[EqG] Sunset New Year Request

>Somewhere, a bell rings.
>You snap out of your daze and give your head a shake as the din of students mumbling and clattering together begins to rise in the halls outside your room.
>Checking the time you see that, sure enough, the school day's ended.
>Without another thought, you gather your things and hurry out into the river of bodies moving towards the exit.
>It takes some shoving and squirming, but you eventually make it through the too small double doors, shoulder to shoulder with two other students down the steps before spilling out onto the lawn.
>Hopping over to the parking lot, you scramble through your pockets, find your keys and climb in.
>The worn touch of the wheel against your fingers is familiar, and you pull out of the parking lot with a smile on your lips.
>School's out.
>No work.
>Hours of daylight to burn...
"Today's going to be a good day."
>And yet, even as you say that, a strange sensation clenches in your gut.
>It's not clear why at first, but after you round the corner, your brain sees something that makes it lock up.
>Sunset Shimmer, the biggest, baddest bitch in the entirety of CHS history, stands on the side of the street.
>Almost as soon as you spot her, she grins at you, a toothy, predatory smile.
>Well aware that she has your attention, the redhead puts a hand on her hip and cocks the thumb of her other hand up and out, jerking it twice down the road.
>A ride.
>She wants a ride.
>From you.
>Even as panic threatens to overtake your senses and jam the accelerator down to the floor, the rational part of your mind whirrs to life.
>If you do anything stupid right now, Sunset's not liable to forget it.
>If you leave her hanging, she might just leave you out to dry tomorrow.
>While you don't think she has any dirt on you, that hasn't stopped her from ruining the lives of other students in the past.
>But while you wrestle with what to do, you are startled out of your reverie by a sharp tapping sound.

>Sunset leans down, trotting alongside your slow rolling car and grins.
>"So are you going to stop or what?"
>You gulp, reason finally winning out as your fear resigns itself to it's place in your belly.
>The brakes of your car squeak a little in protest as you rock to a stop.
>Without as much as asking, Sunset pops open your door and drops herself into the passenger seat.
>Giving a hearty sigh, she puts her boots up on the dash and grins over at you.
>"Good on you for stopping, for a minute I thought you were going to ignore me."
"Y-yeah."
>You manage a small laugh and try not to maintain eye contact for too long.
"Well, that'd just be rude."
>Sunset grunts and nods her head, reclining in the seat as she closes her eyes.
>After a few anxious seconds, you clear your throat.
"So, uh, where to?"
>"A drive thru would be nice."
>Your stomach grumbles in agreement at the prospect of food.
>The redhead smirks and cracks open an eye.
>"Right? Chop-chop then."
>Gulping, you nod and pull away from the sidewalk.
>Even though she's just sitting there, with the inside of her feet tapping against one another, you can't help but feel a little anxious at her presence.
>The wheel is slick under your sweaty palms, but you manage to keep a good enough grip so the car doesn't go careening off the road.
>As you roll over a pothole however, Sunset cracks open her eye again.
>The weight of the world seems to fall on your shoulders as she looks you over, leaving your movements stiff and slow.
>Finally, you gather your nerve and glance over at her.
"What?"
>"Nothing," she sighs, crossing her arms under her chest and grinning. "Just thinking that you look a little uptight."
"Well I don't usually pick girls up from the side of the road."
>"Really? That seems like the only way you'd get any."
>You bite your tongue, the attempt at a subtle motion failing miserably as Sunset laughs at you.
>"Whatever Jeeves, I'm not interested in how you're getting laid."
>Well that's a relief.

>N-not that you'd...
>Ugh.
>With the situation more or less resolved in her favor, Sunset smirks and turns her attention to the scenery as it rolls by.
>Another few intersections has you rolling up on a drive thru in short order.
>The speaker crackles to life and a tinny voice escapes.
>"Nn, can I help you?"
>Before you say anything, Sunset leans over top of you.
>A hand goes down on your thigh to stabilize her weight, as she gives a frustrated huff and begins to rattle off her order.
>You would be paying attention, if it weren't for the fact that she's touching you.
>There are some distinct callouses on her hand, mostly at the pads and the fingers, but her palm is soft and smooth, so much so that it could very easily slide off and send the bossy bully's face right into your crotch.
>You feel a dull twitch below your waist at that thought, and immediately try to focus on something less exciting.
>The good news is that the tinny voice chooses that very moment to speak up and break the spell.
>"Pardon?"
>Heaving a sigh of relief, you do your best to shoot daggers at Sunset, only to find that she's no longer leaning across you.
>No, the irate girl has instead unbuttoned her seatbelt and is now crawling across the center console.
>"I, SAID!" she begins, her now eye-level chest heaving in frustration.
>The voices fade into the background again as you feel Sunset's knees bump against your own legs, her chest heaving as she all but shouts at the poor employee, making her chest shift and move in ways that were easier to appreciate without the heavy leather jacket blocking everything from view.
>You even get to see a bit of her navel peek into view as Sunset takes an unusually deep breath and causes her shirt to rise up in the process.
>Now all but sitting in your lap, the redhead finally sighs and pats you twice on the cheek, drawing you out of your daze.
>"Hey, give me ten bucks."
>...Huh?
"Huh?"

