Chapter 8
The night passes by slowly, for Lexa, at least, because Clarke was passed smooth out, leaving the brunette alone to dwell in her thoughts. Lexa’s mind was reeling. Everything that had just happened… it was all just so, so wrong, on so many levels, but it felt so good. Too good, and Lexa starts to think that maybe she should have showered before getting into the bed. Her best friend,
Clarke Griffin, had just teased and kissed her, and Lexa had let her. That was what was wrong. Clarke wasn’t in her right mind.
She was pretty heavily intoxicated, and Lexa took advantage of that for her own feelings. She knows that Clarke doesn’t think of her in that way. It’s just always been Clarke’s way to be extra flirty and touchy-feely with people.
Lexa was sure that if Costia ever found out about this, she would be dead in a river somewhere, with not a single shred of evidence or a witness. Costia doesn’t even know that Lexa is staying with Clarke, for Christ’s sake. Lexa is officially the worst fiancé ever.
It feels like it takes hours, but eventually, Lexa finally manages to doze off on the sofa in Clarke’s living room.
When Clarke wakes, she immediately feels like she’s going to throw up everywhere. Her head is pounding the immediate, blinding light, shining through her bedroom window is not helping matters at all. She, slowly, brings a hand up to shield her eyes from the Sun. After a few moments of just lying there, contemplating her current hangover, she realizes something. Yes. She was terribly drunk last night, and yes… she shouldn’t have drank so much, but it wasn’t enough to make her forget what she had done.
She had kissed Lexa.
Shit.
And not only had she kissed Lexa… Clarke kissed her stomach, up to her neck, to her sculpted jaw, and then finally met the brunette’s gorgeous, full lips. Kissing Lexa is definitely an otherworldly experience. It wasn’t the first time that it had happened, but it’s been around seven or so years since the last time, and Clarke had almost forgotten the feeling.
Clarke sits up, in bed, and slings her legs over the edge. The first thing that she notices, is that the other side of the bed hadn’t been slept in, and her heart sinks a little. She scared Lexa off. She put her best friend in a compromising position, and her heart starts to crack at how awful Lexa must feel for being a part of that kiss. She’s fucking engaged, for crying out loud. Clarke is officially the worst best friend ever.
After she is finally able to stand without feeling like she was going to tip over or puke or both, she makes her way, slowly, to the door of her bedroom and peeks her head through the crack to look into the living room. All of the lights were out, still, and her heart cracks even more when she doesn’t see her best friend. Lexa isn’t on the couch. She isn’t in the kitchen. She isn’t the bathroom. Clarke starts to freak out internally. Her chest is rising and falling with her quick and uneven breaths. She feels her knees become even more wobbly than they already were, and she, now, feels even more physically sick.
“Lexa?” She calls out, as she timidly makes her way out of her bedroom. There’s no answer, which doesn’t surprise her. She chased Lexa away. The last person on this earth that she would want to do that to. The only person in her life that has truly, always been there for her, through thick and thin. She tells herself that she’s not going to cry, but clearly, her eyes didn’t get the memo. A few stray tears make their way down the slopes of her cheeks and down the side of her jaw before she manages to wipe them away. What has she done? She should have just came out and told Lexa about her feelings as soon as she realized them.
Now everything is crumbling down.
Clarke finds herself falling down onto her couch. She’s supposed to go check out a new gallery today, whenever she gets the chance, but she’s not really feeling up to it now. She grabs the blanket, that’s folded on the back of the sofa, and drags it over her body. Clarke pulls the material up to her face, and is hit directly with the scent that is Lexa. She hugs the blanket impossibly closer, and after a while, she’s fallen back to sleep, with thoughts of Lexa, and her whereabouts, being the only thing on her mind.
//
“Taxi!” Lexa yells, with her hand thrown up in the air, and she makes her way out of Yankee stadium. Her first rookie interview went rather well, and she is actually looking forward to the next one, which is tomorrow. Her day, so far, has been long and tiring, not physically, but her mind is completely wearing her down. The events of the previous night are etched into her brain, and her stomach begins to knot up and she wants to be sick. Not because she didn’t like what happened, she loved it, but she’s married, and now she has to live with the fact that she let her best friend kiss her, while she’s engaged to another woman. Not only engaged, but their wedding is in a matter of days.
