//------------------------------// // The Conversation // Story: Vinyl and Octavia: Girl Friends // by New Canterlot //------------------------------// “W-What…d-do you…do you mean?” Octavia’s voice was muddled by dozens of frogs climbing up and down her throat. Her feet shifted uncomfortably, and her face burned from a flustered heat the likes of which she had never experienced before. Each breath she took was short and labored from the tension running up and down each of her limbs which wasn’t helped at all by the feeling of Vinyl’s warm exhaling against her cheeks. Vinyl sighed for a long moment, swinging her head side to side in an effort to find the right words. “I…” She sighed again and put her hands on Octavia’s shoulders. “…I’ve been kinda…going crazy with you I guess.” Octavia slowly shook her head and struggled to gulp down what little saliva her dry mouth would allow. “…I…don’t understand.” This was a gross understatement. Most of the time, she had absolutely no idea what Vinyl was talking about, but this moment truly was the blue ribbon pig. V-Vinyl, y-you’re scaring me… Octavia had every intention of speaking those words, but her throat closed up completely while she saw Vinyl’s frustrated face. “I mean…I’m sorry for, you know, dragging you places and getting in your business…” Vinyl began to breathe easier now that words were flowing out of her lips more easily. “What Bon Bon said earlier today…” She cast her eyes down at the floor and dropped her arms to her side. “…I guess it started to make me worry.” She looked back up at Octavia with a solemn expression. “…I’m kinda worried that I’m…getting way too into your life. I think…well, I got this feeling that I bother you sometimes.” Vinyl closed her eyes and dropped her chin a bit, some of her messy blue hair falling across her forehead. “I dunno. It’s like I’m…invading your space, you know?” Yes, Vinyl. I do know… Octavia thought, more aware than ever of Vinyl’s physical proximity. She slowly nodded her head while swallowing hard. Maybe the irony of Vinyl’s words was lost to the person saying them, but they certainly weren’t lost to her. With a massive sigh that noticeably drooped her shoulders, Vinyl cast her eyes down again. “I’m doing it…all over again…to you right now.” Her words were dripping with self-hate and disappointment. It was taking longer than she would’ve liked, but Octavia eventually comprehended her situation. After nearly a minute, she had somewhat gotten used to Vinyl’s close presence, allowing her mind to think more freely. Vinyl was feeling guilty for something. It had something to do with herself and coercing herself into spending prolonged periods of time with Vinyl. But what does she mean by ‘all over again’? And…’to me now’? As if on impulse alone, Octavia slowly brought a hand up to Vinyl’s chin, her fingers barely pressing against the pale girl’s cheek. She couldn’t help but take notice of Vinyl’s pretty eyelashes that surprisingly matched her electric blue hair. She…doesn’t dye her hair? “V-Vinyl…” Octavia nearly whispered. “Please…don’t feel bad…” Vinyl’s eyes opened suddenly as she looked upwards again. “…I-I can’t help it, Tavi…” A tear was beginning to form around the corner of her left eye. “…I gotta know. Do I bother you sometimes? I-I’m not gonna be l-like, mad or anything if you say yes. I just…I gotta know.” Octavia took a deep breath and rubbed her thumb against Vinyl’s soft cheek. “It’s alright, Vinyl…Please, don’t be upset.” She slowly wrapped her arms around her new bestie and squeezed gently. “I promise you, I am not bothered at all. Spending time with you…yes, I suppose it can be overwhelming sometimes, but…I’ve never had this much fun before.” Octavia didn’t realize just how many times her thumb brushed against Vinyl’s parting lips. “You…really mean that? Cross your heart and hope to fly?” Vinyl cracked a small smile and hugged back. “You really don’t think I’m pushy?” Hope to what? Octavia giggled softly at the strange euphemism. She had no idea where Vinyl picked that up, but it was rather amusing. “I really do. I truly mean that.” Octavia smiled and bit her lip to keep from giggling again. “Yes, Vinyl, you can be pushy sometimes. Perhaps if I was someone else, I wouldn’t be very happy about it. However…I suppose…I don’t really mind it.” This made Vinyl’s smile brighten a little. “In fact…I rather like it.” Vinyl stepped back and put both hands on her head before exhaling the biggest sigh Octavia had ever seen. She then began to giggle and run her fingers through her head. “Oh, good... Good good good good good…” Vinyl proceeded to quickly hug her much tighter. “That is a HUUUUUGE relief. Holy crap, you have no idea how freaked I was.” Octavia was still learning Vinyl’s strange language, but even she knew that being ‘freaked’ was probably not a pleasant experience. “I-I’m very happy…to hear it.” Octavia felt like giggling some more too, but the pressure around her torso was making it hard to breathe let alone laugh. “Vinyl, you can…” She coughed. “…let go of me now.” “O-Oh, yeah…sorry.” Vinyl let go and nervously shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans while whipping her head gently to the side, her hair flowing down the side of her head. Octavia daintily put a hand on Vinyl’s shoulder with a soft smile. “Thank you for inviting me over today.” “Even after I dragged you over