"I know who leaves the notes," Octavia drops her bag on the floor and sinks into a chair. She grins, "And he's hot,"
Raven drops the pen she was using to copy Clarke's homework. "How do you know that?" Octavia rolls her eyes, "Yes, I'm sure. I saw him drawing today," Clarke nods, "Mhm, you sure that you don't think it's him because you want it to be him?" Octavia sighs, "Yes I'm sure."
"You should leave him a note back," Raven says.
"Wait," Bellamy cuts in, "who is this guy?" Clarke recognizes Bellamy's apprehensive tone, and judging by the way Octavia narrows her eyes at Bellamy, she does too.
"Oh, you know, the dude with the mohawk, the leather jackets, the tattoos and the dirtbike," Bellamy frowns, "No, that's a horrible idea," Raven shakes her head, "You're right Octavia, he's really hot, you should go for it," Clarke smirks at Raven's need to disregard Bellamy's big brother acts. She had told Clarke that she only did it to annoy Bellamy, she definitely did not do it for Octavia's benefit. After Clarke tickled Raven, she admitted that she did it for Octavia's benefit too, but only a little.
"No, Octavia -"
Octavia turns away from Bellamy, jaws clenched and eyes defiant, and turns to Raven, "Yeah, I think I will."
"Octavia," Bellamy warns, but before he can continue, Octavia cuts him off. "No Bellamy, I do what I want, I don't need you to hold my hand anymore." She glares at Bellamy, and he glares back, until his eyes soften, then he gets up and leaves.
"That was kind of harsh, O," Clarke says, raising her eyebrows at Octavia. Bellamy had looked after Octavia since they were kids, their mom hadn't really been there for them, and for Octavia to say that to Bellamy. Clarke gets it, he's too protective sometimes, she just wished Octavia would've said it a little gentler. "I don't care, I'm done with him babying me," Clarke looks at Raven for support, but Raven just nods in agreement with Octavia.
The teacher is letting them read on their own, and Clarke can finally relax. She doesn't have to listen to people read stories they obviously don't want to read, and she doesn't have to listen to Lexa sighing in boredom, because for once, she's quiet. Raven, on the other hand, is not quiet. She keeps fidgeting with her book, flipping the book over to read the back, then flipping it back, then turning the pages to count how many she still has to read.
"Raven," Clarke whispers, and Raven glances at her, immediately getting the hint, "got it." Clarke goes back to reading the book, and for a while, Raven is quiet. But then she turns towards Clarke, and just stares at her until Clarke looks up, trying to look annoyed but failing horribly when she sees Raven look up at her with twinkling eyes.
"Yes Raven?" Raven smirks at her when she tries to suppress a smile. "The tutoring tomorrow, are you excited?" Clarke sighs, "Why would I be excited?" Raven eyes Clarke like she's missing something obvious. "Uh, because she's super hot and you have loads of tension, duh," Clarke rolls her eyes, "Shut up Raven," Clarke turns back to her book but she catches Raven grinning out of the corner of her eye. "Okaaay, I'm just saying you know you could -"
"I get it, thank you,"
Lexa keeps writing. She'll only stop to read the next question, then she starts to write again immediately. Clarke doesn't know how she does it. She's been staring at the same question for almost 20 minutes.
She really hates history.
But she thinks she'll be fine if she can just watch Lexa write. Not because she looks pretty while doing it, and not because Clarke likes the way she looks so focused and calm. That's definitely not the reason why, or that what she tells herself.
She just can't have a crush on her tutor, she refuses to, it's too cliché.
She realises she's been staring at Lexa when Lexa looks up at her. Lexa raises her eyebrows, Clarke feels her stomach flutter and she manages a faint smile. She looks down at her book and pretends to be interested in whatever assignment the teacher is making them do. When she notices that Lexa turned back to her work, she relaxes and directs her attention to the window. Clarke stares at the trees, for some reason she's always been fascinated with trees, and drawing them.
When the bell rings, they collect their stuff and Lexa stands up, "See you after school," She turns around and walks away.
They're seated at the kitchen table again, because Abby is in surgery. Or atleast that's what Clarke thinks, it doesn't matter anyway, because Abby won't be home until dinner time. And Clarke doesn't expect Lexa to stay until then.
