Vinyl takes a journey through the city of Manehattan learning that there is more out there. Pride, joy, heartbreak, and a pain-filled world are constant, and only with eye opening experiences and finding love can Vinyl see reality.
Vinyl is an average person, that doesn't seem to see the world the way its meant to be seen. One day while spending time with Octavia (girlfriend and famous cellist), a robbery occurs that makes Octavia need some space from Vinyl. Vinyl takes a journey through the city of Manehattan learning that there is more out there, and that Vinyl needs her to be complete. Pride, joy, heartbreak, and a pain-filled world are constant, and only with eye opening experiences and finding love can Vinyl see reality.
"So I need to be out of character for this one?" I say. A soft mumble comes from the left. "Alright. I guess I'll start."
"So why are you reading my life story? I think you just love ME, Vinyl Scratch! Aww Yeah! I mean, COME ON! I'm an awesome and totally amazing DJ that blows your eardrums up with my awesome wubs! But then again, I guess that isn't exactly why you are reading this. I think you really just want to read a good entertaining story, and not worry about all the mushy gushy stuff that everyone else shoves in their books. Sorry to burst your bubbles, but this story has some love. I didn't choose this, my writer did, so complain to them. I hate writers sometimes."
"My life is filled with tragedy, wubs, happiness, wubs, and two different girls that turn my life upside down.... Did I mention wubs? Anyway, the first day that you read about in this book, or tablet e-Book, or on your computer or whatever, couldn't help but be a standard, boring day. But that is where it all starts, and shows my awesomeness. Kinda." I stop for a moment. "Uh, I'm not sure what to say next. "
"We were prepared for this." Says a man to my right as he gives me a script.
"Okay, my life started in a small town..." I examine the paper for the main details. "There is a big tree with a library inside it, which I guess is cool..." I have actually been inside before. It is AMAZING but its not cool to go to a library, so don't tell anyone. "There is a bakery, with two adorable - Wait, hold up. I wouldn't say adorable, who wrote this? Ugh, whatever, but anyway there are two babies that the bakers had, they call them Carrot Cake, and Pound Cake. I hope that is just their nicknames since its a bakery, otherwise they will have some life problems in their future. There is also scary forest on the side of the town, and an apple orchard on the outskirts with a farm in the middle of it, which is mentioned in this book as well. I believe my life finally started when I stumbled upon a record player, this literally must have been the coolest thing ever, yet I have tons of records and equipment to date." I continue to examine the rest of this massive script. "...Okay screw this script, its WAY to boring."
"Anyway readers, I think you will really like this book. If you know what I mean, Eh? I'd pause to listen to you guys, obviously you guys cant respond. Fine. Get on with reading. I will continue the Daring Do series."
I just woke up. The only lights in my room are my alarm clock, which is shaped like a Twinkie, and my old, stoplight that my father rigged up to flash back and forth between the three colors. Which gets mesmerizing when you are bored and you just sit there and stare at it.
My life is confusing... I live in Manehattan, in a run down apartment complex, with my girlfriend Octavia, and I have a job as a semi-famous Dj, which is what I've always dreamed of. Basically, its too balanced in good and bad qualities.
I get out of bed and put on my slippers, rough from many years of use. I remember the day I got them I was so happy because every step was like walking on a cloud, now its like I'm walking on the bare floor. Quietly I sneak out of bed as to not wake up Octavia. I head over to the kitchen to make some coffee. Decaf, she loves decaf for some reason, but I always keep a hidden stash of regular coffee in the back of the cereal cabinet for when I'm really drowsy.
I head over to my stash and get some ground coffee and make it on the stove instead of the Keurieg machine, so she wont use my coffee by accident. Looking out the window while sipping from the mug, I can see the house across the street's mailbox, that was smashed with a bat, due to the shards of plastic mailbox everywhere.
"What's the problem with people?" I say quietly to myself.
"Its probably due to everyone being an idiot, Vinyl." I hear behind me.
"Whoa!" I spill my coffee on my slippers. "Tavi! Don't startle me like that!"
I grab a towel and start to clean up the coffee. Tavi grabs herself her treble clef mug that she has had since she was five. She heads over to the Keurieg for her decaf.
"Sorry Vinyl, I didn't realize you weren't fully awake yet." She apologizes a little late. "I was just getting up to have some coffee before I practice my cello piece for the ensemble I will be preforming later today. You should really come watch."
I really hate classical music. It the complete opposite of dubstep. I usually try to think of an excuse to get out of listening to it, but I forgot today.
"You know I don't have time to watch, I have to-" I try to think of an answer but Octavia stops me.
"You have nothing to do today, today is your day off remember?"
I forgot I don't have work today, so now my plans are messed up. I completely forgot today was Friday. Then again I went to a huge party last night. Since I was the DJ, I didn't have as much fun as I would just dancing, but its what I like to do. Its what I always dreamed of since I was little.
"I'm playing 'Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending as my main piece. I expect you to be there. I even got a free balcony ticket for anyone I want to bring, so you really should come." She says pleadingly.
"Fine... I give in."
"Yay! I'll see you there then. I'm just really happy for this and I wanted you to come."
"I will come, I wont miss it for the world." I tell her, smiling back at her.
She gives me a peck on the cheek and goes and gets dressed. I get finish cleaning everything that was left, and grab a bowl of cereal.
"Why cant Tavi get a real job?" I ask myself. "Then again, I barely have a real job, so whats the difference?" I think I may be crazy, I'm answering myself.
As I eat my cereal, I'm starting to think of what the point of being in Manehattan really is. It literally just full of hookers, malls, robbers, and the sort. Just a big area for people to waste or get wasted. I go up to get dressed. Octavia is in the shower, so I just go to my dresser and get my daily attire. I grab my headphones from the top of my dresser and walk over to look in the mirror.
As I walk into town, I see people everywhere on their way to ice cream shops, banks, and grocery stores. Everyone seems to have their life planned, and organized, as if they were all programmed like a robot to do day-to-day things. I'm not like that, I do things on an impulse, which is bad.
I enter the bank. Many clerks, people withdrawing, or people making accounts or bank loans are no where to be seen. Usually there is more commotion, but I guess this is a slow weekend. I go over to withdraw some money from my account.
"I would like to withdraw fifteen bits please."
"Card please." she asks with a plastered on fake smile.
I hand her my card, seeing maybe ten bits in my bag.
"Here you go!" She hands me my card and fifteen bits. "Have a nice day!" She smiles as I wave a goodbye to her.
Leaving the bank I see my friend Lyra struggling with her bike. Lyra has been one of my closest friends besides Octavia since I was twelve. We have been in almost every class since the 7th grade, we shared notes, pulled pranks, and hung out in the library all the time.
"Hey Lyra, need some help?"
"Oh hey Vinyl!" She replies. "Yeah, I can't seem to find my key, and I really need to get going somewhere."
"Remember when I broke into that guys locker and we rigged that baby powder trap as a prank? I could just pick your lock the same way."
"Oh thank you Vinyl, that would be fantastic!" She says as I start to pick the lock.
"So what exactly brings you to this side of the town?" I say to start a conversation. " You usually stay on the north side of Manehattan."
"Well, I am going over to a few friends of mine's house to give them a house warming gift. They just lost their jobs and are moving in to one of the apartments near yours, 302-B West Apple Blvd."
"That is literally right next to me, I'm 302-A! That apartment has been empty for a year, the last person went crazy from my dubstep and moved away."
The lock finally unlatches, so I take it and wrap it around her handlebars.
"I finished picking the lock, could you ride slow so we can talk?
"Sure! What do you wanna talk about?"
"I recently got a new set of speakers for my gigs, their as tall as me!"
"That sounds great! I just got this new bike a week ago from my grandparents." Lyra says. "I actually had one, but this one was better and I sold the old one to pay off some of the new one.
As we trailed off into miscellaneous discussion, Lyra didn't seem very interested in talking, but I didn't realize it until we were talking for about twenty minutes. After that we just walked silently to her cousins' house.
She knocks on the door, and when it opens, I recognize them. The Flimflam Brothers.
"Hello Lyra! I was wondering if you were going to come and visit us." He says with a smile. "I see you also brought a friend. What is your name, if I may ask?"
"The name's Vinyl." I tell them bluntly. "I recognize you two con artists, why did you move to my area of Manehattan?"
"Our Super Speedy Cider Squeezie 6000 didn't get us very far," They explain. "and we lost a lot of money, so we moved into these cheap apartments, because it was all we could afford."
The Flimflam brothers are notorious for trying to put a family that owns an apple orchard out of business by making cider faster than they could. Then it backfired when the family was making quality cider faster than their machine, so their machine started adding in bad apples to compete, and their cider was terrible. So then ended up loosing their whole reputation because of a wonderful, hardworking family.
"Huh. Sorry Lyra, but it serves your friends right. Their not very nice."
"I know, but their still one of my closest friends, and I still care about them, so I wanted to bring a house warming gift."
We walked in, the apartment was very cramped. It has an old couch, probably from inside the cider machine they traveled around in, which I guess they sold to pay for the apartment rent, and an old stand with a boxy television set.
"So what do you plan to do here? You only have so much until you can't pay rent." I ask questionably.
"Well, we were hoping to find a new profession, like music, that is why we chose this apartment, because it is next to the classical Cellist, Octavia." Flam proclaims.
"I happen to be her roommate, so if you want to get to her, you have to persuade me to step aside."
"That shouldn't be hard..." They snicker. "We will figure out a way."
Lyra intervenes our argument. "Anyway, I brought you two a housewarming gift, a large pot of mums! I know its your favorite."
"Thank you greatly my dear, I'll just place place it near the TV."
I sit down on the couch.
"So how long are you planning to stay in this area?" I ask.
"Until we can get another business running." Flim says
We talk for a while, figuring out what they plan to do with their residency in Manehattan, and then I end up dosing off on their couch. Everything goes dark, and empty. I'm floating in a huge void of black death. A small light comes from ahead of me. Octavia flows out of the void with a beautiful purple aura surrounding her. She's staring back at me, silent.
"Tavi, whats going on!" I try to shout to her, but nothing comes out.
"Sorry Vinyl. I cant do this." She says.
"Do what?" Still nothing comes out.
"We cant be together. Its just not working. I need my space."
Another me appears. As It flows through me. I have bandages around my chest, and a dark gray aura around me.
"Tavi!" The other me shouts. "Don't leave! Please tell my why you are leaving?!" Huh?
"No, I'm sorry. Its over. Goodbye Vinyl." Tavi floats away.
"Come back!" The other me yells chasing after her. What's going on?!
Everything fades away as I yell out to her to come back. Suddenly I wake up. I'm back in my apartment, Lyra must have went and got Tavi to carry me back from next door. She is sitting on the other end of the dining table and reading her classical music magazine that I surprised her with by signing her up.
"Good evening sleepy head, have a good nap?" She says disappointedly.
