Fractured

11%

Trixie looked back and forth between Katya and Jess, furrowing her brows and trying not to gawk at the fact that they were somehow already acquainted with one another.

Violet noted the uncomfortable and confused emotion that had spawned upon Trixie's face and rested a hand on her shoulder before speaking up and asking:

"Oh! So how do you two know each other?"

Jess stepped back and shrugged and appeared to become a bit flustered as she answered,

"Well we uh - we went to school together."

Katya nodded and added:

"Yea, yea back in Russia - in Kazan actually."

Jess smiled warmly and nodded.

"Yea...it's a been... awhile, actually."

Trixie smiled,

"Oh, so you were just school mates then?"

Jess chuckled and nodded.

"Oh well, you know... and then some."

Katya looked at the ground and cleared her throat nervously.

Trixie could feel every muscle in her body tensing up with anxiety and had unknowingly begun to grind her teeth, too.

Violet looked at Trixie and back at the other girls.

"Well I need to Introduce Trix to some old friends in the back room so how about we go do that and, uh - you know, you guys can catch up or whatever..."

Violet pulled Trixie away quickly while awkwardly laughing and whispering something to her.

Jess swayed back and forth on her feet a bit while she waited for the room to clear more. She looked up at Katya and raised an eyebrow...

"So..."

Katya rubbed the back of her neck and gulped,

"So..."

Jess sighed and walked over to one of the  picnic benches to take a seat and patted for Katya to sit across from her in which Katya obliged.

"This is where you ended up then hey?"

Katya looked away and nodded

"Yea... yea after our brief return to Russia for those few years we ended up coming here and we just... stayed."

Jess nodded and smirked.

"Lots of fine girls here, don't blame ya"

Katya tried to force a laugh but couldn't really, the irony of the situation was all too much and Jess was oblivious.

"Yea... totally, that's why I stayed"

She rolled her eyes playfully and looked over as Trixie came back out with a group of other girls from the back room.

She walked over and sat down next to Jess and hugged her gently, Jess rested an arm over Trixie's shoulders and looked back at Katya.

"Well, this is my Girlfriend, Trixie - but you obviously already knew that, hey?"

Katya could feel the heat in her face as she nodded,

"Yup, sure do"

She laughed tensely.

The conversation (though it wasn't much of one) ended abruptly as Violet stood up on a small platform with a mic and introduce herself.

"Good afternoon folks! I hope you'll enjoy this small get together to support my daddy's  completed investment in the fine arts university that was recently built and finished."

She paused and grinned as she scanned the room.

"Today I was hoping we could all enjoy lunch and some conversation but also my good friend, Trixie Mattel will be performing a song and my other friend Katya Zamolodchikova has some drawings out on display along the back wall if you'd like to take a look,"

She paused as the crowed clapped a bit and proceeded to conclude her statement.

"My father has granted me permission to grant five young aspiring artists with full ride scholarships as well, please feel free to enter some of our raffles set up at the front door and speak to the four managers and advisors who are sat at the far left table near the entrance - and thank you all for attending!"

Jess stood up at the end and looked back at Trixie,

"I'll be right back, gotta go to the washroom."

Katya looked to Trixie as Jess walked away.

"Well, not all that surprised you're singing"

She smiled softly.

Trixie looked over,

"You offered to share your art?"

Katya shrugged and nodded

"Nothing to lose."

Trixie licked her lips and frowned,

"But so much to gain"

Katya slumped down a bit

"Maybe..."

She changed the subject and looked back up at Trixie,

"So, what are you gonna sing?"

Trixie shook her head,

"I have two songs in mind, but I'll decide when I go up there."

Katya nodded and pursed her lips.

"How'd ya meet, Jess?"

Trixie was a bit caught off guard,

"Well uh, her work actually, she's a barista at a coffee shop I frequent."

Katya nodded,

"Oh...cute."

"Yea, so... when Jess said you were school mates and then some... what exactly did that mean?"

Katya looked back at Trixie and met her eyes.

"We... experimented - briefly I guess. Back when I was questioning myself... nothing that really matters, it's all history."

Jess had been walking up behind Katya when she said this.

Trixie and Katya looked back as Jess laughed and huffed.

"We dated for a year and a half but yea that was 'nothing that really mattered' wow..."

Trixie raised her brows and Katya sighed and rested her head in her hands.

"Oh lord..."

{ A/N: oh damn, an update - back to back and only a day apart ??? Dang, ahaha }