The next day, I was staying at home playing video games again, but for Octavia, it was the day that Blueblood was going to be released from the hospital. The doctor called her to let her know that he was going to be sent home early afternoon, and she decided to come to the hospital and surprise Blueblood with joining him on the ambulance ride back to his house. Thus, she began walking from her house to the hospital, deciding not to ask me to be her escort because she thought I deserved a break, and it would be better if it was just her.
It was roughly ten minutes until one in the afternoon when Octavia entered the hospital. When she made it to the front desk, the person behind it told her that they were just minutes away from moving Blueblood. The gray girl wasted no time to get to the nearest elevator to go up to the floor, where her boyfriend's room was. She wondered how much Blueblood would be happy to see her as she got off the elevator and walked down to her destination. But as she got closer to Blueblood's room, she heard him yelling inside.
"I don't owe you a bloody thing!" He growled. "It's over! You were nothing but a distraction! An outlet! Now keep away from him as long as he's in my possession! Understand?!"
Octavia stopped just a few feet from the door as she overheard everything Blueblood was saying. She had never known him to be yelling like that before even at his worst, and his words left her confused, wondering who he was talking to. She heard Blueblood let out a grunt and a beeping from a phone, indicating that he just ended a phone call. She stayed still for a few seconds before she took a deep breath and forced a smile on her face before she entered the room to find Blueblood lying on the hospital bed looking irritated.
"Hello, dear," she greeted.
Blueblood turned to her, and his eyes widened like he was caught in the act of something.
"Octavia," he said. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard from the doctor that you are about to be released, so I decided to surprise you," Octavia answered before she placed her hand on top of Blueblood's head and kissed him on the lips. "I was hoping I could join you when they take you back home if that's alright."
"Uh, well, of course, it is, dearest," Blueblood said. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
Octavia smiled at her boyfriend, but at the same time, she wondered why he was reluctant to accept her offer. Usually, he would accept a request from her without hesitation, further displaying his devotion to her, but that moment of pause concerned her. Was he hiding something? Did he suddenly not love her? Was there something she did? Did it have something to do with who he was yelling at on the phone?
Noticing her edgy look, Blueblood cleared his throat and said, "I take it you heard me yelling on the phone?"
"Yes, I did," Octavia confirmed. "What was that all about?"
Blueblood hesitated again, making Octavia worried that she overstepped her bounds. She was about to say that he didn't have to answer her when Blueblood suddenly said, "It was work stuff."
"Work stuff?" Octavia asked, confused. "How on Earth was that work stuff?"
"It's complicated," Blueblood answered. "There's someone from another company who wants someone essential to my department, and I had just learned that they were trying to get him in my absence, so I called to tell them off."
Octavia looked at Blueblood disapprovingly and said, "That didn't sound like a mature way to act. I would think you handle things more professionally when you're at work. You are the heir to your father's company, after all."
"I do," Blueblood claimed. "That is, I am very professional when I'm at work. I just lost my cool because this person from a rival company is trying to take advantage of my injury. You can imagine the frustration behind something sinister like that, can't you, dear?"
"I suppose," Octavia said. "Though, I would advise you to handle your problems at work better than that in the future."
"You have my word, dearest," Blueblood replied.
Octavia gave her boyfriend an appreciative smile, satisfied with his quick response. Blueblood smiled back before he cleared his throat to change the subject.
"So, has your so-called assistant been serving you well so far?" He asked.
"Oh, yes, very much so," Octavia said with a smile. "Rough Draft has been a darling when it comes to helping me. In fact, he helped me find a fashionista who is going to make my dress for the wedding."
"Good. Good," Blueblood said. "Speaking of which, I hope you made sure he accompanies you to the wedding in my absence."
"He is. I asked him to be my date yesterday," Octavia said.
Blueblood frowned at this and said, "What do you mean you asked him? He works for you. You should be expecting him to do whatever he tells you to do."
