Chapter 16
She was having a hard time holding everything at her hands. Too focused at the task that she didn't notice at first the girl on a seat across the hallway who quickly got to her feet and walked at her.
"Need help?" Clarke raised her gaze just to find Lexa already taking more than half of the things from her hands, several inks, brushes and other stuff she was holding in, leaving her just with a big blank canvas.
"Oh, hey!" The blond said excitedly by the sudden arrival. Her mouth instantly opens in a smile without she notices it as she watches Lexa already stepping up forward, following in the direction she was going before.
"So are we going to the art classroom?" Lexa asks after a few steps and Clark can't hold a chuckle. First for her walking with so much confidence without even knowing where, and for the way she asked, almost like a childish excited way. She appreciates all time Lexa is with her but all those silly walks around side by side holds something, Clarke isn't sure. It was almost like the definition of making time. Stealing a few minutes between classes just for that. Company. And thinking about that…
"You shouldn't be in your training right now?" Clarke asked, raising an eyebrow and making a pissed face. She was only hoping Lexa wasn't going to get late for this. Just not again. She enjoyed it even if she used to lecture her every time though. It was cute.
Lexa smirked by the angry face Clarke made by the assumption. It wasn't scary at all. She had her blue eyes squeezed, her hair was in a messy bun held by a color pencil. It was the definition of cute. The dictionary should rectify it surely, Lexa thought.
"The coach couldn't come so we're free, a few girls are playing for fun though, I am going there to crush them later" Woods shrugged her arms. She was about to turn the hallway, following to the said room but Clarke touched her arm to sign to keep going forward.
"Here, come in" Clarke, who was just holding the canvas, held the door for the girl. They entered a random classroom, the board on the wall, the chairs on a sequence of lines.
"I thought you had arts now?" She asked to rest the box at the first desk, everything seemed ordinary until she noticed the teacher desk on a corner leaving enough space for a tripod on a series of newspapers protecting the floor.
"I do, but we are all working on our projects for the exhibition" Clarke said pointing to the just noticed tripod, which Lexa was contouring to be able to see the canvas there. The same size of the one Clarke had brought but that one wasn't blank. A sequence of strokes marked the initial sketch. She could say what it was about to become and she could recognize a landscape somehow, even if it wasn't near finished. Lexa opened her mouth to ask when she saw Clarke replacing it by the recently brought canvas.
"What? Why? It's amazing!" The brunette watched the other girl move. She came closer to the teacher's desk where Clarke left the half painted canvas to analyze closely. Sitting at the table she rotates her body, her right hand at the air holding in the desire of touching the piece.
"No, it's horrible, I need to restart" A shocked expression took Lexa's face. She couldn't be serious. Her eyes switching focus, on Clarke, on the paint, then on Clarke again. Fuck, she was serious.
"Clarke, are you insane? this is spectacular!" Okay, Lexa didn't have much knowledge about art, Luna tried to explain a thing or two but she didn't care back then, but it wasn't necessary. She had fucking eyes, that was clearly amazing, anyone could recognize that. Anyone but Clarke.
"It is good but I need more. We should show something really important and nothing seems to… Luna did it?" Clarke said, hitting the brush on her lips. She sighed. "I need to create something but I can't. I'm blocked" she sat at the teacher chair, her hands squeezing her closed eyes. Lexa wasn't sure about what to do. She slowly left the teacher's desk where she was previously sat on.
"I am... distracting you? I shouldn't came here I-"
"No, no, I...you are not, i promise." Clarke waved at the air, as a way of making Lexa stay on the desk. "I just...hate deadlines, it's hard to be creative on demand"
Lexa nodded. She noticed Clarke had been stressed about that, she just didn't know how to help. She makes a mental note to later ask Luna to talk with Clarke, after all they're classmates, maybe she can. She saw Clarke sighs again.
"Hmmm, don't worry I'm sure I can do it for you" Lexa said, taking a paper and a support for her. Clarke just raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing?" The blonde watched the girl choose a brush, her face showed concentration as she chose the color, taking from her palette.
She laughed at the face Lexa was doing.
"What are you doing?" She repeated.
