When she arrived home, Octavia felt a strange sense of detachment from everything around her. The news Bon Bon had revealed to her had put Octavia into a physical limbo. Her limbs moved slowly and her face showed barely any form of expression. Her mother seemed to like this behavior. Octavia had returned home quiet and reclusive, just the way she wanted, and the cellist didn’t even notice her mother was still not speaking to her. Deep down, she honestly didn’t care anymore. For the moment, her mother was the farthest thing from her mind as Octavia laid on her side with one arm pinned uncomfortably against her hip. Her free hand held her cellphone, and she stared at the screen that told her she had a fair amount of unread texts, all of which were from a particular someone.
Octavia’s breathing remained constant as she dropped the phone beside her and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. Kissed… She rolled that particular word around in her head until the letters began to clutter her mind. It was an almost foreign word to her the same way words like ‘boom’ or ‘yeah’ sounded strange. Yes, they were all part of the same language, but she had never once in her life used them. ‘Kissed’ fell into the same category. She herself had never been kissed before, let alone kissed someone else. She couldn’t even remember a time where her parents shared a kiss in front of her. This made her wonder if her parents ever kissed at all. It doesn’t matter. She decided, pushing away the thoughts of her parents. Her mother was obsessive and controlling, and her father was so often away from home that she wasn’t sure what his features looked like.
“Kissed.” This time, she said the word aloud, bringing a finger to her chin, then to her lip, then parting her lips. Her finger tasted bland and firm like an overcooked piece of meat, but she did feel a very slight yet unmistakable heat tingle the tips of her ears. This hardly familiar feeling began to kick her imagination into a higher gear. She pictured Vinyl’s smiling face. It was a pretty face, so full of natural beauty and genuine enthusiasm for the world around her. It was the face of a divine creature born from the piercing and electrifying sounds that such entities thrived off of. To Octavia, Vinyl wasn’t just a friend. She was a higher level of existence and independence.
Vinyl’s face changed from a smile to a smirk, and Octavia couldn’t help but crack a little smile of her own, surprised by her unconscious desire to see Vinyl so… What’s…the word…shameless? This was a face unique to her new best friend. Only she could look such a way and still remain as radiant in her character and beautiful in her appearance. The smirk continued before Vinyl’s head whipped to the side to brush away the hair from her face.
Octavia put her hand over her eyes and bit her lip hard. A sudden and crushing feeling of abandonment and sorrow had her tremble where she lay. It was finally sinking in…
When she had first heard Bon Bon’s news, it had shocked her. The shock had lingered all the way home, keeping her emotionally flat-lined. But now…she wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Was it anger? No… She admitted. It was something else she wasn’t entirely sure of, brought on by something she wasn’t entirely sure of. To those who have experienced love, such people know this feeling. It can be called jealously, but it’s much deeper and more profound. At this time in her young life, Octavia had no idea what she was feeling, but she still found herself crying regardless.
The tears were hot like stinging bees but were gone within a few seconds once she heard her own voice. It seemed so distant and foreign to her, and Octavia felt incredibly foolish for crying like a small child, although a part of her did feel better. Having vented her feelings through weeping did give her a small sense of peace, but it still didn’t completely mask how upset she was. With a small sigh, Octavia sat up in her bed and ran her fingers through her long grey hair. Well, that was rather excruciating. She thought while picking her phone back up. She pushed a button to see the same remaining unread message notifications, and her heart felt uplifted. Until now, she hadn’t bothered to actually read them, and she was very glad she decided to.
The first message read “Yo Tavi? U gud girl? ddnt say bye or anythng.” The next few asked what happened and if went home or not, but as the messages continued, Octavia noticed Vinyl’s script becoming more grammatically correct and less lazy. “U ok? Seriously. Im flipping worried! Did U get sick or somthng?” After that message, Octavia noticed a big lapse in time between it and the next one. It was nearly forty minutes until Vinyl tried reaching her again. “Hey Im sorry if I pissed U off. I did take 4EVER in the music store. I dunno wats going on with U but call me when U feel like. I luv U girl <3”
This last message made Octavia smile happily. It was an exhilarating feeling to see someone care so much about her that they send her so many messages. That, and being told ‘I love you’, regardless of the spelling, brightened her spirits. Now in a better state of mind, the logical part of herself began processing things. True, Vinyl had a past, a past she hadn’t yet shared with her, but they were friends now. They were best friends. And that… Octavia began to speak. “…means everything.” For the countless time, Octavia felt grateful to have someone that truly cared for her.
After no more than a second, Octavia decided to call Vinyl as requested. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to bring up the conversation with Bon Bon, but she owed it to Vinyl to let her know she was doing as well as could be. Octavia tapped the phone’s screen and put it to her ear. “Tavi?” The voice on the other line was evidently eager. “H-Hey! You called!”
“Vinyl…I am so sorry.” Octavia said before swallowing hard. “I did not have any intention to worry you as I did.”
“So, you’re good? Nothing bad happened?”
“Yes. I am fine.”
Octavia could hear Vinyl let out a long sigh of relief. “Whew! Damn, girl… You had me freaking OUT! For a while there I was wondering if I needed to call the police.”
“The police?!” Octavia gasped.
“Yeah, like you got kidnapped or something.”
“Oh, heavens no, Vinyl.” Octavia giggled and laid back down on her bed.
“Hey, you’re a cute piece. It could happen.”
“I’m…flattered…and terrified.” Octavia said with a small sigh as her cheeks brightened. “Again, I…I’m extremely sorry for leaving you as I did. There was no reason to part ways without giving you a formal salutation.”
“Yeah…” Vinyl actually sounded a tiny bit mad, but it was instantly replaced with her usual satisfied tone. “But whatevs. At least you called. Hey, but you know, if there’s something bothering you or something, please just…you know…talk to me or call or whatever.”
“Y-Yes…” Octavia nodded for someone in particular. “I will.”
“You promise?” Vinyl growled at herself, and Octavia could hear a loud slap as if her electric blue bestie had smacked her forehead with her palm. “N-Nevermind. I’m sounding clingy and weird.”
Clingy? This was another word Octavia was not familiar with, but given the context, she partially understood. “It’s quite alright, Vinyl. I don’t think you sound, um, weird at all.”
