This lunch break had been one of the most stressful moments of Octavia’s life, for many reasons. On one hand, being pulled out of her lunch by a weird girl who managed to make her feel uncomfortable without a single word, as well as having to discuss with people she didn’t know obviously never happened to her, but on the other hand it was… kinda pleasant. Octavia never really had any friends, she wasn’t the type of girl who would come up to people and talk to them like Vinyl, but she wasn’t the type who’d take part in any kind of conversation either.
She had been raised to follow her mother’s career as the CEO of Harmonia Editions, a book editors company which had always been the greatest income source of her family. But neither of her parents cared about her feelings. Her sister was the family’s pride, the winner who’d know her father’s success as a master pianist. She had been sent to CHS for the economy classes, the high-quality education, but certainly not to make friends. Playing the cello was the only pleasure her parents had ever granted her, but she would never become the great pianist they wanted. She had accepted that a long time ago.
And now those three girls treated her like they knew each others for a while, like a friend? Should she tell her parents? No, they wouldn’t care about friends, but they would care about the blue hair, the ripped jeans, the language and the questionable music choices. Octavia herself didn’t know what to think about all of this. Was she getting herself into trouble? Should she really talk to those girls? Sure they seemed nice but her mother had always warned her about “dangerous” people…
Still, it was the first time somebody treated her like a real person, like a friend…

“Hey Octavia! Are you dreamin’ girl?”

She almost jumped in panic. She was walking down the hallway, alongside Vinyl, Lyra and Bon-Bon. The afternoon classes were starting in five minutes.

“I’m quite alright, thank you Lyra, just a bit lost in my thoughts…”

“You really have a weird way with words… Are you messing with us?” Lyra said, laughing.

“Um… I’m not certain I understand what you mean…”

Vinyl wrote a few words and gave them to the cellist: “Don’t mind her, she’s just playing dumb. Btw, what’s your cell number?”

Octavia wasn’t sure of the meaning of “btw”, but luckily she could still understand the question.

“Oh I… I don’t have a cellphone. My parents never thought I’d have use for it.”

“What?!” said Lyra and Bon-Bon.

“What?!” wrote Vinyl (but it was also written on her face), “How do you want us to keep contact? I can’t mail you everything I want to say!”

“That’d be pretty funny though” said Lyra.

“I guess I could use the landline…”

Octavia immediately blushed in extreme shame after realising what she had just said. She was such an idiot! Vinyl was a mute, she obviously wanted to text her, and not call her.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to say that! Please pardon my clumsiness!”

Vinyl reaction was quite the surprise for Vinyl. She almost fell on the ground, and some sort of strange expression formed on her face, while she was holding her belly. Octavia felt completely panicked until she saw Lyra’s reaction and understood that this was Vinyl’s way of laughing. While still on the floor, she made a few signs to Lyra, who translated to Octavia in an amused voice:

“Don’t worry ‘bout that! She gets that a lot and it makes laugh her ass off every time! Even if her laughing looks more like a dying animal gasping for air.”

Octavia was both relieved and astonished. How could someone take such a disrespectful comment so lightly? It definitely suited Vinyl but still…

“Anyway we’ll have to find a way to communicate with you when you’re away!” said Bon-Bon “Don’t worry we’ll figure something out.”

“Oh crap!” Lyra shouted “It’s time for the next class!”

Octavia suddenly got caught in a wind of panic. She had never been late in her entire life, what would her mother say if that happened on her second day?”

Lyra grabbed Vinyl to help her getting up, then the DJ took Octavia’s hand and the three of them started running while waving at Bon-Bon to say goodbye.

Octavia really, really didn’t understand these girls.

The afternoon class was way less entertaining than the physics lesson. The history teacher, Mr. Doodle, was everything but motivating. Never happy, never angry, just bored and grumpy. After Mr. Discord, it was quite the shock.
Vinyl and Lyra were more than relieved after the end of the two hours. This first day of class was finally over. It was certainly eventful for them. They joined Octavia as she was packing her books, and Vinyl sit on the table and wrote:

“Soooo what are we gonna do concerning this phone issue?”

Octavia still didn’t understand how this was an issue: she never really had use for a cellphone before. Each time her parents wanted to talk to her, they sent a driver immediately to pick her up. Concerning the friends well… it wasn’t really useful either.

“I… I don’t quite know. My parents would never allow me to have such a device, especially for this kind of use…”

“This kind of use?? You mean making friends and keeping in touch?” asked Lyra.

Vinyl, apparently too surprised to write, signed to Lyra, who translated: “Your parents don’t seem like the fun type. Why wouldn’t they care about you making friends and all?”

Octavia paused on this question. No, her parents were definitely not “the fun type”, and boarding school didn’t strengthen their relationship.

“Well, not really… If they found out that I’ve been hanging with people of… different social status, I surely would be sent back to boarding school at once.”

Vinyl and Lyra laughed: “Different social status?” said the mint one “Ooookay your parents are that kind of guys! I mean, I was sure that you were rich and everything, but they sound like a fucking parody!”

“Oh I’m… I’m sorry! Did I offend you with this? I’m sorry!”

“No harm done girl” Vinyl wrote “It’s just not something we’re used to hear, and it’s definitely not something you should tell someone.”

Octavia was lost. eight years of boarding school weren’t the best scenario to learn how to communicate with other people. The few lessons she had were from her mother, who always taught her to spend time with people of her category. Obviously Octavia chose her words poorly with the two girls, but they didn’t seem to care at all.

“Oh my, excuse me but I’m supposed to leave as soon as the day ends.”

“No problem girl, if that’s what your butthurt parents want, I wouldn’t want to start any family drama!”

The cellist didn’t understand half of the words, but thanked the girls and said her goodbyes before leaving quickly.

