“Octavia Melody! I said, where have you been, young lady?” her mother snapped.
Head still spinning from the day's events, Octavia didn’t even notice her mother when she entered her house. Which, if there was one thing Octavia knew too well not to do, it was to make somebody, particularly Mrs. Melody, ask a question twice.
Octavia shuttered, but tried to answer as calmly as she could. “I am sorry, mother I was... Tutoring a student for extra credit.” Figuring half a lie would be better than a full one.
Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Extra credit? You’re grades aren’t slipping, are they?”
‘Ah crap,’ she thought. Having avoided one problem, only to face another.
“No! I mean, I got all my homework done flawlessly.” She sucked in a breath, her acting now having to be top notch. “It’s just that, Mr. Cranky wanted me to help someone who was taking some college level math course.” She chuckled nervously. “He thought me helping a fellow student would look good on a resume.” With that out, she gulped and prayed it would be enough to impress.
Her mother ran a finger along her chin in thought. “Well, I’m sure you could of spent your time better otherwise, but you may go get your homework done.”
Octavia let out a sigh of relief. “Yes mother.” And with that, she started up the stairs to her room.
“Oh, and Octavia!” her mother called after.
“Yes, mother?” Octavia asked, gripping the railing.
“Blue Note is hosting a gala for his son next Saturday, and I’ve already told him you’d be preforming with the band.”
Octavia shook her head, but answered, “Thank you, mother.”
“Do expect a call in a while with him mentioning the event though.”
Octavia took in a breath. “Yes, mother.”
Before she could take another step up the stairs, he mother called again, “His son is a really nice boy, Octavia. Would ensure you a stable future. I just hate to see you pass it by like that, or feel you have to solo focus on your school works right now.”
‘Oh you fucking hypocrite!’ Octavia thought to herself.
She said out loudly, “I’ll... I just want to be sure something as trivial as romance won’t get in the way of my studies first and foremost. But, you are right.” ‘As always.’ “He is the nicest gentleman my age that I know of.” Which was the most truthful thing she had said so far. If only because she didn’t know of any other guys to compare.
“Glad to hear.”
With that, Octavia was free to go to her room. Where, she picked up a pillow from her bed, and screamed into it.
*****
An hour later, Octavia had worn herself out enough to start focusing on her homework. Or at least sit at her study with her text books open. Knowing better than to chance her mother or father walking in and finding her doing nothing. Which, usually, even on her worst nights, she could get a little bit done with everything laid out and ready.
The funny thing was, the previous week hadn’t (all things considered) been that bad for her. Nothing that may have made her forget a math assignment. Needing to be rescued by... Her.
Octavia let out a sigh. It was no use. At least if she forgot something, there would have been a good reason for it. Truthfully though, it had been a rather good day for her, and that was the problem. She wasn’t supposed to have fun! If her parents found out, and yet, she almost didn’t care. Thinking back onto that moment where she let all of her emotions out near the end. They way Sonata had held her when she cried...
Octavia groaned and slammed her head onto her study table. To think, at the end of it all, she had to ask that girl to give her time and space just to process her emotions. All because the idea of having a ‘friend,’ or rather the talks she was sure her mother would have with her if she found out, was too scary.
Thinking that out loud, she felt silly. What was she, a child? Wasn’t she supposed to be the great Octavia Melody? The girl who could have anything she wanted.
Breathing in, she pulled out her phone.
‘This is a really bad idea.’ Right on cue, her inner voice spoke. Her conditioned consciousness and ‘voice of reason’ if you will, whenever she, for a moment, thought of doing anything her parents wouldn’t approve of.
‘Put it away and get back to your homework before you get into trouble.’
Octavia paused, fingering her phone, torn. To help stem the tide, she opened it up and scrolled through her contacts. Seeing how she still had Sonata listed as, Study Favor.
She changed it to Sonata Dusk, but left the part that told you how they were associated blank for moment. Fortunately, it was rare that her mother ever asked to check her phone, but she didn’t want to take chances.
‘Only because you don’t give her reason too,’ her conscious pointed out.
Octavia smacked her head. “Or maybe taking chances is what I need right now.”
