chapter two

Clarke groaned loudly as someone banged loudly on her and Octavia's door, trying her best to hide underneath her pillow. Her head was spinning, the aftermath of the previous night's vodka and movie night hitting her like a freight train.

"I'm not getting it." Clarke mumbled.

"Not dealing well with the hangover?"

Clarke could hear Octavia's smirk. "Every single part of me hurts."

Octavia laughed. "You'll develop a better tolerance - lightweight."

"You're the worst." Clarke said. "And for the love of God, answer that door."

Octavia swung her legs out of bed, heading for the door. Clicking the lock, she opened it to reveal a very irate Bellamy. "Go away Bell."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"God, you are unbelievable, you know that?" Octavia said. "You got your way! I went home last night and missed an amazing party. Is that not enough for you?"

"You're my responsibility O, and I don't want you anywhere near those frat parties-"

"You know what Bell?" Octavia was furious. "I'm relieving you of your responsibility. You don't have to obsessively take care of me anymore!"

"I'm always going to be responsible for you Octavia, whether you like it or not."

Clarke was well and truly awake now, the prospect of getting back to sleep completely gone. "You know," She began tiredly, sitting up in bed. "At some point you're going to have to acknowledge that Octavia is an adult and you can't control her every move."

"You have no right to get involved in this, its between me and Octavia-"

"You got me involved in this when you called me irresponsible in front of half the university last night." Clarke said. "And you got me involved in this when you barged into my dorm room at ten am and woke me up from a great night's sleep."

"You can't treat me like I'm a baby forever Bellamy." Octavia said. "Eventually you're going to have to recognise that I'm eighteen years old, and I'm more than entitled to make my own choices - regardless of whether or not they're good or bad choices."

Bellamy rolled his eyes. "Thats a great way of getting me to trust you, telling me you're going to make bad choices."

"Isn't that a part of growing up? Making mistakes and learning from them, I mean." Clarke commented. "I highly doubt you're perfect yourself Bellamy."

Octavia nodded furiously. "Clarke's right. You're absolutely not perfect, if memory serves me correctly."

"This isn't about me -"

"Really? Because I get the feeling it it." Octavia snapped. "This whole 'protect Octavia to the death' thing isn't just you wanting to protect me, I think there's a whole lot more to it."

Bellamy's expression clouded. "Don't try and make this into something it isn't."

"You're just pissed because you know I'm right." Octavia said. "And for the record, you don't know Clarke - she's the most responsible person on this floor, if you ask me."

"You've known her, what, a day?"

"That's all I need." Octavia said. "Now can you go? Clarke and I have lots to do."

"Like make bad life choices?"

"I was thinking breakfast." Clarke grinned, making Octavia laugh.

"Unbelievable. Don't come crying to me when something goes wrong then O." Bellamy said, turning on his heel and barging out of the room, nearly sending the person standing in their doorway flying. "Do you mind?"

"Jesus, whats his problem?"

Clarke's eyes widened as she saw Finn standing outside their room, eyebrow raised as he watched Bellamy storm off their floor.

"Thats my older brother." Octavia said. "He's got some anger management issues. Among other things." She looked at Clarke, grinning knowingly. "I'm going to go and see if Jasper and Monty are up for getting some breakfast."

"She's not very subtle, is she?" Clarke said, trying to smooth her crazy bed head down, tucking her tangled curls behind her ear.

"With a brother like hers, I think she gets a free pass." Finn said. "I hope you don't think its really creepy, me turning up here."

"No, no, it's kind of sweet, actually." Clarke said, her gaze flickering to the floor. "I'm kind of curious as to how you found me though."

"Last night at the party, you called that guy you were yelling at Bellamy Blake - it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Octavia is therefore, Octavia Blake." Finn said. "All it took then was me pretending I couldn't remember my sister's dorm room assignment, and the nice lady in admissions and housing told me that my sister Octavia was on the third floor of the Connelly dorm's."

Clarke raised an eyebrow. "She believed you were Bellamy?"

"No." Finn laughed. "But I think the extra latte I conveniently had helped my cause."

"You went to a lot of trouble just to find me."

