A Ray of Sunlight

Falling Out

After a few days of carrying everything in her backpack Sunset found the pain to be no more tolerable. She did her best not to let on how uncomfortable she was and joked about it making her stronger. Saying that maybe she'd keep it up and try out for track next year.
"You totally should!" Rainbow encouraged. "We need more people to join up for next year."
"We'll see." She chuckled. "I've never really been much for sports, but it could be something fun to try."
"I'll train with you! We'll be the number one girls on the team!" She pressed.
"I think you should do it." Twilight hugged Sunset's arm. "You'd do really well. Besides it will look good on a college application."
"You just wanna look at my butt in track shorts." She nudged her bespectacled girlfriend playfully.
"I'm not denying that it will certainly be an added perk." She winked and squirmed away as Sunset tickled her side. "I'm serious though, I think you should at least try out."
"I'll think about it." She smiled.
The bell rang then, Sunset still dreaded going to her classes. The treatment she received from classmates hadn't slowed. It was really starting to weigh on her.
Twilight and Sunset made their way to their psychology class, sitting in their seats just before the announcements. The morning announcements were the usual fare. Overly cheerful announcer, bad puns, and updates on upcoming events like the school's production of 'The Music Man'.
The one thing that wasn't old-hat was the reminder about the screen in the dining hall. The school had installed a screen and projector during the break. It had similar information to the morning announcements cycling on a loop in a slideshow interlaced with candid shots taken by the photography club. Occasionally there would be video from sporting events. Rainbow had been featured several times in a highlight reel of last semester's sports footage accompanied by a popular song.
Berry Punch had remained sitting at their table and had even become a good acquaintance to both of them. The other students that had to sit with them generally were silent and only talked among themselves.
Quick Wit had taken to sitting at the table on the opposite side of the room. She could feel his scowl boring a hole in the back of her head, but she paid him no mind. The good thing was that he kept the same distance outside of class as well. However this didn't stop him from making cruel remarks during class. He never called her out by name, but Sunset knew the jabs were directed at her.
Once psychology ended, the pair went to the library for their free period as they usually did since the semester started. Sunset retrieved the collection of H.P. Lovecraft stories she had been working on while Twilight grabbed the next book in the Harry Potter series. They got comfortable on one of the couches provided in the library.
Sunset had her legs draped over one arm as she lounged against Twilight. Stretching out felt nice, it relieved the tension in her back and shoulders. Today was especially bad since her bag had been resting on a nerve she'd pinched the other day. Which did nothing to help her mood. As she got comfortable she felt the stress of everything building up start melting away.
"How's your book coming?" Twilight asked after finishing another chapter of her own book.
"Oh you know, unknowable horrors, madness inducing elder gods, the usual."
Twilight chuckled and closed her book. She ran her fingers through Sunset's hair.
Sunset sighed contently and closed her eyes. "How about yours?"
"It's so good! Harry and the gang just escaped the womping willow!" She smiled.
"How many times have you read that series?" Sunset asked with genuine curiosity.
"After this time it will be... five I think?"
Sunset shook her head. "I'll never understand how people can do that. After I've finished a book it's hard to reread it."
"Really? I love rereading books. It lets you pick up on things you missed before."
"But you already know what's going to happen, the suspense is gone."
"Not necessarily. When you reread you can find details that expand on the world. Then you can put the details you've discovered together and get a bigger, clearer picture of- why are you looking at me like that?"
Sunset held her look of suspicion. "Where's the cork board Sparkle?"
"Cork board?"
"Yeah, the one with your conspiracy theories connected by threads showing how your favorite books are all connected to each other."
"What? Conspiracy theories, that's just... I mean, definitely don't look behind my dresser."
Sunset laughed and kissed Twilight's nose. She returned her attention to her book. Twilight absent-mindedly traced shapes and swirls on her girlfriend's hand. It was then that she noticed that they were the only students in the library. She decided to try once more to talk to Sunset. She was nervous, because the last few times they had nearly gotten into an argument.
"So... can we talk about what's been bothering you lately?"
Sunset tensed up again. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said flatly.
"Sunset, come on I'm not stupid. I can tell something's going on. You think I can't tell when your fists clench when that boy makes a comment in class? Or how you've gotten mad at little things that never used to bother you before?"
"It's just the stress of school." Sunset's pulse quickened. "Plus in case you didn't notice I have an extra thirty pounds in my bag. Excuse me for being a little grouchy." She said, refusing to meet Twilight's eyes.
"You don't have to though! I told you that you can use my locker." She said, feeling frustrated.
"It's just easier this way."
"I know that's not true." Twilight grumbled.
"So I'm a liar now?" She said sharply.
"That's not what I'm saying Sunset. But I know there's more than what you're telling me. I just want to help if I can."
"So what if there is?" She sat up and faced Twilight. "I don't have to tell you everything. I can deal with my own problems, you don't have to babysit me. I've dealt with stuff on my own for a long time before I met you."
"You don't have to. Why won't you let me help you?"
The bell rang to end the class period. Sunset quickly grabbed her bag. It slammed painfully into her lower back. She started briskly walking out of the library.
"Sunset wait." Twilight called after her.
"I have to get something from my locker." She said without looking back.
Twilight slumped down onto the couch as her girlfriend left her behind.