Drinking In The Small Town Firelight

by Allthestorysaretrue

Clarke starts her second year at college as a pre-med student, surrounded by wonderful friends. Her whole year is planned out. Clarke knows who she is and what she wants, there are things she never thought she would question, specifically her sexuality... OR The one where Lexa is the stoic transfer student and Clarke is painfully straight. College AU

1. The sky wasn't big enough for them all

DISCLAIMER- I don't own any of the characters, they belong to The 100

Part 1

'Her dirty paws and furry coat,

She ran down the forest slopes.

The forest of talking trees,

They used to sing about the birds and the bees.

The bees had declared a war,

The sky wasn't big enough for them all.

The birds, they got help from below,

From dirty paws and the creatures of snow.'

Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men

Chapter 1 – The sky wasn't big enough for them all

Clarke likes studying medicine, she really does. At least that's what she keeps telling herself as she rushes down to the campus café, after three, very long, hours of studying in the library. She still hasn't finished her latest assignment, so she has no idea why she is currently rushing down a hallway to meet with Octavia.

To Octavia: 12.00

Remind me why I am rushing to eat lunch with you instead of studying

From Octavia: 12.05

Because you love me J

Clarke sighed and turned the corner to the café, spotting Octavia grinning at Lincoln and jabbing him in the ribs. Uhh why can't those two just stop rubbing their relationship in everyone's faces?

To Octavia 12.12

Lucky for you I do love you, but do us all a favour and stop touching your man before we all get an eye full ;)

She joins the uncharacteristically short line for food and watches Octavia look up and smile at her. She opts for her usual salad and pays the cashier. She has seen the flies practically swarm all over the lasagne and she is never going anywhere near it. She walks over and sets down her tray.

"Hey Clarke" Jasper said as he stuffs a mouthful of lasagne in his mouth.

"Hey Jasper" Clarke grimaces. She glances at Octavia, who is gazing at Clarke with a huge grin. Clarke squints at Octavia, who proceeds to rest her head on her hand and squint back. Neither says anything.

"Octavia why are you staring at me?"

"What? Oh I thought we were having a staring contest"

Clarke shakes her head exasperatedly. "Why were you grinning at me?"

"No reason"

"Octavia why were you grinning at me?" Clarke presses while taking a bite of her measly salad.

"I just told you, there was no reason"

"OCTAVIA!"

"Alright princess" Octavia exclaims holding her hands up in mock surrender. "What the hell has got you all uptight, jeez?"

Clarke huffs in response. "Sorry O. it's just these exams".

"Well I think I may be able to help with that" Octavia says as she leans back in her chair smugly.

Clarke eyes her suspiciously. "What have you done?"

"I found you a guy" Clarke sighs. She should have known Octavia would do this: she was always telling Clarke to get back out there after her split with Finn.

"No"

"But he's great, I really think you might like him" she protests. Clarke just ignores her and stabs at her pathetic salad.

Lincoln leans over the table slightly to gain Clarkes attention. "He actually seems like a pretty cool guy, I think you should give it a shot Clarke"

Octavia reaches over to grab Clarke's arm. "Look I know you are still getting over Finn, but it's been six months Clarke."

"I am fully aware of how long it's been since my previous relationship ended, thank you Octavia"

"Look… I'm not trying to interfere with your personal life" Clarke's eyebrows rise incredulously in response. "But I think you need to release some of that pent up tension, I mean I don't think I could go a day without getting laid, never mind six months"

"Hey! I get laid"

"Well those one night stands are obviously not working Clarke"

"I'm leaving" Clarke stands up abruptly, waves goodbye to the group and stalks towards the exit. Stupid Octavia and her annoyingly good intentions.

After trudging out of the café and up to her dorm room, Clarke had flopped down onto her bed and stared challengingly at her pile of textbooks: Concepts in Biology, Organic Chemistry, Fundamentals of the human anatomy and many more. Now she found herself venturing the mere meters across her room to open the mini fridge, pulling out a bottle of red wine and flopping down on the floor. She flips through the first few pages of Organic Chemistry before pulling out her phone.

To Raven 14.02

Why can't you be here to help me deal with pre-med?

From Raven 14.10

Because I am trapped inside my house until the doc gives my leg the all clear

To Raven 14.11

I know but can't you just escape or something

From Raven 14.12

I wish. I should be arriving at Polis by the end of this week though J

To Raven 14.13

Thank god J

Before long Clarke's brain is swimming with information and a warm feeling courtesy of the red wine. She reaches over and unlocks her phone.