“Uh, ok. Thanks, Tavi.” There was a small moment of silence before she spoke again. “You…you’re a really cool cat.”
“P-Pardon?”
“I’m just saying, you know…you’re a good friend.” Vinyl giggled awkwardly before inhaling sharply. “There’s…well, between you and Ly-Ly and Bonnie, there isn’t really a whole lot of people who like hanging out with me.”
“Really?” Octavia asked with genuine surprise. “I am very hard pressed to believe such a statement.”
“No, I’m serious.” Vinyl sighed softly. “Look, you already know this well…I’m…I’m super weird.” She sighed again, clearly having her own emotional troubles with the situation. “It’s just…nice that you called back.”
“I…see…”
“Ah, screw it. Just…nevermind. Ugh…” Octavia could hear Vinyl groaned away from the phone. “Sorry, Tavi. I’m not really all there right now.”
“Um…Vinyl?” Octavia sat up and crossed her legs.
“Yeah?”
“I hope you know that…if there’s anything bothering you, I would be more than happy to lend back a listening ear.”
“O-Oh, uh, yeah.” Vinyl’s voice sounded a bit more chipper. “Yeah, that’d be sweet. I uh…I’m glad you said that. I feel a lot better…”
Did…she choke up? It was hard to tell just by the sound of her voice, but Octavia could almost hear Vinyl’s word begin to stutter at the end. “Oh, Vinyl…” She whispered very softly when she heard the faint sound of a sniffle. A pang of guilt gripped the pit of her stomach when she realized that her behavior might have made Vinyl rather sad. It dawned on Octavia that Vinyl may have felt slightly abandoned considering a lack of farewell gestures. “Oh, Vinyl…I’m so so sorry I didn’t call…”
“W-What?” Vinyl sniffled hard to clear up her nasally voice and forced a laugh. “It’s no biggie, girl. You’re calling now, so it’s whatevs. Like I said, it’s ok.”
“W-Well…if you say so.” Octavia felt the urge to flick herself as hard as she could in the eye. How could I have been so selfish? She internally scolded herself. How could I have been such a terrible friend?!
“Yeah, don’t even trip.” Vinyl said before rustling something in the background for a moment, presumably a pillow or article of clothing. “You know, I think today was kind of a bust. Total fail. How about we try this again this weekend.”
“Oh?” Octavia asked curiously. “Shall we go back to the music store?”
“Yeah, we could.” Vinyl giggled. “But what I mean is…just you and me this time. You know, maybe get some dinner and go see a movie. I don’t think we’ve done that yet.”
“You’re right.” Octavia agreed. “That does sound very lovely. I would enjoy some more time with you outside of school.”
“You…really mean that? I should tell you I go pretty far on the first-” Vinyl giggled again after stopping herself from finishing that thought. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”
Wait a minute… Octavia paused as an emerging thought entered her mind. Dinner…and a movie. This sounds quite parallel to a… She replayed Vinyl’s unfinished joke in her mind, subliminally filling in the missing piece. …date? Is that what it’s called? Her heart began to beat faster as her ears tingled. Oh, good heavens, Octavia. You learn that she’s kissed a girl, and now you just can’t look beyond it. You really can be an idiot.
“Yo, Tavi? You there?” Vinyl asked. “You know I’m totally kidding, right? I’m just messing with you.”
“O-Oh, yes, I’m here. My apologies.” Octavia blushed furiously and ran a hand through her long hair. “Forgive me, I seem to be rather…”
“Tired?” Vinyl interjected.
“Y-Yes. Tired.” Octavia slowly nodded, choosing to agree with the question instead of explain herself. “Perhaps I’ve spent a little too much time on my feet today.”
“Oh, I totally get it. It happens, no worries. Need me to go so you can do your thing?”
“N-No, it’s alright. I enjoy talking to you, and…well it’s rather nice to have someone to talk to at home.” Octavia bit her lip, feeling the blush still linger around her cheeks.
“Aw, damn, Tavi. You are so freaking cute.” Vinyl laughed and made a kissing sound. “Too bad you’re not here at my place. I got a pizza and a thing of rocky road that’s just calling your name.”
“Rocky road?” Octavia asked, using this moment to clear her throat.
“Oh, it’s ice cream. The BEST ice cream.”
How in the world is Vinyl not fat? Octavia wondered, recalling all the times they had eaten together. Not only was Vinyl an avid consumer of unhealthy foods, she enthusiastically introduced Octavia to them. “I would like to try this rocky road ice cream sometime.”
“Yeah? Tell you what. I’ll buy you some when we hang out this weekend. We can eat ice cream and watch cartoons at my place after the movie.”
“Oh, w-would…that be alright? I’d hate to intrude again on your mother.” Octavia said, remembering how she had to be driven home the last time she had visited Vinyl’s home.
“Naw, girl. It’s cool! You should totally come over this weekend! We can have like a sleepover or something! Man, I haven’t had a sleepover in like, since elementary school.” There was another rustling sound, but it was much louder this time. “Do I even still have that extra blanket around here?”
Octavia put a finger to her chin and narrowed her eyes at the foot of her bed. The idea of having a sleepover, her very first sleepover, was a glorious and exciting idea. She desperately wanted for the next school day to be done and over with. The only problem, however, was acquiring permission. At this point, it wouldn’t be terribly difficult. Her mother didn’t loom over her anymore if the past couple of days were any indication, but it would require having a forced conversation with the woman that would most definitely not be pleasant. Oh dear… Octavia sighed and palmed her face. I suppose I will do what I must…
“Uh, Tavi? Yo, Tavi! You still there?”
“O-Oh, y-yes, of course.” Octavia cleared her throat. “I-I…must be more tired than I thought.”
“Then freaking go to bed, babe!” Vinyl laughed. “I gotta go anyway. This pizza isn’t gonna eat itself.”
Octavia gave a small giggle back. “Thank you, Vinyl. Please have a good night.”
“Yeah, you too. You too. Sleep well, ok?” Vinyl cleared her throat very softly, doing her best to quiet the nervous sound. “Sleep good, babe. Love you lots.”
Octavia opened her mouth to reply, but she uttered nothing. She opened her mouth again to say something, anything at all, but she experienced the same result. She looked down at her phone and saw the seconds to their conversation continue to count higher and higher. This meant that Vinyl was still on the line, waiting for a response. As panic set in, Octavia quickly ended the call and tossed her phone onto the pillow on the other side of the bed.