"How come you're this good at history, I thought-" Lexa's head snaps up. "What?" Clarke glances down at the book in front of them and doesn't respond. But Lexa can guess what Clarke meant.
"You think I don't get good grades because of how I dress and who I hang out with?" She raises her eyebrows at Clarke and Clarke realises she must have a guilty look on her face.
"That's kind of shallow, Clarke," She states, before looking back at the textbook.
"What is Oppenheimer known for?" She asks. "He had a big part in the Manhattan Project." Lexa nods.
"It's just, I guess I don't really know anything about you, except that you're a gang leader and that you hate English class." It might've not been such a smart thing to say, considering how Lexa reacted the last time Clarke called her gang a gang.
"I don't hate- and I'm not- whatever," Lexa sighs. "Famous Oppenheimer quote?"
"I am become death, destroyer of Worlds," Clarke really can't help herself from asking the next question, "I didn't know you had a tattoo," It's not that much of a question, but she wants to know how Lexa managed to get one, being a minor and all.
Lexa huffs, "There's a lot you don't know about me, Clarke," Clarke supposes she's right, she doesn't know anything about Lexa, and she shouldn't care, but she wants to know more about Lexa.
"Locations in Japan bombed in WW2,"
"Hiroshima and Nagasaki," Clarke answers. After the fight they'd had, Lexa had asked her what she would like to be different about the tutoring, Clarke didn't really know herself, so they settled on asking simple facts first. Since that's the stuff Clarke doesn't know while making tests.
"Well, I think it'd be good to know a bit more about each other. Because right now, I'm paying a stranger to teach me this ancient crap, and my friends are worried you might murder me." Clarke declares. Lexa hums.
"When?"
"August 6th and August 9th, 1945,"
Clarke eyes Lexa for a while, who just seems to be reading from the textbook. Clarke feels the urge to tease Lexa some more, but she doesn't know how Lexa will take it. In the end she decides to not think about it and just do it. It's not like Lexa would punch her. (She thinks)
"So exactly how dangerous are you?" Clarke asks, teasing tone evident in her voice. Lexa directs her attention at Clarke, and with a completely blank expression, says "I killed a man once,"
Clarke drops her smile and just stares at Lexa. She doesn't know if she's supposed to laugh or if this is a genuine confession. Lexa looks so serious, Clarke doesn't dare laugh, because what if she is being serious? That could end very badly for her.
Lexa breaks out in a smile "I can't believe you fell for that," Clarke sighs, and smiles back at Lexa. She's never seen Lexa smile this, it's a wide smile, and the light actually reaches her eyes. She smiles like she did when she was with her friends at the lake. Clarke feels her stomach flutter again, she tells herself it's because Lexa looks so beautiful, not because she has a crush on her.
"I don't have a gang, Clarke. They're my friends." Lexa's smile fades a little and Clarke nods, "Okay,"
"What country did Hitler invade first?
"Poland,"
"No, Czechoslovakia," Clarke huffs, she had been on a streak.
"So what do you do for fun? You do have fun right?" She smirks at Lexa. "Yes Clarke, I do have fun." When Clarke raises her eyebrows, Lexa adds, "I play the drums and I hang out with my friends,"
"Which countries were part of the main Axis powers?"
"Germany, Japan, and- uhm, Italy?" Lexa nods in confirmation.
"You play the drums?" Clarke asks, and she can't help but think that that's kind of hot. Lexa nods again, and smirks at the look on Clarke's face. "You don't have to look so impressed, Clarke,"
"Why did the United States join WW2?"
"Attack on Pearl Harbour,"
"And you hang out with your friends too, like at the lake last Saturday," Lexa says, and Clarke is surprised that the conversation is no longer one sided. The look Lexa gives her though, suggests that Lexa knows exactly what Clarke and her friends do at the lake besides swimming.
"That was, we uhm. yeah, you know, i'm fun." Lexa smiles down at her book. "Party animal Clarke Griffin,"
"First man in space?"
"Yuri what's-his-face,"
"Gagarin,"
"Yeah sure," Clarke answers, and Lexa grins at her.
"Like you don't," Clarke says, "Party I mean," she adds.
