Vinyl stepped outside, a small smile on her face. It was far from the grin that usually graced her features, but it showed she was on the mend. She was happy to have finally told somepony, and was sure to take Lyra's advice. After all, Lyra knew of all ponies what it was like to fall in love as a fillyfooler.

It was four years ago. Lyra and Vinyl sat on a small hill in Ponyville's park, dreaming away a sleepy Sunday with music. Lyra strummed delicately on her lyre, while Vinyl fooled around with her new electric guitar, one that she didn't play often anymore, but it still made her feel a bit better when she was down. They immersed themselves in idle conversation, mostly losing themselves in the morning sun.

"Have you seen that grey pegasus colt around? I haven't seen him in like two years. And he owes me money." Vinyl said, trying out a new tune.

"Who? I don't think I know any- Ah!" Suddenly she scooted around hid behind her ivory coated friend.

"What the hay are you doing, Lyra?"

"It's her! Don't let her see me!" Vinyl rolled her eyes behind her thick shades and looked over to the path nearby, and sure enough, the cream coloured earth pony mare with black and pink hair strolled past, taking in the sun. Vinyl sighed heavily at her friend's expression.

"Dude, you really need to get this sorted out. Just talk to her or something."

"I can't do that! What if she doesn't like me! What if she knows I've been following her!"

"Seriously?"

"I didn't just say that."

Vinyl shouldered her guitar. "C'mon, Lyra. Let's go for a walk. I think we need to talk about this."

"Okay." She set her Lyre into her saddlebags and followed her best friend into town. Unbeknownst to her, Vinyl had a plan.

"Okay, explain everything."

"I just… love her. She's so pretty, and… I don't know! I just know she's special. You're lucky, you just go with anypony that takes your fancy."

"Yeah, I'm pretty great."

Vinyl slowed her pace slightly, not noticeable, but just enough to get them at that confectionary shop at just the right time.

"So who's your fillyfriend at the moment?"

"She's not my fillyfriend, I was just drunk and in the mood last night. I'll have somepony new soon."

"That's just my point! How can you just not care! That's not love, it's just physical attraction!"

"It is love, I'm just a very loving pony, so I have to spread my love to everypony."

Lyra raised her eyebrow at her. "You're gonna have a shock when you fall in love, V."

"I'm not a commitment pony, Lyra. You should know that by now." She looked slightly over her shoulder, and could see the curly haired mare walking towards them, heading for work.

"So, Lyra, what would you say to her if you saw her right now?"

"Well, uh… I don't know… Wait, why?"

And with that, Vinyl gave her friend a shove with her flank, so she toppled slightly and banged into Bon bon.

"Oh my god! I-I'm so sorry!" Lyra's face was beetroot red, and she backed away slightly.

"Oh, it's okay… Lyra, isn't it?"

Lyra stood with her mouth open. "You know my name?"

Bon bon chuckled slightly. "Of course, I always love listening to you play."

Lyra very nearly passed out at this point, and Vinyl took her leave, her good work done for now. Lyra would thank her later.

Vinyl smiled to herself, reminiscing about the old days between them. That was before Octavia had even moved down to Ponyville, and Vinyl had started feeling strange around her.

Vinyl looked around her, and realised that she was getting some funny looks. Had she been skipping again? She'd done that one time when she was daydreaming, and it had taken a week to live down. It had also nearly shaken her shades straight off her f-

Oh Celestia. She hadn't removed her shades in public for nearly a decade, and nopony outside her circle of friends had seen her eyes in a long time, if at all.

Maybe nopony'll notice too much, she thought to herself.

"Mummy," Vinyl heard a small filly ask. "Why is the mare evil?"

Vinyl winced and stopped walking.

"I'm sure she's not evil dear."

"But the big metal pony always has red eyes when he's evil mummy!"

"That's different dear." Vinyl started walking again, hastily trying to get away from the conversation.

She remembered the last time she didn't wear her shades, when she was a tiny filly.

"Yeah, just get out of here, Demon scratch!" A group of colts chased after her, throwing things.

"You gonna curse us? Witch!"

Vinyl had cried a lot that night, and vowed never to reveal her eyes in public again. Over the years, she'd considered taking them off, but things would never change. Nopony ever just accepts me for who I am. She said sadly. She blinked back tears as she galloped up the stairs into her flat.

