Clarke was sitting on the edge of her fire escape with her feet dangling out in the open air. She had headphones in, her body swaying to the music and she was absentmindedly sketching out the city around her. With her notepad on her knee Clarke carefully drew the skyscrapers and scenery around her. Every detail was not forgotten. Even the birds in the sky and the people that looked like ants were added to her creation. Whenever Clarke was feeling particularly stressed she climbed out her window and down to the fire escape bringing along her sketch pad. She loved drawing and had a real passion for it. She would have made it into a career right out of high school but her mom would not let that happen saying that it was a hobby at best and not at all practical. She wanted her to become a Surgeon just like she was. But while Clarke enjoyed helping people, becoming a doctor was not where her heart was. If her dad was still alive he would have more than supported her going to an Art Academy. But he's not and now her mom is all she has. Of course she has her small group of friends and she is always grateful for them but something always feels like it's missing in Clarke's life. Some kind of hole that can't be filled.

"I'm just destined to be miserable" Clarke thought, as she shaded in some buildings. Sometimes sketching makes her feel better but she just has too much on her mind today. She climbs back into her studio apartment and sends a text to her best friend Raven asking if she wanted to go out tonight. Clarke wanted more than anything to get out of her apartment and just get drunk. A few minutes later her cell phone chimed with a new message.
Raven: Yeah I'm down, Octavia wants in too.
Clarke: Okay, I'll meet you at your place at 9.
Raven: See you then blondie XD

Clarke smiled, happy that her friends were free tonight. Raven and Octavia shared an apartment together a few blocks down. They opted to share a three bedroom with Clarke but she declined saying that she enjoyed her privacy too much. Now she was starting to second guess that. It was a little more than lonely around here. She used to date this guy named Finn for a while. She even thought she loved him but he turned out to be a total jerk. He had been trying to get with her best friend behind her back. Like she wouldn't find out. She had to end it and he did not take it like a man. He actually started crying and then screaming at her. Thankfully Octavias boyfriend, Lincoln, was there to throw him out of the apartment. He's been back on several occasions asking Clarke to take him back but she wouldn't dare open the door. It was almost six so that gave her some time to get dressed. She was guessing they would all just go to their usual spot. Lincoln was the bartender there and would often give the girls drinks on the house. Of course Octavia would always find ways to thank him later. Those two are so in love it would be unbearable if they weren't her best friends. But because they are she finds it endearing. She took a quick hot shower and towel dried her hair. It was a dirty blonde with a few strands of pink. She added that touch after she started feeling more empowered and stopped letting other people run her life. Mostly meaning her mom. She used to be a pushover but she is learning to change and be a real leader. She is better off for it. Now she doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks of her and is more confident now then she ever was. Clarke walked to her closet thumbing through some dress options when she spotted the perfect one hanging in the back. It was a dress that complemented her eyes well. Both a stunning blue. She paired it off with some heels and some bling. Her favorite piece was her father's watch. He gave it to her right before he passed and Clarke had worn it since. It didn't go with anything she wore and was too big on her wrist but Clarke didn't care. She was able to carry a part of her father wherever she went and that's all that mattered. Ready to go Clarke grabbed her keys and tucked her cell into her bra. She never carried a purse because she always ended up leaving it in some random club. So she started stashing everything in there like cash or even candy at one point. She was blessed with a nice set so there was definitely room in there. After locking up her place she walked to the elevator and made her way down to the garage. She found her BMW pretty easily because it was the most bad ass car in there. It was a graduation present from her mom. Being the head sergeant had its advantages. The money was nice and they were always well off but Clarke rarely got to spend time with her mom because she was always at the hospital. So they grew apart and often Abby would try to make up for it by buying her expensive gifts. She really thought she would have taken the car back when Clarke dropped out of Med school but to her surprise she let her keep it. She just remembers her mom being so mad and disappointed. But Clarke has learned that life should be about more then just surviving. Now she is somewhat happy.