"Well, I never got your number last night." Finn shrugged. "And I was really hoping that you'd be up for going on a date with me."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Finn nodded. "I've got some stuff I have to sort out this morning, but would you like to go for coffee with me this afternoon?"

Clarke couldn't help but smile. "I'd really like that."

Finn returned the smile. "I'll meet you at the coffee dock over by the student centre at four then?"

Clarke nodded. "See you then!"

"Alright." Finn turned to leave, but stopped himself. "One more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I actually get your number this time?"

Clarke laughed. "Yeah. Give me your phone and I'll put it in."

Finn passed her his cellphone, and Clarke quickly typed her number in, handing it back to him.

"See you later?"

"See you later Finn." Clarke said, smiling stupidly. She was still smiling stupidly when Octavia arrived back, looking at her expectantly.

"Well?"

"He asked me on a date - today!"

"Wow, he's eager!"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No." Octavia shook her head. "Its definitely a good thing! He can't wait to see you!"

'You think?"

"Trust me Clarke, he's already crazy about you." Octavia said, rummaging through her half unpacked suitcases to find a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. "Jasper and Monty said they'd meet us by the lifts in five for breakfast by the way."

"I'm not sure I can eat anything." Clarke said, her stomach churning.

"Water and toast." Octavia said knowledgeably. "You're going to have to eat something, or you'll feel worse."

"How aren't you hungover?"

"Practise." Octavia shrugged. "A tip for the future though Clarke, eat a big dinner before we go out. For soakage purposes. Unless you want to get absolutely fucked up, then don't eat anything - but thats probably a less than stellar idea."

"Definitely a less than stellar idea." Clarke said, taking a look in the mirror and groaning. "I can't believe I let Finn see me in this state." Her hair was practically standing on edge, knotted from the previous night's sleep, her party make up all over her face.

"Says something about him." Octavia shrugged, shimming into a pair of skinny jeans. "He can look past all the superficial stuff - make up and hair or whatever. He likes you because he likes you."

"He doesn't know me."

"But you two made a connection last night." Octavia teased, waggling her eyebrows.

"Haha. We made out for like, a minute, before your bonehead brother interrupted." Clarke said, trying to drag her hairbrush through her tangled curls without completely scalping herself. It was proving to be something of an impossibility, strands of light blonde hair coming off with every brush stroke.

Note to self, Clarke thought. Tie your hair up before bed. Or, embrace the dreadlocks.

"Do you think I could rock dreadlocks?" Clarke asked absentmindedly, tying her hair back out of her face in a messy ponytail.

"Probably not." Octavia said. "Your hair frames your face really well the way it is."

"Thanks?" Clarke was almost surprised Octavia's response had been a compliment. She almost expected the other girl to laugh off her inquiry.

Octavia shrugged. "I'm being honest. And anyway, if we're going to rebel and change our image now we're in college, can we please get tattoos? I really want one, but I don't want to go alone. I need someone to keep watch so I know some skeevy tattoo artist isn't writing 'suck my dick' across my lower back."

"Thats a thing that happens to people?"

"Come on, theres a show on some shitty reality network called 'when tattoo's go bad.' This kind of stuff definitely happens to people." Octavia said. "So are you up for it?"

"Up for what?" Clarke paused, her sweater halfway to her head.

"Getting a tattoo together!"

"I don't know if I'm decisive enough." Clarke admitted. "What if I change my mind halfway through?"

"We'll just have to think of a really cool tattoo idea for you before we get them then." Octavia beamed. "Come on Clarke, I'm starving!"

"Okay, okay - I'm coming." Clarke shoved her feet into her converse, letting Octavia drag her out the door of their dorm, the other girl still talking happily about tattoos, and tattoo ideas.

Clarke couldn't help but smile stupidly. She'd barely been in college for twenty four hours, and she already had three new friends, and a date that afternoon. She wasn't doing too badly, if she could say so herself.

Classes hadn't even started yet, and Clarke's life was on track.

"Earth calling Clarke?"

"Huh?" Clarke snapped out of her trance, Octavia looking at her expectantly, Jasper and Monty barely holding back laughter.

