My blood boiled as I read the article. The flash Lyra had seen that day suddenly made sense. The mare had not been going crazy from the stress. Somepony—and I would bet every last bit to the Philharmonica name that I knew which one—had taken a photo of us in that booth. I had very little time to come up with a story for my mother. Racking my brains, I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

“There’s a mare here called Bee Bop. She’s dating a stallion named Money Shot. Neither of them came from respectable families, so I assume this is their way of showing envy towards everything I have in my life,” I could hear Vinyl snort quietly in the background. Sure, it was a very weak story, but my mother would have to believe it. Any story that kept her daughter straight was a passable story in her eyes.

“I assume you will have a talk with this…Bee Bop?” Mother asked, her head held high. “There is no doubt in my mind that you will regain the dignity that comes with the Philharmonica bloodline.”

“Of course I’ll be speaking with her.” I lied. I had no intention of speaking to Bee Bop. My mind was more set on injuring the mare.

“What about you, Vinyl? Do you intend on speaking with Bee Bop? I’m sure your mother wouldn’t want rumors like this spread around the school. You said your last name was Scratch, correct? I’ve seen ‘Cooking with Cookie’ aired around town. Your mother is very talented, and I would hate for you to tarnish that name on a rumor,” The false sweetness dripping from my mother’s voice made me want to plant my hooves right in her teeth.

“It’s not a rumor, and my mother doesn’t care.” Vinyl muttered. “She’s been dead for a few years now.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” my mother lied. “When did it happen? If you don’t mind me asking,”

“I do mind, actually. It’s not something I talk about. Oct…Octavia, I’ll be working. Come get me when your mom leaves,” Vinyl returned to her ‘laptop’ and cast the soundproofing spell before returning to her work.

“I’m sorry about the school’s choice of roommate, Octavia. I imagine you can request to be moved. I don’t want my daughter being around such a disgusting creature. I’ll speak to the administration and see what I can do,” My mother tossed her mane back in a dignified manner that made me sick.

“Vinyl is my best friend. All the bits in the world would not persuade me to switch roommates. I don’t care what you think about her, but she’s the most wonderful mare I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, and I refuse to let you control my life any longer. If you would please leave my room this instant, Mother, or I’m afraid I may do something I’ll regret later,” I glared at my mother, surprised at the hatred that pulsed through me. Never had I felt like this towards any adult, much less my own parent. It was as though a part of me had awoken and seen the monster my mother was.

“Octavia, I know you don’t mean those terrible words. I am your mother, and I refuse to be spoken to in that manner. Now come with me. We’re going to see about getting you a proper roommate.”

“No,” I said strongly.

“What did you say?”

“I said no. I will not be switching roommates. I care too much about Vinyl to just leave her.”

“Are you telling me that your feelings for this mare are so strong that you are ignoring the fact that she is unnatural?”

“The only pony that is unnatural here, Mother, is you.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. You are going against your own mother’s wishes to continue to room with this diseased pony?” What happened next was so fast that I almost thought I had imagined it. Vinyl’s hind-legs shot out in a powerful buck, smashing angrily into my mother’s chest.

“Vinyl!” I gasped.

“Listen to me,” Vinyl removed her glasses and stared into my mother’s eyes. Usually, Vinyl had very pretty magenta eyes. Currently, they glowed red. “I don’t care what you call me. Fillyfooler, unnatural, strange, abnormal…things like that slide right off my back, but if you say that this is a disease, then you’re just asking for a fight.”

I watched in awe as my mother trembled in fear. Yes, you heard correctly. Serenada Philharmonica, the most dignified pony in Canterlot, was trembling in the shadow of a simple mare from the outskirts of town. I knew I should have stepped in and had Vinyl leave, but I was enjoying watching my mother squirm.

“It’s not normal,” my mother squeaked. “It’s an illness, a terrible one. Perhaps we can find a cure one day…”

“Even if it was a sickness, I don’t need a cure. I’m happy with who I am.” Vinyl snapped. She turned away from my mother as the older mare scrambled to the door.

“By the way, mother,” I figured now was as good a time as any. “I’m one too. Have a nice day,” I put on the fakest smile I could as her world tore apart. She let out a shriek and bolted from the room, screaming about how ‘the disease was catching’. I turned to face Vinyl and we stared at each other for exactly three seconds before we exploded with unexplainable laughter.

~XoXo~

News spread around the campus like wildfire and, to be honest, it seemed as if nopony cared. Unlike my mother, they accepted me. I had actually found out that, aside from my friends, there were many other fillyfoolers and even coltcuddlers among the school.

Frederic had congratulated me on handling things and told me he was proud that I wasn’t ashamed. Turns out, he was one of the many coltcuddlers in the school. Concerto, however, was a mystery. He had seemed so accepting when he and Symphony had confronted me at the bar. Now he just seemed distant. Even Symphony had noticed.

“He’s just stressed,” she tried to comfort me in rehearsals one day. There were only three days until our big concert.

“He could at least be civil,” I replied curtly.

“He’ll come around. Look, he’s coming over here now,” Symphony lowered her violin and I carefully stood my cello on the stand I was provided with.

“Symphony, darling, could you go and check my violin? It’s in tune, but it doesn’t seem to be playing the proper notes.”

“Of course,” Symphony trotted over to where Concerto’s violin and began fiddling with the knobs.

“Octavia, I hear you have made your sexuality public,” Concerto smiled.

“I have, and it seems to be going quite well.”

“I was wondering, if you’re not busy this weekend after the concert, if we could go out for a nice dinner. It wouldn’t be a date, of course, but it would be nice if I got to know you better. It would be nothing more than friendly.” He seemed sincere on his offer to keep things on a friendly level. I glanced at Symphony, who was staring at her coltfriend’s violin curiously.

“That sounds fun,” I agreed. “But only if we both agree this it is two friends having a nice dinner. It is not a date, considering what I have come to accept. It is also not a date due to you having a wonderful marefriend.”

“I agree to the terms set for the night out,” Concerto held out a hoof and I shook it, trying to find deceit in his eyes. They were as honest as a pony could get, and I smiled.

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” I said cheerfully.

“As will I, Octavia.” Concerto turned and joined Symphony at his violin and Brassy approached me.

“What was that about?” she asked, eyeing the brown stallion.

“He was being friendly,” I said with a half shrug. “Come on; let’s practice the fifth measure in the third number,”

“Be careful with him,” Brassy warned. “I’ve heard things. I don’t know how true they are, but I’ve heard rumors,”

“Brassy, don’t be a silly filly. Not every rumor you hear is true,” I didn’t believe the words that left my mouth. When Brassy wasn’t looking, I glanced at Concerto. He was nuzzling Symphony, but there was something in his eyes that I hadn’t seen before. A glint of something I had seen once before, when I was in High School. I couldn’t place it now, but I knew that it couldn’t be good.

These next few days were going to be the longest three days of my life.

~XoXo~

Got some help from my cowriter on this one.