Chapter 1:
Clarke felt herself collapsing in on herself. She was crammed against heaving bodies, they jumped up and down, arms out, reaching for the band. Screams. Yelling. Demanding for more. A consuming force, that pumped their fists as one heartbeat.
Clarke wanted to vomit. She was caught in the crowd. Lost in the mania.
Until the light's came on...and she paused. Looking at the stage.
There was Lexa, guitar in hand…fixing up the mic. The light's blaring at her...as she stared out into the audience, as if she was glaring down a firing squad. Gloating. Daring them to stop.
Clarke felt a breath escape her lungs.
Then the guitar played. The drums started. And Lexa sang.
There was a rasp to her voice. It captured everyone in that room...including Clarke.
She flashed her teeth, smugness dripping from her grin. She was looking right at Clarke. The people screamed right into Clarke's ears. She covered them. Head down. Gritting her teeth. Out. She needed to get out NOW!
Lexa screamed into the microphone, and everyone just repeated the words. Belting them out, like a prayer.
Clarke tried to push past the crowd. To the exit. But they pushed her back, forcing her further and further to the stage. Until her back was literally to the wall...and she felt as if she were on the front lines, ready for the end.
She turned. Lexa looked down at her. Their eyes locked. Lexa offered her a hand, and Clarke's hands...that were glued to her ears, took it.
Lexa pulled her to the stage and screamed into the mic. "Are you ready to party? Let's make some noise!"
Everyone screamed, following the orders perfectly.
Clarke looked past Lexa, into the crowd...and Lexa just played the guitar.
Lexa leaned into Clarke, whispering into her ear, "Look at them, their bowing to me...and right now their bowing to you too. When this is over, everything will be normal. Boring. Dull. But right now, they're under a trance, by me, by my band. That's what music does, it pulls you from the edges of sanity. Injecting you with the need for madness.
"That's what I do. You can do it too. Just let go."
Lexa looked back to the audience, "Do you wanna hear a real, raw, untamed voice?"
"Yes!" They all roared.
Lexa turned to Clarke, "Give it a go."
Before Clarke knew what was happening, the mic was thrown to her...and she felt stunned. Caught in the light's, torn down by the mob in front of her.
She managed to grab the microphone. She looked at Lexa, as she ripped on the guitar, devouring the crowd.
Clarke looked down at them...and in a soft voice, she sang. She was timid, but the words she sang were full of meaning...and somehow, they fit the melancholy of the musics melody.
I was seventeen,
And you liked to drink,
I'd steal some from you,
On the weekends,
At night,
When we were alone,
But where are you now?
Why were you there?
That night,
That place,
Twitsted metal,
And you were lost
in the mess,
They didn't ID you for
two weeks,
I'd thought you'd runaway,
Like you always said you would,
Instead...you left me,
To rot in this world,
And wait for the next.
As she sung, she got louder, and angrier...and her voice rung out. Defying anyone to disagree. But they just pumped their fists, screaming for her, and Clarke felt it wash over her.
Lexa played harder, faster. Pulling Clarke close. "You can fucking sing. We can use that!"
Clarke just grinned, as the goth girl slung an arm around her.
….
It'd been a long night. Clarke's ears were still ringing.
The room was empty, save for the band...and somehow that included Clarke too.
Lexa pulled out a cigarette. Breathing in one long drag. She was tuning her guitar, and Clarke was sitting on the stage. Swinging her legs over the ledge.
Lexa was grinning like a cat. "You see these two?"
She jutted a thumb at a young man in a white shirt and torn jeans, and a girl that was stunning, wearing a stylish but old fashioned green dress.
"The handsome one is Bellamy, and the other one, she's Octavia."
Octavia smiled, leaning back. "She's just jealous. She can't hold a beat on the drums like I can."
Bellamy shrugged, "Also she's secretly attracted to me."
Lexa rolled her eyes. "You wish. You know I'd be into boy's if it weren't for the one slightly important fact."
Clarke couldn't help herself. "Why, what are they missing?"
Lexa turned her head, meeting her eyes. "Easy, they don't have a vagina."
Octavia scoffs. "And the truth comes out."
Bellamy just flexed his lovely, muscled arms. "You know you want these. I'm irresistible."
Lexa threw an empty bottle at him, he just dodged it grinning. "Oh please, could you be more narcissistic."
Octavia bit her lip, stifling a laugh. "Oh, he's restraining today."
Clarke laughed...and it was a nice change. "I dunno, I'd bone him."
Bellamy looked up her, giving her cute smile. "I'm glade someone appreciates me. Unlike these two women."
Octavia shook her head. "I've appreciated you since I was in diapers. If I loved you anymore, we'd be stitched together."
Clarke paused, "Are you two together?"
Bellamy and Octavia immediately turned to each other in disgust.
Lexa giggled, "They're brother and sister."
Clarke ducked her head down, embarrassed. "Sorry, it's just that you seem so close."
Octavia relaxed, but her shoulders shook, to rid herself of the thought. "Believe it or not, your not the first person to say that."
"Yeah," Bellamy just scratched behind his neck. "But it never stops being beyond gross."
Octavia nodded, "Yep, gross to infinity and back."
Lexa laughed, "Funnily enough, I asked them the same thing when we first met."
Clarke cracked a smile, "Really? Hmm, and I thought you would be...cooler somehow."
Lexa leaned back, stretching out her arms. "I'll have you know, I'm pure sex appeal."
Octavia's face his the palm of her hand. "Bellamy is a horrible influence on you."
Bellamy shrugged, "I dunno. I like her like this...it's sexy."
Lexa laughed, "If only you'd been a girl."
Bellamy raised a fist, bumping it to hers, "If only you'd have been straight, we'd be making all sorts of music together. In and outside of the bedroom."
Clarke found herself laughing, "You know it's never too late to find out."
This time Lexa and Bellamy turned to her, speaking at the same time. "No way."
Octavia just shrugged, "They would, but can't because reasons."
Clarke just chuckle, "Obviously a romance for the ages."
…
They'd long since packed up, and Lexa was driving them back to campus, to go home.
"You know, you really are a good singer Clarke."
Clarke snapped out of her trance, and looked directly at Lexa. "Thanks."
Lexa nodded. "I'm a great guitarist...but I'm only above average at best when it comes to singing. I wasn't kidding when I said we could use that. I'd like you to join our band."
Clarke's eyes widened, if only a little. "Why?"
Lexa shrugged, barely phased. "Because you're good. Why else?"
Clarke shrugged, looking dead into Lexa's eyes. "I don't know, just seems sudden. Random. Nonsensical."
"Yeah it is." Lexa answered, deadpan and entirely serious. "So what? You're good, and I want you in my band, so what do you say?"
"Sure," And that's all Clarke really wanted to say.