Mulling it over, looking at how she had no picture of sonata to use either, after weighing the pros and cons of how stalkerish it sounded, she contacted the internet, went to mystable, and typed in the name, Sonata Dusk. She found the Sonata she was looking for shortly after narrowing it down to those who attended Canterlot High. Her profile picture showing the girl smiling. It made Octavia’s heart beat at the sight. She pushed the thought aside. It was wrong, no mater the sex. And yet...
Ah hell! She was alone, already looking at her page so, maybe if she played around with the idea. The very least to get some silly notions out of her system. Not that her luck, among other things that would need to be that wouldn’t, would have Sonata be single and into girls either. She clicked on Sonata’s bio.
Relationship statues; single
Octavia’s heart skipped a beat. Obviously, it wouldn’t say if she was straight or not. Still... She clicked on photos.
‘Now what would your mother, and little friend say?’ her demon tisked.
Octavia brushes passed it, feeling a rush of adrenaline as she did so. Most of which were of Sonata posing, looking all adorable. She saved those, to pick which would be for the contact information! Of course.
‘Sure.’
The rest were of Sonata hanging out with some of her friends. One of which she recognized as that cow hat girl who had tried to help her with her cello case earlier that day. She even thought she recognized that Rainbow girl Sonata had mentioned an example of being nice for the sake of it. One that caught her eye was of that Disc Jockey. The one who had come the closest to have broken through to her. Before Sonata of course. Not that she could blame said DJ, Vinyl, the description said, for giving up on her in the end.
They all did.
Honestly, if it wasn’t because it was more of a business deal, Sonata would of been no different.
‘So why is she?’
Scrolling down, she saw, to her dismay, the DJ holding an arm around a pinkie girl. The caption reading; Together Fiveever! <3 <3 <3
It was dated to a little over a month ago. So she was gay, and found someone. Good on her. Octavia supposed. Her jaw dropped at the next photo.
A purple haired girl was kissing Sonata on the cheek. This caption reading; Best girlfriend ever!
‘See, you silly, silly girl,’ her mind mocked.
However, it wasn’t so much that which caught, as much, of Octavia’s, as when it was dated. Over a year ago.
So, she was single, gay, and... And what did that matter to her?’
‘Just walk away now, before-
“Oh be quite.” She told herself. Really, she had gone this long without taking a chance at a relationship? Unhealthy would be an understatement. Consequences being dammed if anybody walked in, she threw herself onto her bed, and groaned in frustration.
This was all too much for her. She couldn’t have a girlfriend. Or any friend, period! She had to survive. Make it through high school and college. Keep her parents from mentally wearing her down and- Never be happy.
She looked at her phone again. Was it really worth it? Didn’t she, maybe, deserve to be happy.
Picking up the phone, she looked over Sonata’s number. Until, before she could talk herself out of it, she texted Sonata. Asking if they could resume their study date. Not caring at all what she had just called it in her mind.
Sonata responded right away, the message warming Octavia’s heart as Sonata called her, a friend.
‘You can’t,’ her inner demon reminded. ‘You’ll just mess it up. Then what? You’ll be heartbroken, and you’ll have your parents disappointed as well.’
It was right. She should just cancel the whole thing and have everything go back to normal?...
****
‘The Boxboard Square musical?’ Octavia asked Sonata skeptically.
“I know how silly it sounds,” Sonata admitted during their hour of fun. “But that’s kind of what makes it work! Check out the soundtrack if you can. It’s all about staying positive in your worse times, and not being afraid of doing what makes you happy.’
*****
Octavia smiled at the memory, and looked up one of the songs Sonata had suggested. Sure enough, it was good, and had those very themes Sonata talked about. So much so, she realized she had left Sonata hanging by the third song, and thought quick of any answer. Only instead, she played around with the memory. One that had a different outcome. Smiling, she pictured Sonata taking her hand, and leaning up against her. Octavia would have blushed, asking what she was doing. Sonata would, innocently say, nothing. Then, Sonata would use her free to turn her face towards her. Gaze into her eyes, and-
‘It’s not worth it,’ her inner demon said, starting to interpret her day dreaming, but Octavia pushed it aside. Realizing she had taken so long to respond. With a shaky breath, she answered,
I'm looking forward to it, friend. ❤️
‘Sure. Sure you will. Just keep telling yourself that, you silly child....’