//------------------------------// // The Start of Love // Story: Vinyl and Octavia: Girl Friends // by New Canterlot //------------------------------// I’m sorry, Tavi… Vinyl sighed heavily as she lay in an uncomfortable and contorted position on her bed. This was partially due to worry, but it mostly to punish herself for doing something extremely stupid. What she had done, that soft little peck on Octavia’s cheek as she left, Vinyl couldn’t remember ever feeling anything so right. It was the best idea she ever had, and it was also the absolute worst. I can’t freaking believe I did that… In her own defense, that peck on the cheek was something she felt like doing for a very long time, and until now, she prided herself on her self control. As much as she would like to cherish the memory for the rest of her life, Vinyl also deeply regretted her action. Her consternation and worry was worse than ever now since Octavia’s departure was not due to the best of reasons. Vinyl palmed her face hard enough to make a resounding ‘slap!’ echo throughout her entire bedroom. Don’t let my best friend get sent away… She pleaded. To whom she was pleading to, she had no idea. Vinyl never considered herself religious in any way, but right now, she desperately wanted to know which deity might not only listen but also help. While she was at it, maybe she could wish for Octavia not to hate her too. ‘Cause, you know, you freaking kissed her. Way to go, idiot. Vinyl sighed once more and pulled on her cheeks with both hands. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets as her jitters became worse. Feeling too cramped and tense to continue lying down, Vinyl sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. I can’t just sit here… She thought as she became more and more aware of the empty loneliness of her room. I should call her…or find a ride over to her house…or something! Vinyl felt like pulling her hair out in frustration. She had no idea where Octavia lived, and right now seemed like a good time to give the cellist some space, even if that was the thing she desired the very least in the entire world. Vinyl reached for her phone, and surprise-surprise, there were no new messages or missed calls from her best friend. It’s only been a half hour…but why the hell does it feel like forever!? One message on her phone stood out against the rest of random notifications; a text from Lyra. “U and Octavia OK? Feeling better?” Vinyl seriously contemplated whether to just answer with a short little reply or explain her newly developed situation. She desperately needed someone to talk to, and she didn’t have a whole lot of options right now. The only friends she had who really knew anything about Octavia’s situation were her and Bon Bon. Guess I’m stuck with you, jerk… Vinyl rolled her eyes with annoyance in anticipation as she hit the ‘call back’ tab. The dailtone rang a few times before Vinyl heard the line click. “Wow, a phone call. Way to class it up today.” “Lyra, just…” Vinyl growled and shut her eyes to allow her anger to settle. “…shut up. I need someone to talk to.” “You know how I feel about phone calls, V.” Lyra could be heard snickering softly in a muffled voice. “Just have your people call my people and get something on the calendar.” “There is NOOO way you made that up just now.” Vinyl interjected forcefully. “I’ve never heard that one before, and it sounds way too smart for you.” “Oh, thanks.” Lyra said apathetically. “Glad to know you think I’m stupid.” “You are stupid.” “Guess that’s why we’ve been friends for so long then.” Vinyl sighed yet again and shook her head to no one in particular. “Look, can we talk? Seriously…I got something…uh…going on here, and…I could use some advice.” Lyra’s tone went from sarcastic to skeptical. “Are you, like, serious serious? It’s really hard to tell over the phone.” “Yeahhhh.” Vinyl said with a grumble. “Why else would I bother calling you?” “Maybe to tell me how hot you think I am and how bad you need my ‘D?” “Ugh…sure, Lyra.” Vinyl exhaled a breath as slowly as possible. “’Cause we all know you be packing heat.” “Damn right.” Lyra said with an infuriating giggle. “You do know you’re gonna have to break Octavia’s heart.” Damn right my ass… Calling you was a STUPID idea… “Lyra! I’m dead serious right now…I need to TALK to you.” “Ok, ok, relax.” Lyra said defensively. “Just tell me you at least used protection.” “I’m hanging up now, jerk.” Vinyl was just about to toss her phone across her bed just as Lyra raised her voice. “Wait wait wait!” Lyra cleared her throat. “Ok, sorry…sorry. I’m listening.” “Promise?” Vinyl asked with an even deeper grumble. “Cross my heart and hope to bang, whack my face with a big fat-” “LYRA!!!” “Okayyyyyyyyyyy…geez. You used to think those jokes were funny.” Vinyl shrugged at herself a bit as she cracked a slight grin. “Well…yeah, maybe…but not right now.” “Right now, huh? Right now you’re about as much fun to chat with as Bonnie.” Lyra sighed casually. “So, what’s going on with you? Is it about Octavia?” “Uhhh…yeah…” Vinyl rubbed her forehead with her free hand, dreading the feeling of her nervousness setting in again. Although she would never admit it, Lyra’s jokes did seem to help with her temperament. “There’s…uh…a couple of things going on right now, and I think I did something stupid…and now…” “And now you’re going crazy.” Lyra added to help finish the sentence. “Uh, well…yeah.” Vinyl was a bit surprised at Lyra’s intuition. “Pretty much.” “This wouldn’t be kinda the same thing as last time, would it?” Lyra asked, her tone much more serious than before. “What do you mean? What last time?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow at her bedroom wall. “Middle school, remember? You know, when youuuuuu…” Vinyl slowly nodded. “Ohhhhh...right…that.” She knew now what Lyra was referring to; something that only a handful of people knew anything about. She had given another classmate a rather startling kiss, although at the time, Vinyl didn’t seem to think much of it. Roseluck, on the other hand, had gone home and told her parents who then told the school who then told her mother. Vinyl had become the object of scorn for a while at school after than incident, and this became the catalyst event which sent her down a path of subculture seclusion. For her, the escape into the background and the comfort of music became her new home. “Uh, hello?” Lyra asked. “Oh, y-yeah, sorry.” Vinyl shook her head to bring her mind back into the present situation. “So, you didn’t, like…doing anything weird again, did you?” Lyra asked hesitantly. Her words sounded awkward over the phone, and it probably wasn’t due to cell service. There was also a hint of bland nonchalance