Cat in a Cauldron

Chapter 6 - Cat House

The bill for the next month's rent came by mail that week. Anne stared at the digits and knew with a sinking feeling that she was below the mark on that.

She had been talking to Todd about this, already knowing that when the next bill came around, she would need a solution. The main thing he had come up with was a roommate.

The thought hadn't occurred to Anne until he said it, but the longer she thought about, the more it made sense. Getting a roommate would split the cost of rent by half. There was just the question of who would answer her ad.

She'd set some standards already. She wanted someone young, probably just out of high school, and who had a job of their own. They couldn't have anything against cats. Also, Anne only wanted a girl to join her.

She didn't expect someone to answer her ad so quickly.

The day after it was run in the local newspaper, her home phone rang. A young lady named Victoria was looking for a place. She worked at the a fitness center in Victorville, and loved cats. Anne proposed that she come take a look at the place and that they get to know each other.

Victoria was a tall, willowy girl with darkly tanned skin and a river of auburn hair. She had stunning hazel eyes, the kind that really did flash.

She was seventeen and emancipated.

At first, Anne couldn't believe it. But Victoria provided the documents and then asked Anne if she had thought she was the only one in this community. She had felt that way, too. She was putting herself through homeschooling, which allowed her to work more hours. When she saw Anne's room, and all the posters lining the wall, Victoria grinned and admitted that she was a fan of the majority of the same things.

They spent the afternoon hanging out and talking, and by dinnertime, Anne was sure that this would work out. She told Victoria that she was welcome to move in.

Victoria took the next few days to settle into the house. She took the first bedroom on the left of the hall. The week saw Anne and her new friend sharing many things about themselves, growing closer. On Sunday night, they both watch Once Upon a Time together, fangirling over their favorite characters. Anne was a Dearie, supporting Rumpelstiltskin all the way, while Victoria shipped Snowing to her heart's content. Anne shared her theories and Victoria debated, and their conversations usually ended in a pillow fight and fits of giggling.

Victoria took to Beast instantly, and he was gracious enough to her. Though he was solely loyal to Anne still, he would occasionally sleep in Victoria's lap and follow her around the house.

With Victoria, the rent was paid off easily, and Anne was thankful for it. There was one less worry on her plate for the month.

At school, The Crucible was taking up a lot of Anne's time with rehearsals and memorization. Though she was glad she'd been given one of the leading roles, Anne really detested Abigail's character. It was a real challenge to adopt the girl's jealous and twisted thoughts and personality. In Abigail, Anne saw everything she'd ever hated in people she knew, exaggerated and emphasized.

The short story Anne was writing for her Creative Writing class was coming along fine, planning-wise. She wanted to write a mixed-up fairytale, with all the classics woven together for one main character. When she began to write it, the words came easily and inspiration was in easy supply. But as time moved on, Anne found it harder to make herself interested in the story. Mr. Darby told her it was natural to get tired of the plot and characters, but that she needed to press on. Even if she knew her writing was completely uninspired, the readers wouldn't.

The newspaper was running smoothly, mainly because Anne chose to write reviews and editorials rather than hard news. She could write what she wanted that way.