Chapter One

Clarke needed to pee. Badly. In fact she was so entirely certain that she was about to wet herself that she slid down the wall and sat, thighs clenched tightly together, outside of the bathroom at the party she'd been dragged to. Lincoln's apartment was great, the party wasn't bad, she even liked Nyko who she'd come with - he'd asked after she'd mentioned her best friends were out of town - but she really didn't like him, like him. And he clearly didn't like her that way either given that he had spent the past hour flirting with another girl. She sighed and decided that whoever was in Lincoln's bathroom must be dead because they'd been in there for so long they couldn't possibly still be living. She would soon be dead too - because she was going to die of embarrassment when she finally wet herself.

'Hey. Have you been waiting long?' The girls melodic voice made her jump, which made her bladder contract painfully and a small whimper escape.

'Agh, yes. I don't know what's going on in there - puking I think, but what I do know is there is going to be a big old puddle on the floor soon,' she whimpered again and the girl laughed. Clarke looked up at her properly. She was tall with pretty brown hair, wavy and full, a face sculpted from stardust and stunning eyes - green she was sure. She decided it was entirely unfair for one person to have so many wildly attractive features, and a pretty voice to boot.

'I live next door, like literally next door - you want to use my bathroom?'

'Oh my god, yes please,' Clarke slid up the wall, so desperate to pee she wanted to hold herself between her legs, but she wasn't five years old any more and thus resisted. 'Now, please.'

'Sure, this way,' the girl led her out of Lincoln's apartment where the party was being held, laughing softly at Clarke's struggle. True to her word she opened the door to the apartment next door. Clarke followed her in, but didn't waste time looking around, just darted into the doorway the girl gestured to, slammed the door and released an ungodly groan as she finally got to pee.

She looked around the bathroom. It was bright with tons of cacti decorating the windowsill in terracotta pots, which she absolutely loved - she had a real thing for cacti herself though she never managed to keep them alive. The bathroom was clean - bonus points to the girl for that. It was pristine really - with a bright green, fluffy hand towel, a grey bath mat and simple, white shower curtain along the bath. She wiped, flushed and washed her hands, sniffing at the delicious cocoa butter hand soap and then headed out into the apartment. Without the desperation to pee she took it in better, and ended up staring wide eyed. It was, in a word, her ideal apartment. Comic art lined the walls in frames, excellent artwork that was all tastefully presented. The artwork featured predominantly female characters, some of which she recognized and some she didn't. Clarke loved each and every one - she certainly favoured the female characters in comic books too. Her eyes scanned the apartment further. There was not one but three guitars in the living area - an acoustic, an electric and one other - electric, she figured, or perhaps some kind of hybrid. Who needed three guitars? The furniture was comfy looking, with throws and cushions in deep pinks, blues and greens. The floor was a warm wooden oak floor with a couple of neutral rugs. The dining table was pretty - large and clear of junk (unlike her own), with a tasteful eclectic selection chairs around it. The couch and comfy chairs surrounded a low stylish coffee table with a pile of notebooks and comics on it. Everything managed to be artsy without being too stylized and the whole place was pretty and clean. It was fresh and funky, but still cozy and inviting. With a small smile at the dark haired girl who was watching her, she headed to the coffee table to eye up the comics that were on it with interest. She picked up one and sat on the couch. It was extremely comfortable and she let out a small moan of relief to be off her feet. The whole apartment was peaceful and so blissfully empty after the crowd of next door - she definitely wanted to stay.

'Have you been to the comic book store on Seventh and Bleak street?' she asked without preamble, swivelling on the couch to meet green eyes.

'There's a comic store there?' the girl asked with a frown, 'I thought I knew all the best places.'

'Well you don't know the best comic store in Boston! Clearly,' Clarke teased. 'We have to go, I'll take you! You'll absolutely love it,' her eyes flicked back to the comic, then to the girl who was staring at her with wide eyes, before she looked around the apartment again.

