CJ's POV

The rest of the day went by like a blur.
Class after class, note after note, the never-ending chatter of students filling the halls. Luckily, I brought headphones to tune out the noise and escape into my own little world. I made sure to sit at the far back of each class, far enough not to draw any attention. It was like I wasn’t even there. And frankly, I preferred it that way.

By the end of the day, as everyone filed out, I caught sight of Sunset Shimmer by the door. She was waiting for someone, I guess. Her gaze landed on me for a brief moment, but I immediately looked away. I couldn’t help it; my heart skipped, and I hurried to leave before things got awkward. I didn’t need any more attention today. I quickly made my way to the bus stop, ready to head home.

Hm, Home...

When I reached the front porch of our house, I was met with the comforting aroma of lunch, drifting from the kitchen. "I wonder what Margot's making," I thought absentmindedly as I walked up the steps.

The moment I stepped inside, I heard the familiar bark of Cookie, my little golden doodle. She practically launched herself at me, tail wagging like crazy. "I missed you too, Cookie," I said, chuckling as I bent down to give her a tummy rub. She squirmed happily under my hands, her excitement infectious.

"Well, well, look who's back," Margot’s voice rang out from the kitchen, followed by her head popping around the corner with a grin. "So, how's our little scholar doing?" she asked, nudging me with her elbow in that teasing way of hers.

"Ugh, Margot? Can't it wait until I've hit the showers?" I groaned, gesturing toward the stairs.

Margot chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don’t take too long. Lunch will get cold."

"Fine," I mumbled, half-smiling as I made my way upstairs.

Once in my room, I flung my backpack on the bed and took a moment to look around. My room had this dark turquoise colour that felt... calm, but also a little too empty at times. There was a shoe rack in one corner, a mini bookshelf full of all sorts of books I never seemed to get around to reading, and a vanity where I sometimes checked my reflection.

I walked over to the vanity and stared at my reflection. "I look so... exhausted," I muttered aloud. Not physically, but mentally. The weight of the day pressed on me, the awkwardness, the loneliness, the unfamiliarity of everything.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, trying to shake off the tension. It didn’t help that I was still thinking about everything that had happened at school, but I wasn’t ready to face it yet. So, I decided to just... breathe.

The shower helped. I always felt better afterward. When I stepped out, I felt like I could think again.

I slipped into something more comfortable – a white tank top with a musical note design in Sapphire blue hues, embroidered on the front. The delicate blue stitching around the note gave it a soft glow in the light, adding a subtle touch of personality. Paired with navy blue tennis shorts, it was a simple outfit, but it made me feel more like myself. I tied my hair back into a ponytail, the loose strands framing my face, and headed downstairs for lunch. Dressed down and more relaxed, I felt a little more human now that I wasn’t in my school clothes.

"Hey, there you are," Margot greeted me when I walked into the kitchen. "Your meal’s getting cold." She gestured toward the plate of spaghetti and tomato sauce topped with tofu that was sitting on the table.

I couldn’t help but lick my lips. "Looks delicious. Thanks for the meal, sis," I said with a grateful smile.

Margot beamed. "Anything for my little sis."

I sat down at the table, fork in hand, and began eating. As I dug into the meal, Margot filled me in on her day at work, but my attention kept drifting. Cookie, ever the opportunist, was sneaking tofu off the table when Margot wasn’t looking.

"Anyways, enough about me," Margot continued, her tone shifting slightly. "How was school today?"

I froze for a moment, the question catching me off guard. My mind instantly flashed back to everything — the tour, the portal, getting knocked out, and that weird feeling about everything... It was all too much.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "It was all right, I guess," I muttered, not wanting to dive into a long explanation.

Margot raised an eyebrow. "Just all right? You guess?"

I felt a pang of irritation. Why did she always have to push? But I didn’t want to deal with that right now, so I quickly thought of a way to change the subject.

"By the way, about that letter..." I trailed off, hoping she would pick up on it.

She did. "Oh, right. Yeah, there’s definitely no way I was gonna tell you that in person, knowing you." She smirked knowingly. "And you're definitely going."

I rolled my eyes and muttered, "Whatever."

Margot paused for a moment, looking at me with a little more seriousness. "Since your day was 'alright,' how’d you like your new school?" she asked, her voice full of expectation.

I didn’t immediately answer. My thoughts were all over the place, and I found myself absentmindedly poking at my food. Finally, I asked a question I’d been meaning to ask for a while.

"Margot, why can’t I still be homeschooled?" I asked quietly, not meeting her gaze.

Her expression softened. She set her fork down and looked at me with that concerned older-sister look I was so familiar with. "CJ... I already explained this to you," she said gently.

"But why? I liked being homeschooled," I whispered, avoiding her gaze again as I focused on my plate.

"We’ve been living in this house for three years now, CJ," she replied, her tone firm but not unkind. "You’ve been homeschooled your whole life. You need a change of pace, one that’s going to help you in the future. What you’re doing now isn’t enough."

I finally looked up at her, her eyes full of that unspoken wisdom only an older sister could have. But it didn’t make me feel any better.

I frowned, my thoughts swirling with frustration, until I felt her hand on mine. She squeezed it gently. "I thought you said anything for me," I murmured softly, my voice tinged with a sadness I wasn't sure how to address.

"I'm only doing what's best for you," she said gently.

I pulled my hand away, not because I didn’t appreciate her, but because I couldn’t face her right now. "Yeah, right," I mumbled, getting up abruptly and heading upstairs. Cookie followed, her paws softly pattering against the floor.

I could hear Margot sighing softly behind me, her voice trailing up the stairs. "Even if you hate me for it."

---

Upstairs, on my bed

"I don’t get it," I groaned, lying back on my bed. Cookie curled up next to me, sensing my frustration. "Why can’t she see that I don’t need to go to Canterlot High?" I muttered to no one in particular.

