Let Me Teach You the Ways
Chapter One
'- First day is always going to be hard, Honey. But I swear that you will come to love living here. It is going to take some getting used too, from the both of us but I can already feel the energy of being somewhere new; somewhere different. Don't you feel it too, Honey?'
The world outside of my mothers new and pristine Volvo car may be rushing past us in a quick blur of greens and blues and dark-grey, from the road we're driving past, but within the confines of my mothers car, the white leather seats rubbing against me, the silent hum of the air conditioning being turned up full blast – because my mothers a sucker for feeling cold every two seconds – and the sound of her meagre voice droning on and on beside me, does nothing but slow down the time in my world.
But then again, in my world time has been nothing but slow since the day my mother uttered those three earth-shattering words. The words that have lead us to where we are now, and where we will soon be heading in '- Just a few minutes' as my mother only ever replies whenever I ask.
It's been 'Just a few minutes' for the past four hours and Lord only knows exactly how long it really will be until we eventually get there.
To our new place.
Our new home.
Why must my mother torture me so?
'- Clarke? Clarke, I'm speaking to you here…' My mother's sudden voice comes back to me in loud waves, coming and going.
It's been like that the whole car journey so far and I already know that it isn't going to change anytime soon, no matter how much my mother may pester me into speaking more than just two syllables.
'- Clarke, can you at least try and make an effort. I'm trying to speak to you here, to converse with you. You. My daughter.' My mother spells out slowly for me like as if I didn't already know that she gave birth to me seventeen years ago.
'Yes Mother.' I sigh out, finally answering her, just to please her and hope that it will be enough for her to leave me alone. Of course it isn't, but it was worth a try.
'Ah now you talk to me, I haven't heard your lovely voice for hours now. I was beginning to worry that you may have lost it altogether.' She said with slight mirth.
'Nope, my voice isn't what I lost, just my whole life instead.' I cracked back with more snipe than I intended.
But seeing my mothers mouth go from opening in shock and then shutting closed, eyes wide as if the wind from outside just got knocked into her, was enough for me to not take back those words.
They were all true after all, and she knows it.
We may be going to a new place, to a new home, but that didn't mean I wanted to be a part of it.
I already had a home, a life, back in Arcadia. Now, that's all gone.
Why must my mother torture me so?
'You know I didn't want too Clarke-'
'No you wanted too, don't even try and lie to me Mother!' I snapped back, facing towards her as my mother struggled to keep her eyes from mine and the road ahead of her.
She was always eager to make sure her eyes never left the road when she drove, always. That was one thing I could not fault my mother for, her impeccable driving, then again everyone has always said that we are too alike, I'm exactly the same too. But then it's always been like that for us, ever since-
'Ok, so maybe I might have wanted for us to leave. But I have already explained my reasoning's as to why we are going enough times, I can't even count. You know that this is the best thing for us, Clarke. I really do think you are going to love living here… in time.' My mother ended her short speech looking me straight in the eyes, for all of a second, before she looked straight ahead again.
I let out a small sigh of relief as she did so, not even realising I was holding in that breath. I crossed my arms around my chest in a slight 'humph' whilst blowing back a piece of my stray blonde hair, before turning to gaze outside the passenger window again.
It was just the usual scenery of trees and bushes and a long, long winding road. The usual sight of green, blues and dark-grey, like it had been for the past four hours now.
We were definitely not in the city anymore.
/
'Hey, Clarke!'
I was sitting in my school canteen, lost in my own world, when I turned my head to see the hazelnut brown of my best friend's hair hanging in front of me, as she leaned down to wrap her open arms around my shoulders. Her grip held firm as I enveloped her back, my arms wrapping around her waist. The embrace didn't last long as I knew that it wasn't the most comfortable position for a side-ways hug. I let out a whimsical chuckle at our failed attempt of a greeting, before replying back.
'Octavia!' I let out happily, seeing my friends pretty, tanned features lighting up at the sight of me.
'I feel like it's been forever!' She exclaimed, raising her hand to her chest, pouting slightly, almost as if her heart couldn't handle the pain of our separation.
