Recovery

“You want to go hang out? With me?” Sunset asked incredulously. Octavia sighed and rolled her eyes. Sunset sat across from the other girl in the lunchroom, trying to ignore the angry glares she was receiving. To her left sat Bon, Raindrops and Cloudkicker. Across from her sat Lyra, Octavia and Trixie.

“Yes dear. Lyra and Bon Bon are my friends. I trust their opinions but you have to earn my trust,” Octavia answered. “Lyra, Trixie, Bon Bon, Cloudkicker and Raindrops are coming with us.”

“What about Vinyl?” Lyra asked. “Isn’t she coming?” Lyra and the others were crowded around the table, eating.

“Unfortunately not. She has a music project going on right now,” Octavia sipped her cranberry juice.

“Do we really have to sit in front of everyone?” Sunset asked as she looked around and shivered at the angry looks she received. “Everyone is looking at us and it’s making me uncomfortable. I can go back to the hallway with the trophies that no one ever goes down.”

“Absolutely not,” Trixie declared. “Trixie says you sit with her friends. Fuck the schools opinion.”

“Without such vulgar languge, I agree,” Octavia announced with an eyeroll. “Where did the confident Sunset go?”

“She died in that ditch,” Sunset hugged herself. “I should have too.”

“No you shouldn’t have,” Bon Bon insisted. “You’re cool and we like you around. Especially Trixie.” Bon Bon gave Trixie a grin and she turned faintly red. Trixie had noticed Sunset changing and speaking nicer to others. Not that she was paying special attention to what Sunset did of course.

“So uh what do you want to do Octavia?” Cloudkicker changed the topic hastily for Trixies sake.

“Not sure. I didn’t think she would agree so easily,” Octavia admitted sheepishly. She bit into her bagel and sighed happily.

“Rollerskating!” Lyra exclaimed as she took a massive bite of pizza. Bon Bon gave her a disgusted look.

“Can you not eat like a normal person Lyra?” Bon Bon scoffed.

“No,” Lyra grumbled around a mouthful of food. Octavia glared at her before looking away.

“That’s so gross. Please stop Lyra.”

“Fine,” Lyra sighed and made eye contact with Sunset. “We can go rollerskating. A new rink opened up downtown that me and Vinyl went to last week.”

“And you didn’t invite me?” Bon Bon asked with a hurt expression. Lyra groaned and rolled her eyes.

“You said you didn’t like going to loud places with your two equally loud friends remember?” Lyra pointed out.

“That’s not what I said or meant. I said you two are loud. I never said I didn’t like going out to places with the two of you,” Bon Bon shot back with a glare.

“Sure felt like it,” Lyra grumbled as she looked away.

“I’m down,” Sunset admitted hesitantly to prevent the two from arguing.

“Really?” Lyra asked excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to go with more than one person!”

“You would have if you asked me to go,” Bon Bon said quietly. Raindrops sighed and squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.

“Do you even know how to skate?” Cloudkicker asked with a mischievous grin.

“Uh no? Can’t be that hard though. Probably just like walking,” Sunset shrugged. Lyra and Cloudkicker gave each other the same mischievous grin.

“Hey Sunset,” Rainbow slid into the seat next to the girl. “How’s it hanging?”

“Pretty good. And you?” Sunset asked half heartedly.

“Good. Why ain’t ya sitting with us?” Rainbow smirked. “We’re your friends.”

“I can’t have more than one friend group?” Sunset scoffed. “That’s stupid, Rainbow.”

“Well you can but you’re never with us anymore it seems. Are you good?” Rainbow looked her up and down. “Are they forcing you to stay here? You can tell me and I’ll fight em,” Rainbow glared at the other girls at the table.

“They’re not. It’s okay Dash,” Sunset chided.

“Alright,” Rainbow relaxed and finally offered them a smile. “Sorry about that. Gotta look out for her.”

