AN: Your continued follows and faves are my motivation. I really do appreciate you taking the time to read what I have to say. Thank you! Sorry for any mistakes. Enjoy!
"You submitted my work for me?" Lexa was beyond irritated, and the distance between her and the blonde made it even harder not to jump to conclusions. She really wanted to clear things up with her girlfriend. "Call me back as soon as possible, Clarke. We need to talk about this." She sighed as she attempted to compose herself.
What the hell had Clarke been thinking when she sent her manuscript in to MPC?
Clarke walked in to their apartment with a bounce in her step. She smiled to herself as she closed the door and spun around to look for her girlfriend. "Babe where are you?"
"In here." She heard Lexa call from their bedroom.
She strode in and stopped in the doorway as she smiled at her brunette. "What are you doing, Alexandria Silva?" Clarke asked as she witnessed the writer sink further into the covers in the middle of the afternoon.
There was a muffled groan from beneath the heap. "I couldn't concentrate so I came in here to rest my eyes. I fell asleep, but even then all I saw were blank pages with floating words that refused to stick to the paper. It was terrible so I woke up and have not closed my eyes since. By the time I was fully awake I was equally depressed so I decided to just stay in bed for the rest of my life."
Clarke chuckled softly at that. "You're quitting life altogether, huh?"
"Yes." The girl responded grimly. "Sorry, Clarke, you'll have to be my sugar momma." Lexa finally peeked from under the covers at the blonde that made her way towards her.
"I don't like that term." The blonde retorted as she sat on the edge of the bed with her hands on either side of the lump that was Lexa. "Besides, I don't think I alone could satisfy that expensive taste you have." She teased.
Lexa threw the covers forward enough to expose her head and torso. "Jerk. I'm not a spendthrift."
Clarke laughed. "I'm glad that got your attention, though." She moved forward to kiss the brunette soundly. "Get out of bed and I promise to join you in the shower."
Lexa's sudden smile of anticipation was quickly replaced with a furrowed expression. "Wait, have I become the smelly dreary writer that never showers or eats?" She looked to Clarke for an honest answer.
The blonde shook her head and smiled at the other girl's sigh of relief. "I'm trying to take advantage of you while you're all soapy and stuff, Silva. Take a hint." She laughed and hurried to the washroom, her clothes marking the path towards the shower for her girlfriend.
The water ran cold as it went ignored while the girls explored each other and reveled in slippery wet skin.
When they finally dressed and toweled off their soaking hair, they also decided to stay in for dinner. They sat close on the couch, wine glasses filled, while the television kept them in a sort of peaceful relaxation.
Their food arrived an hour later, and as they dug into the cartons of Chinese food, the quiet conversation they were both fond of and good at, flowed effortlessly between them.
"So how was the meeting?" Lexa asked over a chopstick twirl of chow mein noodles.
Clarke smiled as she swallowed her own food. "Great. The Sinclairs offered to partner with me and want me to be at the presentation in two weeks." She replied. "They seem really honest and excited about my work."
Lexa smiled widely. "That's great, Clarke." She paused to high five the blonde's chopsticks with hers. "It was only a matter of time before someone decided to officially debut you in a gallery. Mr. Harwood's exposure was great, but this is huge. Congratulations, you are on your way." She congratulated her girlfriend.
"Thanks babe." Clarke nodded. "There is a small catch." The brunette knitted her brows in question. "Callie and Jacapo are making me choose which gallery to move my collections to. And, none of them are in LA." She waited for Lexa's reaction.
Lexa nodded in understanding. "What are your options?"
"New York, D.C., Boston, or Chicago." She answered with a small shrug. "I had hoped for somewhere nearby, but that's what I have to work with."
Lexa smiled reassuringly. "You get to travel, Clarke." The blonde was grateful for her girlfriend's support as she remembered a previous conversation they had shared on the topic.
"I thought we were going to travel together." Clarke pouted before setting her food carton down.
"We will…later. Right now, you get to do this to set yourself up for bigger things." She soothed.
"Where would you go?"
The brunette contemplated her choices before taking another bunch of noodles in her mouth. "Not D.C., clearly." She smiled. "I would do New York…maybe. I don't know. Those are tough choices."
They nodded in unison. "Well, I have until tomorrow night to let the Sinclairs know where I want my stuff sent. And I have to hunt for tickets and a place to stay by…yesterday." Clarke commented.
The brunette chortled softly. "Decide away. I'll be here waiting for you." Lexa replied earnestly.
Clarke looked at her flirtatiously. "Is it bad that I want to take you to bed right now?" She questioned as she moved forward in an attempt to claim the brunette's lips.
"No, but I'm beginning to think you might have an addictive personality." Lexa answered before smiling seductively and pulling away so the blonde couldn't kiss her. "Don't make me chose between you and Chinese food, Virginia. You know I love Chinese food."
Clarke wanted to argue about that last statement, but she feared the conversation would turn awkward with implications running rampant. Instead, she decided to steer clear of that with a groan and an exaggerated eye roll. "Fine." She pouted before grabbing her food and digging in again.
Clarke sat at a shaded table as she waited for Anthony to meet her for lunch.
