Chapter 6
“Since when are you the type that gets up early and delivers breakfast?”
Anya takes a look at Lexa who is standing in her office, holding out a paper cup and a bag filled with muffins.
“Well, I couldn’t sleep.”
“You couldn’t sleep?”
“Is your hearing getting worse? I mean, you are a few years older than me …”
Lexa ducks when Anya throws her pen at her.
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Shoot.”
“If you were to take someone out for dinner … where would you go?”
“So you are taking this Clarke girl out then?”
“I might …”
“And you want some place romantic?”
“I want a place with good food, that’s not too fancy and a good spot if you want to talk with someone.”
“So no french cuisine and no diner then?”
Anya laughs at her, especially when she sees Lexa frown.
“Does she like Italian food?”
“Anya, who doesn’t like Italian food?”
“All the girls who have sworn off carbs.”
She looks at Lexa.
“Please, tell me she’s not one of them?”
Lexa thinks about it for a second before she shakes her head.
“She had lots of breadsticks at Bellamy’s party.”
Anya grins.
“Good. Because you should never trust a girls who doesn’t eat carbs.”
“Okay, now that you’ve established your ground rules … can you help me out?
I don’t know where to go around here.”
“That is, because you never go out.”
“Duly noted.”
Lexa picks a particularly tasty looking muffin from the back and hands it to Anya.
“Pretty please?”
Anya takes a bite and groans.
“These are tasty!”
“Did you think I’d buy you cheap ones? These are top quality.”
Lexa takes a muffin from the bag.
“Talking about going out … Whatever happened to this girl you were dating? Michelle?”
She takes a bite and it really tastes heavenly.
“We decided not to see each other again.”
Anya doesn’t look at her which usually means there is more to the story.
“And that was a mutual decision?”
“More or less.”
“Hm.”
“What is ‘Hm’ supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“Lexa!”
Lexa grins.
“Well, you’re always ranting about my love life and I’m just saying that your track record isn’t so great either. Before Michelle there was Anna. She was nice, but you didn’t like her cat so you made a run for it. Before that there was … Isabelle. That was her name right? What was wrong with her again?”
“She made weird noises while she ate.”
Lexa stares at Anya.
“Really? That was your reason to quit? … And you’re criticizing my life choices?”
Anya looks at her.
“There is a difference, little one. Wanna know what it is?”
“Enlighten me.”
“I was in love. For a while. At least I thought so. I gave it my all and then one day I woke up and it was gone.”
“But shouldn’t real love last a lifetime?”
“It should. And I hope it does … once I found the right person. When it comes to you, up until a few days ago I would have sworn that you will never find that person, because your so hellbent on not giving your heart away.”
She eats the last piece of muffin and continues talking with her mouth still full.
“But then again it seems like someone might have busted through your defenses.”
She sees Lexa blush and grins.
“Ahh, don’t be embarrassed! It’s kind of adorable.”
She leans forward and points her finger at her cousin.
“And don’t you dare follow my example and mess this up!”
----
“What are you going to wear?”
“She hasn’t even called yet.”
“She will. So what are you going to wear?”
“Raven, we’ll probably go out on Saturday. I have plenty of time to find an outfit.”
Raven looks at her.
“You know exactly what you are going to wear, don’t you?”
Clarke grins.
“I might.”
She gets up and opens her wardrobe to present Raven with her choice of clothes.
It is a simple black dress, high-necked, but leaving her arms bare. She knows that it leaves her knees bare, too, and Lexa will be able to see the scars, but she doesn’t mind. She is confident that the dress itself will catch her eyes and make her look elsewhere.
“You will wear the silver earrings with that? The ones that look like little trees?”
Raven looks at her.
“They don’t look like trees, Raven.”
“Yeah, they do, but they are beautiful.”
Raven smiles.
“Lexa will totally dig it. I would’t be surprised if you got laid, Griffin.”
She sees Clarke blush and laughs.
“Really? It’s that bad?”
“I like her, you know.”
“You’ve only met her a few days ago.”
“I know, but it feels like I know her … maybe I knew her in a different life.”
Raven looks at her.
“Clarke, you don’t believe in shit like this.”
“… When it comes to Lexa I might.”
Clarke’s phone starts to ring and when Raven sees the caller ID she raises an eyebrow.
“Okay, this is a little creepy.”
Clarke grins and takes the call.
“Hi Lexa! You kept your promise.”
Lexa laughs.
“I usually do. … I hope I am not calling at a bad time?”
