Vinyl sighed dramatically, throwing herself to lay on the table. Octavia shot her a glance for being so loud in the library, which the unicorn ignored.

“Dammit, how d’you do all of this?” She whined, squinting at one of Octavia’s math assignments. The earth pony gently guided her off the papers and restacked them neatly in their proper subjects.

“It’s not that hard, Vinyl, there are only so many answers you can get to a question,” she replied, writing something down. Vinyl looked at the paper and huffed.

“Easy for you to say,” she griped. “This is like…college level work! How do you expect to even do this at your age? This is ridiculous.”

“I’m used to it,” Octavia sighed. “Being in gifted classes all your life will do that to a pony, I suppose.”

Vinyl blew a blue strand of hair out of her face.

“Well, this bites. No wonder you were on the verge of a breakdown, nopony should have to endure this kind of torture,” she grumbled, choosing to work instead on an English assignment. She squinted at it, with her sunglasses on, then off, then on again, but seemed to struggle with that one too. Octavia glanced at her and smiled, just barely.

“What?” Vinyl asked, catching the grin. Octavia just shook her head, her smile growing slightly. “No, what? Really! Don’t do that and then not tell me! Tavi, that’s just mean!”

Octavia felt a laugh bubble up, but pushed it back down instinctively. It still felt strange to laugh and smile, like it was forbidden. Knowing her mother, it probably actually was and she just didn’t know it since she never did it.

“It’s just…it’s funny watching you try to do this,” she replied honestly. “Like a little sister trying to help her big sister with her homework. It’s not a bad thing, but it is amusing.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Yeah, I’m a bit outta my element here,” she said. “Give me any kind of sheet music from any kind of country and you betcha I got that shit figured out, one-two-three. Doctorate level English homework? Might as well fly me to space.”

Octavia’s gaze turned sympathetic and she pulled out her psychology homework-a very simple labeling chart that was to be color coded. She handed it to Vinyl, along with her psychology book.

“Here, think you can handle labels and coloring in the lines?” She offered. Vinyl snatched them happily, pulling out a random handful of colored pencils from her backpack.

“Yes, yes I can,” she stated proudly, beginning to color each section a different color. Octavia, content she wasn’t going to have to go back and correct her homework later, continued to work on her math, the two of them slipping into a comfortable silence.
* * *

“So, has your mom always been this lame?”

The bell had rung before either of them realized it, jerking Octavia out of her short answer worksheet and causing Vinyl to make a red line across her paper accidentally. They’d packed up quickly and were now walking down the hall to Octavia’s locker.

Octavia sighed and fiddled with her lock, pulling it open before she answered.

“For as long as I can remember,” she replied sadly. “It’s not all bad sometimes, I know she’s only doing it for my own good, and some of the things she’s doing are good for me, but it’s just…so stifling, you know?”

Vinyl hummed in agreement, leaning against the lockers and crossing her arms, nearly covering up her small chest as she did so. Octavia blushed, glancing away from the unicorn quickly, chastising herself for wanting to stare. That was definitely something she wasn’t supposed to think about.

“You’re supposed to get out when you’re this age,” Vinyl said. “Misbehave. Get in trouble. The whole world would freak out if teenagers didn’t do that. It’d destroy the perfect use of ‘oh, she’s just a teenager’. Without that, we wouldn’t get to do shit. Of course it’s stifling. You ain’t no grown mare yet.”

Octavia busied herself with deciding which books to take home so her mother wouldn’t question how little homework she had.

“I know. That’s why I was always so jealous of everypony. Of Twilight and Pinkie Pie. Of you and Rainbow Dash,” she admitted, feeling a pang in her heart as she remembered what her mother had said in the office, right in front of Twilight. Remembered what she thought about them. Remembered the hatred from the jealousy she felt. “I feel so bad. There were things I thought and did that shouldn’t have even crossed my mind. You and all the other girls were so nice. Well, you weren’t really nice, but at least you talked to me.”