here?” Vinyl asked with a sheepish smirk and rolled her eyes at herself. “Yes.” Octavia lowered her arm and gently squeezed Vinyl’s fingers between her two palms. “Vinyl…you are my friend…” She blushed at her own words and gazed down at their interlocked hands. My first friend, really… Octavia very gently cleared her throat and forced herself to look back up. “…and I hope you…still want to be my friend for a while.” “Are you kidding?” Vinyl snickered. “You’re awesome, girl! I’m hanging ON to you, babe.” This made Octavia’s blush deepen and caused her to make a cute, embarrassed giggle. With no cue and no time for preparation, a solid knocking rapped against Vinyl’s bedroom door that made both girls nearly jump and turn their heads toward the noise. “Vine?” An older woman’s voice asked. “Vine? You in there? I hear classical music. Is everything ok?” “H-Hey, mom.” Vinyl raced towards the door and turned the music down before opening the door to reveal a tall, slender woman with electric silver hair that danced the very same way as Vinyl’s. “Did you remember to take out the-” The woman stopped and abruptly face Octavia. “Oh, didn’t know you had company over. Hi there.” She gave a little wave and a nod. “New friend of yours, Vine?” “Oh, yeah.” Vinyl nodded and pushed her hands back into her pockets. “Mom, this is Tavi.” “Tavi?” Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Octavia.” With an outstretched hand, Octavia stepped forward and politely grasped the woman’s palm to give a graceful little shake. “Octavia Melody.” “Ohhhhhhhhh.” Vinyl’s mother laughed and ran her fingers through her hair just as her daughter would. The similarities didn’t stop there. Her sense of style and her features were almost like Vinyl’s personal mirror into the future, minus the blue. She wore brown cargo pants with visible black streaks along the thighs and a khaki colored shirt with the name ‘Silver’ above the right front pocket. The left front pocket had a label that said ‘Canterlot Utilities, INC’ embossed in giant letters which seemed to grab the eyes. To top everything off, she wore a very functional looking watch over an entire sleeve of ink covering her left arm. Octavia had absolutely no idea what any of the ink meant, and she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by it. “Octavia…Tavi…got it.” Silver put a hand atop her daughter’s head and messed up her hair. “You got yourself a real doll here, kid.” “Aw, come on, mom. Don’t make this weird.” Vinyl visibly blushed, but instead of shying away from embarrassment, she brushed her mother’s hand to the side and jabbed her in the ribs with her knuckles. Octavia’s heart nearly stopped at the sight of horseplay. The very idea of engaging in any form of physicality with one’s own mother was a thought that Octavia had never once considered let alone entertained. At first, she wondered if Vinyl’s mother would send her away to the library or force her to wax and polish the pianos in the study. She couldn’t have possibly just… It wasn’t until Silver had put her daughter into a playful headlock did Octavia realize that this was not her home. There was no library full of books that needed sorting and no study that constantly smelled like furniture polish. This was Vinyl’s home, filled with loving, blue color type individuals who didn’t waste time on strict dress codes or routine schedules. Vinyl’s mother now had her daughter’s head tucked into her elbow while administering what Octavia later learned was a ‘noogie’. It looked, above all else, painful. Vinyl, however, didn’t seemed to mind it too much. Her only complaint was about the possibility of her hair getting messed up, something that seemed almost impossible considering its natural state. “M-Ma! Come on!” Silver let her daughter go with a hearty chuckle before turning to Octavia. “You want a chicken wing or something?” She asked. “I bought some grub on my way home if you girls are hungry.” “O-Oh, I…I couldn’t possibly at the moment.” Octavia shook her head before bowing slightly. “I must be heading home as soon as possible. I’m sure my mother is very curious as to my whereabouts…even as we speak.” Having reminded herself of her mother’s wrath, Octavia immediately remembered how important it was to return to her mansion. Vinyl shook herself off and whipped her hair back. “Can Tavi get a ride home?” “Hmm…” Silver nodded her head, but she held off on giving a full answer as she thought for a moment. “Well, my car is a mess. Is that ok?” “Um…I…don’t think that will be a problem.” Octavia shook her head. In truth, she wasn’t entirely sure. If Vinyl’s room was any indication, her mother’s car probably wasn’t any better. Sure enough, her intuitions were correct. Octavia was quickly brought outside to Silver’s vehicle, and not only was the small SUV full of rolled up sandwich bags and empty soda cans, the interior had a faint yet unmistakable aroma of stale cigarettes. “Hop in the side there.” Silver motioned towards the passenger door while swinging herself into the driver’s seat. “You can kick the cans around if you want.” Octavia’s head nearly jerked back at the sight and smell of the vehicle, but she did her best to restrain her cringing while gingerly positioning herself into the seat. “This is…quite the vehicle.” She heard herself comment. It didn’t dawn on Octavia until then that she had very rarely ever ridden in