to her voice, and Vinyl liked it. This was one of the reasons she remained friends with Lyra. It made talking about this kind of thing easier. “Uhhh…not really…I guess.” Vinyl stuttered a bit and blushed heavily. Although she despised being alone, she was grateful for the solitude right now. “I did…sorta maybe just…kissed her cheek.” The volume of her voice trailed off at the end of her statement. Lyra made a soft snicker. “Oh, no.” She said with heavy monotone. “That’s just craaaazy.” “H-Hey! I’m trying to be real here.” Vinyl groaned in anger. Lyra’s snicker turned into a laugh. “V, you are an IDIOT…” Lyra sighed and cleared her throat. “Do you really think Octavia is gonna care all that much? I mean, you’re all over her, like, ALL the time. By now, I think I’ve seen you play ‘footsie’ with her at least once a week. There is something crazy weird going on between you two.” “R-Really?” Vinyl asked. She could hear the stutter in her own voice more prominently than ever before, and for good reason too. Vinyl knew the moment they first hung out that Octavia was her girl. “Really what? Really do I think that Octavia won’t care, or really do I think you’re an idiot? My answer is the same on both.” “Shut up, dude…” Vinyl sighed more so out of embarrassment than annoyance. “No, you shut up.” Lyra continued. “I may not know her nearly as well as you, but I can tell Octavia really digs you too. I’m sure this won’t ruin whatever thing you got going with her. I mean, if she’s still your friend even after all this time of you being SUPER weird, then I think you’re safe.” “You…really think so?” Vinyl asked. She knew Lyra was probably right about everything at this point. Octavia hadn’t left their circle of friends yet, so it did make some sense. “You’re not just saying all this to make me feel better, are you?” Lyra laughed again. “When have I EVER done that for you?” “True.” Vinyl gave a slight giggle back. “You ARE a huge jerk.” “Love you too, V.” “Yeah… Ok, I feel better about that.” Vinyl paused to take a deep breath. Her nerves felt more calm, but there was still one other point she needed to bring up. “Still, there’s one other thing…” “Did she walk in on you or something?” “What?” Vinyl sighed, that familiar annoyance that only Lyra could give her began to surface yet again. “Walk in on me?” “Yeah, when you…” Lyra paused for a moment before finishing that thought in a very confusing tone. “…were tuning your guitar.” “I don’t own a guitar, genius.” Vinyl’s eyes snapped wide open before she palmed her face. “Oh, for the love of…Lyra!” Lyra’s laughter began anew, her voice trailing away from the phone. Vinyl had no choice but to wait very patiently for her to return. “Sorry, sorry, sorry. You kinda walked right into that one, so, you know. That’s on you, not me.” “Keep that up, and I’m GONNA be all over-” Vinyl immediately stopped herself from finishing that retort before she really did walk right into something. Her mind raced for something else to say, but couldn’t think of anything witty spur of the moment. All she could say was, “S-Shut up!” This only fueled Lyra’s giggling. “And no, that’s NOT what happened!” “Reeeeallllyy?” Lyra asked with dramatic shock in her voice. “Oh, then what could it beeee???” Vinyl wanted to smash Lyra’s face with a pillow very badly as she stared daggers down at her phone. A pillow would be just fine since she could put all her weight into the strike and not inflict any real harm. Unfortunately, she was here, and Lyra was there. Instead of continuing the inevitable taunting, Vinyl decided to get back on topic. “Octavia’s dad called her earlier. He made her come home, and…it didn’t sound like they were gonna get ice cream.” “Oh…” Lyra actually sounded concerned now. “…Her dad? Has she ever talked about him before? I know her mom’s not…super nice, but I don’t know anything about her dad.” “Yeah…I don’t really either.” Vinyl sighed. “She said they never see each other, but I get the feeling he’s kind of a hard case.” “That sucks…” Lyra’s voice was now genuinely disheartened. “Well…can you call her or something?” “Uh…Tavi just left not that long ago, so…I-I dunno…” Vinyl curled her knees beneath her bottom as she adjusted herself on her bed. “I do wanna call her, but…if she’s with her dad…” “Yeah, ok…I think I get you.” Lyra hummed as if in thought. “Are you worried that her dad’s gonna, I dunno…send her away or take her out of school or something?” “Damn it…” Vinyl suddenly felt the slight urge to cry. “I really…don’t know… I guess I’m just thinking about all the worst case scenarios in my head, and the more I think about it, the more real they seem.” “I know this isn’t this gonna help all that much, but…” Lyra paused. “…maybe you should just go watch TV or something for a while. I know you probably wanna go over to her house and break down the doors and do some crazy stuff, but…there’s…nothing you can really do right now. You really want my advice? Go watch some TV and try giving her a call later.” “Huh…” Vinyl quizzically narrowed her eyes at her bedroom wall. “…So…just kinda…take my mind off it for a while?” “Uh, sure…” Lyra’s shrug was almost audible. “It won’t hurt anything, and you might feel better too. I do it all the time when I’m worried about stuff.” “Wow…no kidding.” Vinyl was truly amazed. Lyra actually said something sorta smart. “Alright…I’ll…give it a try, I guess. But you’re right about one thing.” “I am? Wow, crazy. What’s that?” Vinyl chose to ignore yet another nugget of sarcasm. “If I can’t ever see her again, I might actually…do something crazy.” Lyra made a long and very exacerbated sigh. “If you do, V…I’ll help you. We can track her down, or…something. I dunno. I mean, if you REALLY want, we can kidnap her.” “W-What? W-Wait, really?” Vinyl asked in utter shock. Her heart felt very warmed and uplifted for a moment, and she couldn’t help but smile. “That’s…really cool of you, Lyra. Uh…thanks!” “Yeah, well, whatever.” Lyra giggled again. “Octavia’s my friend too, and if I have to keep hanging out with you, it’ll be nice having her around.” “You know something?” Vinyl grumbled very loudly into the mouthpiece of her phone. “I was actually feeling really good there for a second. By some crazy miracle, you actually cheered me up. But NOOO, you just HAD to bring me down again and totally kill my buzz.” “Are you actually buzzed right now?” Lyra’s giggle grew loudly. “V, you have a serious problem, and I’m not so sure twelve steps are gonna be enough.” Lyra ended her comment with a torrent of snickering giggles. “I think it’s time for me to hang up. Got some cartoons to catch up on.” Vinyl raised a middle finger at her phone knowing full well Lyra wouldn’t be able to see it. “You go