Framed Connection

Chapter 11: Annoyances and Whispers

Lately, Roxanna has been feeling a little bit drained again, and no it's not because she isn't getting enough rest. She is getting some great sleep actually. The reason for her lack of energy though... well let's just say it's a certain someone that's been popping up a lot recently. Remember Andy? Well let's just say she can't help noticing him everywhere she goes in the building.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was just her passing by him every now and again. However this was different, as in he's a fly on the wall. Much to her annoyance, as ignoring him isn't that easy either. For example one day she decided to visit the break room to grab herself a coffee and a snack. Who does she see by the coffee machine? Well is it believable to say that it's Andy? Okay maybe not the best example considering the circumstances. Well then, here's another, One day Roxanna had walked out the copy room with a stack of warm papers. Conveniently there was Andy just standing by the break room door. Precise

Okay maybe not all that coincidental. What about the time when she decided to go out to lunch. Take a guess who's in the Lobby...

Times up It's good ole Andy standing there by the turn gates. With a smile only she could describe as punchable.

Even in her department office isn't sacred anymore, as lately the marketing team has been having a lot of meetings in her department. Also Roxanna's desk is just a couple steps away from the meeting room. It seems timing is never on her side. As for whatever reason she always seems to be looking over to her left when they are exiting the room. Andy would always grin and give her a small wave. At this point Roxanna believes he might be stalking her which creeps her out a little.

Valdes always seems to take note of this, which gives him more fuel to antagonize her. As he started giving her the task of delivering documents to the planning and marketing department more frequently. Saying it would give her more time to see her 'boyfriend'. Roxanna has contemplated multiple times whether putting them both through the shredder was worth it. Having to remind herself that she can't write columns from a prison cell.

The cherry on top of the cake with these unsolicited interactions. They come with the constant feeling of being watched every time they happen. Roxanna would turn around and some of her co-workers, even people from other departments whispering and murmuring. At first she just thought it was all in her head and that she was overthinking it. However as each interaction played out it became blatantly obvious.

"Please don't get the wrong idea. I'm only around him against my will." Just the thought of anything happening between them makes her skin crawl. What Roxanna doesn't like the most is the fact she'd become the topic of discussion around the publishing house. She's just glad that doesn't extend to her office besides a select few including Valdes. As much as they are journalists they are not that privy to prying into other people's lives. In fact unless it had something to do with art they wouldn't really care that much.

It's not like they're in highschool, and even then talking behind someone's back, she believes is immature. Roxanna would rather someone state their opinions to her face. She just feels they might have nothing better to do than make baseless claims. Like the fact that she seemed to have changed recently. Which she finds is a bold claim as she's always been this way, just less sleep deprived.

Roxanna waits by the elevator to go down to the cafeteria. Only to hear a familiar voice call out to her, she curses the elevator for being so slow. "Well hello Rose, we just keep running into each other don't we?" Andy smiles and sees her eyebrow tick with annoyance etched all over her face. "You wouldn't be stalking me are you? I think HR would love to hear this one."

Roxanna takes a deep breath, holding in the string of curses that threaten to spew out of her like a water cannon. It's as if fate had it out for her yet again today. "Hello again Andy." Roxanna, exasperated, is not really happy to be talking to him right now.