My Best Friend's Wedding

The traffic on the way to the airport was ludicrous, naturally. They were in New York after all, and Clarke was riding in the passenger seat of Wells’ Audi. He was going as fast as he possibly could, but to Clarke, that still wasn’t quite fast enough. She was frantic. No. More than frantic. She was out of control, overwrought with a mess of emotions.

“Wells… please hurry.”

The poor guy was a nervous wreck, weaving in and out of lanes of traffic. “Clarke, I’m going as fast as I can. You’re making me extremely nervous.”

“Sorry. It’s just – “ She doesn’t know what it is. She’s so excited to see Lexa after months, but yet she’s nervous and afraid at the same time. How could Clarke let this happen? She knows that she should have said something before now. Typical Clarke. Always the procrastinator. Actually… now that she thinks about it, this is most definitely not ‘typical Clarke’ behavior. Clarke Griffin doesn’t do feelings. When she realized that she was in love with her best friend, she thought that she could just push her feelings aside and not screw up their relationship. What they have is good. Was it worth the friendship to risk? Clarke let’s out a groan and leans back in the leather seat that she’s sitting in, bringing her hands up to cover her burning eyes.

“What?” Wells takes a second to glance over at the blonde and ask.

“What if she doesn’t feel the same way?”

“Clarke…” He rolls his eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile there; Clarke can see it through the cracks in her fingers. “Breathe. Lexa loves you.”

“I know she loves me.” Clarke brings her hands down and folds them in her lap. Wells notices the incessant tapping of her feet, causing her knees to jump up and down. “She’s just not in love with me.”

“And how do you know that?” Her friend asks, although it’s more rhetorical than anything. “You don’t. You can’t possibly know that. Not until you talk to her about your feelings.”

“But – “

“No ‘buts’, Clarke.” Wells speaks firmly as they pull up in a parking spot at LaGuardia. “You’re doing this. If you want the girl… then you have to do this. Now come on.” He gets out of his car and walks to the drunk to grab Clarke’s suitcase. She had her carry on bag up front with her. Clarke follows closely behind Wells, his pace is almost just as frenzied as hers. She smiles because she knows how much Wells cares for her, and he wants all of these good things to come her way.

“Are you sure that you’re okay, Clarke? We can stop and get a few drinks in you and think about this if you want. We can get you set up on a later flight to Chicago.”

Clarke begins to shake her head furiously; her hands are almost trembling at her sides with all of her pent up energy and nerves. “No. I’m a busy woman.” Clarke says, making Wells stop in his tracks, but Clarke keeps going, heading towards her terminal like a damn cheetah. Wells quickly resumes, catching up to the blonde in front of him.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve got like four days to break up a wedding, steal the bride’s… bride, and I - I don’t have a single fucking clue on how to do it.” Clarke’s voice is shaky and weak and Wells can’t help the chuckle that falls from his lips, earning himself a glorious glare from Clarke. “Shut up. This is serious.”

“Clarke…”

“She treasured me for nine damn years. Me!” Clarke yells, poking herself in the chest hard and picking up her pace, if that’s even possible.

“I can see why.” Wells teases, but Clarke ignores him. “Clarke, you’re running.” Wells is behind her, and until this point, he’s been rolling her suitcase, but now he’s had to pick it up and carry it with him, afraid of the wheels melting off from their near sprint. “We’re running, Clarke.”

Naturally, she’s not listening to him.

“She’s known Lexa for like what? A day?” Clarke stops in her tracks and turns to face Wells. “Okay…” Clarke is waving her hands in the air like a mad woman and Wells is looking around, catching all of the glimpses that they’re receiving from passers by. “Plus!” Clarke yells again. “This girl… Costia!” Another yell. “Is a freaking billionaire, and apparently she’s all around fucking perfect.”

“I highly doubt that she’s perfect, Clarke.”

“Hey!” She points her finger at her friend, causing Wells to laugh and Clarke throws him an almost playful glare. “So don’t go feeling all bad and shit for Miss…” Clarke looks around, and Wells wonders what she’s looking for. Possibly more words. “Preteen Illinois!” Of course it’s another yell. Clarke takes her bag out of Wells’ arms and holds onto it tightly. The blonde looks around for a little bit longer and takes a deep breath to try and steady herself. She looks up and stares Wells in the eyes, and a small, sad smile crosses over his face. “I can’t lose her, Wells.”

Wells wraps his arms around the small frame of Clarke’s body, bringing her in for a tight embrace. He holds her for a while, trying to calm her down. It seems to be working, at least for the moment. “You’ve got this, Clarke.” He says softly, placing a kiss to the top of her head. “Bring her back.” Clarke pulls back with a smile and a lifted brow. “What? I’ve got to meet this sports writer that has the mighty Clarke Griffin in such a tizzy.”