do that.” Lyra finished up her giggles with a satisfied sigh. “And don’t stress out so much. You’re starting to sound more like Bonnie.” “Ohhh, WHAT…EVER…” Vinyl tapped her phone forcefully with a finger to end the call. She took a deep breath and combed some of her hair from her face before slowly standing up from her bed to face her bedroom door. -o0o- “Master Melody? Your daughter has arrived.” A maid in the appropriate attire said to the man before her in the manor’s library. His appearance was trademark of his reputation; a recently pressed dark two-piece suit and pepper grey hair slicked back. “Send her in.” He said in an impossibly deep and stern voice. His expression changed only enough for his lips to move. The maid bowed dutifully and promptly exited the library. In less than a minute, she returned. Octavia had trouble keeping pace with the maid. It was evident that she had no intention of keeping her master waiting, and the near jogging pace of her stride put the girl on pins and needles. Any sort of audience with her father would do that, but everything leading up to it made the situation that much more terrifying. The silent drive home in the back of her father’s personal car driven by someone she had never met before and the entire manor’s staff at attention outside her home didn’t help the butterflies in her stomach desperately trying to make her puke. This was a feeling she was all too acquainted with due considerably to past summons by her mother, and although she was gone…Octavia knew she wasn’t quite rid of the pain yet. Her situation was also made worse by the fact that she had to wait outside the library until being formally summoned inside. This was altogether strange considering her father had waited for her return for quite some time, and Octavia supposed that the wait was punishment for making the master of the house wait. Her nervousness began to overflow, the residual of her emotion turning into frustration until finally being allowed an audience. She may not know her father well, but if he was even a little bit like her mother, he was definitely petty. Once motioned by the maid inside the library, Octavia took hesitant steps forward, deeper into the furnished room as if venturing into a dark dungeon. She knew Melody Manor didn’t actually have a dungeon, but it probably wasn’t completely outlandish to think there might be one. If there were parts of the mansion that she was forbidden to enter, then it wasn’t impossible. The moment she saw her father, her feet shuffled to a stop. He stood behind a massive oak desk, his hands behind his back and his eyes fixed on something in the distance. Behind him on the wall above an unlit fireplace was a massive oil painting of himself looking almost identical to his current appearance. Beside it was one of Octavia’s mother looking just as welcoming and nurturing as an angry nun. Her father’s presence was just as commanding and powerful as she remembered, his posture was that of an angry deity, and he definitely dressed the part. Nothing about him had changed in the last fourteen years of her life that she could recall except for the increase in grey hair. Apparently, her father was already aware of her presence, because when she stopped moving forward, he turned to face her. “My child.” His voice rang throughout Octavia’s head like someone had just dropped a chapel bell off the side of church. The library’s acoustics helped a great deal to carry his harkening voice throughout the entire room, and as if paling in comparison, Octavia responded back feebly. “F-Father…” “Sit.” He motioned to an old oak chair in front of the desk that matched the rest of the library’s décor, and Octavia was quick to abide by his wishes with her feet crossed underneath and her hands folded on her lap. The man did the same behind the desk with his own hands folded on the glazed wood. “You have been called home to discuss matters of great importance.” Oh…dear… Octavia couldn’t speak. She was too paralyzed with nervousness to do so, but she was able to give her father a slight nod. “As you may know by now, your mother is no longer a current resident here.” His words had grown softer now, but his tone was just as ruthlessly monotonous. “After our last encounter with her, I have chosen to send her away permanently.” Octavia actually felt a hint of joy in those words. For the very first time, her father had said something to her that actually made her happy. “I-I…I see…” The man turned towards the wall and stared blankly, or listlessly, somehow detached from the person sitting in front of him. “For the next few months, your mother and I will be undergoing court proceedings. A divorce will be inevitable.” Divorce… This was a word that Octavia barely understood, a word that she had only heard once or twice. The meaning she knew, but never once would she have guessed that her own family would be associated with such a word. “I put great effort into reaching some sort of compromise with your mother, but she has and continues to be steadfast in her convictions.” Her father made that statement with an almost audible level of distain that didn’t go lost on Octavia’s ear. “Because of this, you will be required to see her during future proceedings.” “W-What?” Octavia gasped softly. That was the last thing she wanted to hear. She always held onto the hope of never having to see the woman again, and during the few months of her mother’s absence, her confidence in that wish had grown. No… Please…no! “I will be scheduling you for certain days upon which you will meet with my counsel and attend proceedings. Currently, nothing has been clearly set on the calendar, but I have been advised by my attorney that it would be prudent to inform you of what to expect.” He turned to face her again, expression still completely unchanged. “Since you will have a role in future events, I thought it best to inform you directly.” Octavia began fidgeting despite her mind’s commands to sit perfectly still. Her hands gripped the edge of her chair as she began to speak. “I…do not…wish to see her.” “You do not have a choice in the matter, child.” He replied, his volume growing once more to fill the entire library. “None of us do.” “F-Father…” Octavia began to feel warm tears cloud and obscure her vision. “…I-I cannot…” Her protests were lacking, she knew, but there wasn’t anything else she could say. “You can, and you will.” He clenched his fists on the desk for a moment as he narrowed his eyes. “Do not labor under the presumption that I enjoy this any more than you, child. This is just as taxing and tedious for me as it is for you.” Tedious? Taxing?? No… Octavia stared into her father’s eyes as she experienced an