While she was driving to meet the girls at their apartment she started to think about how excited she had been when one of her comics had taken off. During her downtime while she was in school which was barely any free time at all she would draw these comics and post them to her tumblr online. Over the course of a few months her series about an ordinary boy, Aden, who turned into this ridiculously cool superhero had really taken off. A few months later she got an email from a comic book company who wanted to Interview her for a possible internship. After taking a tour of the place she was sold and when she got the call that she was hired she made the hard decision to drop out of Med school. Boy did she never hear the end of it. She rolled her eyes at the thought of the many lectures from her mom. But she didn't care. Now she is slowly making her way up and hopes to be apart of the design team soon and is excited about her future. When she pulled up to the apartment her friends were already waiting outside. They squealed in delight and waited patiently for Clarke to park and get out.

"Damn Clarke every time I'm around your car it does something to me". Raven was all but drooling on the curb.

Octavia shook her lightly. "Earth to Raven its just a car".

Clarke slapped her palm to her forehead knowing Raven was about to spew out a boatload of car tech that no one but her understands. She is after all the top mechanic in all of New York. Hell possibly the world she was that good. But before Raven could get a word out a curly haired guy threw open the door startling everyone. "Oh shit, my bad"

"Bellamy! What did I tell you, we have neighbors you can't just be slamming doors around". Octavia scolded her brother and closed the door behind him gently. "Like that, okay? Geeze".

"Yeah okay sorry" he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully and then noticed Clarke leaning against her car. Now it was his turn to drool. I mean how could you not. He blacked out for a second almost falling over after Lincoln threw a football that had been laying in the yard and made contact with his head. "Dude, you're drooling".

The whole group snickered as Bellamy somewhat recovered. He shot daggers at Lincoln. "What the hell man?"

Lincoln laughed "Sorry but I had to save you from embarrassing yourself further".

"By throwing a football at me?" Lincoln laughed even harder causing Bellamy to rush him and then they started play fighting and laughing. The girls just rolled their eyes.

"Anyway" Octavia started. You planning on hooking up tonight Clarke? That's a pretty bold dress for our regular night out."

Clarke looked down and thought about her response. She wasn't planning on finding a hookup. But she wasn't not not looking either. She ended up just shrugging and said "if I click with someone there then who knows."

Raven smirked "I sure hope you do because you haven't gotten laid in years"

"OMG! It has been only like a few months" Clarke looked away in embarrassment. "I've been busy.. With things.. You know like work". Truth is Clarke was just scared to let anybody in because she didn't like heartbreak. She didn't like giving her all to someone and they end up being crazy like Finn and try to cheat on her or something. While Clarke was trying to be more confident in her life she was still very much shy when it came to romance. She was a nerd and sometimes a klutz. She didn't know how anyone could be attracted to her.

Octavia huffed. "Yeah whatever you say babe. Let's go before these two end up killing each other". She gestured to the boys who were still wrestling. "Dudes come on I'm ready to drink".

And with that they all headed to the local bar, Bellamy successfully annoying everyone singing to every damn song that came on the radio...

"One, two, three not only you and me. Got 180 degrees and I'm caught in between. Countin' one two three… Peter Paul and Mary. Getting down with three 3P, everybody loved… uh! Countin'… "

Octavia slapped him. Hard. "Bro, shut up omg I can't take your girlish singing anymore. Not to mention you're totally ruining Britney for me."

Bellamy rubbed his face where a tiny red hand print starting to appear. Just moments before he was happily singing along to the radio gesturing wildly and making Raven laugh when all of a sudden BAM! Slap to the face. So hurtful. "Geeze you didn't have to hit me that hard".

"Oh I'm sorry Bell." She then turned towards him and started smacking him all over at a rapid pace. He responded by tickling her in her sides effectively making her double over in a fit of laughter.

"Ha, say sorry!" Octavia was beyond ticklish in certain spots and her brother of course knew every one. She continues to bust out in a giggle fit as Bell continued his attack.

