“A rock concert?” Twilight asked. “I don't know...Loud music isn't really my thing,” She adjusted her glasses shyly.
“Oh come on, Twilight!” Rainbow told her. “Live a little! It won't hurt to at least try to have fun! It’s Flash’s band! What would you have done tonight, anyway?” Rainbow asked her.
Twilight blinked. “Well, I have advanced calculus homework to do, plus I wanted to run some tests on the magnetic molecular magical field around the school—”
“All nerd stuff!” Rainbow cut her off.
“Well, seeing how I'm a nerd with absolutely no social life outside of you and the girls, yes I am most definitely a nerd.” Twilight huffed.
“You have to come!” Pinkie chimed in. “We need a ride and Rarity said she wouldn't be caught dead at a rock show, plus Applejack has chores. You're the only other one who can drive!”
“I am?” Twilight asked.
“You are.” The girls answered her back.
Considering that the only concert Twilight had ever been to was a philharmonic performance she had seen in Manehattan with her parents over the summer, she had no idea what to expect. But her friends needed her, and she didn't want them to miss out because she was too afraid to leave the house for once. She could just do everything tomorrow. After all, this could be her only chance to see what a Friday night with just Pinkie and Rainbow could be like.
She sighed. “Okay. After school, just meet me at my house. I need to ask my brother for the car.”
“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” Pinkie squealed, pulling Twilight into a lung crushing hug.
Rainbow grinned at her. “You won't regret it!” She nudged the purple girl after Pinkie had put her down. “Plus I know a certain fiery haired guitarist is gonna be there.”
Twilight blushed. “S-She is?” She stammered. Outside of the group interactions she had with the girls, she never really had time to talk to just Sunset. But she was just as content with watching her from afar. Sunset was everything she wanted to be: Calm, cool, collected, and outgoing as can be.
She at first thought her feelings towards Sunset was just pure admiration, but soon came to learn that they were more than that. And Pinkie and Rainbow, being the teasing friends they are, had picked up on it immediately.
Rainbow nodded. “Yup. So this is the perfect time for you to make your move!”
“Perfect time!” Pinkie agreed, nodding too.
Twilight stood a bit taller. She knew what she had to do.
All the confidence Twilight had acquired in the school hallway deflated as soon as she got home. Saying she would ask for the car was one thing, but actually doing it was another.
Shining Armour, though she loved him dearly, was an overbearingly protective brother who needed to ask a whole round of questions before letting her even leave the yard.
It's not his fault, she doesn't blame him. Their parents put him in charge of her while they were away. Which was a lot. Her mother and father were both researchers and professors, which called for them to be out of town for extended periods of time.
This meant that at the moment, Shining and Cadence were her legal guardians and anything that they said went.
Cadence, she could probably convince no problem, but Shining was a different story.
Doing the math in her head, she calculated the probability of who could be home when she walked into the living room. Shining was an officer, so that meant he could be working late tonight. But since Cadence was just a dean, her being home before him was more likely.
Twilight breathed in relief when she saw her sister in law sitting on the couch putting her niece Flurry Heart to sleep. Perfect. The more sympathetic of two was present which meant her chance of going out tonight was higher.
“Hey Cady,” She greeted, using her childhood name for her former babysitter. That always struck a soft spot with her.
“Cady, huh?” Cadence responded with a smirk, looking up from the sleeping infant. “What is it now? You need a new generator for you lab? A second puppy? Or do you just want to hold your niece?”
Twilight laughed nervously. She had been caught. Maybe she should hold back on the begging for a while. She was becoming predictable. “Um, all of those things would be nice...but I wanted to ask if I could borrow the car.”
“The car?” Cadence repeated, her eyebrows raising. She looked at the clock and then back to Twilight. “I think the hardware store is close by now,” She answered.
“No, no,” Twilight responded, shaking her head. “I wanted to go out with some friends tonight. Pinkie and Rainbow. We're going to a concert.”
“A concert?” Cadence repeated again, sounding astounded.
