//------------------------------// // Opportunity // Story: The High Note // by FlashFoward //------------------------------// Your eyes flicker open rapidly. Last night’s dream was so livid. It was like Octavia was actually on the coach with you and…wait a minute. You notice that Octavia was still hugging you, showing no signs of letting go either, and memories of last night flashed through your mind. Last night was no dream that much was certain. With Octavia grabbing onto you so tightly, there was little room to wiggle free from her hold. This is not the kind of scene an unsuspecting pony would like to wake up to, if you’re into this sort of thing maybe yes. A trickle of paralyzing fear takes over your body as Octavia’s eyes open up. Tense silence fills the room as her eyes darted from you to her new surroundings. She must’ve notice that she had her hind legs wrapped around you, for she finally let go. Once free from her grasp, you cautiously get up from the coach. The unsettling feeling you started to feel told you that Octavia had been tracking your movements with her eyes. “What happen last night?” Octavia asked, rubbing her face with her hooves. She must be having a horrid hangover right about now. You close the blinds before addressing Octavia. “You drank a little more then you should’ve.” “Really, did I do something stupid?” Octavia looked mortified at the possibility of such of an event. She didn’t need to know the whole truth, spare her from any guilt. “You…got in an argument with me.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I really can’t remember much.” Octavia muttered through grit teeth, rubbing her sore forehead with her hoof. “That tends to happen when you get carried away with drinking.” You acknowledge. “It’s best you sleep off the hangover. I’ll see if I have some aspirin left around.” Luckily for Octavia, there were a lot of aspirins left in the little jar you had. This was mainly due to not drinking much yourself and the beauty of trying to live a laid back life. After filling up a glass of water you turn your attention to Octavia, who looked dazed now. Oddly enough, you couldn’t help but think it was cute to see how utterly confused she was at the after effects of getting drunk. It was pretty easy to see that drinking was a pretty rare thing for her, let alone get intoxicated from it. “Here ya go, this should help out a bit.” You offer the glass of water with one hoof and pills on the other. Octavia takes a few moments to grab them and gulped down her pills with some water quickly. She let out a sigh of relief, which told you that the pills had done their job. You take a seat on the dinner table to face Octavia, who looked a little worn out now. “How did I get here?” You pause for a moment and consider lying again, but consider it pointless. “I took you here because I wasn’t crazy about letting you clumsily walk around Canterlot. Last thing I need to hear is that somepony kidnapped you are something.” “Thanks for doing that for me. It’s not often that I get carried away like that.” “Quit beating yourself up about last night, the hangover is doing a fine job of that right now. Look on the bright side you’re with somepony you know.” You try to cheer her up. “Yeah, um, how did we wake up like...that?” Octavia asked, a noticeable blush creeping up on her cheeks. This is the question you been dreading all morning, running was no longer an option. “You want me to tell you everything right?” She nodded, which made you let out a sigh. “I grabbed a blanket for you, since you were so cold. While I tried to put the blanket on top of you, you grabbed your end of the blanket and pulled on it hard.” Octavia looked slightly confused, but nodded to make you continue anyway. “I didn’t have the best balance at that moment and I fell on top of you.” Octavia looked more skeptical than ever. “Go on.” Knowing that you’d regret this later, you continued anyway. “Now I did try to get off you, but you hugged me tightly and just wouldn’t let go. You also told me to…” Your voice trailed away into nothingness. “Told you to do what?” Even Octavia looked anxious. “Stay with you.” You reply in a whisper, looking into her eyes for a sign of understanding. For the longest time Octavia’ face yielded no expression, besides her eyes widening that is. It felt like ages before she excused herself and trotted off, asking you where the showers were. You gesture to the staircase “Second floor, first right.” With a quick nod Octavia went upstairs, leaving you with your racing thoughts. After cleaning out the fireplace and folding up the blanket, you realize that Octavia hadn’t returned from the shower. You cautiously trot up the stairs and place your ear against the door. There were no sounds of running water, which spared you from entering the room with her in there. The door to your room was slightly open, which was totally closed due to you sleeping downstairs last night. When you pushed the door open, Octavia had been sitting on your bed with picture in her grasp. You were well aware of what and who was in the picture. It wouldn’t take long for Octavia to piece it all together, you considered her to be smart anyway. “Is he really your…?” “Yes.” You answer quickly, not wanting to be compared with him. “That’s how you got the autograph so easily?” “I wouldn’t say it was easy.” You mutter, recalling having to wait for him to quit fooling around with some mares to hand the autograph over. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Octavia asked, looking up at you know rather than the family picture. “I rather not talk about it.” Talking about your feelings was never something you enjoyed. “Come on.” Octavia trots to your side and playfully nuzzles your neck. “You can tell me.” Saying a flat out “No.” to anypony who asked you this, even Roast, was easy. However, something in you couldn’t bring its self to say “No.” to Octavia. Once again, you got lost in her light purple eyes. They gave off the vibe that you could tell her everything and anything without regret. But could you? Having your feelings locked up had worked for so long, why change? Her eyes kept calling onto you though. Maybe it was time to move on. “Um, my dad and I never really got along together. Mom isn’t around anymore to see me through life.” You explain, with every word that escaped you it carried off a weight from your heart. “I’m sorry to hear that. Oscar looked like a nice guy.” Octavia barely whispered. “It’s fine. Indeed, dad was decent just only around his fellow musicians and associates. When he came home, his attitude would turn for the worse.” Your voice was growing bitterer now, having remembered dealing with dad’s tantrums about your failures. “How about your mom, was she nice to you at least?” “More than I can ever desire.” You reply, being reduced to a whisper now. Mom was more than nice, if anything she always tried to make you laugh and smile when she herself was feeling sad. Her cutie mark, which was a violin, was engraved in your memory for life. There was a day when she had tried to teach you to play the violin to. This was before you had own cutie mark, so you were pretty excited to have the chance to get one. Mom had the ability to make the room go silent as she played, just like you when you were on the piano. The vibe you got from her playing was a one of peace and tranquility, one that was to never to be heard again. “Dad found out about Mom trying to teach me how to play the violin, which I was starting to get decent at. As punishment, he shattered her violin to pieces and the same with mine. Dad started to blame mom for distracting me from my piano lessons, which I despised. She always said I needed to enjoy playing and not be enslaved to it, which my dad failed to understand. He dismissed her argument and the lessons with the piano continued.” Once your story was finished, you looked up at to Octavia to only see her crying. “I never knew…” Octavia whispered sadly. “No one does, except you.” You reply warmly, trying to lighten up the dark mood you created. Octavia gives you a lovely smile and does something unexpected; she kisses you on the cheek. You blush violently and so does she. A few moments pass and you two stay remotely still, staring into each other’s eyes the whole time. There was an expecting look in her eyes and you started to feel nervous. “I think we should go to Note Theater. We need to practice.” Octavia muttered, leaving you alone in your own room. Another golden opportunity slipped past you again. She had been waiting and expecting you to make your move. But you just kept getting lost in her eyes again. Was it that you were afraid? Or just that you lacked the guts to do it. “Come on! We are late as it is!” Octavia called out from downstairs. The orchestra had already been practicing when you and Octavia had arrived. Greg was nowhere to be seen. Taking advantage of his absence, the two of you slip to your positions. Melody’s eyes lingered on you as you sat behind your piano, she was already sitting there. “Little late aren’t we?” Melody teased. “You could say that.” You mutter grimly. Greg had returned shortly and gave no explanation to his absence. His eyes looked blood shot. He must have had one to many as well last night. A lot of the musicians here were suffering from a hangover. One of the drummers was sleeping on his drums. It looked like you and Melody were the only ones who hadn’t drank yesterday. The practice was terrible. A lot of the ponies had lost the concentration to handle their instrument properly. Octavia were one of the few who could play, just not to their usual level. Even Greg was unable to properly lead the group half the time, the other half was busy trying to nap. “That’s enough. Come back tomorrow.” Greg groaned before taking a seat on one of the chairs in the Theater. Watching the practice flop so badly wasn’t easy, having growing used to the superb talents of your fellow musicians. Many of the musicians took off, while some kept napping in their chairs. Melody hadn’t left your side. Neither of you bothered to practice, seeing how badly today was going. You took the time to smarten up on the songs you would be playing. “I have something to ask you.” Melody turned her attention to Greg, who was trotting to your location now. “Would you mind coming out with me to dinner tonight?” You felt pity for the guy, he was so desperate. “Sure.” Melody replied simply. Greg shined a rare smile at her before leaving. You knew better than to believe Melody had good intentions to go along with this date. “What’s your plan?” You question. “You already know. I just need to cut a few loose strings.” Melody replied before leaving. Loose strings, what could that mean? Her dad had a big influence on the ponies that run this show and Greg was just added security. Wait, was she really going to…Nah, she isn’t that cold hearted. Choosing not to worry yourself with Melody’s plan, you leave Note Theater yourself. Octavia was waiting patiently outside for you. “I would think you would like the idea of sleeping in your own bed right about now.” You teased. “My headache isn’t that bad.” Octavia dismissed. A sudden thought creeps in your head and you needed to express it. “Octavia, do you have any plans for tonight?” “Not really. Why?” “Well, I...” Why did this have to be so hard! “was wondering if you want to have dinner tonight. Last night was a bit of a mess.” Octavia’s eyes grew large and you braced yourself for harsh rejection. “Sure, that sounds like a plan! I’ll meet you at the place we first met. Expect me to be there at six.” As she trots away, your eyes lingered on her flanks again. Why did they have to be so slender and well built? When Octavia finally takes a turn on the street, making you no longer to keep staring at her, you hoof pump into the air in triumph. This golden opportunity will not slip past you this time around!