the front of a car. Having been driven around by a family chauffeur all her life never afforded her the luxury of actually being in the front seat. “It’s a piece of crap.” Silver laughed. “One of these days I’m gonna buy one of those kick-ass hatchbacks and sell this junk.” To Octavia, this sounded like a good idea. She had no idea what a ‘hatchback’ was, but a step up is a step up regardless. She was about to buckle her seatbelt just as Vinyl ran out the front door, the MP3 player in one hand and half a chicken leg in the other with the other half crammed in her mouth. Vinyl knocked on the passenger window, and Silver flipped the switch to roll it down. “Tavith, you fothoth thisth.” She held out the MP3 player, a pair of headphones wrapped around the large pill with a smaller device beside it. Vinyl swallowed and spoke again. “You’re gonna need a charger too.” Octavia gratefully accepted the gifts and placed in her lap. “Thank you, Vinyl.” She said with a happy smile. “I very much appreciate this gesture.” “Aw, come on. It’s no biggie. Just don’t be surprised if I want your pudding tomorrow.” Vinyl said with a wink. -o0o- “And if they perchance leapt from a cliff, would you?” Those were the last words she heard before going to bed the night before. Octavia had to admit that the previous day was one of the happiest times of her life, but her mother had drained nearly all the joy from it. When Octavia returned home that previous evening, it had been almost eight at night. Her mother had been watching the window, the ornate home phone in one hand in preparation to report a missing child to the police. When Octavia walked through the front door, she received a long slew of lecturing words about her changing behavior and strange new attitude. Alright, the behavior Octavia could agree with, but the attitude was very far fetched. In reality, Octavia had spent little to no time with her mother in the past week, so any change in her ‘attitude’, as her mother put it, was completely false. This was her mother’s way of punishing and shaming her, knowing that Octavia would never disagree or retaliate. Without her father home, Octavia had the misfortune of getting quite the earful about her new friends, none of whom her mother had ever met or even seen pictures of. By the time Octavia reached her room, she decided enough was enough. Something inside her had actually changed, even if only miniscule. In a way, her mother was partially right. Maybe her attitude was indeed different, and maybe hanging out with Vinyl had given her the courage to speak her mind to her mother for the first time in her life. “I don’t care, mother.” She had said with sternness in her voice that was quite unlike herself. “I enjoy the company of my new friends, and I believe them to be decent people.” “Oh, heavens, daughter!” Her mother had exclaimed with her usual evening wine fueled temper. “Are these new girls teaching you to forgo all your manners?” Octavia had nothing to say after that. She continued to stand in the threshold of her bedroom while allowing her mother to rant. “I suppose these new friends of yours showed you quite the life, didn’t they? You probably wasted plenty of time speaking to boys of ill repute and listening to all manner of unsavory music when you should have been here, at home, practicing for your next recital! I believe I understand your new friends quite clearly now, Octavia Melody.” She always used Octavia’s full name when speaking down to her. “And if they perchance leapt from a cliff, would you?” The anger that was building up within Octavia’s chest had become so heated that she actually slammed her bedroom door closed right in front of her mother’s face. That had been the last time they had spoken with each other, her mother refusing to even acknowledge her presence when breakfast was being served by their kitchen staff the following morning. Octavia’s means of escape while falling asleep that night and while being driven to school that morning had been Vinyl’s gift. The MP3 player was an immense source of much needed relaxation and joy that did wonders to lift her spirits by the time she made it to school. She felt even better after being greeted by a certain someone at her locker. Vinyl was hiding behind Octavia’s open locker door, waiting for the right moment. When Octavia closed the door, she smiled brightly. “Good morning, Vinyl.” She said, her words full of sincere warmth. “What up, Tavi?” Vinyl leaned against the lockers and returned the smile. “You know what day it is?” “Um, I don’t believe so.” Octavia shook her head and took note of Vinyl’s strange choice in wardrobe. Although she always dressed rather peculiar, what she was wearing today caused Octavia to be quite flustered. Her mother…let her leave her home looking like this? Today must be special because Vinyl had on a VERY short white and blue pleated skirt, white nylon tights, big furry socks covering her ankles, and a white dress shirt with a tie with oversized sleeves hanging past her wrists. Octavia’s attention was mostly focused on the tie, and it wasn’t just any tie. “It’s wacky tie day!” Vinyl announced. “But it looks like you got that covered already.” She smirked while flicking the bowtie around Octavia’s neck. “My bowtie isn’t…wacky, as you put it.” Octavia couldn’t hold back a small giggle. “Unlike yours, however.” And might I add, the