After speaking to the school skips ended the phone call, and placed his phone on his desk. He didn't know what to think, just one hour ago he didn't know what to do with his life. But after that phone call all his ducks where in a row, and he could relax again.

He sank into his computer chair letting out a small sigh of relief. His moment of relaxation suddenly ended when his phone buzzed loudly against the glass desk. He scooped the phone up into his hoofs, and tapped away, unlocking the device.

Vinyl: Hey, I have a last minute show tonight for a club I've never played at. You wanna come? Drinks on me!

Skips chuckled, vinyl never offers to buy drinks unless there is a catch.

Skips: whats the catch?

He sat staring at the phone until it lit up with a notification.

Vinyl: what? No catch really, I mean, ok so. I've never worked for this club, its an old club thats going down hill. So the owner wanted to get a popular dj in the booth. He said I could bring two ponies with me and drinks where on the house.

Skips liked the idea of free drinks, being able to celebrate after getting into college was a must. No matter the catch.

Skips: Alright, when do you want me to head over?

skips sat for a longer period of time waiting on the text to come through.

Vinyl: now would be great, the taxi to the club will be here in an hour. I got backstage passes for you and octy. Also, another thing. Watch over octy tonight, and don't tell her I said that.

Skips chuckled at the request, knowing Octavia wouldn't take well to skips watching over her.

Skips: ok ill head over now.

Skips got up from his chair and went into the bathroom to clean up. After combing his Mane and brushing his teeth, he made his way to the living room and gathered his things. Throwing his saddle bag over his back, he left out the front door into a chilly afternoon.

"Oh buck me, all my jackets are being washed." He said out loud as he began the short walk to vinyls apartment.

With his earbuds in, the rest of the world seemed to just fade away. His dark blue coat, almost black, tickled as the cold wind blew against it. He watched where he was going but was deep in thought.

He turned a corner to see the tall building where vinyl and Octavia lived. Pushing through the front door, the heat from the air conditioned building swept over him, sending a warmth over his body. He trotted through the building following signs to get to his destination.

Upon arriving at the mares door, he couldn't help but hear the two arguing over something vinyl said.

"Octy, of course you look good in that outfit! I didn't mean it when I called you fa-" skips heard vinyls explanation cut short, with a small thud against her head.

Skips decided to break up the bickering and knock on the door. A few moments later a frowning vinyl opened the door, rubbing the back of her head. "Hey skips, come on in man. Were almost ready to leave."

Skips walked past vinyl, whispering in her ear, "just a tip, don't call your marefriend fat." Skips chuckled, and vinyls cheeks turned red.

"I didn't actually say fa-" she was cut off again by Octavias presence in the room.

"No, what you did say is, 'we should go shopping tomorrow, that doesn't fit you anymore." Vinyl rubbed the back of her head.

"Well, I didn't mean it like that, I just meant.."
Vinyl trailed off, making skips chuckle a little bit.

"Y'all are too cute together." Skips made his way over to octavia, "Hows it going Octavia haven't seen you in a few weeks." Skips sat down on a chair close to the front entrance.

"I've been fine, a little busy, dealing with this one is a full time job after all." Octavia motioned to vinyl, "But with all things considered, ive been well. How have you been skips?"

"I've been fine, busy myself. But good news, I got accepted to a college and I start next month." Skips started to smile, saying it outloud to other ponies made it feel more real.

"Oh thats wonderful!" Octavia exclaimed, "what are you studying? Music I assume?"

"Actually graphic design." Skips saw the confusion on octavias face.

"What? Graphic design? I would have also guessed music." Vinyls yelled from the kitchen.

"Ya, me too." Skips chuckled before he continued. "I like all forms of art, some more than others, my cutiemark is pretty vague." He looked down at his mark, inside of a circle was a music note and a pen. Skips has always been good at art, be it music, or drawing/design. "But I honestly like music way to much for me to have it as a source of income. I'll start to see music as work, and I'd rather keep it as a hobby than slowly start to hate it." Skips rubbed his leg.

"Music is all I know, and all I can do. Making beats is all I want to do." Vinyl walked towards the door, "Taxi is here, everypony ready?" Skips got up and followed the mares out of the apartment.

