The Chance To Say

"O-Open Mind? What are-"

"I'm here because of you. You are sick! You need help! I can help you if you just let me!."

"Excuse me, sir, what are you doing here?"

"Who are you?"

"Octavia Melody, owner of this apartment."

"Well, your friend here is one of my patients. I need to help her before she hurts somepony else!"

Open Mind tried pushing his way into the apartment, by Octavia stood and blocked his way.

"I'm sorry sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. And by the way, I am getting her help. You are not needed. Good day."

Octavia slammed the door shut after pushing the stallion just past the doorway. She huffed as she walked back to the kitchen table and sat down. Vinyl stood, dumbfounded for a moment, but soon grinned and walked over to the table.

"Got a bit of a feisty side do ya?"

"Ugh, I've dealt with enough ponies like that when it comes to the media, it's worse if it's some random pony at three in the damn morning."

Vinyl chuckled to herself as she sat down. She finished off her carrot and threw the remains on the garbage, as did Octavia.

"Well, I think we should maybe get back to bed. Don't want to be tired for tommorow."

"Yeah, true."

Vinyl and Octavia got up started walking to their rooms. Just as Octavia had reached her doorway, she hung her head and sighed before turning around to face Vinyl.

"Vinyl?"

"Yeah?"

Vinyl stopped and looked over at Octavia. With a slightly reddened face, Octavia took in a deep breath and continued.

"This, may seem like an odd request, but how would you like to sleep in my room?"

Vinyl cocked her head to the side as a confused expression grew on her face.

"Like a sleepover."

"A sleepover?"

"Yes. I never really had any when I was a foal, didn't really have the friends."

Vinyl stood with the same still expression. Octavia's blush deepened as she looked to the floor. For a moment there was silence, but Octavia soon heard hoofsteps coming towards her. She looked up to see Vinyl smiling.

"I never really had any sleepovers when I was younger either."

Octavia smiled as Vinyl stopped at the doorway.

"I should probably go grab my bags though. I'll be right back."

"Alright."

Vinyl turned around and walked towards the guest bedroom. Octavia walked into her room and started making up the bed.

Where is this going Octavia? Where exactly do you plan on taking this little sleepover of yours? And what the hell kind of idea was that?

Octavia sighed as she spread the comforter out evenly on the bed. Seconds after, Vinyl walked back into the room and dropped her bags at the door.

"So, is it just the one bed?"

Octavia looked at the other mare with slight panic and embarrassment. Looking back at the bed, she started realizing why she always think before speaking.

"Uh, y-yes. Don't worry, it's quite large I assure you. We'll both be very comfortable."

"Sounds alright."

"Alright, well, let's get to bed then."

The two mares nodded and awkwardly slipped underneath the blanket that lay over the length of the bed. Octavia looked over at Vinyl, who had turned the other way and was getting comfortable in her position.

"Well, goodnight Vinyl."

"Night."

Octavia moved slightly and turned off the bedside lamp. She moved back and laid her head on the pillow, closing her eyes. Vinyl was on her side, staring at the wall. She waited until she could hear Octavia's soft, melodic snoring before getting up and moving into the living room.

"C'mon Vinyl, what are you doing? Look at where you are right now. Just..."

Vinyl sighed heavily and looked into the bedroom at the sleeping mare. Vinyl didn't know why, but she wanted something to happen. Anything. Just one tiny little accident that could come off as even slightly romantic. Alas, she had misses her chance tonight, and she knew that most likely nothing would happen in the morning.

"Damn it. Damn it all."

With a heavy sigh and a forlorn expression on her face, Vinyl walked back into the bedroom. Being careful not to disturb Octavia's rest, she quietly slipped under the covers, and soon fell deep asleep.

"You're on."

Octavia nodded to Platinum Record as he walked off stage. As the lights dimmed and the spotlight pointed at Octavia. Gently pressing her bow against the strings of the cello and taking a deep breath, she waited for the crowd to silence. After merely and second of silence, she began playing. Starting slow increasing speed slowly, she got farther onto the song. Finding herself very uninspired, uninterested, and oddly drowsy, she looked up for only a moment for something to help her play better. Seeing for only a second a blue tuft of mane in the crowd, Octavia smiled and looked down at her instrument. The bow was laying on the ground. When she shot her glance up to the crowd, they had all stood up angrily, and the blue was gone.

Octavia woke up with a gasp and quickly looked around the room. Sunlight was barely creeping through the window, and she looked to her side. Vinyl wasn't in bed. Octavia stopped and listened for a moment, wondering if she could hear if Vinyl was up. All she could here was joyful whistling and faint sizzling. Having her attention caught, Octavia slipped off the bed and walked out to the living room.

"Hey there sleepyhead."

"Oh, good morning Vinyl. You're up early."

"Yeah, thought I'd get a head start on repaying you."

Vinyl levitated a plate of chocolate chip waffles onto the table at the spot next to where Octavia was standing. Octavia locked her lips and looked up at the other mare.

"Quick question. How did you get up before me?"

"Eh, I woke up around and hour ago without an alarm so I just thought I'd get up."

Octavia half shrugged and sat down. Staring at the pancakes for a second, she liked her lips and picked up the fork.

"They look delicious."

"Family recipe."

"Wait, these aren't the store bought ones I had in the freezer?"

Vinyl looked at the freezer for a moment and snickered. She put a small stack of pancakes on a plate and smiled. After rummaging around in the pantry for a second, she levitated her plate and a bottle of syrup onto the table and sat down.

"Nope. They taste so much better when they're homemade."

"I guess I'll be the judge of that."

"Judge away."