rest of your…attire. “Oh, this thing?” Vinyl looked down at her tie and flipped it around two of her fingers. Although its shape and function was like any other tie, this one was completely transparent with a bluish tint. “Is cool, huh? It glows in the dark.” “I see…” Octavia peered at it with genuine amazement. She pondered why anyone in their right mind would need something like this. What type of occasion called for a glow-in-the-dark tie? Vinyl definitely seemed like the type of person who would know the answer to such a question. “I’ll show you at lunch in the bathroom.” Vinyl flipped the tie with her thumb and dropped her hand, completely oblivious to just how creepy her words sounded until listening to the awkward silence surrounding the cellist. “Wait…that came out wrong.” Yes, Vinyl…it did. Octavia chose to ignore that statement and tucked her textbook against her waist, desperately fighting back an ill-mannered giggle. She nervously cleared her throat and tried to start another conversation. “I suppose this explains the statistically significant number of students wearing ties today.” “Yeah, it’s catching on, girl. I think you started it.” Vinyl joked while pointing a finger lazily at a passing student. “Me? That…I am very hard pressed to believe.” “Oh, come on. You’re like, the only person I know who actually wears a tie to school.” Vinyl took a step next to Octavia’s side before beginning their little walk towards the other end of school. “Besides, you know, the teachers and whatever.” Octavia looked herself over quickly and noted her rather bland wardrobe. Dark grey accented everything she wore, everything very formal and plain. After spending so much time with her new friends, she was beginning to wonder if a change in appearance was in order apart from the new hairstyle. “Hm…” Octavia ran her palms down her sides and continued to walk forward. “Is…the skirt…part of this new holiday as well?” “What?” Vinyl giggled. “Oh, no way, babe. This skirt is just sexy.” It was easier not to cough since Octavia wasn’t drinking anything, but if she did have a mouthful of water, she would’ve choked. “P-Pardon me?” Vinyl put her hands on her hips and shook her tooshie side to side. “Come on, Tavi. You can tell me. Is it hot or is it HAWT?” “How about NOT.” Vinyl whipped her head a full hundred and eighty degree backwards to stare down the newcomer. She didn’t have to ask who it was. “What did you say?” “Hey, it just doesn’t work for you, V.” Lyra said with a shrug. “Octavia could probably pull it off better than you.” “M-Me?” Octavia pointed at herself, immediately imagining what she might look like in such a short skirt. It was picture that both seemed impossible and ridiculous. “I-I couldn’t possibly.” “I dunno.” Vinyl put a finger to her chin and began roaming intense eyes up and down Octavia’s figure, having found the discipline to ignore Lyra’s insult for the time being. “I think you could totally do it. Your butt can’t be worse than mine.” Lyra snickered and nodded her head while sticking her thumbs into the pockets of her ripped black jeans. “Yeah, and Vinyl’s ass is nothing great either.” Vinyl glared at Lyra again. “You wouldn’t know a good ass if you had one in your hands.” “Talking from experience, V?” Lyra snickered louder. This made Vinyl’s face scowl hard into a fierce frown, anger very evident in her face. “Good morning, girls.” Bon Bon interjected while walking up behind Octavia. “Would you two excuse us? I think Octavia and I need to visit the little girl’s room before class.” “W-We do?” Octavia asked with a stutter as she felt Bon Bon gently tug her away from the other two girls. “Aw, come on, Bonny. I just got here.” Vinyl groaned obnoxiously. “You’re gonna leave me alone with this jerk?” Lyra crossed her arms and raised and raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh, I’m the jerk now? What about when I gave you my last pencil on Monday?” Bon Bon shook her head with exasperation and pulled Octavia down the hall and around the corner. “I am so sorry about them, Octavia.” She said with a sigh. “I saw Vinyl dressed like that this morning, and I should’ve warned you.” “Warned…me?” Octavia felt very puzzled, partly because they were nowhere near a bathroom. “Yeah, um…” Bon Bon looked around the hallway as if to check for acceptable privacy. “Vinyl gets kinda…weird. I’m sure you know that by now. That, and with Lyra around…ughhh…” Octavia giggled softly for a moment. “Well, perhaps. But…I must admit, even after our brief time together, I have grown somewhat accustomed to her behavior.” “That’s…gooooood.” Bon Bon drew out her words with a slow nod. “At least she doesn’t drive you crazy. But…I think I should tell you that, well, I’ve noticed that Vinyl can get, um…extra weird around you.” Now Octavia felt very puzzled. “I don’t…quite understand.” Bon Bon cleared her throat. “What I mean is…Vinyl has been acting EXTRA weird around you.” She repeated herself while added emphasis to help clarify. It wasn’t working, so she continued to try and elaborate. “And today…I wasn’t going to bring it up, but…” She sighed heavily. “…When I saw her dressed like that…” “Extra…weird?” Those two words used in the same sentence didn’t feel quite right coming out of her own mouth. Octavia could actually taste the badly structured letters rolling off her tongue. “Mm, yeah.” Bon Bon nodded once and