>"Ten bucks!" the bully says again, narrowing her eyes. "That's how much it costs and I don't have any money on me. So I'm telling you to buy it for me."
>She rocks back onto her quads, glaring at you as you shuffle through your pockets for your wallet.
>Through some twist of fate, you manage to pull three-fives out, enough to get Sunset hers and maybe something from the dollar menu for yours-
>A pair of slender fingers reaches out and swipes one of the notes from your hand.
>You yelp, but are quickly met with a smirk from Sunset.
>"I need this too for later. You don't mind, right?"
>Yes, you do mind!
>But the rather smug expression on her face quickly makes to reconsider.
>You, don't really need to eat anyway, right?
>With a sheepish grin, you nod your head.
"Yeah, sure, that's fine."
>Sunset settles back into her seat as you drive around to the other side and pay the cashier.
>With a slight twinge of terror, you recognize her from school.
>She raises an eyebrow, glancing between the two of you as she chomps away on her gum before Sunset sneers.
>"Don't try any funny business with my food, Lyra. I'm still sitting on 'you know what'."
>The green eyed girl pauses for a moment, then nods her head, moving you along to the next window.
>Her grin returning, Sunset settles back into her seat and waits for her food.
>It doesn't take long for the paper sack to rustle in through the window, and it barely makes it over the console before she's torn it open and begun digging through it.
>The drink rattles in the holster between you as you head away from the drive thru.
>There's a brief period of relative silence, in between the quiet sounds of the redhead eating, before Sunset clears her throat.
>"Take me to West End and Taylorsville."
"But that's like ten minutes away."
>"I know," she rolls her eyes, dabbing at her face with a napkin. "Which is why I'm having you drive me instead of walking."
>Unwilling to press the issue further, you do as she asks.

>When you pull up to the specified corner, the food is gone save for a few shoestring french fries and the backwash and ice in the cup.
>"Wait here and leave the car idling," the redhead demands, before slamming the door shut behind her.
>The sound makes your teeth rattle, and you feel the urge to berate her like a father to his belligerent daughter.
>Still, you say nothing and shift into park, watching as Sunset walks up to a nearby apartment complex.
>She goes back and forth with the doorman for a moment before handing him the bill she took earlier.
>He gives her a suspicious look, but stuffs it into his pocket anyway and opens the door for her.
>It's almost five minutes before she strolls back out, waving to the doorman and hopping inside the car.
>"Okay, go."
"Wh-"
>"The school."
>With a sigh, you pull back out into traffic and head back towards CHS.
>So much for a free afternoon.
>After several minutes of silence, you glance over at Sunset.
"What was that all about?"
>The redhead smirks and raises an eyebrow.
>"Oh, so now you want to talk?"
"Just making sure I'm not getting caught up in something dangerous."
>"Hmm, but if I tell you, you'll be a willing accessory."
"..."
>You gulp and try to focus on the road.
>Even still, you hear the click of the passenger belt unbuckling and feel Sunset's breath against your neck.
>"You're not much of a talker, huh?"
>Holding your lips together, you keep your attention ahead, even as her fingers press themselves against your shoulder.
>"Is it because you're afraid of me? I mean, I know you have good reason to be, but is that why? You think once you start talking, all your dirty little secrets are going to be revealed to me?"
"That's stupid."
>Snorting, you set your lips into a frown.
"You can't tell secrets just from talking."
>"I have a lot of practice," Sunset sighs, turning and pressing her back against your arm. "But you do tend to keep to yourself, so I don't have too much to hold over you."

