//------------------------------// // Daily Routine // Story: A High School Catastrophe // by Cyber Clash //------------------------------// She was on a stage overlooking the crowd. Lasers were going off and on in time with the music. Vinyl Scratch banged her head in time with the beat as she heard the crowd chanting, “DJ Pon-3!” The disc jockey let the music build up and up with the crowd’s excitement, and then…the beat dropped. The crowd went wild, and the DJ jumped off of the stage to attempt crowd surfing. Just as she was about to land in the sea of admirers… She fell off of her bed. The bed sheets fell with her and the alarm clock went off right after, “Dammit, clock! That was the first time I’d slept this week!” She shouted. The alarm clock just kept beeping until she turned it off. Vinyl Scratch put her face in her hands and sighed in laziness. After a minute or so, she got up and stumbled groggily to her bathroom. There, she washed her face, brushed her hair with three strokes, and turned on a bit of music from her wireless speaker. Aw yeah. This is the perfect song to wake up to! Once she exited the bathroom, the girl stripped herself from her over-sized T-shirt and boy shorts. She stretched and got some ‘appropriate clothing’ out of her closet. She put on her short-sleeve shirt and skinny jeans and went down the hall to the kitchen. Vinyl put in two waffles in the toaster while she grabbed things she would later put in her bag: phone, keys, folders, books, pocketknife, and her purple-tinted shades. Once returning to the kitchen after turning off the music, Vinyl heard a ding and jumped. She swivelled her head toward the source and found two delectable-looking waffles sticking out of the toaster’s slots. She sighed in relief and took them. Although they were extremely hot, the girl ate them quickly, burning her hands and tongue in the process. She went to her bathroom once more to brush her teeth and admired her face. Lookin’ good, Scratch! The girl grabbed her bag and rushed out the door. It was six forty-three. If she hurried, Vinyl could get to school right when volunteering hours ended. She did this every morning for two reasons: her friend Neon Lights volunteered and there was this shy girl named Octavia that she just loved to pester. Vinyl Scratch stood in front of the building, making sure she was the only one around. She put on her sunglasses and walked in. She wandered around the empty hallways, waving at teachers who passed by every now and then. Finally, Vinyl reached the music classroom and found her best friend dusting shelves in a delicate way. “Hey there, Snow White. Where are your animal friends to help you out?” She said, walking in. “Oh, ha ha, Vinyl. Real funny.” Neon Lights also wore shades, but they weren’t purple, “At least I actually come early for volunteer work. You just come here to bug me and your girlfriend.” “Speaking of which, where is she? I didn’t see her in any other halls,” Vinyl said, ignoring her friend’s tease. Neon pointed towards a door in the back of the music room, “In the closet. She’s organising some of the band equipment.” Heehee. He said in the closet! She thought immaturely. “Perfect,” she said, and instantly started her own work, which was just waiting for the girl in the room to open the door. Vinyl hid right next to where the door would open, while Neon just continued dusting shelves after rolling his eyes behind his shades. After two minutes, a beautiful young lady with long black hair, purple eyes, and a little pink bowtie around her neck came out. She struggled to contain a scream and almost fell back as Vinyl came out from behind her and yelled, “Ooga Booga!” Vinyl dropped on the floor, laughing wildly, while an annoyed Octavia stood with her arms crossed, “Vinyl that was not funny!” she said angrily, “You nearly gave me a heart attack!” “That’s what makes it funny!” she said, still laughing. “Ah, my side! It hurts!” she said. Octavia was still standing before her as Vinyl wiped away her tears of amusement. That’s when she looked up and realised she had a perfect view of what was under her classmate’s skirt, “Those pink panties look real good on you, Tavi,” she grinned crookedly at how the girl’s face reddened like a tomato. Octavia squealed, pulling her skirt over where Vinyl was looking and took a few steps back, “D-don’t look up there! And what more, don’t announce the colour of my garments; there is a boy in the room!” “Relax Octavia, I’m not interested in what secrets your panties hold. I’m not into girls,” he let Octavia gasp, “or guys.” She gasped again. Vinyl stood up and hugged her friend, “Yup. That’s my little ace. While we’re on the topic of sexual orientations, what do you like, Tavi? Do you prefer guys or girls?” The poor girl’s face reddened once more, “I don’t have to tell you that. And I especially won’t tell that to the girl that just peeked under my skirt.” “Hey, you were right over me. You were practically inviting me to look there. And it’s not like it matters. No one, but Lightsy was here. Besides, underwear might as well be the same shit as a bikini,” the blue-haired girl said. “No! It has never been appropriate to wear undergarments in public,” Octavia argued. “You can’t tell the difference! Once, I went to the beach with undergarments