"I know, but I prefer to ask instead," Octavia replied. "Besides, you know I'm not as authoritative as you, dear."
"You mean like when you 'asked' me to hang up my phone at dinner?" Blueblood challenged.
Octavia frowned and said, "You broke your promise not to take any more calls at dinner."
"It was an important call, Octavia," Blueblood countered.
"I don't care if it was a call from the king of the world," Octavia retorted. "You can't do that to me, Blueblood. When you say that you will do something for me, I expect you to do it. No excuses."
"Oh, so I'm not allowed to do my job so that I can pursue my goal to take over the company?!" Blueblood snarled. "I thought you were always going to support me on that."
"And I thought you would never miss a single one of my performances!" Octavia countered.
"Hey, I get them recorded so that I can still see them!" Blueblood barked.
"That doesn't count!" Octavia shouted. "That just means you can put me on hold for your own things."
"Well, what do you want me to do? Quit my job?!" Blueblood asked.
"No, I want things to be the way they were before we moved to Canterlot, or you had your job where you never hesitated to be with me!" Octavia shouted. "I want you to figure out how to make time for me when I want you to, never miss any of my concerts ever again, and never focus on anything else whenever you are with me! That's what I want, Blueblood!"
The small hospital room became silent after Octavia said her piece. The couple did nothing but glare at each other, waiting for the other to admit defeat. Eventually, a doctor came in, followed by two paramedics pushing a wheeled stretcher.
"Alright, Mr. Blueblood, we're all ready to move you to the ambulance now," the doctor said.
"About time, doctor," Blueblood said while his eyes were still fixed on Octavia.
Octavia crossed her arms as she watched the paramedics carefully pick Blueblood up and put him on the stretcher. She silently followed behind as they pushed the stretcher out of the room and headed towards the elevator. Neither Octavia or Blueblood looked at each other as the elevator went down to the ground floor even though she was standing next to him. As far as she was concerned, she was waiting for him to apologize and say that he will try and do better. But he didn't say anything to her. He just looked away bitterly as though his silent treatment will force her to cave. The two of them remained this way as they got on the ambulance, and it drove over to Blueblood's house.
After twenty minutes, the ambulance arrived at a two-story building that would be mistaken for a mansion. A butler and two maids were waiting at the front yard as the paramedics rolled Blueblood inside the house. The butler and the maids were joyful that their master's son had returned, but Blueblood paid no mind to the help. He was still waiting for his girlfriend to let him win the fight. Once everyone made it to Blueblood's bedroom, the paramedics helped Blueblood to his bed and gave the butler specific instructions on how to take care of him while his ribs were still healing. While they were talking, Octavia and Blueblood finally turned to each other again, staring at each other as though they were silently continuing the fight. But try as they might, they ultimately accepted that no one was going to win. Frustrated and disappointed, Octavia turned around and walked away without saying goodbye. She exited the house and walked several blocks until she found a bench to sit on before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Blueblood, you fool," Octavia whispered as her eyes started to water.
She let out a whimper as she started wiping the tears coming down her face. She hoped that letting out how she felt to Blueblood would make him understand and want to improve as a boyfriend, but his stubbornness just made her more afraid of what's happening to their relationship than before. She started crying louder as she wondered where the Blueblood who made her feel loved unconditionally had gone. She wanted to keep supporting him with his dream, but the more time he was away from her, the more distant he had become.
When her cries turned into quiet sniffles, she looked at the sapphire ring in her hand. She stared at the ring sadly before looking up at the sky and started playing with it. As she did, her mind subconsciously went to the time she spent with me over the last few days. She thought about how I listened to her, held her bags, listened to her music so intently, helped her gain the first two female friends she ever had in her life.
Octavia's mind then went to when she hugged me from behind after I walked her to her house the day before. She giggled with her mouth closed as she thought about how I was blushing the entire time. Octavia's smile grew when her mind went to the way I smiled, touched by her encouraging words. She subconsciously hugged herself, imagining that she was still hugging me until she realized what she was doing and shook her head, her gray cheeks turning pink.