Clarke smiles once more and leans up to place a kiss to Wells’ cheek. “I’ve got to go.” She says softly, turning with her bags and walking into the terminal. “Wish me luck!” She yells over her shoulder.

//

“Business or pleasure?” An unfamiliar voice says out of the corner of Clarke’s eye. She finally made it to her seat. A window seat of course, and they’re in the air. She’s not always been big on flying. Clarke usually only flies with Lexa. They’ve been everywhere together. L.A., Vancouver, Miami, Paris, London. It never really mattered where they visited, as long as they were in each other’s company.

“I’m sorry?” She turns slightly to reply to the elderly woman sitting to her right.

“Why are you flying to Chicago?” The woman asks politely. Her smile is bright and filled with joy, and just the sight warms Clarke’s heart, causing her to just take a breath and relax.

“Oh… umm…” She has to think to herself. Truth be told, it’s not really pleasurable, what she’s doing, but its not really business either. “A little bit of both.” Clarke decides on with a small grin.

“Ahh… well good for you. I hope that you have a nice trip.”

“Thank you.” Clarke smiles again. “You do the same.” It’s not ten minutes later, when Clarke leans over to ask the woman something to pass the time by, that she notices that the woman is asleep. Clarke turns back to look out the window at the bright blue sky and let’s out a sigh. After a few minutes, her phone dings with an iMessage. Luckily, she was quick to sign onto the plane’s free Wi-Fi so that she could receive such messages. She smiles ear to ear when she sees whom it’s from.

LEXA (8:23AM) – Can’t wait to see you.

Clarke really wants to send back, ‘I wish it could be under better circumstances’, but she’s not too sure that Lexa would like that.

CLARKE (8:24AM) – Me too. I miss you.

LEXA (8:24AM) – One more hour.

LEXA (8:27AM) – I miss you too.

Clarke smiles once more, and her heart swells. She absolutely can’t wait to see her best friend. It’s been too long and Clarke has so, so much that she wants to tell her. She hopes that when it comes down to it, she’ll have the guts to tell Lexa how she truly feels.

//

Clarke’s flight lands at O’Hare in Chicago and she quickly and nervously saunters off of the plane and into the airport. She tightens the grip on her carry on bag that’s strap is hung over her shoulder. She fidgets with the silver watch, which she dons on her wrist, as she walks. Her nerves are starting to get the better of her once more, in the anticipation of seeing Lexa and meeting her… fiancé. Clarke literally cringes at the word.

The airport is jam packed with people going every which way. It’s not near as populous as LaGuardia was, but still, all of these people constantly elbowing and running into her makes her nerves that much worse. Clarke turns a corner and walks into a much larger area of the airport where people are usually reuniting with loved ones and friends, or both. It’s also crowded. Clarke looks around everywhere, walking forward at a slow pace. It’s a definite opposite of what she had done in New York. She wonders if Lexa is even here yet. She’s starting to think that maybe she should just text her friend and tell her that she will just catch a cab to her hotel and she’ll see her later, but then the crowd parts, almost as if it were mean to happen that way. Just for them.

Clarke sees Lexa before Lexa sees her. The smile on Clarke’s face begins and spreads like wildfire across her features and down into her chest where her heart lies. Lexa looks gorgeous of course. More than gorgeous, but Clarke isn’t too sure that there are enough words in the English language to do the woman justice. Lexa’s long legs are tucked into a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. She has on a baggy, low dipped grey shirt with a white and navy button-up opened up on top of it. Lexa’s long brunette curls are down and flowing freely over her shoulders. Clarke sees Lexa run her long, slender fingers through her hair, almost nervously, as she girl looks around for her. It only takes another second and when the crowds part just a little bit more, Lexa finally sees Clarke, and Clarke starts to think that maybe she should have worn sunglasses because damn… Lexa’s smile is so bright. It’s absolutely breathtaking and Clarke’s heart is hammering a hole through her chest. They probably look like the two biggest idiots in there; just standing about fifty feet from each other gawking and smiling and… pining in Clarke’s case. It’s like telepathically they tell each other ‘hi’ and they slowly begin walking towards each other. They quickly become restless because they both start running, Clarke completely dropping her bag in the floor, until they run smack into each other. There faces colliding a little bit, causing their noses to push and brush together. They both grunt and then begin to laugh. Their smiles are still wide and Clarke’s cheeks begin to hurt, but so does Lexa’s. They both seem not to care. It’s like they’re the only two people in the entire building. “Oww…” Lexa says with a laugh and brings one hand up to her nose, causing Clarke to laugh more.

