Space Girlfriends

Chapter 2

Clara was walking through the hallways looking for Ashildr, she entered a big room that was stacked with people. This seemed to be the canteen. Lots of people were sat down at tables and eating different variations of food. There also was a little counter where you could buy food. Clara couldn't find Ashildr and was deciding wether or not to buy any food. She was frozen in time it was not as if she needed to eat any food to stay alive. But just the feeling of doing something other than walking through the hallway seemed very inviting to her.
She decided to just do it anyway, she could wait here for Ashildr. She entered the queue for people who wanted to buy food. Thankfully it was a small queue. Her eyes widened when it was her turn. Behind the counter stood the woman who she had met before.

"Hey stranger" Clara smiled quickly regretting it just after she said it thinking the woman had already forgotten about her.

"I did say I was going to bake chips. What can I get you?" The woman asked sending her a kind smile. Clara realized the girl did remember her. In her mind she wanted to answer 'you' but instead replied with "Chips and a coffee please"

"Gotcha" the girl winked at her before she turned around to get the order. Clara felt herself blush and wanted to hide it. She made a mental note to ask the woman's name this time. Don't make yourself regret this Clara.

"Clara! I was looking for you" Clara heard a voice call out. Clara turned her head to the left to see Ashildr standing next to her.
"Hey, you also want something?" She didn't know where Ashildr had gone to but she did know that Ashildr hadn't eaten much today. And Ashildr wasn't frozen in time so she did still need food.

"Yeah, I will order it myself. You can already find us a place to sit when you get your order" Clara nodded and Ashildr walked away to enter the end of the queue. She turned her head back to the counter and noticed the woman curiously watching her. A cup of coffee and some chips stood in front of her.

"Oh I'm sorry" Clara apologized as she had kept her waiting and quickly paid for the food and drink. She received another smile from the woman when she grabbed her order and walked away to find somewhere to sit. How she wanted to do that meeting again. This also made her realize that she forgot to ask the woman's name... AGAIN! She ruined it for herself and if she wasn't carrying anything she would've face palmed herself.
She found a place to sit somewhere in a corner - with a nice view on the woman who was still working behind the counter, but she wasn't going to admit she had only chosen this place because of that - and she took a sip of her drink. It wasn't long before Ashildr joined her also having some chips and coffee.

"Where did you go anyway?" Ashildr questioned her sticking a fry in her mouth.

"I don't know, you were the one who went away" Clara send her a look.
"Yes I'm sorry about that" Ashildr shrugged before quickly changing the subject. "Look they gave you more chips than me"
Clara looked at Ashildr's chips and compared them to hers, it was very obvious that she had gotten way more chips.

"They are probably just trying to make me fat" Clara joked quickly eating a couple of fries. Had the woman given her more chips on purpose or was it just a coincidence? They quickly ate their chips. Clara hadn't finished her coffee when Ashildr already wanted to go.

"Come on Clara we don't have all day" Ashildr said impatiently. She wasn't going to admit it but Clara did take extra long to finish her chips so she could spy on the beautiful woman.

"You never told me what you wanted to do today anyway" Clara got up with her cup filled with coffee in her hand.

"I'll tell you later" Ashildr promised her. They walked out of the canteen and back into the hallways. This time Ashildr didn't seem to be in a hurry, which Clara was glad about. Clara wasn't really in the mood to talk to her as her mind kept going back to the woman. While silently taking sips of her coffee she followed her friend. After a while they came to a stop in front of a door. Ashildr turned towards her and Clara raised her eyebrows. Was she finally going to get an explanation about what today was all about?

"I need you to wait here for a second while I go in to do what I need to do" Ashildr told her. Clara frowned, why was Ashildr being so mysterious today.

"You're being mysterious" Clara deduced. Ashildr shook her head no.

"No Clara, you still have your coffee and you're not allowed to have any liquids inside this room" Ashildr told her before she disappeared into the room. Normally Clara would've said something about it because there was no way that was the reason why Clara wasn't supposed to enter but today she would wait in the hallway. She lend against the wall taking another sip of her coffee. When she noticed something black on the cup. Her hand was covering most part of it so when she took it away she fully saw  what it was. It was a message. The woman had written a message on her cup.

'07700-900713 x Bill'

Her name! Clara finally knew the woman's name and it was Bill! Not only that but Bill had also given her number to Clara. She couldn't help but smile about this as she felt a rush of excitement go through her. Should she call her? No Bill was probably still working... text? Clara didn't want to seem desperate. She decided to save the number in her phone and quickly drink what was left of her coffee. Coincidentally there was a trashcan standing nearby. She didn't really want to throw away the cup, as if it now held an emotional meaning. But Ashildr would only question her about it if she kept it. So Clara threw the cup away when it was empthy. She only had to wait for 5 more minute when Ashildr came out of the room again. Clara deduced that she looked worried, why was she worried?

"Are you okay?" Clara asked her friend.
"Of course I am" Ashildr answered before she took off again and Clara hurriedly followed her.
"You really are acting strange today" Clara wanted to stop Ashildr by putting her hand on her shoulder but Ashildr only hit it away making it look like she was angry with her.
"Ashildr you are not okay"

Ashildr sighed loudly. "I'm sorry it's just... stress, I am stressed" Clara frowned.
"What are you stressed about?" She wondered.
"I don't want to tell you, I'm sorry" Ashildr apologized again before walking away into the direction where they'd parked their TARDIS.
Clara sighed and followed her friend. She was now getting worried about her and she really wanted to find out what Ashildr was so stressed about.