Chapter Text
The day they graduated was a memorable one. Every single kid had gotten their high school diploma. Vertin, Sonetto, Regulus, and 37 all stood in front of a massive oak tree situated outside of their school. The four of them were dressed in their caps and gowns, holding their papers in their hands in a way that would be visible in front of the camera.
Madam Z stood in front, a subtle smile on her face as she adjusted the device in her hand, looking for the right angle.
"3, 2, 1, say cheese!"
"CHEESE!!" They all said it in unison, some less enthusiastically than others.
As the picture clicked, Regulus immediately rushed toward Madam Z, quickly snatching the camera from her hands as the other girls soon caught up to her.
Regulus, being the cheery one, had an arm around 37's shoulder while she held her diploma proudly in the other hand with a wide grin plastered on her face. 37 was smiling softly with her eyes closed as she leaned against Regulus' arm, holding the scroll with both her hands. Sonetto was on Regulus' right. She gave a small smile as she presented her diploma to the camera with a hint of pride in her expression. Finally, we had Vertin, who didn't show any particular emotion on her face, one hand holding the edge of her graduation cap, and the other showing the rolled paper.
"Aww, we look adorable here! We should take more pictures!" Regulus exclaimed.
"Regulus, I think one picture is enough for this moment," Vertin said.
"According to me, Regulus makes an excellent claim! We spent around 1461 days in high school, surely one picture isn't enough to portray the 4 years we spent in this building," 37 said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Please don't bombard me with numbers right after our graduation," Regulus groaned.
"Sonetto, what do you think?" Vertin asked.
The orange-haired girl, who was busy observing the girls' banter, was startled at the call of her name. She fidgeted with the paper in her hand as she thought of what decision to make.
"Perhaps, we can take 2 more?" she said shyly.
"Sonetto, this is why I love you! You're such a darling!" Regulus beamed as she went over to squeeze the girl in a tight hug, for which Sonetto couldn't even wrap her arms back around the other.
"Okay, everyone, a few more pictures and then we head over to the diner, alright? I can't wait to treat all of you on this special day," Madam Z stated calmly.
The girls nodded in unison as they went to find more spots to take pictures. One of them was in front of the school building, the others were pictures of them taken in duos, another was Regulus flipping off their math teacher while Sonetto was desperately trying to push her hand away before she could be noticed, and lastly, a picture of them all throwing their caps into the air as they finally reached freedom.
The group was looking through the pictures they had taken with the camera, making sure each shot was taken perfectly and hoping that none of them blinked or were too blurry. As they were doing so, an approaching figure appeared at the scene, one who was clad in red.
"I see that all of you were having fun before I even had the chance to arrive, huh?" a familiar voice said.
"Schneider!" Vertin said, her eyes lit up.
"Mia cara, it's been a while," Schneider said sweetly as she wrapped Vertin in a warm embrace.
Vertin chuckles softly. She had a bright smile painted on her face, one which was rare to see, and it was only ever brought out by Schneider.
Schneider laughs back softly as she stands on her tiptoes to give Vertin a chaste kiss.
"Alright, quit it, lovebirds, I'm starving to death—"
"37!" Sophia said as she came running over.
"You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME," Regulus shouted in annoyance.
"Sophia!" 37 said as she ran over and quickly pounced onto her, which ended up with both of them on the bed of grass beneath their feet. Sophia's cap fell a few meters away from the pair.
Everyone around them broke into laughter, including the two girls lying on the ground. 37 slowly got back on her two feet and helped Sophia get up as well.
"Well, is everyone here? Or are they going to be any more party crashers?" Madam Z said in an amused tone.
"I think that's all of us," Vertin replied.
"I still want to take a picture with Vertin; she looks dashing in her graduation gown and cap; this moment won't come back after all," Schneider said as she pinched Vertin's cheek, causing a red hue to form on her face.
"Me too, I haven't had a chance to take a picture with 37 yet either," Sophia added. She gave 37 an affectionate smile.