"Oh I do," Lexa says, raising her eyebrows and flashing a cocky grin. Clarke can't tell if she's teasing her or if she's telling the truth, she gets that a lot from Lexa. Then Lexa looks down at the book again.
"Yeah, I bet you pick up a lot of girls huh," Lexa looks back up at Clarke and their eyes meet, but Lexa's expression doesn't change. For a moment Clarke thinks she said something wrong, is she not supposed to know about Lexa liking girls? Or did she assume something that isn't even true. Before she can apologise, Lexa looks down at the book and replies, "Sure," It's silent for a moment before Lexa speaks again, "Party animal Clarke Griffin reads comics,"
"I- how do you even know that?"
Lexa grins and shrugs, "I saw a comic sticking out of your bag that day in Kane's office, and there's a stack of them on the edge of the table," She says matter of factly.
Clarke smiles. She didn't know Lexa had paid so much attention to her, she feels oddly flattered, and the butterflies in her stomach flutter again. She mentally tells them to shut up, but she doubts it'll have any effect when Lexa smiles at her like she's doing right now.
Clarke hears the front door open, and Abby's voice calling out, "I'm home!," The door slams shut and the sound of footsteps comes closer until Abby opens the kitchen door. "Clarke, honey, I know I said I'd bring home pizza but I decided to pick up Chinese food instead," Abby looks up to see Lexa and Clarke sitting at the kitchen table together.
"Hello Lexa, I didn't know you were going to be here," She says as she shoots Clarke a look, and Clarke knows exactly what it means. It means that she should have told her mother because her mother hates it when there are people around and she's not prepared for them when she comes home. And there's something subtler in the look as well, but Clarke doesn't want to think about it.
"Yeah, we're probably done for the afternoon," Clarke says, looking at Lexa, who nods and gets up. "Yes, I should get going, it was nice seeing you again Mrs Griffin,"
Abby shakes her head, "Nonsense, you should stay for dinner, it's dinner time already,"
Lexa looks at Clarke for help, but Clarke just smiles at Lexa. Clarke could help Lexa out, but it's much more fun to see Lexa freak out slightly.
"I wouldn't want to be of inconvenience," Lexa says, her gaze shifting from Clarke to Abby and back to Clarke. "Besides, I have to catch the bus,"
Abby smiles, "I'll drop you off at home, dear. Now you two help me set the table," Lexa shoots Clarke one more look, asking for help, but Clarke just grins and goes to the cupboard to grab the plates.
When they're all sat down at the table, Clarke is seated across from Lexa, and Abby is seated along the short side of the table.
"So Lexa, what do your parents do for a living?" Abby asks, and Clarke shoots an apologetic glance at Lexa. Lexa smiles politely and replies, "My father works for a multinational corporation," When Abby looks like she wants Lexa to continue, she adds, "He kind of runs things," Abby nods and takes a bite of her food.
"And what does your mother do?" Lexa looks down at her plate, and when she looks up again, her eyes shoot from Clarke back to Abby, before answering, "My mom's not really around anymore," Clarke gets the feeling that there's more to it than Lexa is saying, but her mother doesn't push it.
"What do you plan on doing after you finish high school?" Abby asks, and Clarke begins to realise this might have not been the best idea. She really should have helped Lexa when she tried to leave.
Lexa's expression changes from uneasy to assured, "Right now, I really like political science, so I might do something in that direction. And I have also thought about joining the army for a while," Clarke's taken aback by Lexa's answer, she didn't expect Lexa to be so sure of what she wanted with her future, maybe Lexa's right. She is shallow. Again, her mother just nods.
"I have a colleague who was in the army for a while, she says it was very challenging but it made her stronger as a person," Lexa nods in response, and takes a bite from her food. Clarke hopes the interrogation might finally be over, but just as she starts to feel relieved, her mother opens her mouth again.
"What are your favourite school subjects? Clarke loves art and English, don't you Clarke?" Clarke nods awkwardly, before finally speaking up, "Mom, do you really need to interrogate her?"
"Shush Clarke," Her mother replies, and Clarke shoots another apologetic look at Lexa. "I enjoy history, French and music,"
"You speak French?" Clarke asks, unable to keep her mouth shut. She's always loved French, and she can speak French as well, but Lexa being able to speak French surprises her. Lexa nods in response. And Abby smiles at her.