That…wasn’t terribly awkward…was it? Octavia covered her face with both hands and sighed. Why…why couldn’t I say it back? She asked herself while groaning softly. It wasn’t as if she was going to say anything drastic. It was just a casual verbal display of affection…and yet…
Taking a very slow deep breath, Octavia laid on her tummy with her face buried in her pillow. “Oh no….” She groaned in a muffled voice. “…Octavia you idiot…”
-o0o-
Today, Octavia had music class which required she bring her cello. Her mother was pleased she hadn’t forgotten it, but she had insisted she be driven to school by a chauffeur instead of only being driven to the nearest school bus stop. According to her mother, she would no longer need to worry about “Those insidious delinquents plaguing the impoverished public school system.” This Octavia was not fully willing to go through with, but she had conceded in return for permission to spend the night with one of those so-called ‘delinquents’ despite the infuriating description. So, having been forced to show up to Canterlot High in a stretched Bentley, Octavia got ready to exit the vehicle as quickly as possible, the second the tires came to a stop.
“Whoa…” Lyra had been walking up the sidewalk towards the entrance of the school when she saw the massive silver trimmed car pass her by. She followed it with a quick pace to see who it could possibly be. “Oh…it’s you.” She said with a sigh as Octavia exited the vehicle giving the window a tap to inform the driver it was time to leave
“Pardon?” Octavia asked, adjusting her cello case in her hand, the car driving away down the street.
“Nothing, forget it.” Lyra waved a hand dismissively. She wore her usual pair of ripped black skinny jeans and print faded t-shirt. “Cool ride, Octavia. I didn’t know you had your own personal driver.”
“Oh…um…Lyra? Could you do me a small favor?” Octavia blushed noticeably and sighed. “I would very much appreciate it if as few people knew about this as possible.”
“Are you serious???” Lyra laughed. “That’s crazy! If I had a driver, I’d tell everyone!”
“Yes…well…there are more…than a few fellow students who don’t particularly…like me all that much. It might be best to keep this quiet.”
“Oooookay? Dunno if I can really help out all that much. I’m not the only person who saw you in that car.” Lyra gave a shrug. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much anyhow. If Vinyl ever found out someone was picking on you, she’d probably kick their ass.”
“R-Really?” Octavia gasped. “Y-You can’t possibly be serious.”
Lyra laughed harder. “You are too funny! Yeah, Vinyl will probably go NUTS if she saw someone giving you a hard time.”
“Oh, dear…” Octavia sighed.
Lyra patted her on the back. “She’s kind of protective like that. I dunno…” Lyra paused to look up at the sky in thought. “Yeah, I guess I’d probably do the same thing if something like that happened to Bonnie.” She remarked while beginning the short walk to the front steps.
“Are…you two very close?” Octavia asked, keeping in stride.
“Uhhh, I dunno.” Lyra’s mint green cheeks turned a tad pink. “Maybe sometimes. She’s SUPER uptight, buuuuuut…she’s pretty cool.”
“Hm…” Octavia looked down at the ground as she walked. She wondered if she was still rather dense when it came to her friends. It hadn’t occurred to her that Lyra and Bon Bon might have the same fond relationship as she did with Vinyl.
Very casually, Lyra added more. “She kinda hates me though.”
“Why do you say that?” Octavia asked as the reached the front door.
Lyra opened the door and Octavia followed in behind. With a loud giggle, Lyra rubbed the back of her head. “I kinda like messing with her. Like a couple days ago, I kept sticking stuff in her hair until she noticed.”
Octavia couldn’t help but giggle back. Bon Bon did have rather curly hair, so it was viably possible. “That’s…I have to admit, rather amusing.”
“Right? It took her like a whole five minutes before she said something.” Lyra continued to giggle. “But yeah, she sorta hates me a little bit.”
“You two do seem to be friends though.” Octavia reasoned. “Perhaps I don’t fully understand what you mean.”
“Oh, sure sure. We’re friends. We’re friends. We just kinda have a weird thing going on. You know, like you and V.”
“Vinyl and I?” Octavia blushed a bit.
“Sure.” Lyra quickly shook her head and put her hands up. “No, sorry. I don’t mean it like it’s weird or anything. It’s just different, you know? You two are actually pretty cool together. It’s nice to see Vinyl not gloomy and stuff sometimes. With you around, she’s been really chill.”
“I see.” Octavia smiled happily. “Bon Bon has told me something quite similar. I’m glad that Vinyl seems to appreciate my company so much.”
Lyra laughed and shook her head. “Wow…heh.” She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans as groups of students navigated their way around the two talking freshman. “That doesn’t even begin to come close to it.” She sighed and looked around the hallways. “Anyways, I gotta get to my locker before class.” She began walking away with a wave. “See you, Octavia.”
With a wave back, Octavia began walking to her own locker in the opposite direction. She was pleasantly surprised to see Vinyl waiting for her there, although it was strange not to be affectionately assaulted or astonished by her sudden appearance. It was too bad, really. Octavia not only had gotten used to it, she was beginning to enjoy it. “Good morning, Vinyl.”
“Hey, Tavi. How’s it going?” Vinyl stopped leaning against the locker doors and quickly ran a hand through her wild hair.
“I am doing well.” Octavia’s face turned into a big smile when she saw Vinyl’s face. Her appearance was rather pretty, almost striking. In a pair of fresh blue jeans and a wrinkle free white t-shirt, Octavia wondered if Vinyl had gone out of her way to look her best today. “You look very nice, by the way.”
“Oh, yeah? Thanks.” Vinyl returned the smile and stepped closer. “You look pretty good too. I could just bite that bow tie right off your neck, babe.”
Octavia giggled a bit and blushed slightly. “Please, Vinyl…” She mumbled while touching her bowtie with a finger.
“Oh, you didn’t bring anything for tonight, did you?” Vinyl asked, looking down at her cello case.
“No, actually, I didn’t think about it.” Octavia shook her head. “Should I have? I’ve never…been to a sleepover before, and I wasn’t even aware of what necessities-”
“It’s cool, Tavi. Relax.” Vinyl giggled and put a hand on her elbow. “I got everything we need. We’re probably the same size, so you can just wear my stuff to sleep in.”
