Framed Connection

Allies

Ashley is dragging Will away in a headlock, after he kept trying to persuade Elaine into reconsidering and joining them. "See you tomorrow El." Jasmine says as she waves Elaine goodbye. "Yeah, just don't get too hung over." Elaine watches as the rest of her team leave to catch a ride with some other co-workers. Elaine hugs the leather strap of her cross bag as she watches the car drive away. She's a bit relieved that Ashley had dragged Will away.

She's not sure how much more persistence she could take from him before caving in. Well she does feel a little guilty for not telling them the actual reason for not wanting to go. One being that she didn't want to spend her night wrangling everyone up to get them all home by the end of it. Worst culprits would be Jasmine and Timothy as they will either be completely erratic or black out drunk in the most random places.

"You weren't planning on going with them?" Elaine looks behind her to see Roxanna standing by the doors.

"Nope, I just feel like calling it an evening." Elaine says pulling the straps closer to the fluff of her.

"Let me guess, didn't you feel like ruining your liver with the rest of them this evening?" Roxanna asks jokingly.

"Yeah, I need to live long enough to see my grandkids one day." Elaine chuckles at this and Roxanna does too.

Roxanna while laughing trunks and glances through the door. When she sees Andy caught up in a conversation by the turnstile gate. Roxanna quickly turns away before he sees her. "As lovely as it would be to continue this conversation. I think I should head out to catch the bus." Elaine is a little disappointed that their conversation is being cut short. However she wouldn't want to take up anymore of her time. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then." With that Roxanna quickly makes her way across the crosswalk and briskly heads left of the cafe.

Elaine's sighs as it would have been nice if she could have talked to her a little more. Seeing that this time wasn't it as well makes her way across to the other sidewalk. Taking a right at the cafe. Elaine places an ear bud in her ear to listen to some music. As she passes the corner street dinner. Allowing it to carry her off into her thoughts, it may not take long for her team to finally go ahead with their column. That is, unless Valdes doesn't prolong the work any further than it already was. Though she can't help feeling like she hasn't done enough. As she wasn't the one to come up with the solution, and her ideas didn't really stick to the concept that well.

Not to mention how she didn't even realize how cluttered their section was. When she is the one that her team relies on and looks to most. She feels that she should have been more put together and precise like her mentor. However all she can do is admire her and give her encouraging notes. Feeling she could have done more to help her as well, but it just doesn't feel like enough. Bright orange street lights beam down on the still back alley pavement. Elaine never really felt a sense of worry as in most cases it's deserted with an occasional drunk stumbling in for the nearby bar here and there.

Elaine is too deep into her thoughts this time to realize two men have been following her. They both watch her as she's about to pass the convenience store. When she's about to pass out of the lights of the convenience store they start to speed walk closer behind her. However before they could reach her a car drives up beside her. Elaine looks over to see that it was Andy. "It seems like you need a ride." Andy says. Elaine is a little surprised to see him as she'd never noticed him on this route before.

"Ah no thank you I'm almost home anyways." Elaine says not sure why he's offering her a ride all of a sudden. It's the first they'd ever talked to each other apart from through mutual acquaintances.

"Then wouldn't you want to give your feet a bit of a rest for the rest of the way?" Andy asks as he doesn't want to leave her alone. Not knowing what those guys would do to her if he did. Glancing at his mirror he noticed that they were still there watching.

"I-fine I'll accept it." Elaine reluctantly agrees to Andy's relief. Having thought it would be a bit of a challenge. He opens the passenger side door allowing her to get in. Elaine steps into the vehicle and closes the door putting on her seat belt. Now that she's safe in the car he says in a more quiet tone. "Just so you know some guys were following you." His head gestures to the side mirror. When Elaine glances she sees the two guys as they begin to drive off.

"Yeah, but they weren't going to do anything. They were probably just going the same direction." Elaine says feeling like no guys would be willing to go out their way just to do anything to her.

"That could be the case, if they weren't following you from three blocks ago." Andy says having been watching from a distance. Elaine is surprised.

"Three blocks ago. Wha-" Elaine can't comprehend, scared to think of what might have happened if he hadn't noticed and offered her the ride. "Ah, thank you."

"Since I helped you out. Mind helping me with something as well." Andy says tapping on his steering wheel.

"What do you need help with?" Elaine felt skeptical as of course his help wasn't for free.

"Well, let's just say I need help getting along with Rose." Andy says smiling as he stops the car going under a train bridge. Elaine is confused not knowing anyone in the company named Rose.

"I don't think I know anyone by the name of Rose." Elaine says confused, wondering if he's referring to her helping out to pick out roses for a friend.

"Oh sorry I meant Roxanna, that sits next to you." Andy clarifies.

Elaine's mouth forms into an oh shape. "Wait, why did you call her Rose then?" Elaine is confused but he just taps his steering wheel smiling. "Just something I like to call her. But not the point, will you help me?" Andy says stopping the car and looking over to her.

"I don't know." Elaine is not sure if she can agree to this. It would be nice to help Roxanna get along with others more. Yet it doesn't feel right to dictate if she would befriend someone. On the other hand Andy did help her out and she does kinda want to repay him.

"Please help me out, I don't think she'll ever listen to me without it." Andy rests back against the leather seating.

"I-i'll think about it." Elaine hesitantly says not wanting to make the decision right now. Hating that it wasn't a definitive no.

"Really? Okay, then hop off." Andy says happily.

Elaine can't believe he's really kicking her out of his car. "Wait, but you haven't driven me home yet." Elaine says clutching her seatbelt.

"What do you mean? We're already here." Andy says pointing out through his window showing her that they are parked in the lot of her apartment. Elaine is surprised as she doesn't remember giving him the address to her place.

Andy gets out from his side and walks over to the passenger side to open the door for her. "Aren't you going to head in?" Elaine quickly unbuckles her seat belt and gets out. Andy rounds the car and clicks his keys as she closes the door. Elaine is even more surprised as she sees him walk into the tall brick layered building. She trails behind him through the lobby to the elevator.

"Wait, hold on, you live here too?" Elaine asks

"Yeah, and you didn't notice?" Andy inquires as to what she would have known.

"No, when, huh?" Elaine is unable to process as she's sure she knows about most of the residents in the building by heart. So how long has he lived there and she never noticed.

Andy doesn't say anymore pressing the button to the 3rd floor. Elaine is all sorts of confused right now as she's sure she would have run into him earlier. Lost in her thoughts only to snap out of them hearing the elevator ding. Seeing him step out to realize that they live on the same floor. Also coming to find out that they live across from one another.

Andy turns the keys in his door wave to her before entering his apartment. Elaine stood there shocked and confused, questioning how she missed him. She turns her keys in her door and walks into her apartment.

Mwrep~

"I wish I could tell you Murphy, I wish I could tell you." She says to her orange long haired tabby who tilts his head to the side, seeing his confused owner standing at the door. 

A/n: Yes Elaine can be a bit of a people pleasure and no I will not go into detail of the Jasmine and Timothy drunk chronicles. Maybe you can ask Elaine about it in a q/a one day. But for now have a great evening, night, morning and afternoon. Hope you all enjoy Later~