As both pairs went to pose for the camera, Regulus sighed and looked at Sonetto, who kept staring at Vertin and Schneider with a slight frown at the corner of her lips.
"Guess it's just you and me, huh? The singles of the group," Regulus said as she was trying to make conversation.
Sonetto didn't budge, though; it was as if she was lost in thought as she kept staring at the couple, the way Vertin held Schneider's waist, the smile she had ever since Schneider had entered the scene, and how her eyes had more light in them than they usually did.
Regulus noticed the way she was staring and decided to lighten the mood.
"So, Sonetto, since it's just the two of us who don't have anyone as special yet in our lives, what do you say we, you know… try being together?" Regulus whispered with mischief in her ear as she wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Sonetto's face immediately heated up at the thought as she quickly turned her head to Regulus, who was busy smirking at her.
"R-Regulus, I'm sorry but I… I don't see you that way," she stammered.
"Aw, and here I thought we had something," she replied in mock disappointment, which caused Sonetto to furrow her eyebrows as she tried to decipher whether the other girl was being serious or not.
"I'm kidding, love! Why are you so serious all the time!?" Regulus said as she burst into laughter.
"What is she laughing her head off about?" Sophia inquired, looking concerned for the beige-haired girl as everyone was walking back toward them.
"U-um, it's nothing, don't worry!" Sonetto replied quickly.
"Sonetto rejected me!" Regulus said with faux sadness.
"You had feelings for her?!" 37 said, surprised.
"Yes, I did—"
"NO SHE'S LYING!" Sonetto shot, her face as red as a tomato now.
"Enough. All of you. We've delayed this for quite a while now; it's about time I take you to that damn diner already." Madam Z said in frustration.
They all finally quieted down and followed Madam Z to the car.
At the diner, soft 80s music bounced off the walls, casting a warm light on the group as they were seated on a couch with a round wooden table. All of them were busy hunching over the menu, deciding what to order.
"Remember, you guys can order anything you like. I want to let you all know that I'm proud of each and every one of you for coming this far," Madam Z said.
They all "aww" in unison, and you could hear Regulus sniffling slightly in the corner.
"Well, one thing is for sure, I'm going to order all the Dr. Pepper this diner has to offer me tonight," she said proudly as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"What about the rest of us? All of Madam Z's money would be spent on your meal itself," 37 whined.
"Madam Z isn't that biased toward Regulus, 37, so don't worry," Sonetto assured with a soft smile on her face as Regulus shouted her name in an exasperated tone.
The sound of heels clacking loudly against the marble floor echoed as the waitress approached the group in her bright red uniform.
"What can I get y'all?" she asked, her tone bored.
Everyone stated their order, each of them taking advantage of what Madam Z had said, probably ordering the expensive dishes on the menu, except Sonetto and Vertin, who decided to stay humble.
Once the waitress left, they all broke into conversation, whether it be about the top 10 best moments in high school, or the way they were all close to breaking into a sobbing mess of how that time wasn't ever going to come back again, the girls were busy reminiscing about memories that will forever be ingrained in their hearts.
"Here's a practical question: what are you guys going to do for college?" Schneider asked.
Schneider was already in her third year of her business course for her bachelor's; her curiosity piqued as she wanted to know about the girls' ambitions for their future.
At first, there was silence among the group, each of their eyes darting towards each other as if they were all unsure of what to say.
"Well, since music has been one of my greatest passions, I decided that I want to form a band," Regulus broke with a smug grin on her face.
"Don't you guys already have one formed?" Sophia asked.
"Yeah, but I mean professionally," she answered.
"Regulus… are you serious?" Sonetto asked, a hint of fear in her expression.
"Of course I am, I mean, come on girls, we already played for the school before, and people loved us by the way—so why not make it the real deal?"
"I got my acceptance letter from MIT. It would feel great to be surrounded by people who see numbers as something transcendental, just like I do! So, I'm not sure if I want to join a band," 37 Spoke.
"I thought of going to law school as well," Sonetto added.
"Guys, come on, aren't you willing to gamble a little?" Regulus shot.