epiphany. You really don’t understand what I’m feeling…at all. “I have given you ample freedom recently.” He said. “You have been free to do as you please, come and go as you please. Be grateful for that, child, lest I revoke that privilege.” He exhaled a labored sigh and snapped his fingers in the air. “My attorney will contact you within the next week with more information. In the mean time,” He paused as the same maid from minutes ago approached with a bow. “I am going to dismiss you. I am finished speaking with you for today.” He turned to the maid. “Ready my car for a drive to the office.” “Yes, sir.” The maid bowed again and briskly turned to walk away. Her father stood, making no motion of affection or even acknowledgement of Octavia’s presence, and made his way towards the library’s exit. For several minutes, Octavia stared blankly at the floor. Although the conversation had been brief, it proved to be overwhelming. She had no idea how to internalize the last few minutes, and her mind was too muddled with emotional turbulence to think clearly. She was certain of a one thing though. I do not want to see her… If Octavia had been thinking rationally, she could’ve taken solace in the fact that her mother wasn’t an encompassing part of her life. Right now, she did have the luxury of independence, at least to a certain degree. However, she couldn’t escape the painful reality of the inevitable. She would eventually have to be face to face with her again. I do not want to see her… Octavia slowly stood and began very slowly pacing back and forth in front of the desk. I do not want to see her! I refuse to see her! The face of her father, still fresh in her mind, voiced those same words as she replayed the last few minutes in her head. “You do not have a choice in the matter, child. None of us do.” Octavia angrily wiped her face. “This is just as taxing and tedious for me as it is for you." As her breathing became more labored, an angry fire building inside her, Octavia clenched her own hands into fists. Taxing?? Tedious??? WELL, I’m so very sorry dealing with your daughter is such a chore!!! It’s not my fault you had to come home to speak to me! You’re the one who chose to see me in person!!! Octavia reached for the nearest book on the oak desk and gripped it hard enough for her knuckles to become white. “I hate this place…I hate this place!” She screamed, turning every which way as if accusing the very house itself of some crime. I could be at Vinyl’s right now…I could be… Octavia closed her eyes tightly as tears began running down her face. A devastating realization came to her as she let out a small sob. Her home, Melody Manor, was a place she despised. She loathed being here, surrounded by many people yet absolutely no one. Her eyes turned upwards towards to the two oil canvases. Her mother and father stared down at her with just as much disdain on the world as any hated aristocrat in history. “I hate you…” She said in a hoarse whisper at her mother’s portrait. “I hate you! A-And I hate you too!!!” In an action that surprised herself beyond belief, she raised the book in her hand into the air. What little strength she had she used to the fullest extend as she threw the old book against the wall. Doing so made her scream at the top of her lungs until her voice cracked and broke. A painful heat shot threw her arm as her muscles cramped, but she didn’t care. The pain felt rather suited to her emotional state, and she watched the book smack the painting of her mother and slam onto the floor. The cured oil on the canvas visibly smudged in a small spot, but again, she didn’t care. There was a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins at the moment, and most of her other senses were dull. Octavia didn’t bother picking the book up off the floor. Instead, she turned towards the library doors and began walking. There were no staff waiting for her outside. That honor was wholly bestowed on the master of the house, and she knew her place here. Just a child… She thought. …Just a piece of this house like anything else. It took a few minutes to reach her room. The enormity of her home once again was becoming quite clear, and she wished not to spend any more time here than necessary. Even her room was somehow making her angry. The big bed with its own pillars and curtains, the ornate rug, the massive window panes, it was nothing like Vinyl’s small and practical home so full of love and subculture. There was something amidst her room that stood out from everything else, and for a moment, she felt a tinge of guilt. Her cello was leaning on its stand in the corner of her room by the bed, untouched for quite some time now. She couldn’t even recall the last time she had practiced at home. Her time with Vinyl certainly had her distracted from her musical studies, but this reminded her of something. Vinyl… She thought. …you wanted me to play for you…but I never did, did I… Octavia collapsed on her bed as an ache in her arm started to radiate from her wrist up to her elbow. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off, and with it too her rage. She felt exhausted, strained, both emotionally and mentally. After fourteen years of enduring a childhood in Melody Manor, Octavia couldn’t believe how she even made it this far. Her home, her family, and the principals she was raised on seemed so ludicrous and idiotic, and she couldn’t help but halfheartedly giggle at how simplistically logical Vinyl’s way of life seemed in comparison. More than anything, she wanted to be a part of that life, an integral piece of Vinyl instead of just a participant. I want to go live with her…and get away from here. She knew her father would never allow it, but it was nice thought. A really nice thought…Vinyl would probably even insist… Octavia brought the back of her sleeve up to her face and vigorously rubbed her eyes to fight back the sensation of coming tears. She rolled over onto her side and sniffled loudly as she brought a hand up to her cheek where Vinyl had given her something special. A small laugh broke the tears up as she hugged a pillow to her chest. There was no point in asking why she would do something like that. Vinyl, you are strange… That was probably the best answer she could give herself. Octavia stopped crying and stared up at the ceiling as she flopped onto her back. I love that peculiar girl… She thought as a much needed pleasant warmth began to radiate from her chest. -o0o- Some time passed. It wasn’t much time, but to Vinyl, it felt like weeks. In reality, it was only two hours. This was evidently clear based on the four cartoons and twenty accompanying commercials she had to suffer through. Normally, the commercials