she replied. “Yes, my evening is filled, but I certainly am willing to help you out for a little while.” Sunset’s flame-red hair came into view as she came dashing down the stairs, practically being dragged by Rarity to the fashionista’s car, looking fairly bewildered as her friend motioned excitedly for her to get in. I breathed a sigh of relief as Sunset reluctantly complied and the two sped off into the distance. First place they were going would be Coal’s Roastery, the coffee shop where Sunset and I had gone to after our first date, so they’d probably take about twenty minutes to get over there. Depending on fast they found the letter and then moved on to the other two stops, I’d have at least an hour. More than enough to get what I needed done. Wasting no time, I grabbed my bags, raced up to her apartment, dug the spare key out of the pot and snuck right in, immediately setting to work. I tackled the living room first, pushing the couch completely against the wall and –as gently as I could- pushing the TV and game systems aside into a corner to provide as much space as possible. Enough room for later, I decided. I threw my bags on the kitchen table, unpacking the kitchen supplies Mom had let me borrow and the groceries I’d bought just a few minutes ago. I knew Sunset well enough to know what she’d like, and exactly how she’d like it. It wouldn’t be exactly the most extravagant pasta ever made, but I’d do my best. I gulped. I wasn’t exactly the world’s best chef. God forbid I mess this up. More than once I called Mom to make sure I was following the recipe, fearful I was screwing something up. It didn’t take me super long to realize I may have picked something more difficult than I was capable of, and I eventually gave up calling and just kept her on the line until I was done. It took almost a full hour to get it done, but I still managed, culminating in a fairly decent-looking mushroom bolognese. I hoisted the kitchen table and brought it into the living room, setting down the tablecloth and various silverware, and setting a small candle in the dead center of the table before surveying it with pleasure. By no means was it a five-star restaurant, but it didn’t look bad. In fact, it looked pretty good. I felt my phone vibrate and I looked down to see a text from Rarity: On our way back. Twenty minutes to get back? I grinned. More than enough. I hastily got to work cleaning the dishes and setting them to dry before heading into her bedroom to find her bed, unsurprisingly, was messy and unmade. One more thing I could do. Once done, I grabbed my bag and changed out of my old faded t-shirt and jeans and into something more appropriate, pulling out a grey button-up and slacks and tossing the bag aside- Perhaps I threw it a little too hard, as it smacked into her dresser and knocked a pair of books off and onto the floor. I went over and hastily picked them up, brushing them off and setting them back in a neat pile atop the dresser before performing an extreme double-take and pulling one of the books right back off and staring at it intently. It was a journal of sorts, by the looks of it, bearing a sun-shaped mark on the center cover, its colors the exact same as Sunset’s hair. It was very old, if I was to guess by the texture and feel of the leather. Come to think of it, I’d never felt leather quite like this. It somehow felt different in my hands, like it was a texture I’d never come across before. I was willing to bet that wherever she’d gotten it, it had been a handcrafted item, perhaps as a gift of sorts. But… where on earth did she get it? I felt like I was intruding on something here, something very personal and private- Sunset’s past, the parts of which she’d never tell me. I could end it right here, right now. All the burning curiosity, all the enigmatic moments and confusion she’d ever shown. I could just open it up and look and I’d be able to know where she came from, what happened to her family… why she wouldn’t ever forgive herself. It was a desire so fierce that it was physically agonizing to put it back on the shelf. I wanted to know so badly, but something told me there would be trouble if I snuck a look into her own private journal. Besides, if I was going to find out, I’d rather she tell me herself. Should I ask her tonight? I shook my head at the very thought. Any mention of her past before she came to Canterlot High always made her depressed, I didn’t want to bring it up tonight of all nights. I made my way into the kitchen, intently listening for the sound of Rarity’s car pulling up into the parking lot below. Going by my clock, it’d be any minute now. I bit my lip, wondering if everything had worked out as well as I’d hoped. I’d hidden a series notes at three different places across the city, each containing a portion of a letter I’d written and directions to the next one. I’d been up all Saturday night mulling it over and writing it out, painstakingly working my way through it as I tried to make it perfect. To my beautiful girl, It’s been a crazy few months since we first met, hasn’t it? I won’t lie, I was pretty reluctant at first, since I was still fairly