'Three guitars? You need three guitars?' she asked with a smile before turning back to look at the beautiful brunette,

'I play a lot of guitar,' the girl laughed and sat beside her, staring at her quizzically, as if she were some complex puzzle. Maybe it was strange that she was making herself at home but Clarke felt at home.

'All at the same time, huh?'

'I'm emvery/em talented,' she said with a smirk and a nod of her head. Clarke laughed,

'I'm Clarke.'

'Lexa,' she held out her hand and Clarke took it. Even the girls damn hands were smooth and cool. Clarke was pleased she'd washed her clammy ones.

'Your apartment is my life goal,' she stated bluntly.

'It is?' Lexa sounded pleased.

'Yeah. I'm so jealous! How do you have such an awesome place?'

'Well…'

'What do you do?' Clarke kicked off her shoes and curled up on the couch, crossing her legs like a little kid. 'Actually let me guess…'

'Ok,' Lexa was clearly fighting back a grin, and Clarke smiled in response,

'Hmmm…not a student. I'm a student and this place is soo much nicer than mine.'

'Correct, not a student,' Lexa crossed her legs, her position a mirror of Clarke's.

'Clearly a comic book nerd…' Clarke gave a pointed look around the apartment and loved the flush of red on Lexa's cheeks.

'Hey,' Lexa looked at her with faux offence and it was cute.

'I'm a comic book nerd too, it's all good,' Clarke reassured.

'You are?'

'Hell yeah - I know about the secret comic book store - I may even be a bigger nerd than you! I even write comics and do the art work for them.'

'Wow! Are you an art student?' Lexa asked, voice filled with awe and Clarke shook her head,

'Guess again.'

'Architecture?'

'Nope.'

'Law?' Lexa arched a perfect brow and Clarke grinned,

'Medical school.'

'A medical student who draws and writes comics and is beautiful to boot - you're fictitious right?'

'I never said my comics were good,' Clarke teased with a giggle.

'Are they?'

'They're awesome!' she stated and Lexa smiled,

'So basically you're perfect?' she asked and Clarke found herself flushing with pleasure.

'How's that then?'

'Gorgeous, clever and talented. Let me guess, you're a real bitch?'

'Total fucking bitch,' Clarke agreed with a nod of her head.

'Ah, of course.'

'Uh…comic book store owner, not worker?' she guessed.

'No, but good guess,' Lexa was biting back a smile.

Clarke wracked her brains for a well paying job for a guitar playing comic book nerd, 'hmmm…accountant?' It would figure that this quirky, beautiful girl would be something really boring.

'No,' Lexa laughed out loud. 'If I have a weakness it's numbers.'

'Hmm, I give up!'

'I'm a musician.'

'A musician?' Clarke's eyes bugged. That was unexpected, and kind of hot, which was weird, but hell she could admit that.

'Yeah. Lincoln and I are in a band together - Trikru.'

'Trikru?' she squinted trying to think if she'd heard of them. 'Never heard of you.'

'We're not bad,' Lexa chuckled.

'Clearly you do ok,' Clarke gestured to the apartment.

'We do. Our first album sold a lot.'

'Play me a song. Please. One I might know?'

'You don't want to get back to the party and your date?' Lexa arched a perfect eyebrow again.

'My date is interested in someone else and talking to you is more fun than the party.'

'You sure? I mean maybe I'm slightly unhinged?' Lexa joked.

'Are you?' Clarke asked, brow furrowing.

'Very,' Lexa deadpanned and Clarke broke into a spontaneous grin,

'Yeah? Me too!'

'Fine, we'll stay here and be unhinged together.'

'Perfect,' Clarke felt much happier in this fresh, fun space with the girl next to her than she had all night. 'But I really, really want you to play for me?'

'Later,' Lexa said and Clarke watched her flush, apparently shy - that was entirely adorable.

'Ok later. Unless that's rock star talk for never?'