Octavia blushed deepened. Whatever ‘stuff’ she was referring to she had no idea, but she vividly recalled seeing Vinyl’s intimates scattered on her bedroom floor among other odds and ends. “I-I see.”
“That cool with you? If you wanna bring something else, I’m totally good with that.” Vinyl leaned forward and pressed a finger against Octavia’s cheek. “Girl…you sure we’re all good?”
“What?” Octavia looked up to meet her eyes. “Y-Yes, of course.” She shook her head with a small sigh. “I’m...just thinking of whether or not to leave my cello at home.”
“You can bring it to my house.” Vinyl quickly said. “I mean, if you want. You know, no biggie.”
“Would…you like me to bring it?” Octavia asked, reading Vinyl’s eager expression.
“Actually...yeah. I’ve never seen you play outside of class. It would be pretty cool to see what you can do.” Vinyl nodded and brushed her hair to the side, her pale white cheeks a hint red like her lovely eyes that were thankfully not covered by her glasses at the moment. “If you want.”
“Vinyl, I would love to play for you.” Octavia gave her a quick hug. “It…actually means a great deal that see you’ve taken an interest in my music. I never thought you’d really want me to play for you.”
“What??? You’re kidding, right?” Vinyl laughed a returned the hug. “I wanna know ALL about you!” She released the hug and took a step back. “Besides, if it’s cool with you, I also wanna record you playing. I think between the two of us, we can create some sweet sounds.”
“I look forward to doing that very much.” Octavia nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve never collaborated with anyone before.”
“You haven’t? Not even in like a recital or something?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Wow! I’m your first!” Vinyl pumped a fist into the air. “Nice!”
Did…she really have to say it like that? Octavia blushed yet again and stole a glance to the side to see if anyone had cast curious eyes at them. No one was paying any attention to them, but Octavia reasoned that such conversations were probably overlooked all things considered. If the couple making out down the hall had set the proverbial bar, she had nothing to worry about.
“Hey, Tavi?” Vinyl reached up and brushed some of Octavia’s hair away from her face. “You look kinda beat. Did you sleep ok?”
Octavia darted her eyes to the floor when she felt Vinyl’s fingers graze her cheek. “I-I…slept well enough I suppose.” She said, her blush deepening and radiating down her back. “I guess I…was too excited for tonight to sleep well.”
“Awwwwwww.” Vinyl laughed hard and squeezed Octavia’s arm. “Damn, Tavi. You are super cute.” She let go and reached up to push her sunglasses down onto the bridge of her nose. “Well, this sleepover is gonna be off the hook!” She paused and thumped herself on the side of the head with her palm. “I don’t really like using that word though.”
“What word?” Octavia asked, feeling the urge to smooth out the tuff of hair now out of place above Vinyl’s ear.
“Sleepover. It just sounds too…kiddie. Super lame.” Vinyl shrugged. “But this is your first one, so whatevs. It kinda works this time anyway.”
“I agree.” Octavia said with a nod. “I am immensely looking forward to our…” She giggled nervously and smiled. “…sleepover.” Strange. That word didn’t have the same kind of cheerful inflection the way Vinyl would say it.
“Hey, you know what?” Vinyl gasped and grasped both of Octavia’s shoulder with her hands. “I just noticed something sweet!”
“Y-Yes?” Octavia leaned away from Vinyl’s hold, but she didn’t put up any real effort.
Vinyl wiggled a finger against her nose and poked it very gently with a big smile. “You’re talking more now. I like it.”
“I am?” Octavia pointed to herself.
“Yeah. When we first started hanging out, you barely said two words. Now, you’re smiling more, you’re talking more, you’re even hugging more. It’s great!” Vinyl squeezed her waist and nearly lifted her off the ground with a giggle.
“Oh, Vinyl.” Octavia giggled back while being forced to stand on her tiptoes. “You give such wonderful compliments.”
Vinyl let go and gave an exaggerated shrug before rubbing the back of her head. “Yeah, well, you deserve it, babe. Just keep doing your thing ‘cause it’s working!”
Octavia blushed very deeply and covered her face for a moment with one hand, her cello case swinging from her other arm awkwardly. “Please, Vinyl. I-I…really have no idea how to possibly respond.”
“I know that. You get freaking adorable when you stutter. Why do you think I keep teasing you?”
Is…that why she does that? Octavia stared at her blankly while her mind tried to make a reasonable presumption. So…she really does like my appearance. She really thinks I’m pretty. Octavia’s pupils widened when her eyes traced the outline of Vinyl’s wet lips. Vinyl…you are quite pretty as well…
-o0o-
After school, Vinyl had another opportunity to display her pedestrian knowledge of the city. She and Octavia had taken the school bus back to Vinyl’s place, but it was a very short visit. Octavia dropped off her cello in Vinyl’s room before both girls took a short walk down the street towards the city bus stop. From there, they rode for twenty minutes downtown to the city’s central transportation hub. Octavia was incredibly impressed by the sights, sounds, and even the smells of inner city light. The bus station shared an entire block with the train station, and a haze of gasoline emissions wafted up and down every street. Every couple of seconds, Octavia could hear the sound of a car horn blaring from every direction, but out of the hundreds of people walking around her, none of them bothered to cast inquisitive glances. In fact, not even the dogs out on walks with their owners bothered to pay any heed to the noises. The inner city, in all its intimidating glory, was bustling with energy. To her own surprise, Octavia wasn’t at all scared. She had serious concerns about being downtown for the first time, but with Vinyl with her, she felt no fear. Instead, she felt excited, almost as if the aura of the city was feeding her youthful spirit. Plus, it did help a great deal to have Vinyl holding her hand the entire time they walked.
As they crossed a busy intersection, Vinyl looked to her side with a smile. “You hungry at all, Tavi? I know this bomb hotdog stand near the theater.”
“I-I’m not opposed to eating something.” Octavia replied. “A hot… dog? What is that exactly?”
Vinyl laughed and tugged on her hand gently. “You are so getting a hotdog.” They continued down the street for about a minute until Vinyl suddenly pulled her to the edge of the sidewalk right as a bicyclist zoomed by them in a blur. “Hey! Watch it!” Vinyl yelled, adding to the angry voices of the other pedestrians around her. “You good?”