“Can you please stop repeating every last word I say?” Twilight replied.
Cadence laughed. “Sorry, I just, I thought I'd never see the day where you, Twily would want to go somewhere like that,”
“There's a first time for everything,” Twilight said, twirling her hair. “It's just for a few hours. I promise I'll bring it back.”
Cadence sighed. “Alright. I'll tell your brother you're out studying. Have fun.”
Twilight threw her arms around her sister in law. “Thanks, Cadence!”
A few hours later, Twilight was standing in front of the full length mirror in her room analyzing the outfit she had put together. The only pair of jeans she owned, and a t-shirt of some obscure rock band her dad liked that he had gotten her for Christmas last year. Around her waist was an old red and black flannel shirt that got handed down to her from Shining that she didn't remember until now. She had also spent the past twenty minutes trying on different hairstyles that would reflect her outfit. She settled on just letting her hair out.
She wanted to look presentable. She wanted to fit in. And Twilight felt she could accomplish this by dressing like everyone else she assumed was going to be there. She was nervous, crowds were never really her thing, but the thought of actually standing next to Sunset as music blared around them didn't seem as bad as she thought before.
There was a knock at the door, and Twilight slipped on her sneakers, assuming that it was Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. She made it down the stairs just in time to see Cadence open the door for them.
“Whoa, the egg head went all out!” Rainbow said, wrapping an arm around Twilight as they walked to the car.
“Yes, well, I figured I couldn't erm, ‘rock out’ if I was still in my school uniform,” Twilight responded looking at what the other girl had on.
Rainbow had on almost the same exact outfit she did, except she was obviously a fan of the band they were going to see. Her arms were covered in rubber bracelets with the band's name on it.
Pinkie hadn't changed much except for the jeans she wore. She smiled at Twilight. “You're going to have so much fun I promise! It's at Vinyl’s place!”
“Where is her place anyway?” Twilight asked, pulling out the driveway. She hoped it wasn't too far, it's one thing for her to be out for once, but to be out too late would be pushing her luck.
“It's down by the Whitetail Woods. It's an hour ride from here but it shouldn't be too bad.” Rainbow told her, plugging up her phone. She scrolled through her playlist until she found the song that she thought was appropriate for the beginning of their trip.
Twilight didn't recognize it at all. She was more of a classical music and audiobook kind of person. She did however recognize the lead singer when he began to sing. She remembered that Shining used to play this band when they would cook dinner almost every night when she was in middle school.
“Green Neigh? They still make music?” She pondered.
Rainbow gave her an incredulous look. “Of course they do! Why wouldn't they, they're like, the most awesome band ever!” She turned up the volume and began nodding her head back and forth, Pinkie joining in from the backseat.
It was like that for a while, them listening to whatever was next on Rainbows phone and laughing and talking between songs. Twilight had never felt so alive in her life. That is, until she saw the red and blue flashing lights of a police car in the rearview mirror.
She really, really hoped that wasn't who she thought it was.
“It's your brother!” Rainbow shouted.
She paled. He doesn't know she had the car. He doesn't know that she's out this late. He doesn't know that they're going to a concert where light pushing and boys might be involved. He doesn't know that she's not home.
Before logic could set in, Twilight pressed her foot on the gas, driving way faster than she was supposed to. Now, she wasn't one for breaking the law, but she couldn't get grounded. Not yet. She still had to see Sunset and conquer her first teenage experience.
Rainbow cheered her on. “Whoa! Yeah Twilight!”
She had no idea where she was going, but she knew that she had to lose her brother.
“Take a right up here, and her house is on the left!” Pinkie told her from the back seat.
Twilight made a sharp right, causing the other girls to voice their discomfort. She apologized, but breathed a sigh of relief when she looked behind them and saw that her brother was no longer tailing them.
Her heart raced as they pulled up to the house. The only rebellious and dangerous thing Twilight had ever done before then was take the long way home from school one day. That was nothing compared to this. This was scary, stupid, and, well, exhilarating.
