Studio 22 | Mary-Kate Olsen

Chapter Twenty-One

MARY-KATE'S POV

June 10th 2022 - New York City - Safe Haven Community Centre

The support group was dragging, I think it was because my eyes didn't leave the clock for longer than two seconds. I was eager to see Blue, to know if I overstepped and had ruined our friendship thoroughly after Saturday night. She didn't text me when she got home. I don't even know if she got home.

I rushed out of the room the second I could and walked to where Blue's support group was being held, their door was permanently closed but there was a small window and I peeked through. I could see the back of her head, she had her hair tied up in a messy bun. When their session finished everyone filed out but she stayed to stack the chairs, this explains why she came out a little after me every week. Of course, she stayed behind to help that's the type of person she was. I had never met her outside of the room before and a few people gave me curious looks as they passed me.

I pushed the door open and slipped in, a man in a wheelchair noticed me before Blue did. Blue was talking openly about her brother. "I still think I'm going to see him when I go down for breakfast. I forget... When does that-." She stopped talking when she noticed me in the room. I just looked at her not knowing if I should say hello or run from her. "I'll be done in a minute," She says in the usual soft tone she uses with me, nothing like the firm one she used on Saturday night. I nodded and stayed by the door, the man observed me for a few moments before giving his attention back to Blue who had long forgotten the conversation they were having.

She finished with the chairs pretty quickly and soon after she had we were walking the streets heading to the coffee shop we spend Monday mornings in. Neither of us was talking, I was too scared I'd say something wrong and she'd walk away again. She opened the door for me so I went to grab the table and she got the coffees. We took it in turns every week. I liked that it was a silent agreement and we both stuck to it without kicking up a fuss over who was paying. I picked a booth for us in the back. She carried the drinks over and set them down.

Silence.

I would love to say the silence communicated something but it didn't, it was just dead air hanging between us. I didn't know what to say, I wanted to apologise but I wasn't sorry for getting her to tell me, I was sorry she felt shit about what happened, that she blamed herself. But I wouldn't be apologising for that. She fiddled with her dog tags that hung around her neck, my eyes were fixated on them. I fought the urge to ask any more questions about her time in the military.

"I'm not mad," She said not looking at me but clearly she was talking to me. "You're not?" "Why would I be?" She looked at me for a second before tucking her chain away and picking up her mug. "I don't know," I say with a shrug. I did know why she'd be mad because I pushed her and made her think about things she would rather forget. "Exactly."

"You didn't text me when you got home," I said, sounding pathetic, she was a grown woman she didn't have to text me that she got home safe. "I didn't get home until 6. Didn't want to wake you." "6?" I questioned. I got into my apartment at 2, she would have gotten home at 3 where did she go? "I went out to a bar with some of my brother's friends." "You don't like your brother's friends," I state with narrowed eyes, was she lying to me? "He needed me. I was there. It's what we do." I didn't question her anymore as I could see her growing tense.

"My family are having a BBQ on Thursday... The Row is closed for the day... Did you want to come?" I asked, quickly changing the subject so there was no more tension between the two of us.  "Your family?" She questioned with a cocked brow. "My siblings, my parents, aunts, uncles. Nothing too big." "Why would I be there?" She wasn't asking in a rude way, I think she was just trying to locate her place in that situation. "A few friends will be there," I assured her. She nodded. "You'll come?" "If you want me there, I'll be there." That was easier than anticipated.  "Why?" "That's what friends do," She stated simply before sipping her drink. "Don't you want Rachel or Erin there?" "I would have asked them if I did." She nodded. "I want to see your designs today, please." I informed her. "Sure, they're in studio 3 on the board, Justine was critiquing them on Friday." Justine was the project manager for the intern's project we had them working on. I didn't like the thought of her putting Blue down. Justine could be harsh and often wrong. She says she's trying to develop their stance in fashion. Making sure the new interns stand by their designs even if they're criticised but I think she just gets a kick out of pulling people down. "What did she say?" I asked, wanting to know if she felt like Blue needed her resilience building. "Nothing yet. I left early on Friday, Sage came and picked me up remember?" I nodded.