“Yes, I am.” Octavia said through a deep breath as she tried to calm her pounding chest.
“Good.” Vinyl shrugged off the incident and began walking again when Octavia tightened her grip on her hand. In response, Vinyl squeezed just as hard. “We’re almost there. Just a couple more minutes.”
They reached the hotdog stand, and Vinyl made the necessary purchase. Just as Octavia was about to take an educational bite on her strange meal, a roaring thumping sound echoed through the streets, completely masking all other noises. It was deafening, almost ear piercing, but it was gone as soon as it arrived. Octavia gasped loudly and darted her eyes at the sky. “What in the heavens was that???”
Vinyl looked up at her from her hotdog, her mouth full for a moment. “Oh, that?” She pointed at a strange object roaming above the tops of the skyscrapers. “Wait, you’ve never seen a chopper before?”
“A…chopper?” Octavia cocked her head, thoroughly confused.
“Yeah, a helicopter.” Vinyl laughed and palmed her face. “Wooooww. I really need to take you out more.”
“A helicopter…” Octavia swore she had heard that word before, but it sounded foreign enough to be alien. “…Sorry, Vinyl. I…honestly don’t know that that is.”
Vinyl rolled her eyes slowly and slung an arm around Octavia’s shoulder. “Just…eat the hotdog, girl. You’ll like it.”
Octavia simply nodded and took a bite. Her face broke out into a smile as she chewed. She turned to face Vinyl but nearly jerked back when she saw her expression of eager anticipation. Octavia cleared her throat after swallowing. “V-Vinyl?”
“So? Good, right?” Vinyl asked, placing an arm around her hip.
“Um…yes?” Octavia nodded slowly. All this… over a hotdog?
“Great!” Vinyl nodded her approval and gave a thumbs-up. “I was kinda worried you wouldn’t like it.”
“Well…why wouldn’t I like it?” Octavia giggled softly with amusement.
“Nothing.” Vinyl shrugged and shoved the rest of her food into her mouth. “Come onth! Leth go geth tickeths!” She grabbed Octavia’s free hand and pulled her to the street corner. It was nice to be holding hands again, but Octavia really did want to finish her hotdog first before having to walk again. She felt rather silly walking down the sidewalk with food in her free hand until they reached the ticket booth where she had the opportunity to finish it. Vinyl looked up at the bulletin and scanned their movie choices. “So, what do you feel like watching?”
Octavia looked up at the options blankly. It had been a very long time since she had seen a movie, and she didn’t recognize any of the names or terms used. “Um…” She paused and turned to Vinyl. “I don’t know what any of these are.”
“Yeah, I kinda figured that. What I mean is, do you wanna see like an action flick, romantic comedy, horror?”
Anything but horror… Octavia’s face turned a bit pale at that daunting possibility. She had never seen a horror movie before, but her mother had adamantly preached the dangers of such mindless gore. Her conditioned response kicked in, and she said “N-No horror movie please.”
A tiny hint of disappointment flashed across Vinyl’s features for a moment, but she nodded. “Sure, babe. You feel like some action?”
“Action…” Octavia wasn’t sure. Action probably wouldn’t be as bad as horror, but after spending a short period of time outside among strange loud noises, she desired to be back indoors, comforted by quiet. “…Perhaps…not, if that’s alright with you.”
“Yeah, no prob.” Vinyl took the hint and gave her a reassuring pat on the back. She approached the ticket booth and requested two tickets to movie with the indistinct title ‘Falling Leaves’. Octavia had to step out of the way when a crowd of patrons exited the theater, but Vinyl was there to put an arm in front of her. Once the entrance was clear, she asked, “You ready?”
Octavia looked down at the remnants of her hotdog. “I believe so, but…I should finish my food first.”
“You don’t want it?” Vinyl asked. “If you’re full, I’ll totally have it.”
“Are you sure? I’ve already eaten much of it.”
Vinyl giggled and stuffed the last of the frank into her mouth, chewing furiously before swallowing hard. “Now you ready?”
Octavia blushed furiously, almost dumbfounded. Her innocent mind couldn’t get over the fact that saliva had been shared, indirectly…but still. “Y-You…ate…”
“Hm?” Vinyl pushed her glasses up atop her head with a smirk. “Something wrong?”
Octavia simply shook her head, feeling very self-conscious of her burning cheeks. “N-No!” She squeaked and cleared her throat. “Um, let’s go inside…”
Vinyl opened the door and pushed Octavia inside with a gentle nudge before handing her tickets to the attendant. The young man looked at both girls with a raised eyebrow but said nothing when he handed the tickets back. Vinyl shoved the tickets into her pocket and pulled Octavia to the snack counter. “Oh, nice! They have a butter machine now!” She exclaimed. Octavia watched as Vinyl ordered the largest popcorn possible, every single kernel getting smothered in clear yellow paste. She saw Vinyl grab a handful and stuff her mouth with the snack. “Mnnnngh! Yesth!” Vinyl pounded her fist against her chest.
How. Is. She. Not. Fat?! Octavia marveled at her best friend. Somehow, Vinyl had found a way to be a physically lovely individual and indulge her ferocious appetite. Octavia supposed that if she had the same energy and drank just as much caffeine, she too could enjoy such a lifestyle. Although…I don’t think my organs could take the tremendous stress.
“Here, hold this for a sec.” Vinyl handed her the bucket of popcorn to pay for a large soda, no doubt caffeinated. Octavia’s nose hovered over the popcorn, and the delicious smell of warm butter wafted up, making her smile. She instinctively stuck her tongue out and flicked a kernel into her mouth. Her eyes grew wide when the scrumptious kernel melted on her tongue. When Vinyl saw this, she giggled hard. “Aw, damn it, Tavi! That was cute!”
With a flustered face, Octavia looked away and hid behind the bucket in front of her face. “Could…we go sit down now?” She asked, wanting to enjoy this new snack in an appropriate fashion.
Vinyl sipped the soda with a nod. “Sure, babe. Let’s go.” She tapped Octavia on the bum with her palm before heading towards the theater door, leaving the cellist standing there stunned. She had to jog a short distance to make up the distance once stirring herself out of her daze, dropping some popcorn in her haste.
