Coming Home
Clarke's POV
I walk into the school for the first day of my junior year at Polis High School. It's weird being here. I haven't been in this town since I was 13 years old. We moved to Los Angeles after my mom got a job offer there. I never fit in there though. All the kids were tanned and skinny little Barbie dolls. I wasn't. I have curves. I like to eat. I don't want to always be hungry and constantly talk about boys. The girls didn't like me at my high school. My mom put me in this high school where all the rich and famous' kids went to. It just wasn't my kind of thing. I missed the South. I missed Polis and its small town charm, where everyone knew each other. Polis, where a meal is bigger than the palm of my hand. Polis, where the whole town would come out to see the Homecoming football game. Polis, where we would buy fresh produce from Farmer Pike's farm a couple miles down from our house.
But my mom wanted more. My mom wanted glamour and glory. She convinced my dad to try out city life and he hated it just as much as me. My dad tried hard to like Los Angeles and no matter how much he didn't like it, he never complained to my mom. My mom was his whole world. And then I walked in on my mom with the Pilates instructor, Brad...and let's just say they were doing a lot more than Pilates.
She apologized half heartedly to me and my dad and she left our house for Brad's. Since then, I've only seen her briefly while she moved out and at the court house where she granted custody to my Dad. We decided we wanted to move back to Polis shortly after. And here I am. 16 years old and a junior in high school.
I hope I fit in here. My hair is different now though. It's longer and has pink tips. I have a star constellation tattoo on my wrist. I have a bunch of ear piercings now too. That's the one thing about L.A that I loved. I could be myself there. Sometimes Polis felt a little too small, but it's still my home and it's good to be back. I've changed since I left this town and I just hope nobody is too disappointed with how I've turned out. As I walk through the halls, I just know people are talking about me. Like I said, Polis is a small town. Everyone knows everyone.
I get to homeroom and look around, hoping to see familiar faces from elementary school. And then I make eye contact with Finn Collins. Finn was my on again off again boyfriend in elementary school. Right before I left for L.A, he was my first kiss. It was under the big tree in his backyard. I was 13 years old. He pressed his chapped lips to mine and tried moving them a bit. I was a tad nervous but I kissed him back. He gave me a necklace of a deer he made. Finn was always so sweet.
I sit next to him and tap his shoulder. In that quick moment before he turned around to see who was tapping him, I suddenly grew nervous. What if he didn't remember me?
Finn, with his scraggly hair and playboy smirk, turns around and his eyes widen in recognition instantly.
"Clarke? Clarke Griffin?!" He screams out in a Southern drawl. "As I live and breathe, get on over here!" He gets up and motions for me to hug him.
My cheeks hit up red that he's making a such a scene but I hug him anyways. His hands roam a little too much for my liking. Just before I'm about to pull away he does so. He smiles and sits back down.
"I can't believe Clarke Griffin is back in town! How was city life? Too fast for ya? You were always such a sweetie, such a good girl you were. You know my dad always said we were suppose to be the town darlings. I just gotta say it, you've grown Clarke. You've grown up real good."
Finn is talking so fast and I barely can get a word in edge wise. All I can focus on is his eyes staring at my chest. I mask my discontent and politely smile, deciding in that moment that Finn Collins is not the kind of boy I want to spend my time with. I guess Mr. Collins was wrong. I would never be Finn Collins' girl again.
---
After hometown, I go to Calculus. Most of the students are seniors from what I can tell. I recognize one of the guys in the front, Lincoln Forrester. He was Octavia's on again off again boyfriend in grade school just like mine was Finn. We used to be the popular kids of the school.. not that I really loved the title much. Me, Lincoln, Octavia, Finn, Bellamy, and Roan. Lincoln and Roan were a year older and Bellamy was two years older. We were all thick as thieves back in the day.
Lincoln looks different now. He used to be a scrawny little kid, but now he's tall and muscular. He's still bald, which I giggle to myself about. We always used to tease him about his lack of hair. I go up to him from behind and tap his shoulder. He turns around and immediately recognizes me as well.
"Oh my god!" He exclaims and runs up to me, enveloping me in a warm bear hug. I laugh and he picks me up and twirls me around.
"Clarke Griffin! Last I heard, you were living with the rich and famous in Los Angeles. Are you back?! Octavia is gonna be so happy!"
I laugh and look over at the chair next him. There is a girl sitting next to him. She has honey brown eyes and brown wavy hair. She's wearing glasses and her eyes are warm. She looks a little confused but she smiles and me. I smile back. She is very pretty so it's hard to tear my eyes away.
"I just moved back. It's good to see you Lincoln. I miss the whole crew."
