Cats and Trees

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Despite having been born in Minnesota, Cat has spent her whole life hating snow. It interfered with driving and it was always so cold. When it started to melt it basically got worse. Shoes would end up soaked and sometimes the legs of her pants if they were long enough.

Scratch that. She hated snow when she was in the snow. If she was able to be inside and just watch the fat flakes fall onto the ground and cake trees, then she could love snow. But in this particular moment, walking across campus to get back to her dorm, she wished she lived in Africa or something like that.

With frozen fingers, she pulls her phone out from her purse to complain to someone who wouldn't have a choice but to listen. She unlocked her phone, surprised to already have a message from the man.

"Help my neighbor is trying to stay the night again. I dont know if i can handle her again"

It was from Tree. Cat's frown deepened as she walked into the elevator. Lately Tree's neighbor has been sticking her nose into his business, Cat's too. It felt like whenever she was over at his for the weekend, she always found a way to include herself. She blew into her hands while she thought of a reply.

Cat was sick of the girl and she didn't even remember her name. Lake? River? It was some type of body of water. She fumbled with her keys, hands still cold. Once in her dorm, she dropped her purse into the kitchen table and kicked her shoes off. She plopped herself down into a bundle of blankets on the couch.

She maneuvered until she was wrapped up like a miniature burrito with only her face and hands poking out so she could finally reply to Tree.

"Ugh. Is she there rn?"

While she waited, she scooped up the remote, turning it on and then browsing for the latest hit show to watch. If that stupid water neighbor was over at his house she knew he'd have a hard time responding without her asking questions. His reply came quicker than she thought it would.

"Yes I'm hiding in the bathroom rn cause she wont piss off."

"She pisses me off and I'm not even there. Need me to come over and get her out? It's a Friday after all and I don't have anything else better to do."

"If you want you know how she is though"

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

Cat texted back before wiggling out of her burrito blanket. If she could manage to fake sick halfway though, it could maybe get water lady out of his house. She abandoned the half finished episode on the TV and went into her room to get ready to brave the cold. She sighed as she thought to herself; The things I do for this man.

The next half hour Cat spent fixing her hair, she had to look better then water girl, and layering herself in warmer clothes. She wore a puffy pink sweater and fleece-lined leggings, a Christmas present from one of her girlfriends. She gathered her purse and puffy black jacket. She stuffed her keys and her phone into her purse and double-checked that she had a can of peaches. If there was one thing Cat could not stand, it was canned peaches.

She started out, walking quicker not only to avoid the cold but to also get to Tree's place quicker. She was there in under ten minutes despite the icy sidewalks slowing her down. She shivered as she knocked on the door. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but Tree was not the one to answer the door. It was his pesky neighbor.

Cat smiled and pushed past her, "Hey River, I'm here to see Tree."

The woman frowned and shut the door much harder then what was necessary before she spoke, "It's Lake actually."

Cat shrugged and wondered further into the house, "Tree? I'm here."

Tree was in the kitchen, stirring something in a big pot that smelled like soup. The open cans next to the stove only aided her assumption. Tree gave her a quizzical look, wondering why she wasn't acting sickly. Cat had texted him on the way over what her plan was and apparently he didn't get to read it all before someone interrupted.