Clarke’s hands are placed lightly on Lexa’s shoulders and Lexa’s free hand rests on Clarke’s waist. The blonde is starting to wonder if they’ve always been this handsy with each other, or if she’s just thinking about it now because she’s in love with her. They grin and stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. They’re both lost in each other’s eyes. The blues of the ocean meeting the greens of the earth, causing a tidal wave of emotions to run through Clarke. She starts to hope that Lexa feels the same thing. “Hi.” Clarke says softly.

“Hi.” Lexa grins a dopey grin. One that Clarke happens to love… damnit. Clarke really hopes that Lexa can’t feel the pounding in her chest. That would be embarrassing, but she could always blame it on the running. Lexa knows that Clarke freaking hates to run. “I can’t believe that I’m doing this.” The brunette says, and her tone is still quiet, matching Clarke’s. It’s almost as if Lexa wants it to be just them there in that moment too.

“What?” Clarke smiles, turning her head slightly in confusion.

“Getting married.” Lexa’s face finally goes stoic, and her chest is rising and falling in time with Clarke’s own as if she too is out of breath. Clarke likes to call this look ‘The Lexa’.

“I can’t believe it either.” The blonde replies. She hopes that Lexa doesn’t catch on to how tragically devastated she is over the current situation. Their eyes are still caught up in each other, both of them afraid to look away. As if one of them is dreaming and the other’s not real. Lexa has forgotten how it felt to be in Clarke’s arms and Clarke’s body feels as if it’s on fire just from Lexa’s hold on her waist. This is most definitely not feelings that best friends have for each other. Lexa slowly removes her hands from Clarke’s waist, not catching the pout that falls from Clarke’s lips. Lexa turns around as if to show Clarke something, and walking up to the both of them are one of the most gorgeous girls that Clarke thinks she’s ever seen. Besides Lexa of course. No one in this world holds a candle to the beauty that is Lexa Woods.

Costia.

Shit.

Clarke’s nerves are automatically back. They must have disappeared while she was wrapped up in Lexa. Costia looks just as nervous… but why? The other girl is a little taller than Clarke and slimmer. Her skin is by far darker than Clarke’s, probably from her daddy paying for her to vacation in ‘wherever the hell she wants’ beach.

‘Calm down, Clarke.’ She tells herself mentally.

Costia moves forward just a little bit, using her hands to sleek down the front of her gorgeous, clearly designer, pink dress. Clarke groans internally. Ugh…pink. Lexa freaking hates pink, but of course Miss Preteen Illinois wear pink. That happens to be Clarke’s new favorite name for Costia. She knows that she has no reason to dislike Costia the way that she does, other than the fact that in four days time she’ll be married to Clarke’s best friend and the love of her life. It’s like time slows when Costia gets closer, the girl’s nerves seem to quickly disappear and a huge smile forms on her face. Clarke can tell that it’s clearly faked. The blonde doesn’t notice the way that Lexa is looking from Costia to Clarke, from Clarke to Costia, as if she were waiting to see which one would speak first.

Clarke is eyeing the girl from head to toe, trying to size her up. ‘How has this girl…that’s right, I said girl’, landed such an amazing woman as Lexa?’ Clarke thinks to herself and for a moment wishes that Lexa could read her mind. Clarke knows that no one will ever be good enough for Lexa. Not by Clarke’s standards. Not even herself, but she wants to be the one to make Lexa happy.

Costia is almost right on top of them now, she’s walking faster and Clarke sticks out her hand with a small, faked, grin, but Costia doesn’t stop. She pulls Clarke in for a tight hug, startling the blonde and making her feel even sicker than she already did. Clarke can see Lexa over Costia’s shoulder and Lexa is smiling a little as she watches her ‘two girls’ meet for the first time. Clarke really hopes that she didn’t let the grunt out that she really wanted to when Costia touched her. The girl is still holding tight, her black hair almost smothering Clarke. “Oh my gosh!” Costia squeals, and Clarke decides right then and there that she doesn’t like her. She sounds like a damned valley girl. Someone who she and Lexa would make fun of. Clarke has to hold back the eye roll that she really wants to let loose. “Everything is going to be perfect now!” The girl says loudly, right in Clarke’s ear, before pulling back and keeping her hands tight on Clarke’s shoulders. “Oh my gosh!” Again, really?

“Oh my gosh…” Clarke deadpans, earning a small glare from Lexa, but Clarke notices the corners of her mouth turn up just a hair.

“All I’ve heard from Lexa is ‘Clarke this’ and ‘Clarke that’.” Costia grinned, making Clarke’s insides roll. The way that she said it came off as extremely annoyed. Had Lexa really been talking about her that much? Clarke smiles and this time, it’s a real one, but only because she’s thinking of Lexa talking about her nonstop to Costia. Clarke looks over to Lexa to gauge her reaction, and the brunette shrugs with a grin.

