She regretted coming back before new year. She could've stayed in 

Chicago

. The people at the house wanted her there. Liked the way she made coffee. Thought she was respectful enough. Plus she played guitar better than the bozo who was supposed to be the best player in the house.

"We'll miss you Ash!" they all said. She replayed that sound in her head over and over as she stood in the apartment alone. She could go back now. Imogen would never know. Where was she anyhow? Ashley expected to have at least her to come home to.

Their apartment felt stale. Like Imogen hadn't been living in it for the past few days. She could find out as quick as a text. For some reason she didn't want to learn that way. She wanted to see how long she could stay in the apartment until her roommate came back. She wanted to suffer the feeling of a ticking time bomb.

Why? She had no explanation. It's how she had felt during that year in 

college

. And now it was back. After the trip to Chicago. She walked over and ran the tap for half a minute. Then she poured herself a glass and drank.

"Oh well," she thought. "At least she had won herself a year and a half of peace. Now it was back to her usual self."