"Did I miss your ensemble? Please tell me I didn't." I sputter out hesitantly.
"No, you didn't miss it, I need you to drive me there remember? I need to be there in thirty minutes to perform."
"Oh sorry, I'll get right on that."
I jump out of the chair, and grab the keys to our little Volkswagen Beetle, nab up her cello and strap it to the top like we always do.
"I still don't understand why you wanted a Beetle, you cant even get your cello inside."
"Because its a cute yellow, with tons of extra features that we got a grand bargain on. I was set on that car a year before we even got it, remember?"
"When was this?" I asked perplexed out of my mind, as we started to drive.
"We had just started dating and you were driving that stupid Sedan around. It was dented up and everything, then we went past the car dealership and it was sitting on the edge just waiting for us to drive it."
"Oh, and I wanted the Hummer, but you said we could never afford such a car, and it was bad for the 'environment', whatever that means."
I have always wanted a Hummer, or a Challenger, or a Ferrari. Something cool to impress everyone, but those were all terribly expensive, and those are everyone's dream cars anyway, unlike Tavi's Beetle that she loves oh-so-much.
When I was in about sixth grade, my eyes were laid on an Old Model A that was restored to perfect condition, old fiberglass sidesteps, which I know to never stand on, rustic grille, and a bright red interior! At the time I thought that was the most awesome thing I had ever seen, but then I grew older, and was way more interested on a relationship than cars.
Later we arrived to the back of the concert hall, and I dropped of Octavia.
"Here is your ticket, I want to be able to look up and see you in the balcony." She says.
"I'll be there, I will never let you down." I promise to her.
I park the car, seeing a homeless man sitting at the back of the building, not caring much I walk past him and the fact that he is alone stops me.
"Excuse me," I ask. "Why are you here, what brings you to sit here out of all places?"
"I like the music." The man says. "It makes me happy, its very soothing to my soul." I thank him for replying to my question, and continue to the front of the building.
"Hello, I would like to watch the show."
"Sorry, you can't come in without a ticket." The doorman informs me.
As I check my bag, I realize I must have dropped the ticket from a thirty foot distance. I run around looking for it, but cant find it. Maybe I can try to bribe him with the bits I have so I can enter, it worked in the past back at a nightclub I went to three years ago.
"Uhm" I clear my throat "Would a nice man like you let me in for twenty-five bits please?"
He grabs me by my blazer. "No way, I will not allow anyone to get in without a ticket." He turns me around and puts me down.
I walk anonymously back to the car. Scanning the back of the building, I find the fire escape. I climb onto the dumpster below it so I can reach the ladder, and climb up. As I reach the top I realize the door is locked from the outside.
"More lock picking? I feel like a criminal today."
I look at my watch, 7:34, which means I'm late, and Octavia Is probably wondering where I've went. Hurrying up a bit more I get the door open and sneak inside. I can see her playing her song already, and I've completely forgot the crazy name of it. I can see her looking for me, the ashamed look of her eyes make me feel bad for forgetting the ticket. I hurry over to my balcony seat and sit down, she notices me and she starts playing better than ever.
I wake up early, its still dark outside, mainly because its winter. Tavi is sound asleep, beautiful but not really touchable. I get up and head downstairs. For some freak reason a cat is inside the house!
"Hello little cat." I whisper. "What are you doing here?"
The cat is stalking a fly that is bothering it. I'm not really sure why there is a cat in my house though, so I just take it and put it in the empty closet in the hallway with some tuna until I can figure it out later. I have the oddest feeling I have reset the day; I got my coffee, and I'm staring at the broken mailbox again. I turn around to see If Tavi is going to startle me again, but she isn't there. Good, no weird reset . I think to myself.
I sit down and open up Tavi's magazine, there is a cello player on the second page. He is holding a electric cello, awesome, and playing at a coliseum, awesome too. The back of the magazine has a small add of the performance that was last night, It shows her and a few other people all lined up a few days before the concert. She is smiling like a dork but I still cant get over it. I head back upstairs to check on Tavi. She is still sleeping, so I lay the magazine on her nightstand. The simplistic room makes me sad, there isn't much to look at. My phone buzzes in the bathroom. I go and read it. Its from Lyra, You awake?. I shove it in my pocket, and glance at the mirror in the dark. My face looks like it was ran over with a steamroller. I apparently didn't get much sleep, because I have bad bags under my eyes, and my hair is a tangled mess. I turn on the light after I shut the door, and fix myself up.
The phone buzzes again.
If you are up, I was wondering if you wanted to bring Tavi with you to my house for some card games. It will be awesome! Lyra informs me.
'Sure, I text back. I'll ask her once she wakes up if she wants to go. Thanks!
Alright meet me at my place around five.
Sure thing.
Oh and I left my cat in your house, sorry. Could I have her back please? :3
Nah, she's mine.I joke. Of course you can have her back. :D See you later.
I put my phone on my nightstand and go take a shower. I have the newest phone, but it doesn't work very well. I remember my first phone I got when I was just six, It was green, with five buttons, and two antennas. Four of the buttons for contacts, and one for 911. I think the second antenna is just for decoration, to make it look like a bug. Now I just have an Android, which I like much better, for obvious reasons. The warm water feels calming, almost like a tranquil-state, which is what I've turned showering into feeling like. I have been a lot more stressed recently. Dj gigs. Tavi's recitals. How I look and how I dress. Tons and tons of miscellaneousness. I almost can't stand it. I have kept the same bottle for about 3 months. I like to refill it with new soaps, while having my original coconut and lavender smell from what is left inside. It fills the shower with a nice smell.
"Good morning!" Tavi startles me.
"Give me some privacy!" I proclaim. Hiding back behind the shower curtain. "Jesh, can't I take a shower in peace?
"Sorry, I didn't realize you were sensitive about me being here." She giggles a bit due to the situation. "I thought you wanted me to see you like this!" She jokes.
"Of course I did"
"Obviously. Do you mind If I join you?"
"Sure."
She gets in after I switch for her to be under the shower head. We stand in silence for a minute. Facing away from each-other.
"So what do you plan to do today?" I ask.
"Well, I was going to practice a new piece today, what about you?"
"Well, I may just practice my stuff also. I don't have anything to do on a Saturday." I tell her.
I continue to scrub my head. I turn around and she is staring at me, beautiful black hair laying down. Gorgeous Tavi. I don't see this very often as I never have time.
"Could I rinse off my head please?"
"Of course." She says says as she slides past me. "I need to suds up anyway."
We continue to chatter along about what our plans for the day are. She wants to have Mexican food for dinner, and so do I. I want to go to the music store, but she would rather stay at the apartment and read her magazine. I turn back to her, she is quietly singing a song she recently heard on the radio. As if she doesn't have a care in the world. I wish I could be that peaceful. I move closer and sing with her. People are right. Showers do have better sound.
We both finish and dry off.
"Do you want some coffee? I'll make some after I fix myself up." I ask her.
"Yes, and I would like some of your non-decaf coffee please."
I freeze, how did she know?
"W-w-what non-decaf coffee? I don't have regular coffee." I lie.
"Oh really, cereal cabinet? In the back."
"Oh, that coffee." I give up. "Of course you can. Your craftier than I thought." I joke.
I get clothed, and fix my wispy hair; I use a lot of conditioner. After the shower I look awake and ready for the day, which I guess I haven't realized until now. All I payed attention to was how the droplets calmed me down.
"Alright. Coffee time."
I head downstairs. Octavia is already at the table. She must have gotten the new version of her magazine because the cover is different than last night. I turn on the coffee pot and fill the pot with water, and put regular coffee in the top. Tavi suddenly comes up behind me and hugs me around my waist.
"Having a good day I see." I say, amused.
"Of course I am. We have a whole day to be together! Isn't that great?"
"Always. But I need my arms that you are pinning down in order to make coffee."
"Oh, right." She lets go.
I grab the creamer and sugar for my coffee. And some Splenda for hers. I keep telling her that its bad for her, but she wont listen to logic. So instead I secretly put sugar in hers also, but she cant tell the difference. You have to do things for the people you love.
"Hey, would you ever leave me?" I ask Octavia insecurely.
"Of course not, why would you ask such a crazy question?" "I was just wondering.".
I don't want to loose her, and I definitely don't want to go through a motion like in my dream.
"Vinyl, I would never leave you. What would be my reason?" She asks back, worried.
"No clue, I honestly couldn't think of any reason. I know better than to cheat on you, because you would flip if i did. I surely know better than to do anything to harm you."
"Well, then no worries!" She says smiling back at me.
That took a huge weight off my shoulders, I had to make sure she didn't have a reason to leave me that I didn't know of already. I give her the treble clef mug, and sit and drink a sip of my coffee.
"So... Whats first on the agenda?"
"Well," She pauses for a sec. "I think we should clean the apartment some. For obvious reasons." She points to everything that I haven't cleaned up.
"Ugh, I meant something fun, for the both of us."
"Well, how about we practice our music together? I wonder how it would sound if we mixed both sounds together."
"Are you sure? How do I dub your cello sound?"
"I'm not sure, how about we just relax for a while. Read a book."
"That sounds... Good!" I smile.
We head to the bedroom and throw ourselves on the bed. Tavi likes romance, but I don't have a preference. I lay down, and watch Octavia read. I still can't help but think that something will happen that will separate us. She glances over to me, staring at her.
"What are you staring at, Vinyl?" She laughs.
"You. I guess your eyes? I don't know."
She laughs hysterically.
"Whats so nice about my eyes? Their brown! So what?" "Nothing, I'm just looking at you. Thinking about life and such."
"Alright, I'll leave you to that, I'll get back to my book." She continues to read.
I turn and stare at the ceiling. About few months ago she wanted to get those glow-in-the-dark stars that you put in little kids rooms, and place them on the ceiling. She thought they were beautiful. We also got a moon that turns on with a remote. It lets her stare at the ceiling and pretend there is a huge skylight at night. She always loved the night sky. A year ago we went on a camping trip up to a secret family camping area. I begged her to go on a camping trip for the two of us and she finally budged. She was cranky and car sick the whole time we were traveling. When we got there, though, she calmed down and started to like it. We sat around the fire, and had difficulties with the dual size tent we borrowed from her sister. Later that night she got bored. So I persuaded her to lie with me on a blanket under the stars for a bit and then we could go to sleep in the tent. That was the best idea ever, because she never got to really enjoy the stars in the night sky. I look back at Octavia. Blissful. Calm. Happy. I must be so lucky to have her. I get up to go get another cup of coffee for Octavia and I. A quiet meow roams through the halls. I take some Tylenol with my coffee and bring both cups back to the bedroom.
"Hey Tavi?" I get her attention.
"Yeah?" She replies
"Here is your mug. I'm going to bring Lyra's cat back to her. She left it here apparently."
"Alright, she just text me and asked for me to come with you whenever you were gonna return the cat." She says inquisitively.
"Oh kay? And what does that mean?"