‘I wonder what would happen if I just yelled ‘I love you’ really loud right now and kissed her.’ Clarke thinks mentally. ‘Better not.’

“I feel like we are going to become the best of friends, Clarke. Like sisters.”

Yeah right.

Costia giggles and Clarke does too, but it’s full of nerves and a little bit of anger and a lot of jealousy.

“I have a monstrous favor to ask you, Clarke.”

“I’m sorry?” Clarke asks, lifting a brow and glancing quickly over to her best friend, and then back to Costia. The girl is almost literally right up in Clarke’s face.

“You see,” Costia starts, looping an arm through one of Clarke’s and she starts to guide Clarke along. Lexa, behind them, quickly grabs Clarke’s bag from the floor where she had dropped it earlier in her mad dash. “My best friend, Anya, shattered her pelvis doing…well, you really don’t want to know what she was doing.” Costia giggles and Clarke finds it weird how her favorite sound in the world is Lexa’s giggle and her new worst favorite sound in the world is Costia’s. Clarke glances back at Lexa and the brunette shrugs. The grip that Costia has on Clarke’s arm as she pulls her along is firm and a little uncomfortable.

“Umm… what was the favor?” Clarke asks, a bit of bite to her question and she feels her bag hit her in the ass. She knows that Lexa swung it at her to tell her to behave. Clarke doesn’t bother to turn around to look at her.

“Be my maid of honor?”

“What?” Clarke pauses right there, bringing Costia to a halt as well. Lexa almost runs slam into Clarke from where she was walking right behind her. Clarke’s eyes are wide. She looks to her best friend and notices that Lexa’s are too. ‘She didn’t know.’ Clarke thinks. “Your made of honor? I don’t even know you.” Clarke utters, and stuffs her hands down into the pockets of her black slacks. Her hands don’t stay there long though because now she’s not only nervous, she’s confused. Clarke puts one hand on her hip and the other starts to run crazily through her blonde locks. “Lexa?” She turns to her friend, her blue eyes slamming into green ones again. Clarke has to clench her eyes shut for a second, from the feeling that looking into Lexa’s gives her. “What is this?” She asks as nicely and as calmly as she can.

“I - I don’t know.” Lexa replies, shakily and then looks over to her fiancé. “Babe? What is this?” Clarke wants to puke at Lexa calling another woman a pet name.

“What? I can’t ask your best friend to be my made of honor? I told you, Clarke,” Costia says, now looking at Clarke with her eyes a little narrower. “I want us to be the best of friends. Why not start here?”

“Uhh… shouldn’t you promote one of your bridesmaids or something? Or at least someone that you’ve known for more than five minutes?” Lexa clears her throat. Oh right, Clarke… your attitude. Get it in check.

“I have only one bridesmaid.” Costia starts to answer. “She’s my cousin. Her name’s Raven and I’m pretty sure that she doesn’t like me.” Costia laughs.

‘I wonder why.’ Clarke thinks.

“Lexa has one too. I believe that she’s a mutual friend of both of yours.” Costia mumbles, as if she’s mad that Clarke and Lexa share mutual friends. “Octavia? Yeah… I think that’s her name. Still haven’t met her.” Costia looks at Lexa almost as if it’s her fault.

“Costia…” Lexa begins. “I – uh…”

“Oh, no.” Lexa’s fiancé practically whispers, looking back and forth between Clarke and Lexa. “Shoot… I’m such an idiot. Of course Lexa was going to ask you to be her maid of honor.”

Lexa’s eyes widen a bit, although she had wanted to ask Clarke, she just didn’t know how to go about it. She wasn’t even entirely sure that Clarke was very excited about this wedding in the first place. Clarke’s never really been for weddings or love in general. Clarke looks to Lexa as if to say, ‘Please save me.’ Lexa must get the message loud and clear because she finally breaks the awkward silence that had settled between the three women. “Yeah, babe. I really wanted Clarke to be by my side.”

Clarke smiles a bit, but she tries to keep most of it internal. Lexa wanted her by her side. Clarke wanted to be by her side, but on the side that Costia would be on. Damnit. When did things get so damn complicated?

“Of course, Lex.” Costia grins and Clarke rolls her eyes out of view of the woman because of course it was faked. Can Lexa not tell how fake this girl is? Or is she only fake around Clarke? “I’m sure that I can find another cousin to stand in for Anya.” Was that her plan all along? To ask Clarke to be her maid of honor so that she couldn’t be Lexa’s? If that’s what this girl is about, Clarke’s ready to fight it out. First though, she has to make sure what this Costia girl is about.

