The two women search throughout the busy cafe and finally settle on a tiny corner in the very back of the building. "Whoa man this is like the perfect place to spy on people, uh-people watch, I mean. Spying sounds creepy...like look at that one guy over there." Cosima points to a bald man who is hunched over and seemingly glaring into his half finished cup of soup. "I wonder what his life is like. Does he not enjoy his soup? Is he pouring his anger out onto the noodles using his furrowed eyebrow evil magic? What did the noodles do? Do the noodles even have a lawyer? These are the important questions, Delphine." Delphine looks at the man across the room and giggles. "You're right, Cosima. The noodles are helpless and need to be properly represented in court. Otherwise the evil eyebrows have an unfair advantage." Delphine smiles into her coffee cup, aware of the absurdity of their conversation. Hypothetical personified noodles? This is a first, Delphine thinks.
Cosima clears her throat. "So uh, what do you do? Like are you in school or do you have a job or do you just defend things in soup cups for a living?"
"As I am too busy with my studies, I cannot defend things in soup cups nor do I have a job. I'm currently working on my PhD in immunology. It's rather difficult sometimes but I love the science."
Cosima's eyes light up, "Wow. Rad. I'm going towards my PhD too. That's so cool. I'm evo devo."
Delphine looks confused, "Evo...diva? I'm not sure-I mean, I don't think I've heard that term before-"
"Nah man, it's fine. Evo devo is like the shortened version of evolutionary developmental biology. Get it?" Cosima starts gesturing, "When I was younger and still living with my parents, they would hire babysitters for me to keep me from destroying the house with my science experiments...Even when I was like sixteen they wouldn't leave me home alone out of fear that they would come back to a house on fire or a room filled with shattered glass. It was kinda annoying, but one time I actually ended up starting a fire because I messed with some chemicals the wrong way and...yeah..The babysitters were always a little weirded out at first since most were around my age. They still got paid though so I don't think they really cared all that much..."
"Oui that is a little...peculiar, but reasonable for the circumstances." Cosima is a scientist, repeats in Delphine's mind. She doesn't know why this thought brings her so much glee. She knows a lot of scientists, being a science major causes you to meet plenty of people interested in science. She's never been this excited about it...
Delphine shrugs it off as just Cosima seeming like such a nice, bubbly person. Cosima is passionate, more so than most scientists she's met before. That's it, that's why she's excited. Delphine tells herself.
Cosima sips her latte, "Yeah, my parents are worried about me still, even now. Like they want me to date someone because I haven't in like maybe, uh four years? But everyone I've gone on dates with is cool until I start talking science. They just look so bored, you know? How am I supposed to love someone who doesn't appreciate what I love most? It got annoying after a while so I just kinda stopped trying and focused even more on school. I guess that's why my friends Felix and Sarah always call me a geek..." She trails off.
"Non, non, I get it. Danny, my boyfriend-err, ex boyfriend, well he didn't understand either. I mean, he was attractive...in the physical sense. My parents loved him, but I do not believe I ever truly did. He would get irritated when I would spend the majority of my time in the lab or in the library. He actually um, gave me an ultimatum? Is that the word? 'Me or the science' He said. It was not a... 'smart move'. I am a PhD student and he was a..." Delphine pauses to search for the right word.
Cosima laughs, "An asshole? A cocky piece of shit? A douche who's unworthy of this hot piece of ass?"
Delphine playfully smacks the other woman's arm. "You're a cheeky one, Cosima."
Cosima looks down at her now empty coffee cup, almost disappointed. "Hey, I'd like love for this to not end right now, but it seems we've both finished our drinks...and the cafe's still like, hella crowded. Plus, I've gotta run, because I just realized that, shit, my class starts in like twenty minutes..." Cosima fiddles with her purse, searching for something. "Would you maybe..wanna do this type of thing again sometime? It's totally okay if you don't, obvs."
Delphine nods. "I could give you my number, non?"
Cosima grins, pulling out the pen she had been looking for. "I was kinda, uh, hoping you'd say that." Delphine finds a napkin the barista had given her earlier and writes down the digits of her cell phone number, handing it to Cosima.
"Sweet, dude. Shit, really gotta run now, Bye!"
Delphine watches Cosima leave, her dreads bouncing with her quick steps. The door of the cafe dings, signifying the other woman's exit. Delphine smiles softly at the space where Cosima used to be. A thought crosses through her mind.
Hot piece of ass?