patted Octavia on the shoulder. “Just…uh, just tell me if Vinyl does something stupid or…uncomfortable. I’ll talk to her about it.” Octavia merely gave a nod of her own. Should I be…worried? She raised a finger as if to say something, but she uttered no sound for quite some time, allowing a moment of silence to pass. “…Am…I to understand that…my presence has created some form of nuisance?” “Oh, no no no, of course not.” Bon Bon gave her hug and rubbed Octavia on the back for reassurance. “I think it’s wonderful that Vinyl has a positive influence in her life now that you’re here. I’d hate to think what she’d be like by the time she’s a senior if she was left alone all the time.” “I…see.” This did reassure Octavia a little, but she still felt unsure of herself. “Forgive me, but…why does she only act like this around me?” “Uhhhhhh…” Bon Bon’s eyes grew wide as she slowly looked away. If she had been talking to any other girl, it would’ve been fairly obvious what that kind of expression meant, or at least any other girl would have a very good idea. However, this was Octavia, and the innocent mind in front of her didn’t quite get that level of intricate body language. “Yeah, ummm…let’s just say that…Vinyl really digs you.” “So, Vinyl really enjoys my company?” Octavia pressed further for more relevant information to ease her mind. This was one of those times where basic words were being used out of context, and Octavia felt more confused than ever. “Y-Yes!” Bon Bon awkwardly giggled and nodded, grateful that she didn’t have to explain any further while keeping Octavia’s ignorance intact. “She really likes hanging out with you.” “I am rather happy to hear it.” Octavia smiled with some relief. “I enjoy her company as well.” “G-Great! Ok, I’m glad we had this talk.” Bon Bon lowered her arms and took a step back. “I…gotta go to my locker before class starts, so I’ll see you at lunch.” She turned to walk away before stopping to turn around for one quick second. “Just tell me if she does something weird, ok?” “I…will endeavor to keep you informed.” “Oh, boy…” Bon Bon groaned inwardly as she muttered softly to herself before speaking up to give a full reply. “Ok, good. See you later.” She waved and began walking away, leaving Octavia standing next to a pair of lockers all by herself in a hallway she had never been in before. -o0o- With a very intent glare at the textbook on her desk, Octavia darted her eyes up and down the open pages. Her feet fidgeted against the hard floor as a pen tapped against the desk in her hand. To her teacher, Octavia looked to be hard at work, eagerly putting all mental effort into learning today’s material. This, however, could not be farther from the truth. Octavia’s analytical mind was spinning at terminal velocity, but she wasn’t thinking about school or about the functions of a biological cell. Instead, she was severely contemplating the conversation she had with Bon Bon. True, she did acknowledge that Vinyl was and will forever be ‘weird’. This was not news to her, nor did she find it unappealing. It was part of her pedestrian charm, and Vinyl made it work very well. But… Octavia sighed very softly and bit the tip of her pen, a behavior her mother would have been livid about. …what is Vinyl not telling me? She couldn’t deny the heresy evidence presented to her. Bon Bon was very clear and very adamant about Vinyl. In a way, Octavia felt like she had just been warned of some sort of danger that Vinyl imposed. It’s nothing I need fret about. Vinyl means well. I’m sure it’s nothing… All of this consternation and worry would have gone right over her head if Octavia hadn’t been subject to a smaller yet strikingly similar conversation the night before with Vinyl’s mother. As she was being driven home, Octavia heard Vinyl’s mother ask, “Has Vine been nice to you?” Octavia’s reply was a resounding “Yes, of course. She is very considerate.” This was all true, but Octavia had said this mostly to ease the mind of a worried mother without paying much thought to any implication in those words. Instead of replying with a brief acknowledgement of understanding, Silver had actually followed up with more. “Ok, good to know. Is, uh…Vine giving you enough, uh…space?” “Space?” Octavia’s confusion was genuine at the time despite being half-hearted. “Yeah, I mean, she’s not like, uh…you know, getting super close to you or hugging you…too much?” It was very clear that Vinyl’s mother was making every effort to sound and appear nonchalant, but the sincere worry and concern in her voice was larger than the growing pile of cigarette ashes in the cup holder by the steering column. At that time, Octavia just shook her head. It was another one of those moments that had happened with her other friends in the past, another casual worry that Vinyl might be making her feel uncomfortable because she was, well, different. Yet again, it was another time where Octavia underestimated the gravity of her new friendship. “I…suppose not.” She stated. “Vinyl was somewhat overwhelming at first, but I know she means well.” Octavia took a deep breath and closed her eyes in order to follow her working mind with better focus, putting the pen down beside her textbook for good measure. What am I not being told about Vinyl? She wondered, letting the words echo in her mind. Vinyl, what are you not telling me? It wasn’t all Vinyl’s