[DIANA NOELLE PERRY]

MARCH 2023 • outfit • ROXANNE IVY REED

Diana's mind had been blown when she found out that one of her friends from London had ended up in none other than Hickstead. It had been a hot second since they had talked, ultimately, their own lives getting in the way of friendship. The woman could neither fault herself or Roxanne Reed for that though. While friendship was always important, once Sasha had come along, family came first and she knew the other woman had her own business to run. So they lost touch. It wasn't until Diana relocated to Hickstead and began reaching out to some of her old friends to inform them of the aftermath of the divorce did she find out that Roxanne had aslo relocated.

In typical Roxanne fashion though, it had been hard to pry her away from her company to come out. For first few months since moving here, Diana had been willing to let it slide, mainly because she had her own settling in to do. Moving back into her parents' house with them and her teenage daughter felt like the adult version of the walk of shame back to the dorm room after a night of clubbing. Between her parents lording over her (which was ridiculous and annoying given that she was a grown woman) and Sasha being moody over leaving London and her friends behind, Diana had been stretched thin. The police station had been her sanctuary, and that certainly was saying something.

But no more. Tonight was going to be a night out, filled with fun. And by fun, that just meant banter and catching up with friend that was long overdue. Diana made certain that the other woman understood that the date was set and there was no getting out of it. When 530 came, Roxanne had to leave and come to the Luna Lounge for a bottle of bubbly and chocolate covered strawberries, nothing could stand in her way. Diana was already nursing a class of champagne now, the bottle left with her as she perused her phone and noted the time. It was 545, but it felt like typical Roxanne to arrive fashionably late.

when i walk in the room i can still make the whole place shimmer

thanks aofie!

[ROXANNE IVY REED]

Rox had purposefully ensured her day was as easy as possible so that she could actually finish early - not even just on time for once. She was excited, and it wasn't often she had something to look so much forward to. That sounded bad perhaps, she looked forward to seeing her other friends, and Rafe, of course, but it had been such a long time since she had seen Diana, and she could feel a little perked up for it. Work had been tough and stressful recently, and she'd pulled in a lot of overtime and a lot of extra hours to cover things and pick up things, trying to fix the shit that had gone wrong. She had mostly sorted it now, and she had worked twice as hard so that when time came around for her to leave, she actually could.

She was fast to pack up, and she gave the other workers a friendly goodbye. They didn't begrudge her the early finish - she was usually the last one to leave the office anyway, and a lot of them told her she worked too hard. She did not blame Diana for losing touch, it had been her fault as well for not trying harder, but her career had somewhat come first for a long time, and with her divorce and fallout, she'd let herself get absorbed in things outside of her friends. She'd then moved away, and lost contact with a lot of people, something she hadn't even given herself time to feel guilty about until she'd started talking to them again. But now, she was determined to find that balance, and to find out everything that her old friend had been up to.

Finally they had found a mutual time and date that worked for them, and Rox didn't even bother to change. She dressed smart for work every day, it was important to her to look her best at all times, in her industry it went a long way, especially as a woman fighting against the glass ceiling. She wore a simple black dress that hugged her full figure and finished at her knees - she didn't want to give people the wrong idea at the office, but she'd always felt it a power play to look feminine and show off her curves rather than hide them in lumpy jumpers. She checked her phone and winced - a little late. Damn typical she was always on time for her work but with friends it was a struggle. She owed Diana an extra drink for it. Hurrying into the bar, she spotted her friend immediately, even after all these years. She grinned automatically as she approached. "I'm so sorry I'm late, but it's so good to see you!"

[DIANA NOELLE PERRY]

MARCH 2023 • outfit • ROXANNE IVY REED

No sooner then the thoughts of fashionably late entered her thoughts did a voice cut across the Luna Lounge, "I'm so sorry I'm late, but it's so good to see you!" Well, that was a voice that she knew from anywhere. Turning in her bar chair, Diana's blue gaze searched the room to see none other than Roxanne Reed walking towards her and boy, did she look ready to kill. In a good way that is, with a dress that Diana couldn't even imagine pulling off. But that was part of the other woman's charm. She could probably walk in wearing a bloody potato sack and still turn heads, not because it was a potato sack, but simply because she was Roxanne Reed: CEO and Professional Woman Extraordinaire.

A grin flooded her lips now, and she kicked her feet out from the chair and got up, taking one step before she was pulling her friend into a hug, "No worries! I'm so happy you were able to come." Breaking the hug now, Diana pulled back, "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to come. I know how busy you can get." Well, the woman assumed that Roxanne was still busy as ever, just has she had been in London. Nodding to the empty chair next to her, Diana offered for the other woman to sit down as as she returned to her seat, "I ordered champagne and chocolate strawberries for starters, since dessert is always best before dinner." She said jokingly before adding on, "I can't believe you're here in Hickstead of all places."

when i walk in the room i can still make the whole place shimmer

thanks aofie!