Vinyl Scratch laughed heartily and turned to lean her back against the lockers. Octavia’s eyes drifted as the unicorn pushed her torso up and her shoulderblades against the metal, before the earth pony realized what she was doing and hurriedly turned to zip up her messenger bag, flipping the flap over the pockets, face blazing.

“Well, you know what best cures hard feelings?” The white unicorn asked, looking at Octavia with crimson eyes. Octavia froze for a minute, then remembered what was going on.

“Ahm…”

“An apology. Just go say you’re sorry,” Vinyl said simply, shrugging. “I know where they all hang out after school. We could stop by real quick before you head home.”

Octavia dawdled, playing with her locker door.

“I don’t know…I’m sure my mother is expecting me home right after school…” she replied. Vinyl snorted.

“C’mon, just tell her you got accosted by some Celestia’s Witness pony and were too polite to turn down his attempt to convert you,” the unicorn said, hooking arms with her and kicking her locker shut. “Ain’t no one gonna be the wiser. Besides, don’t you think friends are a little more important right now?”

They began walking as Octavia thought about that. Were friends more important? What did it mean to have friends, truly? Her mother’s friends were all snobby and stuck up and rude, just like her. She couldn’t stand it when her mother had friends over, all the talk about ‘my daughter did this great thing’ or ‘my son is going into Hoofard next month and we are beside ourselves with pride’. It was sickening as they tried to play their foals up as better than the others.

Especially as Octavia watched her mother struggle to keep up.

“Why would friends be more important?” She asked suddenly, the innocent question causing Vinyl to look at her in surprise. Octavia’s ears drooped. “Was that a bad question to ask?”

Vinyl shook her head, eyes wide.

“No! It’s not, not for you anyway,” she replied quickly. “I’d wager you’ve never really know true friends. Having true friends is amazing. They totally get you in every way, they understand you, they accept you. They make you smile when you’re feeling down and they get angry when you get angry. They kick your enemies’ asses and take names. They cheer you on and keep cheering even when you don’t get it the first time. They’re ponies you can tell your darkest secrets to and you know they’ll keep them and not judge you for it. They are loyal and honest, but always tell you you look great in that dress or those jeans. They see you with their hearts instead of their eyes, like how you listen to music with your soul, not your ears.”

Octavia mulled that over. What a strange concept for her to think about, acceptance and trustworthiness from another pony. She wouldn’t know what to do with it, if she had it. Instead of trying to take all of that in at once, she chose another bit of the rant to comment on.

“What do mean you listen to music with your soul, not your ears? That’s not possible, you need your ears to hear,” Octavia said. They were rounding the football field, nearing an opening in the fence. Through it, Octavia could just see the shiny metal bleachers where a few brightly colored ponies sat, splashed against the gray. Vinyl led her through the opening, and the six ponies she knew came into view, grouped on the very bottom corner of the bleachers.

“Of course you listen to music with your soul, everyone can do it. You just need to let it happen that way, or else you do just listen to it with your ears and then it does absolutely nothing for you,” Vinyl replied. “Aren’t there moments where you’re playing the cello or listening to a piece and you just feel overflowed? Filled up to the brim with…god, with something and you have no clue what it is, but it feels great and suddenly you just want to smile or cry or dance…or explode, I have those moments too.”

Octavia pursed her lips.

“Well, I suppose…I don’t know,” she murmured. She really didn’t know, unsure of what Vinyl was talking about. Vinyl huffed.

“We need to get you out more,” the unicorn said. “That’s the very reason I love electronic music so much. There’s just a pull about it, something that hits straight into your heart. The beat nearly in sync with your heart, totally in sync with your life stream, and you can just get lost in it. There’s something beautiful about that. When somepony gets the melody just right? Perfection. When the beat is just hard enough? Magic. When it pulses through your body and gives you the chills? Music.”

Octavia felt that jealousy creep up again, and she struggled to quell it. She wanted that, too. She wanted to feel those things when she played her music. She wanted to feel that when she listened. She wanted that. All of it.