Twilight’s hands shook even after she had told herself that she had needed to calm down. She just couldn't believe she had done that! Wait till Sunset heard about this!
Making their way inside wasn't difficult, but it was uncomfortable. Twilight was no expert on fire codes, but she was sure that this many people shouldn't be in one place at one time. Heck, she didn't even know that this many people went to Canterlot High at all.
She spent most of the next two hours following Pinkie and Rainbow Dash around before she had lost interest in the beer pong game that they had started. Having lost said interest, she began to wander.
Twilight’s heart fluttered when she saw Sunset talking to someone a few feet in front of her. It pounded in her chest as the older girl looked up at her and smiled in shock.
“Wow, look at you! Let me guess, Pinkie and Dash dragged you here?” She asked with a smirk.
Twilight blushed. “Um, yeah. But I wanted to have some fun and to um, see you...”
“See me?” Sunset repeated.
“Duh...I mean, how did you get here, you obviously didn't need a ride!” Twilight blurted, glad that the dim lights couldn't show the deepening blush on her face.
Sunset scratched her head. “I rode my bike here.”
“You know, hundreds of people die a year from motorcycle accidents.” Twilight babbled, covering her mouth once she realized what she had said. Why did she say that?
“Uh...yeah...Kinda comes with the danger...” Sunset responded unsurely. “Twilight, are you alright?”
“Never better!” Twilight exclaimed, her face turning beet red. In her mind she was screaming for the conversation to be over. She had to stop talking! She had to stop talking!
“Do you...wanna get out of here?” Sunset asked. “You don’t seem very comfortable.” There was a worried expression on her features that was a direct result of the panicked one on Twilight’s.
Inside Twilight’s mind she was screaming, but against her better judgment, she nodded her head. Maybe it was just the music pounding all around her but her mind wasn’t clear. The moment Sunset took her hand she wanted nothing more than for the fiery haired guitarist to lead the way.
They found themselves outside, the cool night air a welcomed feeling on Twilight’s sweat drenched face. She hadn’t realized how packed it was in there until she and Sunset had made their way out of the mass of bodies.
“Where do you want to go?” Sunset asked her, leading her to her bike.
Twilight didn’t even realize Sunset had asked her a question until she found the older girl staring at her expectantly. “Uh...” she wanted to say that she wanted to go wherever Sunset wanted to take her as long as they were together, but Twilight knew that was ultimately death. “Do you know somewhere quiet? You know, where we can be by ourselves, and no one else?”
The suggestion seemed out of the ordinary for Twilight to say, but it probably seemed normal to Sunset since she knew Twilight wasn’t a party person.
Sunset nodded, and handed Twilight the only helmet she had. “Hop on, Sparkle.”
Twilight sputtered. “B-But what about you? I can’t take your helmet! What will you wear? Hundreds of peop—”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, hundreds of people die a year from motorcycle accidents. I promise we won't end up like them,” Sunset told her getting on. “Now shut your yap, and live a little!” she kicked the stand off and revved the engine.
Twilight was startled by the sudden sound, but got the idea and got on, wrapping her arms around Sunset’s mid-section.
Sunset took off down the dirt road, the air whizzing past them. The world blurred around them, and trees were indistinguishable from the darkness.
Twilight couldn’t see that far ahead, but didn’t really seem to care because of the feeling of Sunset’s leather jacket, her soft breathing, and the smell of her hair. Strawberry lemonade filled her nostrils and calmed her down.
She closed her eyes and took in the feeling of flight and freedom she was having. She didn’t open them again until the bike had stopped.
Ahead of them was a clearing, one overlooking Canterlot. The lights of the town were bright against the darkness of the woods. The view was breathtaking, and all Twilight could do was stare at Sunset. Her golden locks, flowing in the late night breeze.
Twilight’s heart fluttered. She looked beautiful in the pale moonlight. She wanted to tell Sunset her feelings so bad, but she was afraid of what might happen.