“Clarke hasn’t even agreed to by mine.” Lexa utters, looking over to Clarke and catching her phenomenal gaze. Lexa’s heart flutters a bit. Must be nerves. She starts to think that maybe she should have worded that differently.

Meanwhile, Clarke is thinking, ‘Hell yeah, I’ll be yours.’

“Do you seriously even have to ask, Lex?” Clarke says with a grin, making sure to brush her hand gently over Lexa’s arm causing her friend to break out into another one of those award-winning grins. Costia clears her throat.

“Well… I’m glad that that’s settled. Let’s go get you fitted for your dress, Clarke.” Costia starts dragging her once again out of the airport, Lexa following closely behind.

“Cos…babe. I really need to get over to the ballpark. I have to meet with Frank.” Lexa mentions, as if reminding her fiancé about her duties of the day. Costia turns around with a confused look, eyeballing Lexa like she had just said one of the most absurd things. “I have to work on those rookie profiles. I told you that.”

“Lexa… it’s our wedding weekend.”

“I know that. After this evening, I won’t have to deal with work for another week or so. Okay? This is important.” Lexa’s voice is calm and she gives Costia a sweet smile. Costia lets go of Clarke’s arm, leaving the blonde standing there staring at the pair intently.

“So is our wedding.” Costia says, with a little bit of a bite before Lexa places her hand on the small of Costia’s back and moves her a little further from Clarke. Lexa looks over to her best friend for a split second to apologize with her eyes. Clarke gives her a small, reassuring smile.

“Please don’t do this, Cos. Not here. We’ve talked about this. This profile could mean big things for my career. You know that there’s nothing more important to me than our wedding, but this has to be done. After tonight, I’m all yours again.” Lexa is rubbing the palm of her hand over Costia’s back trying to calm her down.

The corners of Costia’s lips turn up a bit and all that Lexa can think of is how she wishes that Costia’s smile was even a fraction as beautiful as Clarke’s. ‘Jesus, Lexa. Get your shit together.’ The brunette says to herself. “Clarke…” Lexa says softly, and Clarke hums in response. “Do you mind going with Costia to get fitted for your dress? You can come meet up with me at the ballpark after while.”

Of course she was going to get left with this crazy girl. Clarke groans internally before smiling a small smile and blinking a few times in Lexa’s direction. “Of course I’ll go. Save me a beer though.” Clarke winks; making Lexa laugh, and Clarke doesn’t miss the looks that Costia is giving the both of them.

“Sure thing.” Lexa looks Costia in the eyes and places her hands on the black-headed girl’s shoulders, squeezing gently. “We okay, babe?”

Costia nods and Lexa leans down to place a soft kiss to the girl’s lips, but Costia clearly has other plans because she brings her hands up to Lexa’s hair and pulls her face closer into a more passionate kiss. Lexa looks awkward and Clarke has to look away or she thinks she might be sick.

After what feels like forever, Lexa finally manages to pull herself away from Costia and give her fiancé a half smirk. “Have fun.” She says to Costia and then looks to Clarke before walking over to her and leaning down to press a quick kiss to her best friend’s cheek. “Behave.” She whispers, so that Clarke is the only one that can hear her. This earns Lexa half of a glare; the rest of it is stored somewhere in Clarke’s brain because she thinks that she’s short-circuiting from the soft lips that were on her cheek. Lexa gives Costia one last kiss on top of her head and grabs a cab to take to the ballpark.

“Right.” Costia says with another fake smile as she turns to Clarke. “This will be fun. Ready to go try on your dress?”

“Sure.” Clarke answers the annoying woman, wishing that she were in that cab with Lexa headed to the baseball field. “Sounds… fun.”

//

The dress fitting is about as interesting and exciting that Clarke thought that it would be. Which was... it wasn’t. There was a short, middle-aged woman working around her for like two hours. The woman would pinch and poke and cinch until Clarke was sure that Costia had hired her to torture Clarke. From what she knows now of Lexa’s fiancé, that wouldn’t be a far cry.

Costia had taken Clarke to a Vera Wang dress gallery in Chicago. Needless to say, Clarke loved it, even though she was in some pretty shit company. The beautiful gowns and dresses were hanging throughout the entire building. Clarke hadn’t realized how many shades of white that there actually were, and the bright and pastel colors of the bridesmaid’s dresses hanging at the back of the place were just as gorgeous, in Clarke’s opinion.

The gown that Clarke would be wearing in the wedding is fitted like a mermaid style dress. It’s tighter around the hips and thighs area and the material starts to open up and flow around the lower part of her legs, turning into about a two-foot long train that drags behind her. The top part is strapless in a sweetheart shape. The color, thankfully, is navy. Clarke honestly feels like royalty in the dress, and she’s certainly glad that the bride’s parents are paying for all of this. Clarke is well off and always has been, but she’s pretty sure that this dress would cost her three months rent, if not more.