“I…I must confess, I’m jealous,” she forced out. Vinyl looked at her curiously.

“Why?”

Octavia took a deep breath.

“Because that sounds amazing and I don’t have it,” she confessed. And suddenly, by just saying that sentence, she felt her envy lift slightly. Her guilt no longer seemed as heavy. So she continued. “I don’t feel that and I really, really want to. I don’t know how and you make it sound so easy.”

Vinyl Scratch smiled, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

“Well, shit, I’ll just take you to a rave sometime. I can’t teach you, but I can put you in that environment and let it take over,” she replied happily. “It’s awesome and anyone can feel that, even a caged in filly like you.”

Octavia sniffed and pouted jokingly as they neared the group. She felt her heart drop as she was met with some angry stares and a few sad ones. Her ears fell and she pulled Vinyl closer to her unintentionally.

“What do you want?” Rainbow sneered, rolling a soccer ball between her fingers and looking like she wanted to throw it at Octavia’s face. Twilight wouldn’t look her in the eyes, so Octavia looked at the ground, wanting to cry again. Vinyl nudged her gently and Octavia struggled to find her courage. It was okay. Vinyl was right there with her.

“Um…I’m really…I’m really sorry,” she managed, her throat closing up of its own accord. Rainbow made a sound, but Octavia forced herself to continue, searching once more for that lifting feeling. “I was really rude to many of you and…that was very wrong of me to do, because all any of you tried to do was be my friend. I’m used to pushing others away and this time was no exception. That’s not an excuse though, and so I’m sorry.

“I was very jealous of all of you. Twilight, your cutie mark is so special. Mine is so dull and normal. Magic is amazing and I wish I had it. Pinkie Pie, you’re so fun and happy. You and all your things are always doing something fun and I hated that because I never get to have fun like that. Rarity, you’re so fabulous and fashionable. You and Vinyl get to wear clothing I could only ever dream about being allowed to wear. Applejack, you’re so laidback. I wish I could be as relaxed as you seem to be. Fluttershy, you’re so gentle and sweet. I’ve always ever been snobby and nasty to everypony.”

She really was on the edge of tears by now, her throat tight and her eyes stinging with tears. Like she hadn’t cried enough today. That lifting feeling she was getting was getting to be too much, overwhelming her as she struggled to be as truthful as she could be, her voice cracking with the effort.

“And Rainbow, you’re so like Vinyl. Free and happy and forward. Things I’ve never been able to have or be. I wanted everything you ponies had, and that made me really bitter because I don’t get to have it. It was wrong of me to treat you the way I did. I’m so, so sorry,” she finished, her tears finally spilling over. She hiccupped, feeling Vinyl squeeze her arm comfortingly. It was quiet for a moment, the only sounds coming from the field around them, then Rainbow spoke up.

“Eh. I guess you can’t be all bad if you’re jealous of me, right? I forgive you,” she said nonchalantly, twirling the soccer ball on one finger. Octavia gazed at her in surprise, her vision a bit blurry from the tears. Just like that? But…didn’t Rainbow Dash hate her?

Fluttershy stood, half-running over to her and wrapping her in a big hug, sounding like she was near tears herself.

“Oh, I’m so, so sorry too! I never thought for a minute you’d be jealous, how silly of me, I should have tried harder,” she said, speaking quickly. Octavia awkwardly hugged her back, one arm still trapped by Vinyl’s. Her tears had stopped out of pure shock over what was happening.

“N-no, it’s okay, it’s not your fault,” Octavia replied, thrown for a loop.

“I’m sorry you felt that way, Octavia, we should have noticed sooner,” she hear Twilight say (Fluttershy was having some difficulty letting her go, it seemed). “We should be apologizing to you, flaunting what we had in front of you without thinking it might upset you.”

“Oh, really, it’s—“

Octavia was cut off by yet another hug on top of Fluttershy’s, this one more forceful and much more pink as Pinkie Pie nearly body slammed her.