"A masterpiece, now silence please" Still glaring at her paper with concentration Lexa heard Clarke's laugh again. "Don't move"
"You're painting me?" She asks skeptically.
"Are you doubting my skills?" She broke her concentration just to glare at Clarke, her eyes squeezed in judgement.
"Me? Never?" Clarke mocks waving her head. She heard the noise the brush does when it's rubbed against the paper with a silly smile. She was skeptical, indeed, but after a few minutes she started thinking she could be serious.
A few minutes and colors more and she was sure, Lexa was definitely serious.
The playlist earlier she was listening with her earphones now was out loud. Clarke had given up the wait and was working at her piece still stressed about this painting. Something was wrong. She needed inspiration, just that. She heard a noise coming from Lexa indicating she had finished her portrait. Who could believe? Lexa still surprises her.
"Can I look?" She said expectantly gazing at the brunette's green eyes. Those briefing moments forgetting about her deadline and her lack of inspiration. Maybe having the girl around was a good change from the stress that has been this afternoon.
Lexa seemed to ponder for a bit, her side smile never leaving her face while she watched Clarke nervously hitting the brush's stick part on her lips lightly. Perhaps her inner deliberation had taken more than she had predicted because she had to fight the urge of staring at the movement and stuck her attention completely on her mouth.
"Sure" she said, waving her head lightly, keep it cool, damn. "Are you ready?"
She teased waiting for Clarke's nod before turning her portrait. Clarke's brain took a second to process the image.
"It's amazing, look at those details!" She said between giggles to Lexa who wasn't trying to hide her playful grim. She had literally spent minutes in a stick figure, the head extremely disproportional to the body with yellow strokes to the hair and enormous blue eyes. Clarke wasn't laughing about the draw itself but Lexa's posture. All confidence and teasing to show it make it funny at least. The eyes of the stick figure were great though, she could recognize it between her laughs.
"I know, right!" Lexa mocked. Enjoying the reaction of the other woman. She knew nothing about art, or how artists gain inspiration but she knew one thing: Clarke needed a change, if it wasn't a location change then it would be a mood one. And she successfully had accomplished her goals, Clarke's loud giggles.
"See how well I captured your eyes?" Lexa continued, her gestures and facial expressions imitating what she thought would be a humbleless alternative artist.
"I see" Clarke said, containing more giggles, Lexa could be a goofy ball sometimes, she appreciates being one of the few who can see this side of her besides her popular soccer captain side. " I wonder how you're not at art class? Everyone should recognize your skills"
"I'm glad you liked" Lexa said with a smirk on her face. Staring at the blue eyes until Clarke broke the contact turning again to the canvas. She watched the girl hit her brush against her lips once again thoughtful. Argh, she hated this mania of hers.
That's a horrible lie, but it's so hard not to stare at her lips normally and now she's grabbing attention to it.
"Maybe you can help me with all your skills" Clarke joked but Lexa laughed and got on her feet at her side. Clarke smirked mischievously before her quick move.
"Oh no, you don't" Lexa's mouth opened in surprise while Clarke's evil laugh echoed in the room. The brunette lifted her hand but didn't touch the cold wet spot on her cheek, Clarke had rubbed her dirty brush there.
"I think purple fits you" Clarke mocked watching the frozen in surprise brunette not expecting the abrupt reaction. Lexa quickly got the brush she had painted the blonde's extremely realistic portrait and chased the girl, who started to scream before running between the lines of chairs at the classroom they were in. Using the desks as barriers in an attempt of keeping the revenge girl away from her, she ran. Their laughs filling the room just as the rough noises the chairs and desks made at being pushed and pulled.
"Clarke, you can't run forever"
"You know revenge is a bad thing right?" Clarke said circling a desk in synchrony with Lexa, she walked left, Clarke, too. Mirroring the other to keep always with the furniture between them. In a quicky move Lexa pushed the desk away and extending her arm rubbed the brush at the blonde's arm. In a way longer stroke than she had predicted because of Clarke's movement of escape.
Finally stopping, her breath uneven because of the chase she relaxed sitting at one of the many desks they messed around. Not noticing Clarke coming back, this time equipped with her own brush.
"Clarke, remember revenge is bad" Lexa said quickly putting her brush on the fight position at the sight of Clarke's psychopath smile holding her weapon. A medium chamfered brush with yellow.