[ROXANNE IVY REED]

Rox smiled warmly as she saw Diana turn in her chair to find her. She instantly felt guilty for not having made time sooner to see her friend. That feeling she was hit with to see Diana there was like a sudden hit of 'relax'. She just felt all the stress melt away, like taking off a heavy coat and letting it drop to your heels. She needed to do this more often, that much was clear. She couldn't quite remember when they'd last gotten together, which made her feel all the worse for letting it go so long. Her smile widened at Diana's grin, pulling her into a hug. "No worries! I'm so happy you were able to come." Rox nodded, releasing her friend. "So am I," She admitted. She put her bag down as Diana nodded to the empty seat on her left, gratefully sliding into the chair and relieving her tired feet. They might be well used to heels but it didn't make the end of the day any less painful.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be able to come. I know how busy you can get." Rox waved it off and shook her head. "I always have time for you." She said, even if she was flat out she tried to make a point of setting time aside. At some point anyway. Of course there was a lot of times she got bogged under and didn't realise how much the time had flown by. It was why she had such good friends, dragging her out from under the mountain and making sure she saw the light of day in a social way. "I ordered champagne and chocolate strawberries for starters, since dessert is always best before dinner. I can't believe you're here in Hickstead of all places." Rox nodded, chuckling a little. "That is the best idea I've heard all day. I should have known you'd have it sorted." She grinned, and the said items arrived just as Diana had promised. "It does seem a little out the blue I'll agree, but it was just the way it worked. It's been nice moving somewhere a little more small fry. Cheers." She added as she took up a glass and raised it toward Diana.

[DIANA NOELLE PERRY]

MARCH 2023 • outfit • ROXANNE IVY REED

Diana could tell, merely by watching, that behind all the grace and beauty that was Roxanne Reed, that she was utterly tired. The woman wasn't entirely surprised, she remembered that her friend always seemed engulfed by her work - and that was okay, as long as she didn't let it eat her alive. For now though, Diana thought it best to let it be. After all, Roxy was in her thirties, she knew what she could and could not handle as far as pushing against the current, Diana was merely there to be a welcome distraction and a pause in the moment. Blue eyes watched as the other blonde slid into the chair now, gracefully as always, "You know, I'm sure if you're sneaky, you can get away with slipping your feet out of those pumps," Diana said teasingly now, a smile sitting on her lips.

It wasn't surprising when Roxy merely waved off her comment about how busy she gets, "I always have time for you." The woman informed her matter-o-factly, to which Diana replied, "Ah, well, I appreciate it. I'm surrounded mostly by men during the workday and a temperamental teenager at home," she gave pause before adding with a smile, "So my Roxy Reed time always is a breath of fresh air." The waiter seemed to be on point with their conversation, for as the older woman informed her friend of what they were having, the bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries seemed to appear before them like magic. Laughter escaped her at Roxy's comment about having it sorted, "I try."

Now it felt like they could officially unwind. The bottle was popped, chilled smoke pouring out of it before it was being poured into flutes. Diana gave her thanks, and the waiter quickly disappeared as she and Roxy got down to business - or at least, catching up, "Hey, small fry? I was born and raised here, you know," she replied with a grin, "And cheers to you as well." With that, she gently clinked her flute against the other before having a good drink, "Small fry life aside, it seems to be doing you some good getting away from all that London traffic. I know it has for me at least."

when i walk in the room i can still make the whole place shimmer

thanks aofie!

[ROXANNE IVY REED]

Roxy took a sip of her champagne, enjoying the fizz of bubbles on her tongue. There was a lot to be said for the stuff, as much as some people would consider it overpriced, she would argue it was worth it if you paid for the good stuff - the same went for wine. Then again, some days all you could handle was buying a cheap ass carton of the stuff and sticking a straw in it. "You know, I'm sure if you're sneaky, you can get away with slipping your feet out of those pumps," Rox laughed, glancing down at her heel glad feet and pretending to look scandalous. "Out in public with bare feet? My God who do you take me for?" She teased, because she absolutely would love to... but she also couldn't quite break the social code.

"Ah, well, I appreciate it. I'm surrounded mostly by men during the workday and a temperamental teenager at home," Rox gave a little chuckle at that, "That sounds like hell, I can't lie." She teased, and though it wasn't quite that to her she also knew how difficult and fragile the male ego could be, and how troublesome teenagers were, even if that wasn't first hand experience. "So my Roxy Reed time always is a breath of fresh air." She chuckled at that and raised the glass to her in acknowledgement of the truth. "I feel exactly that with you," She agreed, already sinking into the ease of which it was to socialise with her friend, how little effort it took from her social battery.

Rox looked hopefully for the strawberries, and miraculously they seemed to appear before her. She took a bite out of one after a sip of bubbles. "Hey, small fry? I was born and raised here, you know, And cheers to you as well." Rox grinned a little sheepishly as she finished the juicy fruit. "Sometimes you just don't seem like you are - it's all that personality, very big city." She chuckled. "Small fry life aside, it seems to be doing you some good getting away from all that London traffic. I know it has for me at least." Rox tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Yeah I can't lie it's been a bit of a breath. Even if it is still all a rush most of the time. People are generally less in a hurry in this neck of the woods." She admitted.