"Are you sure your mom isn't coming home?"
"My mom is never home," Clarke reminded Finn. Regardless, he stilled his hands which had moments before been unbuttoning Clarke's blouse. Clarke picked her phone out of her back pocket, opened the iCal application and held it up to Finn's eye level. "See? 'Deposition until 8:00pm.' She thinks linking our calendars will make us more linked." Clarke rolled her eyes as she tucked the phone away. "So, where were we?"
Finn grinned and undid the remaining buttons, pushing the shirt off Clarke's shoulders as quickly as he could. Clarke planted her lips on Finn's neck and enjoyed hearing the small changes in breathing he let out as she worked her way to his collar bone.
Finn was a fuckboy; Clarke knew this. He was on-again off-again with his ex- girlfriend Raven Reyes, who was a senior at their rival school, Azgeda High School. They referred to themselves as "Ice Nation" because their mascot was the penguin. Barf. In Clarke's opinion they were the stupider, and less put together version of Arcadia. What Finn loved about Raven Clarke wasn't sure; whenever they were "dating" they were fighting constantly. And sure enough, whenever Raven was out of the picture, Finn would text Clarke.
But there were a few good qualities to Finn. He was easy to talk to, a good listener. And then there were moments like these—
"Yes, harder." Clarke panted out and Finn delivered. Once Finn was assured Mrs. Griffin wasn't coming home for five hours, he proceeded to tease Clarke right there in the kitchen until she bent herself over the counter and guided him inside her.
The cool tile against Clarke's nipples had her skin erupt in goosebumps. Finn raked his hand down Clarke's back and dug his nails into her waist.
"I'm gunna cum," he got out before pumping erratically into her for a few moments. Once he stilled, he slipped out of her and pulled off the condom with a nearby paper towel. Clarke's skin felt like it was on fire. She had been so close. She unfolded herself and turned around to Finn. "Round two?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
He smirked, "That's my girl."
After a more personally satisfying round of sex, Clarke kicked Finn out of her house. She enjoyed their physical relationship and occasionally found herself dangerously close to catching feelings for him, but he was too unreliable. Clarke wanted Finn if Finn didn't want Raven, and she knew some part of him still did. Plus, she needed to review her song for auditions the next day.
Clarke had been practicing for weeks; Grease was her favorite musical as a girl and she was thrilled Mrs. Green had picked this as her senior show. Although Sandy's bubbly personality wasn't relatable for Clarke, she still wanted the role. Sandy was iconic; not to mention it would look great on her theater resume she wanted to ship out to performing art programs next week.
Clarke was also fairly certain she would get the role. She spent so much time building sets and making costumes freshman year to get on Mrs. Green's good side and it worked. Clarke starred in the fall play and spring musical each year, usually beside her best friend, Wells.
The following afternoon, Clarke walked into the auditorium feeling prepared and confident. She signed her name on the audition roster and was happy to see she would be going last; she liked to leave an impression. Clarke was scanning over the list again to get a sense of her competition when someone bumped into her. Clarke turned around. "Lexa."
"Clarke." The brunette's eyes were rimmed with kohl and she had dingy rings on each finger. Clarke was positive Lexa bumped into her on purpose.
"What are you auditioning for?"
"None of your damn business." Clarke nodded once, message received, and let Lexa pass her. Lexa and Clarke secretly dated for a few months the previous school year. The relationship ended because Lexa started falling in with a different crowd; the kids who ditched school constantly, wore all black and were high every day. Clarke stayed the same and Lexa changed, simple. But Lexa did not take kindly to being broken up with and still harbored a grudge toward Clarke.
"That looked pleasant," Wells commented sarcastically when Clarke sat down next to him.
"It always is."
"Welcome, everyone! I'm so excited to see you all here for auditions, we're going to put on a fantastic show." Mrs. Green was an Asian woman in her middle forties. Her son, Monty, attended Arcadia High School but was a grade below Clarke and deeply invested in the robotics program; their paths never crossed. Mrs. Green was kind to those she liked, but also could be tough and demanding.
"When I call your name—" the loud theater door blast open, streaming sunlight into the dark room. "Ah, Mr. Blake. I was starting to wonder if we would be graced with your presence. Come sign in and then grab a seat, please. As I was saying…"
Clarke's eyes fixated on the back of Bellamy's head. Bellamy Blake? Auditioning for the school musical? Why? Bellamy had never shown an interest for the drama club before this, or anything at Arcadia. Bellamy and Clarke shared several classes together because he was surprisingly intelligent, but he was constantly absent due to his nonchalance or multiple suspensions for fighting.
