Chapter 2 A break
Author's note: I hope you like it so far! Feel free to review! :)
After finishing a couple of shots they bring their filled cups with them to the living room to start dancing. Octavia already feels light in her head and starts giggling. "Okay watch me." She says and she treads to a group of people, mostly boys, dancing in the outer circle of the crowd. She taps one of the boys on the shoulder and gives him her drink. "Hold this." Then Octavia starts to do some kind of weird dance in the middle of the group.
"She doesn't know them right?" Clarke asks Raven.
"No she doesn't. She is crazy haha. Where did we find her?"
Raven is laughing and watching Octavia, who is still dancing but now starts to challenge one of the boys in the group to a dance-off. The boy who was challenged by Octavia is a muscular guy with tattoos. First he is like, what the hell is this but as being as intoxicated as the rest of the people, quickly starts to show some break dance moves to defy Octavia. The show-off goes back and forth and now more people are starting to watch the two dance. Not that they dance very good, but they draw attention. Probably because Octavia is screaming and the other guy is making loud animal noises. The party people make a circle around them and they cheer them on. Clarke and Raven are encouraging Octavia to win and to let that guy show some ass! On the next song is a heavy beat, which motivates Octavia to dance even more and to twist and shake her body to the rhythm. She approaches the tattoo guy and dances around him, including a subtle touch here and there.
That's her way Clarke guesses for making an advance. The tattoo guy responds to her dancing more sensually and continues to do the same. They exaggerate their sensual dancing and are laughing now the whole time. Some other guy joins them and they start to sandwich Octavia. The crowd cheers and people are laughing at the fun show they are given. Finally the song is over and Octavia collapses as she is exhausted. The tattoo guy helps her up and whispers something in her ear.
"It is definitely not a freshman!" Clarke has to shout to Riven because the music is so loud.
"Nahh, this is one of her seducing traps." Raven shouts back. "I have seen it coming for a long time!"
Octavia and her dance partner step out of the circle and are walking towards Riven and Clarke, presumably to go to the kitchen.
"See ya later bitchess!" Octavia yells at them and follows the muscles into the kitchen.
"Well, I don't think we'll be seeing her anytime soon…" Raven frowns and looks at Clarke.
Yeah indeed, Clarke thinks.
They make their way to Bellamy and Jasper and Monty who are dancing and joking around at the other end of the room. Pushing away the last people, Clarke finally sees the boys and tries to tackle Bellamy. But being much bigger and stronger than her, it is useless. "Ah Clarkey, that's never going to happen!" Bellamy picks her up and starts spinning with her on his shoulders. "No, noo stop Bell! I'm getting dizzy!" Clarke yells, but to no avail. She then starts to make puking sounds and immediately Bellamy puts her down.
"Good to see you here in Arkanos Clarke. It isn't the same without you!" Bellamy looks at her with a big grin on his face.
"Yes, it is definitely good to be here." Clarke answers and smiles fondly back at him.
She has known the Blakes since she was little and practically grew up together since they were neighbours. She sees Bellamy as her brother she never had, and Octavia as her sister. They have also become very good friends and she is very glad they are a part of her life. With their mother Aurora, their house was a second home and she always felt very safe and secure around the Blakes. And fortunately both Bellamy and Octavia are studying at Ark college.
Next to Bellamy are Monty and Jasper. She waves at them. They are Bellamy's roommates and she has visited Octavia and Bellamy a couple of times when she was still studying at the art school.
After some small talk, the group starts to party with the rest of the people and the hours progress. Octavia joins them after an hour and introduces the guy she had been dancing with.
"Hey guys, this is Lincoln, he's also studying at Ark college." Octavia says to the group.
Bellamy eyes the guys suspiciously but after some talking decides he is a good guy. Lincoln is looking rather tough with his tattoos and shaven head. And being quite big and muscular as well. But Clarke senses he is rather a nice guy who treats people well. She can already see that he likes Octavia, and Octavia him (although she isn't quite sure if it's only the alcohol working). At least he isn't trying to get into her pants; yet. But she is sure Bellamy will keep an eye on her sister like he always does. He is very protective over Octavia, which sometimes drives O mad but it is all with the best intentions. Without a father figure at their home, Bellamy had to fulfil the role of being the man in the house and of taking care of the women. And that's exactly what he did. And although Octavia occasionally complained about Bellamy being so protective, Clarke can always hear from her voice that she loves him in fact pretty much and maybe is secretly kind of happy with him being a bit overprotected. Although she would never say that out loud.
The party is progressing rapidly and its already getting quite late. And after a couple of hours, Clarke is not really in a party mood anymore. She watches the people around them and sees they're having fun. Of course it also helps that they have been drinking the entire time and getting a refill whenever possible. Clarke also had had her fair share of booze but she keeps it at a decent level. She definitely doesn't want to wake up the following day with a big hangover. It's not like is she is not having fun, but her friends are definitely very tipsy and she is now just on another level. Which is fine, but from experience, she knows that in the late hours, alcohol definitely allows you to keep dancing longer and doing crazy things. Next to that, the people around her, including her friends are all getting sweaty from all that dancing and from the temperature inside, which you could say is quite hot with so many people crowded in one place.
Clarke decides to get some fresh air and tells Raven she is out in the backyard.
