Mine, Bitten

Chapter Fourteen

         Lily

   Lily awoke to sunlight streaming through her blinds. Immediately, she sat upright, startled by her pounding heart and tingly limbs.

            She peered around her apartment, but everything seemed as it were, nothing astray, nothing that would indicate someone had been there.

            She pressed a hand against her forehead.

            I must be going crazy.

            She glanced at her alarm and groaned inwardly as it blinked afternoon.

            Knock...knock!

            She jolted against the couch as a sudden thudding came from the front door. Moving to her feet she slowly approached the door.

            "Lil, let me in!" Ruby's voice prodded from the other side.

            Sighing with some relief, she shook her head in a nonsensical way and moved to unlock the door.

            She jumped when the door swung inward and she was staring at a tiny ball of black fluff.

            "What-"

            "It's your new house pet." Ruby beamed, lowering her arms and cradling the fluff in the crook of her arm.

            "Ruby-"

            Ruby swept past her into the living room and Lily closed the door behind her. "I can't have-"

            "Nonsense!" Ruby interjected moving to place the fluff on the surface of her table.

            The small ball unfurled, revealing a tiny kitten and instinctively her heart swelled. "Where did you get her?"

            "I got him at a local pet store."

            She crossed the table and gently patted the kitten's head. "You are adorable."

            Ruby's ivory face beamed with a smile. "So what do you think?"

            Lily smiled, "I think I'll call him Charlie."

            "Charlie?" Ruby asked a bit unenthused.

            Lily laughed as she plucked Charlie from the table and cradled him against her chest. "Yes, Charlie."

            Ruby shook her head and walked to the kitchen. "No coffee?"

            "I just woke up." Lily said smiling as Charlie swatted at her chin.

            Ruby released an exasperated sigh. "It's two in the afternoon."

            "I wouldn't know my alarm likes to play delay on me."

            Ruby slid into a chair at the table, "I guess I should have bought you an alarm clock instead?"

            Lily smiled, "Nah, I'm taken with Charlie."

            "So?" Ruby peered curiously at Lily as she settled across from her, "What happened with you and Jackson last night?"

            Lily appeared almost bewildered, "What do you mean?"

            "You stormed out. What did he say? Let me guess, another lame smug remark?" and than, "Did he make a pass at you?"

            Lily blanched, "What? No!-he just grabbed my hand."