didn’t faze her all that much since it gave her a break to scour the internet on her phone, but her mind was heavily preoccupied on something else. She had originally planned on waiting just one hour, but considering Lyra’s surprising moment of clarity, she felt like honoring that historic moment by waiting just a bit longer. What could possibly happen in just two freaking hours? She thought as she tried to play the voice of reason in her own head. This was a role she was not very accustomed to, and considering her lack of experience, Vinyl was painfully aware of how badly she wanted to make that call. Screw it, I’m doing this. Vinyl jabbed her thumbs onto the screen of her phone hastily before bringing the device up to her ear. Her posture improved as the rest of her senses dulled to allow her ears the most focus. Her heart rate quickened as she heard the line connect, and for a moment, everything else around her was completely shut out. Unfortunately, her intense focus was absolutely pointless, and a flash of anger surged though her as the sound of Octavia’s voicemail began to play. “Are you…FREAKING…kidding me!? Octavia…PLEASE…pick up!” She sighed very heavily to compose herself before ending the call. Fine…let’s try that again. She then tried to call a second time with the same reward. “Damn…” She hissed through her teeth. “…Why isn’t she picking up?” Vinyl chose to torture herself by repeating this cycle nearly ten more times until finally giving up. She threw her phone down on the couch and gripped the cushion with both hands as hard as she could while growling through her teeth. Feeling very frustrated, all her worry from before crept back up in full force. Great… She sat back down on the couch and ran both hands through her hair. ...I waited two hours, and no answer… I’m sorry, Tavi…I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. “No!” Vinyl flicked herself on the cheek as she scolded her reflection in her phone screen staring up at her. “Don’t say stuff like that, V.” Now feeling incredibly silly for talking to herself, Vinyl sat back down and exhaled slowly up at the ceiling. Kayyy…what are my options? Right now, Vinyl knew her options hadn’t really changed since two hours previously, so …yeah, I’m still pretty boned… Still, there was one other thing. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, and it definitely wasn’t gonna help much, but if it was her only option, then… FINE... She thought as she picked her phone back up. After giving the screen a few more taps with her fingers and the floor a few taps with her toes, she brought the phone back up to her ear. “Whoa, two calls in one day? You must think I’m pretty special, V.” Yeah, that’s ONE way of putting it. “Lyra, just…whatever. I can’t even think right now.” Vinyl could hear raw desperation in her own voice, and she really didn’t like it. “I…well, you know how you said if I did something stupid or got crazy, you’d help me out?” “Yeah.” Lyra’s answer was quick but hesitant. The witty confidence her voice was gone now. “I did say something like that, yeah.” “U-Uh…w-well, I might have to call you in on this one.” Vinyl sat down and continued to speak while holding her head. “I tried calling her…and nothing.” “Did you try calling again? Maybe she just couldn’t answer right away.” Vinyl sighed very dramatically with a nod. She didn’t care if the nod was pointless. “Yeah. I sure did.” “Ok…” Lyra’s voice seemed to shy away from the phone. “…Look, Vinyl…” “What?” Vinyl asked after a few seconds of silence. “Uh…I really don’t feel like this phone tag is helping all that much. You want me to come over? We can figure what to do next once I’m there.” “Y-Yeah…” Vinyl’s frown wasn’t so pronounced now, and she was once again pleasantly surprised at Lyra’s response. “…actually, that would be pretty cool.” “Alright. I’m on my way.” Lyra’s voice trailed off into the distance, and Vinyl could hear rustling of chip bags on the other end before the line went dead. After dropping her phone to her side, Vinyl leaned back on the couch and shook her head at herself. She did feel a tad bit better now that she wouldn’t have to be alone in this crisis, but she was forced with a few minutes of solitude until Lyra showed up. She lived far enough away for another cartoon but not enough away for her to actually finish the show. So, while feeling extremely silly for having such a first-world problem, Vinyl decided to go up to her room and clean herself up a bit. At the very least she could try not to look like a nervous wreck even though she already showered just a few hours before. In front of her mirror stood a reflection she almost didn’t recognize. There were no flashy clothes or giant glasses, and the constant combing back of her hair had accomplished an almost loose ponytail like appearance. Most of her forehead was visible, and she found this amusing enough to giggle slightly. If she was in a much better mood, she might have been temped to take a picture and send it to Octavia. Right now though…it probably wouldn’t do any good. What the hell’s going on with you, Tavi??? I need to know you’re ok… As she already knew, her skills in long distance telepathy were very lacking, but it did feel a bit nice to vent in her own head. If that also meant she’d had something to do for a few minutes, then it couldn’t really hurt anything either. With yet another heavy sigh, she turned to shuffle out of her bathroom, taking the smallest and slowest steps possible to save energy for whatever might come next and to kill as much time as possible until Lyra showed up. Because of her slow pace, she happened to notice something peeking out from underneath a corner of one of her pillows on the bed. No…no freaking way… Vinyl collapsed to her knees in front of her bed and grabbed the small device from beneath the pillow. Her knees ached and screamed in pain, but she REALLY didn’t give a lick. She had never experienced such frustration and anger at herself until now, and there was no stopping it. After all this time, and after all the stomach turning stress she’d been trying to get control of, she realized now that all of it was her own fault. “I’m a FREAKING IDIOT!” In her hands, as much as she hated to admit it, was Octavia’s phone. “How did I miss this???” She demanded of herself to answer. It had been her responsibility to get Octavia’s stuff for her, and she had forgotten to give her the most important thing. Vinyl slowly got up, her grip tightening around the edges of the phone. A particular word was beginning to form in her lungs, and it took a long few seconds for it to reach her lips. It was a word she very rarely used, but right now it felt like this special word really fit her