'It's only been two periods since last we saw each other.' I chuckled back.
'Two periods, too long!' She let out dramatically, as she took the empty seat beside me with a loud 'humph.'
'Your clinginess amazes me, O, but I can't help but worry about how you will cope once lunch time is over and I head to another class again.'
'Ah don't remind me of our sweet parting already, Clarke, I only just got back to you. Leaving you is always such sweet sorrow!' She exclaimed lifting her hand up to rest on my cheek before dramatically turning her head to the side in a loud sigh of distain.
'Nice to see your acting skills are improving, those extra drama lessons are coming in useful, O.' I told her truthfully, bubbling with laughter at the sight of Octavia's face coming back to me in such eagerness.
'You really think so!' She dropped her hand from my face and started waving it around her in glee. ' Oh I'm so glad someone sees it, I was beginning to think of dropping out seeing as Bellamy is having way too much fun winding me up about it.' Octavia let out with a genuine disheartened sigh.
My forehead crinkled as my face began to frown seeing the upset in Octavia's eyes. Her big brother always had to take things one step too far in their never ending battle of wits.
'What's he been saying, O. You know that I can make him apologise right, but if it's more than that I will happily slap a bitch if I have too.' I told her sternly, my face nothing but hard and serious and Octavia's face brightened instantly.
'As much as I'd love to see you taking Bellamy down limb for limb, I do also think that won't be necessary. You know how he is, he can't help but throw in a joke here and there, it isn't anything I can't handle myself.'
'Okay fine, I'll let it go this time, but you seriously should never think of dropping out of something you clearly love so much. I know how hard you work in Drama, it's like Your subject-'
'I am the captain of the soccer team too, Clarke, don't forget that.' Octavia reminded me, her finger pointed in my direction.
'As well as your greatness in all things sport,' I amused her, which worked as she eagerly wiggled in her seat in delight. 'Don't ever let anyone's words or actions stop you in your tracks, okay. You are an amazing captain; you're climbing higher and higher in your acting skills, having only been taking extra lessons for a few months now. I know that you are going to be the best in your class soon, and I'm pretty sure the lead role in the play this year was literally made for you. Go for it all, okay, don't ever give up.' My blue eyes looked straight into Octavia's warm browns earnestly, they never once faltered and Octavia did nothing but look back, her grin on her face growing wider.
I am never one to compliment my friends too much on things, or give random speeches, but when it comes to times like this, when I know they genuinely need to hear something positive about them, I'm always more than ready to help them out.
I never like the thought of my friends failing in life just because they let other people's words affect them. Maybe I really should have been the head of the Bullying Campaign last year, like all my friends kept pestering me to be. Oh well, it's too late now, they gave it to my oldest and dearest friend Wells Jaha instead. Like that boy isn't the head of everything else already, including the school in which I attend, Jaha Academy, his father is the Chairman of the school just like the other father Jaha's have been before him. Wells doesn't even need school, he is pretty much made in my eyes.
'Hey love birds, make some room!' I'm suddenly jolted from my thoughts and away from my best friends eyes when I catch a glimpse of dark black hair tied up and olive skin squeeze in between the small gap between Octavia and me.
'Raven! Must you do this every time?' I groan out as I'm made to move down a space to make room for my good friend Raven to fit in too.
As if the round table we are currently sat on in the middle of the school cafeteria hasn't got enough room for her. Raven just lets out a happy hum and a cheeky smile in my direction as she slams her tray down in front of her ungracefully, her bottle of milk falling sideways and knife and fork jumping off her tray and landing on the table surface instead.
That's my friend Raven for you.
'So gracious Raven.' I let out my thoughts.
'As I will always be.' She tells me with a wide grin and mirth in her dark eyes.
I just chuckle and shake my head at her usual behaviour.
'So what's crack-a-lackin' in the lunch hall today?' Raven asked nosily, peering around the school canteen as if drama would just suddenly jump out before her.
'Oh nothing really, just the usual fight between two guys over a girl, a teacher getting arrested for sleeping with a student and a can of worms being reported to the head teacher from the school cafeteria.' I told her easily.