“What do you think of the color, Miss Daniels?” The woman kneeling down beside Clarke, pinching the fabric together, asks. “It’s beautiful, no?”

Costia has been looking down at her cellphone since the moment that they walked into the store, that Clarke thinks is extremely rude, but she’s not entirely surprised. The black-headed girl looks up, for a split second, and then back to her phone before answering the question that she was asked. “It looks good.”

In that moment, Clarke seriously thought about yanking the needle out of this woman’s hands and attacking this infuriating girl with it. Seriously, how in the hell is Lexa marrying this woman? Like, why?

“It’s lovely.” Clarke comments with a small smile, looking down at the woman sewing on the hem of her gown. “Thank you.”

The woman nods up at Clarke before telling her that she can step out of the dress now. “Will this be tighter?” Clarke asks the woman, as the blonde starts to pull at the top of the dress. “I just don’t want the girls popping out, you know?”

“Yes ma’am. I will work on it personally.”

“Thank you.” Clarke thanks the woman before glaring at Costia who sits in front of her, still with her head in her damned cell phone. Clarke takes this time, changing out of her dress, to scan over this Costia Daniels girl. She wonders what she has, other than money that Clarke doesn’t. There has to be some sort of redeeming quality in her if Lexa loves her. Lexa is such an amazing person, and Clarke would never admit it, but she’s always kind of liked the girls that Lexa has dated. This one is different. This one is like an antonym to Lexa.

After a minute or so, Costia looks up and catches Clarke staring at her. “Would you rather a different fit?” Costia asks with a raised brow as if she’s irritated to be here. “If you’re not comfortable, I’m sure that we can find something better fitted for someone with your… hips.”

‘This bitch.’ Clarke thinks to herself. She almost wants to say, ‘Lexa loves my hips’, but she refrains from doing so because she’s not very certain that Lexa wouldn’t absolutely kill her for that. “This dress is fine. I am plenty comfortable.” Clarke answers her finally with her own fake smile. “Are Octavia and your cousin, Raven, wearing the same one?”

“No.”

“Oh…umm, is there a reason?”

Costia is looking back at her phone as she stands up and tucks her purse onto her arm. She looks even more irritated now than she did earlier. Clarke thinks that she might have just struck a nerve. “Lexa says that you like to stand out and be different. I told her that I would rather you wear the same, but she insisted.”

“Lexa picked this out?” Clarke asks, pointing over to her dress that the sewing lady was now hanging on a hanger. Costia only nodded. “It’s beautiful.”

“She said you would like it. It’s weird how well you two know each other.” Costia looks as if she’s ready to start grilling Clarke and start a whole investigation. Clarke fidgets a little bit in her spot as she finished pulls up her black slacks. She’s not looking at her, but she can feel Costia’s eyes practically boring a hole into Clarke’s head.

“I guess that’s what happens when you’ve been best friends for as long as we have.” Clarke finally replies softly with a shrugs of her shoulders. “You ready to go?” The blonde asks, tightening the grip on her purse.

“So, you’re sure that you’re fine with the dress?”

“Yes.” Clarke answers. Didn’t we just have this conversation?

“Wow. Okay.”

“What?”

“I just can’t believe that Lexa was actually right about you liking this dress.” Costia says with a chuckle. “She’s not really up on her fashion, as I’m sure that you know.”

“She’s always seemed to dress fine to me.” Clarke retorts. “What else did she even tell you about me?”

“A lot.” Costia answers sternly, as if she really doesn’t want to have this conversation. “She says that you hate weddings. I’m surprised that you came.”

Clarke scrunches her nose as if she can’t believe that Costia would even suggest something like that. “Of course I came. She’s my best friend.”

“Is that all that she is to you?”

Oh shit. Clarke tries to swallow the dry lump that has seemed to have found its place stuck in her throat. “Wh – what?”

“Don’t worry, Clarke. I’m not insinuating anything.” Costia smirks and Clarke seriously just wants to knock this girl out. “Lexa’s a catch. I find it odd that you and Lexa haven’t… you know…”

What? Has Lexa not told her about them? How they started off dating each other and then became best friends, only because Clarke broke Lexa’s heart? “We’re just friends.” Clarke says a little too quickly. It’s not a lie… only like a small half-truth. Costia nods and Clarke lets go of a breath that she didn’t realize that she had been holding. She was definitely going to have to talk to Lexa about this. “I feel like we’d be a wrong fit.” Clarke adds, hoping to take some of the pressure off of her. It wasn’t a lie either. She and Lexa were almost complete opposites. Everything points to them not being romantically involved, but somehow… they just seem to click.