“NO SHUSH DON’T TALK EVERYTHING’S OKAY PINKIE’S HERE FOR YOU I’LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LOTS OF FUN ALL THE TIME WITH CUPCAKES AND SPRINKLES AND MORE FUN AND—“

Octavia reeled as Pinkie continued to shout in her ear about having fun, half blocking her out because if she didn’t, she might go deaf. She’d pictured hate. She’d picture anger. She’d pictured alienation.

She hadn’t pictured this.

What was this?

Finally being let go, she rubbed her tears off of her cheeks and smiled weakly at them all. They smiled back, and Octavia felt something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Happiness.

“Thank you,” she murmured, still thrown by how sudden they’d all forgiven her, even though she’d been so terrible and cold. Twilight waved a hand at her, smiling.

“Don’t worry about it, that’s what friends are for, right? True friends forgive each other, and what you did wasn’t really your fault,” the purple unicorn said. “Not everypony has what others have.”

Pinkie bounced in place, her yellow tutu flipping up and down with each bounce in time with her fluffy mane and tail.

“Ooo, ooo!! That’s also why we share! Friends always share with each other! You gotta shaaaaaare, you gotta caaaaaaaare—“ The pink pony was interrupted by Rainbow Dash tackling her to the ground, both of them laughing.

“You gotta stop her while she’s ahead or the whole world practically implodes,” the blue pegasus joked, sitting on top of Pinkie Pie, who just giggled and snorted on the turf. Octavia smiled at their antics, her happiness growing. She never wanted to leave, now. Going back home (if she even called it that) to a bland room and a tyrant mother. Sadness waned the happiness slightly, and she sighed.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go home now,” she admitted, reluctant. There came a chorus of “aww”s and general disappointment, but Octavia shook her head. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I don’t want to be home late, my mother would kill me. I’ll see you all later! And thank you, again, for being so kind to me.”

She left with Vinyl still tagging along, both of them waving to the group. They were almost to Octavia’s house when the earth pony realized that Vinyl was still walking with her, not saying a word.

“Vinyl, don’t you have to go home too?” She asked, looking over at the unicorn. Vinyl just smiled and shrugged.

“Nah, not really. My parents don’t get home til pretty late, so it’s either this or make music for the rest of the night,” she explained. “Both are great options and so I figured I’ll make music later, why not walk my new friend home?”

Octavia looked at Vinyl.

“I’m…your friend?” She asked softly. They were nearing her street. Vinyl glanced at her, then away sheepishly.

“Well…of course, dude. We had kind of a rough start, but…I think you’re kinda cool, in a shut in sort of way. Like there’s just this whole other Octavia, waiting to break out and go wild, you know what I mean?” She explained. Octavia glowed. She had a friend. She’d never had a real friend. And now she did.

They got to the end of her street and Octavia stopped, hesitantly unhooking her arm from Vinyl’s.

“I…think you’re very cool, too,” she murmured. Vinyl grinned widely, throwing her arms out wide and enveloping Octavia in a hug. The earth pony returned it gratefully, having forgotten just how nice hugs felt. And thinking especially how nice this one felt. “I have to leave you here, though. If my mother sees…”

Vinyl let go and sighed dramatically, like she had in the library, only without a table to drape herself over.

“Okay, okay. Go be strong, alright? She ain’t got nothin’ on your teenage-ness, you hear me?” She said. “I’ll catch ya tomorrow, Tavi! Keep smilin’, no matter what.”

Octavia smiled, then, and meant it. She turned and walked to her house, glancing back just once at her doorway, to see Vinyl Scratch still there, waving like a madpony.

Author's Note

Wow this is a long time in coming. I am so sorry. Do enjoy this, I slammed it out today, so I hope it’s alright. Thank you for everyone who’s being very patient and following along, I’ve been really busy lately with school and work, so I’ve been just exhausted. Along with that, I’ve had writer’s block. This was an attempt to cure that. Enjoy your rush.