A Ray of Sunlight

The Hangout

The two walked out of the school and past the bus pick up zone. They were so deep in conversation that Twilight barely realized this.
     "Wait, don't we need to catch a bus?" Twilight asked.
     "Yeah, but my place is a bit far so I take the public bus most places, or I'll drive."
     "I see... Wait, you have your license already?"
     "Yeah, I got held back a year when I was younger so I'm already sixteen."  She admitted
     The bus picked them up shortly after that. They traveled into the city while they made small talk. They stopped in front of a huge immaculate building. Balconies jutted out on every floor, the marquee above the entrance read the name of an upscale hotel chain. They exited the bus.
     "You live here?" Twilight said with a confused look on her face.
     "Yeah..." Sunset hesitated. "I hope I'm not overwhelming you too much. Come on, I'll show you my room."
     Twilight hesitated a moment before following her friend. "Alright, lead the way."
     The pair rode the elevator nearly to the top floor, when it finally stopped they rounded a corner and went to the room at the end of the hall. Sunset gave Twilight a quick tour of the space, it was bigger than Twilight expected. It had a spacious living area with a large television and had a small but usable kitchen area with an electric oven stove combo. A microwave and toaster sat on the counter next to the sink. The bedroom held another tv with a DVD player hooked up to it, the bathroom was off to the side of the entrance. Twilight didn't understand how a whole family could live here.
     Sunset couldn't help but smile at the look on her friend's face. The way her brow pinched in the center of her forehead was too cute. "I live on my own." She offered.
     "What?" Twilight said, jolted back to the present by Sunset's voice.
     "You looked like you were trying to figure out how more than one person could live here, so I figured I'd help you out." She said with a wink.
      "Really? Did you... run away?" She asked, lowering her voice on the last two words.
     Sunset burst out in a fit of laughter, after a moment she composed herself and said. "No, nothing that dramatic. My home life wasn't too great, so I worked a deal out with my uncle, who owns this condo-hotel. I can stay here as long as four days a week I help with housekeeping in exchange for a room and a small, but steady income until I turn eighteen and can get an apartment."
     "Really? That's really impressive." Twilight thoughatt for a moment before asking. "Do you mind if I ask what happened?"
     "Not  all, first off I don't want you to get the wrong idea, I love my parents, and they did their best, but we didn't get along for the longest time. They had me when they were really young, I don't think they were ready to be parents. They started fighting a lot, and I'd pick fights with them too. I was left alone more as I got older while they would go to work or go out for a night off. My mom would always say she wished she had gone to college, and while she never said it outright, I think she partly blamed me for not being able to reach her goals. I felt so bad that eventually I talked them into letting me be an emancipated minor. That's when I came to live here."
     Twilight took all this in before responding. "I'm sorry, that sounds like it was really hard."
     Sunset waved her hand in dismissal. "It's fine. I mean it was rough for a while, but I'm in a much better place now, both personally and with my parents."
     Twilight looked at her friend with admiration.
     "Sunset Shimmer, you lead an interesting and unusual life, I'm glad I met you." They both had a good laugh at that.
     "So what would you like to do?" Sunset asked. "I've got some video games, a pretty extensive movie library, tons of music."
     "Umm, could I see your books?" Twilight asked sheepishly.
     "Sure, they're in my bedroom." She led Twilight into the room. Sunset lay on the bed facing her bookshelf  as Twilight started looking through the various titles, briefly reading the synopses on the backs.
     "If you see any that look interesting feel free to borrow a couple." Sunset told Twilight.
     "Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother." Twilight said.
     "It's no problem, really. I'd be happy to lend them to you." Sunset smiled.
     "Thanks Sunset." After a pause. "What Stephen King books would you recommend?"
     Sunset got off the bed and sat next to her friend in front of the book shelf. As she did, Twilight caught a sweet smell she hadn't noticed before. Sunset's perfume reminded Twilight of a summer afternoon, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. A vision of the two of them walking through a park holding hands rose into her mind's eye. She heard her name and snapped her eyes open to see Sunset's smiling face.
     "I lost you there for a second." She said with a chuckle.
     "Yeah, sorry." Twilight said, her cheeks hot. "I like your perfume."
     What was that about? Twilight thought.
     "Thanks. So as I was saying, 'The Shining' is a classic, it's a little intense, but well worth the read. I know vampires have been pretty popular so if that's what you're looking for 'Salem's Lot' is a great vampire story. My personal favorite is 'Needful Things' though."
     "I guess I'll borrow that one." Twilight said putting the other two back on the shelf. "Thanks again. I can't wait to read it."
     "No problem."  The two looked at each other smiling. "Would you like to watch a movie?" She asked.
     "Sure, lets see what you've got." Twilight said, standing up.
     Sunset's movie collection consisted of mostly horror, thriller and action movies. They decided on a crime thriller Twilight had heard of but never seen.