Lexa really didn’t know what to do, this morning, when she first woke up. She would, normally, make she and Clarke some sort of breakfast, or take her friend out to eat somewhere, but that wasn’t the case this time around. She didn’t know how to face Clarke after what had happened. She’s not mad at Clarke, by no means… she’s just confused. More confused than she’s ever been by anything in her entire life.
Of course, Lexa had feelings for Clarke. Feelings that she should not have for someone who is her best friend. Lexa knows that it’s wrong, because she’s married, and that just makes everything worse. When she had first met Costia, the younger girl definitely swept her off of her feet. The first couple of months were great. Costia was fun, and hilarious, and, for the most part, easy to get along with. They had their fights and arguments, but they usually overcame them fairly quickly. Once Lexa started to tell her girlfriend about Clarke, however, is when things started to change in their relationship, and if that would have happened before their engagement, Lexa might not have proposed. Costia didn’t like the fact that Lexa’s best friend was a woman. A very attractive woman. And it didn’t help that they had known each other for a long time. Costia was being insecure, but Lexa kept reassuring her girl that she and Clarke were only friends, and that’s all that they ever would be… but now, Lexa’s not entirely sure that she can get over these feelings anymore. She thought that she could hold them at bay, but that wasn’t working.
Lexa had to know what Clarke was thinking. She had to know what her best friend was feeling, and maybe then… she could finally do what she hasn’t had the guts to do, and end things with Costia. She hated to part ways with the girl. She loved her, but
Lexa doesn’t think that she was ever really in love with her. Just the idea, maybe, because her heart has always really belonged to someone else, now that she thinks about it.
“Where to?” The cab driver in front of her asks impatiently, as soon as she plops down into the back seat. The cab smelled awful, like cigarettes and carryout, and Lexa scrunched her nose, attempting to only breathe through her mouth.
“Fifty-sixth street.” She replies, after thinking about it for a moment. She really didn’t get into the cab with any place in particular to go, but she knew that she wanted to go and talk to Clarke. Lexa would swing by the Milkbar on the upper west side, and pick up a few compost cookies. They’re Clarke’s favorites.
The cab ride to Milkbar wasn’t very long at all. It must have been the time of day or something. Or the universe just wanted Lexa to get back to Clarke as quickly as possible… it could happen. Once Lexa had picked up some of the compost cookies, (and a crack pie just for the hell of it), she decided to walk the rest of the way to her best friend’s apartment. The walk wasn’t long at all, so she made it there in no time flat.
Lexa made her way to Clarke’s apartment door, lifted up the small potted plant to retrieve the key, and unlocked the door. Almost as soon as the brunette made it through the door, she was pretty much tackled by a body, out of nowhere. She caught a glimpse of blonde hair, and looked down to see Clarke clinging to her. Lexa couldn’t really hug back, because she had her arms full of junk food. Clarke looked up to her, and Lexa noticed that her friend look sad. Her eyes were a little puffy, and she could tell that the red around them had already faded some. Clarke had been crying.
“Lex, I – I’m so, so sorry.” Clarke says softly, shaking her head and leaning back into Lexa’s chest. “I’m so fucking sorry. I shouldn’t have – I don’t know what I was doing. That was a huge mistake, and I shouldn’t have put you into that position. You’re getting married, and we’re just… friends.” That statement sounded more like a question, to Lexa, than anything else. “You know how I get when I’m drunk, and I just – “
“Clarke.” Lexa interrupts her, causing blue eyes to look back up at her. Lexa smiles at her best friend, even though her heart aches at all of Clarke’s words. She said that it was a ‘huge mistake’… She said that they were ‘just friends’. Lexa was really hoping that Clarke would say what Lexa had been wanting to hear for a long time. That Clarke had the same feelings for Lexa as
Lexa had for Clarke. But that, clearly, didn’t happen. “It’s okay.” Lexa continues. “I know that you didn’t mean anything by it. I’ve been around drunk you several times now.” She teases, and gets a miniscule smile from the blonde before her.