"You're all dreamy and lovesick already Clarke." Octavia laughed.

"I barely know Finn!"

"But you two made a connection last night." Jasper said, his eyebrows moving in an expression not completely dissimilar to Octavia's earlier one.

"Oh my god, you and Octavia are actually the same person." Clarke said. "Octavia, are you hiding in there underneath all this hair?" She said, messing with Jasper's floppy dark fringe. "Octavia, just scream if you need help, okay?"

"Great minds think alike Clarke." Jasper said, laughing as he batted Clarke's hands away.

"Can all these great minds get in the elevator so be can go and get breakfast? I'm willing to sell my soul for some french toast right now." Monty said, gesturing towards the waiting elevator.

Jasper looked at his best friend. "A deal with the devil for some eggy bread. Hmm."

"I am hungover to fuck Jas, so either you get me some french toast, or I sell your porn collection on ebay." Monty grumbled.

"Porn collection? What kind of porn are you into, Jas?" Octavia smirked, her expression turning Jasper to jelly.

"Porn, I don't watch porn. Too busy out getting s-some." Jasper said, almost breathlessly.

"Pity." Octavia said. "I like watching it."

Clarke couldn't help but snort as she watch Jasper go bright red, and fumble for a response. "I think you're trying to kill him Octavia."

"Nah." Octavia grinned. "Corrupt him a little, maybe."

"Still here, still hungover, still hungry." Monty said, looking impatient.

"Alright, grumpy pants." Octavia said as the doors dinged open. "We're nearly at the cafeteria. Anyway, we're not talking about the most exciting news here guys - Clarke is going on a date today."

"I still can't believe he tracked you down so quickly." Jasper commented. "He's really into you Clarke."

"So you all keep saying."

"Having second thoughts already?"

"God no!" Clarke shook her head. "I like him, I do - I've just never really done the whole dating thing."

"I find that really hard to believe." Octavia said. "You're gorgeous Clarke, I would totally date you if you were a guy. Or if I was a guy."

"Good to know?" Clarke laughed.

"And anyway, didn't you have a thing with Senator Jaha's kid? William?" Jasper looked around for confirmation.

"Wells? God no." Clarke said. "He's a friend. Just a friend."

"Dating isn't exactly hard anyway Clarke." Octavia said as they entered the busy cafeteria, joining the queue for breakfast. "Its supposed to be fun, don't overthink it."

"I guess I just don't want to mess it up before anything even gets started." Clarke said. "I'm not exactly great with keeping relationships going, romantic or otherwise."

"You're keeping your relationship with us going!" Octavia pointed out.

"We've known each other for like a day."

"The first day of many." Octavia quipped. "Right?"

"We are the four musketeers." Jasper said.

"I thought it was the three musketeers?"

"Even numbers are better than odd." Monty said, shovelling food onto his plate.

"It means no one ever has to sit by themselves on the bus." Jasper laughed. "Thats a benefit to being the four musketeers."

"And where are we planning on getting the bus too?" Clarke raised an eyebrow.

"We should go to the beach."

"Thats a five hour drive - at least." Clarke said. "I don't think I could sit on a bus for that long."

"Don't like public transport, rich kid?" Octavia teased.

"Okay, we made a deal about the rich kid jabs." Clarke said. "And I just don't like being stuck in a cramped space with no prospect of getting out for five hours."

"You're claustrophobic?" Monty asked as they headed towards a free table.

"Kind of. Not really." Clarke said. "Its a really long story I'm not going to get into right now. Plus, I get motion sick."

"You can cure that." Jasper said, sliding into a chair.

"Really?"

"Well, I've been working on a cure." Jasper said. "I haven't exactly moved to human trials yet, but I think it could probably work."

Clarke rolled her eyes. "I'm not being your first human trial Jasper - I need a little more than probably."

"What about a hangover cure?" Octavia interjected. "One of those would be amazing. Like, if you could go and have a crazy night of drinking, and wake up and be fine the next morning, life would be pretty amazing."

"I think there is one of those Octavia - it's called not drinking alcohol." Clarke joked.