"The probability of us becoming famous and making a career out of it is around 3.69%" 37 retorted.
"Now you're just making that up, Vertin. Come on, defend me!" Regulus whined.
Vertin watched the heated exchange with curiosity in her eyes as she lay back against the red leather of the couch, tracing the material. Like always, her expression was unreadable before she responded coolly.
"I wouldn't mind joining the band if we form one."
"Vertin, you're actually serious?" Schneider asked her softly.
"I am," she responded without hesitation.
The group has always been together ever since they were kids; they've been with each other through thick and thin, and being in different classes never stopped them from spending time with each other. Growing up, 37 and Sonetto were naturally the more studious ones, while Vertin and Regulus lost themselves in music. When they studied, the other two were busy playing with the strings of their guitars until their fingers bled, they'd compose songs together like their lives depended on it; staying up till 3 at night when they were supposed to submit an essay which was due a few hours ago, even if it sounded like pure trash, it was the process that mattered to them the most.
Regulus loved to sing, but she also loved the guitar even more; whether it be acoustic or electric, she would play that damn instrument day and night, and surely she couldn't live without it.
Vertin dedicated her life to her bass; she played the guitar with Regulus at the beginning but found herself gravitating more to the other instrument. Her guitar skills haven't rusted at all, though. She may not seem like it, but she does love songwriting. She and Regulus always write together, but there are also times when she writes by herself. It may not be as great as Sonetto's poetry, but she pours her feelings out in them; it doesn't matter whether it's lyrical perfection or not.
Sonetto was always the goody two-shoes, submitting assignments on time, excelling on tests with no less than a 90%, and of course, she was on the student council. Although back at home, whenever she wasn't studying, she'd be busy holed up in her room writing poems or playing the piano. The instrument was something she had played since she was a kid. Whenever the world had put too much burden on her shoulders, she always found solace by playing a few chords, even if they were musically aligned or not.
37, she has a thing for numbers, to the point that everyone can tell. Math is technically her only interest; she never cared about other subjects as much as this one, and she thought English was utterly stupid. She certainly for one never thought she'd get into music either, until one day she messed around with the drums during band practice because she was "bored". To Regulus' surprise, she had actually made a beat out of fooling around and immediately asked her to join the band. 37 was hesitant at first, but she decided to anyway, and she ended up liking playing the drums more than she thought she would.
The four played for the school in various competitions and won most of them as well. People clearly adored them, and they would be unstoppable if they decided to establish themselves in the industry.
The entire evening flew by as they stuffed themselves, while the big question loomed over their heads. Madam Z had left in between because she had an important meeting to attend, but she left the girls with some money to pay for the bill in case they ordered anything extra, leaving the girls all alone.
Sonetto had finished eating early and decided to go outside to get some fresh air. The night breeze brushed against her face, causing her to shiver slightly, and she put her hands into the pockets of her white jacket. Cars kept going in and out of the parking lot. She was observing this sight before her, while she thought to herself.
"A band? Is it worth it?"
Before she could spiral more into her thoughts, she heard the sound of the glass doors opening, and a Grey-haired figure was within her sight.
"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Vertin asked.
"I just wanted some fresh air," Sonetto replied as she shifted slightly on her feet.
Vertin stood beside her with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jacket as well, staring at the cars in the parking lot along with her. There was a lot of silence, but it was a comfortable one; one that they always fall into when they're together. They enjoy each other's presence even if they don't exchange words while doing so.
"You're worrying about Regulus' question, aren't you?" she broke the silence.
Sonetto's eyes widened. She always found it bizarre how Vertin could always read her mind whenever she isolated herself from others.
"Indeed, I am," The orange-haired girl replied softly. She took her hands out of her pockets and decided to fiddle with the woolen fabric instead.
"If you want to go to law school, you should go," she stated.
Sonetto stayed silent, waiting for her to elaborate.
"You worked hard, ever since we were kids. It'd be a shame to see it all go to waste—I mean, not everyone has steady grades since they were children, you know?" Vertin continued.