     "So what's this movie about?" Twilight asked
     "It's about an FBI agent who has to seek help from a cannibal serial killer to catch another serial killer. It's so good and so intense!" She said while inserting the disk.
     "Sounds interesting." Twilight said
     The two made microwave popcorn and started the movie. Twilight was on the edge of her seat the whole movie. Sunset smiled at the look of intensity on her friend's face and the squeaks she would make when something made her jump. As the credits rolled Twilight sank into the couch, eyes wide.
     Twilight looked at her friend. "That can't be how it ends!"
     Sunset laughed. "Right! What a cliffhanger."
     "Did they make another?" She asked pleading
     "Yeah, it was alright I guess, but the prequel was better." She informed her friend.
     "We have to watch them all!" Tiwilight said excitedly.
     "It's a date." Sunset said smiling.
     Twilight blushed a bit. "So you mentioned you were going to educate me in good music, wanna show me some?"
     "Absolutely!" Sunset grabbed her laptop and a pair of headphones. She played some of her favorite songs by a variety of artists spanning very different genres. She watched Twilight bob her head and close her eyes during certain songs.
     "These are really good." Twilight said after a song ended.
     "I'm glad you like them. I love music, it's like a form of magic to me." She said with a smile.
     "What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
     "Well... ok I'll tell you, but you can't laugh." She said with mock seriousness in her voice.
     Twilight smiled. "Promise."
     "Ok, I love the way music can create powerful emotional responses," she started. "and how some songs can seemingly tap into what you're feeling in that moment and give voice to that feeling. It blows my mind that it holds that kind of power."
     Sunset became more animated and passionate the more she talked. Twilight couldn't help but smile at the passion she had. The music was still playing in their headphones as Sunset was talking. The next song started and Twilight felt something inside herself seem to compel her into action. Her hand reached for Sunset's.
     "-and to give credence to the magic I mentioned. Have you ever had your music on shuffle and a song pops into your head. Then the next song that plays is the one you were thinking-" Sunset's voice cut off when she felt a hand on her own. She looked down at Twilight's hand covering hers, color rushing to her face, she looked into Twilight's eyes. The song in their ears seeming to read both their minds. The words resonating with them.
     Twilight found herself drawn closer to Sunset, her breath becoming shaky. Their fingers intertwined as Sunset began closing her eyes, the sweet smell of Twilight's breath entering her nostrils. Their lips were centimeters apart when Twilight's phone rang.
     Twilight's eyes grew wide as she scrambled to answer her phone. "Hello? Oh hey mom, yeah, we just finished a movie. Umm let me ask." She turned to Sunset, still trying to steady her voice. "Can I get a ride home?"
     Taken slightly aback Sunset responded. "Yeah... sure."
     "Thanks. She said yes, I should be home in about twenty minutes." She hung up the phone. "Sorry, my mom wants me home for dinner. Otherwise I'd stay longer."
     "No, that's fine. I've just got to let my uncle know I'm heading out." The two girls went to the lobby and found the manager's office. "Hey uncle Silver, i'm taking the car to take my friend home."
     "That's fine, just drive safely." He said, after a pause. "Well, aren't you going to introduce us?"
     "Sorry, Twilight this is my uncle Silver Dollar." She said, her mind back upstairs in the moment.
     Silver dollar was a slightly heavyset man with a jovial energy about him. He had tidy hair that was slicked back and had some grey around his temples. He was dressed in a charcoal business suit that had been tailored for him. He gave Twilight a good firm handshake.
     "Nice to meet you, sir." Twilight said
     "Please, no need for such formality. Silver will be fine."
     After some small talk the girls went to an older model SUV in the hotel's employee parking.
     "This is my baby." Sunset told Twilight. "My uncle found it for a good price when I moved in. It's a little old, but it's a good way to get around."
     They were on the road now, driving in an uncomfortable silence. Unable to take the quiet, Twilight spoke.
    "So, I had a really good time today." She said.
    "Really? You did?" Sunset responded.
    "Yeah! I'd love to come over again if you'll have me."
    With a smile Sunset said. "I'd like that."
     The girls continued chatting until they were out in front of Twilight's house. A comfortable looking two story house with a spacious backyard. "Well, this is me. Thanks again for a fun day Sunset."
     "No, thank you, Twilight." The pair looked into each other's eyes.
     Kiss her! Twilight's mind screamed at her.
     "Well I'd better get inside." Nooo!
     "Yeah, see you tomorrow?"
     "Definitely." She started to get out of the car.
     "I'll burn you a mix cd!" Sunset blurted out.
     "Huh?" Twilight looked back.
     "Umm, with music I think you'd like. If you want me to that is."
     "I'd love that." Twilight responded. She started toward the house. Sunset made sure she got inside before driving back to the hotel, smiling giddily the whole way.