'Oh really, a whole scene of a crime?' Ravens face brightened up as she played along.
'Yes, you missed it all, it really was quite entertaining.'
'Police came and everything,' Octavia playfully recounted the story. 'The whole ordeal, handcuffs and reports being taken, which I obviously accounted for, knowing the whole thing that was going on between the two the whole time, I mean really who isn't surprised with this school.' We all chuckled as Octavia's eyebrow rose.
'Damn, I have one make out session after Chemistry and I miss out on everything.' Raven's voice rose suddenly as if she truly was sad to miss out on school drama.
'Wait, what? You had a make out session-'
'With who, where?' Octavia finished for me. The both of us turning on Raven so fast she didn't even have time to reach for her apple, which she quickly dropped as she faced the both of us with her lips sealed shut but the tips reaching all the way to her eyes, it was obvious that she would spill all.
'With Wick!' She dropped out quickly, her fist covering her mouth as if she just let out a top government secret.
The sound of all of us girls squealing in delight and excitement broke out all over the canteen, causing a few heads to turn our way to try and see what the fuss was about.
We would have carried on like that for some time too, if it wasn't for my other two friends, Jasper and Monty, rounding on us wanting to know what all the happiness was about. Jasper's skinny form and his long, brown hair just about covering his eyes filled my vision as he came in between Raven and I eager to know the gossip.
I just rolled my eyes at him and told him to ask Raven, seriously he could be worse than my Asian friend Monty sometimes, and he was gay, he loved everything to do with drama and gossip. He, too, was taking Drama with Octavia, and I knew that it wouldn't be long until I saw the both of them playing the lead roles in the school play. The boy could act when he wanted too. Just like I knew he was now, standing to the side of Jasper, slightly behind him and pretending to not really be as interested as I knew he was.
Looking up and around at my dear friends, I couldn't help but feel a warmth flood my heart. I couldn't contain my smile as my eyes lit up listening on as Raven relived her story of how her and Wick kept endlessly flirting during all of Chemistry, which of course lead to them escaping to the janitor closet just around the corridor for a quick make out before lunch.
The laughter of my friends as they all joked around, Jasper telling Raven he wanted to hear all the juicy gossip, whereas Octavia pretended not to throw up at the details. I couldn't help but keep quiet as I just listened and watched, the way it usually was every lunch time and break. I always knew when I would see my friends interacting like this, and my table filling up more once Wells and Bellamy would come along and the strong arms and broad shoulders of Finn would encircle my waist as he dropped a light kiss on my cheek which I would always swat away before seeing Raven's small smile wobble for a moment, the conversations growing more and more, the laughter getting louder, I knew that my days here in school truly were the best days of my life. Seeing my friend's everyday always made me want to go to school more, just to be around them. Life couldn't be more perfect…
'-Clarke, Honey, we're nearly here now. Truly, we're just coming around the corner.' My mothers light voice filled my senses and entered my brain. Her gentle touch shook my shoulders as if trying to wake me up, even though I didn't actually fall asleep.
It was just a daydream, a distant memory…
One that I could remember all too clearly as if it wasn't just two moths ago.
Before the news, before my mother said those three life-changing words, before everything in my life went horribly wrong.
Back when my life was more than perfect, back when I had a life at all.
Now I had to make a new one, away from Octavia, Raven, Bellamy, Wells and Finn… away from Jaha Academy, away from the inner city of Arcadia. Straight ahead to never-ending trees, bushes and fields – so, so many fields – to the small, tiny village of Ton D.C.
A new life, straight ahead, towards nothing.
A/N: Hey, so after reading many great the 100 fanfics about our favourite couple, Clexa (they are endgame no matter what the show may say!) I thought that I would try my own, especially after this particular idea wouldn't get out of my head. I hope that you take the time to read and enjoy and please let me know your thoughts, I love to hear what people think, this is just a quick first chapter leading to what will happen next, let me know if you think I should continue or not. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: No character's are my own, although I so wish they were, I would have let Heda go a much more honourable way #Lexadeservedbetter! (who agrees with me?)