A/N: Short story for my magazine project in Language Arts. Inspired by "My Past is Not Today." Really awesome song, go check it out on YouTube. Also, tell me how it is in the reviews. 'kay, hope you enjoy!

P.S. This takes place after Equestria Girls, but before Rainbow Rocks.

She took a deep breath, then pushed open the doors. Inside the school, students ranging from freshmen to seniors filled the halls. She knew that the moment she stepped in, the atmosphere changed. Everyone turned, glaring angrily at her. She gulped.

Nervously, she smiled and gave a small wave. It did not help. Everyone still hated her. She sighed.

She remembered why they hated her. She had made herself feared, ruling the school. During the Fall Formal, when she had possession of Twilight's crown, she had transformed into a hideous she-demon, showing on the outside how she looked on the inside of her heart. She had forced everyone to become mindless slaves, until she was defeated by the power of friendship.

Feeling weaker than ever, she was lifted up by the six people who had moments ago brought her down. They automatically forgave her for her past misdeeds, but no one else had.

Now, she was here, two months after the Fall Formal, trying to fix her mistakes. It was no use. Every time she offered to help, her offer was refused. Even the younger sisters of her friends shunned her. Might as well give up. She hung her head low, avoiding eye contact and ignoring the stares.

She bumped into someone. "Sorry," she muttered.

The person turned around, revealing herself to be Applejack, one of the girls who had forgiven her. "Hiya, Sunset Shimmer!" she happily greeted her in her country accent.

"Oh, hey," Sunset replied glumly.

Applejack frowned, knowing something was up. "What's wrong, sugarcube?" she asked. "What's botherin' ya?"

Sunset knew there was no point in lying; Applejack could tell if anyone was being dishonest. "No matter how hard I try, nobody wants me," she explained. "How do I prove that I've changed, that I'm not the girl I used to be?"

Applejack hesitated a bit, as if she was unsure how to answer. After a moment, she answered, "It might no' be so easy, sugarcube. It'll take time to repair the damage y'all 've done tah everyone.

Sunset bit her lip, remembering what she had caused, how she forced them to hate each other for their differences, how she split her five new best friends apart. "How will I know they'll ever forgive me?" she muttered softly, though whether she was asking Applejack or herself, she was not sure.

The farm girl smiled sympathetically at her. "Y'all don't 'ave tah be so caught up with what yah did back then," she told her, placing a caring hand on her shoulder. "The past is the past."

Sunset did not move. "If y'all don' believe me, Ah guess Ah'll jus' have tah get the others tah tell yah." She grabbed Sunset's yellow hand and dragged her to their first period class, where the other four were waiting.

Fluttershy was talking softly to something in her blue backpack. Sunset Shimmer was sure it was some sort of animal smuggled inside. Rarity was using her iPhone to take selfies. Pinkie Pie was texting Rainbow Dash, and from the way the tomboy laughed, it was pretty funny.

"Hey, gals!" Applejack said. They all looked up and smiled at her. Sunset was sure they were not smiling at her, just Applejack.

Her mind wandered off as Applejack spoke with the others about whatever. Why did these girls accept her when everyone else did not? Were they faking that kindness? Did they really care for her at all?

"Do you really feel that way, darling?" Rarity asked.

Sunset snapped back into reality as Rarity placed a hand on her shoulder. "Feel what way?" she asked, unsure what she was talking about.

"D'you really feel that you'll never be forgiven?" Rainbow told her. "Like, seriously?"

She nodded her head. "What I've done, I don't think I can ever make up for. No one will ever forgive me. I can't even forgive myself!" She sighed and hung her head low. She sat down at the desk closest to her, and propped her head on her hands. "Why did you guys forgive me?" she asked them, looking away.

"Oh, Sunset," said Fluttershy, wrapping her in her arms, "everybody deserves kindness and a second chance, no matter what they've done."

"Yeah," Pinkie agreed. "Even if they tried to take over the school and another dimension by turning herself into a monster and making everyone at the school zombie slaves!" Sunset felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. She covered it with her arms.

The other five glared at the pink-skinned girl. "What?" she asked, oblivious to the way she hurt Sunset.

"You're not helping, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow yelled at her.

"I know you're upset, Sunset," Rarity began, before Pinkie interrupted her.

"Hey, that rhymes!" she exclaimed.

Rarity and Sunset Shimmer stared at her in confusion. "Okay, as I was saying, darling," Rarity continued, "I know you're upset, but you really need to stop living in the past and focus on the present."

"Focus on the present?" Sunset asked.

"She's right," Fluttershy quietly chimed in. "Dwelling on all the horrible things you've done in the past can make you lose sight on who you are today."

"But everyone hates me for what I did in the past!" Sunset countered, frowning.

Applejack sighed. "Humans are just that way, sugarcube."

"Besides, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks," Rainbow Dash added. "All that matters is that you've changed."

"Yeah!" Pinkie agreed, squeezing her tight. "You no longer wanna conquer us and have ultimate power!" Sunset could not help but giggle at her.

"Sunset, your past shouldn't define who you are," Fluttershy told her.

Smiling, Rarity said, "Your past isn't today."

Sunset looked at the five girls who accepted her as one of them, who loved her even though she almost destroyed them. The way they cared for her, it was hard to believe.

"Do you think anyone will ever accept me like you girls have?" Sunset asked them.

Grinning, they all nodded, Pinkie nodding her head vigorously.

"Somethin's bound tah come up that'll help yah redeem yerself," Applejack said.

Sunset was close to tears. These girls actually believed in her? It really touched her heart knowing they still have faith in someone who made so many terrible choices. "You guys are the best friends anyone could have!" she said.

"Group hug?" Pinkie suggested. And that was what they did.

Of course, Sunset was finally accepted by everyone when the Dazzlings arrived at the school. That, however, is another story.

The End