Sonetto blushed slightly; she was always weak for Vertin's compliments, her eyes darting between Vertin and the cars.
"Then again, it was nice to have you in the band, you play the keyboard well, and you have some talent in it, or rather, you're just talented in everything in general," she said in awe.
Sonetto could practically hear her heart beating in her ears. She looked away so that Vertin wouldn't be able to see the bright shade of pink that was present on her porcelain cheeks.
"What I'm trying to say is… whatever decision you make," she says as her hand reaches toward Sonetto's, holding it gently. "I'll be supporting you no matter what, and that there will always be a place for you somewhere," she stated firmly as she reached out to take the other girl's hand.
Sonetto dared to look at the sight of their hands intertwining with each other, but she didn't have the guts to look at Vertin's face, because she knew she'd lose it right then and there if she saw her soft, grey eyes staring at her.
"Vertin! Come pay the bill!" Regulus shouted.
Vertin scoffed softly before replying, "Can't you pay it yourself?"
"I'm pretty sure if Madam Z were here, she'd prefer you to do it," she shot back.
"Coming," Vertin said as she pulled her hand away from Sonetto's, but before she went inside, she added
"You should come inside, too."
Sonetto nodded while Vertin went inside; she was already missing the warmth of her hand, even if it was just a little, and it made her feel warm on the inside as well.
She sighed to herself heavily. There was a war going on within her mind, but the words that echoed the loudest were "There will always be a place for you somewhere".
Somewhere, anywhere, she just wanted a place to belong, a place where she could feel safe, a place that would feel like a second home.
Law school always felt like something she felt obligated to do, given her education and her history of consistently achieving more than she needed to. Why? She never really knew; maybe it was just so that she could prove herself worthy, so that she could be seen as an asset to others, but that doesn't limit to studying law, doesn't it?
After five minutes, she went inside, each step taken filled with purpose; she took a deep breath in.
"I hope you won't make me regret my decision," a familiar voice said.
"Nonsense! You won't, I assure you, that we will make our names heard in the industry. It's a promise!" Regulus said with confidence.
Sonetto stumbled upon the conversation, and everyone turned their heads toward her.
"You came back! Are you alright, darling? You were out there for quite a while," Regulus asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
"I made my decision," she blurted.
Everyone stayed silent, waiting for her to continue with expectant eyes, but Sonetto's stayed on only one pair: Vertin's.
Vertin looked at her with a soft expression on her face, her eyes luring Sonetto into the deep pools of gray until she saw them crinkle. She had a subtle smile on her face, one that dissipated her anxiety momentarily, reminding her that everything would be alright. Finally, she gave a small nod, giving her the courage to speak.
"I'll join the band," Sonetto stated.
"No way! You're serious?!" Regulus said with disbelief.
The orange-haired girl nodded, confirming her decision.
"This is gold! I convinced 37 and now Sonetto too? Vertin, was this your doing?" She asked excitedly.
"I told her what she needed to hear; the decision she made was completely her own choice," Vertin said.
"Persuasive as always, mia cara," Schneider said, giggling softly.
Vertin shot her a wink with a soft, cheeky smile.
"Guys, this is wicked, I can't believe we're doing this," Regulus said, still trying to process the whole situation.
"Well, you better believe it, or else I'm going to go to MIT," 37 stated firmly.
"Alright, alright, I promise you guys we will rock everyone's world with our music, and I will make sure of it," she said, her voice dripping with conviction. "So, to us?" she said, presenting her hand forward.
Vertin put her palm on the back of Regulus' hand and nodded, "To us."
37 Joined in too immediately, then the three looked at Sonetto.
Sonetto nodded, a small, determined smile on her face as she put her hand on top of all of theirs. "To us."
"To us! May we make history!" Regulus said as they all lifted their hands and looked up, shouting in unison with her.
The future was uncertain for them; the girls had no idea what they were getting themselves into. It is a path filled with many ups and downs, ones that can drive a man crazy. Then again, if you're going to form a band, faith is a must if you want to survive in the long run, and giving up is not an option in rock and roll.
And they were the white doves.