situation. “FUCK!!!” “VINYL!?” A voice called out from downstairs. Vinyl knew exactly who it was, but she made no motion to meet her friend. Instead, Lyra was the one who had to run up a flight of stairs. “Vinyl??? You in here? Vinyl, hey!” Lyra briskly walked over to her. “You ok? The first thing I heard when I got here was you screaming. Plus, you left the door unlocked, and I thought someone broke in for a sec-” Vinyl smacked her forehead as hard as she could and held out the device towards Lyra’s face to both shut her up and inform her of the situation. “A phone?” Lyra asked as she took the device. “Is this…” “Yeah…it’s Tavi’s phone…” Vinyl felt like banging her head against something hard, but swearing that hard and that loudly turned out to be a little exhausting. “Seriously?” Lyra rolled her eyes and put one hand on her hip. “Wow…so, I raced all the way over here, and you’ve been freaking out all this time for nothing? Seriously…” “I dunno…I dunno…I dunno anymore.” Vinyl threw her hands up into the air as she sat down hard on the edge of her bed. “I mean, yeah, I guess I know now why she hasn’t returned any of my calls, but…that just makes me even more worried.” Lyra rolled her eyes one more time as she approached Vinyl to put a hand on her shoulder while taking a seat next to her. “V…There’s something I gotta ask you…” She said, her voice low and apprehensive. “I’ve wanted to ask you this for a while now, but I never really thought it was my place.” “What the heck are you getting at?” Vinyl asked back in a quiet and labored voice. “If you’re gonna ask me something stupid, I’m realllllyy not in the mood for it, ok? You literally just walked in, so don’t start with me…” “No, V…chill out. I just gotta know something…” Lyra sighed heavily and dropped her hand from her shoulder. “You…you really have a thing for Octavia, don’t you?” Vinyl narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze up to her. “No, I don’t have a ‘thing’ for her.” She replied with cynicism while using her fingers as quotations. With a slight shake of her head, Vinyl gazed back down at the floor. “…I just…really care about her, and…I think she’s really great…” She hoped her words were as convincing as she tried to make them sound, but deep down she knew Lyra was a total idiot. “Hey…” Lyra tapped her on the shoulder to get her full attention back. “…No one’s gonna give you a hard time for liking another chick. This isn’t middle school anymore, and…well, I can see things are different.” “D-Don’t…p-please, don’t bring that up…” Vinyl groaned as she placed her hands over her face. “Well, you say that, but…we’ve been friends for a really long time, and you…never talk about any of that stuff, but…” Lyra dropped her chin as well and glanced at the floor. “…this isn’t what’s-her-face we’re talking about here. This is Octavia. AND…you too.” “What…the living fuck are talking about, dude?” Vinyl closed her eyes and tilted her chin back. “What I’m saying is, V…” Lyra brought her hand back up to her shoulder again. “I’ve NEVER seen you stress out like this before about anything...or even hear you use the f-bomb twice in once day. Seriously, you are wayyy crazy right now. You can call me a dumbass or idiot or whatever cause I don’t really care at this point. You might not think it’s obvious, but it’s pretty clear that you’re in love with her.” Vinyl sucked in a deep breath and exhaled very slowly as she rubbed her knees with both hands. “…Is it really that obvious? I-I mean…I-I…don’t even know if that’s how I really feel…” “Are you sure about that?” Lyra cracked a sly little smile and shrugged. “You’re kidding, right? The footsie games and hugs you guys do, well…I can see you’re always trying to get a base hit with her, which you kinda DID earlier today, sooooo…yeah. YOU might not wanna admit it, but you kiiiiinda need to ‘cause you’re driving me and Bonnie freaking nuts. Seriously. I’m getting pretty sick and tired of watching you two ALMOST kiss but never actually kiss.” “Shut uuuup…” Vinyl couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth move up a bit as she shook her head. “I’ll do that as soon as you lay one on Octavia. Deal?” Lyra gave her an encouraging giggle as she gently nudged her shoulder, receiving only a shake of the head for a reply. Vinyl let the bantering criticism wash over her and fill her with a bit of confidence. Often times she would experience moments where she wondered why she was even friends with Lyra, but today had answered that question. Lyra could definitely be described by many derogatory terms. ‘Jackass’ was near the top of that list, but so was ‘friend’ or ‘buddy’ or ‘home-girl’ or whatever. After mulling over the past few minutes worth of their conversation, Vinyl finally replied back. “Thanks, Ly…” “…Sure.” Lyra offered a giggling snicker before standing up. She began walking towards the bedroom door, and Vinyl quickly stood behind her. “W-Wait, where are you going?” Vinyl asked a bit too enthusiastically. “You’re not…going home already are you?” “Don’t be stupid.” Lyra shook her head and waved dismissively. “I’m gonna use your phone book. Octavia’s address or home phone might be in there.” “Whoa, dude…” Vinyl stared at her in amazement. “That’s…actually pretty smart.” “Yeah, I know.” She again offered a nugget of sarcasm while exiting the room before briskly walking down the stairs. Vinyl was quick to run after her. It took a great deal of self control not to rush past her in a flurry and snatch the phonebook from beside the phone in the kitchen. However, since this was another one of Lyra’s miraculous moments of brilliance, she forced herself to stay one step behind. As they reached the kitchen, Vinyl was quick to point a finger towards the phone. “It’s there on the counter by the ph-” “No, really? A phonebook by the phone? Duuude…” Lyra giggled at herself before opening the phonebook up. ‘Asshole’. Vinyl thought. The number one word at the top of the list is definitely ‘Asshole’. “What’s her last name again?” Lyra asked as she flipped towards the middle. “I’m blanking right now.” “Melody.” Vinyl stood next to her and peered over her shoulder. “Hmm…Melody…” Lyra flipped farther some more and skimmed through a few pages before pausing for an agonizingly long minute. “Sorry, dude…I don’t think she’s in here. Do you know her dad’s name or something?” “Damn-it…” Vinyl hissed softly as she turned away and ran her fingers through her hair. “No…” Lyra sighed and tapped the page she was on a few times. “I guess we could try calling the…seventeen numbers with the same last name.” “Yeah…but her house might not even be listed.” “Really? What, does she live in a mansion or something?” Lyra asked as she turned around to