“We understand dear. Just don’t be so confrontational next time,” Octavia sighed.

“Do you need a ride tonight?” Lyra asked Sunset suddenly.

“Yeah. If you would be so kind,” Sunset smiled faintly. Rainbow looked between the two confused.

“Ride to where?” Rainbow asked.

“She’s going rollerskating with us tonight. Wanna come?” Bon Bon asked. “I’m nice enough to at least invite others to activities with friends.” Lyra sighed and glared at her in frustration.

“Yeah sure. Can the others come or just me?” Rainbow questioned. Bon Bon shrugged.

“Yeah sure. The more the merrier,” Bon Bon said happily ignoring Lyra’s growing anger. “I could always use more reliable friends.” Lyra finally had enough and slammed her hand on the table, standing up and storming off.

“What’s her deal?” Rainbow asked hesitantly.

“Who knows,” Bon Bon smirked. “See you guys around eight pm.” Bon Bon stood up herself and brushed her skirt off. Cloudkicker sighed and rolled her eyes.

“God help us all.”

Sunset sat on the bench as Bon Bon knelt down in front of her tying her skates. Bon Bon looked up and smiled at her.

“You nervous?” Bon Bon asked. Bon Bon had already tied her own skates expertly, making Sunset come to conclusion she had been rollerskating multiple times.

“A little,” Sunset admitted. “But it can’t be that difficult. What’s the worst that could happen.”

“Falling down and hurting yourself,” Bon Bon explained. “My first time I fell a few times. Took Lyra a few weeks to teach me.” The mint girl was sitting a few seats away, watching the two calmly.

“Damn,” Sunset sighed. “Oh well. Can’t get more hurt than I already am.”

“Still haven’t told the others or Rainbows group what happened?” Bon Bon asked sympathetically.

“No. I don’t want to bring attention to myself,” Sunset shook her head.

“You should tell them when you’re ready,” Bon Bon smiled. “When YOU’RE ready of course.” Lyra and the others walked over. Lyra ignoring Bon Bon.

“Having fun yet?” Pinkie spun around excitedly. “I’m having fun!”

“It’s pretty cool here,” Sunset admitted as she looked around at the bright lights and the dark carpet with multiple colored swirls.

“Uh oh. Here’s come Gilda,” Fluttershy whispered and hid behind Rainbow. Rainbow glared at the approaching girl.

“What do you want?” Rainbow snapped.

“Hey old buddy,” Gilda stopped and gave a cold grin. “Still hanging with the losers and a demon I see.” Sunset slumped onto the bench and Bon Bon placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as she glared at Gilda.

“Be nice. Or go away,” Bon Bon scoffed.

“Or what?” Gilda challenged. Sunset groaned and shakily stood up.

“Or I make your life miserable,” Sunset growled. “I still have all the dirt on you at my house. While I may not be willing to use it on anyone else here, I’m more than happy to make you an exception.” Bon Bon exchanged a nervous look with Raindrops. The Sunset in front of them was way too much like old Sunset from before the Fall Formal. “Make me mad and I will ruin you. More so than you’ve already done yourself.”

“Just wait until your group of gays and misfits aren’t around. Then we will see how tough you really are,” Gilda snapped as she stepped away once she realized she was outnumbered.

“Dude her calling us gays was so uncalled for,” Rainbow grumbled. “She shouldn’t be in other people’s business about what they do. She has anger issues.”

“Let’s just ignore her and try to have fun,” Bon Bon suggested and stood next to Sunset. “I’ll teach you Sunny.” Sunset hesitated before taking her hand with a smile.

“I’m kinda scared,” Sunset admitted as Bon Bon stepped forward onto the ground.

“It’s perfectly normal your first time,” Bon Bon reassured her.

“There’s a dirty joke in there somewhere,” Sunset smirked as Bon Bons face turned a bright shade of red. Bon Bon sighed and shook her head with a smile.

“You’re worse than Vinyl and Lyra.”