"Ne...vv..ee..r!" came the out of breath response.

Clarke adjusted her rear view mirror. Faking seriousness she said "Do I have to turn this car around and put you both in a time out?"

Bellamy stopped his assault but not before sticking out his tongue at his sister and proceeded to sing. Octavia just rolled her eyes and was pouting in her seat.

Lincoln whispered in her ear. "it's okay babe, I'm totally going to put something myserious in his shampoo later". And with that Octavia perked up and snuggled into her boyfriends side.

Clarke pulled into a space at the front of the bar. She loved this place. It was cozy and the food was so good. Not to mention the drinks were on point whenever Lincoln was tending to them. He has a gift. When they entered they took their usual booth and immediately started getting into conversations about everything happening in their lives. Clarke didn't really have much to say. She just went to her internship and basically was errand boy to the people she hoped to become. She knew she needed to go back to school to get her degree in Art if she was really serious about making this her career. While she was only 21 she felt like her time was running out. Her mom already paid most of her expenses and that's how she's able to keep her apartment while working at her internship. But what happens if she cuts her off? She'd be out on her ass in no time that's what. She was afraid of becoming a failure and proving her mom right.

Suddenly she was very aware of four sets of eyes staring at her.
"Dude, where'd you go she asked for your drink order like five times now". Bell was referring to the waitress who at this point looked really annoyed. Her name tag read Ontari. She started to tap her pen impatiently and looked at Clarke expectantly.

"Oh, ..ugh..sorry…I'll have a Kamikaze". Clarke stuttered out feeling nervous under this girls steady glare. She watched as she wrote their drink order down, huffed something under her breath, and finally walked over to the bar to start chatting up this guy named Murphy. He worked there on Lincolns nights off and he was okay but he didn't know how to mix like his co-worker does.

As if reading her thoughts, Lincoln nudged Clarke. "Do you want me to go back there and make you your drink. I know how you prefer it to taste" He smiled down at her. He really was a sweet guy. Octavia was very lucky.

"No, that's okay. Murphy is shit at mixing but he'll manage". She twiddled her thumbs and tried her best to be apart of the conversation but her mind kept drifting. " I need another drink", she thought. And drink she did. As the night progressed Clarke had effectively gotten good and drunk. It was around 1 a.m. and the bar was filled up with mostly regulars but she did notice there was a few people she never seen before. Ontari was still their server and as the group got drunker she got more annoying. Bellamy and Raven got up to play a game of pool and Octavia and Lincoln snuck off probably to make out somewhere. She could go join her friends at pool but she didn't have a teammate. She often found herself alone after everyone paired off. This is one of those times the feeling of missing something weighed heavy on her heart. She choose to ignore her feelings in favor of drinking when that bitch Ontari was walking in her direction with a tray full of food. "Wouldn't it be funny if she tripped" Clarke thought giggling to herself. But before she knew what she was doing and could stop herself her foot dashed out effectively tripping Ontari and in what seemed like slow motion the tray of food went flying. What appeared to be some sort of salsa dip and chips along with a sandwich flew across the tables and into a brunette women's lap. Clarke couldn't help but watch in astonishment as the brunette covered in salsa reacted by throwing her hands in the air. Her right hand happened to have a drink in it. And said drink ended up in the face of a younger woman who was also brunette. Ontari hopped up and began profusely apologizing and helped wipe off some of the salsa. The younger one fled to the bathroom because she had alcohol flung in her eyeballs and was cursing like a sailor.

"That bitch tripped me" there was a finger pointed in her direction by the annoying server and in her drunken haze Clarke got up as best she could, muttered a sorry, and wobbled her way to the back of the bar with her hands covering her embarrassed face. She thought for a moment that while this was all happening she swore the music stopped abruptly and all the chatter around her just died and people were stuck staring. But maybe she was way drunker than she thought. She ended up in the storage room where she sat down on a keg of beer and just sat there in pure shame. "Way to go Clarke".