Sorry about the delayed update guys! I've been struggling to concentrate on anything for more than about 5 minutes at a time - this is the third time I have rewritten this chapter. Believe me, you wouldn't have wanted to see the first two drafts!

Also, this chapter has a game that I used to play at uni. If anyone hasn't tried this or anything like it, I suggest you try it on a night where you don't have to be anywhere, do anything or communicate with anyone the next day...

I hope this has been worth the wait though… Enjoy :)

/

Clarke sat at her desk, watching the emails fly into her inbox. Work didn't seem too painful for a Monday. She actually hadn't minded getting up today, still coming off the high of spending her weekend doing something exciting and new. Even the morning small talk in the kitchen hadn't been painful like it usually was. Clarke was usually embarrassed to admit that she spent most of her weekend either alone or just with her roommate, rather than doing something exciting like everybody else seemed to be. She didn't have kids to treat or a big house to decorate or a huge number of friends to see. Clarke was just… Clarke.

But today she stopped in the kitchen to tell computer illiterate Clive about the program she was helping out with when he asked about her weekend. She even genuinely smiled when the man from finance who appeared to still be living in the 1970s joined the conversation. Clarke usually couldn't stand him, with his condescending pet names and looks of shock when something came of a woman's mouth that was correct. She had been told by so many people that there was one of these in every office; a fossil who has worked for the company for so many years it's impossible to imagine him ever leaving and impossible to ever complain about him.

Of course, nothing could stop Clarke from plugging her headphones into her iPhone and listening to the playlist Raven had made for her on Spotify when Clarke had left her phone unlocked and docked into the speaker. She may have complained that Raven had messed up her listening stats, but she actually kind of enjoyed the playlist full of cheesy pop songs. Clarke tried not to let her smile grow too big when Spice Girls 'Wannabe' came up on shuffle. She had good memories of the day both her and Raven had handed in their final projects at university. They had gone out, done shots and danced on the table at the local nineties bar. Clarke had never laughed so much in her life.

The smile dropped from Clarke's face when a call came in from an unknown number, interrupting her music. Clarke sighed, wondering what kind of accident the caller was going to ask her about or whether she had a huge memory lapse and bought some PPI at some point. She felt bad for the callers, they were only doing what their employers asked them to, but the insistence of the companies to call again and again was tiring.

"Hello?" Clarke answered her phone, talking into the microphone. She had a funny look from computer illiterate Clive, who clearly hadn't grasped the concept of using the headphones of the phone as a hands-free system.

"Hello, Clarke." Clarke thought she recognised the voice, but didn't want to get her hopes up. "It's Lexa… Woods. From Ark Industries."

Clarke allowed the smile to grow again on her face, earning herself another strange look from Clive. She locked her computer and left her desk before continuing her conversation.

"Hi Lexa. How are you?"

"I'm very well thank you. Yourself?"

"Yes, I'm good too."

"Only good? Well, lets see if I can help improve that... Check your email Clarke."

"Okay, give me one minute."

Clarke scrolled through the email client on her phone, seeing an email from Aden. She opened it and downloaded the attachment. Her mouth dropped open.

"Is this really it?"

"Yes." Clarke thought she could hear the smile in Lexa's voice, and smiled herself. "I had Aden take this to be scanned and digitally refined. We haven't lost a single stroke of detail on the piece."

"I… I can't believe it. It's extraordinary."

"No Clarke. Your work is extraordinary…"

Clarke stood in silence, not quite knowing how to take the compliment. She allowed Lexa to continue.

"This is only the scan though, we have ordered the prints. They're due to be ready on Saturday morning, if you would like to be there?..."

"I would love to be there."

"Well, I will see you at 10 am in the foyer at Ark industries then."

"I look forward to it." Clarke was glad that Lexa couldn't see her blush. She mentally chastised herself for being so forward. Why would she even do that? Why couldn't the floor just open up and swallow her right there and then?

"Goodbye Clarke."

"Bye, Lexa."

Clarke hung up the call, thankful that Lexa had been professional enough to not pick up on what Clarke had said. She wasn't sure she could show up on Saturday without furiously blushing. Clarke made a mental note to find a heavy duty concealer, she was sure there must be something effective enough to hide any blushing that was sure to occur. She leaned back against the wall, and made another phone call.