and no one even paid attention,” she countered, “Neon was there. Right, Neon?” “It’s true. She had a striped bra and panties,” he said, putting away the duster. “Wait, you did what!?” Octavia’s eyes widened. “What are you all talking about?” asked a boy with blue hair and green eyes, who was accompanied by a brunette girl. “Nothing,” the black-haired girl said, as she ran over and clasped her hand over Vinyl’s mouth. The brunette asked, “Are you sure? You’re blushing quite furiously.” Neon jumped in, “Vinyl was asking Octavia some personal questions.” Octavia made a note to thank Neon later, “Yes, that’s it. This…imbecile won’t keep her tongue where it belongs!” Vinyl responded by licking the palm of Octavia’s hand, “Bleh! I mean that figuratively and literally,” she said as she wiped her salivated hand on Vinyl’s arm, “I need to wash my hands.” Octavia ran out of the room and the green-eyed boy asked another question, “Why do you love annoying her so much?” “I don’t know, Harpo. It’s cute how her face turns into a tomato when she gets embarrassed,” she shrugged. “Cute as in you like her?” Neon asked. “Nah, just cute as in adorably funny. I guess her agony just pleases me,” the girl said maliciously. Just then, the teacher walked in. He had white hair, and was dressed in formal purple attire, “Good morning students. Please begin choosing your seats. Surely, the rest of class will be here shortly.” The morning went on with a few classes two of which, Vinyl fell asleep in and Octavia rolled her eyes at her. Without even comparing scores, Vinyl could tell that Octavia had gotten and A plus, unlike her own D minus on a few tests and assignments. Basically, they were opposites. During their free period, Neon, Lyra, and Noteworthy asked Vinyl if she wanted to join them in the school garden. She declined just as Octavia declined Harpo, Frederic, and Beauty Brass’s offer to go to the same place. No matter what, Octavia always went to the music room during her free period to play her cello in peace. It was always completely quiet on the way there, and not even the teacher Mister Staccato was in the music room during free period. It was always just Octavia and her cello. No one else would ever come between them In fact, Octavia’s best friend was probably her cello. She even told her instruments her secrets through songs. Vinyl, on the other hand, always said that she snuck out of campus during free period. When someone asked if they could come with her, she would simply say that she’s running an errand and must go alone. Everyone found it pretty suspicious; they even asked her if the “errand” had anything to do with drugs. She would answer by saying that she was just meeting up with friends. Once the final bell rang, the students packed their bags and went home together. Harpo and Beauty crossed the street together and went their own way. A little bit more and Neon, Frederic, and Noteworthy went another way. After Lyra left, it was just Octavia and Vinyl Scratch. They simply walked in silence. Octavia became very shy, more so than usual, around her friend/torturer when they were left alone. In turn, Vinyl left Octavia alone rather than torturing her again after a long day of teasing. It was a peaceful silence, but Octavia really wanted to break it. It killed her to be right next to her and not be able to think of anything to say. Unfortunately, every day she had to go through this all the way home. Until Vinyl reached her home, adjacent to hers, Octavia had to be right next to her and say nothing. Once Vinyl split ways with her and opened her door, she opened a bottle of beer and browsed the Internet. Octavia, at her own home, was greeted at the kitchen by her mother, “Hello, dear.” “Hi, mother. How was your day?” Octavia asked. “Wonderful. I trust yours went well, too?” her mother asked while focusing on her cooking. “Yes…Perfect,” Octavia answered hesitantly. “Good. Well, I won’t delay you any longer, go on up to your room and do your homework.” With that Octavia went upstairs, closed her door, and took off her bag. She slid down the portal and sat on the floor with her knees at her chin. Why did I get so protective about Vinyl looking up my skirt? Sure, it was embarrassing when Beauty walked in on me changing, but I simply asked her to cover her eyes. I didn’t shout or anything. But then, Vinyl…is she even gay? I don’t want to ask her. What if she gets offended? I’d have to live the rest of high school being secretly in love with my straight classmate and neighbour. And the fact that she has to joke like that all the time makes it even harder to know… Octavia felt her throat close up. I really, really want to tell her how I feel, but what if she avoids me afterward? No, she wouldn’t do that, but she’d be less playful with me. And then there are my parents, they would hate for me to be in love with another girl, especially a girl like her…but I can’t help it! She’s the most amazing girl I’ve ever met! I’ve never felt this way about any other person. “I love you, Vinyl Scratch.” She could see from her window the love of her life lying on her couch, smiling as she looked at her computer screen with a bottle in an aura of magic. “I’m in love with an idiot. She should spend her time doing something productive,” Octavia smiled.