MALLORY at a table in the dining hall of the small liberal arts college she attends, reading and eating lunch. HANA approaches, her own tray of food and book.
HANA
Hello, sorry, can I sit here?
MALLORY
Yeah, sure.
HANA
Thanks. I hate sitting alone. Some unsmart person from my linguistic class who mistakenly thought it would be an easy A always tried to get my homework from me.
MALLORY
No problem. I can always use a buffer to keep boys from coming to “save me from my loneliness”.
HANA
Do they think that line will actually work?
MALLORY
I hope not. Although maybe it’s better if they do think it’ll work.
[gesturing to HANA’S book]
What’cha reading?
HANA
Book for my aforementioned linguistic class. Mother Tongue. It’s about the history of feminist language.
MALLORY
Why would anyone think a class with that on the reading list was an easy A?
HANA
Like I said, they are unsmart. What are you reading?
MALLORY
When Women Were Dragons.