After dinner, Abby tells them she still needs to do a couple of things before she can drop Lexa off at her house, so Clarke takes Lexa up to her room, she doesn't really feel like being downstairs where her mother can interrogate Lexa.
Clarke gestures to her bed for Lexa to sit down on when Lexa just stands in the doorway. She sits down on the bed and shifts her gaze around the room.
"You have a very nice room, Clarke,"
"Thanks," Clarke sits down next to Lexa. And maybe it's because she doesn't know what else to talk about, or maybe it's because she's a curious person by nature, but she can't stop herself from asking.
"What's the deal with you and your dad?"
"I don't know what you mean," Lexa answers, refusing to meet Clarke's eyes.
"Anytime you talk about him or someone talks about him you get distant and refuse to look people in the eye," Lexa actually turns her head away from Clarke at that point, and Clarke has to bite back an "I told you so". Instead she waits for Lexa to answer, if she's even going to answer at all.
"I don't have a very good relationship with my father," Lexa still won't look at Clarke, and she thinks if she asks any more, Lexa might actually walk out of the room. So for a while, they just sit in silence, and slowly, Lexa turns around so she's no longer facing away from Clarke, but not facing toward her either. She just stares out in front of her.
"What about your mother," Clarke really can't help herself, and from the way Lexa stiffens, Clarke can tell she really doesn't want to talk about. She's about to apologise when Lexa answers.
"My mother had an addiction, which made her make questionable parenting choices according to my father and now she's in a special home," Clarke's taken aback by the sudden acknowledgement, especially after Lexa had refused to answer other questions with any kind of openness.
Lexa's body is still stiff, and she keeps staring out in front of her, so Clarke takes her hand. She doesn't know what moves her to do it, but she's always been good at consoling people. And it works, because Lexa faces her and says, "She's the one who got me the tattoo," Clarke's chest tightens, "And the nosepiercing," she adds with a small smile.
They sit like that for a while, then Abby calls from downstairs that she's ready to drop Lexa off home, and they say goodbye. Albeit a little bit awkward, Lexa extending her hand and Clarke shaking it.
"Clarke," Clarke feels someone elbow her in the ribs and she turns around to see Raven smirking at her. "You keep staring at Miss Gang leader over there," Clarke grimaces at the nickname, but Raven ignores her.
"How did it go?"
Clarke shrugs, "Apparently she's rich," Raven grins at that. "So are you,"
She shakes her head, "No, not this rich. My mom dropped her off at her house, apparently she lives in that neighbourhood with all the mansions,"
Bellamy whistles appreciatively, "Who knew a gang leader could be of a background like that,"
"Don't be an ass Bellamy,"
Raven shoots Bellamy a look, as if to say, "what is her problem," Bellamy just shrugs. Clarke goes back to staring at Lexa.
"I left a drawing in Lincoln's notebook," Octavia says, before biting in her apple.
"You can't draw for shit, O," Raven replies, earning her a glare.
"Hi guys," They all look up to see Murphy standing at their table, grinning. "Are you coming over to the lake again Saturday? You can bring people if you like." Bellamy glances around the table as to warn them, Murphy had been a dick in the first two years of high school, and even though Bellamy had always hung out with him, none of them really liked Murphy. Apart from Octavia, apparently.
"Sure! We'll be there," Octavia replies enthusiastically, and Murphy smiles at her before walking off. Clarke supposes Murphy's an okay guy now, but that doesn't mean she's forgotten, or forgiven, how much of an asshole he used to be.
During English class, Clarke is seated all alone, because Raven has a doctor's appointment for her leg. Just as Clarke accepted the fact that she'll be sitting alone for a class, and that she doesn't have to listen to Raven's constant sighing, somebody slides into the seat next to her.
Lexa.
"I hope you don't mind," Clarke does mind. But is she going to say that and risk Lexa being offended and sitting down somewhere else? No. So she just shakes her head and pretends that nothing is out of the ordinary.
Halfway the class, when the entire class is supposedly reading the book the teacher assigned them, Clarke looks at Lexa for the first time since the beginning of the class. That's a lie, Clarke has been glancing at Lexa all throughout the class, but she's not going to admit it.