face her. “Yeah, something like that I guess. I’ve never been there, but she told me once that she’s gotta a really big place.” “I could totally see her in a mansion. That is totally Octavia.” “Yeah…” Vinyl smiled a bit with a nod. “Well, V…there’s seventeen numbers. One of them has to be hers.” Lyra said with a shrug. “If she does live in a mansion, then she’s probably got a weird area code, you know, like a rich neighborhood we’ve never heard of.” Vinyl was absolutely stunned. “You know something, Lyra? You are not the complete moron I thought you were.” “Wow, thanks.” Lyra put her hands on her hips and giggled. “I wish I could say the same about you. So far, it looks like I’m the only one with the good ideas.” “Shut up…” Vinyl turned away and began pacing the length of the kitchen. Lyra simply rolled her eyes and began pressing buttons on the cordless phone hanging by the fridge. She was only half a number into the first call when Vinyl suddenly clapped her hands as loud as possible. “Dude! You trying to give me a heart attack???” She asked, nearly dropping the phone. “My mom’s been there!” Vinyl approached her and grabbed Lyra’s shoulders in desperation. “What? Been where?” “Octavia’s place! My mom drove her home that one time, remember???” “No. You do know that I don’t watch your house like a creep, right?” “Oh, right…” Vinyl dropped her hands and shook her head. “Duh...” She reached into the waistband of her gym shorts she was wearing for her phone, but she came up empty handed. “What are you doing?” Lyra asked, this time genuinely confused. “H-Hey, where are you going???” She watched Vinyl dart out of the kitchen and towards the stairs, and she followed at a much slowly pace. When Vinyl reached her room, she scrambled back and forth in every direction for her phone. During the turmoil of the day, she wasn’t entirely sure where she left it. It had to be in her room, but all she had was Octavia’s phone. Wait… She paused her frantic search, Octavia’s phone in hand. DUH! She swiped on the device and tapped a few times to call herself, her ears now on high alert for a familiar ring. When she heard it, she dove onto the floor and snatched the phone from beneath her scattered bedding she had thrown across the room in her search. Lyra entered and rolled her eyes for a long moment. “V…dude…CHILL.” Vinyl wasn’t listening. Her only reply was a finger held up to Lyra’s face as she fiddled with her phone before bringing it up to her ear. The agonizing wait of the dial-tone was excruciating, and she marveled at how modern technology could do so much but take so long doing something as simple as a phone call. When she heard the familiar crackle of the line being connected, her mother was quick to pick up. “Hey, Vine. Before you ask, yes I’m bringing home take-out.” -o0o- Octavia felt utterly bewildered by her own ignorance. It was one thing not to be educated in the latest street lingo, but to not know where a simple landline phone was in her own home was just too much. Although, it was hard to blame herself for her predicament. She never needed to make a call from home before, and any calls to and from her residents were handled by the manor’s staff. If there was a phone here, it might be in the kitchen or in her father’s home office, two places she had never been throughout her years of living in Melody Manor. Speaking of, Octavia was also frustrated by the lack of staff that seemed to have disappeared with the departure of her father. She wasn’t entirely sure why, but she reasoned with a certain level of self-pity that, with the absence of her mother, the manor’s staff were really only here to attend to the wishes of the master of the house. This meant that she, much to her immediate family’s opinion, was a very insignificant resident. Her presence was mostly ignored save for the usual time a butler or a maid would inform her of a coming meal within the hour. However, since no meals were to be served anytime soon, and since no one really cared about what she was doing as long as she was home, Octavia was forced to try to locate someone she could speak to. But where could anyone be? She thought as she stood on the marble floor of the manor’s lobby. This seemed like a good place to start, and if no one was here, she could try the kitchen…wherever it is. Time was not on Octavia’s side at the moment. After a couple of hours of sulking in her room, she had been very slow at realizing she didn’t have her phone. No doubt it was probably at Vinyl’s home, and Vinyl was probably worried a bit. Octavia felt rather bad for her negligence, and she wanted to find some way to contact her best friend to let her know she was alright. Considering the rather perplexing display of affection Vinyl had given her and how that made her feel, Octavia was very eager to wrap herself up in her eccentric friend’s embrace once more. I’ve memorized her phone number… She thought as she peered down on hallway. …but I can not, on my own life, find one single phone! It still didn’t help that she didn’t know where she was going. This particular hallway was smaller and less furnished than the rest of the house, so she had a feeling this was the servant quarters wing. At least I might be able to possibly find someone. A door suddenly opened a few rooms down, and a man in a black suit emerged. He was brawny looking, and his footsteps were filled with intense purpose. He began to walk towards her, and Octavia brought a hand up to get his attention as politely as possible. “Excuse me, I wish to speak with y-” There was no stopping him, even a blood child of the manor. He completely ignored her as he power-walked past her down the hall, and Octavia felt sudden determination to get his attention by any means necessary. She was angry now, angry for being ignored, and she was not capable of tolerating it any longer. Standing considerably shorter than the man, Octavia had no choice but to begin running just to keep up with him. He turned down the hallways into the lobby and paused by one of the large, ornate windows beside the front door. A few other staff members had gathered, one she recognized as her usual butler during meals and the other as the very same maid whom her father addressed hours before. All three seemed focused on something going on outside, and for a moment, Octavia forgot all about her mission to obtain someone’s attention. The large man, now obviously part of the security staff, spoke into his wrist. A small bungee of wire rounded around his ear, and Octavia began to realize that there might be something of importance happening outside. The butler, an older bald man with sullen eyes, approached her and motioned for her to go upstairs. “Please adjourn