"What's the matter with you, Octavia?" She asked herself. "Rough Draft is your friend. You were just trying to encourage him because you care about him as your friend. He doesn't even think of you that way. Sure, he was constantly blushing and all, but that's because he never experienced being hugged or flattered by a girl before. Besides, you're in a committed relationship. You're just thinking about Rough Draft like that because you're going through a rough patch with Blueblood. It's normal for couples to go through that. Just give him a while to clear his head while he's healing and everything will -"
'Octavia?"
Octavia yelped and nearly jumped out her seat before she turned her head to find Starlight Glimmer standing next to the bench.
"Starlight. How long were you standing there?" Octavia asked.
"Not long. I was just walking over to you before I spoke," Starlight Glimmer answered.
"You, uh, you didn't hear anything I said, did you?" Octavia asked.
"No, I didn't catch anything," Starlight Glimmer said.
Octavia sighed in relief before she chuckled in embarrassment. Starlight Glimmer still looked at the gray girl in concern and asked, "Are you okay?"
"No. No, I am not," Octavia said.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Starlight asked.
Octavia gave her friend a sad smile and said, "Not really. Thank you, though."
"Oh. Okay," Starlight said. "Well, if you haven't eaten yet, would you like to join me for lunch? I'm on my way to this 50's restaurant that my friend, Pinkie Pie, works at. Maybe some food will take your mind off what's bugging you."
Octavia frowned and opened her mouth to decline Starlight Glimmer's invitation, but then she heard a rumble coming from her stomach. She chuckled nervously again while Starlight Glimmer tried not to laugh.
"I suppose I'm a bit peckish," Octavia replied.
"Great," Starlight Glimmer said happily. "It's just a couple of blocks from here, so just follow my lead."
Octavia smiled and nodded as she got off the bench and followed her friend. It took only a few minutes before they came across a diner in bright colors with a large pink car on top of the building. It wasn't long after they went inside before Pinkie Pie, dressed in a blue waitress outfit and wearing roller skates, appeared before them as if she came out of thin air. Octavia and Starlight Glimmer jumped in alarm as Pinkie Pie gave them a big smile.
"Hi, you guys," she chirped. "I see you decided to take me on my offer, Starlight."
"Uh, well, I haven't had a chance to eat lunch yet, and I was in the neighborhood, so I thought no time like the present," Starlight Glimmer replied, still taken aback. "I saw Octavia along the way, so I invited her to join me."
"Ooooooo, two new customers. That's twice as fun," Pinkie Pie said. "Welcome to the Sweet Snacks Cafe, ladies. I know you're going to love it here."
"I hope so," Octavia said. "I could do with something very filling."
"Well, then you're in luck, because nothing beats our food here," Pinkie Pie said as she took out two menus. "Come on. I'll show you to your booth."
Starlight Glimmer and Octavia smiled as they followed the pink girl who rolled her way to a booth at the other side of the diner. The two girls sat down, and Pinkie Pie handed them the menus before she said, "I'll be back in a minute to take your orders, okay?"
"Sounds good, Pinkie," Starlight Glimmer said.
With that, Pinkie Pie rolled away, quick as a flash, and Starlight Glimmer and Octavia started looking at their menus. After deciding what she wanted, Octavia put down her menu and looked around the restaurant. Many of the booths were full of people happily eating their food and chatting away. A group of couples were dancing in front of a jukebox that was playing 50's music.
"A very lively place here, isn't it?" Octavia said.
"It sure is," Starlight Glimmer agreed, putting down her menu. "Pinkie told me that this place has a lot of regular customers, and it's known for having delicious milkshakes. To tell you the truth, I've been curious about how good they are, because there's already some milkshakes at Sugarcube Cafe that are very sweet."
"Indeed," Octavia said. "Perhaps we should try some after we've had our lunch."
Starlight Glimmer nodded in agreement before she thought of something and asked, "You know, I've noticed that you say 'indeed' a lot. Is that like your catchphrase or something?"