"A hangover cure is plausible though." Jasper said. "It would take a lot of work - and a lot of money I don't have - but I think you could make one."

Clarke's stomach churned as she pushed her breakfast around her plate, not quite trusting her body's ability not to throw it straight back up. "I think I could get on board with making one."

"I think we could do it, miss pre-med." Jasper said. "Imagine that - making a patented hangover cure in our first year of college. We could be millionaires by time we graduate."

"Dream big Jas."

"If you're going to dream, go big or go home." Jasper shrugged. "No point is aspiring to teach high school biology."

'Thats kind of offensive, isn't it? Some people want to be teachers." Monty said.

"Mon, anyone who wants to go and spend the rest of their life in a high school is not making good life choices."

"Amen to that." Clarke said.

"Now, being a college professor? Thats something I could totally do."

"I don't think professors get to go to parties and hook up with cute freshman girls Jas." Octavia laughed.

Jasper shook his head. "I don't believe you."

"Your best friend is kind of delusional Monty." Clarke said.

"Him? Yeah, you get used to it."

"Thats hurtful Mon."

"Eat your breakfast and quit the crazy talk Jas."

Clarke couldn't help but smile to herself, looking around the table. It felt like she had been at college longer than a day, known these people longer than a day. Picking up her fork, she scooped up some scrambled egg, instantly spitting it out as soon as it touched her tongue.

"Clarke?" Octavia looked concerned.

"We need to get working on that hangover cure."


Clarke felt a bit more human as she headed across campus, looking for the coffee dock. A long, cold shower had helped, and she had managed to polish off the remainder of Monty's pretzels, so she wasn't going to pass out due to lack of food anytime soon.

Good start to her first date with Finn, all things considered.

Pulling out her phone, Clarke brought up the map of campus she had saved a few days previously.

"Lost?"

Clarke looked up to see Bellamy approaching her, a pair of dark sunglasses obscuring his chocolately brown eyes.

Wait.

She just described Bellamy Blake's eyes as chocolately. She really needed to pull herself together.

Blame it on the vodka.

"I'm not in the mood Bellamy." Clarke muttered, her gaze returning to her phone.

"Not in the mood for what princess?"

"Another one of your rants."

"They're not all I do-"

"I have met you three times, and two of those times, you were yelling at me and Octavia. Excuse me for not wanting to listen to you be an asshole for the third time in less than a day." Clarke interrupted sharply. "I don't know what the hell your problem is, but keep your issues to yourself and let me enjoy college."

Bellamy raised his hands in surrender. "Only if you attend a couple of anger management classes."

"I do not have an anger problem." Clarke hissed. "That is you Blake. You don't even know me, and you have done nothing but yell, and lecture me since we met. You're the one who needs to make an appointment with student health and get yourself some professional help. And how the hell do I get to the stupid coffee dock?" She glared at her phone, not making any sense of the map.

"I don't think you're going to be a good influence on my sister, princess. I'm allowed to be concerned about that." Bellamy said. "And coffee dock is straight down past the arts building, next to the student union. Are you sure you're pre-med?"

"Go fuck yourself Bellamy." Clarke muttered darkly, turning on her heel and marching away.

"You're welcome princess!" He yelled after her.

It took every ounce of self control Clarke had not to turn back, and punch him right in his stupid, righteous, know it all face.

Idiot.

"Woah, Clarke! Hey, you nearly walked straight past me." Finn caught her by the elbow, offering her a bright smile. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Clarke reassured. "I just ran into Bellamy, and he just gets under my skin, you know? Anyway, it doesn't matter. Coffee?"

Finn laughed. "Sure. Coffee."

Clarke shook all thoughts of Bellamy from her mind, joining the queue for coffee with Finn. "So…."

"So…" Finn mimicked. "How do you like life at the Ark so far?"

"You're already a real Arkoses student, aren't you? Using the campus nickname and everything." Clarke teased. "I'm having a lot of fun. I think I'm really going to love it here."

"It is a great place." Finn nodded. "I jumped at the chance to come here when I got a transfer scholarship."

"Wow, a scholarship? Thats amazing!"