“She’s told me that too.”

Clarke tries to ignore the sting in her chest at the comment. ‘Lexa thinks that we’re a wrong fit too?’ Clarke thinks to herself. Shit. Of course she does. There’s no way in hell that Lexa could love Clarke like she does her. She probably used to, but Clarke screwed that up. “She did?”

“Lex said that you just like to have fun when it comes to your relationships and she’s always kind of been a hopeless romantic.” God. Clarke hated this girl. “Don’t worry.” Costia grins. “I was always like you too, Clarke. Different person every week… until I met Lexa. It’s funny, huh? How love works?”

“Hilarious.” Clarke deadpans. ‘If I smoked I would so need a cigarette right now.’ Clarke thinks.

//

“I thought that we were going to the ballpark to meet Lexa.” Clarke comments as she steps out of Costia’s vehicle. The black-headed girl had just pulled up into a parking lot of a very extravagant looking Hilton. Clarke and Costia have barely said two words to each other since their peculiar discussion back at the Vera Wang gallery. The blonde wasn’t complaining, that’s for sure. She’s heard enough of this girl’s voice to last her a lifetime. She frowns thinking about how Lexa will be stuck with this for a lifetime… and what Lexa’s relationship with Clarke will be like going forward after the wedding.

“The game doesn’t start until later tonight.” Costia practically grunted as she closed the door to her very expensive, imported car. They were both still dressed in what they had on earlier. Clarke in black slacks and Costia with her damned pink dress. “As your duty as one of the brides’ maid of honor, unfortunately, you have to attend this brunch that my mother is throwing me.”

“Like right now?”

“Yes. Let’s go. We are already late.”

Clarke tries to fill the silence, as they walk through the hotel and towards the elevator. She really doesn’t want to talk to her, but she has to figure out what it is that Lexa sees in her. “So, where do the two of you plan on going for your honeymoon?”

“I’d rather not talk about. Lexa wants to go to the World Series instead of our honeymoon. Can you believe that?” Costia asks as the two of them walk into a very regal looking elevator. All dark mahogany wood and golden fixtures shining everywhere, and Costia reaches over to press a glass button.

“I’m sure that she has her reasons.” Clarke practically bites, but she could have sounded a lot worse. All she can seem to think about are Lexa’s lips on her cheek and her best friend whispering to her, ‘Behave.’ “Lexa, like you said, is a very romantic person. I’m sure that she would love a honeymoon, but right now… she has to put her job over leaving the country.”

“I’m her wife.” Costia bit back. It’s starting to get quite hilarious, Clarke thinks, how much they both obviously hate each other. “Her priority should be me.”

“Not yet.”

“I’m sorry?”

Clarke casually crosses her arms in front of her chest and stairs up towards to ceiling. She has a death grip on each of her biceps, trying to keep herself from lunging at the other girl. “I just pointed out that you’re not her wife.” Clarke grins over at Costia. “Not yet.” Clarke most definitely didn’t miss the glare that she received from Costia, and to her surprise the black-headed woman walks over to press the ‘emergency stop’ button, bringing the elevator to a shrieking stop.

Clarke’s eyes go wide. No. No. No. This isn’t cool. Clarke is claustrophobic, and her heart starts to pump faster, and her breathing starts to come in quicker and shallower. Costia spins are to look Clarke up and down and obviously doesn’t care that the blonde is having a mild panic attack of sorts. “Wh –wh –what are you doing?”

“How could I have been so stupid?” Costia starts, walking ever so slightly towards Clarke with her hands on her hips. Costia then lets out a small chuckle that sends shivers down Clarke’s own spine. “You’re in love with her.”

“What?” Clarke breathes out through her winded lungs, coming out even thinner now that Costia has pegged her.

“Of course… You’re here to what? Break us up? So that the two of you can live happily ever after back in some shabby studio apartment in New York? So that you both can live until the ends of your days tangled up in the romanticism of all of this? You coming here trying to sweep Lexa off of her feet and carry her home with you?”

This bitch really has it coming. She does not want to be locked up in a confined space with Clarke Griffin. Clarke really, really wants to set this girl straight and tell her about she and Lexa’s romantic past that this girl obviously has no clue about, but it’s not her place to. If Lexa didn’t tell Costia about Clarke, then she had her own reasons. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Clarke starts, but she pulls her wits and strength together and marches a couple of steps towards Costia, causing the other girl to back up. “I wonder… does Lexa know what an egotistical, manipulating bitch her fiancé really is? Because I don’t see her loving anyone like you. Ever. So, you must hide your bitchiness very well.”

