Chapter 1: Hi Stranger
Chapter 1: Hi Stranger
"We should go out tonight! Just the two of us, getting drunk!" I breathe out deeply, looking at her, expressing myself with just one look and before I can protest she knows I'm preparing my excuse. "Your paperwork will still be here tomorrow for you to finish! I glare at her and say nothing. "Oh come on Delphine, its Friday night! Live a little!" Alex says.
I was never the type of girl to go out every weekend, getting drunk, embarrassing myself, as Alex seemed to do. I've been there, done that and had a terrible time doing it. But sure, I really need to cool down after I've studied all day long, working on my paper.
"Alright, fine!" I say, getting up. "A little break won't hurt."
Alex wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me in for a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Yes, yes yes!" And starting to move away from me, jumping up and down like she just accomplished something.
"I promise we will have so much fun!"
"On one condition!" I say, while I walk to my room.
"Sure! Anything! What?" Alex says, while doing the same.
"I need to eat first!" I laugh. And she can't help but join in, nodding her head.
After we eat our meal that, by the way, made us feel like we were rolling to the club. Alex is the one handling the itinerary, She knows the nightlife better than I do.
We seem to be at one of her favorite clubs, which we've been to before and I really enjoy the place. If I'm approached by I girl, she usually tends to accept a rejection much better than a man.
Usually when we go out, Alex always seems to have in mind that she's going home with someone. And I'm not complaining, I just want her to be happy.
As we arrive at the club, I can hear the music playing loud, loud enough to dance to, which makes me, want to dance. But before we start our journey to the dance floor, we get ourselves a drink and sit down at one of the tables, to enjoy our conversation. A while after, Alex's starts to lose focus, and in that moment I know she has her eyes on someone. And before I know it, she's dragging me to the dance floor and we leave our drinks on the table. On the dance floor I feel my body start to relax to the music. Alex and I dance like we're used to, with sexiness and style.
It turns out to be a pretty good night. I never imagine that we could have so much fun. People even start to make space for us so everyone could see us dancing. After a while, I see Alex turning her attention to a girl she spotted earlier, so I decide to let them do their thing and I walk to the bar to order a drink.
"Excuse me! I'd like to order!" I say loudly over the bar so the bartender can hear me.
He did hear me, and ignores me and he went to another customer. I, of course, am shocked when I notice what he did. I look at him for a while and then all of a sudden, I hear someone starts to laugh. I look at the stranger beside me, absorbing her smile, and the sound of her laugh. I furrow my brow.
"And what's so funny?" I sigh, offering this stranger part of my smile.
The stranger looks at me and gives me a cocky smile back. "Nah nothing," she says. "I just thought it was funny seeing how shocked you became when he ignored you. That's all." She chuckles, sipping on her drink.
"Ah I see." I say, turning my head to the bartender again.
However, I don't try to get the bartender's attention again. I turn around, my arms resting against the bar, watching the group of people dance against and around each other.
"Sooo!" The stranger says, loud enough for me to turn my head towards her. "What's a girl like you doing in a bar like this?" The smile never leaves her face.
I start to feel the blush creeping to my cheeks. "Well, believe it or not," I smile, but keep my eyes on the crowd, "My friend, who I can't seem to find right now, who's probably with some girl she found, dragged me here."
I turn my eyes towards her. And what I see is this stranger looking at me with such intensity that makes my whole face turn red as a tomato, and I don't know why. I turn my head back towards the crowd. "How about you?" I ask, "What's a stranger like you doing in a bar like this?"
She starts to chuckle, shaking her head. "Hmm, a stranger like me.." she says, and turns her body against the crowd, sipping on her drink. "Well believe it or not, stranger," she says and turns back giving me a wink. "But my friends dragged me here as well, and I can't seem to find them either."
For the first time since I laid eyes on her, my eyes seemed to focus. The stranger in front of me is wearing this beautiful tight black dress, her hair is tied in a bun on top of her head and a small silver ring in her nose. My eyes seems to take its own course and travelers lower, without me requesting it. Her thighs are firm, flexed legs. She is standing on her left while her right leg is resting, slightly crossed.
"Well then!" I say, after I notice the silence between us. "Two lost fish in a big sea full of fish." Before I even have time to think about what I just said, I take my eyes off her. The stranger laughs and her entire body starts to shake. And I can't stop myself from laughing with her. She stops for a while, and say nothing. The only thing preventing us from talking is the music around us. I release a deep breath.
"So stranger" she says, the smile never leaving her face. "Do you have a name?
I turn around trying, again, to get the bartender's attention, i wave my hand so he can see me and I stop when I hear her voice. I look at her, the smile never leaves her lips. "Doesn't everyone?" I reply a little softer.
Suddenly I feel someone tapping my arm, and I turn my head to see the bartender, ready to take my order. I glance over to my left, i watch the stranger who is observing the people around us.
"Two shots please!" I say as I raise two fingers in the air. He comes back with them almost immediately. I take one in each hand, and gently nudge her shoulder so she can look at me and i hand her a shot. "And since you asked, I'm Delphine." I say and I take the shot, which, by the way, taste awful. "How about you, stranger?" She start to laugh after watching me take the whole thing.
"Well Delphine." She caught my attention again and continues "Thank you for the shot." And she drinks the whole thing too.
"Cosima," she says. I didn't quite catch it because of the music so I lower my head and put my hand on my ear.
"Sorry?" I ask loudly.
She is leaning against me, her hand on my face to keep me steady and whispers in my ear, "Cosima, my name is Cosima." She moves away, looking at me for an instant and then quickly towards the people around us. I caught myself staring at her, and then hurriedly turn my head away from her, I shouldn't have been turning red but the blush escalated fast to my face. Cosima remains still, but I can feel her gaze. The little hairs on my arms rises, enjoying the stare she is giving me.