“Wow, that’s it?” said Lyra “She must be really be scared by her parents… Or she doesn’t care about friends.”

Vinyl watched Octavia walking down the stairs, her gigantic cello case still on her back.

“I wonder what her life is like. Fuck, if I was this rich I wouldn’t stay alone. Guess that’s not her decision…”

“What do you think Vinyl?”

“...”

“Yeah she’s nice and cute and all, but don’t you think she looks down on us sometimes?”

“...”

“You’re right on that. She a total doll, innocent and stuff. If you want her to feel comfortable around us, it’s gonna take time. Especially with you dude.”

“She’s being a bitch, but she’s probably right. Despite my problem, I always managed to make new friends thanks to my style and music, but I feel like it’s not gonna be the same for Octavia…”

Once in the street, Octavia exhaled for five long seconds: this eventful day was over. She felt both relief and anxiety. Meeting these three girls sure had been a good experience, but she didn’t expect it to be so much pressure. Being alone sure was depressing sometimes, but it never required anything from her, like a cellphone. How would she ever convince her mother to accept that? Vinyl, Lyra and Bon-Bon were really nice to her, which was rare from her fellow students, and even if she didn’t understand why postcards and landline were an issue (except for Vinyl), she truly desired to keep contact with them. They were her very first friends, after all.
She got on the bus, took a seat and waited as the blurry landscapes went by. The Melody Manor was far from downtown, and every morning she had to wake up early to be on time. But she had always enjoyed the bus trips: they were good breaks from the stress of the school and the boredom of her house.
When she finally reached her stop, there were only a few people left in the bus: a quiet grandma with her dog, two young boys laughing and a man crying in the back seats. Octavia got off, and after ten minutes of walking past the large parks and 19th century houses, she reached the iron gates of the manor.

The family house was huge, and the whole property even more. The two hundred years old manor had three floors, and was surrounded by four towers, whose shadows were stretching over the incredibly large park, decorated with fountains, statues and flowerbeds. On the sides were located the guest house, the gardening sheds and the swimming pool that nobody but her mother was using. This palace had been in Octavia’s family’s hands for generations, and her parent’s jobs were more than enough to keep it running. Even after sixteen years living there, the cellist still didn’t know all the ins and outs of this property. But it didn’t matter. She liked this place, but living with her family made it difficult to appreciate.
She typed the code for the gate, and waited as the two iron panels slowly opened, then proceeded to walk to the main entrance.
She pushed the heavy dark oak door, and entered the main hall. At this time of the day, her parents were still working, and her sister was attending her piano lessons. The hall was empty.

“Good afternoon Lady Melody! How are you my dear?”

Octavia was a bit surprised, but she was expecting to hear this voice. She turned around with a smile:

“Dana, I’ve already asked you to call me Octavia. I’m not my mother you know!”

“Oh, excuse me dear, but you’re a grown woman now! And you know I enjoy calling you like that. Reminds me of the times when your mother was the young lady of the house.”

Octavia had an amused giggle. Dana was the oldest maid of the property. She had been here for almost fifty years, and despite Octavia’s father not liking her, the rest of the family considered her part of the family. She had accompanied Octavia and her sister through their childhoods, and provided the youngest one with the love she didn’t often get from her parents. She lived on the third floor, and was the head of the house staff, as well as one of the only reasons Octavia came back home with a smile. She was old but strong, strict with the other maids but sweet with the children.

“How did your first day of school go? It must feel better to be out instead of trapped in a boarding school.”

“It went…. better than what I was expecting, I must say.”

“That’s fantastic dear! Did you meet anyone nice?”

Octavia paused for a second. If she told Dana about Vinyl and the others, would she inform her mother. She knew the maid you never try to put her in trouble, but she loved her mother as well, and would have to answer if asked.

“I… I think so… People seem very nice in Canterlot High. I’ve talked with a few people today.”

“That’s wonderful! I’m sure you’ll make a lot of friends very fast! Now go in the kitchen, I made a chocolate latte for you. Don’t tell your mother! I’ll bring your stuff in your room.”

Octavia’s face lit up with a big smile: “Oh thank you Dana, really! Don’t exhaust yourself with my bags, I’ll take them myself!”

“As you wish young lady. Alright, see you for dinner, enjoy your latte!”

The old maid left the hallway, leaving Octavia alone. The cellist quickly went for the treat in the kitchen, and drank with pleasure, enjoying every last drop of the sweet liquid.
After finishing the cup, she grabbed her bag and her cello case, and climbed the large stairs of the hallway to finally enter her room.

Octavia’s room was… unoriginal to say the least. It was pretty large, the walls decorated by beige stone arcades were themselves painted in dark grey.The floor was covered with several white modern rugs, and a large window surrounded by light grey curtains was giving view on the park. Most of the furniture was made of modern black particleboard, but an ancient oak mirror was placed in the corner. Octavia didn’t really like nor hated this room. She had spent very little time in here during these last years, but it had always been a quiet place where she could rest and think.

And right now, she really needed that.

A few hours later, she got downstairs to have dinner. Her parents weren’t here tonight, probably both having dinner with associates or friends, if they ever had any. Her sister wasn’t here either. Unusual. Dana told her that she didn’t know the reason. When Octavia asked the maid to have dinner with her, she was sad to learn that the old woman already ate, and needed to leave to check something with the rest of the staff.

Octavia spent this evening alone, like many others.
She ate her food, and found it a little salty.
She was crying.

Author's Notes:

Hey guys!

Thanks for all the positive comments on the last chapter! It means a lot to me!
It took me a bit longer to write this chapter, both because I had less time on my hands and because I hesitated a lot on "how to write the Melody family".
Once again, I hope you enjoyed reading!

Next chapter probably longer.

Bisous,

Saga.