"I bet it means were gonna have some fun!"
"Sure." I say jokingly. "And were going to fly in a big purple hot air balloon."
On the ride over to Lyra's place, which happens to be at the opposite end of the city, we talk about what we did that week, we sing to songs on the radio, and Tavi sleeps some. After an hour we arrive at her apartment. Worn down, with cobwebs in places. Although Lyra's apartment is all clean in the front, the webs try to linger in. We knock on the door.
"Lyra? You home?" Octavia calls out.
The door opens.
"Hey guys; Yay my cat!" Lyra exclaims. "Awww misses puffy-kins, I missed you last night. Come on in you two."
We head inside. I haven't seen her apartment since I helped her move in some time ago. There is more on the walls, more used furniture, probably from family and friends, and some pictures of her and her cat. I plop myself into the sofa she has in the corner.
"So why did you want Tavi to come with me?" I ask Lyra as she walks into the kitchen for some peanuts.
"I thought you to may have some fun playing cards with me. Like as a friends evening, to relieve stress."
"You got me at stress." Tavi points in. "I have been accumulating it recently at my ensembles, to big of crowds."
"I have some french wine if you two want to drink some." Lyra informs us.
"I'll take three glasses!" I yell out.
"Sure Lyra, that sounds nice." Octavia says. "I'll just have one for now."
Lyra pours our wine, then brings a deck of cards out.
"What are we playing? I waited for you guys to choose." Lyra asks.
"How about Go-Fish?" Says Tavi. "That's always a nice friendly game to play with others."
"Nah, lets play some Texas Hold-em. I'm in the mood for serious competition. " I suggest.
"Alright, I'll get the chips out from the back closet." Lyra says as she walks down a hallway.
I get up and waddle over to Octavia. I poke her in the back.
"Hey!" I say.
"Yes, Vinyl?" She replies.
"You were right, were gonna have some fun!"
"I knew it." She says proudly. "I kind of knew this already, I didn't tell you the whole text. It was also my idea, so we could spend more time together, and have some fun."
"Well, thank you Tavi!" I hug her and then run to help Lyra find the chips.
"So Lyra, whats up?" I ask her.
"Nothing much." She says as she rummages through the closet for the chips. Then she glances at me. "I L-O-V-E your glasses, their just so cool."
"Yeah, I've had them since I was little, their awesome huh?" I say.
"I wish I had those glasses... Do you mind If..." She slowly takes them off me, and puts them on. "Oh my sweet Celestia. These are cool..."
"Yeah, but I would really like you not to touch them please." I smile, and slowly take them off of her and put them back on myself."
She continues to look for the chips and I point out her necklace.
"I like your necklace" I tell her.
She looks down, and holds it. "Oh yeah, I got that last year as graduation present to myself."
I lean in to look at it, Its shiny and really cool. Different gemstone colors for each part of it.
"Oh man, were gonna have fun tonight!" She grabs me and hugs me while I'm still looking at it, shoving my face into her chest. She doesn't seem to realize, but I cant see her expression anyway. She smells like cookies. I got her that perfume last year for Christmas.
She grabs the chips finally and we play some poker and drink wine, which I drink all of mine, plus another. I'm winning almost every time, and I have three-fourths of the chips. Being with Octavia and having tons of fun is something I don't get to enjoy often, especially at the same time.
"I think I'm gonna win this round *hic*." I say.
"No way Vinyl. You have won over and over again.." Octavia says.
The last card is placed, and Lyra has a full house. While Octavia and I only have three of a kind each. Lyra racks in my mass of chips I bet for this round, and now she is winning.
"You cheater Lyra, *hic* You is the biggest cheater" I sputter our randomly.
"Nah, I'm just smart with my chips." She replies. "I also got lucky."
Octavia has only been drinking Coke after her first cup of wine, which she did not care much for. She gets up, kisses me, and then goes to use the bathroom. I pour myself another cup of wine.
"Hey, Lyra *hic*."
"Yes Vinyl?" Lyra replies.
"Do you like my chips *hic* or something? Because you like to take them *hic* when you win a round." "That is what your supposed to do. You put chips in, and you lost, so I took them"
"No, *hic* my potato chips." I point to the bag of chips I stole from her pantry.
"Those are my chips Vinyl. Not yours. I'm allowed to eat my own chips." She chuckles and smiles.
"Aw man." I take a gulp of my wine. "I love those pickle tasting chips *hic*. I like them a lot. I'm going to *hic* take them home."
"Alright, but you owe me five bits then."
I hand her five chips. She declines and takes five bits from my bag. Octavia comes back and sits down. She deals a new round. I already have three of a kind, which is fantastic. I try to put on the best pokerface I can, which is hard in my current state. We play for a few more hours.
"Alright Vinyl, I think you have had enough wine. Lets go home." Octavia whispers to me.
"I know *hic*." I reply.
"Alright, well six glasses is enough."
"Please? Like... two more glasses?" I ask Octavia. "*hic*. Goodbye Lyra!" I say as Octavia leads me out the door.
Octavia puts me in the passenger seat, and I curl into a ball because its cold. We drive back home, which is easier because there is a bit less traffic. I stumble up the stairs to the front door. Octavia lets me flop through the doorway.
"Ahh, home. I love home." I mumble as I head towards the bedroom
"Me to, its nice to come back after a long day of fun." Octavia says.
I enter the bedroom and start to get undressed. Tavi follows in and does the same. I jump on the computer and message Lyra that we had fun, and would like to do something again soon. I send, and turn of the computer. Octavia has already changed and is already in bed. I flop onto the bed, and Octavia puts her back against my chest.
"What is tomorrow?" I ask.
"Sunday." She replies.
"Oh, good. I love the weekends."
After a while, Octavia drifts off to sleep. I am having a hard time sleeping, so I decide to text Lyra.
If you are up, please reply. I text her.
A minute after, she replies. Hey Vinyl, how was your visit? I thought it was fun. What do you need?
I can't get to sleep, and I have sobered enough that I can actually think clearly.
Okay?
I wondered if you had any idea what me and Tavi could do. We haven't done much as a couple except come to your house.
Well, What about your grandfathers cabin in the woods a few hours away?
What about it? I say confused.
*face-palm* You could have a nice romantic time there. Away from everyone else. Quiet.
Ah, I see now.
*face-palm again*
I turn off my phone, and finally fall asleep. Goodnight Manehattan.
The sun is shining through the window onto my face. I don't want to wake up yet but I force myself to start up my brain. Ugh, Hangover. Mild, but its there. At least I don't have anything planned today. I do however have the option to go to a cabin in the woods. I'm not sure how Octavia would like that though. I look to where Tavi should be. She isn't there, but I can hear the shower running. I get out of bed and quietly enter the bathroom.
"Good morning!" I say as I peek around the shower curtain.
"AHH!" She yells as smacks my face. With her shampoo bottle. "Vinyl! Don't scare me like that. If you want to come in so bad then ask."
"Sorry, I just wanted to say hello!" I say with a smirk on my now red face. "I'll get a shower later. I'll go make some oatmeal pancakes. Their you favorite right?"
"Oh my gosh yes, thank you Vinyl. Your the sweetest."
I steal a kiss. Bad idea because I accidentally stick my head under the shower and soak my hair.
"Thank you shower head. I guess I'll just get one now."
I strip and join in the shower. She gets out a minute later and now I have an empty shower to myself. I love the feeling of a shower. Warm drops on my head, neck, back. It really wakes you up, yet makes you feel so relaxed. I get out, get dressed, and go to the kitchen to make pancakes. Octavia is already at the table reading her newer magazine.
"So I said french toast right?" I ask her, knowing the answer.
"No, Vinyl." She chuckles. "You said oatmeal pancakes, with blueberries and chocolate chips"
"I know, and I didn't say blues and chips. Your a sneaky one . But I will add them."
I get the ingredients and begin mixing them. The front door bursts open and two men are inside.
"Get DOWN!" One yells, pointing a Glock at Octavia
Tavi and I get down on the ground.
"Please don't shoot sir. I beg you." Octavia pleads overwhelmed.
"Shut up! I didn't tell either of you to talk!"
"You," The other points a gun at me. "Get over here and sit next to her."
I crawl over to Tavi, but the man kicks me back, the singe of his boots hurts on my ribs. I groan in pain.
"I didn't tell you to make any noises, I told you to shut up!"
He walks over to the cabinets and starts to look through, searching for some valuables. I hear a gun shot behind me, I turn a bit and see some warning shots around Octavia.
"Don't do ANYTHING." I mouth to her.
"Did I say you could look that way?" He kicks me on the other side of my ribs, one has to be broken now. "Where are your valuables?"
"We don't have any, I *cough* swear!"
"Lies." He shoots Octavia in the leg, she cringes in agony.
"Sweetheart," The other man says, leaning above her. "Where is your jewelry? Where is your money. I want it NOW!" He stamps his foot.
"I don't have any jewelry!" She yells, the man slaps her. She is still holding her leg.
"Fine." He says to her. "What about your money?"
"Our bags of bits are on the table." She points to the table where both of our bags are, my twenty-five plus whatever amount of bits she has are now gone. Easily forty bits, if not more, down the drain.
"Thank you." they take them, and they run off.
"Octavia! Oh my god!" I cry to her as I painfully move closer. "Are you Okay, please tell me!"
"I'm in as much of a condition as your are." she points to the blood on my chest.
I realize how much I'm bleeding, I become weak, falling the rest of the way down to the ground.
"Vinyl! NO!" She cries out, she grabs her phone and calls 911.
"911, what is your emergency?" I hear on the phone.
"There was a robbery, we are both injured, one of us severely. 302-A West Apple Blvd."
"We will be right there. Stay on the line." Octavia puts the phone on speaker, and placed it down next to her.
I wake up at the hospital. I hear lots of beeping. I look to my left, a window, flowers, and a machine that is turned off. I look to my right to see Octavia sitting there waiting for me.
"Good afternoon Vinyl." She says.
"Thank god your Okay. I thought your injuries were worse than mine."
"They were." She says, glancing down sadly.
I lean to look, my ribs hurt. I glance down, and see she is in a cast and wheelchair. I look at my wounds, all patched up, but still hurts.
"I will be like this for a while until my leg heals. I should be glad it wasn't my hand or anything above my chest. If it were, I probably wouldn't be able to play cello anymore. I ask the doctor about you though, he says that you are doing fantastic, and that your broken rib has been mended. We are both getting out today, which I'm also happy about."
"What is today?" I ask.
"Wednesday"
"Ha-haha, very funny. Seriously."
"I'm being serious." She says.
"So I've missed three days?" I say shocked. "But that means I missed three gigs! I cant have missed those, those were really important!"
"Vinyl, you need to worry about us more than your music." Octavia sighs. "I don't know how I will play cello for a while when I cant stand nicely, but that is not the biggest concern."
"Whatever." I reply.
The doctor walks in, he helps me sit up.
