Chapter 11: Intention

"We're both looking at the same moon, in the same world. We're connected to reality by the same line. All I have to do is quietly draw it towards me."

Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart

Lexa wore a light plaid shirt over her black tank top, the night was humid and you can't really tell when the bugs or mosquitoes would strike. She has left her button down open and the sleeves were folded to her elbows. She matched her hiking boots with a pair tight dark pants. It was nothing fancy but a little bit less casual than their trekking wear for the past few days. It was their fifth day at Siem Reap and Lexa and Clarke visited Ta Prohm earlier that day. The said temple was made known when it was chosen as the site for the Tomb Raider live action movie which starred Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. Clarke was a bit thrilled to find out about this since she has spent countless hours playing this video game as a child and Lexa, well, Lexa simply knew about it. As she sauntered towards her destination, Lexa recollected their experience earlier that day.

Unlike the other temples, this site was really more of a ruin compared to the others. Tree roots penetrated the walls, floors and even the roof of the temple. You could say that the jungle is slowly reclaiming the man-made structure into its belly as it has eaten almost half of the complex.

"Aside from that banyan and kapok trees here, did you know that one tree is actually called the strangler fig?" Lexa pointed out the ancient trees devouring one side of the temple complex.

"Interesting, it actually feels a bit eerie here, like the jungle is in fact reclaiming the land" Clarke pointed out, probably a little creeped out at this moment.

"Yeah, mother nature really has her own ways in recovering" Lexa wisecracked.

"Do you think things will get better soon, Lexa?" Lexa knew that Clarke was no longer talking about their surroundings. "Will we be able to recover like the forest?"

"I hope so, the body has its ways of recovering Clarke, it has anti-bodies and stuff. I'm not really good with Biology but I think the heart being an organ has ways of healing itself too" Lexa affixed her gaze tenderly at Clarke, they both know how their journeys started and they both know how they eventually ended up beside each other.

"Even if it's ruined, I still feel this place, so much energy, probably held so many memories for those who walked these corridors before. It's so stunning, right?" Clarke thought.

"Of course, in fact this is the Lara Croft temple after all, c'mon let's go take a picture" Lexa joked to lighten the mood once again. "This is going to be another souvenir for my parents".

Clarke noticed this with Lexa, she always thought that the girl was a little bit uptight. But for several occasions, wherever things get a bit too sad, serious, unsettling or awkward, Lexa would suddenly throw a joke or a witty banter. With that they took photographs of each other and a selfie on Clarke's phone as they continued to sightsee hand in hand.

At the beginning, Lexa thought she would never encounter her good-humored self once again. With what Costia did to her, it felt like she was constantly being followed by a dark rain cloud, sucking all the happiness away from her. But being with Clarke, she felt that this other person carried a heavier baggage, hence, she has made a conscious effort in lightening the mood and making Clarke laugh whenever they both started to think of dim things.

"Hey Lexa, there you are! Come join me!" Lexa found Clarke in one of the busier corners of Pub Street. She was seated on a bench, her feet water-logged in what looked like an aquarium and she was downing a bottle of cold cola. They separated for a while when Lexa headed to the nearest ATM to get more cash for the rest of their stay.

Lexa laughed at the sight before her, in a busy street filled with neon lights with both folk and dance music coming from bars and a pack of tourists moving to and fro, Lexa found Clarke in the most auspicious of places. Wearing a blue tank top and a light checkered scarf hanging from her neck, Clarke folded her jeans up to her knees and submerged her feet in a sizeable aquarium filled with small grey colored fishes.

"Lexa, a fish spa! You soak your feet for an hour, the fish will eat your callouses and then you get a free Coke for a dollar!" Clarke was pointing to neon sign which says "Fish Spa for a dollar".

"Haha, it sounds a bit ghastly but what the heck! I made you climb that temple, one for the bucket list, eh" Lexa paid the attendant a dollar and sat on the same bench beside Clarke. As she removed her shoes and folded her pants, the attendant handed her a dry towel and a cold bottle of cola as well.

As Lexa dipped her feet, a school of fish rapidly swam towards her and started to devour her toes. To her surprise, she jerked her knee and splashed some water towards Clarke in the process.

"You did not say that this actually tickles, this is not my idea of spa and relaxation, Clarke" Lexa instantly lifted both of her feet from the water and Clarke laughed hysterically.

