//------------------------------// // 4 - Fun City Nights // Story: Leaving Me // by ScurryBelle //------------------------------// On the ride over to Lyra's place, which happens to be at the opposite end of the city, we talk about what we did that week, we sing to songs on the radio, and Tavi sleeps some. After an hour we arrive at her apartment. Worn down, with cobwebs in places. Although Lyra's apartment is all clean in the front, the webs try to linger in. We knock on the door. "Lyra? You home?" Octavia calls out. The door opens. "Hey guys; Yay my cat!" Lyra exclaims. "Awww misses puffy-kins, I missed you last night. Come on in you two." We head inside. I haven't seen her apartment since I helped her move in some time ago. There is more on the walls, more used furniture, probably from family and friends, and some pictures of her and her cat. I plop myself into the sofa she has in the corner. "So why did you want Tavi to come with me?" I ask Lyra as she walks into the kitchen for some peanuts. "I thought you to may have some fun playing cards with me. Like as a friends evening, to relieve stress." "You got me at stress." Tavi points in. "I have been accumulating it recently at my ensembles, to big of crowds." "I have some french wine if you two want to drink some." Lyra informs us. "I'll take three glasses!" I yell out. "Sure Lyra, that sounds nice." Octavia says. "I'll just have one for now." Lyra pours our wine, then brings a deck of cards out. "What are we playing? I waited for you guys to choose." Lyra asks. "How about Go-Fish?" Says Tavi. "That's always a nice friendly game to play with others." "Nah, lets play some Texas Hold-em. I'm in the mood for serious competition. " I suggest. "Alright, I'll get the chips out from the back closet." Lyra says as she walks down a hallway. I get up and waddle over to Octavia. I poke her in the back. "Hey!" I say. "Yes, Vinyl?" She replies. "You were right, were gonna have some fun!" "I knew it." She says proudly. "I kind of knew this already, I didn't tell you the whole text. It was also my idea, so we could spend more time together, and have some fun." "Well, thank you Tavi!" I hug her and then run to help Lyra find the chips. "So Lyra, whats up?" I ask her. "Nothing much." She says as she rummages through the closet for the chips. Then she glances at me. "I L-O-V-E your glasses, their just so cool." "Yeah, I've had them since I was little, their awesome huh?" I say. "I wish I had those glasses... Do you mind If..." She slowly takes them off me, and puts them on. "Oh my sweet Celestia. These are cool..." "Yeah, but I would really like you not to touch them please." I smile, and slowly take them off of her and put them back on myself." She continues to look for the chips and I point out her necklace. "I like your necklace" I tell her. She looks down, and holds it. "Oh yeah, I got that last year as graduation present to myself." I lean in to look at it, Its shiny and really cool. Different gemstone colors for each part of it. "Oh man, were gonna have fun tonight!" She grabs me and hugs me while I'm still looking at it, shoving my face into her chest. She doesn't seem to realize, but I cant see her expression anyway. She smells like cookies. I got her that perfume last year for Christmas. She grabs the chips finally and we play some poker and drink wine, which I drink all of mine, plus another. I'm winning almost every time, and I have three-fourths of the chips. Being with Octavia and having tons of fun is something I don't get to enjoy often, especially at the same time. "I think I'm gonna win this round *hic*." I say. "No way Vinyl. You have won over and over again.." Octavia says. The last card is placed, and Lyra has a full house. While Octavia and I only have three of a kind each. Lyra racks in my mass of chips I bet for this round, and now she is winning. "You cheater Lyra, *hic* You is the biggest cheater" I sputter our randomly. "Nah, I'm just smart with my chips." She replies. "I also got lucky." Octavia has only been drinking Coke after her first cup of wine, which she did not care much for. She gets up, kisses me, and then goes to use the bathroom. I pour myself another cup of wine. "Hey, Lyra *hic*." "Yes Vinyl?" Lyra replies. "Do you like my chips *hic* or something? Because you like to take them *hic* when you win a round." "That is what your supposed to do. You put chips in, and you lost, so I took them" "No, *hic* my potato chips." I point to the bag of chips I stole from her pantry. "Those are my chips Vinyl. Not yours. I'm allowed to eat my own chips." She chuckles and smiles. "Aw man." I take a gulp of my wine. "I love those pickle tasting chips *hic*. I like them a lot. I'm going to *hic* take them home." "Alright, but you owe me five bits then." I hand her five chips. She declines and takes five bits from my bag. Octavia comes back and sits down. She deals a new round. I already have three of a kind, which is fantastic. I try to put on the best pokerface I can, which is hard in my current state. We play for a few more hours. "Alright Vinyl, I think you have had enough wine. Lets go home." Octavia whispers to me. "I know *hic*." I reply. "Alright, well six glasses is enough." "Please? Like... two more glasses?" I ask Octavia. "*hic*. Goodbye Lyra!" I say as Octavia leads me out the door. Octavia puts me in the passenger seat, and I curl into a ball because its cold. We drive back home, which is easier because there is a bit less traffic. I stumble up the stairs to the front door. Octavia lets me flop through the doorway. "Ahh, home. I love home." I mumble as I head towards the bedroom "Me to, its nice to come back after a long day of fun." Octavia says. I enter the bedroom and start to get undressed. Tavi follows in and does the same. I jump on the computer and message Lyra that we had fun, and would like to do something again soon. I send, and turn of the computer. Octavia has already changed and is already in bed. I flop onto the bed, and Octavia puts her back against my chest. "What is tomorrow?" I ask. "Sunday." She replies. "Oh, good. I love the weekends." After a while, Octavia drifts off to sleep. I am having a hard time sleeping, so I decide to text Lyra. If you are up, please reply. I text her. A minute after, she replies. Hey Vinyl, how was your visit? I thought it was fun. What do you need? I can't get to sleep, and I have sobered enough that I can actually think clearly. Okay? I wondered if you had any idea what me and Tavi could do. We haven't done much as a couple except come to your house. Well, What about your grandfathers cabin in the woods a few hours away? What about it? I say confused. *face-palm* You could have a nice romantic time there. Away from everyone else. Quiet. Ah, I see now. *face-palm again* I turn off my phone, and finally fall asleep. Goodnight Manehattan.