Mum and dad hated my music, kicked me out of the house when they found I like mares…

No. Octavia's different. She said my eyes are beautiful, and she's the one who matters. Now, a plan of action. She walked inside. Now, you're gonna go to her house, knock on the door, go inside and tell her how you feel. Now let's do this.

It was half an hour later. Vinyl sat in her studio, listening to Octavia's solo for the sixth time in a row, surrounded by empty chocolate wrappers.

Coward…

Octavia lowered her bow. She'd made another mistake on her cello, and that almost only happened when something was wrong. She lowered it sadly. She knew something was wrong anyway, a feeling clawing at the back of her mind.

Vinyl…

She knew something was wrong with her. She'd been acting so strangely recently, not meeting her eyes, stammering every time she came near, and she'd quite often catch her with an extremely red face. Yes, something was wrong, but what? The unicorn mare was always so cool and collected, and something had her messed up inside. Octavia didn't like it this way, even if they didn't argue any more.

She missed the old Vinyl.

She didn't understand why, but she did. She just didn't know what to do.

Whatever's wrong with her, she clearly won't tell you, a voice said. She doesn't trust you. Or maybe you are the problem. The moment she thought it, she knew it was ridiculous. But who would she tell? She sighed sadly.

Wait, Lyra! Those two are as thick as thieves! She put her cello away carefully and ran out the door. She always knows what's going on.

It was only a short walk down to Lyra's house, made shorter by the fact that she was running. She gently smoothed her soft mane into her usual elegant style, and knocked on the door. Once again, Bon bon was the one to answer. She was wearing a blue floral apron and was wearing a pair of oven mitts.

As soon as she opened the door, she gasped in surprise and giggled slightly.

"Oh, hello. C-can I help you, Octavia?"

"Uh, yes." She said, looking mildly confused. "Can I speak to Lyra please?"

Bon bon looked at her as if she'd just uttered a codeword. "Of course! I'll just go get her." And with that, she trotted quickly upstairs, sniggering quietly. Octavia was starting to feel in a huff. She was worried about Vinyl, confused as to why, and now Bon bon was laughing at her. Is it my mane? She thought, and checked herself in the reflective surface of the oven in the kitchen opposite her. Nothing seemed amiss. So what's going on?

After a minute or so, Lyra sauntered down the stairs and pulled her into the living room, closing the door behind her. She sat down on the sofa in her signature style.

"So, what can I do you for, Tavi? As if I don't know." She smiled knowingly.

"What are you talking about? I just wanted to talk to you about Vinyl because-"

"Yes?" Lyra leaned forward, looking at her expectantly.

"Because she seems very off character at the moment, and I'm worried about her. Do you know what's wrong?"

"Wait, you don't… Oh!" She said, surprise showing on her face. Then she giggled and clapped her hooves together with glee. "In that case, do I have something to tell you."

"What?" Octavia said nervously, taking a step backwards.

"Well," Lyra said, stepping off the sofa. "I happen to have been told something very important by a pony, and guess what? She never said I couldn't tell anypony."

"W-what?"

"It just happens, that Vinyl scratch… is in love." Octavia stared at her in disbelief for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing. Before long, Lyra joined in, and the two mares rolled around on the floor. It was almost a minute before Lyra regained the ability of speech, and she simply said: "And you'll never guess who it is, Tavi, because… it's you."

Octavia instantly stopped laughing, and deadpanned at her fellow musician.

"What?" Octavia was seriously losing her composure at this point.

"Mmhmm. Spoken by the mare herself. Came and told me about an hour and a half ago now. I thought she was gonna go tell you right then. Weird."

Octavia didn't say anything for quite some time relaying the past day's events in her mind. Vinyl had been rather flustered to see me, she thought. And how she'd acted all jumpy. And then, when we just passed by her flat… was she looking at my flank? Her face took a slight pinkish tinge. And then when I was standing so close to her, looking into her eyes… Oh Celestia! What have I done! And then how she responded to my playing… She snapped out of the daydream.

"Thank you, Lyra." She quickly hugged her friend, and rushed out the door.

Oh Celestia, how can she not hate me? She galloped as quickly as she could towards Vinyl's flat, tears beginning to form in her eyes. I hope it's not too late…

I like cliffhangers. As always, tell me whatever you think. I'm looking forward to your opinions!