Vinyls eyes fluttered open and she frowned for a moment, not seeing or feeling the other mare beside her. She sat up and looked around, listening for the sound of a shower.
Hmm...must've gone to make breakfast...
She scooted over to the edge of the bed and stood, stretching for a moment as she let out a yawn. She paused once again before walking over to the bathroom and turning on the water, waiting for it to get hot before stepping into the shower, relaxing as the warm water ran over her.
After washing, she stepped out and dried off, wrapping the towel around herself before walking into the living room.
"Hey Octy? What are...you..." Her voice trailed off as she looked around the empty apartment. "Octavia...? Are you here...? Look, if you're hiding or playing a joke or something, it isn't funny!" She looked around for her, even peeking under the couch.
She eventually spotted the note sitting on the table, a drawing of Vinyl and Octavia laying beside it. She slowly walked over, a heavy feeling in her heart. Each step feeling like she was walking through syrup. She hesitated for a moment before lifting the paper with her magic, her heart pounding in her chest as she read.
My dear Vinyl,
My time with you had been fantastic and you have been so kind to me. I didn't ever wish for our time to end but...I cannot stand the thought of my father harassing you and I forever. You should not have to be dragged into my personal problems. And so this is why I must leave. Don't worry about me though. I will be alright. I wish you luck in everything, though you hardly need it. I'm sorry i couldn't tell you this in person...but you will always be in my heart.
Goodbye my love,
~Octavia
Vinyl dropped the note, tears welling in her eyes as she ran to the door, throwing it open. She bolted down the stair and left her apartment building, stopping in the middle of the street. She looked around frantically, galloping up and down the street as she looked for the cellist.
Maybe...maybe she missed a train..maybe she's waiting there? Oh Celestia let her be there... She sprinted to the train station, hoping to see her.
The station was quiet, only a few ponies milling about as they waited for their train. Across the platform, Vinyl saw a grey mare. She ran over to her and spun her around, the hope that had filled her draining away as she saw the blue eyes glaring back at her.
"O-oh..I'm so sorry..I thought you were someone else.." She took a few steps back, falling to her haunches as realization set in. Octavia was gone. She stared down at the cold tile, watching a few tears fall to the floor. Octavia was gone.
She eventually stood, her eyes downcast as she trudged back towards her apartment, eyes burning as she struggled to hold back her tears. Each step leading up to her apartment felt like she was climbing mountain. As she reached the landing, she used her magic to open the door and looked inside at the dark room. Unable to hold it back anymore, she broke down, sobbing at the entrance to her home. Hearing her neighbor coming up the steps, she quickly moved inside and shut the door, locking it before sliding to the floor, her head in her hooves as she cried. She couldn't understand why she couldn't have stayed.
"It...it's not fair... It's just not fair..." she sobbed, trying to wrap her mind around Octavia's reasons. She had read the note but it just didn't seem real. She hoped that this was all just a bad dream and she would wake up to see the sleeping grey mare laying next to her. She wanted to be able to brush that strand of her mane out of her face again, to feel her playfully kiss her chin as she woke up. She hadn't realized how special those moments had been before but now that she was gone, and the thought of it never happening again hit her like a freight train.
Vinyl sat there against the door, only moving once she noticed the afternoon light fading into darkness. She stood, wiping her burning eyes even though her tears had long since dried. Across the room, on the counter sat a small pink bow tie. Moving over, the DJ looked down at it for a moment before lifting it up, carefully wrapping the item in the soft, blue light of her magic. She had run out of tears hours before, the sight of the tie drawing a sharp sob from her before she put it back down and walked back into her bedroom, collapsing on the bed. She wrapped herself tightly in her blankets, turned off the lamp that sat on her nightstand, and closed her still red eyes.