Before she could order another drink, the barkeeper moved over to her and refilled her glass. She smiled and cheered with a sad expression in her eyes.
She knew she had too much and the night would end in a terrible disaster, but who could blame her for a night like that?!
Cosima sighed. It had been a mistake to accept the invitation to the tenth anniversary of their high school graduation. "Be cool, Cos," Sarah had told her when she had called her after the invitation card had dropped into her letterbox. "It will be a lot of fun. Just remember how much fun we had in that last year..."
Sure, she reminded herself. Cal and their hot romantic affair had been an unforgettable way to have a lot of fun leaving her pregnant at the end of the term. Cosima had wondered how many of the girls had a bunch of kids today, which scared her so much she couldn't make herself to accept the invitation at first.
It was finally Helena who talked her into coming. "Oh pleeease, geek monkey, you have to come! The organization committee picked a really nice hotel and we will have some fine food to eat..."
Of course Alison was totally excited to be part of that committee and Cosima smiled just thinking how her friend would have been urging the others to make it a really perfect event.
And indeed the promises were not disappointed.
Her cell phone buzzed. After a quick look at the display she rejected the call. "No, Sarah! Not now. Not after all that crap."
She took another big gulp from the glass. Just a moment later, the phone rang again.
"They will not leave you alone," a soft voice with a French accent commented right beside her.
Cosima turned curiously. The blonde woman smiled at her and Cosima could not help but stare into her hazel eyes.
"You're right - I better switch it off." She took the phone and pressed a few buttons.
"So, nobody will interrupt us now," she grinned. "I'm Cosima by the way. Didn't notice you at the meeting. I suppose you were not in the same classes as I was. Or have I lost my memory drastically in the last 10 years."
She gave her a gorgeous smile and offered her a hand. "Delphine," she introduced herself. "And I'm sure there is nothing wrong with your memory."
Cosima took her hand. "Nice to meet you, Delphine," she said and smiled back to the woman.
"Enchantée," the French girl beamed.
For a moment they sat there, looking at each other in a moment that felt short before getting awkward. Then they both retrieved their glasses to drink and put them back to the bar again.
"So you're the wife of..." Cosima started and broke when the smile in the blonde's face froze.
"Let's avoid talking about him," she sighed. "He is an asshole."
"Oh... I'm sorry."
"No need to be sorry," Delphine answered. "So how did you like the meeting of your class?"
Cosima hesitated, a serious expression on her face. "Good question," she answered. "I am still not sure about it. It was great to see everyone after like ten years of avoiding remembering them. You know, I am really bad at keeping contacts."
"Oh oui," Delphine confirmed. "Same with me."
Cosima smiled, and then continued. "Sometimes I think I was missing something when I look at these ten years. My friends have their families. My best friend, Sarah's daughter is ten years old, and Alison is married to Donnie. They have two lovely kids, a career, and a house in a suburb, her amateur theater group, the soccer team and so on."
"Oh trust me," Delphine told her. "Being married is completely overestimated."
They laughed and Cosima felt the tension decrease, which had accumulated during the whole night.
"Did you ever fancy to have children?"
2 hours earlier
"Oh hi Helena," she greeted her former classmate. "Looks like we're not the only ones for the bathroom."
"Heya sestra," Helena answered with her thick accent. "Remember all the time in school they were smoking in the toilets."
"Or been banging like crazy," Cosima grinned. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Of course," Helena beamed. "Alison was not promising too much - the food was really nice. Hey did you see how old our teachers have become?"
They talked for a while until the queue at the bathroom door became smaller, exchanging memories and episodes about their former teachers.
When they were closer to the bathroom door, they could not help but overhear the dampened moans that came from one of the stalls.
A few minutes later a blonde woman in a tight business suit swaggered out of the bathroom, trying to avoid their glances. Helena turned to whisper into Cosima's ears: "Oh my - Duncan banging again. She will never change."
They giggled and when they turned, suddenly he stood in front of them.
"Oh good evening, Dr. Leekie," Cosima greeted the old teacher who had left the ladies bathroom right after Rachel Duncan.
"Ah, Miss Niehaus," he grumbled at her. "I see you are still hanging around with the losers of the class."
He turned for a quick exit, but Cosima stopped him. "Wait," she fumed. "You are not serious, aren't you?!"
"It seems, you didn't change, Niehaus," he answered. "You are still the cheeky girl with that terrible inferiority complex."
"What?" Cosima was annoyed. How could that bastard dare! "I definitely have no inferiority complex!"
"Then why are you in such a bad mood," he spat at her. "Everybody is having fun here and I have to see your miserable face."
"If your understanding of 'having fun' is banging a random girl in the bathroom, then don't count on me," Cosima shrugged.
"How dare you..." Leekie started to turn furious. "It turns out I made a big mistake by grading your biology exams so high. You did not even understand how to practice the simple process of procreation."
Cosima stood in front of him with her mouth wide open, speechless. Before she could answer he turned away from her and disappeared in the crowd that had formed around them.
"Let him go, Cosima!" Helena held her back from running after him. "You know what. It's just been a fake show."
Cosima stared at her, not understanding what she meant. But she nodded to her friend and smiled. "You're right, meathead. Obvs. "
"Come on, Cos," Helena proposed. "Let's check if there is something left from the dessert buffet."
"Good idea. Wait, you are diabetic, aren't you?!"
"Not anymore," Helena smiled. "I am healed you know."
"Then let's go," Cosima grinned, not sure if he could believe what Helena just had told her.