'I'll play for you Clarke,' Lexa said and Clarke decided she loved the way this tall, sultry girl said her name.

'Yeah you will,' she nodded confidently watching the girl shift awkwardly. She was clearly uncertain how to behave and Clarke loved that, feeling fairly certain that this girl was her new best friend. 'So you're a talented musician, a comic book nerd and beautiful…I'm guessing you're fictitious too?' she winked and watched Lexa flush.

'I'm very awkward…socially, so most definitely real.'

'It's your lucky day Lexa - I don't notice social awkwardness at all, and I like you. So no stressing. I don't care.'

'Yeah?'

'Besides which I find you pretty funny,' Clarke shrugged and then grinned - Lexa was both pretty and funny. Criminally pretty.

'Ok, then. You can stay.'

'I wasn't planning to leave,' Clarke chuckled. 'Not till I've had my song, read this comic here,' she waved the comic in her hand, 'and seen in the new year with you!'

'Good to know,' Lexa smiled brightly and it was so stunning that Clarke stared at it for a moment, before blinking,

'So where are you from Lexa?'

'New York. You?'

'Just outside Boston. I was born in DC, but grew up around here.'

'I'm going to guess you're at Harvard?' Lexa leaned forward a little, and Clarke found herself leaning close,

'Why do you think that?' she wrinkled her nose.

'You seem very smart,' Lexa answered before flushing again. Clarke couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face at the blush - Lexa must feel really awkward. Clarke didn't like that she felt embarrassed, but that blush was super cute.

'Don't forget - unhinged…'

'Well anyone at Harvard medical school would need a small part of themselves to be unhinged.'

'You speak the truth,' Clarke nodded. 'I'm not unhinged by the way.'

'Me either.'

'Not that there's anything wrong with it, I'm just disgustingly well adjusted.'

'I'm mostly well adjusted,' Lexa answered and Clarke stared at her wondering what drove the honesty, intrigued really.

'Good to know,' she smiled. 'Please play for me?'

'I don't know,' Lexa looked down shyly and Clarke laughed,

'You released an album that did well - don't you perform in front of large audiences?'

'Well yeah, but this is more…personal,' she attempted to explain.

'Where have you performed - biggest venue?'

'Wembley stadium,' Lexa admitted and Clarke found another wide smile on her face, her cheeks aching,

'So your band really is quite big? Or were you the warm up band?'

'We headlined,' Lexa admitted and Clarke jumped up from the couch and walked to the guitars.

'Which one?'

'The one with the stickers,' Lexa answered and Clarke stared at the "Voldemort votes Republican" sticker and giggled.

'Ok, I love this guitar,' she angled it and read, "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup." 'Lexa, you didn't tell me you're a comic book nerd and a total dork.'

'Haha, shut up and hand it over,' Lexa rolled her eyes and Clarke rubbed her cheeks which were aching from smiling. 'What shall I play?'

'One of yours, one I might know.'

'Sure,' Lexa coughed slightly and put a foot up on the edge of the coffee table before she started strumming. And that was it - Clarke was transfixed on the sight of skilled hands moving across strings and her voice - her voice was beyond amazing,mit was mesmerizing! The song sounded kind of familiar, but Clarke was focussed entirely on Lexa, on her hands, her face as she sang, her beautiful voice, everything about her. When the song was over Lexa looked down shyly.

'Wow. You're amazing!' Clarke stared at her, still captivated.

'Sure.'

'Seriously amazing. Look, let's swap numbers - I don't want it to get late and forget, ok?' Clarke had to be friends with this girl.

'Sure,' Lexa reached into her pocket for her phone and Clarke smiled. Again.

'Now let's talk about this,' she waved the comic in Lexa's face and they sunk into nerdiness for several hours, missing the New Years entirely. Clarke had such a good time she fell asleep on Lexa's couch and when they awoke the next morning she insisted they went for breakfast. Lexa was definitely her new best friend.