angry at you from when you’d pester me. It wasn’t your fault, really. I was just a sorehead. But then you went ahead and helped me out in Miss Cheerilee’s English class, not caring at all that I’d been pretty cruel to you. In fact, you were about the nicest, most cheerful person I’d met. Yes, that was the first day we met. Know why? Because it was the first day I saw you, you as who you truly are, not the façade you’d put up for so long. And, if I’m honest, it was the day you started to change me… I heard the sound of a car pulling up below, accompanied by a voice that was definitely Rarity’s. My heart skipped a beat as my mind raced to the second note, the one I’d given to the bartender at the Garage. …You crept up on me, really. You completely ignored my issues, all my fire and old sins, and instead you pushed for me to become something better- and treated me that way. It was like you saw something inside me that only you could see, and you wanted to bring it out and into the light. I’ll bet I was reluctant at first, but you didn’t really seem to care. You trusted me in a way no one had before, you believed I could be someone. And, the more we were together, the more I wanted to be… I heard footsteps outside the door and the sound of a key entering a lock. A bullet of sweat began to form above my right eye and my mind raced to the third letter that I’d put at the ice skating rink downtown, where Sunset and I spent all afternoon for our first month together. …You were such an unexpected surprise, a surprise of the best kind. Suddenly I was thinking of you all the time, of how beautiful you were, of how kind and thoughtful, and you made me realize what I needed to be. Who I needed to be, because you deserved so much more, a much better person than I was. You were so pristine and perfect, so willing to look out and see the best in others –the best in me- that everything I ever wanted to be changed. I wanted to be someone you deserved, because you were so full of warmth and kindness and a light I’d never seen anywhere else… Sunset came through the door, her cheeks red from the wind and her hair slightly tussled as she caught sight of dinner set and prepared on the table before her, her wide cyan eyes turning to me and my outstretched hand which contained the fourth and final section of my letter. Her hands trembling ever so slightly, she reached forward and took the sheet of paper from me, unfolding it and reading. Sunset, I could cross the world a thousand times over, I could see everything life has to offer, see ever sight and treasure to behold, and I know of only one certainty in this world: that I will never find, in this life or the next, a girl as beautiful as beautiful, as bright, and as life-changing as you. Every time you smile it brings me a new joy, every time I hear you laugh it makes my heart swell, and every time you look at me… it makes me want to be a champion, a better person than I was before. You’ve changed me so, and I know I never would’ve come this far without you. My bright streak of shining sunlight, you. Thank you. There weren’t any tears when she looked up at me, not a one. Just a smile brighter than any I’d seen before, and that burning, fiery light I’d so come to covet, that beautiful aura that she and she alone exuded. We ate dinner and talked and laughed, I listening as she told me of her trek across town looking for my notes. She wouldn’t stop gushing, barely able to let go of me as we sat together. She wouldn’t stop talking about me and how kind I was, how sweet and genuine, but I ignored it all. If she only knew how much I’d truly changed, how far I’d come from who I was to where I am. How much of that was because of her, and how desperate I was to keep going because she deserved nothing but the very best I could give her. After a while I pushed the kitchen table away and freed up the living room, pulling Sunset to her feet and asking her to dance. It was something we’d never done together before, despite my affinity for it and her eagerness to learn. I slowly but surely taught her simple steps from the dances Mom had taught me when I was young, long before I’d followed in my father’s footsteps. Sunset was patient and deliberate with each step, displaying wonderful footwork as I showed her each movement, eventually showing her every dance I knew, from the lively Hispanic styles I’d grown up knowing to slower, more elegant dances I’d learned from classes Mom had forced me to take when I began high school. All the while, Sunset’s hand never let go of me, her eyes hardly daring to leave mine, those lovely jewels shimmering so brightly as the sky darkened further and further until the only light we had was the light above the kitchen sink. I lost track of time after a while, content to be right in her gaze, her arms around mine, her head draped gently on my shoulder as we slowed and transitioned into a small, simple slow dance. She meant everything to me. From her slow, calming breathing to the soft touch of her hair on my cheek, it was as if she possessed a magic, a gift that to her alone God had graced. She was my sunshine, my angel of light… My love.