Octavia let out a giggle and replied, "I suppose it sounds like I say it too much, but it's quite normal to use the phrase regularly back in Manehattan."
"Oh, I see," Starlight Glimmer said. "I hope you aren't offended that I asked."
"No, of course not," Octavia assured. "If anything, I suppose someone was bound to ask in retrospect."
Starlight Glimmer smiled before Pinkie Pie appeared in front of the booth and asked, "So, you guys ready to order?"
"I know I am," Starlight Glimmer said. "How about you, Octavia?"
"I certainly am," Octavia replied.
"Great," Pinkie Pie said before she reached into her poofy pink hair and took out a pen and notebook. "What can I getcha?"
Starlight Glimmer and Octavia paused for a moment, befuddled that the notebook and pen were stashed inside Pinkie Pie's hair before they shook their heads and picked up their menus.
"I'd like the 'rocking chicken club sandwich' with fries," Starlight said.
"And I'll try the, er, 'groovy burger' with the 'twist and shout' onion rings," Octavia said, muddled with the names of the food.
"Great choices," Pinkie Pie said as she took the menus. "We'll have your orders ready in a jiffy."
The pink girl rolled away cheerfully, leaving Starlight Glimmer and Octavia alone again. The two of them sat quietly, waiting eagerly for their food with no idea of what to say to strike another conversation in the meantime.
As they waited, Octavia noticed a young couple sitting in a nearby booth. The two of them appeared to be freshmen from Canterlot High. No older than fifteen. The girl had white skin and curly grayish mulberry hair with pale, light grayish rose streaks. The boy had dark grayish amber skin and was wearing a propeller beanie to cover his moderate tangelo hair that has a streak of bright orange. The two of them were sitting on the same side of the booth with the boy playing a game on his phone while the girl watched with her arms wrapped around the boy's right arm, and her head rested on his shoulder. Octavia noticed how the girl was smiling as she watched her boyfriend press his thumbs on the screen repeatedly. She speculated that the girl was silently excited for her boyfriend, who perhaps was coming close to achieving his goal in the game.
Suddenly, the boy yelled in panic before letting out a childish cry, having apparently lost the game. The girl frowned sympathetically and lifted her head to say words of comfort to her beloved. It took a few seconds before the boyfriend stopped crying and gave the girlfriend an appreciative look. Then, the girlfriend spoke to the boyfriend in a way that looked like she was giving him advice. The boyfriend thought about what she said before his eyes lit up, and he praised the girlfriend for the suggestion. His praise was spontaneously followed by kissing the girl's cheek before going back to the game. The girl stood in place for a moment with her cheeks turning pink before she beamed and went back to resting her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, squeezing the boyfriend's arm even more as she watched him play.
Octavia smiled at the couple's moment of encouragement and affection, finding it to be adorable and touching. Her smile faded, however, when her mind went back to her and Blueblood. She thought about the times they displayed affection for each other such as holding hands and him giving her side hugs like she said to me the day before, but she couldn't remember the last time they kissed apart from when she greeted him at the hospital that day. If it was sometime shortly before the school year started, it felt longer than that. She knew that Blueblood hadn't been able to show much affection with his work or after he fell off the balcony, but that just made her miss being kissed even more. As far as she was concerned, the most meaningful moment of affection she remembered having was when she hugged me from behind.
The gray girl quietly groaned with her mouth closed so that Starlight Glimmer couldn't hear, disliking how her mind went back to me. She tried to shake off those thoughts again, but they were there to stay this time. Octavia then remembered how I admitted to being someone who likes video games and other nerdy stuff and started picturing me focused on a video game just like the younger boy. She smiled at the thought of a girl hugging my arm and resting her head on my shoulder as I played. It sounded like a dream come true for her dear friend that she wanted to see happen, but then, Octavia suddenly imagined herself being that girl. She wanted to slap herself in the face out of hopes that she would snap out of that thought, but there was no way she could do that while she was in public. And yet, the idea didn't sound bad to her. Could she learn to be invested in what I'm passionate about in the same manner as I was about her music? She wasn't sure, but she wanted to find out even if she shouldn't.