After sitting, Vinyl was back to stuffing her face with an impressive routine. It was almost as if she had the action of eating popcorn down to a science. First came filling her mouth with kernels and chewing, next came a long gulp of soda, then finally a deep breath to make up for the lack of air. She repeated this cycle numerous times until the movie started, leaving Octavia to nibble at her own slow pace.
This particular movie wasn’t anything special, even for Octavia. Everything about it drove towards a more ‘adult single mother’ type audience, and nothing about it was particularly relatable. She had never been married or had a boyfriend, and she most certainly never had any children before. After a while, Octavia felt rather guilty for making Vinyl compromise to this movie. Maybe an action movie wouldn’t have been such a bad idea, but after an hour into the film, it was far too late to change her mind. On the other hand, Vinyl seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit. The comedy aspect of the film made her laugh on multiple occasions, and Octavia had to smile at her genuine happiness. She seemed so carefree and independent, so experienced and relaxed in any situation. Octavia was content to see Vinyl happy, and she relaxed a bit in her seat.
Vinyl leaned towards her and asked, “I’m thinking about some candy. Want some?”
“I’m alright, thank you.” Octavia whispered back. “Did…you want to get some candy?”
“No, but you haven’t had much popcorn. I thought you might want something sweet or whatever.” If the lighting wasn’t so dim, Vinyl’s slight blush might have been visible. She let out a soft yawn and laid her head down on Octavia’s shoulders, still popping kernels into her mouth and giggling at the screen.
Octavia stiffened in her seat a bit, feeling Vinyl rub her cheek against her shoulder. Her body began heating up and her pulse quickened. She shifted slightly when Vinyl’s wild hair grazed against her ear, almost making her shiver. She’s…really warm… Octavia blushed deeply, feeling her best friend’s body heat radiate against her side. Every breath Vinyl took danced like a cool breeze against Octavia’s cheek, and she nearly gasped when Vinyl brought a hand up to her mouth, popcorn pinched between her fingers. Am…am I…supposed to eat this? She wondered, staring down at Vinyl’s hand. When Octavia didn’t respond right away, Vinyl wiggled the popcorn in front of her face impatiently until she took the hint. Octavia licked the popcorn into her mouth and heard Vinyl giggle. She was apparently in a playful mood, and after that little exchange, Octavia let her guard down a little. Vinyl brought some more popcorn up to her mouth, and with a giggle of her own, Octavia accepted the gesture. This…is what being best friends is like. She thought with a very happy smile.
-o0o-
By the time both girls returned back to Vinyl’s home, the sun had set. The movie was nearly two hours long, and as they journeyed home on the bus, Octavia had the luxury of watching the sun set in real time. Vinyl had yawned during the ride back, complaining that she needed a ‘pick-me-up’ of some sort during their sleepover. Octavia was feeling rather tired as well, but she was determined to enjoy her Friday night to the fullest extent before returning home to her massive empty home. It was evident that Vinyl had plans, and she did not want to disappoint.
“Hey, you’re back!” Silver patted her daughter on the back with a thump as soon as she entered the house. She noticed Octavia behind her and flashed a confident smile that seemed to run in the family. “Have fun at the movies?”
“Yeah, it was pretty good.” Vinyl nodded and yawned loudly. “It’s was pretty funny too. Haven’t been to the movies in weeks.”
I haven’t been to the movies in… Octavia searched her memory. ...six years? Goodness, Vinyl was right… I really need to get out more. “Oh, good evening Ms. Silver.” Octavia bowed politely. “It’s very nice to see you again.”
Silver laughed as she wiggled a half empty bottle of beer in one hand. By her expression, even Octavia could tell she was slightly drunk. “Yeah, you too, kid.” Silver patted the top of her head with a smile. “Alright, Vine? You listening?”
“Huh?” Vinyl asked from down the hall. She had already jogged to the kitchen and returned with an open energy drink.
“I’m gonna be sleeping here pretty soon, so don’t play your music super loud tonight. I’ve got work in the morning.” Silver thumped her daughter on the back again. “Don’t stay up too late, yeah? Growing girls need their sleep.”
“Aw, come on, mom…” Vinyl sighed, taking another sip of her energy drink.
“I’m serious, kiddo.” Silver ruffled the top of her head. “You know how I feel about you drinking all that caffeine. It’s not good for you.”
“Mom, seriously!” Vinyl gave her mother an exacerbated look and pointed to Octavia. “Don’t turn me into a wuss in front of my babe.” Silver laughed hard at this, but Octavia simply blushed. It was hard to know what to say to something like that. She knew it was normal for Vinyl to say ‘babe’ as an affectionate pronoun, but to actually be referred to as ‘her babe’ in direct conversation with her mother was almost too much. Octavia didn’t know whether to feel flattered or worried. “Oh, do we still have any rocky road?”
“I think so, unless you ate the rest of it.” Silver replied, taking a sip of her beer.
“Sweet!” Vinyl grabbed Octavia’s hand to pull her to the kitchen, the energy drink seeming to work its magic rather quickly. “Night, mom!”
“Night, girls!” Silver gave her daughter a dismissive wave while offering Octavia a knowing, rather pensive nod before heading to the stairs. Octavia had a slight inclination as to what the nod was about, but at this point, she understood Vinyl well enough to know she was full of good and friendly intentions.
They entered the kitchen, and Vinyl opened the freezer. “Nice!” She pulled out an open quart of ice cream and popped the cardboard lid off, putting her energy drink down to grab some clean spoons that were drying beside the sink. “Here, try this stuff.”
Octavia wasn’t hungry at the moment. Between all the popcorn and the hotdog from earlier, now wasn’t the best time what looked to be another entire meal. However, she remembered having that root beer float at the arcade a few days ago, and something sweet sounded nice as long as it was in moderation. She took one of the spoons and dutifully scooped some of the dessert into her mouth. “Hm…” She almost choked, not expecting it to be so cold.
“Good, right?” Vinyl scooped with the other spoon and cleaned it off between her lips. “Mn! Yesth!”
Once she could finally taste something, Octavia was overwhelmed with the flavor of chocolate, almost as if an entire candy bar had melted in her mouth. Something chewy and sweet lingered in her mouth, something she had never tasted before but was beginning to fall in love with. “Whath this chew stufth, Vinyl?” She asked, pointed to a white speck in the ice cream.