Moving in a big circle, they both expected the other girl's first move. What came first was Clarke running at Lexa and suddenly her chin got yellowish. Immobilizing Clarke's hand down at her waist, Lexa used her own blue brush to paint the other girl's face. She laughs at that point, suffocating her as she tries to inhale between those and the screams.
"Mercy please" Clarke could say after a few well done blue strokes. Lexa just stopped her brush one centimeter away from her face and raised an eyebrow.
"Now miss revenge changes her mind huh?"
"I do anything" Clarke said her previous laughs now, just an opened smile.
"Maybe there's something to keep you from having a death by a thousand strokes"
.…….…….…….…….…….…….…….….…….…….…….…….…
"What are you doing here?" Octavia asked, this time surprisingly not rude but really curious. The other girl just shrugged.
"Nothing, just passing by," Nyilah said looking around. Yes, her friends were at the field playing soccer but for some reason she decided to make her way through the basketball court, because why not?
There's nothing related to the fact she heard clapping and a singing from there and she knew a certain team with a specific captain would be inside. Sure not.
She looked around noticing how some cheers were dancing along with the music they sang. But not Octavia, what is not unusual because she always leaves her formation to direct everyone.
"Why aren't you training? The game is coming" the blonde looked around. She always hears Octavia screaming the positions and the dance time at the soccer training, and because of that she knows they should be creating choreography.
"My base didn't come" Octavia let her eyes search the entire court before looking at Nyilah, tilting her head to the side, noticing how the girl wasn't on her soccer training outfit. "why aren't you training?"
"There isn't training today, the girls are just playing" she shrugged. Nyilah opened her mouth but caught it before leaving her words, regretting the phrase before being said. However, it didn't pass unnoticed.
"What?"
"Nothing" Nyilah said, putting her hand in her pocket. Octavia just raised an eyebrow and waited as Nyilah hesitated.
"If you want help...I can be your base" She didn't know why she was offering. It was the worst idea ever. Not the help, but help Blake.
She waited knowing she was going to regret it. And she did. A smug smile ornamented the brunette's face.
"You? As my base?" She didn't laugh but it wasn't necessary. Nyilah was already rolling her eyes.
"I was going to help you but nevermind" The girl said already walking away. She shouldn't even have passed there.
Octavia pondered quickly. She needs a base, and she had someone volunteering in front of her. The game is getting closer and they had less then half choreography.
"Nyilah, wait" the blonde stopped against her will. Somehow she was really trying to be nice. She sighed.
"What do you want?" She said rude. Her patience ended a few steps ago.
"Can you keep me in the air?" Octavia asked hesitantly. She knew Nyilah hated her and there's a real percentage of chances of her letting her fall to ground, on purpose. And there's a real percentage of chances of her being a horrible base and letting her fall to the ground by accident. In both scenarios she would end with her face broken.
"I can, but I won't" she turned again to leave. It's weird how sometimes she thought she was making an advance with their relationship. It's like she had to deal with two different Octavias.
Blake waved her head. Maybe this could be good, right? Niylah seemed to have the height of her base and she knows she workout and has a great shape, basing by her arms and abs maybe she can, indeed. But it wasn't like she had paid attention to it, she never would.
"Sorry, I… " She sighed. She knows she was wrong, that time. "I would like if you...could try hmm...to see if you can hold hmmm me at-"
"Come" Nyilah rolled her eyes at the weird attempt to apologise. Octavia came closer, turning her back at the girl. She felt Niylah's hand on her waist, squeezing it light, putting her own hand on hers.
She breathed deeply asking the universe to not let her fall. They're not even at the grass, it would hurt so much. Maybe it wasn't the right choice, she wasn't feeling sure. She should have called someone to be her spotter.
She heard the girl count behind her.
There's no time now. Her breath hitting the skin exposed. At the count, she impulse, and Nyilah threw her up. Caching her feet one in each hand, and before Octavia could enjoy the feeling of not hitting her face on the ground she felt Nyilah moving. Suddenly her both feet were at the same hand with perfect equilibrium. She looked down at the girl and knew it was to go down. Octavia jumped positioning her body to the catch, internally praying. Relishing her worries as she felt the girl's hands around her.