>The fear in your belly finally begins to untangle itself as the car rumbles along the ground.
>So you really didn't have anything to worry about.
>That's a relief.
>Sunset takes that moment to press herself more firmly against your arm.
>Glancing out of the corner of your eye, you can see that she's tilted her head back and is looking up at you, a subtle smirk still dancing across her lips.
>"Unfortunate. I'm sure you're quite the interesting character."
>You cough violently, causing the redhead to laugh and bounce back into her seat.
>Leaning her seat back, Sunset again puts up her feet and sighs.
>"Of course, that's also why I chose you to help me with this little venture today."
"H-how do you mean?"
>A chill rolls down your spine as Sunset lifts her hand and makes a lazy looping motion with her wrist.
>"You're a weird one, so you don't attract much attention, but you've got a car. It's not much better than a beater, but it gets you around. So you're forgettable, with transportation."
>There's a lengthy pause as she rolls over onto her side and grins.
>"Just the kind of person I need to wait for me when I'm doing pick ups."
>Reaching into her pocket, Sunset pulls out a small wad of cash and waves it in your direction.
>"Can't have the kids who are paying me to keep their secrets quiet change their mind and chase me down before I'm halfway home."
>You nearly choke on your own spit.
>Sunset laughs and holds the cup up in your direction.
>Even if it's backwash, the ice has begun to melt by this point, making it palatable, if a little watered down.
>Finally able to breath again, you squeak out,
"You're racketeering?"
>"Mm, I guess," Sunset shrugs. "Pays bills."
"But, but that's-"
>"Terrible?"
"At the very least!"
>"Eh."
>Sinking back into her seat, Sunset pockets the money and sighs.
>"It's a service. The information is already out there, I just keep it quiet."
"You can't just get rid of it?"

>"And lose out on some dedicated clientele? Forget it," Sunset laughs again and stretches her arms over her head. "They keep me in a comfortable lifestyle, and that's good enough for me."
>Your heart sinks a little as you continue driving.
>Somehow, you'd been singled out as the awkward loser who nobody would expect to be an accomplice.
>What a terrible fate.
>After a short while, Sunset sighs and glances over at you again.
>"It's not that I wouldn't in some cases; Information just doesn't work like that," she mutters. "Once something's out of the box, it can't be put back in, okay? I'd like to bury a lot of what I know, but someone would dig it back up. Better to take responsibility for it and keep things running smoothly."
>On some level, that makes sense.
>But on another...
"And what happens if they step out of line?"
>Sunset rolls her head from one shoulder to the other.
>"Unfortunately, information isn't just useful for keeping me in a happy life, but it keeps others in line too. Can't have too many students asking the wrong questions. Might threaten the hierarchy of the school and throw everything into chaos. I can't let that happen."
>Even to your untrained ear, you can almost swear you hear her mutter 'yet', under her breath.
>When you glance over though, she's already turned back towards the window.
>Another block and you arrive back at the school.
>Sunset climbs out of the car and leans in the passenger window.
>"I don't really care what you think of me," she finally says after a moment of staring, "but I'm grateful for your help this afternoon, even if you just sat on your ass."
>You grunt, gripping the wheel and waiting to pull away when she steps back.
>Instead, Sunset leans in and pulls up your hand break.
>You turn to face her and she pulls herself further into your car and takes your hand.
>You break out into a cold sweat before you feel her press something into your palm.
>As Sunset pulls away, you glance down at the offending object.

>A fifty dollar bill.
>Jerking your head up, you see that Sunset is already halfway up the stairs to the school.
>Turning on the ball of her foot, Sunset laughs.
>"Not a bad investment, right? Let me know if you're up for another go!"
>Tapping a finger against her forehead, Sunset ducks into the building and vanishes out of sight.
>You stare at the money for a moment longer before sliding it into your pocket and pulling away from the school.
>Your car groans for a few seconds before you remember to fix the handbreak.
>
>
>
>A week later, you see Sunset standing on the sidewalk near the school.
>Almost immediately, she spots you and smiles.
>Her thumb goes out and she jerks it twice down the road.
>Without a second thought, you pull over beside her.
>Leaning down, the redhead smiles at you and raises an eyebrow.
>"Jeeves, you think you could take me across town? I've got some business to take care of."
>A small smile crosses your face.
"I suppose so, Ms. Daisy."
>Sunset shakes her head and climbs into the passenger side.
>As you head down the street, she turns and gives you a serious frown.
>"Just one thing; from now on you leave the nicknames to me, got it?"
>You know better than to fight her on this one.
>As you settle into your seat, Sunset points down the street towards.
>"Lunch first!" Sunset declares, then fixes you with a smile. "Your treat, right?"
>Of course it is.
>Anything to keep you on the Queen B's good side.
>And the fact that it keeps your wallet healthy is a welcome bonus.