"Did you know he was trying out?" Wells whispered. Clarke shook her head.
"Harper!" Mrs. Green called. The girl's cheeks colored brilliantly. Clarke heard Harper was dating Monty, which must make auditioning significantly more intimidating. Sure enough, Harper's voice was quiet for several bars in her song before clearing into her regular soprano.
Clarke tuned most of the auditions out, running her song over and over in her head. She did focus when Wells was on stage, applauding when he finished. Wells had a great vocal range, but tended to fall flat when holding longer notes. Easily fixed, Clarke justified. It would be fun to star in her final high school show with Wells. Although it would be more challenging to pretend to be in love with him… that's why they called it acting, right?
"Clarke!" she snapped out of her thoughts and automatically propelled herself toward the stage. She took a deep breath before beginning. She sang "A Heart Full of Love" from Les Miserables, where she starred as Cosette last year. When she finished the room applauded… except for the hooded figure at the end of the first row.
"Bellamy!" Mrs. Green called. Apparently Clarke was not last. The hooded figure stood up and Clarke brushed past Bellamy in his black hoodie under a black leather jacket. He also was wearing grey jeans and blue Vans; Bellamy and Lexa looked like they shared a stylist.
"I didn't know I needed to prepare a song," he said flatly. Clarke rejoined Wells in the audience.
"That's all right. How about the 'Star Spangled Banner?' I just need to get a sense of your range."
"My what?"
Clarke snickered.
"Your vocal range—how high and low you can sing. Okay, on my count, 1, 2, 3…" Mrs. Green started playing the piano and Bellamy turned until his back was facing
the audience and he was singing directly to the theater director. Clarke was ready and willing to make fun of him, but when his voice filled the room she came up short.
Bellamy's voice was clear, supported and he hit each note, high and low alike. Granted, he didn't hold any note out to its full time, but that was easily fixable. Possibly more fixable than being flat…
When Bellamy finished, the auditorium rested in stunned silence for a moment before clapping. Who knew Bellamy Blake, the skateboarder who punched kids for looking at him wrong, had raw musical talent? Mrs. Green also looked shocked, but recovered quickly to look pleased. Bellamy turned around and kept his eyes down, exiting the stage quickly and returning to his seat.
"All right, can I have all my males on stage please!" Mrs. Green took the men and showed them a short movement combination. Bellamy stood in the back of the small group with his arms folded as they practiced. When it came time for them to individually audition the dance, he originally refused. However, one harsh look from Mrs. Green made him change his mind. While his dancing wasn't as fantastic as his singing, he had an innate sense of bodily awareness and movement, probably from skateboarding, that most of the weirder, nerdier boys lacked. Clarke found herself watching Bellamy more than anyone.
When it was the girl's turn, Clarke breezed through the auditions, haven taken several years of jazz, ballet, and tap lessons.
"Thank you! If I call your name, please stay and if I don't, please exit the auditorium immediately. Clarke, Lexa, Harper, Emory, Wells, Jasper, and Bellamy please stay behind. Everyone else, the cast list will be posted tomorrow at lunch. Good luck!" Mrs. Green waited a moment for the room to clear. "Right, I would like to have you all read some scenes for me. Bellamy and Wells, could you read for Sandy and Danny?"
Clarke grinned, "of course." Reading with Wells was easy, even though he felt too preppy to be Danny. Maybe it was because his dad was the principal, or maybe it was because Clarke had known him since they were kindergarteners together, but she couldn't see him seriously pulling off the "bad boy" image.
"Thank you. How about… Bellamy and Lexa. Could you read for Rizzo and Kenickie?"
They began the scene and Bellamy read each line deadpan with his head buried in the script until—
"Mr. Blake, are you trying to be bad at this?"
"No, I think it comes naturally." The students chuckled.
"Clarke, can you change with Lexa please? Wells, please hand the Danny scene to Bellamy. Let's try you as Danny, Bellamy."
Clarke saw Wells' eyes narrow. She walked back onto stage and plopped next to Bellamy. "Try to think of the character. Danny is too cool for school and doesn't want to participate, something you probably relate to." The advice came out as a rush and Bellamy grinned.
"Thanks, princess."
Clarke bristled. "I'm not—"
"Act like a princess, are a princess." He said simply and Clarke's cheeks grew red.
Mrs. Green was watching the pair intently. "The scene, if you don't mind."
"Yes," Clarke said quickly and began her first line. Bellamy was better this time, much better. And as they finished the scene, Clarke panicked for the first time that her perfect vision of senior year may be compromised. Because Wells wasn't going to be cast as Danny. Bellamy was.