Framed Connection

Chapter 27: Panic and spilled regrets

Celine can't help but notice, from the moment she picked up Roxanna at her apartment she seemed a bit deflated and discontent. Roxanna had just been staring out the window from the moment she pulled off without uttering a word. She knows that she's keeping quiet to avoid being asked what's wrong, having always been one to keep to herself. Sure, Roxanna is the type to handle things on her own, yet Celine wishes she wouldn't try to shoulder everything on her own and just say what's on her mind.

"You're finally getting that interview, aren't you excited?" Celine asked but Roxanna just continued to stare out the window. "Isn't it great that we get to go together? It's going to be so much fun, what'd you think?" Radio silence, she could almost hear the wind outside rustling the leaves with a whistle. "You know I saw a cute journal the other day, I thought you might like it." Celine breaths out a sigh, feeling like she's talking to herself.

" Ok Ro, what's wrong?" Celine finally asks

"I'm perfectly fine, so don't worry." Roxanna says continuing to look out the window. Her tone flat Celine knew that was a lie. "Ro for the eighteen years I've known you, I can tell when something is bothering you."

"There's nothing wrong so stop asking."

"Ro you can't keep acting like everything is fine when it's not, so just tell me the truth. What's wrong." Celine says not wanting to let this go, knowing that she needs to let out what she needs to let out.

"I told you it's nothing, now please drop it so I can think." Roxanna says coldly, she didn't mean for it to come out that way but she can't deal thinking about her problems right now.

"Okay i'll stop here for now." Celine says, determined to get to the root of it

"Thank you." Roxanna's voice is a bit distant but having a calmness to it pauses for a moment before saying " I'm sorry."

"What for?" Celine asked though she's aware what she means, she doesn't blame her that much either.

"For being so insensitive, you're just trying to help." Roxanna feels crappy for behaving so dismissively with her.

"You have your reasons, but just remember that you shouldn't shoulder everything. You'll explode and disappear, we don't need that happening." Celine says softly smiling but she knows just saying that Roxanna isn't going to shift that easily. She turns on the radio as they continue on their way to the gallery.

Marcel on the other hand is pacing around his room excited and also a little nervous. He can't believe he's actually going to meet Roxanna in person, he doesn't know how she'll react, how he'll react. "And you said my pacing was annoying, I haven't seen you this nervous since your first exhibit." Lucas says

"I'm not pacing, I just felt like walking a mile today." Marcel says but it was unconvincing, "Ah huh... So how far did you manage to go in the last hour and a half." Lucas says sarcastically it's funny seeing him so worked up over an interview.

"Please spare me the sarcasm, I'm trying my best to calm down before this interview." Marcel replies wondering if he is dressed okay, what he should say first. He tries fixing a few things in his room suddenly feeling like it's a mess. Questioning now if it was a bad idea making his room double as an art studio.

"So you are nervous?" Lucas asked

"Don't mind that, how long do you think it will be till she arrives?" Marcel questions hoping that she won't mind the few paint splatters on the walls. "How are you so calm? Isn't your fiance going to be here as well?" Marcel questions wondering why he isn't as anxious. "Yes, but I tell her everything so I have nothing to panic over," Lucas says confidently, he actually can't wait for them to get there so he can show her around. " I thank you for extending the invite to her by the way."