GroupChat:

OctopusBlake,LincolnV,MontyisGreen,JapserToTheJordan,BellamyBrakes,ClarkeTheGriffin

OctopusBlake

Bitch, u better be getting ready for this party

ClarkeTheGriffin

I don't know

JasperToTheJordan

MONTY you can't do that

MontyisGreen

What! It's not my fault you're bad at Minecraft

JasperToTheJordan

Why are u so good at everything?

JasperToTheJordan

Actually I retract my previous statement. You are shit at sports

MontyisGreen

HEY!

OctopusBlake

U are bad at sports though

LincolnV

Yh u are Monty but Jasper is just as bad

JasperToTheJordan

Hey that is not true!

OctopusBlake

OMG my humps just started playing on my iPod playlist… I cried

ClarkeTheGriffin

WHAT YOU GONNA DO WITH ALL THAT JUNK?!

OctopusBlake

ALL THAT JUNK INSIDE UR TRUNK?!

MontyisGreen

IM'A GET GET GET GET, YOU DRUNK!

OctopusBlake

YASS Monty

BellamyBrakes

Octavia I don't want to hear about your lady lumps ok?

LincolnV

I do

ClarkeTheGriffin

OMG Lincoln has SASS

And so after hours of Octavia's incessant nagging, Clarke finally relented and found herself making her way up the steps to Bellamy's apartment. She could hear the muffled thrum of music and the chatter of college students. Dozens of trucks were parked outside, blocking the sidewalk.

She pushes open the apartment door and is instantly enveloped in a hug. Octavia pulls back to give Clarke a warm smile.

"Thanks for coming Clarke"

"It's not like I had much choice" Clarke huffs.

"Well let me introduce you to Jordan" Octavia motions for Clarke to follow her down the hall. Clarke follows reluctantly and swipes a small cup of beer from a table. She tips her head back, drinking it all and winces at the taste of cheap beer. Octavia grabs Clarke by the arm and pulls her into the living room, which is packed with college students desperate for fun. Clarke stares absently at the writhing mass of bodies currently occupying the large area cleared for dancing. She spots Bellamy dancing with a woman she vaguely recognises from her biology class. "So, Clarke this is Jordan" Clarke snaps her head around at Octavia's voice and finds herself looking at a guy about her age, with short, dark hair and a soft face.

"Hey" He holds out his hand for her to shake.

"Hey" She accepts his hand and absently notices his skin is clammy. "Let's get a drink." She doesn't wait for him to follow before she walks to the table of drinks in the corner. She knows he's following though.

Clarke learns that Jordan is studying physics and that he's known Bellamy for three years. And whether it's the softness in his face and his honest compliments or the whiskey dominating her veins. She asks him to dance. And that is how she finds herself plastered to his front, swaying to the music. The lights are pretty and the sound of laughter fills her ears and it's nice. His hands are on her waist, grasping her, but it's not desperate and it's not possessive, it's just grasping. When his hands move up to the bare skin of her hips, she's reminded of the clamminess of his hands. He moves his face down to hers, she could move away, she could, but she doesn't. He captures her lips between his own. He tastes like cheap beer and sweat. She feels his hands move up again, all rough skin and stubby fingers. She is vaguely reminded of that song 'Dirty Paws'. She pulls always quickly.

"I'm sorry I..I can't do this" She stammers before making her way out of the mass of bodies. She leans against the wall in the hallway and tries not to cry. She doesn't. She's never been one to cry. Clarke wipes at her forehead with the back of her arm and takes deep breaths. You're okay.

She decides to go to the bathroom to wash her face and clear her head. The room sways from side to side and she knows it's not because she's drunk, but rather the sickening feeling in her stomach. Once the world stops swaying, she picks herself up and walks towards the bathroom. The door is closed but unlocked, so she grasps the cool metal of the door handle and pushes. She halts in her movements when she sees a sudden rush of green. It's the shade of green you only see in forests, not here in a crumbling, cheaply decorated bathroom that is regularly occupied by college students. She is jolted into alertness by a loud clash. A girl pins another into the bathroom mirror, kissing her hard. The girl with red hair moves her face down the brunette's neck, kissing and sucking. Clarke blushes and fumbles behind her to find the half open door. The brunette tilts her head and looks at Clarke, holding her gaze. And Clarke has no idea how someone could look at another person seriously when their neck is being kissed. Clarke is mesmerized by her green eyes before she blushes and backs out quickly. She has no idea what just happened, but she knows she wants to forget about it.