Finn shrugged. "I really wanted to go to a good college you know, so I worked my ass off to get here."

"What are you planning to study?"

"Social science." Finn said. "I want to help people, you know? I figure I can do that with social science. You?"

"I'm pre-med." Clarke said. "Facing into eight years of college before I even do my residency is kind of daunting, but its what I've always wanted to do."

"Thats pretty amazing, Clarke."

"I've lived basically my entire life being submerged in all things medical - or engineering. It was an either or choice, and I'm a little better at biology than I am physics." Clarke joked. "No, I mean. I want to help people to."

"You're going to get plenty of practice, keeping your friends alive while you're in college."

"Hm?"

"The kid with the floppy hair? He looks like someone who parties hard."

'Jasper? Yeah. He does." Clarke said. "He wants to make a hangover cure though."

"Ambitious of him." Finn laughed. 'Have you known him long?"

"About twenty four hours."

"Seriously?"

"What?"

"You guys just seem like you've known each other longer." Finn shrugged as they edged up the line. "I figured you'd gone to high school together or something."

'No, I literally met Octavia, Jasper and Finn yesterday." Clarke laughed. "Sometimes you just meet people you click with, you know?"

Finn stared at her, his gaze intense. "I know the feeling."

Clarke felt colour rising in her cheeks, and she turned her attention to the menu board. "C-cool, they do iced coffee here!" She could feel Finn still smiling at her, and she knew full well that if she looked up, he'd still be staring at her with that intense gaze.

"What can I get you?"

"Can I have a vanilla latte please?" Clarke said.

"Make that two." Finn interjected, rooting for his wallet.

"No, you don't have to-"

"Clarke." Finn interrupted, smiling at her softly. "I'll get these, and the next time can be on you, okay?"

"Thanks Finn."

They stood in silence for a few minutes, waiting for their coffees.

"Do you want to sit outside?" Clarke asked. It was a sunny afternoon, and she spotted one free table in the midst of the busy crowd.

"Sounds good."

She led the way, pushing through the queue to step back outside, making a beeline for the table. Clarke offered Finn another smile, trying to figure out how to break the sudden silence.

"I never really dated much before college." Clarke blurted. "So I, uh, I'm sorry if I'm not very good at it."

"Don't worry. I never really dated much before college either, so you're not the only one." Finn laughed.

"Octavia said this was easy."

"Octavia is a bare faced liar, by the sounds of it." Finn joked.

"She's actually really great." Clarke said, smiling to herself. "I think we're going to be great friends, you know?"

"College is all about making new friends, right?" Finn said. "So, why Arkoses if you didn't come here with Octavia and everyone?"

"I wanted to get away from my parents, honestly."

"Seriously?"

"It sounds like such a rich kid answer, doesn't it?" Clarke said. "I mean, I love my parents to bits, I really do, but they've always been overprotective. I know they're only trying to make sure that I'm safe, and everything, but I've always craved independence. My best friend from home, Wells, he and I had planned to go to George Washington for years, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew I couldn't do it. North Carolina was the comprise - its close enough to DC to keep my parents happy, and far enough away for me to feel like I was actually being allowed to grow up."

"I think independence is a fair thing to want." Finn said. "Everyone wants to be given the chance to go out into the world, and fend for themselves."

"Right? I mean, I appreciate everything my parents have ever done for me, but I want to prove that I can do it myself too." Clarke said. "What about you? Why Arkoses?"

"I grew up in Atlanta, just outside the city." Finn said. "Arkoses is in the middle of the country theres only a few small towns near here, and its peaceful. I picked it because it was so different. And because they gave me a scholarship."

Clarke laughed. "That has to be a pretty big deciding factor."

"I mean, just a little." Finn laughed. "I never really wanted to get away from Atlanta - I'll probably end up there again, when I graduate - but I needed the break."

"God knows where I'll be when I graduate." Clarke said.

"Not heading back to Washington?"

Clarke shook her head. "Big world out there."

"I've always wanted to go to Europe." Finn admitted. "I almost majored in art - I've always loved it - and Europe is just full of all these amazing museums, and theres so many artistic movements that were born there. I feel like if I went, I could never come back to the US."