"Yo, Griff!" Raven answered, sounding cheery as usual. Clarke could hear the sound of some machine or another in the background. Raven had tried to teach her about the different machines, sounds and purposes when she had taken the position at her company, but Clarke had glazed over during the whole conversation. Clarke wasn't even 100% sure she knew what Raven did at work.

"Hey Rae. I've decided we are going out for a drink tonight."

"Wait, what? A drink? On a school night? Who are you and what have you done with Clarke Griffin?"

"Oh shut up. I'm thinking we can go out at about 7? We don't have to stay out late."

"You don't need to persuade me. I'm not fussed with how late we stay out."

Clarke smiled. "Okay. I will see you at home then?"

"You bet."

Clarke hung up the phone again with a smile on her face. A smile that didn't falter for the rest of the day.

/

Clarke stopped dead outside the bar that Raven had took her to. Raven had refused to tell Clarke where they were going, instead just stating that she had a better idea than the quiet bar at the end of their street that was boring. Clarke had countered that she enjoyed quiet and boring, and really on a Monday quiet and boring was more than acceptable. As always, Raven won Clarke around to her way of thinking. "Lets try it… You haven't even been to this place, you can't say you don't like it… Come on, we're celebrating."

So when Clarke found herself stuck in position looking at the bar, mouth slightly open, she wasn't sure whether to question her roommate or her own lack of resolve when debating about a venue to visit.

"Um, Rae? This doesn't look like a quiet bar."

It looked like it was dark other than the disco lights which were on inside the venue, and people were dancing. Clarke could hear the music playing from her position on the street. Raven turned around to face her, and laughed.

"Oh Griff, if only you could see your face right now." Raven walked towards Clarke, and threaded her arm through Clarke's, walking her towards the entrance. "It's a bar that just happens to have a dancefloor and a DJ." Raven pulled a face. "Sure, it does seem to get the party started a little earlier than I would usually go for, but it looks like it's going to be a fun night!"

Raven burst through the doors, and dragged Clarke to the bar.

"I'm getting the first rou-"

"Raven!" A brunette ran into Raven's arms, and it took her a moment to register that the brunette was Octavia Blake. They broke apart slightly, allowing themselves room to maneuver into a kiss. Wanting to look anywhere other than at her friend, Clarke turned to face the bar, ordering two bottled beers from the barman.

"Make that three. I've got these."

Clarke turned her head, finding herself face to face with Lexa, who was smiling.

"Oh, um, hi Lexa. You don't have to."

"Hello Clarke." Lexa smiled. "I didn't realise you'd be here. And it's a free bar." Lexa winked.

Clarke let out a giggle, grateful that the bar wasn't light enough for Lexa to register the blush that was currently gracing her cheeks. "I didn't realise I'd be here... " Clarke looked around. "What even is this place?"

"It's a pretty decent bar actually." Lexa took a swig of her beer. "About once a month, Ark Industries puts on a staff party like this for us. For staff morale. We all finish work early, then this place is open for us until about 11. They don't usually open on a Monday…"

"Oh." Clarke took a drink of her beer. "That's pretty cool." Clarke felt herself cringe. What was she doing using words like cool in front of someone who was the epitome of cool?

Lexa didn't even notice. "Yes, I mean, how many people can say they have done shots with their boss? Plus they buy us hangover coffee and breakfast too…"

Clarke's eyes widened. The most she had ever got when going to work hungover was reprimanded. The more she was seeing and hearing about this big corporation, the more she was questioning how long she could stay at her own company. The benefits would be there: opportunities for development, they clearly value creativity… Clarke was pulled from her thoughts by Raven and Octavia simultaneously tapping on her shoulder.

"Hey, we heard shots!" Raven looked excited.

Clarke and Lexa exchanged a glance.

"Okay."

Octavia spoke up. "We're gonna play a game called shot master. We go alphabetically, and the master of that round chooses the shot. The shot master can also choose for somebody to take two shots if they can think of a valid reason. However, you cannot use the reasoning that someone made you drink two shots on their round. So, going by first names… Clarke, it's your turn."

Clarke didn't want to be the one to back out of the game. She scanned the shelves behind the bar. "Okay. we're doing sambuca, and Raven will be drinking two because I said I wanted a quiet drink tonight, and here I am." Clarke stuck her tongue out at Raven, who pouted in return. "That's within the rules, right?"

Octavia nodded, and ordered 5 sambuca shots.

Clarke was going to have the mother of all hangovers tomorrow.