She notices that Lexa isn't reading the book they're supposed to be reading. Lexa's engrossed in a totally different book, a fantasy book from what Clarke can tell by looking at the cover.
Lexa notices Clarke staring at her, and eyes Clarke with suspicion. "What?"
"Nothing," Clarke responds, and directs her attention back to her own book.
During history, when Lexa is once again seated next to Clarke, Clarke decides she's bored. Seeing nothing else to save her from her boredom, she turns to Lexa.
"What are you doing this weekend?" Lexa furrows her brow in confusion, Clarke never asks her anything during class, they usually just sit in silence, so Clarke understands Lexa's confusion. She just doesn't care for it very much.
"I was planning on going to the lake with my friends, but my father is being difficult," She answers hesitantly.
Clarke is silent for a moment, somehow feeling sorry for Lexa not being able to spend the weekend with her friends, so after a while she says, "You could stay over at my place," She knows Lexa's answer before it leaves her lips.
"I wouldn't want to inconvenience you and your mother, Clarke,"
Clarke shrugs, and after some convincing Lexa that it really isn't a big deal, Lexa reluctantly agrees.
"I'm not going to make out with Wick, I don't care how hot he is," Raven declares during lunch. Octavia raises her eyebrows and Bellamy shakes his head, grinning. "I'm not!" Raven repeats, but no one at the table believes her.
"Whatever you say Raven," Bellamy replies incredulously, Raven huffs in response.
"Lexa's going to sleep over at my house," Clarke says matter-of-factly, everybody falls silent for a moment, staring at her like she just announced she'd be moving to Australia.
"You're kidding right?" Octavia says. Clarke shakes her head.
"This is stupid. You're being stupid," Bellamy says pointedly, and Clarke just shrugs. She'd expected a response like this. She'd also expected Raven to get a shiteating grin, which is exactly what is happening.
"Fuck yeah! Get some Griffin," Clarke slaps her on her arm, but smiles back at Raven. She really is an idiot.
A car horn honks in front of the house, Clarke kisses her mom on the cheek and walks towards the door.
"No drinking remember?" Abby calls after her, but Clarke already slammed the door shut behind her.
She runs up to the car with Bellamy in the driving seat, Monty riding shotgun and Octavia and Raven on the backseat. Clarke gets in and Bellamy starts driving.
"Lexa is driving back with us," Clarke mentions and Bellamy shakes his head.
"She can't. Jasper isn't going to fit in if we have Lexa in the car too. And I mean, it's Lexa,"
"Jasper is driving himself, with Murphy and Wick," Monty points out.
"I still don't like it,"
Raven slaps Bellamy on the shoulder, "Calm down, Bellamy. It'll be fine,"
Clarke smiles at Raven in appreciation, Raven grins smugly in response.
They arrive at the lake to Murphy holding up a beer and yelling "Took you long enough!" Bellamy runs up to him, bends down and lifts Murphy up, Murphy only starts yelling louder. Bellamy quickly turns around in a circle before dropping Murphy back to his feet. Clarke smiles fondly at the interaction and takes a beer from Raven.
After about half an hour of Octavia and Raven loudly singing along to Taylor Swift songs, Murphy and Bellamy discussing history trivia, and Jasper and Monty having another "ultimate badminton tournament", Raven moves from sitting next to Octavia to sit next to Clarke.
"You're staring at Lexa again," Clarke had indeed being staring at Lexa and her friends, who are sitting much closer to the water than they are, in a circle, passing around a bottle of god knows what.
"You're not nervous are you princess?" Clarke shoots Raven a look and Raven raises her hands in defense. "It's not like she's going to murder you or anything," Raven adds, while bumping her shoulder against Clarke's.
"Raven!" They both look up to see Wick gesturing for Raven to come over to him. "Gotta go," Raven gets up, but Clarke catches her hand before she walks away, "No making out remember?"
"Shut up Griffin," Raven replies with a grin and walks off.
Clarke downs a couple of beers and dances with Octavia, who keeps staring at Lincoln. To be fair, Clarke keeps staring at Lexa and every time she does, Octavia elbows her in the side.