Her mind then went back to the argument that she likely is feeling this way because of the problem with her relationship. But even as she mentally told herself that again, she wondered how she could know for sure. Eventually, she decided she needed help and looked at Starlight Glimmer, who was looking away while resting her arm.
"Starlight Glimmer, can I get your opinion on something?" She asked.
The purple girl turned to her and smiled as she said, "Sure. What's up?"
"Well, there's a… cousin who lives in Manehattan and is going through a confusing situation and has asked me for advice on it," Octavia lied. "I want to help with figuring out the problem, but I think I need a second opinion."
Starlight Glimmer looked at Octavia, confused, and hesitantly asked, "Okay, so what's the problem?"
"Well, this cousin has been dating his girlfriend for a long time," Octavia began. "His girlfriend was very devoted to him and always came to be with him whenever she could and support his dream as a celli - er, actor."
"Was?" Starlight Glimmer asked.
"Yes. You see, his girlfriend has started this job in this highly-respected fashion business," Octavia explained. "It's always been her dream to work in the fashion industry and even create her own company one day. My cousin was happy that she got the job and has been encouraging her while she started working, but then she started acting less like herself."
"What do you mean?" Starlight Glimmer asked.
"Well, she started spending less time with him, and even when she's around she acts distant and often spends half the time taking calls from work even in the middle of dates and doesn't even come to his plays anymore," Octavia said.
"Sounds like he should just break up with her," Starlight Glimmer commented.
"You'd think, but he doesn't want to," Octavia said. "They've been together for so long, and he still loves her so much. For all her faults, she's been the best thing to come into his life, and he doesn't want to lose her."
Starlight Glimmer frowned and said, "That does sound like a hard thing to figure out."
"It gets more complicated than that, actually," Octavia said.
"Really? How?" Starlight Glimmer asked.
"Well, there's another girl," Octavia said. "She's a… a playwright. She's writing and directing the latest musical in Bridleway."
"Really? What's it called?" Starlight Glimmer asked.
"Er, I don't remember. I just know it has something to do with robots and spaceships and warriors with superpowers or something," Octavia fibbed.
"That's pretty unusual for a musical on Bridleway," Starlight Glimmer said.
"Well, she's a rather unusual person," Octavia replied. "Having said that, my cousin is one of the actors for the show and has grown to admire her for her passion even though it's very different and few people in the city are interested in the concept. He also tells me that she's very friendly and seems to admire his talent as an actor in a way that no one does. Not even his girlfriend."
"Ah, I think I see where this is going," Starlight Glimmer said, smirking. "Your cousin has developed feelings for the playwright."
"Er, well, he thinks he has," Octavia clarified. "He doesn't want to believe he has because he still wants to fight for his relationship, and yet there seems to be something special about how much the playwright cares for him. He figures that she's just a good director who encourages her actors because that's her job and he's just thinking he's beginning to like her because he and his girlfriend are going through a rough time while the playwright is giving him the attention he used to get from his girlfriend. He wishes he knew for sure, so he asked me for advice, and I'm not sure what to say. I've never met the playwright, but I've seen my cousin and his girlfriend together before this mess started and they looked like they both thought the world of each other. So, with that in mind, I thought I should get a second opinion from someone who doesn't personally know any of them."
Starlight Glimmer stared at Octavia for a moment before she looked away and hummed in thought. She analyzed the information in her mind for about a minute before she said, "Before I can give you my opinion, can I tell you a secret?"
"Absolutely," Octavia replied with a smile.
"Do you remember when I mentioned that I had a best friend from my old town named Sunburst?" Starlight Glimmer asked.
"I do," Octavia answered.
"Well, the truth is I never thought of him as just my best friend," Starlight Glimmer said. "I was in love with him."