"Good afternoon Vinyl. You are good to go, we hope the two men that robbed you didn't take to much." The doctor says.
"That is not what I'm worried about." Octavia says.
"I'm more worried about our lives, not our stuff." I point out.
We sit there for a minute, then Octavia says something terribly shocking.
"I don't think I can do this anymore." Octavia randomly slurs out to me.
"Do what?" I ask.
"We cant be together. Its just not working. I need my space."
"Tavi!" I plead. "Don't leave! Please tell my why you are leaving?!"
"No, I'm sorry. Its over. Goodbye Vinyl." Tavi wheels away.
"Come back!" I yell back to her.
This can't be happening. She is already rolling down the hallway. The doctor lets me leave and I run after her. Ouch! Bad Idea. I walk fast towards her. Once I get close she turns a corner and disappears. I searching for her, and head back to the apartment a few hours later. Lyra gave me a ride and I explained everything to her, and she can't help but feel sad. I enter the apartment. Everything of her's is gone. Her mug, her sheets, her... everything. Its all gone. I carefully lie on the bed and begin to cry. The only thing she left was the case on my phone that she gave to me as a present. She designed it herself, and I love the treble clef.
I can't do this. I can't live without her. I get up in pain and walk to the kitchen. The decaf is gone, so I grab my regular, and make a new batch. For the next few weeks I mourn over Octavia. I want to drink away my sorrows, but I know better. Maybe drugs would help, and then again, I know better. I end up going to Lyra's apartment and get taken care of there. I still go do my gigs, but their not as fun without Tavi in the crowd cheering me on. I try to text her, but I can never get the nerve to try and talk to her, not in my current state. After a month I finally get the nerve to talk to her. So I send a simple text.
'Tavi?'
I wait for a while, and receive a return text.
'The number you are trying to reach is no longer available. Please contact technical support if you think this is an error.(Broken-Heart Emoji)'
I know better than Verizon sending an automated message with an emoji.
'Tavi, please. I'm not that stupid, I know your there. Please talk to me.'
'Vinyl, I really don't want to talk. I'm busy for a recital. You obviously don't know this because of your ignorance.'
I do know, I have been keeping track of her performances, and she doesn't have one for two weeks, so she is trying to get out of talking.. But I wont tell her I payed that much attention while she's gone.
'Oh, alright. I just wanted to see what you have been doing after you left.'
She doesn't reply afterwards. My heart breaks more and more as the minutes go by waiting for an an answer. Hours go by, then days, than weeks. Nothing. I continue to live life vindictively. Lyra ends up getting one of her friends, who goes by Dr. Ocker, to help me get over my sadness. He asks me some questions. 'Why do you feel this way? How does Octavia make you feel like this? Is there anyway I can help you get through this?'. None of it works. The next day I wake up under Lyra on the couch. WHAT HAPPENED?!
I lay there, confused and furious and all the other emotions or feelings I can possibly have are combining themselves together. She is half dressed and drooling on the floor. I poke Lyra in the forehead, and surprisingly that wakes her up.
"Whuh?" She blubbers out, her lips slide along mine as she stirs. "Wait.. WOAH! WHAT?"
She rolls off of me and hits the floor, confused.
"What happened last night?" I ask her.
"Uh, ...that's not important." She puts her hand on the back of her neck and looks at me. "Last night you felt worse than usual, so I sat next to you as you went to sleep. I just have fell on you or something."
"Alright, I drank last night didn't I?"
She points to the box wine I bought. Yep. I decide to get up and get ready for today. I have another gig today, and I would like everything to be perfect, because this is a big one. I stretch, my ribs were fully healed a week ago. I go back to the kitchen and Lyra is cleaning the counters.
"I'm going to have a huge gig today, you coming?" I ask.
"Probably not, I need to clean around the house, you have made my expenses and apartment twice as bad as they were." She walks around cleaning the kitchen.
"I'm sorry." I apologize.
"I know." She reassures me.
"Well I'm heading out now, I'll text you if I need anything."
"Alright." She says as I walk out the door.
The cool winter air is here, and it gives me chills, so I head back in to grab a coat. I throw it in the back of the Beetle. I make sure all my equipment is strapped down on a trailer attached to the back. I head off too the gig. According to Google Earth, Its a large stadium, and I'm playing for a jetpack flying group called the Wonder Bolts. I have connections for these types of gigs. On the way I see a woman walking by with a cello, which throws me for a loop, and I have to do a double take. Bright pink hair, and a punk style outfit. She seems strangely familiar, but you end up seeing everything in Manehattan.
I make a quick pit stop at the Kitamu cafe, and get out of the car. The air is colder than earlier. I check my phone and it says there will be a record low temperature with a great chance of a snowstorm. This was a bad day to do this. I enter Kitamu and sit down at a table. The woman with the cello I saw earlier is sitting across from me, looking at her phone. The waitress comes over.
"Good morning, how may I help you?" She asks. The cello woman looks up, glances at the waitress and looks back at her phone.
"I would like a mocha please. No whipped cream, lots of sugar, and soy creamer please." I tell her.
"Alright, and what is your name?" She says as she walks away.
"Vinyl." I shout back to her.
In my peripheral vision, the cello woman looks up, and glances back down before I turn my head to look at her.
"Hello? Nice to meet you." I tell her, holding out my hand.
She doesn't look up at me but shakes my hand, then resumes what she was doing on her phone. I check the weather again, it says about 3 degrees colder than it was. I look back up to the cello woman.
"How are you?" I ask her.
She doesn't say anything, but the waitress comes back with my mocha.
"Here you go, enjoy!"
"Thank you!" I say, and give her a five bit tip.
The waitress leaves, and the cello woman speaks.
"Nice to see you again, Vinyl." She says, not looking up from her phone.
"Tavi? Is that you?" I sputter out.
"I'm the only other cellist in Manehattan that has this hair style." She says. "I stay at Mr. Wrench's home; you have met him correct?"
"Y-yes?" I have a loss of words. I wasn't expecting to see her here. "W-why do you look like this?"
"They said I should. It was going to help me blend in, so you wouldn't notice me. It worked until you saw me on the road, and sat at my table, and I talked to you." She stops for a moment. "What has been happening with you?
"I have, um, been doing my usual gigs." I say. "I am at Lyra's place. It is the only close friend I could think of."
Tavi looks at me, then back at her phone. Her face goes white. She places ten bits on the table, and leaves. Confused, I pick up her bits. I pay for both drinks, and take my mocha with me. I run after her.
"I payed for both bills, take your ten bits!"
She continues running. I never realized she could run so fast, especially with her healed leg. I stop and head back to the car, and place the ten bits in the glove compartment. I need Tavi back. I must find a way.
I arrive at the back of the stadium. 7:29pm, right on schedule. Some of the Wonder Bolts come to help me unload my things from the trailer. The stadium is huge. I have never been on the field before. They set up the equipment in the middle of the field on the pitchers mound. My speakers are more for show because the dubstep is coming out of the stadiums speakers. Watching them practice is awesome. I practice my music through headphones while they fly, dropping when they drop. One of them lands, I cant tell who it is yet. He/She walks over and takes of a mask. Its Spitfire.
"How is the music coming along?" Spitfire asks in her commander voice.
Spitfire, has bright yellow and orange dyed hair, resembling fire. She is the leader of the whole league of Wonder Bolts and its academy. She has the highest speed record, and is the best leader they have ever had. Many try to get in, but some just like to watch. Like me. The Wonder Bolt academy is one of the most elite flying schools around, and is hard to enter, and even harder to succeed.
"I already have the songs I specially made for this, I'll just play with them when the real thing happens." I reply.
"That's great! I hope to see greatness out of you, Vinyl." She salutes.
"Yes ma'am!" I salute back and resume my progress.
"And by the way... your jetpack is ready." She informs me walking away.
Wait. WHAT! Your kidding right?
"JETPACK?!"
"Yes." She stops and turns around. "You will join us, we will have someone to sit in for you while you join us on the last song."
"But I don't even know how to fly!"
"That's where I have a trick up my sleeve. Literality."
She shows me a gadget on her arm and explains how it copies what she does and makes my jetpack do the same.
"But you serious?" I stare at her in wonder.
"Yep." She says turning around to join the rest of them. "Have fun!" She blasts off.
I resume my work, there is no way I'm doing this amazing gig, and flying with the one and only Wonder Bolts! I know a friend of mine that dreams of flying with them; she even joined the academy, but left for untold reasons. A Wonder Bolt that isn't currently flying walks toward me.
"Nice to meet you Vinyl." He says.
"I'm guessing you are my replacement for the last song?" I ask him.
"That would be correct, how did you know?"
"Spitfire told me. By the way I have a thing I need you to do." I point to a yellow button on the end of the Launchpad brand drum board.
"This is the finale song. You don't have to even press anything else. This is what I was working on."
I give him my headphones, and he listens to the song. He takes them off.
"This is amazing, cant wait for when I see it paired with the teams stunts." He says as he puts hem back on and finishes the song. "That was awesome."
"Thanks! I need to go get a snack before it starts."
"I'll get that for you if you want!" He offers as I run back to the stands.
"I'm good, thank you though. Bye!" I yell to him turning the corner in the long hallway.
I get some popcorn, and sit in the stands as time goes by. 8:50. Ten minutes until showtime. I head back to the setup and wait a few more minutes. I play the music, they swiftly fly. The hover and soar, its a crazy feeling watching them from below. Time goes by as they shoot through the sky. Occasionally they fly right above me, and I match the music with it. Two hours pass by and now its time for me to join them. The extra Wonder Bolt replaces me at the setup, and I throw on a suit, and helmet as some people strap the jetpack to me. I'm so nervous. What if something happens?
Spitfire walks over to me counts down for our launch. "10," Wow! "9," Is this really happening? "8, 7, 6, 5, 4," Here we go... "3, 2, 1" Lets do this!
We launch up. This is astounding. I look at the crowd. There are tons of people watching the Wonder Bolts, and listening to my music. We twirl around in the air. Flips, and zigzags. Suddenly the jetpack stops with a little put put pfft. I'm falling. I'm going to DIE!
"HELP!" I scream "HELP ME! IM FALLING!"
I near the ground. I'm truly going to die here. I'm going to die in a not actually on fire, blazing glory. 150 ft. 100ft. 50ft. I hear a whir to my left. 25, 15, 5. I'm totally dead. Spitfire bursts out of nowhere and catches me, shooting back up she reactivates my jetpack.
"Like that excitement?" She asks as we shoot up.
"I thought I was going to DIE!" I yell at her. "Your INSANE!"
"Well, that was the plan." She says. "We couldn't give you all the glory. So I turned off your pack and caught you." She finished turning it back on. "Go back to your setup and finish your song."
"I still don't know how to use this thing." I say with my cheeks probably turning red from the cold wind.
