A/N: Updates will now be Sundays and Thursdays until further notice.
When Raven finally found the courage to come out of the bathroom, Clarke was already wrapped in a bathrobe and blowing out the candles, one by one.
She stayed silent as she went about the room. She didn't utter a single word, there was no urgency in her step, and she never met Raven's gaze.
Clarke's silent demeanour was eerie, to say the least. Raven expected thrown boots and broken glass. Screaming, name calling, anything would have been better than this! It was all very… unsettling.
Panic rose to Raven's throat, the emotion of it tearing her apart as she stood there frozen in fear and paralyzed in place. The quiet of the room was deafening, which spoke volumes about their relationship status.
Just when Raven thought Clarke may never acknowledge her existence ever again, Clarke asked, "Did you really walk into a tree branch?"
"No," Raven croaked, amazed anything came out at all.
"How long?" This time, Clarke did meet Raven's gaze. Pain filled those gorgeous ceruleans, unshed tears glistening as Clarke waited for the answer that would twist the knife. "How long have you been cheating on me with this… Anya?"
How long had Raven been cheating? How flexible was Clarke's boundary on being unfaithful?
Was it from the first time she allowed Anya to wrap those incredible protective arms around her? The first time they kissed? Had sex? Or was it the not so innocent swim they enjoyed at the potholes?
"It happened this weekend," Raven said quietly.
Clarke crossed her arms and spun around to stare out the window. Raven couldn't tell if she was crying or not. When Clarke turned around again, there was only anger in her eyes.
"I knew something was going on with you. I never imagined you would ever cheat on me, though." The tears finally fell, two steady streams ran down unusually pale cheeks. "We've been best friends since high school. We used to tell each other everything. We were inseparable. We took each other's virginity for fuck sake. How did we get here, Rae?"
Raven had to look away, she couldn't look Clarke in the eye anymore, the pain in Clarke's face was just too much.
She shook her head, unknowing what to say. She still didn't know what had happened exactly. Anya had appeared out of thin air, and with that magic, a fire had lit inside the mechanic for the first time ever.
Clarke wiped her tears away and sighed before moving close to Raven and resting a palm on the brunette's forearm.
"Hey," Clarke whispered, pulling Raven's gaze back to her. "You're not alone in the blame here. I know I've been a shitty girlfriend this past year to you especially. I've neglected you for a long time. Truth is, Rae, I don't think we've connected in years. So, if you've found that connection with someone else, then… I guess, I'm happy for you."
Raven drew her brows in confusion and cocked her head. Was this really happening? Clarke was officially unrecognizable at this point.
"How are you so understanding about this?" Raven asked, bewildered beyond measure.
Clarke gave a weak smile, "Because I want happiness one day too. And unfortunately, I don't think we were ever going to find that with each other. I'm just sorry it took us so long to realize it." Raven opened her mouth to speak as Clarke walked over to their dresser and removed some clothing, but before she could get any words out, Clarke pushed the pile of clothes into Raven's arms. "You should get going. You'll be late for dinner with your moms. You can move out the rest of your stuff whenever you're ready."
With that, Clarke gathered her own clothes from the dresser and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Well, that couldn't have gone better.
OoOoO
Raven brushed away a few escaped tears as she made her way out to the parking lot. Night had fallen, and with it its temperature. She pulled her new jacket tighter around her more for comfort than warmth.
The soft squishy texture of the garment made her think of Anya. She desperately wished the grounder had been with her there in that moment to wrap Raven in that warm, loving embrace, kissing away all the stress of the evening.
Raven stopped in front of her car, fiddling with her keys until the audible click announced the doors unlocking. She tossed a small duffel bag into the passenger seat before readying to drop into the driver's seat—but something stopped her.
An indescribable wave of uncertainty perhaps? Intrigue? Whatever it was, it overwhelmed her in an instant. Raven scanned the area, eyes squinting as she searched the shadows, but she couldn't make out anyone around.
Then, she blinked again.
And in the instant of that single blink, the shadows around the parking lot shifted and changed. The overhanging blankets of darkness that hung and hid the things within them, had completely disintegrated into nothingness. Where there were once endless voids of shapeless black, were replaced with semi-well lit areas as if brightened by unseen twilight.
Raven pinched her brows together, her vision had turned crisp, clear, and brighter right before her eyes. She could suddenly see in the dark.
How was that possible?