Octavia looked at her purple friend, surprised and asked, "Really? How long did you feel this way?"
"Almost as long as we've known each other," Starlight Glimmer answered. "That's honestly the real reason why I'm sad that he left and we lost touch with each other. I want to believe that I might see him again, but I have another problem similar to what your cousin is going through."
"Alright," Octavia said, waiting to find out what's wrong.
Starlight Glimmer played with her fingers and confessed, "I've developed feelings for someone else. I mean, to be clear, I don't just think I might have feelings like your cousin does. I really, really like this guy even though I haven't known him that long. Like, I'm sometimes shy when I'm around him, and whenever he compliments me, my cheeks are practically as pink as Pinkie Pie."
"Goodness," Octavia chuckled. "Do I know him?"
"No, you don't," Starlight Glimmer lied.
"What's he like?" Octavia asked.
Starlight Glimmer thought about it for a few seconds before she answered, "Well, for starters, he's new to the school like me. He's kind and friendly, but he tends to get himself in some kind of trouble. He's also a huge dork, but in a charming way."
"Interesting," Octavia said. "Is he good-looking?"
"Oh, he's very cute," Starlight Glimmer said, feeling bashful for saying it. "The fact of the matter is though, I sort of have some competition. There's one girl who, in all honesty, is a knockout and has been making moves on him. Granted, he knows she's not someone to pursue, but, you can't let your guard down when someone like her is after your crush. Then there's this other girl..."
Starlight Glimmer paused, unsure of what to say, making Octavia confused.
"Judging by your hesitation, I take it she's the bigger threat?" She guessed.
"Well, no and yes," Starlight Glimmer answered. "You see, this girl sees my crush as just a very good friend, but him? He's got it bad. Even though the odds of having a chance with her are pretty much zero, he still wants to be more than friends. I'd like nothing more than to discourage him to the point that he will move on so that he might eventually notice me, but he keeps thinking about her no matter what anyone says to him. The only silver lining I have is that he won't be hanging out with her for very long, but I doubt he's going to let it go even then."
Octavia frowned and said, "That is worrisome, but how does that make it similar to what my cousin is going through?"
Starlight Glimmer chuckled nervously, realizing that she's gone off-topic.
"Right, sorry," she said. "The thing is even though I want this guy to see me as more than a friend, part of me wishes I could figure things out with the person I've cared for years. Honestly, there may always be a part of me that wishes I could be with Sunburst and wonders if I like this other guy just because he might be a possibility while my first crush is gone. I don't know, but I won't find out by worrying about it all the time. So, I guess my suggestion is just to take it all one day at a time. Have your cousin get to know the playwright more while also figuring out how to mend things with his girlfriend. If things work out with his relationship, fantastic, but if they don't and he finds himself wanting to be with the other girl after getting to know her so well, then maybe he should just run with how he feels about her."
Octavia hummed as she thought about Starlight Glimmer's advice. She still didn't want to believe that she might be feeling something for me, but it made sense that she should get to know me more while Blueblood is healing, and either way it would be a good idea if for no other reason than to get her mind off of Blueblood while they weren't speaking to each other.
The gray girl smiled and said, "You're right, Starlight. This isn't a situation that should be decided right away. Maybe just a few weeks focusing on the play instead of his girlfriend is just what my cousin needs to cool off and think about what to do after the play."
"Exactly," Starlight Glimmer said. "Do you think your cousin will take my advice?"
"Yes, I think he will," Octavia said. "Thank you, Starlight. I feel better now that I know what to do."
"Like chowing down on some delicious food?"
Starlight Glimmer and Octavia jumped in alarm and turned their heads to find Pinkie Pie standing next to their table, holding two plates of food.
"Pinkie, you need to stop startling people like that," Starlight Glimmer said.
"Indeed. You almost gave me a heart attack," Octavia said.
