Benches

[celestia]

Celestia noticed Roxanne before she sat, but made no move to acknowledge so. When she spoke, Celestia acted as if she had been by her side the entire time. She shook her head, shamefully. "It is. The likes of us can not enjoy a summer's day without being distracted by these." She shrugged. "Not that the day is enjoyable much."

She turned her head to Roxanne and gave a small smile. Of course she recognized who she was. A close friend of Sophia's, she had seen the two together before and made acquaintance with Miss Tyler, though nothing she would call a solid friendship. Still, it was nice to have someone to distract her not only from the heat, but from the riff raff about.

[roxie]

"It is. The likes of us can not enjoy a summer's day without being distracted by these."

"Its simply barbaric, isn't it?" She said, rolling her eyes. "They shouldn't be ruining the water in the fountain." She shook her head, "Where's a policeman when you need one?"

"Not that the day is enjoyable much."

Roxanne nodded, "The day is just awful. Too hot for my taste, I don't like it at all." If she had a way to get her father to change the weather, she could. All she had to do was bat her eyes, and put on an act, and she would get anything she wanted. Roxie was still daddy's little girl. She pitied her father, he was so oblivious it made her laugh.

[valerie]

>>> NEW DAY <<<

Perhaps Valerie's painting was a little more snowy than what she was looking at, but it didn't matter to her. No one was going to know unless they saw her painting it now. She sniffled, knowing it was getting a little too chilly and she was out here much too long. The paints were getting slightly stiff in the cold.

She cleaned her brushes as best she could and put her materials away, removing her smock and folding it up, placing it in her carpet bag as well.

[Thera Noble]

Thera crossed her arms over her chest as she stomped through the thin layed of snow on the ground with an indignant scowl on her face. She couldn't believe that Bertrand would do this to her. Her own brother. He was always forcing her to go to vile places to meet his pathetically common little friends but he had never left her behind like this and in the snow too!

Well, to be fair, he hadn't left her. He just hadn't come with her when she had left but, still, to leave her, a vulnerable young girl, to walk home in such a filthy, horrid, little neighborhood just because she refused to tolerate having dinner in the pathetic, disgusting shack that his friend whats-his-name lived in. It was simply inexusable.

Luckily, she had been able to make it to central park where she had frequented since her young childhood (thanks to Essie, who seemed to have a penchant for the place) when she had first spotted it, she had hoped that she would be able to find her way home from there but, she had never actually walked there and without a driver or someone to lead her and, as it was, she had absolutely no idea which way home was.

Just when she was sure that she would have to do something drastic like retrace her steps back to that hovel, she spotted a familiar face at a nearby bench. Valerie ... something--or-other. Thera wasn't actually allowed at her mother's social functions so she'd never actually spoken to her but she'd seen her on occasion and had heard all about her from the other girls at school and from listening in on her mother's tea parties.

Normally, she probably wouldn't just approach a respectable adult (or near adult) in such a manner but, at the moment, it was that or wander the streets so she was forced to take drastic measures.

"Pardon me." she stated reluctantl, walking up to Valerie. "I'm not sure if you recognize me but I believe that you've attended some of my mother's social functions. Her name's Odessa Noble." she continued stiffly, uncomfortable with the level of cordiality which their age difference called for. "Well, I appear to have lost my way and I was wondering if you knew how to get back to fifth avenue from here." she finished a would-be-friendly smile on her face.

[valerie]

Valerie looked up, seeing Thera approaching her and gave a bright smile. Often at Odessa's parties she would see Thera peering in from the hall or behind a door and remembered herself at that age. She wondered why Thera was wandering about Central Park alone, but acted just as cordially none the less.

"Of course, Miss Noble. If you would be so kind to help me carry my easel, I would gladly escort you back home. Or would you like to join me for tea instead?" Valerie sniffled a little, "Oh dear... Well, it is nearly tea time and I've stayed outside far too long, it seems..."

[Thera Noble]

Thera suppressed a look of distaste at the thought of carrying Valerie's easel like some common servant. Honestly, didn't she have someone in her staff to help her with such things. She'd heard that things were considerably rougher in the west even for the wealthy but one would assume that once the opportunity presented itself, any rational person would choose not to engage in such menial tasks. But, considering her other options, she supposed that she would have to swallow her pride and just carry the thing.

"You have my sincere thanks, Ma'am" she replied even more stiffly than before. She was not accustomed holding back her criticism or her distaste with a situation and it pained her to do so now while she was being forced, for the third time in one day to do something that she didn't want to do.

The only aspect of this situation that saved it from being utterly appalling was Valarie's offer to join her for tea. Thera had never been invited to have tea with an adult before, not even her mother and the thought of it was exciting enough to bring a momentarily genuine smile to her face as she continued "I would be very pleased to join you for tea if it's not too much trouble." she stated in a cordial, yet noticeably enthusiastic tone as she made her way over to where the easel was sitting and lifted it awkwardly into her arms.