The air seemed to have gotten colder. The two mares bundled up together in the back of the cart. Each having good forsite to wear jackets. Skips however, sat shivering as they rode down the bumpy road towards the club. Skips looked at them for longer than comfortable, feeling lonely. The two mares didn't notice him, as they had their eyes closed feeling each others warmth. Skips smiled, hoping one day he would also have a special somepony. Maybe he would find them in uni.

Celestias sun started to set on the horizon as they arrived at the club. A long line of ponies already lined up at the door, most of them with DJ-Pon3 merch on. "Go to the back for us if you can." Vinyl called out to the colt pulling the cart. The colt nodded, and turned into the back alley behind the club.

"Come on octy." Vinyl hopped out of the cart and turned back around and held a hoof out to her marefriend.

"Why thank you vinyl, there's hope for you yet." Skips chuckled as octavia hopped out of the cart. Skips following close behind.

"Hey, I can be nice at time's." Vinyl nugged Octavia.

"Yes, but mostly you're rough and vulgar." Vinyls cracked a smile at Octavia

"You don't seem to mind in bed." Octavia blushed, and vinyl cracked a wide smile.

A swift hoof to the back of the head was vinyls punishment for that little remark. Skips couldn't help but laugh at the scene. "Can you two go one night without arguing like school fillies?" Skips said through his laughter.

"Its foreplay." Vinyl got another hoof to the back of her head. "You know if you keep doing that you'll knock my brains out of my head."

"Vinyl, I wouldn't do it if I knew there was something to hurt." Octavia smirked knowing she won the argument.

The back door of the club was tall and metal. Vinyl tapped on it and within seconds the door opened to a buff stallion on the other side. "Hey, im vinyl scratch." The stallions face stayed mono toned as he motioned the ponies in.

The back of the club was cold, and wet. All the walls where concrete and no decorations in sight. Skips felt nervous, uneasy over the current environment he was in. They followed the stallion to vinyls dressing room. It was a small room, with a red leather couch and a makeup desk.

"Well this is cozy." Octavia said, sarcastically.

"I know its not much, but i think with the free drinks and ride over here, this is fine. Besides I need to get into dj mode. You and skips go have fun and drink, ill be on stage in thirty." Vinyl kissed Octavia softly on the lips, after they stepped back from each other vinyl winked at skips. Skips nodded, and turned to the door.

Octavia followed skips out onto the main floor of the club. Between the lights, and heavy bass, skips grew a smile on his face. He didn't care to be around so many ponies, but the music made up for it. He lead octavia over to the bar and ordered his drink, Octavia following. "I'll have a double on the rocks, and what do you want octavia?" Skips motioned to octavia. "I'll have a glass of red wine please." Skips flashed his vip badge to which the bartender nodded and began to make the drinks.

"So skips." Skips turned to octavia, "you're supposed to be looking over me tonight, is that correct?" Skips felt his cheeks turn a rose red, he knew octavia was smart but how she figured this out he'll never know.

"I… listen, I was told free drinks and I agreed." Octavia chuckled a little bit at skips blatant alcoholism, "You should calm down on the drinks, you and vinyl both." Octavia turned to see her glass of wine being placed in front of her, she nodded at the bartender.

"I know I should hold back, but it's so much fun." Skips took a gulp of his whiskey, "And it just feels so good going down." The warm sensation was something skips looked forward to.

"I see, well as long as you're safe." Octavia turned to look at the stage. "Don't tell vinyl this, but I'm starting to warm up to this music." Octavia took another sip of wine.

"Any music is good music." Skips paused for a second. "Speaking of good music, how is your ensemble doing? I know we haven't been able to hang out as of late because you had a ton of rehearsals this week."

"Oh yes, we have the gala in a few weeks so practice is a must. But all in all very good it seems." She took another sip, "Tell me skips, why graphic design?"

Skips played with the glass of whiskey thinking about the question, "Its stable, its something i enjoy." Octavia looked at him.

"You said you enjoy it second, but you said stability first. I know you're good at it, but i also know you find music so much more interesting." Skips frowned, "well if its any consultation, I'll be djing through college."

"So, you'll be using music as a source of income?" Skips took down the last of whiskey in his glass, motioning to the bartender for another. He knew where this conversation was going, and needed another round.

"Yes I am." Octavia looked over skips, his happy demeanor changed. "Why?" Octavia said tilting her head. She knew that skips knew what she was on about, "I don't want that life. I want to find my special somepony, I want to sit at a desk all day making art for other ponies. And come home to a stable family." Skips grabbed the glass that was placed in front of him, taking a large sip.

