Octavius sat in the room that Dash had let him use, staring out at the dark night sky. The full moon shone bright in the sky, casting a whitish glow over the small city. A few cars drove by occasionally, but for the most part it was relatively quiet outside. Octavius sighed and looked down at his broken arm
“Well,” he said aloud to himself. “It’ll be a couple months before I can play again, but it’s better than nothing.”
He stood up and walked out into the dining room of the restaurant, making a cup of coffee from the pot that had been brewed earlier and sitting at one of the booths. He sipped on his coffee and looked over the darkened room. The moon cast odd shadows on the floor and walls, making them seem to move as clouds passed in front of it.
“Something bothering you?” A female voice caught Octavius off guard, making him jump slightly. He looked to the door and saw Vinyl standing there in a tee shirt and sweat pants, as well as her ever present purple shades. She grinned at him and sat across from him.
“No,” Octavius answered. “Just wasn’t able to sleep is all.”
Vinyl tilted her head a bit, seeming to analyze him. “You’re lying, Tavi.” She folded her arms over her chest, mockingly scolding him. “What’s wrong?”
Octavius sat quietly for a minute, then sighed. “I was just thinking about everything that led me here.” He gestured to the restaurant around him. “I was wondering where I would be now if I hadn’t gone with you last week, if I had just told you to get lost and gone about my day.”
Vinyl looked very sad, frowning a little bit. “Oh,” she muttered quietly. “I’m sorry, Tavi. I didn’t realize I had –“
“I think,” Octavius cut her off with a grin. “I’d be in a pretty boring place.”
Vinyl’s expression changed to one of shock. “W-What?!”
Octavius nodded. “You and Dash, you girls made my life vastly more interesting than it used to be. Before, all I thought about was how perfect I had to be.” He looked down at his coffee. “I had to be exceptional, and become the greatest cellist ever. I never had time or need for ‘friends’. All that mattered was the future, and my career.
“While I do love the cello,” he continued. “I wanted it to be fun. But my dad always told me music wasn’t supposed to be ‘fun’. It was supposed to be ‘perfection’. He always pushed me, sometimes a little too hard. Sometimes I’d be forced to stay up all night and practice a piece because I missed one note, or I lost track of the tempo, or I forgot an entrance.
“And man, if I messed up at a recital, the hell I’d be in for when I got home.” He visibly shuddered at the thought. “He made sure I was the best in my class, or I direly regretted it. He’d beat me within an inch of my life, and then make me practice through the pain. I couldn’t be anything less than perfect.”
“Octavius,” Vinyl said quietly. “That’s awful…”
Octavius looked up at her with a smile. “It’s fine. If he hadn’t have been so tough on me, I might not’ve gotten the job here in town, and then I wouldn’t’ve met you and Dash. Oh,” he smiled. “And I wouldn’t have gotten to meet the lovely Ditzy or the charming David, either.”
Vinyl rolled her eyes, but smiled as well. “I suppose you’re right. You’re life might’ve been a real drag without us to make it fun!”
“So thank you, Vinyl,” Octavius took her hand gently. “You changed this boring old life of mine into one worth living. One I’m proud to have. You’re a fantastic woman, and the first friend I ever really had. I’m glad that honor is yours.”
Vinyl blushed but smiled at him. “You know,” she said quietly. “Vinyl is just a stage name. My real name is Violet.”
“Well, Violet,” Octavius pressed her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“It was my pleasure, Octavius,” she replied, blushing intensely now. “My absolute pleasure.”
Octavius placed her hand back on the table and took his now empty coffee cup into the kitchen, washing it out and placing it in the drying rack. “Well,” he said as he walked back into the dining room. “If you’ll kindly excuse me, I think I’ll be off to bed. Thank you for listening to my troubles,” Octavius cast a grin over his shoulder as he walked out. “Violet.”
“Good night,” Vinyl smiled. “Octavius.”