“No, your timing is perfect.”
Clarke grins at Raven who sticks out her tongue and leaves for the kitchen.
“So, what are you up to, Lexa?”
“The usual. I am writing. I have to finish two more chapters until Friday.”
“Isn’t it part of the creative process to ignore deadlines?”
Clarke chuckles.
“Well, I have ignored my deadlines for quite a while now and I really have to come up with something or my editor will be … less than pleased.”
“And are you going to make it? … If this call is interrupting your … process or whatever you call it …”
She hears Lexa laugh and it makes the butterflies in her stomach go wild.
“No, Clarke, it’s fine. I wanted to call you. You’re not interrupting anything … What are you up to tonight?”
“I am going to hang out with Raven. I kinda cancelled on her yesterday, because I wanted to finish your book, so …”
“I am sorry about that, by the way. I didn’t want to make you sad.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Lexa. It’s your story … and you wrote it ages ago.”
“That’s true, but still … I promised to make it up to you and I will.”
Clarke smiles.
“So your offer to take me out to dinner still stands?”
“Yes, of course. I even found a nice restaurant. I made a reservation for Saturday at seven thirty. Is that okay? I would pick you up at seven … if you trust me with your address, that is.”
“Of course. I mean, you are killing people for a living, but I hope you’re more civil in real life.” Clarke laughs. “I’ll text you the address, okay?”
“That would be perfect. So seven on Saturday?”
“Yes.”
“Great.”
Lexa is beaming which is something she isn’t used to at all and she is quite happy that Clarke can’t see her right now.
“I don’t want to keep you from entertaining Raven …”
“You’re not. She is a big girl and she knows where the beer is, so she’ll be fine.”
“Hey! I heard that!”
Lexa hears Raven’s voice in the background and grins.
“No, really, Clarke. I don’t want to get on Raven’s bad side … She scares me.”
Clarke chuckles.
“I better not tell her this. It would boost her ego way too much. … But I guess, you’re right. I have to make sure she doesn’t drink all the beer.”
“So you’re going to text me your address?”
“And you’re going to pick me up?”
“Yes.”
“I’m looking forward to that …”
“Me, too …”
They both smile and there is silence, but it’s not awkward.
“Oh dammit! Hang up already, Griffin! You’re not a bloody teenager!”
Raven’s voice comes across as clear as day now and Lexa laughs out loud.
“Okay, I guess, this is my cue. Have a great evening, Clarke. I’ll see you on Saturday.”
“You, too, Lexa. See you on Saturday.”
Clarke waits until Lexa has ended the call before she turns to Raven.
“What the hell, Raven?”
“What? You were staring at the wall, grinning like an idiot and saying nothing. If you don’t talk to her you can as easily have a drink with me.”
“I might have said something … eventually.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know …”
“That’s exactly my point.”
Raven hands her a beer and Clarke takes it.
“So what’s up with O?”
“She hasn’t been seen since loverboy is back in town.”
Raven takes a gulp.
Clarke laughs.
“Poor Bellamy is probably sleeping in the sound-proofed room of his.”
Raven sits down on the couch and puts her feet on the coffee table.
“I think he’s staying at Gina’s”
“Do you think we will ever meet this mysterious woman? He never talks about her.
He never brings her around, but he spends quite some time with her.”
“I have no idea what’s going on there. Either it’s nothing serious or it is and he’s afraid we might blow it. … Like we would ever do that.”
Clarke falls down next to her.
“We would never ever do that!”
She turns on the TV and they drink their beers.
“Clarke?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think … do you think I will ever find someone again?”
Clarke is perplexed. She turns her head to look at Raven.
“Raven …”
“Maybe not someone like him, but … you know, just someone?”
Clarke puts her arm around her friend and hugs her.
“Yes, Raven. I am absolutely positive that you will find someone.”
“Is Lexa that someone for you?”
“I don’t know, Raven.”
“Does it feel like it did with Finn?”
They haven’t talked about him in ages. It’s always been a topic they try to avoid.
The fact that he left Raven for Clarke, almost ruining their friendship, and especially the fact that he died, leaving both of them heartbroken.
“No, Raven. It feels different. … I can’t explain it.”
Raven looks up at her and Clarke can see the unshed tears in her eyes.
She kisses her cheek.
“You will find someone, Raven. Someone who will love you more than anything else.
Hell, even more than I do.”
Raven grins.
“And you do love me, right, Griffin?”
“Sure do.”
“Then I guess, everything is good in the world.”