fault. There were at least two other people who knew more than she did and were not fully willing to go into detail. Vinyl’s mother, and Bon Bon…. Well, asking Silver about her daughter was probably out of the question. They had only known each other for not even a full day. This only left Bon Bon. Of course, Bon Bon had no physical relation to Vinyl, and from what Octavia understood, they were just friends who spent intermittent time together. Still… She knows something…and I hate to admit it, but…my curiosity is becoming quite unbearable. All at once, her teacher called her name, and Octavia’s head shot up from the textbook. “Did you hear me, Ms. Melody?” A very gruff and low male voice asked. The teacher’s name was Mr. Doodle, but in secret, students called him Cranky. At first, Octavia thought this was just a tasteless mockery of his personality until searching his name in last year’s yearbook. “P-Pardon?” Octavia could actually hear the broken crackling of her adolescent voice, probably due to being shocked out of her thoughts. “I-I am terribly sorry. What was the question?” The entire class snickered and giggled. For them, it was a real treat to see the star pupil brought down to their level, but Mr. Doodle flat out ignored them. “Which organelle provides energy to the cell?” He asked, clearly not enjoying having to teach any form of science. Mr. Doodle prided himself on being a history teacher, but part of being a high school teacher means substituting for a colleague. “The…” Octavia hesitated to answer, her mind still not fully returned to the present. “…the…mitochondria?” Even if the pronunciation was off a little, Octavia had given the right answer even if Mr. Doodle did have to check his own textbook in hand just to be sure. This meant that, instead of snickering and laughter, the class had returned to glaring at her like the smart know-it-all she was accustomed to being. When the lunch bell rang, Octavia was one of the first students out the door. She hurried to her locker and shoved her textbook away into the little alcove before closing the door and turning her back to lean up against the wall. She closed her eyes and sighed slowly. An undeniable sense of apprehension and worry was beginning to overtake her once she had come to a horrible realization. There were two possibilities that awaited her, depending on her actions. If she made the decision to press Bon Bon…or even Vinyl…then she might damage the only friendships she had at the moment. But…if she did nothing and went about her own business, then whatever ‘weird’ thing Vinyl might do would probably happen given enough time, and that could end up being just as bad or possibly worse. Oh, dear… Why did I have to make friends? Octavia quickly opened her eyes, feeling a small urge to slap herself in the face. Don’t say that, Octavia! She internally scolded herself. You’re just…new to the concept of friendship. I’m sure this is still nothing monumental. Vinyl won’t hate you if you…if you…learn more about her. Isn’t that what friends do? Octavia experienced a bit of relief and allowed her shoulders to relax. In her mind, this was a very good plan. She valued Vinyl and the relationship they shared, and she was determined to make things work. See, Octavia? She thought with a smile. Every problem can be solved with logical thought and a reasonable solution. “Um, excuse me?” A very soft voice stirred Octavia back into the present reality. She turned to face the voice and was surprised to find that she needed to look down. In her own experience, Octavia had always been very far from being the tallest in her class, so whoever this person was had to be very short indeed. In front of her was a tiny little girl with pale yellow skin and hair pink like plush blanket. “Y-Yes?” Octavia asked, both hands now clasping the handles of her cello case. “Um…w-well, if…it’s ok…” The little yellow girl’s voice was high like a grade schooler and her physical build was no better. “…could…I-I get to my…” She pointed with a slender little finger at the wall behind Octavia. “…locker?” “Oh, y-yes, of course.” Octavia stepped out of the way and bowed respectfully. “My sincere apologizes.” “T-Thank you…” The little girl slowly approached her locker and began fiddling with the combination lock. While unconsciously staring at the small individual with great intrigue, Octavia’s vision suddenly blackened. She felt a warm pair of hands clasp around her eyes and a comically evil voice say “Guess who?” “V-Vinyl?” Octavia slowly turned to face her. “Kinda obvious, huh?” Vinyl smirked. “Guess you know me pretty well by now.” Not as well as I would like, but I suppose... “Perhaps…” Octavia nervously lowered her eyes. “I think I am starting to recognize your voice.” “Hey, you ok?” Vinyl asked with a genuine look of concern. “You look like you just took a math test or something.” “No, nothing like that.” Octavia shook her head. “I’m sorry. My mind has been…rather busy these past couple of hours.” “Oh?” Vinyl circled an arm around her neck. “What happened? You have to take a bunch of quizzes?” Octavia dutifully shook her head. “No, it’s…” She paused to consider her words. Now probably wouldn’t be the best time to pose any questions. “…nothing.” “Ok, well, if it’s nothing, then stop thinking so hard.” Vinyl giggled. “Seriously. You’re gonna give yourself a brain tumor or something.” “Is