'I wish that I had known in that first minute we met, the unpayable debt that I owed you.'

Kettering by The Antlers

The Dinner Part 1

"Clarke it's so nice to see you"

"Yeah"

"So how's school going? I expect you're enjoying all your biology classes"

"Yeah I guess, it's just really stressful"

"Oh, I know it is honey, but it will be worth it in the end, I assure you" Her mother smiles, minutely. I'm not so sure about that anymore. Clarke pulls her dress up uncomfortably and twirls her fork in her hand absently.

"Anyway, we will be having guests join us shortly, there is someone I am excited for you to meet"

Clarke really has no idea why her mother had made her join her for dinner; she hadn't seen her for months and all the woman ever seemed to do was nag Clarke to work harder. Clarke huffs and fidgets in her seat. Abby glances down at her phone quickly before her face breaks into, what Clarke, can only describe as a terrifying and concerning grin. Her grin is so big, Clarke is genuinely concerned it will crack and shatter her mother's glass skin, stiff from years of grief and cold parenting. She is just about to inquire as to why her normally reserved and criticizing mother is grinning from ear to ear, when Abby visibly perks up from her spot across the table. "Oh dear lord, they're here! Clarke quick make yourself look presentable" The blonde scowls and glares at her overly excited mother.

"Gustus, you're just in time please join us" A large, burly man with a beard leers into view and takes her mother's hand, pressing a light kiss to the back off it.

"Ms Griffin, a pleasure as always" The large man takes a seat next to Clarke and turns to greet her. "And you must be Miss Griffin, it is truly lovely to meet you". He holds out his hand to Clarke.

"Yes, and you are?" She takes the man's hand and shakes it.

"Gustus"

"Nice to meet you Gustus"

"Clarke, Gustus here is a cardiothoracic surgeon up at Polis Hospital, he may be able to offer you an internship there" Abby says enthusiastically.

Just what I want, a summer filled with paper work and making crap coffee for people more important than me. Clarke is about to inquire as to what exactly the internship entails (even though she already sort of knows), when Gustus's booming voice rings through the air.

"Alexandria will you please get over here right now, I am getting tired of your reluctance to socialize with my associates!"

"I am coming, I just had to use the restroom, no need to get your panties in a twist Gus!" A voice replies from somewhere in the restaurant. The man beside Clarke visibly bristles at the comment and his eyes narrow. Clarke has to hold in a laugh. This dinner might not be too bad after all.

Oh how wrong Clarke was.

Just as her mother starts to riffle through her bag for some kind of paperwork. And honestly if Clarke was paying attention she would know exactly what her mother was looking for. But no, Clarke is not paying attention, but rather staring intently at the ceiling. Counting how many circles there actually are up there and wondering how exactly they create those intricate, raised swirls of paint.

However, she is brought rudely out of her counting, when Gustus speaks slightly louder, addressing someone who is obviously not at the table.

"Alexandria, finally." He points to the seat opposite Clarke. "Would you just please sit down".

Clarke looks up then. And her world is immediately turned upside down. She finds green eyes, eyes that widen dramatically. Clarke almost chokes on nothing and blushes profusely, a feeling of dread washing over her. The girl is wearing her usual attire, her braids and skinny jeans seeming out of place in the fancy restaurant around them.

"Alexandria this is Doctor Abby Griffin"

Lexa seems to break out of her surprise and jolts her body to face her mother.

"It's nice to meet you ma'am"

Her mother shakes Lexa's hand, or Alexandria's she guesses. "It's nice to meet you too Miss Woods, this here is my daughter Clarke"

Lexa glances at Clarke hesitantly. Clarke holds out her hand across the table awkwardly. "Nice to meet you"

"Likewise"

Clarke would feel so much better about this awkward exchange if it wasn't for the way Lexa seems to look at her hand in disgust and her hesitancy to take it, like she knows exactly where it's been. And well she does. Clarke blushes again and feels sick.

Lexa takes her seat opposite her and pointedly looks at everything other than Clarke.

All through the first course of the dinner, Clarke manages to successfully avoid Lexa's eyes and any sort of communication with the brunette. She spends the entire time swirling her drink with a straw and seeing how many forks she can stack on the table.

But by the time the waiter delivers their second course, it is clear that the universe has decided to torture Clarke.

"So Alexandria, do you go to college?" Abby says as she cuts up her food.

Lexa offers nothing but a one word response. "Yes"

"May I ask where?"

"Of course, I go to Polis"

"Oh Clarke goes there too, don't you Clarke?" Abby looks at Clarke expectantly and nods a little.

"Umm Yeah?"

Clarke glances around the restaurant again. She sees nothing but stiff and stony faces, people clad in formal attire, trying to be polite. Why her mother enjoys this kind of socialite life, Clarke will never know. This whole thing would actually be more bearable, if her meal actually tasted nice, but it doesn't. All Clarke can taste is metal and her throat is dry. But that is probably because of this awful situation, so she probably shouldn't blame the chef.

"It's strange that you two haven't at least see each other around campus"

Honestly could her mother just shut up.

Lexa glances in her direction awkwardly. Clarke clears her throat and looks back at her mother. "Err yeah, we sort have already met"

"Oh"

Lexa takes this moment to speak up and share the burden that is her mother, and for that she is just a tiny bit thankful.

"I am Clarke's friend's roommate"

"Which one?"

"Raven"

"Oh how is she?"

"Good, still as annoying as ever"

"How is her leg now?"

"It's actually a lot better, but I think she is mostly just relieved to be at college and not in her house"

"That's understandable"

"Yeah" Clarke sighs.

"So Lexa, what do you think of my daughter?"

Clarke mentally face palms and sends a seething glare towards her mother, before looking at Lexa. The brunette is staring at her intensely. The table is silent for what feels like a lifetime, before the green eyed girl clears her throat.

"Well, your daughter certainly knows how to enjoy life…"

Clarke's eyes widen and she feels her face heat up. She must look like a legitimate tomato. She stares into Lexa's eyes, determined not to let the strange girl intimidate her. She may be embarrassed, but she doesn't like losing. They sit there staring at each other, both accepting a silent challenge. They must have stayed like that for a long time because when Clarke breaks the stare to look at her mother, her plate is empty.

Clarke forces herself to finish off her food, despite the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. It is not until they have ordered desert that her mother decides to torture her, yet again.

"Wait if you two already know each other why did you say it was nice to meet you?"

Clarke starts coughing loudly and stands up abruptly, causing her chair to scrape. She looks around to see a few annoyed patrons glaring at her. She looks downs at the table, still coughing.

"I'm just going to go to the restroom"

Lexa stands up after. "I'll come with you"

To be continued…