What happened... (A memory)

"The mustache totally doesn't work for you." Kaila laughed, swirling the pasta on her fork. "I mean, yeah it goes with the costume if you're going for a joke, but it's... it's not you."

"Oh, and you're so great with your costume. I'm surprised nobody decided to correct you in there on your choice of cosplay," I snickered right back. The warmth of **** from the consolation drink I had ordered felt good.

"Oh I don't really care about that social justice bullshit. Seriously, Zoe is awesome, totally has the hot mom thing going on, and I didn't have to buy too much to get together the costume. If everybody at the shindig wants to forget what the show was about to chase... oh boy drinking too much and talking too loud. Here I am worried about pissing off everybody when I just want to have a good time. "

I glanced around the restaurant.

"Look out... ze Gestapo has eyes effrevere..."

Kaila snorted around a mouthful of food.

"Some days at work... oh, you feel it. But can we please change the subject? Last thing I want to do is spend days ranting about what everybody else is doing." Her expression became slightly tired. I realized that I was taking the conversation in a direction that really wasn't enjoyable. I liked Carla... Kella... Kaila! Shit. Had to remember who I was talking to. Names, places. She was nice, I'll give her that. Gorgeous, way out of my league, but nice about it.

"Oh, great, uhm, standard human conversation, I can handle that. " I blurted.

FUCK.

Not what I wanted to come across as. It had been so long since I'd even spoken to a woman in anything but a familial or official capacity. My little sister had of course been using the opportunity to tease me mercilessly, considering that she and her friends had just become legal, as she was fond of reminding me, and wouldn't I please come out and play... Add in the fact I still barely left my apartment these days, it was a miracle I just happened to get to one of the last local Shindigs... Apparently they weren't even calling it that any more.

I tried not to wince as hard as I am sure I did.

"Standard human conversation? Did I get paired up with an alien? Because that would be awesome, and you totally are going to have to show me your spaceship. Does it have a Infinite Improbability Drive or does it run on some kind of mystical energy which will give me awesome powers later in the series? Because if I can pick, I'm totally going with pre-Matt Smith Dr. Who... "

For a second I boggled at the fact that she hadn't said anything expected. You know, the expected "Well, it was nice meeting you." Or the sudden ring of the phone after a quick thumb tap. Instead she was... Infinite Improbab... I knew that one at least.

"Never actually been on a spaceship, but I've got my towel ready," I nodded. "I mean, I'm dressed for the absolute best drink in existence. I want to get my brain smashed out with a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick."

"So... No Two Hearts and need of a hot companion? Fuck... I was hoping that you could introduce me to somebody hot from the fifty first century." She shrugged her shoulders, causing the leather vest she wore to accentuate her décolletage. Ok, so it wasn't a totally faithful cosplay, but it worked wonders.

"Ok, lost me." I nodded. "I bow to your superior geek knowledge."

"Whooo!" She suddenly stood up and pumped her fist loudly, getting the attention of pretty much everybody in the restaurant. Oh god, I'm in a romantic comedy.

"But Hitchhikers... that's fun. I wouldn't have pegged you for it." She smirked. "Pre-movie or post-movie fan?"

"BBC series. Never really was into the radio shows, but I loved the cheesiness of the original series. Felt like a series made by penniless hitchhikers, which worked for it." I nodded.

"Ok, so... million dollar question, which may or may not result in a bonus round depending on your answer?" Kaila leaned forward on the table, her eyes sparkling. "Have you seen the Douglas Adams Dr. Who episode?"