that how that works?” Octavia asked. “I dunno.” Vinyl shrugged and dropped her arm. “Oh, hey, I was thinking. After school, do you wanna go to the mall again?” “Again? I-I’m not sure. I don’t think my stomach can handle any more sugar and pizza.” “No, dorko.” Vinyl laughed. “Not back to the arcade. I thought we could check out the music shops. There’s a new album out this week and I wanna find the best price.” “I-I see.” Octavia thought for a moment. “…Will it take too long?” “Huh? Oh, no. I’m not gonna keep you out super late like last night.” “Then…yes, I would like to accompany you.” Vinyl began laughing harder. “You make it sound like I’m asking you to prom or something.” “Am I?” Octavia blushed a bit and awkwardly shifted the cello case in her hands. She may be thick when it came to social events, but even she had heard of prom. “I really wasn’t trying to.” “It’s ok, babe. Don’t worry. I’m starting to kinda get how you talk.” Vinyl gave her a pat on the back. “Besides, it’s kinda cute. You got this ‘damsel in distress’ thing going on.” “I-I…do?” “Yeah. I could totally see you locked away as a child in a big castle with maids and stuff.” Oh, Vinyl…If only you knew just how right you are… Octavia blushed harder and lowered her eyes even farther. “I-I see…” Vinyl put a hand on her shoulder and leaned in to speak in a quiet voice. “You sure you’re ok, Tavi? I gotta be honest…you don’t look a hundred percent there.” Before Octavia had a chance to reply, she saw Vinyl snap her head to the side while shifting her feet in an awkward attempt to recoil. “V-Vinyl???” “O-Ow!” Vinyl rubbed her cheek and narrowed her eyes in the direction of the assailant. “Gotcha!” Lyra strolled up to the pair, her hand cocked into the shape of a gun, a rubber band draped around her thumb. “Suuhhh-nappp!” Vinyl quickly stepped forward and jerked her elbow against Lyra’s stomach. “Snap this!” “Geez, V! I was just messing with you!” Lyra grumbled while rubbing her side after taking a moment to get air back into her lungs “Hey, Octavia.” “Hello.” Octavia gave a quick little wave and began fidgeting with her hair. “I heard something about the music store?” Lyra stuffed her gun into her pocket with a smile. “Yeah, you’re not coming.” Vinyl bluntly spoke while rolling her eyes. “Oh, well ok, dad.” Lyra shrugged. “Let me ask mom. Hey, Octavia? Can I go with you to the music store?” Octavia’s eyes grew wide as she brought her gaze back up. “U-Uh…w-well I-I…” “Honey, no.” Vinyl slipped an arm around her waist. “Lyra’s been a bad girl today, we can’t take her. I think she should be grounded.” Octavia blushed incredibly hard and barely met Vinyl’s comically serious gaze. But when she did, she couldn’t help but giggle. “N-No, um…dear. I think Lyra needs a time out.” “Really?” Lyra put her hands on her hips. “Even you, Octavia?” “Hey, watch how you talk to your mom, kid.” Vinyl growled. While the trio was engaged in their social fun, the tiny little yellow girl had put her books away and closed her locker door. Unfortunately, she was now completely boxed in against the lockers. She saw the two taller girls, the blue hair and the green hair begin jabbing and poking each other again. The only one left to try and communicate with was the grey, plain looking individual next to her. She reached up with two fingers and gently tugged on her sleeve. Octavia turned when she felt her elbow being jerked down against her side. “Y-Yes?” She asked, surprised that this girl was still here. “U-Um…c-could…could, could I…slip by you really quick?” She asked with the same, almost inaudible voice. -o0o- “What about this one?” “I guess, but I don’t feel like buying three disks.” Vinyl palmed her face and pointed to another column of CDs. “Ok, well how about we split the price.” “Really?” Lyra asked with astonishment. “You sure?” “Yeah, I mean, I can burn the songs on my computer and you can keep the disks.” “Wow, that’s pretty cool. Sure, I’d be down.” Lyra nodded with a smile before turning to Bon Bon standing a few feet away, thumbing through a stack of jazz records. “Hey, Bon. Vinyl said she can bur-” Vinyl quickly slapped a hand over Lyra’s mouth to shut her up. “Girl, chill!” She hissed. “You wanna pipe a little?” Lyra shoved the hand away and rolled her eyes. “Sorry, sorry…geez.” “Are you two ever going to pick something?” Bon Bon said with a sigh before pointing to the solitary figure by the record player, headphones on her head. “I think Octavia is about to die from boredom.” “You can’t actually die from boredom.” Lyra interjected. Vinyl rubbed the back of her head, causing her eclectic hair to dance over her eyes. “I dunno. I guess if you can die from eating too much chocolate, you can die from boredom.” “You’d have to eat a lot of chocolate…” Lyra put a finger to her chin. “Like ten bars or something.” “Um, probably more than that.” Vinyl gave a shrug. “Try fifty.” “How about you two try and pick something so we can get out of here.” Bon Bon sighed again and shook her head. “If I have to reread another poster in this place, I’m going to pinch you both on the cheek.” Vinyl turned around to face her with a mischievous smirk. “You promise, Bonny?” “Yeah, maybe a little lower.” Lyra added. “And from behind.” “Oh, good grief… You two are worse than the boys in my gym class.” Bon Bon palmed herself in the face hard enough to make some significant noise. She