"Its a really cool place."

"You've been?"

"Yeah, my mom was going to a medical conference in London, so my dad and I tagged along, and we went to London, Paris and Berlin. The history there is unbelievable." Clarke said. "Paris is a place to put on your bucket list."

"Isn't it on everyone's bucket list?" Finn said, taking a sip of his latte. "Its the ultimate romantic cliche."

"I think its been made out to be more of a cliche than it is." Clarke said. "Its a romantic city, but theres so much more too it - you can practically feel the history when you're walking around, and there's just an amazing atmosphere there."

Finn simply smiled.

"What?"

"You're a really passionate person Clarke."

"Sorry-"

"No, its a good thing. Passionate people are the interesting ones."

Clarke returned the smile. "Whats your passion then?"

"You really want to know?"

"Of course!"

"Space travel." Finn admitted. "I've always been fascinated by it. If I was smart enough, I would have tried to be an astronaut."

"I'm sure you're smart enough."

Finn shook his head. "I really suck at physics. I've always been more of a talker than a logical thinker. Not exactly what NASA looks for in potential recruits. I still love it though - the whole idea of space travel is amazing to me. I watch an embarrassing amount of science fiction."

"I'm a pretty big Star Trek fan."

"Ah, the age old war." Finn said. "I've always been more of a Star Wars guy."

"Well." Clarke said. "This date is over."

Finn laughed. "Theres no coming back from that?"

"You'd have to do something pretty impressive." She teased.

"How about another date?"

"You're really banking on me thinking this one was great."

"It totally is though."

"Yeah." Clarke smiled. "It is."

"So how about it?"

"Another date it is."

Finn grinned. "Dinner Friday night then? Apparently theres a really good Italian place just off campus."

"I love Italian." Clarke nodded. "Sounds great."

"Its a date then." Finn beamed.

Clarke took another sip of her coffee, listening as Finn started talking about some Italian place back in Atlanta that did the worlds best meatballs. She wasn't particularly interested in meatballs, but she was definitely interested in the boy sitting across from her, his eyes bright as he talked.

Clarke couldn't deny it was a great date - she laughed, she completely forgot about anything (or anyone) who might have been bothering her, and her heart had fluttered furiously when Finn kissed her on the cheek, having had walked her back to her dorm building.

It might have been the perfect first date.

She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she opened the door to her and Octavia's room, greeted by a chorus of questions from Octavia, Jasper, and Monty, who were lounging on Octavia's bed, music blaring loudly in the background.

"How was it?" Octavia squealed, nearly kicking Jasper in the head in her haste to stand up.

"Amazing." Clarke said, tossing her bag and jacket aside, flopping down next to Monty. "We're going on another date Friday night!"

"You go girl." Jasper said, high fiving her. "We've been at college for like twenty four hours, and you've already got yourself a boyfriend."

"I can already tell I'm going to be telling this story in my maid of honour speech!"

Clarke laughed. 'Lets not get ahead of ourselves here guys. We've been on one date, he's not my boyfriend."

"Buuuuut he totally likes you because two dates in one week?"

"I like him too." Clarke admitted. "I felt really comfortable around him today, you know? I think we could have something good."

"And I," Jasper said dramatically. "Will die alone."

Octavia grinned, patting his shoulder. "At least you'll have all your porn sweetie."

"I really am going to die alone."

"Jasper, we've been at college a day. Theres 19,000 students on this campus, you'll find the love of your life."

"Or," Clarke grinned. "Someone who'll at least keep your hands off all the porn."

'I hate you guys."

"Yeaaaaah." Octavia said. "You don't. Do you have any more of those pretzels Monty? Clarke polished the last of them off this morning."

"I'm not even sorry about it, either."


author's note; thank you all so much for all the reviews and alerts for the first chapter, you have no idea how much i appreciate it! apologies for the delay in uploading this chapter, but i got a bit distracted (by sims, because i'm a fully functioning adult who doesn't play sims for six hours straight instead of being productive...) depending on my hours in work, i'll have the next chapter up by friday night at the latest!

feedback is, as always, much appreciated!