"What? I thought following up on what you said was a perfect way to get you excited," Pinkie Pie said as she placed the plates of food in front of her customers. "After all, there's not a person in Canterlot who fails to leave the Sweet Snacks Cafe with a smile on their faces."
Octavia glanced at her burger and onion rings and felt her stomach rumbling again as she said, "I'll hold you to that."
"Well, you're not going to find out by looking at your lunch, silly," Pinkie Pie said. "Bon appetit, ladies."
Pinkie Pie skated away again, leaving the two other girls to sigh in relief again before bowing their heads in prayer. After they prayed, Starlight Glimmer picked up her chicken sandwich while Octavia decided to start with one of her onion rings. As soon as she took a small bite, she stood still like a statue with the ring still in her mouth. Starlight Glimmer wondered if something was wrong with Octavia before she devoured the rest of the onion ring in an instant. She then started eating another ring in one bite, followed by another ring, and another ring. Before she could stuff a fifth one into her mouth, Octavia looked up and noticed Starlight Glimmer staring at her.
Octavia felt her cheeks turn pink as she rubbed the back of her head and said, "My apologies. I don't normally eat like that, but these onion rings are more delicious than I expected."
"I figured that out for myself," Starlight Glimmer said teasingly. "Still, you might want to be careful with how fast you eat. Don't want your food all gone before you have a chance to enjoy it."
"Right. Of course," Octavia said.
The two of them went back to their food with Octavia eating her onion rings at a moderate pace. When she had finished, Octavia picked up her burger and slowly took a bite, letting out a moan as she happily chewed. Starlight Glimmer couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's behavior as it was clear to her that Octavia didn't normally eat food like burgers and onion rings. By the time the two of them were done, Octavia patted her stomach with a gleam in her eye.
"I think burgers and onion rings are my new favorite food now," she said. "Thank you so much for inviting me, Starlight Glimmer."
"My pleasure," Starlight Glimmer said. "So, you want to try some milkshakes?"
Octavia groaned and said, "I'd love to, but I think I'm plenty full already. Maybe next time?"
"Sure. No problem," Starlight Glimmer said with a smile. "You don't mind if I order one, though, do you?"
"Oh, not at all. I know you were planning to try one, so you don't need to hold that off on my account," Octavia replied. "It's probably best that I pay my check and head home anyway. I want to discuss your idea with my cousin as soon as possible."
"Totally," Starlight Glimmer said. "I'll see you at school."
"See you," Octavia said.
The gray girl walked over to the other side of the building, where Pinkie Pie was standing behind a cash register. Pinkie Pie was already beaming at Octavia before she pressed the buttons on the register to print off the check.
"I knew you'd be happy with your meal," she said proudly.
"Indeed, I did," Octavia replied as she handed Pinkie Pie her credit card. "Give my compliments to your chief if you please."
"You got it," Pinkie Pie chirped as she swiped the card and handed it back to Octavia. "I hope you'll come back to try some of our milkshakes."
"As do I," Octavia said. "Until then, have a good day, Pinkie Pie."
"See ya!" Pinkie Pie called out in a singing voice.
Octavia gave Pinkie Pie a wave before she exited the restaurant. As she started the trek home, she let out a happy sigh.
"Thank you, Lord. That was exactly what I needed," she praised. "I just need a little time away from Blueblood to think about our relationship while getting to know Rough Draft more. Maybe I could invite him to come to the Sweet Snacks Cafe with me, and we can use that to get to know each other better. Not to mention he's already my date for the wedding. If Rough Draft turns out to be a better suitor, I'll break up with Blueblood and start pursuing him even if I'm just his friend, and if I don't then he's just my friend, and I either mend things with Blueblood or I have to end it so that I'm not in a broken relationship and no one will be the wiser. Either way, I'm not letting my emotions lead to cheating on my boyfriend, and I'll get to know my very first friend better. Look out, Rough Draft, cause I intend to use Blueblood's stupid deal to spend as much time with you as I want."
With that, the gray girl walked home with a bright smile on her face, suddenly looking forward to school on Monday.