Still on for coffee?
Sasha frowned at her phone.
Pardon my impeccable French, but who the hell is this and how did you get my number?
This is Cozette.
First question answered. Second, nomad?
Boo gave it to me.
That sounds like Boo. Why do you want to get coffee with me?
It was your idea. Remember? When Ginny wouldn't go to your housewarming party if I was there?
Oh yes. You shot the archduke. Sure, when do you want to go?
Are you doing anything right now?
Sasha looked around her apartment. She had been in the middle of a Saturday deep clean but was distracted by a photo album of her parents that she had forgotten about. Homework due the following Monday was strewn all over the kitchen table. There was a pile of clean clothes on her bed waiting to be folded.
Nope. Meet me in ten?
Where?
The only coffee place in town. Where else?
There's a cute little tea shop on the corner of first and main.
There is?
Yeah. I could come pick you up if you want.
I'll find it.
See you in ten.
When Sasha finally found the shop, Cozette was already there, sitting casually at a little table in the corner. It was a quaint little place that smelled like grandmas and fresh linen.
"Where's your shadow?" she asked.
"Fell off when I was listening to bedtime stories outside of someone's window. If I find it would you sew it back on?"
"I am no one's Wendy. I'm not really the maternal type."
"But I hear you rock the nightgown look."
"Only when my eyes red and puffy."
Cozette grinned, as if Sasha had passed some kind of test. Sasha sat more easily in her chair, just realizing that she'd been tense during the entire exchange.
"Frankie's back at the house. Contrary to Paradise folklore, he doesn't actually follow me everywhere. Do you know what you want?"
"From life?"
"Well that too," she grinned again, "but we can save the existentialist talk until after we order, don't you think?"
"Oh, yeah, of course. Um." Sasha tried to regain her composure. "An espresso with extra sugar."
"Cool beans, I'll go order."
"Should I give you cash?"
"Nah, I got it."
"Are you sure?"
"You can pay next time."
"So presumptuous. Who says there's going to be a next time?"
"My gypsy blood."
Cozette smiled again and Sasha wasn't sure if she was joking or not, but decided that she didn't care. As much as she loved her friends (and her boyfriend...who she totally remembered all the time and was totally enamored with...), it was refreshing to flirt hang out with someone new.
"So do you like Paradise?" she asked when the new girl had finished ordering and sat back down at the table.
"It's a nice change. The last three places we lived were big cities, so it's nice to get back to the small town feel."
"It isn't stifling?"
"Not really. But I've moved around a lot. How long have you lived here?"
"Seventeen years."
"Wow. I bet you can't wait to get out."
"Totally." Sasha thought for a moment. "Well, yes and no. I mean, everyone grows up wanting to get out of here and I don't want to end up like Sam or Truly or even Madame Fanny... But at the same time, I've never lived anywhere else. It's...daunting to think about to say the least."
"Kind of like how it's weird for me to think about what it must be like to grow up with the same people."
"Yeah, I guess so. Is that why you and your brother are so close?"
"Yep. And that's why you and your friends are so tight. Have you always been friends?"
"Pretty much, yeah. We met in kindergarten and it just sort of stuck."
"They're nice girls. Oh, that was fast, thanks," Cozette said as the barista put their drinks down on the table. "Ginny doesn't like me very much."
"Like I said, you shot the archduke." Sasha took a sip of her coffee. "Things between us all, especially her and Mel, are like the alliances in Europe pre-World War I—a bit shaky but they work just fine until someone shakes things up, then we're all at each others throats. Growing up in a small town makes people more resistant to change. I think it's something in the Oyster Bar's fries."
"Thanks for the heads up." The new girl made a face. "How did I shake things up?"
"Well, things were already pretty weird since Ginny semi-dated Mel's brother Charlie, which pissed Melanie off to no end, but then got her ass dumped for that girl Mel took down at school. And also Ginny's been bat-shit crazy lately because her mom's insane already and even more insane since her dad married Faye Mendelson, the chick he left her mom for. And I think she's also jealous of your hair and general sense of style. But the fact that you introduced Melanie to derby really sealed the deal."
"Why?"
"Because even with all that crazy going on, she had Melanie. And now Mel has something that doesn't involve her and I guess it pushed her over the edge."
"Oh."
"Yep."
They sipped their drinks in silence for a while, letting the sounds of obnoxiously smooth jazz and old ladies talking about their cats and fixed incomes fill the void.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"Ginny and Melanie aren't...a thing, are they? I mean, I know Ginny likes my brother but I was thinking that maybe she's bi and they broke up because of the whole derby thing?"
"Interesting assumption, Grande Zette." Sasha had, in some part of her mind, seen this coming, but wasn't about to let Cozette off easily.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"And why would you be wanting to know?"
"Come on, Sasha."
"Say it."
"Because I'm interested in Mel but don't want to ask her out if she's already taken or not over Ginny."
"Was that so hard?" Sasha smiled and cocked an eyebrow. "She is not currently dating nor has ever dated Ginny, so don't worry about that. But I don't believe she's ever made a formal statement concerning her sexuality either."
"She hasn't? Oh, I just assumed..."
"That she's into girls? Given her complete disinterest in almost every male on the planet and her affinity for roller derby, that's not too far-fetched. You'd better make sure before you ask her out, though."
"What do you think I'm doing?"
"Silly me. I assumed this was an innocent coffee date so you could get to know your classmate better."
"Again, you suggested it. I would have asked you eventually. It was that or ask Boo."
"Why didn't you?"
"From what I've observed—"
"What are we, monkeys?"
"—Boo is good for solid facts, like phone numbers or where someone was over the weekend. Not exactly the scandalous gossip, sexuality-knowing type if you know what I mean. So that left you, Ginny, and Melanie herself. Ginny would probably bludgeon me for asking and I don't want to offend Mel if I'm wrong."
"Ginny's more of a poisoner than a bludgeoner. But I get what you mean."
"And I thought that maybe..." Cozette checked Sasha's expression before going on. "Don't get mad, okay? Word gets around fast. I thought that since your dad just came out that maybe Melanie might have confided in you."
"A logical deduction." Sasha finished the last of her coffee. "You're outta luck, though, Sherlock, she hasn't told me anything. Mel and I aren't exactly 'braiding each others hair while talking about the meaning of life at a sleepover' friends. I don't do the whole talking about feelings thing. Neither does she, actually. That's more Ginny and Boo's area of expertise."
"It was a long shot." Cozette shrugged.
"So what's your plan?"
"Keep watching her, I guess."
"Really? That's so lame I think Finn Hudson just cringed."
"Got anything better?"
"There's got to be some sort of lesbian test... Like if you put a taco and a banana on the table which one will she reach for?"
"I'm sorry, you think my plan is lame?"
"It could work."
"First of all, what if she just needs potassium? What if the waiter sneezed on the taco? What if she's not hungry?"
"Mel is always hungry."
"Irrelevant. Secondly, I'm not going to base it on stereotypes. That's even more offensive than asking outright."
"Well, geeze, if that's the way you feel about it, why don't you just ask her out?"
"You don't think she'd mind?"
"Nah, she's pretty chill except for when people piss off her friends. And if she does freak out and never talk to you again, you have other options."
Sasha stood to leave and Cozette followed suit.
"I have other options, huh?"
"Mmhmm."
"Anyone off the top of your head?"
"Not particularly, no. But if you ever decide to pester me with texts again, I might pay for your coffee."
Cozette gave the thin ballerina an appraising look, then grinned and put her arm through Sasha's.
"You're much less of a bitch than I expected."
"Don't spread it around or I'll let Ginny loose on you."
"My lips are sealed."