She didn't linger on the thought long once the moonlight above caught her attention. She stared at the great white marble in the sky. She studied it so carefully she could see the craters of it. Three quarters full, its beauty stunning her into silence.
There was something so…hypnotic about it. She couldn't believe she'd never noticed its magnificence before.
Without even realizing, Raven's keys dropped from her hands, sending them clattering on the concrete as her feet picked up in the direction of the moon. Before she knew it, she was running.
She couldn't tear her gaze away from the giant globe. She had to get to it. She needed to get closer for reasons unknown to her. For whatever reason, this was the most important mission she'd ever had.
Her shoes pattered on the sidewalk, the shops and streetlights around her eventually turned to trees without her notice. She kept running, obeying whatever forces urged her closer, eyes locked on the moon, its gleam on her.
All thoughts were long abandoned as instinct took over. There was no way to know how much time went by as she followed her feet. Her racing heart kept telling her there was somewhere she desperately needed to be.
Suddenly, out of nowhere came a train whistle. A loud ear-splitting screech of a horn, a single elaborate headlight blinding Raven as it headed straight for her.
She had to blink twice before realizing she was standing in the middle of the railway! A train roaring toward her at full speed with no signs of slowing. She lunged to the left, her body flying down a hill, crashing into the dirt and scraping her arm against some loose bricks.
The train whizzed by, the ground shaking slightly as it passed loud and fast. Raven clambered to hands and knees, shaking as she watched the boxcars blur by.
What the hell just happened?
Long after the train left, Raven had yet to move from the ground. What was she doing? How did she end up by the tracks? What if she hadn't seen the train in time?
Eventually, Raven rose the rest of the way to her feet. She glanced to the moon above one last time and shivered in its presence. Why did it feel as though it was watching her? That didn't even make sense. Although beautiful, it unnerved her. Picking up her pace, she headed back to the university parking lot across town.
The car hummed to life, warm air filtering in through the heat vents which Raven immediately turned off. She stripped her jacket off too and rolled down the window. The cold breeze blew in, but it did nothing to calm Raven's sweat-slicked skin.
As she buckled her seatbelt, her gaze caught the time on the dashboard clock, 12:37 a.m. She had to do a double-take.
"What the hell!?" she called out to the empty car.
How had seven hours gone by without her notice? She sat there staring for several mintues, letting the car run as she tried to recall the bizarre events. She'd broken up with Clarke, came out to the car, then… Raven's gaze flashed to the moon, an unnerving shiver skittered up her spine.
She remembered admiring it. But not for seven hours. And she definitely didn't remember heading toward the tracks at any point or anywhere else for that matter.
She swallowed hard as she remembered 'waking' just in the nick of time to jump out from ahead the train.
Raven reached for her jacket and fished the phone out of the pocket. She thought about calling Anya but wasn't sure how she would explain what the hell just happened.
The screen read: 5 missed calls. One was from Anya, the other four all from her mom Peri.
Oh shit, I missed dinner! Again.
Shaky hands gripped the steering wheel. She'd call Anya back after she got home. She wanted this night to be over already.
OoOoO
Peri answered the door; she was wrapped in a bathrobe, her hair a mess and lids heavy from sleep. "What on earth—"
"Hey, Mom," Raven greeted. "I kind of need a place to stay. It's been a rough night."
Peri wasted no time standing aside to let her daughter inside the house. "Of course, sweetie. Did you and Clarke have a fight? Is that why you didn't make dinner or answer your phone tonight?"
"Clarke and I are over, Mom." Raven didn't have the energy—nor wanted—to explain what all transpired that evening.
Thankfully, Peri Reyes was incredibly intuitive and could read her daughter like a book. So instead of asking for explanations, she gave a small nod and shot Raven a silent look of concern before saying, "Just go right on up to your room, Raven. It's just as you left it."
"Thanks, Mom."
Peri hugged her daughter tightly before walking Raven up the grand staircase and down the hall to her room, bidding her goodnight.
Peri was definitely the more motherly of her two moms. Becca was more the distant relative that loved you from afar. But she never forgot to let Raven know just how proud she was of her—or disappointed.
Raven crashed on top of the large luxurious canopy bed. She was beyond tired, extremely so. Her muscles tingled in the oddest of ways. She felt as though she'd ran a marathon. Her whole body felt out of whack.
It must have been all the fantastic sex she'd had with Anya the last couple of days. Raven smiled at the memory.