Lexa comes walking over just as Clarke and Octavia sit down. Lexa walks over to Clarke and stands awkwardly, glancing around at Clarke's friends. Monty moves to shake Lexa's hand, "I'm Monty,"
Octavia nods her head, Jasper waves, Murphy offers Lexa a beer, but she shakes her head politely and sits down next to Clarke. "Hi,"
Murphy and Octavia pass a blunt over in between them, until Murphy notices Lexa looking at them, and walks over to Lexa. "You want a hit?" He asks, his outstretched hand holding the blunt.
"No thank you,"
"Okay," Murphy turns back around, and Clarke bumps her shoulder into Lexa, "You sure?" Lexa nods, "You don't look too sure," Lexa looks at Clarke, her eyes calculating, Clarke wonders what Lexa is considering.
"Actually Murphy, give me some," Lexa says, turning back to Murphy, who grins and hands her the blunt.
Later, Clarke notices that Lexa isn't sitting in their circle anymore. She gets up, craning her neck to see where Lexa has gone off to, and sees her sitting a little bit further away from the group, staring up at the sky. Clarke smiles and walks over to Lexa, and sits down next to her.
Lexa doesn't say anything when Clarke sits down next to her, so Clarke decides to stare up at the sky too. "It's pretty huh," Lexa looks over at Clarke, who is still staring up at the sky, "Pretty like a starry-night sky," Clarke laughs, "That's exactly what it is,"
They stare up at the sky together for a while, until Lexa finally breaks the silence, "I like the stars because everything that has ever happened on earth, is in the stars," Clarke wrinkles her nose, "Are you high?" Lexa giggles, and that answers her question, Lexa never giggles. Clarke smiles at Lexa, "I guess I am," Lexa finally replies, and starts giggling again. Clarke can't help but think how cute Lexa looks.
They all get back in the car around 1 AM, Bellamy in the driver's seat, Raven next to him, and Octavia, Clarke and Lexa in the backseat.
"Raven, I thought you wouldn't make out with Wick," Clarke says, a shit eating grin on her face. "Just shut up Clarke, just shut it," Octavia grins at Clarke before saying, in a mock tone, "I don't care how hot and funny he is," Clarke snorts and Octavia starts laughing. Raven turns around in her seat and tries to hit Clarke on her leg.
"Do not hit the starry night sky when you are merely a rock out of orbit by a gravitational pull." Lexa says, and swats away Raven's hand. Raven glances over at Clarke, an incredulous look on her face, and Clarke just shrugs. Apparently Lexa is high as a kite.
"Woah Socrates, are you calling me a rock?" Lexa starts giggling, and Raven hits Lexa on the leg instead. "Ow, a very strong rock apparently," Raven turns back around with a smug look on her face.
Bellamy stops the car, "We're here," Clarke pushes Lexa out of the car, "Thanks, Bell, see you on monday,"
Clarke has to guide Lexa into the house through the backdoor. "These are pretty flowers," Lexa says as she walks over to the vase on the kitchen table. "Yes, very pretty, be quiet, c'mon," Clarke grabs Lexa by her arm, and drags her to the stairs.
Lexa stumbles over her own feet, and Clarke's afraid she might wake up her mother with all the noise Lexa is making. She keeps making shushing noises, but it doesn't seem to work. When they finally get up to Clarke's room, Clarke drops Lexa on the bed, and goes to the bathroom to get changed.
Clarke comes out of the bathroom to see Lexa lying on Clarke's bed. "I kinda intended on you sleeping on the mattress on the floor," Clarke says, gesturing towards the mattress next to Clarke's bed. "But that's okay, I can sleep on the mattress, it's fine,"
"Nonsense, Clarke, you can sleep on the bed too," Clarke briefly considers ignoring Lexa and lying down on the mattress, but she knows that the mattress is likely to be very uncomfortable, and Lexa did suggest it. So it's not like it's her fault, if she ends up spooning Lexa in her sleep. She shrugs and gets into the bed next to Lexa.
"I should warn you though, I'm a cuddler."
"I don't mind, It'll be like being hugged by the sky," Oh, Clarke's eyes widen, but Lexa turns around to face away from Clarke. "You are the night sky, Clarke," Oh. How is she supposed to fall asleep now.