The smug smile were now on the blonde's face.
"You didn't fall" Nyilah said, still smiling. She knew she wouldn't mess, but it was funny to see Octavia's face.
"Can you put me on the ground?" Octavia asked, embarrassed by still being held by the girl...By being extremely near. Nyilah hasn't realized it and puts her down almost immediately. Literally dropping her grip. Embarrassed herself for holding her more seconds then necessary. She cleaned her hands on her pants, not because it was dirty but to give it a use, clearly a nervous move.
"I didn't know you could…" Octavia started waving her head and changing "Do you think you can keep up with something?"
Two hours later, most of the afternoon classes had been dismissed, the cheers as well, and the school was silent. The cheerleaders minus one, the captain. And for more surprisingly as it sounds, she wasn't alone. Her most fresh base was with her.
For most part of the training Niylah hadn't big difficulties, it was just to replace a spot of choreography already made. So she lifted, swung, threw and catched Octavia a few times. She wasn't going to admit but her middle school self was kind of proud for using her skills one more time.
"Okay? So let's from start" Octavia finished her sentence and she regretted volunteering. It wasn't that it was bad but she could be a bit perfectionist, Nyilah would say. She watched the cheerleaders have to repeat at least twice all movements for horrible synchrony, lack of clean moves, a bad executed stunt and other thousands of reasons the captain pointed during this afternoon. She was tired. Not even the soccer training was that hard.
She positioned herself to dance again, the same movement they had successfully executed at least three times ago. She rested her hand at Octavia's waist and lifted her up. Precisely positioned her body to support Blake's weight and adapted to any disequilibrium, allowing the girl to keep up with her part of the stunt. She maintained even with her arms burning from the repeated exercises, however, it didn't go as the previous.
At some point, at the middle of the new move Octavia lost her grip startling Nyilah with her gasp. The immediate fall and the risk of hurting badly made the girl contort in the air waiting for the contact. With greatest speed Nyilah gripped the girl.
Or Octavia gripped her.
Anyhow, gravity pranked on them.
The inevitable fall happened, but instead of the cold ground Octavia found the blonde's body.
Nyilah curved lied down taking the pain of being Octavia's pillow, differently from her, she hasn't noticed the awkward position they fell. The brunette on top, her knees between her leg and each arm at a side of her head. Octavia's hair thanks to gravity was falling as a curtain mixing with the blonde at the ground, serving almost as a frame to the near girl's face behind her. She smiled and as awkwardly lifted her body from Niylah as fast as she realized the girl forgot her pain and got conscious about her position.
"Hm sorry I didn't...sorry" Blake shot in sequence.
"It's okay" Nyilah said, distracted by rubbing her wrist.
The brunette opened her mouth a few times but no sounds left, she wanted to apologise again. Her first attempt was much more about the way she was on top of the girl then throwing all her weight on her and possibly injuring the girl. She pressed her eyes making a face to her inner conversation. Just Freud explains why on earth she cared about it.
"Here, let me see it" Octavia extended her hand to take the other girl's wrist but hesitantly flinched before the touch. With an unnoticed head wave she controlled her thoughts again and carefully examined it searching on Niylah's face for an expression of discomfort.
"It's fine, it's nothing" Nyilah tried to take her hand again immediately regretting the decision. She tried to not express but Octavia noticed how she tried to suppress the pain.
"No, it's not, it hurts," Octavia said softly searching for Nyilah's eyes which kept trying to focus on anything else. She couldn't deny the thought of screaming at her to stop this and let her see the damage, it's what she probably would do with her short temper, however, she took a deep breath. Interrupting whatever the girl was about to say.
"Let me see it" if someone entered that scene probably would question their own sight. Octavia and Nyilah not only in the same space without arguing but they somehow letting their defense down. Nyilah even then hesitated of letting Octavia do it, not because she doubted the act of kindness but simply she was unsure about feeling again the way Blake took her wrist before, with a soft hand holding her own and the other lightly running on the area causing unwanted trembles, making her remember she is only trying to see where it hurts, obviously.
"Please, don't let me be the one who broke the number four's arm, how are you going to do the flip-throw?" Octavia asked, smirking, seeing Nyilah's lips curving.