“Marshmallows.” Vinyl replied apathetically while most of her attention was focused on devouring another spoonful.
Octavia had no idea what marshmallows could be. They didn’t taste like any candy she had ever tasted before. They were more like the center of a cream puff, but… How did the cream stay so intact in a sea of chocolate? She looked down at her spoon, her taste buds screaming for more.
“Let’s go watch some TV or something and eat the rest of this.” Vinyl handed Octavia the tub of ice cream before opening of the kitchen cabinets for a bag of chips. She grabbed her energy drink and headed to the living room. Octavia followed behind her, growing more and more aware of her freezing fingertips. She was grateful to put the ice cream down on the coffee table beside the couch as soon as she sat down, but Vinyl was quick to snatch it up. “What do you feel like watching?”
“Um, I believe you said something about cartoons during our phone call last night.” Octavia replied.
“Did I?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow and giggled. “Oh, yeah, that’s right. Wow, you have a really good memory.” She eyed Octavia closely and pressed the tip of her finger against her forehead. “Smarty.”
Octavia blushed a bit and looked down with a smile. To be complimented on her looks was always nice, but Vinyl was even complimenting her intelligence now. It seemed as if Vinyl liked absolutely everything about her. I suppose it makes sense. She thought. After all...I like everything about her as well.
“Sooo.” Vinyl leaned back on the couch next to her and yawned loudly before quickly gulping down the rest of her energy drink. “What kind of cartoons do you like?”
“Oh, um…”
“You don’t like cartoons, huh?” Vinyl quickly surmised.
“It’s not that I don’t like them.” Octavia quickly reasoned. “I’ve never…actually watched any before.”
“Well, sit back and get ready to flip. Cartoons are great!” Vinyl grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, scrolling through channels with the skill of an avid television connoisseur. “This is one of my favorites.” She pointed to the TV and pushed more ice cream into her mouth
Octavia watched the TV for a few moments, desperately trying to achieve some sort of bearing on what she was seeing. It looked like everything was taking place underwater, but the creatures that interacted with each other looked unimaginably comical. One was yellow and completely square but porous, and the other was rather corpulent with a pink body and pointed like a bloated star. Their language was easily comprehensible like screaming children, but Octavia didn’t understand them at all.
Vinyl, however, seemed to be thoroughly taken with the pair. She laughed and giggled at the TV more times in one minute than Octavia could count on her fingers. Octavia felt rather silly just sitting there, confused and baffled. Things only started making sense to her the moment she tried not to overthink anything. She smiled and giggled every now and then because of the antics and emotional behavior of the characters. Cartoons. She silently rolled the word around in her mouth. I think I like them.
After the episode was over and a commercial broke up the fun, Vinyl sighed and put the now empty ice cream container on the coffee table. “Hey, you know what might be kinda fun?” She asked, turning to her guest.
“Yes?” Octavia turned to face her with a smile, still in a humorous mood.
“My mom keeps a couple bottles of booze in the kitchen. Wanna try some?”
Booze..? As in…ALCOHOL??? Octavia gasped and immediately shook her head. “No, I-I couldn’t possibly. That would be highly irresponsible. I am grossly underage, and I would get into an incredible amount of trouble.” She protested.
“Aw, come on, babe. Relax. It’ll be fun! My mom doesn’t really care all that much about it, and no one is gonna find out. I promise I won’t tell if you don’t.” Vinyl assured her, moving a hand through her hair.
“R-Really, I-I…I don’t think I can.” Octavia looked away with a small sigh. “M-My mother…if she found out…I just know she’d-”
“Hey.” Vinyl put a hand on her thigh and leaned forward. “Your mom doesn’t have to know. I mean, if you really don’t want to, that’s totally cool. It’s no biggie. I just thought it might be kinda fun, you know?” Vinyl blushed a bit, aware now at how uncomfortable the suggestion had made Octavia.
“W-Well, I…” Octavia blushed furiously when she felt Vinyl’s hand touch right above her knee.
“How about just a tiny bit. If you don’t like it, we never have to do it again.” Vinyl said with a smile.
Octavia thought very hard about her answer. She wondered just how strong the level of trust was between her and Vinyl. She knew she didn’t have any reason not to trust her, maybe except for the offhanded warnings about her ‘weird’ behavior. Yet, if this was the extent of ‘weird’ she’d have to deal with, then Octavia came to the conclusion that she could handle herself. Besides…Vinyl wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt me. She’s my best friend. With a slow nod, Octavia agreed. “A-Alright.”
“Sweet!” Vinyl exclaimed in a hoarse whisper in an effort to keep her voice down. “Be right back.” She leapt from the couch and headed into the kitchen, coming back moments later with two plastic cups and a small bottle of clear fluid.
Octavia wasn’t so intrigued by the alcohol as she was the plastic cups. After all, her mother was a frequent wine drinker, so this wasn’t particularly new to her. The cups, however, were a completely different story. They were all different colors, sparkling in the light of the TV with what appeared to be superheroes of indiscernible origins printed on the sidewalls. ‘The utensils of the commoner.’ Octavia could hear her mother complain if she ever saw these particular cups.
Vinyl poured them each a small amount into both cups and put the cork back into the neck of the bottle. “Ready? I gotta warn you, this stuff burns like hot sauce going down.”
“Oh, dear…” Octavia inwardly groaned as she raised the liquid to her lips. She watched as Vinyl gulped down everything in one go, so she tried to do the same. Instead of a smooth motion, Octavia began coughing and wheezing when she felt the burning hot tingling sensation from the alcohol flow down to her tummy. It was incredibly painful, and she immediately reached for the ice cream container, saddened by its empty state. Vinyl patted her knee and raced to the kitchen for a soda, returning back to the living room to dive onto the couch with the soda outstretched. Octavia took it and began gulping down the precious sweet liquid to quell the intense heat. It was working, and her mouth finally felt relief from the millions of angry knives stabbing away at her gums.
“You ok?” Vinyl asked, rubbing her back gently.
“Y-Yes.” Octavia took a deep breathe and put the soda down. “I…was not at all prepared for that.”
“Sorry…” Vinyl rubbed her back some more. “Maybe I should’ve mixed it with the soda.”