"It actually tickles at first but you'll get used to it. C'mon, just dip your feet slowly once more. You'll actually hurt the fish if you make another wave, you don't want that" Clarke guided Lexa carefully, holding her by her shoulders.

The proximity comforted Lexa, despite the fishy smell around them, she could smell Clarke's scent due to their nearness. She was used to having the sweaty Clarke around especially due to all the hiking and biking that they have done these past few days but that Clarke did not smell so bad either. But this relaxed version smelled different; probably something with a faint floral scent but a little bit earthy with undertones of vanilla. As Lexa tranced into her illusion, she was brought back to reality when one of the fishes chomped on her big toe. Lexa then realized that Clarke has already withdrawn her embrace and proceeded to enjoy her drink as she watched the passers-by along the busy street.

"So, this was fun" Clarke gleefully told Lexa.

At this moment, Lexa realized that they spent almost a week in Cambodia and she would soon be due to visit Anya in the next couple of days. They would either chose to part ways or head towards the same destination once again.

"So, what are your plans after this? Have you heard from Bellamy?" Lexa asked.

"Honestly, I really don't know yet. I called him last night, actually" Clarke said before taking another gulp from her drink.

"Was he okay? How did the tattoo go?" Lexa probed, hoping that this conversation would end in what she was hoping for.

"Well, after two days, he told me that he was allowed to get one. He just needed to stay in queue. He did get a fever after, he'll stay there for a few more days" Clarke replied "He said I should follow him there, we need visit some beaches he said".

Whatever Clarke said, Lexa actually heard parts of her conversation with Bellamy that night. Thinking that Lexa has already fallen asleep, Clarke decided to call Bellamy as she stayed inside their hotel room. But Lexa could only make out whatever she could hear from Clarke's end in her hushed whispers.

"How are you?"

"That would go away soon, yes, you knew that would happen, Lexa warned you"

"Yes, I'm having a great time here"

"Yes, Lexa is here, she's in the other side of the room, asleep"

"No, I don't think I want to"

"Of course, you can stay there…as long as you want"

"No, Bell, no, we don't want that"

"It's your life, you can do whatever"

"Yeah, I would like to see the beaches"

"But I don't want to go alone…"

"Of course, she's nice, no, not in that way"

"What are you talking about?!"

"You did what?!"

"How dare you?! Yes, of course, I know I agreed to an open relationship…"

"No, that's not what I'm doing. We have twin beds for crying out loud…"

"It's not the same…"

"What, emotionally? So, you just decided to act on it?!"

"Good for you…"

"It's done then, fine…"

"Yeah, actually, I'm relieved…"

"No, you did not help…"

"But thank you!"

Then Clarke laid silent as she put her phone down. As the light from Clarke's night lamp died, Lexa heard some muffled sobbing until she fell asleep the next hour.

"So, you'll go there?" After her recollection of the previous night's situation, she was baffled that Clarke got up and pretended to be her cheery self the entire day.

"Probably not, I broke up with Bellamy last night…" Clarke replied nonchalantly, "He said he slept with some European girl that he met at the village".

"He did what?!" Lexa almost got whiplash with what she has confirmed. So, Clarke did cry that night and something unpleasant did happen after that conversation.

"But you know what, we did agree to have an open relationship, if anything, I think I'm a bit relieved, actually" Clarke confided as she proceeded to look at her toes slowly being frenzied by some fish.

"You are?" Lexa asked nervously, a bit apprehensive of where this conversation was headed.

"I was a bit confused, probably, a little guilty too but I guess this was the right thing. After all, somehow, we both used each other for certain reasons" Clarke explained. "I appreciate his honesty actually; I suppose I should start dealing with things as they are now".

"It's a cliché Clarke, but I suppose I should say something like, I'm here for you" Lexa whispered, drawing Clarke closer to her, putting her left arm around Clarke's shoulder.

"A cliché but just exactly what I wanted to hear at this very moment" Clarke placed her head on Lexa's shoulder.

"Lexa?"

"Yes?"

"Can I come with you?"

"Yes, Clarke, of course."

The couple proceeded to finish their drinks in silence as they looked into the busy street with the bustling crowd and the aquarium fishes both unaware of the connection that they established that very evening.