began walking away towards Octavia, taking care to stand next to her within view so she wouldn’t startle her. “Octavia?” She gently poked her in the side. “Hm?” Octavia took the headphones off and put them down on top of the record machine. “Is…everything alright?” “Mhm.” Bon Bon smiled warmly and leaned her head to the side to whisper. “I’m just checking up on you. What are you listening to?” “Oh, this is Tocatta in D minor.” “I’ve never heard of it.” “Well, it is a lesser known piece when compared to Minute in G or Ode to Joy, but after a few years studying the later works of-” Bon Bon shook her head politely. “Sorry, Octavia. I’m not going to lie to you. I really can’t follow.” “O-Oh.” Octavia blushed a bit and nodded. “Forgive me. Sometimes I make the assumption that everyone around me knows of what I speak of.” She paused for a moment and turned to Bon Bon with a more apologetic expression. “Oh, n-no, I didn’t mean it in such a way. I did not mean to sound condescending.” “It’s ok.” Bon Bon calmed her down by giving her a quick little hug. “I’m not offended or anything. I actually think it’s really nice that you enjoy something so much. To be honest, I was wondering if you listened to any music at all.” “I…do my best to make the time for it.” Octavia remembered the MP3 in her pocket and squeezed it gently. “Although, Vinyl was thoughtful enough to make it more convenient.” “She…did?” Bon Bon was confused. “What do you mean?” “She gave me something.” Octavia reached deeper into the pocket of her skirt and retrieved the device, holding it out for Bon Bon to see. “Oh, an MP3 player.” Bon Bon giggled. “It’s called an MP3.” “Is it?” Octavia thought back to the night before. “Oh, that’s right. Vinyl said the same thing.” “It’s ok.” Bon Bon giggled again and pressed her cheek against Octavia’s shoulder for a moment. “You know, for the longest time until I was six, I thought clouds came from big factories.” “I…see…” Octavia blushed again. Me too…until I was twelve. “Um, Bon Bon…I wanted to…talk to you about this morning.” “Oh?” Bon Bon straightened up a bit and discreetly cast a glance back at the misguidedly dressed pair in the back of the shop. “…Y-Yes.” Octavia gave a slow nod. “I do…apologize. I know I shouldn’t press the matter, and it really isn’t any of my business. H-However…I…” “No, I’m the one who’s sorry, Octavia. I brought it up, and I don’t think I should have.” Bon Bon put a hand on her wrist to comfort her. “I mean, it wasn’t really my place to say anything. I just don’t want you to feel awkward or anything. It’s not a big deal, so let’s just forget about it.” “Well, alright. But I am…actually glad you told me.” Octavia gave a sheepish smile. “Does…this mean that you trust me?” “What?” Bon Bon rolled her eyes with a smile. “Of course I do. We’re friends now, aren’t we? Between you and me, I think you’re the best out of the bunch. You make hanging out with V and Ly-Ly way easier.” “I see.” Octavia giggled for a moment and quickly covered her mouth. “I appreciate the sentiment.” “Oh, you are very welcome.” Bon Bon gave her a quick hug and smile back. Octavia retrieved the record from the player and gently slid it back into its paper cover. “Since…it’s just you and I for moment, I was…curious.” “Hm?” Bon Bon flipped the power switch off on the player. “What about?” “I know…you said it’s no big deal, but I…” Octavia turned to face her and took a deep breath. “If Vinyl values me as a friend, I would like to know more about her. I value her as well, but…I have yet to find the courage to ask her directly.” “Ohhh…” Bon Bon put a finger to her chin and bit her lip. “Well, there isn’t much to her that isn’t out in the open. She likes that strange electronic music, and she’s a little crazy.” Bon Bon slowly shook her head with a smirk. Octavia nodded in agreement. “…But…is there anything I don’t know?” “Huh…” Bon Bon nodded slowly, the smile gone. She paused and cast another glance at the duo behind them. “Well, sure. I’ve known her longer than you, so yeah, there is some stuff. It’s not all that important though.” She suddenly began to stare at the wall of the shop again, blankly looking at a poster she had already read five times. “But…” “…But?” Octavia’s heart began to beat faster when she noticed the possibility for an opportunity to learn about her dearest friend. Bon Bon quickly turned to her and put both hands on Octavia’s shoulders for a moment while speaking in a very hushed voice. “Ok, what I’m about to tell you…is strictly between you and me. I don’t really think I should even tell you, but…I don’t want you finding out from someone else.” Octavia gently cleared her throat and nodded. “I fully understand.” Bon Bon sighed and gently placed a hand on her forehead. “Back in middle school, Vinyl got in trouble.” “Trouble? Was it…serious?” “Yes and no.” Bon Bon shrugged. “In our first year, Vinyl got this, um…well, she got this crush on someone.” When Octavia offered no reply, she continued. “They were friends, I guess. I mean, they hung out for a while, but then…” Bon Bon sighed one more time and let her hands hang by her hips. “…she kissed her.” Octavia had one of those moments in life where she could have sworn her ears had played tricks on her. Did she just say…h-her? Octavia’s face began to burn a crimson red, and her throat closed up. “H-Her?” “Yes.” Bon Bon affirmed in a quiet voice. “Her.”