She sends me down. I strip the equipment and take my place back at the drum pad. They finish of with a spectacular firework explosion. The crowd cheers for a solid minute, then the show ends. People leave with gleaming smiles on their faces, and Wonder bolt souvenirs in their hands. I walk to the gift shop, and see a small path of souvenirs about me in the corner. Little headphone pins, records, and shirts with 'DJ-Vinyl' on them. I turn around.
"Oh my G-O-S-H! Its so awesome to meet you!" A young teenage girl says, inches away from my face.
"Oh, thanks!" I smile, holding one of the pins in my hand.
"Can I take a picture with you? Please, please, please, please, PLEASE!" She asks, probably hopped up on caffeine
"Sure..." I tell her.
She takes out her phone and hops up next to me. I adjust my glasses and she takes about ten photos. She thanks me and walks away with some stuff she never even payed for. I walk over to the counter and pay for my pin, putting it on my jacket, and walk back to the stands. The sky is getting dark, and its staring to get really cold. My equipment is already packed away in a backroom by the people that work at the stadium, so I don't have to worry about that right now. The sky is swirling around and it starts to snow, hard. Spitfire walks up to me.
"So whats your plan?" She asks.
"What plan?" I reply.
"For your music, whats your plan for your future music career?"
"I'm not sure." I start to raise my voice over the wind.
"You should be a recruit. It's not easy to be a music maker. I tried."
"You have?"
"Yes. I used to make music. It was terrible though, and I found my calling in this instead." She points to the group of Wonder Bolts packing things back up. "I always thought I would be a music artist until some years ago, then I saw the Wonder Bolts doing what they do best, and I joined. I surpassed everyone else, taking my new role as a strong leader."
"I never knew that!" I say surprised.
"Most people don't know, unless they knew me before I started with the Wonder Bolts." She says.
The wind picks up and it snows harder. Most people are heading away from the stadium for a warm cozy home, but I cant help but want to be here and let the happy moments continue to last. Spitfire and I are sitting down looking at the snow fall, almost falling asleep from a long day of entertaining.
"I think I should go join the rest of the Wonder Bolts, they are probably packing up to leave, or waiting for me." She says.
"Alright, I had a ton of fun! Can I play for you guys again?"
"We will see. You did good Vinyl, you did good." She hands me a phone number with 'In case you need me (Winking Face)' below it, and walks away.
I head to my equipment, a Wonder Bolt is walking away, probably from repacking it. I yell a thank you, checklist the equipment, and start the car. Lyra calls.
"Hey! How was your performance?" She asks.
"It was great, they had me join them on my last song." I tell her
"Your serious?!"
"Yeah! I had tons of fun at this one. I'll tell you about it when I get back."
I arrive back at Lyra's place. There is half a foot of snow already on the ground, but I wear tall punk boots regularly, so I walk in it. I knock, and Lyra appears in place of the door.
"So, how was it?" She says cheerfully.
"Great, can you help me get the equipment back inside?" I ask.
"Of course."
We get all the equipment inside into the extra room, where it sits at a small setup for me to practice. We head to the kitchen and I get a bowl of corn chips and soda.
"So, what happened?" she says eagerly.
"Well, I got there a tad early, so I make sure things are set up right, and get a little snack before the show."
"Get to the good part!" She complains, leaning on her arms on the counter in enjoyment.
"Alright. So I was playing my songs before the game, and Spitfire, the leader of the Wonder Bolts-"
"-I know who she is, dummy!" She goes silent with an uncontrollable grin, then starts laughing. "Ha haha...Continue." She smiles.
"Well..." I stop and check for her to say something, then continue. "She came up to me and told me that she was gonna have me fly with them, I agreed. By the last song they sent one of them to manage my setup. I had that song pre-made, and he just had to press a button, and make sure nothing went wrong. Anyway, I put on a suit and jetpack, and Spitfire controlled my jetpack remotely, basically mirroring her."
"That sounds like the experience of a lifetime..." She says in awe.
"Yeah, and afterwards we talked about things, which I can't tell you, because its a secret of hers. And I made a promise to myself not to tell anyone else."
"Oh really? I'll get it anyway, when you talk in your sleep.
"I don't talk in my sleep." I gripe back.
"Or so you think." She says smiling with a soft giggle.
"Oh, and I ran into someone at the Kitamu cafe..."
"Tavi?" She says. "I told her to go there. I said she would like the coffee there. I didn't think you would end up being there though."
"Yeah..." I sigh. "Your right. Hey. I need a minute."
"Alright, I'll be back in a few."
She walks away to her room. I get up and head to the back porch. There is a small layer of snow, with more piling on quicker as it comes down. The city of Manehattan is beautiful from the third story of the apartments. I clear off a chair and sit down, my winter coat keeping me warm. The night sky is filled with the brightness of the surrounding city. There are no stars. A glimpse of the full moon shows through the haze.
"Hello Luna... Nice to see you again." I speak to the moon as it flow in and out of the haze. "I would love for a good night please." I pause. "Its been a while huh? I don't look at you much anymore."
The city never seems to sleep. If its two in the morning, there is still tons of traffic. I love the sounds of the city. I sit there, in a peaceful moment. Lyra opens and pops her head through the door.
"Jesh, it got even colder out here, and its snowing like a snow cone maker!"
"I can bear it." I say with a strait face, even though I hate being cold.
"I really think you should come in, please? For me?" She says with a puppy dog face.
"Fine." I tell her, as I get up and head inside, taking off my winter coat.
Its much warmer inside, and bright. I make some toast, and put some jelly on it. I sit at the island Lyra put in her kitchen, and eat my toast.
"I wish I could do what you do. I would love to be famous some day." Lyra says.
"Its not all its cracked up to be." I tell her.
"I know, But it would be a change."
She sits down next to me, and makes herself some toast with jelly. We sit together in silence while many toasts with jelly are eaten. I walk into the livingroom.
"I know its hard for you Vinyl." Lyra spits out behind me.
"Hard for me what?" I turn around and look at her.
"Hard to live without Tavi."
I go silent. She is right. She knows my heart deep down is aching. I miss her. I slump down onto the couch. I don't want her to know how depressed I am though.
"Its not that bad." I say, not looking up at her.
"I know it is." She corrects me. "You can't help but sit on your butt all day, unless you have a gig, which you don't even enjoy doing as much as you used to."
I'm silent for a second. "I hate when you read me."
"Its one of my many skills, like anthropology."
"I still don't know why you like anthropology so much." I say as I lay down on the couch.
She walks away into her room and turns on her iPod.
"I'm going back outside, I need more fresh air." I say as I head back out the back door with my coat.
The moon has been covered by a thick cloud, making less white light on everything than there was. I slump down on a snow covered chair and close my eyes. The peacefulness is soothing. I open my eyes, and I see nothing.
"Not again." I say. '"Wait... I can hear myself!"
Lyra comes from the door with a flashlight. The whole area of Manehattan had a blackout, which is insanely rare. What in the world happened?
"People are saying that someone blew up the power area thing, you know the transformer setup somewhere." She answers my thought. "They are saying it will be a while before it comes back on."
I get up and head to the television stand and grab a flashlight out from the cabinet and head to my equipment room.
"Please tell me nothing was plugged in?" "Nothing was plugged in" She says with my back turned to her, investigating wires. I get back up.
"Thank god, because if they were, half of my system would be fried." I tell her.
"Yeah..." She says in a breathy voice.
"Why are you talking like that?"
"Its calm in the darkness. And I feel kinda nervous near you right now..."
"Why?" I ask heading into the livingroom and setting my flashlight shining up from the table.
"Well, I kinda felt weird since I woke up on top of you."
"Oh that... Yeah, that was kinda awkward."
She sits next to me and curls up next to me with a blanket over our legs. She looks at me and rest her head against the couch. I burst an awkward smile.
"So?" I say with my mouth still in a weird smile.
"Nothing" she says starting to smile back.
"Its cold." I grab the another blanket, but Lyra stops me.
"Just use this one." She pulls it over both of our shoulders. "Better?"
"Y-y-yeah?" I feel really nervous now. She leans in and whispers.
"Let me do this."
She places her lips against mine. Soft, warm, pleasing. I didn't notice this before. She grows closer to me, still covered by the blanket. I lay back and wrap my arms around her, she smells like strawberries, and the jelly from earlier makes her taste like them too.I run my fingers through her hair as she shifts to a more comfortable position. Her phone rings. She goes silent. She looks at her phone.
"I need to get this." She says as she sits back down on the couch. "Hello?"
I listen in to the conversation.
"Hey, Its Octavia. Do you have power?"I hear on the other end.
"No, we just lost it." Lyra replies. "You should use the space heater in your back closet, It's a record low tonight. Like less than zero."
"Right, that would be a good idea." Lyra glances at me, with a frown, to see if I heard it was Tavi calling. "I'll do that, thank you for reminding me." The next message was mumbled. "Okay, Bye."
"Who was that?" I ask in a oblivious tone.
"A friend, they told me I should get the space heater out of the back."
"Alright, I'll go grab it."
"I'm coming with you." She says, getting up to wrap her arms around my right arm.
We walk to her bedroom, I haven't actually been in there before. There is roses painted on the walls, obviously her own work. She owns a queen sized bed with nightstands to the left and right. There is a cute dresser with a big landscape mirror above it. And many small vinyl figurines of little ponies set up as a display.
"Whats with the little girly show figurines?" I ask her, confused.
"Hey! Its my favorite show, don't judge me..." She grips harder onto my arm.
I pick one up, it is blue, with a little wizard hat on to, and a cape with a matching pattern. 'Trixie' is printed on the bottom of it next to the shows stupid logo. I place it back down and head to her closet.
"WAIT!" She heads to the closet and rummages around a little. "Okay... You can go in now..."
I go inside and see tons of dresses, skirts, and frilly clothes hung or folded up in neat piles. The space heater sits in the far corner of the closet under some hanging dresses. I reach for it and get shoved in.
"Whoa! Whats going on?" I sputter out.
In the pitch dark I feel around for anything, and I touch a foot. Lyra's foot.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because." I can't see her expression in the dark.
"Because why?" I ask her.
"Because... I adore you Vinyl."
I feel her cold hand run over my thigh as it goes up under my shirt. She climbs around the stuff in the closet and kisses me timidly. Her hand rummages around in my shirt, feeling my stomach and caressing my body. My emotions are on rapid-fire. I don't understand what to do, or why this is happening. Why now? Why EVER? I run my hand across her chest, soothing, wonderful. Something I haven't experienced in a very long while. A light appears on the other side of the closet door.
"The lights are back on." I murmur out.
"That doesn't stop me." She says as she reaches up higher in my shirt and continues to kiss me.
I pull her hand back down to my stomach, and pull her close. We continue for a few more minutes then lay back on the wall inside the closet.
"I'm not sure what just happened." I tell her.
"Bliss." She says as she snuggles into my side.
We lay there for a few more minutes, and take the space heater to the living room. Since the power is back on we turn on the TV and watch a movie under the blanket we had before. I can't keep my eyes open half way through, and dose of next to her.