Then a flash of deadly headlights scorched her thoughts again, the screeching whistle, the thundering wheels as it threatened to mow Raven down.
Raven shot upright in the bed, heart slamming against her chest.
As if hearing her thoughts, Raven's phone chirped and lit up just then with a text from the one and only, Anya. Raven pulled it from her pocket and squinted at the screen.
Hey, babe. You okay?
That was odd. How did Anya know something happened? It had to be a coincidence, but Raven was still curious.
Raven texted back, how did you know something happened? You aren't stalking me, are you? She added a naughty winky emoticon.
As she waited for Anya's reply, she couldn't help but notice how relieved she felt to be conversing with the grounder again. The thoughts of the train already fading to the back of her mind. Her heartbeat calming to a steadier rhythm.
I didn't. I was just worried you might still be…sore… from all our fun…
Raven laughed. I am most definitely sore from our fun. I can't wait to have a lot more 'fun' with you…. like tomorrow, maybe?
LOL. Definitely. I can't wait to play with you again. So, what happened tonight?
Raven paused. Should she tell Anya about the incident with the train? About how she lost nearly seven hours without explanation?
Deciding she didn't want the sexy biker to think her a crazy person, Raven opted out of retelling the bizarre story about the near-death sleepwalking escapade—or whatever it was. Perhaps she might tell her next time they were face to face, but she wasn't up for it just then.
Instead, Raven took a long breath before typing out a reply. Clarke and I are over—It wasn't pretty how it happened. But I'm okay. Happier than I should be…
There was a long pause before the next text came through. Anya must have been shocked things ended so quickly.
So… what you're saying is you're available?
Raven grinned ear to ear. I suppose so. Know anyone interested?
As a matter of fact, I do. I just might know someone that wants to keep you forever.
A flutter rose in Raven's chest along with an unnerving chill that settled over her, the hairs on her arms raised to full attention. Anya was quick to jump on the commitment wagon. It should have seemed an oddity. But Raven loved being so wanted, so desired.
So how did it happen? Do you want to talk about it?
This was one of the other endless lists of reasons Raven adored the grounder so much. Lust wasn't the only common factor between them. Anya was also a good friend and genuinely concerned and interested in Raven and the things she had to say.
Raven thought back to the earlier shower scene with Clarke and nearly facepalmed herself at the thought of it all over again. She might as well tell Anya the whole story…
Raven started to text… so as soon as I got back and opened the door, there was Clarke, all…
…and that's when I came in my now ex-girlfriend's mouth screaming YOUR name!
Anya's reply came immediately. BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA
Raven couldn't help but laugh at Anya's reaction to the story. She'd found everything about the night hilarious. Clarke's romantic setup, posing on the bed like she was a house bunny in the Playboy Mansion, going down on Raven in the shower while Raven described (in detail) the fantasy of Anya jizz-ing on the motorcycle she had to conjure up to get off.
See? Even your subconscious knows you're supposed to be with me. So, when do you want to get matching heart tattoos with each others' names on them?
Whoa, slow down there, hott stuff. There's only so much I'll do with a girl I've known less than a week.
Was that really all it had been? Just a few days? She felt as though she'd known Anya a hell of a lot longer. She was certainly more comfortable with Anya than she'd ever been with anyone else in her entire life.
There was a long pause before the next reply. I can wait. But from here on out, you're mine, Raven.
Raven laughed. She was really loving all this possessiveness for some reason. It was nice to be so wanted for once.
If you want me to be your girlfriend, you should just ask me.
WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?
Raven bit her lip back into a grin as she tapped away her reply. I kind of just got out of a relationship. Quite recently actually. Afraid I'm just not in that place right now…
You're killin me, here, Raven!
Raven fell into a fit of giggles at the response, tears stinging her eyes.
Suddenly, her lids grew heavy with an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Her arms and legs felt as though they each weighed a thousand pounds, every movement causing them to drag. It was time to call it a night.
She hurried to fire off one last text to Anya before she passed out.
We can talk more about it tomorrow. Goodnight, Anya. Thanks for making me laugh at this awful night. I miss you. Wish you were in bed beside me.
Raven slipped under the blanket, collapsing against her many luxurious pillows. Her screen lit up one final time, but she never saw Anya's last text before sleep claimed her.
Call me if anything unusual happens tomorrow. Anything at all.