Cat and mouse (part 1) Revised version!

Chapter 2

Lilly's voice was two times it's normal speed as she vented through the earpiece of my phone as I walked home from work.
I did my best to pay attention but found my thoughts straying as she tended to repeat herself when frustrated.
I managed to get the gist of the story in the first three minutes of the phone call.
Poulo, her current boyfriend was about to be cut loose. Apparently he'd done some after hours work with one of the models from the cologne campaign he'd been signed on for.
This wasn't new, in fact it was pretty consistent in the guys she chose but that didn't stop her from calling me and loosing her shit every time one of her gorgeous but vapid boyfriends used her.
"But anyway," She said giving one last heaved sigh before her voice turned chipper again.
She had the ability to do that, just let go of whatever she was feeling after she'd allowed the feelings to rush her, where as if I allowed my feelings the freedom to run away with themselves I might not ever be able to shove them back down into their cages again.
"How was work?"
She asked me the same question on the way home almost every day, and every time I felt bad, because I always lied.
It was work, I'd always say and more times than not she'd go on a rant about how she couldn't bring me coffee or have lunch together because my boss was controlling, then she'd try to convince me to quit.
"Actually..something did happen today." I said chewing my bottom lip.
"What happened?"
"One of my co-workers brought up Devin, said he still might wake up and stuff, and I feel like I haven't really shaken it off, you know?"
My keys jingled as I bounced up the steps to my apartment and turned the lock.
"I'll be over ASAP, I'm taking you out"
"God no, please I just-"
I opened my door and pulled the phone away from my ear when I found the redhead lounging on my living room couch.
"To bad, I'm already here!" She said throwing her arms up in surprise. "Get dressed, we're doing something."
I plopped down on the couch and slouched back into the cushions half wishing they would swallow me up.
"Nope, I'm not going anywhere." I said shaking my head.
She groaned and crawled over to me across the couch.
"We don't have to do anything crazy, just a few drinks." She said shimmying a little.
"I'm going to take away your key if you keep using it for it's wrong purposes."
"Oh silly Ann, this is exactly the purpose! I'm not just going to let you lay in bed and be sad. It's my job to take you out and force you to enjoy the world..or what's left of it." She said shrugging.
"Lil, I really don't want to tonight, okay?"
She put her chipper attitude on hold and gave me a once over assessing the damage like some kind of human cat scan.
"Oh Ann.."
Her arms wrapped around me and she pulled me into a side hug.
"Okay, I know what you need."
She was up and on her phone in seconds, hand on her jutted hip in annoyance.
"I'm not going, I'm busy tonight mark!" She said sternly into the mouthpiece after a few minutes of hushed conversation.
Mark was her agent and I stood realizing she was probably telling him she wasn't going to make an appearance at the club, which loses them both money and publicity. As a budding model, both were important.
She hung up and groaned a little before turning back to me, a smile already back on her face.
"You did not need to do that, I'm fine."
I went to push my glasses up but she slapped my hand away.
"It's not okay for you to lay comatose on the couch and be sad by yourself, but you sure as shit can do it with me. Go take a shower, you want pizza or Chinese?"
I opened my mouth but knew it was no use arguing and if I was honest, it was a relief knowing I wouldn't be alone tonight.
"Pizza." I called over my shoulder, a shower did sound nice.
I heard her on the phone again, already placing an order as I clicked the bathroom door shut gently.
God bless overbearing best friends.
I stepped into the shower and under the water raining down, my skin covered in goosebumps at the contrasting temperatures of the cold bathroom and steamy water.
The spray peppered my tired muscles and I closed my eyes, leaning my head against the wall.
I wasn't sure how long I stayed like that.
It wasn't until my memories started running away with themselves that I cranked the water to cold and gritted my teeth against the chill.
I could still feel the rocks tearing my hands as I dug through rubble and earth, choking on loose dirt and smoke.
I opened my eyes and looked down at my hands as the freezing water ran down them in streams. The water magnifying the thin white scars that criss crossed across my fingers and palms.
I slammed my fist into the knob shutting off the water and shivered for a moment trying to bring myself back to the present.
"Everything okay in there?" Lilly called through the door.
"Yea, I'll be out in a minute." I yelled back watching the water go gown the drain until only a few drops clung to the tub sides.
When I finally stepped out, the mirror had hardly any condensation. My reflection looked back at me like some frightened ghost.
My blonde hair looked darker when wet and my overgrown bang pieces clung to my cheeks. My blue eyes looked electric and wide from the cold shower and adrenaline.
I sighed and dropped the towel pulling on sweats and a T-shirt that Lilly must have put on the counter, followed by a pair of fluffy socks that warded away the chill in my bones.
When I walked out the pizza was waiting on my living room table and she had two bottles of wine open and airing out.
"How long was I in the shower?" I asked drying my hair and grabbing a slice of pizza.
"Don't know, I was to busy flirting with the pizza guy." she lied.