The next morning I wake up with Lyra wrapped up on my lap like a cat. That was probably the most confusing and eventful night of my life, but it only makes me confused more. I tickle Lyra behind her ear to wake her up.
"Heh heh, ha ha ha! Stop that!" She giggles out.
"Good morning." I reply to her.
"Hello!" She pretends to be a cat on my lap. "Good morning!"
"Today is Thursday, and I don't have any plans." I say as I scratch her behind her ears.
"Alright, that sounds like a relaxing time then."
"I thought it would be too." I reply.
I get up and head to the kitchen to makes some oatmeal for both of us. Lyra comes in a few minutes later dressed in a fluffy blue skirt, gray leggings, and her favorite brown button-up jacket. She sits down at the table near the back wall. I finish making the oatmeal and head over to the table to join her. We sit in silence for a moment, and then she speaks.
"So how was yesterday?"
"Good." I say.
"How?" She says immediately after.
"Lyra, I'm not sure how I feel right now. Can I just eat in peace please?"
"But Viny-"
"NO!" I reject her statement. "STOP! Please...."
We sit there for a while longer, me eating my oatmeal, and hers just sitting there, unused.
"Fine, what do you want Lyra?"
"Your compassion." She replies.
"I'm not sure how I feel giving that to you, you know I still have great feelings for Octavia, and you won't let it sink in to your brain. I can't just switch between both of you! Its not right Lyra!"
She starts to cry. So I get out of my seat and kneel down next to hers and hold her.
"I really like you vinyl, and you wont let me feel loved back. THAT is what is not right!" She is bawling now.
"I'm sorry! I cant just give my life to you, reality doesn't work like-" I try to explain as she pushes me down and runs to her room.
"Lyra! I'm SORRY!" I yell to her, getting up and following her back to her room. "Let me in, please?"
"NEVER! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" She screams at me, with punching noises on adjacent walls.
I grab my clothes and throw them in a bag, just in case, and head out the door to my beetle. I notice a man leaning against it.
"Hey! Get off my car!" I yell out as I near the vehicle.
Once I'm within five foot range I recognize him immediately. Flim. What is HE doing here?
'Whats the deal? Why are you around at the worst of times, you... AUGH!"
I throw a fist at him and he dodges it like he expected it to happen, and I end up smashing my fist into the metal above the front wheel. Profanities leave my mouth and I swing again with my left fist. Missing and slipping on the icy sidewalk.
"I need you to come with me, Vinyl." He says in a monotone voice.
"Why in the world should I go somewhere with you!" I yell at him.
"Because, you need to see something that involves your splendid Octavia."
My nerves are about to burst out of every inch of my body in complete rage.
"If you so dare as touch her anywhere on her body, your life will be filled with pain you have never experienced before, DO YOU HEAR ME?" He doesn't move. "I SAID, DO YOU-"
He covers my mouth with a rag, and pass out. I wake up some time later; I'm in a warehouse with Flam sitting across from me.
"Good afternoon Vinyl, I have been needing to talk to you for some time now." Flam says his repeating monotone voice.
"What's your stinkin' deal?" He doesn't reply, once again. "Stop with the silence, its really annoying."
"We decided to take in Octavia and help her reach her fullest potential. I believe you have already seen a few changes we implemented.
"You're a con-artist!" I scream out at him. "Why would you take my girlfriend, and turn her into some stupid looking rock-star thing?"
"Because. It will really make a change in the long run."
"I want to pound your face in so hard its not even physically possible. I know your ways, you just ant to take her down with you, as if you the devil."
"Well, its not what you think. I'm actually here to run a 9mm bullet into your skull, but that isn't the precise reason your here. Its more to make sure you never wake-."
"UP" I hear in a gigantic booming voice.
The world goes black, like my previous dream. I shake my head, my eyes open, crusted from sleep. Lyra is wrapped up on my lap like a cat. I'm terribly confused now. Why do I have these insane dreams. I tickle Lyra behind her ear to wake her up.
"Heh heh, ha ha ha! Stop that!" She giggles out.
"Good morning." I reply to her, glum sounding.
"Hello!" She pretends to be a cat on my lap, and stares at me. "Good morning?"
"Today is Thursday, and I don't have any plans." I tell her, removing her from my lap and sitting her down next to me.
"Alright, that sounds like a relaxing time then."
"I thought so. I say as I get up.
"Vinyl..." She says.
"You love me, right?" I reply instantly.
"Yes..." She does a single nod.
"And you want me to forget about Tavi and fall for you, correct?"
"Yes!"
"And you know I can't because I still love her to the ends of the universe."
"Correct." She says as she slumps down on the couch.
"I'm sorry Lyra."
I grab my 9mm pistol from the coffee table, which I received as a present from my parents, and send a round directly through her skull. She falls to the floor.
"NOOOO!" I cry out running to her and holding her head.
"What is going on! WHY IS THIS HAPPING TO ME!" I shriek at the top of my lungs.
Everything goes black again, this time for a longer duration. My eyes open and I'm back on the couch. I pinch myself. Ouch. This is real now. The gun is gone. Lyra is in the kitchen making oatmeal, my favorite. I get up and head to the kitchen island.
"Good morning my favorite DJ in all of Manehattan!" She says to me as she purs oatmeal into two bowls.
I burst out in tears and squish my face against the counter. Lyra stops and sits next to me, holding me close as I start bawling.
"Whats wrong?" She asks me in her comforting motherly tone.
"I had horrible dreams last night."
"Do you want to tell me about them?" She holds me tighter.
I remove her arms and face her. I pause for a moment to stop myself from hypoventilation from crying. I take a deep breath and begin.
"Last night... I dreamed I woke up, and I made oatmeal, like you just did." She does a single nod. " And then you started to talk to me and I rejected you, and we began to argue, thing went places and you ended up screaming at the top of your lungs for me to leave and never come back. When I left and headed to my bug, I saw Flam next to my car. He took a rag with whatever chemical it is that makes you pass out and I was then at a warehouse. He spoke to me telling me he was going to shoot me. Then I woke up."
"Wow. That is..." She pauses for a moment. "Disturbing." She looks at the pot of oatmeal that is now turned off.
"But that isn't all." She looks back at me and listens again. "I didn't wake up in THIS today, it was another fake day. I wok e up, told you you couldn't have me as your lover, which is true, sorry." She looks back down, but returns her glance at me after a moment. "Anyway, I told you no and said sorry. Then I grabbed my 9mm pistol and blast a hole strait through your head. I went into agonizing sadness and held you, screaming at up at the ceiling asking why this was happening to me, then I woke up to today."
"Wow... I'm terrified. Why do you have such depressing dreams, like the one where Tavi left you."
"How did you -"
"She tells me everything, you know. I am the main link between you two."
"Right. And if the first dream I had came true, I wouldn't have that link anymore. And would probably be dead."
"True, but I think you really should eat something this morning. You never do."
"Fine" I say as she hands me my bowl, extra brown sugar mixed through. Just as I like it. "Thank you."
Later that day, we are sitting on Lyra's bed playing games on her console. Football is such a ridiculous thing to play as a video game, but Lyra wanted to see if she could beat me at a game neither of us have ever played.
"The score is seven to six, Vinyl. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna win with thirty seconds left." Lyra says as she nudges me with her shoulder.
"Whatever. I'm gonna make this field goal, and make it go into overtime. Then I'm bound to beat you." I throw back at her, trying my hardest to aim correctly.
Lyra is wearing a pair of kneesocks and an over-sized sweatshirt. I got the feeling I'm in deep. Troubled waters, but their only thigh high. Ditto to myself for how I just explained that. I line up to the kick and I'm about to run for the ball when my phone rings. It makes me jump and I slam the thumb stick to the right, loosing the game. I grab my phone.
"Hello to whoever is calling, I just lost my game with my friend." I burst out before whoever is on the line replies.
"Hey Vinyl..." I hear on the other end. I check the the number. Octavia.
"Oh, sorry. I was just playing a game with-"
"I need you to come somewhere. Please." She interrupts me.
"Oh, alright... Where?" I open up the notepad app on my phone.
"1001 Coventry Blvd." I type it in.
"Isn't that the-"
"YES! Just come, please" She pleads.
"I'll be right there." I tell her, putting down my controller and heading to the room where all my stuff is. "Thank you, Vinyl. You can't see but I'm smiling now." She says and hangs up.
I get dressed in something nicer and grab my blazer.
"Im going out for a while. I'll be back by tomorrow." I yell to Lyra.
"Alright! I'm just happy I pounded your face in with this game." She yells back as I open the door.
Heading outside, I notice the snow is a lot lower than it was yesterday. I head to the Beetle and jump inside, throwing my heavy coat in the back. Tavi wants me to go all the way to a sweets shop in the town where I grew up. As I head on the two hour drive I can't help but wonder what in the world Tavi wants all the way at that sweets shop. I arrive at the shop. It has a big lollipop on the top of the front wall. With tons of candy selections inside, from what I can see inside the car. I head inside, and the bell rings.
"Welcome!" A girl about my age yells out to me from the counter. "Nice to see you!" She runs over and shakes my hand, then gasps. "Oh my gosh... Vinyl! Don't you remember me?"
"Not really?" I say, backing up a foot.
"Its me! Bon-Bon?"
"Like a sweet roll?"
"'Like a sweet roll?'" She mimics me. "No! Like a Bon-Bon! Its a candy that usually has a center of fondant or fruit or nuts coated in chocolate. I can't believe you don't remember me. I sat at the same table you and Lyra did. Lyra and I did all sorts of stuff together. I'm your number one fan in the whole world. Wait... I didn't say that."
I start to walk back out the shop door to escape, then I hear Octavia yell out from the back room. "Hey!" I scurry around Bon-Bon and head to the farthest back counter.
"Tavi, are you back there?" I shout into the back hallway.
"Yeah, one second." She replies as she walks out.
"I have a recital here in town. Since I lived in this town for the first half of my life, I thought I would go out of my way and play for everyone here, as a thank you gift."
"Oh..." I'm disappointed. I thought this was going to be some type of make up date thing. I hate when things just never go my way.
"Were you expecting something else?"
"Sorta. I was hoping that coming out here with such a long drive would be something special."
"I promise, It will be. Wait and see." She says as she head out from around the counter.
She is wearing a gorgeous bright green dress, sporting dangling earrings, sparkly pointed dress shoes, and a large pink rose stuck in her hair, which is put up in a bun. I stand there, legs going wobbly.
"Wow, Tavi. You look, INCREDIBLE.
"Thank you." She brushes some hair out of her face and smiles. "We should get going. Its at eight, and its seven thirty now."
I escort her to the door, and open it. Bon-Bon jumps out and gives me a weird awkward hug from behind, and I pry her off and leave the building.
"Want me to carry you to the car? Those shoes look like they would get cold in snow." I ask Tavi.
"Oh, Wow! Alright, thank you?"