“It’s alright.” Octavia smiled reassuringly at her. “I’m feeling much better now, thank you. Perhaps I’ll stay away from alcohol for the remainder of the evening.”
“Yeah, good idea.” Vinyl nodded and got back up to take the bottle back to the kitchen. She returned with a soda of her own. “While I’m up, do you want anything else?”
“I’m alright.” Octavia shook her head. “Thank you.”
“Girl, you are welcome.” Vinyl plopped down next to her and giggled, slapping Octavia’s knee gently a couple times. She leaned back next to her as a new episode started, her shoulder pressing against Octavia’s side. “If you feel sick or something, just…let me know.”
“I…will do that.” Octavia gave a simple nod and fidgeted a bit nervously, feeling Vinyl’s head press against her upper arm.
For several minutes, both girls enjoyed watching the silly cartoon. It still remained just as charmingly juvenile as before, and Octavia found herself giggling more often during this episode. In fact, she felt a tad physically lighter, as if her head was floating above the rest of her body. It was at all uncomfortable, and she rather liked it. She felt more relaxed, more at home here in Vinyl’s living room now than she ever had at home in her big mansion. Her blush returned when Vinyl put her head down on her lap. Vinyl didn’t seem to think anything of it as she giggled with her eyes fixed on the TV. This hadn’t been the first time Vinyl had done this either, but Octavia sensed a familiar heat rise up the nape of her neck. Would it…be alright if… Would she mind terribly if… After a second’s hesitation, Octavia rested the palm of her hand atop Vinyl’s messy hair. Despite the wild appearance, her hair was actually quite soft. Each strand danced between her fingers in a cascade of white and blue, making Octavia smile. By now, she was more interested in watching Vinyl’s hair mingle between her fingers than the cartoon.
Near the end of program, Octavia noticed that Vinyl wasn’t giggling anymore. Her breathing seemed slower than usual, and it wasn’t until she pulled Vinyl’s hair away from her eyes did she notice that she was asleep. She carefully slid Vinyl’s glasses off the top of her head and placed them gently on the table before running her fingers through her entire messy head. The warmth of Vinyl’s wild tuff and soft caress of each strand felt lovely, and so did the cool sensation of Vinyl’s breath against her exposed knee. She must be exhausted… Octavia thought. Vinyl abruptly rolled onto her back and snored loudly for a second, causing Octavia to stifle some fresh giggles. She did her best to keep her body from shaking as she attempted to quell the laughter, but it was rather difficult now that she could see Vinyl’s lower lip tremble each time she exhaled. However, she stopped giggling as amusement was replaced by a completely different emotion.
Kiss… That word crawled up from the depths of Octavia’s subconscious as she stared at Vinyl’s wet lips. They glistened in the light of the TV, accentuated by the finger Octavia had found herself pressing against them. Soft… Another word joined the previous one in her head, all other thoughts pushed away as the cartoon continued to run its airtime now completely unattended. …Vinyl…
Octavia began thinking about how Vinyl had kissed another girl. It was a fact that she still wasn’t entire sure how to feel about, but as she gazed down at Vinyl’s surprisingly angelic sleeping face, she realized something about herself. …Jealousy…
She wasn’t jealous Vinyl had kissed someone else. At this point in her rather innocent life, she didn’t quite understand the gravity of what a kiss actually meant. All she understood was that Vinyl had become close enough to someone else…somebody that wasn’t her…so close, in fact, that Vinyl had kissed her. Were they best friends too? She wondered. Are they…still friends? These questions she knew could never be answered. Vinyl seemed to live in the moment, not the past. If she felt it had been important enough to bring up, Vinyl would have talked about it. Since she hadn’t mentioned anything about it, then it probably wasn’t of real significance.
Still…Octavia could not deny how much it bothered her.
You’re being silly, Octavia… She scolded herself and shook her head slowly, removing her hand from Vinyl’s face. “I’m sorry, Vinyl.” She whispered. “I’m becoming rather possessive of you, and I feel absolutely terrible.” Vinyl only responded with a soft little snort, her body twitching a bit as she slept.
The cartoon program came to an end, and as the late hour beckoned the dreaded infomercial filled air time, Octavia realized just how late it was. She wondered how long she had been sitting here like this, doing absolutely nothing but think about Vinyl, her electric blue head in her lap. It had to have at least been a couple hours since they came home, and due to the booze, Octavia’s mind was a bit hazy. Her sense of time and surroundings seemed to be off a bit, but at this point, Octavia didn’t care too much. She felt a desperate need to sleep as her head felt heavy, leaning side to side as her eyelids drooped. Octavia’s heavy contemplation had sapped the last shreds of energy she had left for the night, and with a disappointing sigh, Octavia gently tapped Vinyl on the forehead. “U-Um…Vinyl?” She hoarsely asked, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing.
“U-Uhhhghh…” Vinyl gasped softly as she woke, looking up frantically for a moment at the cellist’s tired face. With a loud yawn, Vinyl rubbed her eyes and gave Octavia a warm smile. “You ok, Tavi?”
“Y-Yes.” Octavia croaked, her body so tired that even her vocal cords had trouble forming the proper pitch for speech.
“Oh, damn, girl.” Vinyl whispered, pushing herself off the couch to a standing position. “Let’s get you to bed.” All Octavia could do was nod, digging deep within her completely drained reserve to keep from getting lost in Vinyl’s dreamlike gaze.
“Alright, babe. Let’s get going.” Vinyl pulled her by the hand off the couch and slung Octavia’s arm around her shoulder. She led the tired girl towards the stairs, taking care to move slowly enough so that Octavia wouldn’t trip. Once they reached her bedroom, Vinyl lowered her into a sitting position before kneeling down in front of her to take her shoes off. Octavia was much too tired to care that she was being undressed. Under normal circumstances, she would have been rather frantic if someone had undone her bow tie and unbuttoned her shirt. Fortunately for her, she was already half asleep before her head even hit the pillow.
As Octavia sank into the bed, she felt a blanket pulled up to her shoulders right before a soft, warm, wet little kiss pressed against her cheek, making her giggle very softly before settling into a deep sleep. “Night, babe…” Vinyl whispered, brushing some of Octavia’s hair away from her face.