“Excuse me?” Costia exclaims, but Clarke only marches forwards again, causing Costia to be back up into one of the four walls of the elevator. “Who do you think that you are?”

“Unfortunately for you, I’m your fiancé’s best friend and I do happen to love her very much.” Clarke begins, with a roughness to her own voice that she hasn’t heard in a very long time. “So… if you do one thing to hurt her or try and cause damage to our friendship, well then you have another thing coming to you. Once she finds out about how you really are, you’re done. And unfortunately, I’ll be left to pick up the pieces. I don’t like to see Lexa hurt. I hate it actually… so you just try me, Miss Daniels. I dare you.” Clarke glares at the girl once more before stepping back with a grin and pulling the ‘emergency stop’ button back out, causing the elevator to roar back to life. The doors slide open not long after that, revealing a stunning foyer filled to the brim with hundreds of elegantly dressed women dining on small finger foods and sipping on, what she assumes to be, very expensive champagne.

Costia walks past the blonde into the foyer, making sure to bump her shoulder on the way out, causing a small chuckle erupt from Clarke’s mouth. No one noticed, thankfully. Costia walks past a beautiful, older woman that seems to be heading their way, and when Costia doesn’t stop, the woman walks over to Clarke with a smile. “You must be Miss Griffin.” She holds her hand out and Clarke accepts it with a smile.

“I am, but I’m sorry, I don’t seem to know you.”

“How rude of me. I’m Monica Daniels. Costia’s mother.”

Oh god. If Costia is the spawn of Satan, Clarke can only assume that this woman here is Satan herself, but she doesn’t jump to conclusions yet. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise. I hope that my daughter hasn’t scared you off yet.” The woman smiles.

“Not for her lack of trying.” Clarke answers but then laughs trying to make it seem as a joke. Monica laughs too, so she assumes that it worked.

“Well, I must say, Miss Griffin – “

“Clarke, please.”

“I’m sorry. Clarke… you are much more beautiful than even Alexandria described.”

Alexandria? Really? Clarke wants to role her eyes. Lexa hates that name.

“Thank you, Mrs. Daniels.” Clarke blushes a little.

“Now…” Monica says, if you’ll just follow me, I will take you to meet another one of the bridesmaids. She’s my sister’s daughter. My niece. She can definitely be a handful; so don’t let her scare you off. They walk up behind a shorter girl with dark brown hair and she herself has on slacks. Until now, Clarke had seen only dresses. “Raven.” Monica says, getting the girl’s attention. This Raven spins around with a grin when she sees Clarke.

“Oh my gosh. You must be the love of Lexa’s life.” Raven smiles widely, and her comment earns her a scowl from her aunt right before she walks away.

“I’m sorry?” Clarke asks, mouth still hanging open from Raven’s earlier words. “You are?”

“Sorry.” Raven sticks out her hand and Clarke hesitantly accepts it. “Raven Reyes. Cousin of the bride.” The other woman rolls her eyes, causing Clarke to grin. This girl must not like her cousin either. “And I was saying that clearly Lexa is completely blind.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell me that you’re as naïve as Sexy Lexy?” Raven smiles. “I mean I assume that you’re Clarke Griffin.” Clarke nods. “Lexa talks about you non-stop. Compares everyone to you. Even Costia… especially Costia. I’m not very close with Lexa, but if I were, I would tell her to dump Costia’s dumb, lying ass and go for what she really wants.”

Clarke is sure that her mouth is agape and that her eyes are more than likely the size of small saucers. “I’m sorry… I’m just a little confused.”

“Don’t be confused, Griffin.” Raven smiles. “I can only assume that you are madly in love with her too.”

“Lexa is not madly in love with me.”

“Ahh… so you admit that you are madly in love with her?”

“Can we please stop saying ‘madly in love’? It’s kind of depressing.” Clarke says, earning her another grin from Raven.

“Sure thing. We can talk about that later when we have our girls’ night out.”

“When we what?” Clarke asks with a raised brow.

“Yeah. You, me, Octavia, Lexa, and Costia. We all have plans to hang out tomorrow night after all of the festivities.”

“Oh…”

Raven pats Clarke on the back. “And as your duty as one of the maid of honors, you need to decide where we should go. I’ll get your number from Lexa and shoot you a text later. I need to run off and talk to a lot more really old ladies.”

Clarke nods. That’s all she can do. This Raven girl is definitely a character. That whole conversation seemed to have lasted all of thirty-seconds. That girl acts as if someone lit a fire under her ass. Before Raven is almost out of earshot, the dark-haired girl shouts out. “FYI, Blondie. Costia hates karaoke bars!”

Clarke grins. ‘Thank you, Raven Reyes.’ She thinks to herself. 'I have the perfect idea.'