to your room, little lady.” His voice was raspy and frail, his age not only evident in his features but also in his speech. “Why? Please tell me what’s happening.” Octavia didn’t speak with stern determination, but she wasn’t about to do as she was told. Right now, she was just grateful to be addressed. “There is an unknown vehicle outside the gate.” He informed, giving her as little information as possible. “I am unaware of any guests having made appointments today. Until we know more, we require you to remain upstairs.” “N-No…” Octavia began with a stutter before reiterating herself very proudly. “No, I will do no such thing. I wish to know who it is that had come, and I will no return to my room.” The butler seemed somewhat surprised by Octavia’s newfound attitude, but it swayed him little. He merely turned away from her and snapped his fingers. The maid took heed and approached the cellist before firmly grabbing her by the upper arm. “Come on, Ms. Melody. This is not the time to exercise your newfound insolence.” Newfound insolence?! Octavia’s anger returned. “Release your grip on my person!” She exclaimed. “I will not be insulted and treated like a piece of property.” The maid, considerably more astonished than the butler seemed to be, immediately let go. “Ms. Melody…I-I…apologize for those hasty words. I meant no disrespect.” Octavia relaxed her shoulders and took a step back. The demeanor and candor of the maid was very familiar to her. The apologetic stance and bowed head was a reaction she thought only her mother could extract from the staff, and yet here she was as if looking through her mother’s eyes. This perspective was incredibly uncomfortable, and Octavia felt tremendously guilty for using her mother’s tone. She didn’t have much time to think about her behavior, however. The security personal suddenly changed positions from one window to the other. “Streak.” He said to the butler. “Is a Ms. Silver Streak on our guest list?” “Not at all.” The butler informed him. “As I said, there are no guests on the register for today.” Silver Streak… Octavia’s grew wide at the name of Vinyl’s mother. If she was here, Vinyl was no doubt with her. “I know her.” Octavia informed everyone in front of her as loudly as her usually quiet voice could say. “She is the mother of one of my friends.” “Is that so?” The butler turned to face her with a furrowed and wrinkly brow. “It would have been obliging of you to inform us that you planned on having guests, and I do not believe your father would have allowed any visits.” My father can go to hell and back again. Octavia forced herself not to grit her teeth as she took a step towards the door. “Let her enter. I wish to speak with her, please.” The butler and the maid both traded apprehensive expressions. No doubt following Octavia’s wish would have consequences with the master of the house should he find out, but Octavia’s behavior seemed to suggest that she was not to be trifled with at the moment. Their silent debating went on longer than Octavia’s patience allowed, and she approached the front door. “So be it then. If they are not permitted to see me, I shall go to them.” She opened the front door, and all three of the staff moved towards her. Yet, none dared touch her or move in front of her. Octavia began pacing across the courtyard towards the slender gravel road leading to the large metal gates. There was a considerable distance to cover, and the vehicle parked outside the manor looked to be farther off than necessary. Damn this bloody road…and damn this bloody house! She began to jog, at first slowly, then into a full run. -o0o- Vinyl blasted open the passenger door of the SUV and onto the grass beside the gravel road. At the sight of the gates opening, her vision was no longer obstructed. At the sight of Octavia’s figure moving toward her in the distance, Vinyl bolted forward as fast as she could. “TAVI!” She shouted between heavy breaths. The slight incline towards the manor made her strides considerably shorter than she wished, but she knew that very soon she would be reunited with the girl she loved. With the last bit of strength left in her calves, Vinyl leapt forward and threw her arms around Octavia’s shoulders, pulling her up into the air for a moment. “You’re…” She panted heavily as her hair danced in her face. “…ok!” “Y-Yes, I am.” Octavia giggled softly as tears began to well up in her eyes and a smile spread across her face. “…And you are incredibly silly for coming all the way out here.” “What was I supposed to do???” Vinyl exclaimed. “I couldn’t get a hold of you…I didn’t know if something happened to you…I was freaking out!!!” Octavia giggled again as a tear rolled down her cheek. She circled her arms around Vinyl’s neck and squeezed tightly. “You are…very strange, Vinyl…” “And you’re hot…” Vinyl sucked in a deep breath and held her close. The scent of Octavia’s hair and her warm slender body in her arms felt better than ever before. “Very…very strange…” Octavia sniffled loudly and pressed her cheek against Vinyls. “…Thank you…for coming out to see me.” “Tavi…I-I…” Vinyl nearly choked as she spoke. “…I…gotta tell you something right now. If I don’t right this second, I-I don’t know if I ever can.” Octavia looked up at her as she took a small step back to create enough distance to speak eye to eye. Their embrace never broke, but Octavia’s grip moved from Vinyl’s neck to her shoulders. “I-I…love you, Tavi…” Vinyl swallowed hard before continuing. “…As a friend…as a best friend…and so much more. I-I know that…w-well…I’m weird, and how I feel about you is weird…” Vinyl awkwardly forced a laugh and shook her head. “…b-but…I really…u-uh…dig you, babe. You’re…amazing…” Octavia’s smile grew bigger and bigger as she listened intently. “…You’re amazing as well, Vinyl…” “…Tavi…” Vinyl cleared her throat very nervously as a rare and deep blush tinted her cheeks. “…I wanna…I wanna g-go…o-out…with you…” Octavia couldn’t say anything. Not only was she speechless, but she was also far too overwhelmed to even move her lips as she face relaxed into an intent stare into Vinyl’s eyes. Her own cheeks turned powerfully red, and her knees began to shake. She tried to speak, but nothing but short broken syllables escaped her mouth. She was at a complete and total loss, yet…there was one thing that her mind clung to. Amidst the whirlwind of thoughts circling her head, one single thing stood firm in her consciousness. It was the one thing she decided to do. This time, it was Vinyl’s turn to tear up. A brilliant and vibrant joy spread throughout her body that made her toes tingle. She barely saw Octavia move forward, but she definitely felt Octavia plant a very soft peck on her cheek.