I lift her up in a fireman's carry and bring her to the car, putting her in the passenger seat. I head around the front and she hons the horn.
"AUGH!" I jump three feet off the ground. "What was that Tavi!" I yell to her through the cars front window.
She shrugs and I get in the car. She pulls down the overhead mirror and puts on some pale pink lipstick.
"So, where is this?" I ask her, buckling up and starting the car again.
"About fifteen minutes away, I sent directions to your phone." She finishes with her lipstick and fastens her seatbelt. "Look at me for a second."
I turn my view to her. She is absolutely gorgeous. Her dark hair escaping the bun she set and flowing over her ears. We stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. She leans in and gives me a quick peck on the cheek, then sits back in her seat ready to leave. We head to a small concert hall at the end of the town, and park at the back entrance. Its old, has vines all over the back, covering a few juvenile graffiti artists perception of the mayor picking her nose.
"This place really has gone downhill since we left." I say as we park in the closest available spot to the doors, which was reserved just for her."We really should try to help this town get back in shape.
"Everywhere is getting worse Vinyl, nothing is ever any better. Our technology may be better, but our understanding is less and less."
"I really hate when you throw smart stuff at me, I wish I did better in school like you did."
"What? I thought you told me you had great grades in highschool!" She exclaims.
"If you call passing with flat D's good."
"You know what Vinyl, this is what I can't stand about you. You don't give a care about how what you do affects yourself and the people around you. THIS is why I need my space Vinyl. You just don't CARE... AUGH!" She furiously gets out of the car and runs inside.
"...I'm sorry Tavi..." I say in the silence of the car.
I get out and head in from the back entrance. Tavi is backstage talking to some other people. Quite possibly her old highschool friends that are excited for her to play. She is holding a shiny black cello that must be part of the concert hall's inventory. I walk closer to her group of friends and lean against a support beam near the front wall. She really is beautiful, and I have been fortunate enough to have her for a period of my life. I just need to find a way to change the dilemma between us.
A older man walks over from the other end of the stage and whispers something in her ear. She waves off her friends and gets set in the center of the stage, curtains still closed in front of her. She tunes the cello and her eyes light up. You can really see the sound flowing through her. I look through the edge of the curtains at the crowd. Easily a few hundred people eagerly awaiting her performance. The curtains open and a roar of excitement spews out of the excited crowd.
She plays a few notes, and starts on her most liked song. The Lark Ascending. I looked up the song recently because I missed her. She is exploding with joy as she runs the bow across the strings and creates perfect harmony.
"Good evening Vinyl."
I turn around and the old man is looking at me.
"Oh hi!" I say, confused.
"Are you enjoying the performance? We tried to keep it as local to the town as possible, but word got out apparently."
"Yeah, I don't think this many people knew Octavia." I chuckle and lean against one of the steel support beams. "...I really do love her though."
"Huh?" The old man replies in a confused tone.
"She was my girlfriend... Its complicated"
"Young people and weird relationships. Why do they fit so well?" The old man says, looking through the curtain with one eye.
"Yeah... I hate love, its suck a pain in the rear end.
"Yes it is."
Song after song, the crowd cheers her on. The curtains close. Lights turn on for the crowd, and the backstage lights come back on. Tavi walks back over to the old man and I.
"Wow! That felt amazing for all my old highschool friends to cheer me on." She says, packing away her cello into its case.
"Yeah. And you did great!" I reply taking her cello from her. "I'll go put this back on the car."
I head out into the wind. Its cold, but calming. The opens again behind me, and the footsteps get louder. A man walks by me and gets in his Dodge Challenger, and revs it up. It booms to life, and like I said before, muscle cars are way cooler than a Beetle. The car drives off. I'm standing there in silence now, the wind has gone quiet. More footsteps walks up behind me and I get two arms wrapped around my waist.
"Hi!" I hear a voice from behind me. I turn around to find Lyra behind me.
"Oh hey." I reply.
"I watched the performance, I didn't know you were going to it when you left." She says, letting go of my waist and leaning against the car. "She did fantastic."
"Yea, she did." I say grabbing my scarf from the back seat that I haven't work in a few months, or at least since Octavia left. I close the door, and Lyra is next to me again.
"Lets go in and congratulate her!" She says pulling me back inside the building. I yank off her arm.
"I'm just going to sit here for a bit. I need a moment."
Lyra goes inside, yelling her name and squealing with joy as the door finally closes itself. I lean against the wall. I set the headphones I keep around my neck onto my ears and turn on one of my favorite songs. Blasting bass through my ears.
The next day is finally here. Last night must have been the second most terrible day of my life, following when Tavi left me. I drove her back to the candy shop and drove Lyra and I back to her place, silently. We just went in, and I ended up falling asleep on the couch that night. I didn't wake up until this morning.
I open my eyes; Lyra is sitting on the other end of the couch, reading the fifth book of Daring Do. I snatch my phone of the coffee table to my left and look at my text messages. A single text from Octavia sits among all the read texts. 'Thanks.' it says. What does that even mean? Thanks for ruining everything, or thanks for driving her to the concert hall?
"What's up?" Lyra ask me, not looking up from her book.
"Its complicated." I tell her, getting up and heading to the extra room where all my equipment is.
"What does that mean, Vinyl? Tavi did a fantastic job! I'm surprised that you are in such a bad mood again." Lyra shouts to me, entering the room a few seconds later.
I connect a few wires here and there and plug the whole thing in using a power bar. The equipment lights up and boots all its components up. I sit down at my chair and lean my tried head against one of the large speakers.
"Were you listening Vinyl? Why are you upset?" She says as she takes a seat across from me.
"Octavia and I are never going to get back together. Its hopeless." I press a few buttons on my drum-pad, sending some test sounds through the speakers.
"I think otherwise." Lyra corrects me. "I think that you two will connect again someday, its bound to happen. You two are a perfect mix. 'Dubstep' and Classical, perfect opposites. Duh!" She tells me with a smile, as I plug in my headphones to my sound board.
"Lyra, you don't know our relationship as well as I-"
"Yes. I. Do. Vinyl Scratch." Lyra stops me. "I know a ton more than what you think I know. Octavia tells me everything that happens. Even the yummy pancakes you were gonna make that one day, her FAVORITE. She really does have a deep connection with you Vinyl, but you really need to make a change in your life. Because the way you are rolling will not work. You need to stop being lazy and careless. You are an ADULT for pete's sake." She stops for a moment, and lets it all sink into me. She is right, but its not that easy to just change the way I function. I cant change the past, and I barely have a will to change the future, especially when I'm as lazy as I am.
"I know this Lyra! I really do! I just can't seem to change, no matter how I try. I'm hardwired to act like this, because no one in the past told me how to act otherwise."
I take off my headphones, and head out to the kitchen after I turn everything back off. Lyra is sitting at the counter playing reading her book. I take a seat next to her, and pull out my phone. It buzzes right as I turn on the screen, displaying a new message from Octavia at the top. 'Come see me-' it says followed by an address not to far from here. I open a couple of my games to collect my daily rewards, then shove it back in my pocket.
"Oh! Guess what I found last night while I was on the internet." Lyra says as she pulls out her phone, showing me a picture of a weird lion, scorpion, morphed like creature. "Its called a Manticore, I saw it on the show I watch, you know, the one with the figurines in my bedroom?"
"Oh, that one. Yeah." I reply glumly. I hate that stupid little girl's show.
"Yeah, my favorite character Twibright beat it with her magic, that was such an awesome episode!" She shrieks with joy. "I haven't watched that episode in a year or two, but-" I start to loose focus on her jabbering girly show lecture.
"Hey Lyra, I think I need to head out again today. I have some-" I thing for a moment. "important business to attend to." I get up and walk to the front door.
"Alright, have a good time with Octavia." she says, making me stop. "I told you she tells me everything." I continue out the door, wrestling on my coat.
Walking down the sidewalk to meet Tavi four blocks away, I walk past a woman with a blue wizard hat and stars with a matching cape. She is standing on a portable makeshift stage, going all sorts of magical stuff.
"Come and see the 'Great And Powerful Trixie' doing what she does best!" She says, putting emphasis on her title.
I hate when people speak in third person, but she seems interesting enough and its free, so I stop to watch her. She does a few things, bunnies out of a hat, the usual boring magician stuff that every starter magician does. But then she pulls a young girl, easily five years old, from the crowd that has gathered around her stage.
"What should the 'Great And Powerful Trixie' do for your entertainment?" She asks the girl she pulled from the audience.
She ponders, and then waves her hands in a swirling motion. The girl bursts into confetti and vanishes, reappearing on the balcony of the second floor above Trixie. The crowd cheers with excitement as she makes the girl appear back on the stage, completely fine. The girls screams and runs to her father, while Trixie takes in the applause.
"Thank you everyone for making Trixie's day so much better!" She turns around and everything vanishes, leaving the crowd of people confused and awestruck.
I leave the crowd and walk to the next block, and she comes around the corner to apparently greet me or gripe at me for not cheering her on. She stands there, expecting a cheer from me, but I just stare back at her with a blank face; my hands in my pockets.
"My name is Trixie. Obviously as you just saw from my presentation."
"Yeah, whats up?" I ask her.
"I saw you in the crowd." She pauses, taking in this moment. "You are my most favorite DJ in all of Manehattan! I was wondering if you could give me your autograph."
She hands me a picture of me she probably got from the internet, and hands me a fine-point sharpie. I sign it and add "Wub-A-Dub-Dub" below it. She runs off and hugs the picture before running behind a building. I continue walking down the sidewalk until I come across a baked goods shop. Octavia wants to meet me here? The walls have explicit graffiti on them and broken glass on the sidewalk. A man throws a dirty look in my direction, and then his attitude changes.
"Are you going in there?" He says, shifting his postilion, coughing harshly. "Have you even met the woman that runs the shop?"
"Uhm. No I haven't." I reply to him.
"I'll just give you a heads-up. She is kind of, how do I put this? Derpy."
I glance back over to the shop. Now I'm nervous, but I wont show it in front of him. I walk to the door and slowly step inside. At first glance its confusing: gray walls with huge light gray bubbles scattered over them, muffin posters all over the walls, and a display cabinet with only muffins. Absolutely no other baked goods. What running through this womans mind? I close the door and the bell rings. I hear a shuffle in the back room.
"Hello!" I hear from the back. "Welcome to my-"
She trips over a box of blueberries and slams into the floor. Standing back up I see she has blond hair, a nametag labeled 'Derpy' with the letter D backwards, and she is cross eyed.
"Sorry, cant see well."
"Hello." I say, going silent for a moment. "You must be?"
"Bubbles! At your service!" She stick out her hand, and I nervously shake it.
"Nice to meet you. Bubbles."
"You like to buy muffin?" She says with a gleeful grin.
"No, thanks. I would not like to buy a muff-"
"But you MUST buy muffin, why else you be at shop?" She says with a still cross eyed serious face.