The mares smiled at each other as Octavia took a fork full of pancakes and put the fork in her mouth. After only a second of chewing, Octavia's eyes shot open.

"My word, these are extraordinary."

"Like em?"

"They're delicious, this is your families recipe?"

"Yep."

Octavia swallowed the food in her mouth and quickly began eating more. Vinyl chuckled to herself as she ate her own.

"Glad ya like em."

"Glad you made them. We best not take too long, remember we have to get you down to Helping Hooves."

"Oh yeah. How far is it?"

"About a five minute walk."

"Not bad."

Continuing their conversation over breakfast, the mares soon finished up and prepared for their walk.

"Bags packed?"

"Yep."

"Are you sure your ready to go today?"

"Hey, soon I'm clean, sooner I can move on with my life."

"Good. On we go then."

Vinyl walked through the door that Octavia was holding open. Closing and locking the door, Octavia walked at Vinyl's side down the hallway to the elevator.

Just don't go far.

------------------------------

"Well, here it is. Helping Hooves Rehabilitation Facility."

Vinyl sighed and looked up at the large brick building. Octavia waited for her to say something, as she didn't want to rush her.

"Well. Let's get on with it then."

"Yes, let's"

With Vinyl leading, the mares walked up the stone walkway to the main building. Vinyl looked from side to side, seeing some ponies in a pool, and a few at a buckball court.

"Hm, place doesn't seem too bad."

"No, it actually looks quite nice. I'm sure that you'll enjoy it here."

"Hopefully."

As they reached the front doors and walked in they were greeted with soft, ambient music and a soothing atmosphere. As they approached the front desk, a mare looked up and smiled.

"Welcome to Helping Hooves Rehabilitation Facility, how may I help you?"

"Hello, I'm here to sign somepony in."

"Alright, name?"

"Vinyl Scratch."

Vinyl stayed silent and awkwardly looked around as Octavia answered the nessacery questions.

As long as that prick Open Mindcan't get in hereI'll be fine.

"Is this her?"

"Yes it is. Vinyl?"

Vinyl turned and looked at Octavia. A unicorn stallion with a brown mane and a burgundy coat was standing behind her smiling.

"Hello Vinyl. I'm Healthy Living, would you like me to take your bags?"

"S-sure."

The stallion smiled levitated the bags off of Vinyl. Suddenly, the bags reminded her of her dream and she shuddered noticeably.

"Vinyl? Are you alright?"

"What? Oh, yeah Tav, I'm fine."

"Tav?"

"Short for Octavia?"

"I sort of like it."

Vinyl chuckled, as did Octavia. The mare behind the desk coughed and got the attention of the two.

"Miss Scratch, if you would just follow Healthy Living, he'll show you to your room."

"Alright."

Vinyl sighed and turned back to Octavia. Octavia's face bore an odd mixture of sadness and happiness.

"Well, here I go. Once again, I can't begin to thank you enough for what you've done, I appreciate it so much."

"Don't worry about it, you just focus now on getting clean."

"Will do. I'll try to call you if I can."

"I'll answer."

"Bye Tav."

"Bye Vinyl."

Both mares didn't want the goodbye, even though they both knew Vinyl needed it. Octavia turned back to discuss the financial matters with the desk mare, and Vinyl walked beside Healthy Living to her room.

"So. She your friend or family?"

"Good friend."

"Cool. If you don't mind me asking, I usually ask my patients, what were you addicted to?"

"Uh, quite a bit actually. Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, mainly alcohol."

"Hm. Anything to do with your job maybe? I mean, you were a dj at one point."

Vinyl smiled and looked at the stallion. He was smiling and looking at her with his peripheral vision.

"You've heard my music?"

"I love it. Own almost every album."

"Sweet."

The two stopped at one of the doors in a long corridor. Healthy Living put Vinyl's bags at the end of the bed to the right and turned to look at Vinyl.

"Well, this is your room. I am obligated to tell you that you are to be back here by seven PM every night, and that one on one therapy sessions are every other day at nine AM and three PM. Three square meals will be provided for you at the cafeteria, all other time is your own. If you need help getting around, either ask somepony that works here or has been here longer than you, or refer to this map. Don't be getting into any trouble, and enjoy your road to recovery."

Healthy Living levitated a rolled up map in front of Vinyl and smiled. As he walked out of the room and down the hall, Vinyl looked at the room. There were two beds, one on either side of the room. At the head of each was a small nightstand with a drawer and a lamp. Vinyl started putting a few smaller objects in the drawer and sat down.

"Wait. I'm gonna have a roommate?"

She looked over at the other half of the room, noticing that there were two bags at the end of the bed, and the nightstand had a few picture frames on it. Vinyl walked over and looked at one of the pictures. It was a very well done shot of a pegaus mare with a red and blue mane and a purple coat holding her hoof out to catch some snow.

"Wonder what she's in here for."

Vinyl turned around and nearly fell back after seeing the mare standing in the doorway.

"Oh, sorry to scare you, I just thought I heard somepony in this room."

"It's fine, it's fine."

"Good. Who are you?"

"I'm, I'm Vinyl Scratch. I guess I'm your new roommate."

"Wonderful! I've been waiting for a roommate ever since my last one got clean. Oh, where are my manners, Hail Toss, pleasure to meet you."

Hail toss held out her hoof and Vinyl met it with her own. The two smiled at each other and dropped their hooves. Vinyl walked back to her bed and sat down.

"I gotta say, you seem so nice and innocent, what are you in here for?"

"Well, I had a coltfriend who was sort of into crack, I got kinda dragged into it."

"Aw, that sucks."

"Yeah, but I don't mind. It's really nice here, I think you'll like it."
"You know, I think I am."

To Be Continued...