>Things weren’t the way they used to be
 
>You unlock the door and step inside
>Looking around at the dimly lit living room, you flick on the lights
>The room was empty
“Are you home, Octavia?”
>...
>No response
>Where was she?
>She should be home by now
>Well, technically, she should be
>It was almost 8 P.M
>But her practices always seemed to go late
>As usual
 
>It just wasn’t the same
 
>Ever since she’s gotten that big contract..
>She’s been arriving home late - long after you went to bed
>And leaving earlier than by the time you woke up
>It was like you never saw her anymore
>She is always so constantly busy
>You can’t even remember the last time you both went out to enjoy an evening together, just you and her
 
>You head towards the kitchen and wash your hands
>Taking a cup from the cabinet above the counter, you go back to the sink
>You pour some water from the faucet into the glass
 
>A twinge of guilt hits your chest as you sip from the cup
>You know how much this contract meant to her
>She was absolutely floored when she heard the news
>You can remember her bubbly squeals of excitement
>And you can still recall seeing her eyes sparkle with joy
>The memory of her happiness finds its way to force a smile on you
>But even the grin doesn’t take away from what you feel internally
 
>You hear the door unlock
>Setting the glass down, you turn your attention to the turning doorknob
>Home so close to 8?
>You don’t even remember the last time this has happened
>The door slowly creaks forwards
>She enters, walking in as slowly as the door opened, carrying her cello on her back
>Her eyes remained fixated to the floor she walks on
 
“Welcome home, dear”
>No response
>Instead, she makes her way across the living room to the couch and drops her cello case indifferently on the ground
>She climbs up the couch and pushes herself into a corner of pillows  
>She stares blankly downwards
“You’re home early”
>Octavia suddenly begins sobbing into a pillow
>You rush over to the couch
“Hey, hey..”
>You sit to the right of her
“What’s the matter, Octavia?”
>She continues to sob
 
>Instead of speaking further, you decide to slowly stroke her mane
>As you continue to gently stroke her, the crying slowly begins to settle
>Finally, the room becomes silent as her tears paused
“‘Tavi.. look at me”
>She turns to you revealing her red, puffy eyes
“What happened?”
>Octavia closes her eyes as if she was going to fight back tears again
>She shakes
>”T-t-the a-gency.. they t-old me t-that my p-playing would n-ot...be required a-a-anymore”
“But... I thought there was a contract involved in this?”
>”Of course I-I know that, b-but apparently it d-didn’t m-m-matter to them anymore-e”
>Tears begin to well in her face again
“‘Tavi..”
>You reach over to comfort her
>She quickly pushes you away
>”O-oh like you’re, a-actually u-upset by this-s”
 
“What?  Of course I am upset Octavia.  Why wouldn’t I be?”
>She glares up at you
>”Y-you must b-be so h-happy that I lost the c-contract”
“What!?”
>You feel like as if she just slapped you across the face
>You stand up from the couch
“Octavia, why would I be happy that my marefriend is crying her eyes out?!”
>Her voice rises
>”Oh s-stop playing dumb A-anon!  Y-you know what I’m t-talking about!”
“No, I really don’t, I don’t understand what you’re getting at here!”
>”Of course you do!”
>...
“If this is about how you won’t be gone as much anymor-”
>”Of course i-it is!”
 
>Well, you admit she was right to a certain point
>This did mean she would be home much more now
>But that doesn’t mean you’re happy that she doesn’t get to do what she loves more often
>Even if it is at your expense
 
“Look.  Right now, I don’t care about that.  Right now, I don’t like seeing you in pain”
>She quickly turns her head away from you, as if you answered incorrectly
>What did she want from you?
>What were you supposed to say to her?
“I don’t care about what I want right now, I’m worried about you!”
>She scoffs, turning her look away from you
“Well I’m sorry that I would like to spend more time with you now and again!  Is that what you want me to apologize for!?”
>Now Octavia stands up from the couch
 
>”You know that I’d l-llike to spend w-with you too!  But I can’t always be a-around, don’t you u-u-understand that!”
“Of course I get that!  But when I don’t even see you walk in the door at night or leave in the morning, when I don’t get to talk with you and ask how your day went, when we don’t get to spend time togeth-”
>”Ugh, y-you think y-you’re the only one who feels that way?  Y-you think you’re the only one that wants those things?!  Do you k-know how hard it is to have two chores that take care of at the same time!?”
>A chore?
 
