Two weeks. Two weeks of awkward silence. Two weeks of stolen glances. Two weeks trying to pretend that the silence wasn't the worst form of torture Delphine had ever experienced. She hadn't meant to fall for Cosima. God knows she wasn't supposed to - her very Catholic family would be less than impressed if they found out. But, she had fallen for her, regardless of all the reasons not to. Regardless of the fact that they had only known each other for a few short weeks.
Delphine tried to stay out of the room as much as possible, opting to study in the library rather than in their room. But she had to come back sometime, and every time she did Cosima looked like she had just been crying. It hurt to see Cosima in pain. It hurt to know that Cosima didn't want her comfort. Everything fucking hurt.
It hadn't made sense. Everything had been going so well. She had known that Cosima was flirting with her. Cosima had kissed her back. Surely it meant something. Surely? Delphine began to grow indignant and frustrated; she deserved an answer. She deserved better than a heated kiss and two weeks of silence. She gathered her things and walked toward their room with conviction. Just as she was about to turn the door handle, she heard a violent sob escape Cosima, and she closed her eyes, sharing in the pain.
Delphine quietly composed herself and entered the room. Cosima lay curled in a ball on her bed, with tissues scattered around her. Delphine walked up to the bed and sat down tentatively.
"Cosima, look, I know that something personal is going on, and I know that you're upset. I also know that you don't want to talk to me. But please, just listen."
Cosima turned her head to face Delphine and nodded almost imperceptibly.
"This sucks. This really, truly sucks. We have so much in common and I was so looking forward to having a new friend, but now you won't even look at me and I don't even know why. And I know that you have something making you sad, and all I want to do is comfort you, but I feel like I can't. Or that.. or that you don't want me to. So I am just going to ask. Please, Cosima, please can we be friends?"
Cosima let out a shaky breath and nodded, extending a hand.
"Friends," she said, agreeing.
The relief was evident on Delphine's face, and Cosima was rewarded with one of those easy, sincere smiles of Delphine's. Despite her puffy eyes, Cosima couldn't help but respond with one of her cheeky grins, all tongue and teeth. They both started laughing, and Cosima took to clearing her bed of the tissues.
"Would you like to watch a movie?" Delphine asked nonchalantly, "I just finished downloading Mean Girls. I haven't seen that movie in ages.
Cosima brightened and turned to face Delphine, "umm, obvs! It's mean girls, c'mon."
Delphine pushed herself up off Cosima's bed - graceful as ever - and walked over to grab her laptop, before coming back to settle on the bed next to Cosima. They lay on their stomachs, looking up at the laptop together.
Delphine poked Cosima in the ribs playfully, and Cosima turned to face her.
"I just wanted to say that I'm really glad for this. Really glad that we can be friends."
"Me too," Cosima said easily, and she realised that she truly meant it.