//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Quiet // by bahatumay //------------------------------// Vinyl Scratch scampered through the halls with a hint of urgency in her step. Having that impromptu drinking contest with that 54 oz Big Jug of soda with Pinkie Pie during lunch had seemed like a fun idea at the time, but now she was really regretting it—and not just because she'd lost. Right now it was because she wasn't exactly sure where the bathrooms were in this hall. She didn't have classes in here. This was the science hall, the world of the nerds. The only science she needed was on where to place her speakers, and personal experience had given her enough practice on that.  She was just about ready to give up and go outside to make a mad dash to the locker rooms in the gym when she saw her friend, also walking through the hall. She looked a little different. Her yellow hair looked a little out of place, she held her books tightly against her chest, and she seemed a little frazzled, swaying a bit, like she was stressed about something.  She needs quiet, like me, but she's not getting it.  Vinyl shook her head. It was probably just school stress. The semester was ending, tests were looming, and projects were coming due.  And so she needs it more than ever. Cursing the voice in her head and against her better judgment, Vinyl found herself weaving through the hall, typing one-handed on her phone. She made it to her side and tapped her on the shoulder. Her friend jumped, but settled down and smiled when she recognized her. Vinyl held out her phone, but she didn't seem to understand. She cocked her head, and it took her a couple seconds to realize that Vinyl wanted her to actually read her phone. She took it hesitantly. >Hey, if you want a quiet spot, I have a soundbooth at my house. It's not perfect and when trains go by you can kinda feel it rumble, but it's better than nothing.  She smiled a half smile and nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.” Vinyl blinked in surprise and took her phone back. >You can talk? She typed, then turned the screen to her. Her friend read it and cracked a wry smile. “I can. I don't, much. Some people don't like my voice.” Vinyl chuckled dryly as she punched in her latest message, her laughter coming out quiet and raspy like all her laughs did. >Sounds just fine to me. Better than mine, anyway. She smiled. “I'm sure your voice is good, too,” she offered.  In response, Vinyl shook her head, then lifted her chin and pulled the skin around her neck taut, exposing the web of scar tissue there. She flinched. Vinyl gritted her teeth, her hand snapping closed instinctively. She lowered her head, covering her neck. Stupid! Why had she done that? She never showed anyone these scars. It had never gotten a good reaction out of people. She waved her down and began typing faster.  >Sorry! I shouldn’t have done that. “It’s fine,” she said, but her voice was hesitant. Vinyl wasn’t sure she was being completely honest. Still, she’d offered, and it wouldn’t be right to back out now. She kept typing. >Want to come over today? I can text you the address.  She brightened. “Works for me. How does four sound?”  Vinyl nodded. >Four works.  She handed her the phone and her new friend put in her number.  The bell ringing let them know they had run out of time. She gave the phone back, but it slipped out of her fingers. Vinyl was faster, though, and caught it just before it hit the ground. She grinned triumphantly.  The other girl smiled sheepishly, adjusted her books again, and hurried off to class. Vinyl looked at the new contact. Her eyes widened ever so slightly at the name. ‘Muffins’, eh? She pursed her lips. Oddly fitting. She turned to head to class, but something was bothering her. She’d forgotten something, hadn't she? She had. What had she forg-? She grimaced as she came to a dead stop and a sharp pang hit her. Oh, wow did she have to pee. She turned to run outside towards the gym. Guess she'd be taking a tardy today!  In the orchestra room, Octavia practiced, her bow smoothly sliding along the strings.  Her watch vibrated with the text message pattern, enough that she noticed but not nearly enough to throw an artist like her off. She finished the section and then lifted her wrist.  >>Remember the girl I met at my quiet spot? Octavia raised an eyebrow as she retrieved her phone from the music stand, pausing the metronome app so she could reply.  >I know OF her, yes. >Are you going to introduce us? 🙏 >>She’s coming over to chill in my soundbooth today at four. Please, for the love of syncopation, don’t do anything weird. >Weird? Me? Perish the thought. 😇 Octavia smirked as she tapped the send icon. She could almost see Vinyl’s pained expression. Oh, she knew exactly why she was worried. Admittedly, she may have been a little heavy-handed in trying to help her make friends at first, but she knew Vinyl better now, and if Quiet Spot Girl was anything like Vinyl, she knew exactly how to help grow this friendship. Without her quiet spot, there was really no reason to stay at school longer, so Vinyl was back at home, trying to focus on her homework. That was a pretty lost cause at this point, though; she’d done the last calculation correctly but noticed that she’d punched in that the gravitational constant on earth was 7.8 meters per second, and she was 98.1% certain that it was not. She scowled at it and pulled up the history on her calculator to make that change.  