“So... is that what I am to you now, a chore?”
>The color drains from her face
>Her pupils dilate as her ears go flat
“Alright.. I understand that”
>”No.. Anonymous I didn-”
>You make for the door
 
“I’m going out.”
>”..A-Anon wait.. no.. I didn’t mea-”
>The door already slammed shut
 
***********************************************
 
>You make your way through the streets to the nearby park
>As you briskly walk, the thoughts of the argument cloud your mind in a fog of dissonance
>So is that really what you were to her now, a chore?
>Just some obligation that she had to keep track of?
 
>After walking through the pathways of the park, you begin to lose your steam
>You find the closest bench that you can and sit on it
>You bury your head into your hands, positioning themselves on your knees
>What the hell was she saying back there...
>It’s not like you felt you were asking for much
>You just wanted to actually feel like you were with her
>Even if you were being too clingy right now, you don’t care
>You still loved her so much
>You pull at your hair with your fingers
>Now you just listen to the symphony of crickets by the pond behind you
>The fog envelops your mind
 
 
>”Anonymous?”
>...
>”Anonymous?”
>Finally realizing that your name was being called, you slowly raise your head to the familiar voice
>You see Octavia who was standing a meter in front of you
>She had a frantic look her eye, her breathing was uneven
“How’d you find me here?”
>She tries to regain her composure after a few shaky breaths
>”I figured you couldn’t have gone far...especially since after you left, I tried to follow you...but then I lost sight of you... so I had to guess where you could be...”
 
>”Remember when we both have came here that one time and we tried to feed the ducks in this pond?”
>You do
>But you don’t respond
>That must have been almost 5 or 6 months ago
>Your surprised she even remembers
>”And well.. I just sort of assumed even after I lost sight of you that you couldn’t have made it too far, so I sort of just made a guess..”
>"And thankfully, it turned out to be right.."
>You return to your prior position, putting your hands to your face
 
>You can feel the bench creak as she moves on top of it
>A heavy silence hangs in the air
>The uneasy stillness is almost deafening
>...
>”Anon…”
>...
>Her voice drops
>”..I’m sorry...I’m so sorry, Anonymous”
>Your eyes still remain shut against your palms
>But your ears hear something
>The sound of Octavia sniffling quietly
>You turn your head and peek with your right eye
>She’s lying completely on her stomach with her forelegs covering her face
>Her whimpers are again accompanied by sort trembles
 
>Even though you felt distressed from what she said to you earlier...
>It truly hurts you even more to see her like this
 
>Sitting straight up, you look over at her next to you
>...
“Be honest..I’m a really a burden to you, Octavia?”
>She removes her front legs and raises herself rapidly
>”No!  You are not a burden to me Anon!”
“That’s clearly not what you implying back at-”
>”I don’t know what came out of my mouth back home...Anonymous... please, I didn’t mean it like that...”
>You turn away from her and stare up towards the lights from the sky above
>...
>”Anonymous, please forgive me... I’ll make it up to you, I promise!”
>She quickly tries to recover
>”Now that I don’t have to be so busy all the time, we can do more things together like we once said we would…."
>"...Anon?”
>You didn’t know what to think
>Her head hangs down in remorse as her ears go back flat
>...
>”Anonymous... do you even love me anymore?”
 
>The question is like a flash of lightening to your brain
>Of course you still loved her
>You felt like loved her more than tongue could tell
>But that didn’t mean you couldn’t try....
>You look towards her as she looks down through the cracks of the bench
“You know that I still love you, Octavia”
 
>Her ears perk up to the sound of your response
“You are everything to me”
>She slowly raises her head as you continue
“...without you, I feel like I would have no reason for being, I would be lost”
>Octavia rests her brilliant purple eyes deep into your own
 
>Your bodies now touch, as she gently places a hoof on your leg
“I can’t even begin to describe to you how much I care for you, it would be like counting the stars of the night sky”
>You reach around and feel her soft, silky mane between your fingers
>”Anon..”
>Her eyes begin to water again
>But for a different reason
“My love for you has no limits, no bounds, no matter what happens, I will always have love for you”
>You are both now holding each other under the moonlight above
 
>Octavia makes her delicate voice heard
>One simple request
>”Kiss me, Anonymous”
>You lean over, pressing your lips warmly with hers in fervent osculation…
 
end