"Uhm, alright" I hand her a few bits. "Give me your best muffin then."
She clatters around with the trays in the display case, and reaches all the way in the front for a really big chocolate chip muffin. She sets it on a small plate with a napkin under it and a small plastic container of jelly next to it.
"Best muffin." She says with a salute, then she drops her hand and makes a big open mouth smile. She runs off into the back room again.
I turn around to see Octavia laughing to herself at a table in the back with a small whole grain muffin. I walk over and sit. She sits there for a moment and holds in her laugh, then she just begins to laugh her head off.
"That was probably the funniest thing I have ever seen happen to you, Vinyl." She says giggling.
"Sure, me having a nervous breakdown because I didn't know how to handle a someone like that is sure funny." I say taking a bite of my big muffin.
"I'm guessing you haven't met her before. " She says, taking a sip from a styrofoam cup.
"Not really." I sit there and stare down at my muffin.
We sit there for a few minutes in complete silence, eating our foods. We occasionally glance up at each other in the awkward situation.
"I found someone else." She suddenly mutters.
"Oh?" I say, looking at my muffin again.
"Yes. They're a lot more, focused, than you are." She doesn't look up, she just stares at her muffin.
"Well. That's all I needed to know." I stand up and rush out the door.
"Wait!" She calls.
The wind is blowing, and its starting to snow again, so I start walking back to Lyra's house. She runs back out and bearhugs me. It hurts to resist so I hug her back, and start to cry. I miss her around so much that it tears at my heart. We stand there for what seems like forever. I can't stand being away from her so long.
"I miss you." She says, hugging tighter.
"I do to." I pick her up and squeeze her tighter.
She legs go and starts walking away. I stand there in sadness as she glances back one last time and mouths 'Good luck.' to me.
I'm back to eating ice cream on the couch watching whatever is on. Lyra is sitting on the other end of the couch reading her book again. The forecast called for a foot of snow today. Because of that I probably wont be driving today, but I can always walk.
"You should try watching something different." Lyra says, poking me with her toe.
"I'm to depressed to change the channel." I tell her, putting the ice cream back on the coffee table.
"Fine." She grabs the remote and turns on Netflix.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Its a surprise! Close your eyes." She says throwing a pillow on my face.
I hear some clicking of the remote. Then she gets up for a minute and comes back and sits down. She presses the remote one time and takes the pillow off my face.
"Surprise! Its 'Our Little Horses'!"
"Oh sweet Celestia, please don't play this. Its so-"
"Just try it." She interrupts me. "You might enjoy it."
Its starts playing. A narrator starts talking about how these two sisters used to rule their stupid little world and how one betrayed the other. So the older one banishes the younger one to the moon.
"This is incredibly stupid Lyra." I tell her, tossing my spoon at her.
"I thought that also but it gets ways more interesting after we watch both beginning episodes."
"That's it. I'm taking a nap." I tell her.
Overtime the show introduces 6 different strangely colored little horses. Twibright Glimmer, which Lyra told me about, Pinkiepan, Fluttercry, Appleflap, Rainbowdance, and Rareness. Rainbowdance is my favorite, not like I really care anyway. All of them start to become friends and go to a thing they do every year as the mark of the new year. Then things start going downhill. The younger sister is back with a vergence and wrecks the celebration. The older sister is nowhere to be found, and the episode ends.
"Plot twist!" Lyra screams with joy, holding a plush of Fluttercry.
"Ugh, do I have to watch the next episode?" I ask her.
"Absolutely!" She plays the next episode.
The characters freak out, and get into a lot of danger in the Everloose forest. All their personalities are proven, and in the end Twibright proves to the evil younger sister that the elements of concord are are in them all. They all start to float and shoot a rainbow beam at her, and defeat her. The sisters are united once again, and everyone is happy again. I would call that a show finale in two episodes, or at least it should be.
"So? Did you like it?" She asks me, holding out a plush of Appleflap.
"No." I say sternly, pushing away the plush.
"Aww why not? They are so adorable! I must have rechosen my favorite horse many times based on each episode! I loves Flutters right now." She hugs her Fluttercry plush and shoves the Appleflap one against my neck.
"Because, its for little girls, not people our age." I try to explain to her. "Your in your mid twenties for crying out loud!"
"Yeah, but I'm still a child at heart!" She says with a smile.
I take out my phone and search up some fan art and music from the show. It is everywhere. All the social medias and even on some inappropriate websites. This has to be the most outrageous show I have ever watched.
"Have you looked at all this online garbage?"
"Yes! Isn't all the art awesome?" She takes out her phone and shows me the background. "I also love the music!"
"And you don't realize how obsessed people are with this junk?"
"I'm am the obsess with show!" She squeals with horrible grammar.
She gets up and rushes to her room with a huge grin. This can only get worse for me at this point. A few rattles and a crash later, she comes back with a picture frame. She hands it to me without a word and smiles.
"Its a shadow box." I say staring blankly at a few of the characters from the show made with multiple different pieces of paper in a few inch deep picture frame.
"Yes! It is definitely my most beloved possession." He says, crossing her legs and picking up a cup of coffee.
"Its just a shadow box. "I tell her. "I made one of these in art class and never really cared for them. Why am I even talking to you about these stupid TV horses?!"
"Because deep down you actually like them." She says.
I'm obviously not a sissy little girl, but she is kind of right. Their 'cute' and 'fluffy' but I like awesome stuff like wubs, and explosions, and crowds cheering my name. I'm just way to awesome to want to watch a show for little girls. If I did like the show, I would probably die.
I put down the shadow box frame on the coffee table and head to my equipment room. I flip on a few switches and start tapping on my drum-pad to test it. Sweet Celestia, I couldn't stand any more of such a horrible show. I put on my headphones and sit in my chair. I freeze; a small noise is coming from my headphones. I turn up the sound, and hear the voice of Pinkiepan singing. I AM GOING TO KILL LYRA!
"LYRA!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "WHY IS THERE STUPID TV HORSES PLAYING ON MY HEADPHONES!"
I hear a plate come crashing to the ground and quick footsteps rushing to my room. She bursts in through the doorway and stares at me with eyes of terror. As if stunned by a big jellyfish.
"Well?" I say calmly holding in my intense frustration.
"Your headphones are awesome, and I must have left my MP3 player in here." She glances down, sees it laying on a table of dials and switches, and grabs it. "Yep."
She goes silent and stares at me with her hands behind her back. I wish I could just blow up right now because she touched my equipment, but I do live in her house, and I couldn't expect her to just not touch it. Ugh, life is just idiotic.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you, I should have expected you to use my stuff at some point." I say, taking my headphones of my terribly tangled mess of hair.
She stands completely stunned at what I said. Like that's is something I have never said before. She plops down in a spare seat that was next to the door.
"You were actually nice for once. This. Is. Huge news!" She yanks out her phone and runs out of the room.
I just sit there. Am I really that bad that I don't apologize? I feel terrible. How could she just say I was actually nice. Sweet Celestia, I just want to explode right now with the frustration in my mind. What is said next is not technically authorized to write here, but I end calling myself names and screaming at the top of my lungs. I grab my mouse and slinging it across the room where it ends up smashed into the adjacent wall, then run into the living room. I fall to my knees in front of Lyra, then my face, then cry my eyes out.
"Why." I sputter under tears. "Why am I so careless." I ask her, holding on to her ankles.
"Its not that bad Vinyl." She says, leaning down and running her fingers through my hair. "I didn't mean to make you go all emotional when I said-"
"But its true," I yell at her feet, still crying. "And you know it!
She pries my hands off her ankles and sits back down on the couch where she originally was. She stares at me for what seems like the longest time, then tears erupt from her eyes and she leans down and cries with me. The doorbell rings for a few seconds, followed by a car driving away. I stop crying, try to pull myself together, and I walk to the door. Lyra has put herself back on the couch and is looking at me with remorseful eyes, beautiful gold colored eyes. I turn back to the door and open it. A small box with a note attached to it sits on the doorstep. I grab it and take it inside.
"What is it?" Lyra asks, her gaze still focused on me.
"I don't know, I haven't read the letter yet." I say, walking over to the couch and plopping myself in it.
Lyra scoots herself over to me and rests her head on my shoulder as I open the letter. 'I went over to our apartment and collected a few items for myself, so I packed another box with a variety of your things. I can tell you haven't been there in a while because it is clean. I haven't stopped thing abut you, I hope you know that. Enjoy. -Octavia Melody'. I open the box and find my decaf coffee, a frame with a picture of us on our first date, and some dark chocolate. This is why I could never get enough of her, she is beautiful, caring, and has perfect timing for when I'm down.
We both sit there for a while longer until we begin to cry again. I think we both miss Octavia to some degree. Lyra hasn't even seen Tavi for quite a long while besides the concert. Lyra glances to me once again, the look of sadness on her face is awful. She grabs ahold of me and rests her forehead on mine, crying uncontrollably. I put my arms around her and hug her. She's more sad than I am. This doesn't even add up correctly! I am in deep love with Tavi and Lyra is only her friend. How can she be more sad than I am? Do I really have that little of compassion for others that I care less than Lyra does about my own girlfriend? Has Tavi been right that I just don't give a single hoot about how others feel? There has to be something off; I can't have that big of a problem!
Lyra calms down after a few minutes and sits on the couch quietly staring down at her feet. Her legs are folded with her cat in her lap. We have to have been sitting here silently for over half an hour. I decide to grab my phone and do something. 'New Message' blinks at the top of my smart phone.
"I think I need to go to my room." Lyra says quietly, putting her hand on top of the cats head.
She slowly gets up and walks to her bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her. I sit on the couch still, waiting for something to happen without me interacting with it. Nothing, absolutely nothing will happen.
"I don't want to make more lives terrible." I tell myself out loud.
"Because of me," I pause. "Lyra is sitting in her room crying to herself. Because of me I separated Tavi from Lyra and made both of their lives a bitter mess."
"But if you weren't here Vinyl, then I would have never known Octavia." Lyra says, walking out to the edge of the hallway.
"Because of you, you made me work harder and learn how to care for someone that couldn't care for themselves. You made my life meaningful. I don't even have a job, or a romantic partner, or even anyone else to spend time with! I have a cat, and that's about it."
"But how are you living here without a job or some type of support?" I ask her, tearing up again.
"Because I inherited this house from my grandmother. When she passed away, this house was given to me. I am living here because of you, because you pay for my bills. You have a job. You, Vinyl Scratch," She points at me. "You are why I am here. Without you here I would be nothing."
"I give you meaning?" I start to raise my voice. "If I wasn't here, you wouldn't have to deal with my pain and misery! I am making your life suck! Without me you would not have been crying your eyes out-"
"But I was crying for you!" She screams.
We both stop. We hear a knock and glance to the front door. After a few seconds we hear the knock again. I get up and head over to the door, glancing back at Lyra. She is still, staring back at me. I open the door.