"What life?" Octavia asked, "A musicians life. The limelight, the fans that just won't stop, that's not me. I'm boring, I can make good music, I just don't want the responsibility of fans." Skips sighed, "Its pathetic, I know as well as anypony I can make it in the music industry, I just don't want to.

Octavia finished her glass and motioned for a new one, "Skips, as your friend I only want you to be happy. That's why I pushed at this subject. I'll never understand your point of view, but I respect your decision. And im still very proud of you for going to college." Skips smiled, having such good friends meant the world to him.

"Thank you, octy."

"You're very welcome skips, now there is a cute colt that has been eyeing you down for the past ten minutes, go talk to him." Octavia motioned skips away. He smiled, and walked over to the colt. Octavia chuckled into her wine.

After getting a number from the colt, who had to leave with his group of friends, skips sat back down next to octavia. The lights began to dim, and their attention turned to the pony on stage.

A colt with a spiky black mane, and teal fur, stood behind dark glasses. He put his hoof in the air, "Everypony listen up! We got the one! The only! Vinyl scratch in the house!" He yelled over the microphone, the large Audience cheered.

The colt jumped off stage, and vinyl emerged from behind the table. Her white coat filled with color from the lights above. She grabbed the mic with her magic and brought it to her face, "lets spin this shit!" She yelled out, and a beat drop came right after it. All the ponies in the club jumped around having a great time.

Octavia and skips sat at the bar drinking the night away, until somepony tapped them on the shoulder. "Whats goin on you two?" Vinyl scooched her way in between the two. Octavia and skips already drunk, didn't notice vinyl get off stage. "Jeez, you fillies are already drunk, time to play catch up." Skips blushed at being called a filly, but was too drunk to say anything back.

The three drank their fair share of free alcohol before calling it a night. All three drunk ponies walked towards the door. Vinyl and skips walked side by side talking about doing a collab before skips left for school. They stopped when They heard Octavia cry for help. Skips and vinyl turned around quickly to see a colt holding back octavia.

"Stop resisting and just kiss me you bitch!" In skips drunkenness, he didn't hesitate to walk up to the colt, turn around and quickly place his rear hoofs on the colts side. Octavia broke free running over to a pissed off vinyl. Skips still angry decided one more kick to the side was necessary, he turned around to a smiling vinyl and a terrified octavia. Vinyl ran up to skips and gave him a big hug, "Thank you so much!" Vinyl gripping skips tighter. "I told you I would look after her, you supplied the drinks, I supplied the protection." drunk skips puffed out his chest making vinyl laugh, "Come on you're crashing in our spare room, im making pancakes in the morning." Skips smiled at the idea of pancakes, and followed the two mares out to the car.

Skips woke up to rays of bright sun shining through the curtain. Oh buck me my head hurts. He began to get up out of bed, when the smell of pancakes rushed into his nose. He quickly rushed down stairs to the kitchen, where he found vinyl cooking and Octavia nursing a cup of coffee.

"Good morning everypony." Skips took a seat across from Octavia, vinyl putting coffee in front of him, "Thanks vinyl, celestia knows i need this."

"How'd you sleep?" Octavia asked, "very well thank you, how did you two sleep." Skips sipped his coffee.

"Well we didn't for a few hours when we got back." Octavia shot a gaze over in vinyls direction, "what vinyl means to say is yes, we did, thanks to you that is." Skips blushed thinking back to the ribs he crushed the night before.

"Really its nothing, I wanted to thank you both for the invite, and drinks." Skips sipped his coffee. "Don't mention it, now it seems the least we could do." Vinyl sat three plates of pancakes down, to which each pony quickly ate.

After they ate, and conversed a little while longer over who really could drink better, skips or vinyl. Skips decided he needed a shower, and wanted to work on music. "Thank you both again for a bed and food." Skips waved, "seriously dude don't mention it, I'll text you later about that collab!" Vinyl and octavia waved as skips left, closing the door behind him.

What a night, he thought to himself. I'm really ready for this shower.

Author's Note

Thanks to everyone who is reading. Most of the chapters will be this long or longer for now on. I have the whole story layed out, and i dont see it being any less that 30 chapters. The romance will come soon enough as well.