Cookie whimpered in response, looking up at me with those big, trusting eyes. I couldn’t help but smile slightly, scratching her behind the ears.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, girl," I said softly. "You just want to make me feel better." She started licking my face again, and I burst into laughter. "Okay, okay, stop!" I giggled, brushing her away.

I sat up, still trying to shake off my thoughts. My eyes wandered around the room, and my gaze landed on my guitar case sitting at the foot of the bed. The sight of it brought a familiar sense of calm.

I sat up, still trying to shake off my thoughts. My eyes wandered around the room and landed on my guitar case sitting at the foot of the bed. The sight of it brought a familiar sense of calm, like the kind you get when you see something you didn’t know you’d been missing.

I walked over to it, unlatched the case, and pulled out the artichoke green guitar. The worn edges and faint scratches on the surface felt like old stories I couldn’t quite forget. Holding it in my hands, I felt that bittersweet weight settle over me, a quiet reminder of how much had changed—and how much I wished hadn’t.

Cookie barked in excitement, her little tail wagging furiously. I chuckled despite myself, brushing my fingers lightly over the strings. "What do you think, girl? Should I play something for you?" She barked again, her enthusiasm as contagious as always.

I hesitated for a moment, my thumb hovering over the strings, before settling on a song I hadn’t played in years. "A classic," I murmured to myself, a faint smile tugging at my lips.

As I began to strum, the chords came naturally, even after all this time. The music filled the room, wrapping around me like an old friend who hadn’t forgotten me. I started to sing softly, the lyrics spilling out with a strange mix of ease and hesitation.

~ Darling, you've been standing in the silence, I can tell you're waiting
Holding all the pieces, but the world keeps changing
Pretty darling, don't you see, tomorrow's yours to create
The sun still rises, it's never too late, ohhh yeahhh ~

~ So please, don't hide your smile away
Lift your head, there's so much more to say
I know the path has been hard, but it's worth the climb
And I'll walk with you through every step, every time ~

~ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah... ~

The song felt different now—lighter somehow, even as it tugged at old memories. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t drowning in the weight of the past. Instead, it was just... there, like a quiet shadow sitting beside me, not pulling me under.

Cookie barked softly, her tail wagging in rhythm with the music, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I strummed the final chords and let the sound linger, the silence that followed almost comforting.

The faint rustling of the door pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced up, half-expecting Margot to storm in with some teasing remark about my singing. Instead, I saw her standing quietly in the doorway.

Her eyes were softer than usual, and there was something in the way she stood—a hesitance, maybe. For a moment, she didn’t say anything, just watched me, as though she could feel the weight of the air I’d been carrying.

She leaned against the doorframe, watching me for a moment before speaking.

"You know," she began quietly, her tone unusually gentle for her, "I don’t really know how to fix everything for you. I’m not sure how to make things feel... better. I just want you to have a shot at something better, even if it feels like it's not what you want."

I propped myself up on my elbows, staring at her for a long moment. It felt strange, hearing her be so open, so vulnerable with me. My sister, the one who always seemed to have her life figured out, always in control. This softer side of her was unfamiliar, but it wasn’t unwelcome.

“I know you think I don’t understand, but I do,” she continued, her voice lower now. “I see you trying, CJ. You don’t have to say it, but I can see it.”

I said nothing for a long time. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but the words caught in my throat. What if I didn’t feel ready for what she wanted for me? What if I wasn’t meant to be a part of this new world she was trying to push me into?

Margot sighed and took a few steps toward me, sitting down on the edge of my bed. Cookie, sensing the shift in energy, trotted over to her and plopped down beside her. Margot absentmindedly scratched behind Cookie's ears, her eyes still on me.

"I don't know, CJ. But I know that you're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Maybe this school, Canterlot High, maybe it’s part of the journey you need to take. And if you need to fight through it—then fight. But don’t shut it all out. You’re not alone in this."

My breath hitched at her words, and I almost didn’t want to look up at her. I wanted to push everything away, but part of me knew deep down that she was right. A reluctant sigh left my lips, and I let the words tumble out before I could stop them.

"Why does everything have to change? Why did it change?" I asked, my voice small, unsure.

She didn’t reply immediately, just gazing at me with understanding. Then, with a small smile, she squeezed my hand again, the gesture warm and familiar.

"Because sometimes, change is the only thing that moves us forward, CJ," she said, her voice steady. "But you’ll make it through, no matter what."

I nodded slowly, unsure of what the future would hold, but feeling a little less burdened. Maybe it wasn't as hopeless as it seemed. Maybe, if possible at all, I could start moving forward, even if it was a little scary.

After a long pause, I finally broke the silence with a quiet laugh, catching Margot by surprise.

"Okay, okay," I said, my tone lightening. "I guess I'll give Canterlot High a real shot. But don’t expect me to be all sunshine and rainbows about it."

Margot chuckled, her expression brightening. "Hey, if you change your mind about the sunshine and rainbows part, I'll be right here to cheer you on."

I smiled, a genuine smile this time, feeling a bit more at ease with the idea of taking the next step.

"Thanks, Margot."

She nodded, standing up to leave. "Anytime, kiddo."

And as she closed the door behind her, I was left alone with my thoughts again, but this time, I didn’t feel as weighed down. There was something lighter about the future, even with all the uncertainty that still loomed over me.

I glanced at Cookie, who was still curled up next to me, and gently scratched behind her ears. She wagged her tail in response, like she always did when I needed comfort.

I glanced out the window once more, the last rays of the sun spilling into my room as I whispered quietly to myself, "Tomorrow’s a new day."

And as I closed my eyes again, I held onto that thought, letting it be the thing that carried me to sleep.