What if Sunset rejected her? It wouldn’t change their friendship, she was sure it wouldn’t, but what if it did? What would she do then? She couldn’t lose Sunset. She loved the other girls too, but Sunset was the only one who understood her. She understood her struggles with magic and finding her place in the world.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Sunset asked, turning to her.
“You are,” Twilight responded without thinking, then blushed when she realized what she said. “I-I mean, yes! Yes it is!”
Sunset frowned. “It seems like you’ve got something on your mind...” she approached Twilight, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You know you can tell me anything...”
Twilight considered her options. She could tell Sunset what was on her mind, or she could forever hold in the feelings inside her that were boiling over like a pot on a stove.
“I....I....There’s something...” Twilight started. She didn’t think she could do this. There were so many variables, so many things that could go wrong. One wrong move and their friendship was over. But no moves, and she would never know what could have been. This was the most stressful game of chess she’s ever played in her life.
She breathed in through her mouth and breathed out of her nose and sighed. “I really like you, Sunset. A lot. You’re amazing, and gorgeous, and one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. You’ve shown me that friendship is worth coming out of my shell for...and I’m so thankful to you.”
Twilight closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable rejection.
When it didn’t come, she opened them in confusion to see Sunset staring at her, surprised and blushing. No words escaped her mouth.
“Twilight...I...”
Twilight’s eyes welled with tears. “I know, I know, you don’t like me back. I knew I shouldn’t have done this! I’m so—”
Sunset’s lips cut her off, silencing her rambling. The kiss only lasted for a second or two, but to Twilight it lasted a lifetime.
When it ended, Sunset smiled at her.
“You know, it took you long enough,” She teased.
“B-But I-How?!”
“You may be a genius Twilight, but you’re pretty dumb when it comes to hiding your feelings from your friends,” Sunset’s smile grew wider. “And for the record, I like you too.”
Twilight couldn’t contain her excitement. “Of all the variables my mind could come up with, this was one I wasn’t expecting! My math is always precise, so much that I never have to show my work and, and you want me to shut up so you can kiss me again don’t you?”
Sunset’s cocky smirk and small nod was all the affirmation she needed.
The aforementioned girl pulled Twilight on top of her and kissed her again. Their lips never parted for a while, the only sound surrounding them was the far off sounds of civilization and the smack of their lips.
Twilight’s phone buzzed and she was aware enough to pull it out and look at the text on her screen. She rolled off of Sunset and scrambled to her feet. “My brother is on his way home, he doesn’t know I took the car, we have to go!”
Sunset was behind her, pulling her keys out of her jacket pocket. With a quick reve of her engine, they took off, back down the dirt road that lead them to their quiet sanctuary.
By the time they had made it back to the house party, it was mostly over, with kids just milling about outside, talking and laughing.
There, on Vinyl’s front lawn, she saw the car, and scrambled to get to it, thanking the heavens that Pinkie and Rainbow had been leaning against it.
Dash stood up when she saw her, and started to ask, “Where have you been?”
Before Twilight cut her off with a, “No time! Brother! Car! Home! Now!” she quickly turned to Sunset sheepishly. “Call me?”
Sunset grinned wolfishly. “Yeah.”
Twilight had made it home with minutes to spare, after doing eighty when she really shouldn’t have. But all of that was worth it when she was able to be up in her room by the time her brother came through the door.
There was a knock on her door, and she got in bed, pretending she had been in it the entire time.
Shining sat down on her bed and smiled at her. “So, how was studying?”
Twilight smiled back at him. “It was great! I even learned some new things!”
“Oh yeah? Was one of them driving over the speed limit?” Shining asked, frowning.
“Oh fu—”
Author's Note
Roll credits! Now I'm no Steven Universe fan, but the mystery girl episode was cool. I loved it and I started writing this about a year ago and found it about 4 days ago. So I finished it. Yay. The song thats the title is Fifteen Minutes by Mike Krol Also please please! If you can! donate to my paypal and support me on patreon!
