//------------------------------// // Something's watching over me - like sweet serendipity! // Story: Sing It Out Loud // by The Princess Rarity //------------------------------// Sing It Out Loud by The Princess Rarity -- INTRODUCTION -- The rush of the city was a very strange melody to listen to, yet Octavia adored it. For so long, she had craved the thrill of it all, and now here she was, living the dream... ...or trying to, at least. Today, the melody sounded off-key to her. Car horns and motor bikes that used to bounce off of the walls of the buildings now clashed together into fuel for a migraine, whereas before they would be a sort of wild harmony that put a spring in her step. The lights from signs and traffic now blinded her, even though they would normally brighten her up. The smell of smog that used to be easy to ignore was now lingering in the air heavily, enough to make someone dizzy to the point of fainting. To put it simply, everything that used to be positive was now negative- -and what was already bad seemed worse. Now, all Octavia wanted was to block out the controlled chaos of the city. She had somehow managed to survive her walk home, trampling through the crowds, and she made her way up the busted-up cobblestone steps of her apartment complex. She swung open the door and practically fell into the building. She winced at the sound of kids crying, people screaming, dogs barking and muffled noises all around. On any other day, she could ignore it... but today was just one streak of bad luck after the next. Octavia tried to feign a smile to the kind receptionist at the desk and made her way up the stairs that creaked loudly underneath her feet. She was actually surprised no one had gotten hurt on this staircase - yet. Nearly tripping over bags of trash, scattered toys and who knows what else, she quickly found her way to the second floor, and unlocked the door to Apartment 2D. At least here, in this cramped little shoebox of a residence she had, there was cleanliness and a little less noise than outside. She picked up the mail from the floor and tossed it onto the nearby coffee table along with her jacket. The shades were pulled up, lighting her home with the perfect Springtime sunshine. But despite it all, she couldn't truly smile. As juvenile as it sounded, today sucked. She had woken up two hours late, was nearly mugged on the subway and had to deal with rude employees at her job. To top it all off, she was now laid off from that job, due to the fact that the company was closing down. Apparently, no one needed another lawyer in this section of town anymore, so Octavia's current occupation as a mail clerk and assistant to the main bosses was now down the drain. Letting out a groan, Octavia reached back and removed the headband out of her hair, letting her long ebony locks flow down. A deep breath escaped her, and she kicked off her heels, walking over and sitting down on the couch. The plastic imitation leather was surprisingly comfy as she laid down, staring up at the ceiling. "I hate Mondays," she muttered. Now, while she wasn't one to say such things - because it seemed to make no sense - but this was the truth and nothing but it. Mondays were a drain most of the time, and it seemed that this one in particular wanted to torture her. In this current economy the nation was in, having a job was practically a blessing, but Octavia had lost it in the blink of an eye. She had always known that living on her own in the big city would be difficult, but not like this. Lately, everyday had it's own little surprise slap in the face and it wasn't fun, at all. Octavia rubbed her eyes and began thinking hard. How was she going to pay for the bills? Would she ever get out of this slummy neighborhood? Could this day get any worse? Unfortunately, her mind was drawing a blank on all of those questions and all she could do was continue lying down on the couch, with an emotionless expression and a feeling of exhaustion washing over her. Nothing was getting done. She hated it when that happened. Having a blank slate in life felt so dissatisfying. Her gaze traveled all around the living room, looking for something - anything - to do, just so she could feel productive. Laziness was a pet peeve and somewhat enemy. The smallest of smiles made it's way across her expression as she noticed a black case on the floor, slightly open. In an instant, she sat up and leaned forward, pulling the case towards her and flipping the top open. Her violin. It was old, ancient even, with worn-out strings and wood that no longer shined, but it still worked. In this wild, busy, bustling city, her love of classical music had never faded. Releasing a deep breath, Octavia gently picked up the bow and she placed the instrument on her shoulder properly. Then, she began to play. The music was sweet and a wonderful relaxer to take off the day's stresses. She felt as if everything had been taken away, just with a few strokes of the bow against the strings. It was like magic, almost, or some sort of miracle. Whatever it was, it worked, and for the first time today, she was absolutely content, with not a care in the world. Music was the main reason she had ever even dreamed of this big city. When she was younger, her only desire in life was to become a famous musician, but years had flown by, and that aspiration had slowly faded away. Now, music was just a hobby. It killed time, and helped her unwind - nothing more, nothing less. As she continued to play, the idea of trying to make it in the music business came to mind, and she smirked at the idea. That would never happen, she told herself. She continued striking the bow against the strings, lost in the music for a moment, when out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but notice the clock on the wall. 12:45, it read. Octavia felt her heart sink. There was no more time to play, she had her other job to get to. After all, living in the city was anything but cheap... A sigh slipped past her lips, and she put her violin back in the case. She got up from her seat, shoved on a pair of sneakers without bothering to tie them, and grabbed her keys, dashing out the door and back out to the rush of the world outside. "Goodbye, law firm," she mumbled. "Hello, bakery."