"You saw my flip-throw?" The blonde said, looking at Blake who was using her arm as a form of avoidance. Or maybe she was just focused on finding if she had twisted her arm, she tried to convince herself that. She didn't have to see, she could sense the annoying smile growing at Nyilah's face. Now, she will start to think she is paying attention to her or whatever.
"Take that smile out of face, I'm a cheer obviously I saw your throws" Octavia rolled her eyes quickly explaining before the blond could make any mischievous comment "I know everyone skills, I watch all games" however, what was supposed to be a cold answer just expanded the blonde's smile making Octavia growl in frustration.
"Right, right, keep telling yourself that, Blake" Nyilah said with that stupid smile. She left the girl's wrist if more enthusiasm then necessary taking two steps back.
"It's not twisted, you can play just fine" She said turning around rolling her eyes once more at the other girl's head tilt.
….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….
Luna entered the room searching for a brunette ponytail. She didn't know if she could be there but the other students didn't seem to recognize her presence. She passed by a few work tables and deflected a few students who were sitting on the floor, carefully to not break anything. They seemed extremely concentrated. Quickly noticing her target behind a protection mask.
"Hey" Luna said and the girl took off her mask showing a wide smile.
"Hi" She frowned by the surprise, opening her smile even more when Luna handed her a cup of coffee.
"Coffee?" Raven asked just to be sure. She was taken out of guard by the tiny surprise, Luna visiting her at her mechanic class.
"Black coffee with sugar" Luna answered, winking. Raven just smiled and accepted her coffee, a bit flushed by the girl knowing how she likes her coffee. Actually she recognizes she gets flushed by less than that, just Luna's presence was enough.
"No training today?" Raven asked, taking a sip of her drink. Luna answered only with a nod, her attention taken by the several pieces and tools all over Raven's workbench.
"What are you doing?" Luna asked suddenly, startled by the vision of the teacher entering the class. Oh, shit. Raven noticed the girl's eyes wide already turning to leave and took her hand before she could step away.
"You can stay" She said quickly correcting "if you want of course, Sinclair doesn't mind" Raven was a bit cautious about this relationship somehow. For more happiness and sure she was, she had this fear of letting go, that's why she hadn't confessed yet. Even though she knows it is completely pointless, Luna already has her heart, she is still cautious. She just doesn't want to rush into something and scare Luna. She wasn't sure if for the girl it was a date or not, so she prefers that way. To avoid confusions, sure. Nothing to do with her avoidance and fear of being rejected so she distances herself first of course.
Luna seemed to ponder. And then relax.
"I'm just soldering a few wires, see if this junk still works, nothing interesting" Raven shrugged.
"I didn't see you at the cafeteria today" Luna started watching the girl focus again on her task. She didn't know anything about...metal stuff, but Raven seemed to be losing that fight. She noticed she breathed deeply. "You ate anything?"
She already knew the answer. Raven had this terrible habit of pushing too far.
"There's no time to eat, i really need to figure this out"
"I thought you would say this" Luna said, analyzing the room, everyone seemed drained by whatever they're doing. "That's why I brought you this" She said, putting a paper bag at the girl's vision camp. Raven just lifted an eyebrow and let a smile grow.
"You brought me coffee and donuts?" A suspicious voice tone left Raven's mouth. Luna just smiled and looked down for a millisecond, letting the flushed take her cheeks.
"Well, coffee because you work too much and I don't want you unfocused with this on your hands" She said light humored gesturing at the table all that stuff but focusing on the welding machine. "And donuts because it's good and I knew you didn't eat so at least it's yummy"
Raven just smiled and stared at the girl leaving the room, searching internally what was wrong in this gesture. Why does she feel somehow off? Maybe she got scared for a minute caught by the realization of this being real. Luna visited her with her right coffee order, a simple and at the same time so thoughtful gesture took her by surprise. The realization that this could be real, just a brief talk and it's done. But the fear of, instead of celebration and more Luna with donuts, the so well known curls getting further and further away as the vision of Luna leaving through the door scaries her.
After a while thinking, she waved her head and ended just holding on to what it's real now, Luna really visited her…And donuts.