All of a sudden, I feel someone grip my right arm and pull me. I turn around to see Alex, drunk. "Heeey Delphine" she whimpers.
"Merde Alex! How much did you drink?" I ask, as I get a better grip on her.
"Just a little bit, like this much" she laughs while holds her fingers to show me how "little" she's been drinking. I look at her, not believing what I see.
"Yeah right, come on lets get you home." I say, no question about it. As I start to move, I feel a softer grip on my other arm and turn to see Cosima.
"I really want to see you again," she says, in a husky voice. I find myself observing her, not knowing what to say. What do you say to something like that? I can see her moving closer to me, looking deep into my eyes and the smile on her lips is constant. I smile back, leaning forward.
"Be patient." I whisperer in her ear and move away, walking towards the exit with a smile on my face.
As we stand outside waiting for the taxi, all my focus is on Alex who have been drinking too much for her own good. The only thing I can hear is her talking about the girl she hooked up with. And the only thing I can do is laugh. As the taxi arrives, I hear someone shout my name. I wave my hand so the taxi can pull over in front of us. I get Alex inside the cab and ask the driver to wait. I turn around to see Cosima right behind me and out of breath.
"Couldn't stay away I see," I tease.
She looks up at me and chuckles. "I'm not giving up that easily. And, I really want to see you again," she grins and moves closer to me. "What about a coffee or something next Friday?" And her grin keeps growing.
All of a sudden, I am the one out of breath, and I can't seem to understand why. There is something about her that makes me feel alive, and I don't want to give that up just yet. I want to explore where these unexpected feelings comes from. I never saw myself talking to some stranger in a club. I have always been shy when talking to someone I don't know. But with Cosima, I become the opposite of who I thought I was.
"Bien sûr" I whisper as I get closer to her, "Do you have a pen?"
"Mhm" I hear her say as she takes it out from her bag, her eyes never leaving my lips. She gives it to me, and I start to regain my strength, taking a few steps backwards, away from her. I grab her hand softly and write down my address.
"Pick me up at 7 pm," I look down at her, "And don't be late." I lean closer, Cosima watches me, observing my every move.
"Ciao" I say low, and I turn away, towards the taxi with a smile on my face. "Bye," I hear her say as I get in the cab.
Alex has already fallen asleep when I get in the cab. And when we arrive in front of our apartment, she finally wakes up, after I lightly punch her arm. She get out of the cab, unlocks the door to our apartment and goes straight to bed. I, for that matter, don't do the same. I wash my face, change my clothes and lay in my bed staring at the wall.
My mind got the best of me, I can't seem to stop thinking about the instance I had with Cosima and how much I looked forward to next Friday.
This wasn't like me at all. I enjoyed the way she looked at me, and the attention I was given. I would never have seen myself with someone ever again, if you had asked me a year ago. After the horrible break up I had with my ex-boyfriend, I told myself to never look for love again, because it sucked. It sucked being in love with someone who treated me wrong and didn't appreciate me for who I was. He didn't love me, he loved another version of me, the one he tried so hard for me to become. And I couldn't stand it any more, after four years. But its funny how things work out.
But now, I don't know what's happening to me. There's something different about her and the fact that she is a girl as well makes it even harder for me to let it slip away. I had never thought myself being with a woman. But as I said, its funny how the universe has its way with us.
I simply close my eyes and drift to sleep.
It is Saturday morning, Alex is running around in the apartment, loud music is playing. After I turn back and forth in my bed, trying to go back to sleep, I get up, barging through my door and I look at her.
"God morning sunshine!" Alex says loudly. "I thought I'd make you breakfast, as a thank you for getting me home earlier" she say.
I walk past her and give her a peck on her cheek. "It was nothing, don't worry about it, I had fun." I say. I take my cup of coffee and walk towards the sofa. She looks at me suspiciously and walks behind me. She is sitting on the table in front of me.
"Really..? You? Had fun?" she asks and sips on her coffee. "Yes" I chuckles. "Yes I had fun Alex!"
She walks back to the kitchen and pours herself some milk.
"I actually met someone" I say low, hoping she didn't hear me. But she did.
"What?!" she whimpers and turns around, almost spilling her coffee and walks fast to her seat where she was only 30 seconds ago.
"Who? When? How? Where?!" I laugh over her excitement.
"Let's calm down, okay?" I say and put my arms on her shoulders.
"Her name is Cosima.." I don't have time to blink before Alex is jumping from her seat, her hands is covering her mouth.
"A girl?!" she whimpers.
I stand up, laughing as I go to get more coffee. "We met at the bar, when I decided to leave you with that girl you ditched me for, remember?" I tease.
"Sorry."
"Well we talked and we had a good time" I sip on my coffee.
"Oh, I see" she did the same, her eyes never leaving mine.
As I walk towards the bathroom, to get myself a shower I close the door. I prepare myself for her next reaction. "I'm meeting her again, next Friday! I shout from behind the door.
As I predict, Alex is running towards the door, trying to open it. "What! Really! Wow I really need to lay down." she says, and moves back to the sofa. I, for that matter, laugh and turn on the water.
After I get out, Alex is sitting on the couch watching TV. When she hear me approach, she turns off the TV. Her eyes never leaving my face and I can't look at her. My blush reappear. She turns her body towards me, and looks at me like she is expecting more coming out of my mouth. "I want to know everything Delphine!"
"I don't really know what to say! I met a girl, she seems nice and I would to get to know her more. She is kind of a mystery to me. "
"What do you mean mystery?" Alex ask.
"I don't really know her! We didn't got time to talk very much before you came in the picture!" I wink.
"Oh shut up Delphine." She snorts.