She has seen the backyard through the glasses in the kitchen when they got some drinks early in the evening. It was already dark outside so she couldn't see that much but it looked like it was a massive garden. Which should be no surprise as the house is also massive.
So Clarke enters the kitchen and has to enter a second room next to the kitchen were one of the glass doors can be opened so she can go outside. When she opens the door she is immediately greeted by a gush of fresh cool air. It is a welcome breeze as she was feeling rather warm from being inside so long.
A couple of students are sitting on the patio where a camp fire is being lit. It has a nice and relaxed atmosphere but Clarke actually wants a moment alone and so she walks past the students and further into the garden, which is indeed, massive. As she walks along the pathway she starts to hum a song and enjoys the fresh air. There are many trees and bushes in the garden and she can see profiles of couples hidden in the nooks and crannies of the beautifully designed backyard. She can't really see clearly what they are doing but she is guessing it is not really meant for her to see. So she walks on and the further she walks, the less people she meets.
Now, she is quite far from the house, although she can faintly still hear the music and see the light pouring out of it.
On the pathway from the backyard itself are strategically placed lanterns which emit a dim light that guides her way. The pathway leads her to the right and now the house is out of sight as she walks past some thick bushes sticking out of the ground. The pathway splits around the turn and she has to choose between two paths emerging from one. The decision is quickly made as she sees another couple at the far end of the right pathway against a tree so she chooses the left. It is a bit darker and less inviting but she doesn't want to intrude nor see the couple kissing or doing God knows what. After a couple of meters there is yet another turn and she is curious as to what she will find at the end of the turn. She can already see faint light glowing around the corner and when she completes the turn she enters a secluded part of the garden.
It is lit by two lanterns. The secluded part is densely populated with bushes and flowers in all types and sizes. She can't really see the colours of the flowers but it must be lovely. In the middle of the round area is a big oaken tree with massive branches. From one of the branches hanging is a swing. Clarke hadn't noticed yet but there is actually a person sitting on the swing, lightly swinging with the back to her. She can see the person has long hair and a slender figure so most likely it would be a girl. The place, with the girl looks kind of magical.
Clarke, although not in Art school anymore appreciates beauty when she sees it and this is definitely a beautiful place to be.
'If I only had such a garden.' Clarke sighs. But then laughs because a student never ever can afford this place.
She didn't realize she laughed out loud because the girl on the swing jumps up and turns at the sound.
"Oh err, hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Clarke apologises to the girl.
"Oh, it's okay." The girl says to her with a soft voice. She is holding one rope of the swing. "I just didn't expect anyone to come this far out in the garden. Most people are staying close to the house."
"Yeah I didn't expect see someone here as well. I just needed a break from the party. It is very crowded inside and very hot so I just wanted to get some fresh air and have a moment for myself." Clarke says to the girl as she takes a step closer.
"But let me introduce myself first, I'm Clarke," she smiles and offers the girl her hand.
The other girl takes her hand and shakes it. Her skin is very soft and Clarke is mesmerized by her long slender fingers. From what she can see in the soft glowing light is that the colour of her skin is like olive. She looks the other girl in the eyes and is met by the most intense eyes she has ever seen. The colour of her eyes is a warm and fascinating kind of green and Clarke has difficulty not staring at them the entire time.
"Hey, I'm Lexa." The girl finally answers her with a soft voice.
"So Lexa, you also needed a break from the party?" Clarke asks her.
"Yes, although I'm here for quite some time now," Lexa answers. "There are just too many people for my liking. And I like this part of the garden very much," She adds shyly.
"Oh you have been here before?" Clarke asks the girl and observes her. She has long chestnut hair which falls in curls over her shoulders.
"Yes, my aunt and cousins live in this house and I visited a lot." Lexa answers as she eyes Clarke.
They are both silent now. It is not a common thing for Clarke. Most of the times she doesn't have any difficulty speaking to strangers but there is something with Lexa that makes her feel at a loss of words. The silence doesn't feel forced though, it is rather pleasant.
They can hear some soft music coming from the house and the two lanterns in this area add to the serenity of this place.
"So… do you want to sit on the swing?" Lexa asks as she puts her hands in her pockets.
"Oh yeah sure." Clarke replies and they both walk towards the swing. It is a kind of a luxurious one, with an actual bench stuffed with pillows on it.
Lexa isn't quite sure why she invited the other girl to come sit with here. She has been out here for almost the whole time. There is no point in trying to sleep in the house with all the noise, so she just waits till the noise is turned down, either because it is the end of the party or by complaints from the neighbours. The party bewilders her, she is not good at that type of social interaction. And normally she is very apprehensive of people she doesn't know. But there is something different with Clarke. She can't really figure out what, but she has a feeling she can trust Clarke. And maybe it is too soon to tell, but like Anya told her many times, she should let people into her life more. So she sits down with Clarke on the swing and looks at the magnificent view this place gives on the city below them.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Clarke softly exclaims as she sees the view for the first time.
"Yes… yes it is," Lexa softly murmurs as she glances at Clarke. Her blonde hair is softly moving in the wind and the smile on her face is infectious.
This place, which is already one of her favourite places in the world, always makes her feel happy.
It is truly a magical place…