They had agreed to discuss her upcoming trip so he could give her some tips and information regarding the Sinclairs and their galleries. The blonde really just needed to know her friend could help calm her nerves about the unveiling of her work to thousands of artists and potential buyers.
He arrived with a smile and rushed to embrace her before sitting down.
The guy exuded confidence most of the time, and it currently dripped from every word he spoke to her. He was intelligent and very sure of the information he was sharing with her and that made her breathe just a little bit easier.
"They take great pride in their shows. It's nothing flashy when they unveil a new collection, but they make sure to invite only the most promising up and comers. The guests will be well off, but not filthy rich or over the top. They're typically artists or business people who made their profits off of hard work and take a genuine interest in the arts. Not one person there will be someone with wads of money just looking to collect a piece that will grow in value. You'll be in good company, trust me."
Clarke took it all in as she downed her mimosa. Anthony smiled at that as he shook his head. "Why won't you be there again?" She questioned with a frown.
He shook his head as he bit into his sandwich, hoping she would stop trying to get it out of him. "I'll be there for the next one, I promise."
The blonde was not one to budge however, so she pried. "Have a hot date with Raven?" She asked forwardly with a grin.
The guy swallowed and sighed. "Yes." He nodded. "It's your fault, so you can't be upset that I'm missing out on your night."
She knew he was right. If she hadn't introduced them, then perhaps they never would have taken as much as a second look at each other and Anthony wouldn't be bailing on her big night. Still, Clarke was glad she had gotten them to meet face to face. They talked a lot that night after the show, and it seemed to be working out. Raven thought he was a sweet guy and mentioned it more than once, and he was a grinning fool when he thought of the brunette. It was a welcome change to see her friends happy and not in a rut pining after unattainable people. Even if she had been one of them. "Yeah, yeah." She finally replied. "I hope you and Raven have fun canoodling while I sweat away my deodorant in a dress I can barely afford." She whined.
"You'll be fine." Anthony reiterated.
"That's what Lexa keeps telling me." She bit into a forkful of salad. "I wish I could take her."
"There'll be plenty of more shows to take her to, trust me." He nodded. "And she'll be more than willing to accompany you while Raven and I smooch in the lounge all night."
Clarke gasped. "You're such a jerk." She scowled.
"I know." Anthony smiled. "So you have four days." He continued. "You all packed?"
"Just about." She nodded before finishing off yet another mimosa.
Clarke moved around the apartment as she finished packing her things. She still had three days, and she was only staying in Chicago for a total of two nights, but she couldn't help but feel the need to pack more than she needed.
Lexa teased her about that.
Much to both of their surprises, Clarke appeared to be one of those travelers. The ones that packed four outfits for two days despite the fact that they really only gravitated towards the same two pairs of jeans. They had laughed about it, but as Clarke tried to close her duffle bag, she realized she wished she wasn't that person.
She finally succeeded in zipping the overstuffed bag before she moved it to the corner of the bedroom where she could see it clearly for the next few days. It's not like she could or would forget it; but still, it would help her sleep at night.
Lexa will probably clown her about that too. Clarke thought about that and smiled.
Lexa's current absence made the blonde miss her terribly as she stopped to listen to the quiet in their place.
Lincoln had called the brunette over to his place not an hour earlier to go over some modifications to the music the band played in between shows, and Clarke had reluctantly watched her go while she continued to pack for her trip.
Now, she was forced to mull over what to do to keep her occupied. She contemplated starting a new painting, but decided against it because she would likely get consumed by it and either a) miss out on her Lexa time to perfect the piece until her departure date, or b) rush and hate it so much it would end up in the dumpster downstairs. And Clarke was not fond of wasting valuable time, paints and or paper.
So, she decided to sit and stream some movies while her girlfriend came home instead. She made her way to the couch and sat heavily as she caught sight of a manila envelope next to Lexa's laptop on the center table. How she missed it earlier with its bright obtrusive color she had no idea.
She didn't ponder it for long though and when she flipped over the packet her excitement took over as she smiled from ear to ear. Lexa had completed her story, printed out the entire manuscript, and had packed it neatly in an envelope ready for mailing. She figured Lexa had been in the process of getting it set up for MPC when Lincoln had invited her over.
A small part of her told her to set it back down and let Lexa take care of it, another part of her wanted to read it despite not having Lexa's blessing to do so. The fact that she had nothing better to do besides waste time watching movies made it extremely difficult not to take the stack of papers out. Another thought crossed her mind then. If she could help her girlfriend submit her work, then her time would be better spent doing that. So, she carefully pealed the protective paper from the adhesive and sealed the envelope shut.
Thankfully Lexa had already taken the time to fill out the details of where it should go so all that was missing was a nice postage label. The blonde made her decision before she grabbed her bag and slung it across her body. The package was safely in her hands as she walked out of the apartment.
On her way back home, she made a mental note to let Lexa know she didn't have to worry about mailing in the envelope. She even attached the receipt to a note she wrote while she waited in line at the post office. She knew it might seem corny, but she didn't care. Her support for her girlfriend had no limit, and a cute note was well within the boundaries anyway.
She was almost to the entrance of their building when her phone rang.