"We miss you too! Things have changed a bit since you left..which reminds me. This is Laurel Woods. Laurel is a senior here. Her sister Lexa is a junior. They moved here a few years back and now we are all pretty close. Laurel, you remember how we told you about our best friend who moved away before you and Lexa moved to Polis? Well that's Clarke!"
"It's great to meet you." Laurel says to me and her accent sounds like she's from the North.
"Lovely to meet you as well." I respond, not being able to hide the blush that creeps up on me. She's just so pretty and her smile is sincere. Smiles were rarely sincere in L.A.
The teacher is late to class so Lincoln fills me in on the last three years. Bellamy just joined the police force. After high school, Roan joined the military and he's overseas now. Octavia is a junior now too like me. Her and Lincoln have been dating all through high school...on and off of course. And Finn. Well Finn is the player of the group. He jumps from one girl's bed to the other. He's also captain of the football team.
And then Lincoln talks about Laurel and Lexa. Laurel is a senior like Lincoln. Her sister Lexa is a year younger and a junior like me. Lexa is a player as well. She sleeps around..a lot. She's captain of the girl's basketball team. Lexa apparently acts very entitled and bitchy but Lincoln says she secretly has a big heart. Not going to lie, I'm not all too excited to meet her. She sounds like all the girls I knew in L.A.
Class starts and the rest of the day goes by fast. Lincoln told me to wait in the gym for the group. He wants to hangout and catch up. He also wants to surprise Octavia with her newly returned best friend. I wait on the bleachers quietly, reading one of my favorite books. All of a sudden, there's a whole lot of ruckus outside the gym doors. I get up hesitantly to check it out.
"Look Carmen, you're a great lay. You have a great ass and tits to die for.. but you knew what this was. I told you from the start that I was just looking for sex."
I hear the conversation and roll my eyes. Whoever this is sounds like an asshole. The door quickly opens and smacks me straight in the face. I fall on my ass and can feel the blood pouring from my nose. The girl who opened the door just stares at me in shock for a second and I struggle to stand up and yell at her.
"Damn it! I think you fucking broke my nose." I whine out, clutching at my face. She just stares down at me lips parted. "Hello!?" I try again and that seems to break her out of her gaze.
"Shit. Sorry honey. Trust me if I knew there was a hot girl eavesdropping on my conversation through the door, I wouldn't have hit you. I definitely would have hit on on you though." She smirks. The other girl, Carmen I presume, curses the girl with brown curly hair and walks away. The green eyed girl's apathetic facade drops once the Carmen figure leaves.
I'm furious still. Who does this girl think I am?! Ok, yes. She is gorgeous. And yes her green eyes are mesmerizing. Yes, her arm muscles are fucking to die for. Yes, her plump lips look so kissable. And yes.. wait this isn't the point. This girl is a grade A douchebag. She goes through girls like tissues, like they're disposable. So I don't care how gorgeous she is, she is not coming anywhere near me.
"Do you really think that line was going to work?! You just assaulted me!" I yell at her.
"Oh don't be overdramatic you little -" The girl shakes her head. "Look I said I'm sorry. I don't know what else to do here. Take this." The girl pulls out a hand towel from her gym back.
I mumble out a thank you and put pressure on my nose.
"Is it really that bad?" The girl asks me, looking a little apologetic for the first time during this whole exchange.
"I'll be fine. The bleeding is already stopping." I say annoyed.
"Good. Listen, I am sorry." She tries again, rubbing the nape of her neck.
"I know you are. It's ok. I forgive you. You know..I have this strong feeling that contrary to what I overhead before, you're a good person." I gently say and meet the girl's emerald eyes.
It was such a mistake staring in Lexa's eyes because now I can't seem to stop staring. Lexa looks vulnerable for a second but suddenly her face turns stoic.
"Well I'm certainly good in bed if that's what you mean. Feel free to see for yourself." Lexa winks and I shake my head. I thought that I was wrong about her being an ass. I thought maybe she was just deflecting for some reason. But it turns out I was wrong.
"CLARKE!" Octavia screams out and runs up to me. I turn away from the mystery girl and get up to hug my childhood best friend.
"What happened to your face?" She asks me worriedly, seeing all the blood. I just shrug and look towards the girl. The girl's green eyes are wide.
"I didn't realize you were Clarke, Octavia's long lost best friend." The girl says hesitantly.
"Well I am. Why would you care?" I snap at her.
"I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Lexa Woods. Best friend to your best friend. It seems as if we will be spending lots of time together Clarke Griffin." The basketball player smirks and I want to wipe that shit eating grin off her face.
Polis certainly has changed.