Chapter 1
“I just want to go back to before. When I didn’t know you. And you didn’t hurt me,” Anya recited over the phone. “Gross, Lexa, even for you.”
“Rude, Anya, even for you,” Lexa deadpanned. “Did you hack into my Google docs?”
“You made the mistake of not logging out on my laptop the last time.” Lexa cursed under her breath.
“How are you holding up?” Anya asked with genuine concern. “You kinda...” she paused as she looked for the right word, “disappeared on us there, cous.”
Lexa sighed quietly. “Uhhh yeah, I’m sorry...”
“Don’t be,” Anya interjected. “I know it’s hard for you now...”
7 Months Earlier...
“C’mon Lexa, it’s karaoke night. You love karaoke night,” Anya pleaded. “Plus, it’s at a sorority. You know what that means...”
Lexa reasoned, “I have an exam early tomorrow morning, Anya.”
“You’re in college. What are you doing if not partying?” The dirty blonde protested.
Lexa laughed. “You’re right,” her tone dripping with sarcasm, “because what else is there to do except party.” She sighed, “Just this once.”
Anya’s eyes lit up with excitement as they rushed to get ready for the party.
...
There's a light
A certain kind of light
That never shone on me
The whole room was swaying to the slow rhythm of the song.
I want my life to be
Lived with you
Lived with you
Clarke looked up from her folded hands to find the owner of that angelic voice. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she squinted at the makeshift stage.
There's a way
Everybody say
To do each and every little thing
The girl currently singing was beautiful, even though her eyes were closed to focus on the song.
But what does it bring
If I ain't got you
If I ain't got?
As the song flowed into the chorus, the girl on stage opened her eyes to lock with Clarke’s.
You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you
All Clarke could think of was the piercing green of those eyes. For a moment there, Clarke forgot why she was crying. Her eyes were trained on every little action of the mystery girl. She was standing still, but not stiff; confident, but not proud. Their eyes meet for a sensual pas de deux for the remainder of the song.
You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The song slowed towards the end.
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way that I love you
Cheers and whoops were heard from around the room as Lexa stepped off the stage.
Anya handed her a beer, “Nice one, cous.”
Lexa thanked her. “I’m gonna go talk to her,” she said as she gestured to a blonde girl at the bar with her head in her arms.
“Noooo, the crying girl?” Anya asked. “Bad idea. How you gonna pork? Also, do you really want listen to a girl cry all night?”
Lexa chuckled, “Okay, um, first off, never say pork again. Second of all, maybe that’s not what I want tonight.”
“What about sporking?” At Lexa’s confused expression, she explained. “Some spooning after you pork.”
Lexa almost spits her drink, “That’s literally the worst portmanteau in the history of ever.”
“I get that you’re in a hurry to rid yourself of your cumbersome virginity, cous.” Some girls that came up to compliment Lexa for the song chuckled at that. Anya gave her a pointed look. “But I don’t.”
“You do you, Lexa. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya,” Anya said as she walked off.
Lexa tussled her way through the crowd of sweaty bodies to the bar, almost falling on the girl when some guys stumbled into her.
“Sorry.” Clarke looked up to find emerald orbs.
“Hi. I’m Lexa,” Lexa said as she put on her most charming smile.
Clarke wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
“Clarke Griffin, fourth year med student,” she introduced herself.
Lexa smiled wider at that. “Mmm a smarty pants. Crying at a party, huh? Tell me who to avoid.”
Clarke chuckled before sniffling, “I’m sorry, I just got dumped, and my sorority was throwing this party, and my friend doesn’t want me out of her sight.”
Lexa looked around the room before taking Clarke’s hand and leading her upstairs into an empty bedroom.
“What’s your ex’s name?” Lexa inquired.
“Finn.” Clarke replied.
Lexa has her back turned towards Clarke as she moved around the bedroom. The blonde sat down on the bed patiently. Then Lexa turned around and pulled a pillow from behind her back. Duct tape is stuck across the top with the word ‘Finn’ written on it.
Lexa held the pillow in front of her face and moved towards Clarke.
“Hi, I’m Finn and I’m really stupid. I let this beautiful, smart, nay, smexy girl out of my life. I deserve to be pelted, scourged, flogged, and other kinds of medieval torture that is in no way sexual.”
Clarke cracked up.
“Finn doesn’t talk like that,” Clarke said.
“Well,” Lexa sat on the bed beside her, “I don’t know Finn. And he’s not exactly the person I’m trynna get to know right now.”
They were so close, Lexa could smell the sweet scent of Clarke’s perfume. Forest green orbs flicked down to pink lips, then back up to meet ocean eyes. Lexa sat there, crippled by the sudden intolerable urge to kiss the blonde before her.
When their lips were a mere inch apart, Lexa spoke up. “You gonna punch the pillow, or what?” her eyes still glued to soft pink lips.
Clarke made a lazy jab at the pillow before bringing a hand up to Lexa’s face and meeting her lips with her own in a sweet kiss.
...
“Lex? Lexa!” Anya repeated to get Lexa’s attention.
“Y-yea?” She must have zoned out again, it happened a lot recently.
“Me and Raven’s housewarming party. You coming?” Anya sounded a little irritated.
“I’ll be there,” Lexa replied.
“Good. Also, wear something nice, there’s gonna be single ladies there.”
“Hmm ok.”
”Take it easy.” Anya said with genuine concern.
”Ok, bye.” Lexa said as she hung up the phone.