"Hey lady, Lincoln asked if we wanted to have dinner with him and O. Did you finish packing?"
Clarke smiled into the phone. "Yes. And Yes. I'm starving."
"So predictable, the stomach of my girl." Lexa joked.
"Where am I meeting you guys?"
"B.S. on Seventh Street." Lexa replied.
"Tacos! Yes!" Clarke almost yelled into the phone. "See you there." She didn't miss the small laugh from Lexa at her reaction.
Clarke mingled calmly around the guests despite the increasing anxiety she felt as the time for the presentation neared. She was grateful for the glass of whiskey she currently held delicately between both hands. It served as both liquid courage and a distraction as she worked the surface of glass with her fingers.
She made sure to wear super discreet and extra strength deodorant for the event, and she was glad she had because she could only imagine what her armpits would look like if she hadn't. Her poor little blue dress would have been ruined for sure.
A few invitees struck up casual conversation with her, recognizing her from the pamphlets they had received upon entering the gallery, and made her feel welcomed with their soft smiles and gentle demeanors.
Thankfully Anthony had been correct about the scene she was stepping into. So far, the night proceeded without a hitch.
When she had a break in between small discussions, she made her way around the gallery. It was a gorgeous space nestled in the heart of Chicago. Typical of small galleries, it wasted no space with meaningless decorations, and every hanging space on the wall was carefully utilized with beautifully crafted sculptures and art frames.
It was the perfect space for her small collection. People would see her paintings and know that if they resided there, it was because they were meant to.
Clarke smiled as she read the title of the piece before her, her thoughts automatically shifting to Lexa. 'The Writer'. It featured a silhouette of a person complexly woven to an old-fashioned type writer. Nothing existed but the two and the moon which was worked into the dark silhouette of a desk lamp. It was an amazing piece and she suddenly wished she had her phone on her. Of course she knew the policy, and had gladly accepted it as she handed her clutch over to the doorman with the phone safely locked inside. Still, she wished she could snap a shot and send it to her girlfriend.
After greatly appreciating the piece she moved along to the next one. The colors and technique of the piece felt familiar to her. She didn't know why or how, but the title of the frame made it clear once she read it. 'Azgeda'. Her blood ran cold, but before she had a chance to fully process the unexpected bomb, her name was being called out by Jacapo Sinclair.
"Clarke we're ready to commence with the presentation." Jacapo outstretched his hand as he led Clarke alongside his wife towards the small platform against the furthermost wall.
She followed on autopilot, but her mind raced as she digested what she had stumbled upon just seconds prior.
The attendees gathered around as the three people of the event stood ready to start.
"Jacapo and I are pleased to introduce you all to the artist of the evening, Virginia native, Clarke Griffin." Callie welcomed Clarke forward and the blonde smiled politely with a small nod of her head. Her anxiety suddenly made her forget everything Anthony had shared with her and her own common sense. She struggled with the dilemma in her mind regarding bowing, curtseying, and such. Of course none of that was necessary, her nod of acknowledgement had been enough, but she had become extremely self-conscious in just the past few minutes. She was fortunate to have remembered her name otherwise she might have missed Jacapo calling her.
The couple clapped along with the guests before they continued to tell the artist's story and her achievements. Clarke took the time to scan the room for the one person she did not expect nor wanted to run into.
Would he still look the same? She questioned whether she would even recognize him now. Perhaps he had finally chopped off that unruly hair of his. Maybe not.
So, she searched for the only unmistakable feature of his, his piercing blue eyes.
And find them she did. As blue and as cold as the ice he was so fond of. His smile, however sincere, seemed contrived and she desired nothing more than to slap it off.
"Clarke would you like to say anything?" Callie Sinclair looked to the blonde expectantly.
There were about a million things Clarke was good at. Public speaking was not one of them. But the way the Sinclairs smiled at her made her feel obligated to try. She cleared her throat subtly before preparing her voice to project. "Thank you so much, Callie, Jacapo." She smiled at them before turning back to the audience. Her palms were sweaty again, and she wished she still had that cold class of whiskey to play with, but she tried her best to collect her nerves and her thoughts. "This small town girl from Virginia is grateful for the opportunity to showcase herself through the great city of Chicago. You guys are giving me a platform that I had neither expected nor imagined would manifest so soon. I hope that the work you have allowed me to submit to this beautiful gallery will draw both new and old enthusiasts of the arts. Thank you, again."
Everyone in the room clapped as they nodded along with her words. She felt proud then. Extremely.
If only Roan wasn't staring so fixatedly at her, she might have smiled wider.
TBC…
Oh snap! What the hell is going on here? So much happened and I'm still trying to process it. So, Lexa is upset because Clarke submitted her story to her publishers. I feel that might be misplaced anger right? Clarke meant well. Of course she did, but will Lexa understand that? And it seems like Raven and Anthony are talking and maybe dating, but what's really going on with those two? I feel I shouldn't judge just yet. We'll see. And Roan! After all this time Roan runs across Clarke! The cruel tricks of the universe. What will happen next? Do you guys think it's going to get...CRAZIER? I have a feeling it might. Thanks for reading guys! See ya'll next week.