She paused. She sniffed the air. She stood up, pulling out her phone as she did, and walked over to the kitchen.  >You’re making bread? Octavia looked over at her watch to read the message, then looked back at her. “I like bread, Vinyl,” she said with an innocent little shrug.  Vinyl knew she was doing this on purpose, but she loved Octavia’s bread, too. So soft when it was hot and fresh from the oven and with melted butter; oh, she was craving it already! She cracked a smile as she typed another message. >Now I REALLY don’t want to do my physics homework. Octavia giggled merrily. “You’d better finish it. You can’t have your pudding if you don’t finish your homework,” she said liltingly. She was teasing. Vinyl couldn’t keep the little smile off her face, but she tried to force a glare as she typed her response. >I know where you sleep. Right at four, there was a knock on their two-toned door. Vinyl dropped her calculator like it was on fire and quickly headed down, typing a welcome message on her phone as she did. She opened the door and instinctively hit send, used to communicating with Octavia. She looked at Muffins, expecting her to check her… Bare wrist? Oh. A bit too late, she realized that Muffins didn’t have a smartwatch, so she wouldn’t have gotten her message as quickly as Octavia would have. Her brow furrowed. Maybe Octavia was right. Muffins stood there, a little bemused at being stared at. It took her a moment to realize that Vinyl had texted her; she hadn’t seemed to recognize her own ringtone. She slapped her pocket, then reached into it for her phone and pulled it out. It was an older phone, with a badly cracked screen. She read it and smiled a little smile, and waved at her, returning her greeting. Alright, communication. Vinyl smiled and gestured with her head that she should follow.  Muffins entered, and paused to sniff the air.  Vinyl grinned. She gestured towards the kitchen. Octavia was cutting a loaf of bread into slices. “Oh, brilliant timing,” she said, turning to look at her. “Welcome. I am Octavia.” “Muffins,” Muffins said, her eyes (or one of them, anyway) immediately drawn to the steaming bread on the table.  “A pleasure to meet you.” Octavia gestured at the table. “Please, help yourself. I made it to share. Do you take butter, or jam, or-?” But Muffins had already shoved the whole slice into her mouth and was eating enthusiastically, little moans of pleasure escaping her mouth.  Octavia blinked, but then shrugged. She picked up her own slice and daintily spread butter on the top. Vinyl quickly followed, taking the knife when she was done.  “Thish ish sho good,” Muffins said respectfully, her mouth full.  Octavia chuckled lightly. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” Before long, all the slices were gone. Vinyl tapped Muffins on the shoulder and gestured with her head.  Muffins paused for a split second, as if trying to remember, then quickly stood up, knocking her chair over behind her. She quickly picked it up.  Vinyl cracked a smile. She led Muffins to her soundbooth, opened the door, and let her go inside. But as she started to shut the door, she spoke. “Aren't you staying?” Vinyl hesitated, but then nodded. A little quiet time would be nice. She went inside and closed the door behind her. She gave Muffins an easy shrug and lay down, patting the ground next to her.  She understood and lay down next to her.  And together, they were quiet. It wasn’t quite the same. Their breath was loud enough to hear in here, mostly because it was an enclosed space. And the air was a little stale, since they were indoors. There wasn’t any airflow, no gentle breeze.  But it was quiet.  And it was nice.  It was funny. Vinyl had had such a hard time explaining to Octavia her need for quiet. Octavia, being about as extroverted and bubbly as they come, didn't quite understand.  That’s not to say she didn’t respect it, because she did; but she just couldn’t understand. Finding someone else who intrinsically understood what she needed and what she got from it was really nice, actually. She didn’t need to explain or feel like she was defending herself somehow. Time seemed to slow down as she was quiet in her own space. It was like nothing existed outside. Or inside. It was just her. Her and her new friend. After a time, the alarm went off again, sounding oddly loud in the enclosed room and abruptly yanking her back to the real world. Vinyl sat up and looked at Muffins.  Muffins didn’t notice, she was looking down at her phone to silence the alarm. “Sorry, gotta go. Have to pick up my little sister.” She looked down and sighed. “Might as well be her mom, though,” she mumbled.  Vinyl scrunched her eyebrows, wordlessly asking for clarification.  None was forthcoming. Muffins stood up and stretched, twisting her back around with a soft pop. “Thanks,” she said, seemingly slightly distracted. “It was… nice.” It was. Vinyl nodded and opened the soundbooth. She led her to the two-toned door. Octavia waved as they passed and returned to her homework.   “It was really nice, though,” Muffins said as she crossed the threshold. “Maybe we can do it again sometime?” Vinyl nodded eagerly.  “Alright. Text me?” Vinyl nodded and gave her a thumbs up. As soon as the door shut behind her, Octavia was there. “I think that went rather well,” she said leadingly, her eyebrows raised.  Vinyl chuckled dryly, but didn’t respond further.