Clarke wipes at her eyes once more, releasing her hold on her best friend. She was so embarrassed that she had let that happen last night. Now, it seemed like it would never be a good time to admit her feeling. To confess all of the things that she’s been wanting to for so long now. Things were too awkward under the circumstance, and Clarke couldn’t risk pushing Lexa further away than she probably already did. “Can we, please, just forget that that happened?” She pushes out a low chuckle to try to hide the fact that she really just wants to sob. “I was being stupid.”
“It’s completely forgotten.” Lexa attempts a smile as she chokes out the harmful words. Harmful to both herself and Clarke, but she didn’t know that. She forgets that she came back to the apartment bearing gifts, and she raises both hands to show the blonde in front of her. “I brought you you’re favorite. Compost cookies and crack pie from Milkbar.”
Clarke smiles, and she really wants to lean up and kiss her best friend on her cheek, but feels like that might be more than a little inappropriate right now. “Thanks, Lex. You’re the best.” Is what she settles for.
“You don’t know how much will power I had to use not to eat this on the way home.” The brunette grinned.
“Oh,” Clarke grins back, all of their awkwardness and embarrassment gone, for now. “I’m sure that I have an idea.” The two sit down at the island in Clarke’s kitchen. Clarke grabs two forks for the pie. They usually just ate it straight out of the tin. After a few moments of semi-comfortable silence, and between bites of cookie and pie, Clarke speaks up, realizing that she hadn’t asked Lexa about her day. “How was the first rookie interview?”
“So good.” Lexa smiles. “This kid is awesome, Clarke. Great talent, great morals… seems like an all-around good guy. His high school stats were amazing, and then when he moved up to the NCAA scene, he bettered them. Unreal.” Lexa replies as she stuffs another bite of pie into her mouth.
Clarke gazes at her friend, lost in her own thoughts, and smiling as Lexa spoke about her job with such enjoyment. “That’s great, Lex. I can’t wait to watch him play in the upcoming season.”
“I know. Me either.” Lexa grins, laying her fork down and taking a drink of the milk that Clarke had poured for her. “I’ll take you to a game. Get us a box.” When Clarke gives her a quizzical look, Lexa laughs, and Clarke’s heart melts. “I know a guy.” Lexa winks.
“Sounds like a plan.” Clarke smiles.
//
A couple of hours after the best friends have finished eating the treats that Lexa brought, Clarke is just finishing up in the shower and towel drying her hair when she thinks that she hears someone talking. Once she’s dressed in her jeans and top, she leaves the bathroom, and pokes her head into the living room. Lexa is standing there, looking as gorgeous as ever, and Clarke stands there’s trying to take it all in. She was glad that Lexa had agreed to forget about what had happened the previous night with the kiss and everything, but a part of Clarke wished that Lexa would have said that that’s what she wanted too. To be with Clarke in that capacity.
Clarke’s head and heart were in a weird place. Her heart was shattered, it felt like, from the way that things were going in her ‘feelings’ department, and her head was just hoping that things, at least, would stay the same with she and Lexa as friends. She’d rather have Lexa in her life as a friend, than not at all.
Lexa was still chatting away on the phone, and Clarke just catches the end of the conversation, and what she hears, pulverizes what’s left of her already shattered heart. “Okay, babe.” Lexa says, softly into her cellphone. “Yes, I promise. My flight should land at O’Hare around nine in the morning.” What? Lexa’s going back already. She’s supposed to be here for, at least, a couple of more days. This news doesn’t sit well in Clarke’s stomach. She did this. She pushed her friend away, and of course, Lexa being Lexa, she was just trying to be nice and let Clarke down easy. “Yes.” Lexa says again into the handheld phone. “You can pick me up if you want – I can’t wait to see you, either, Cos. Mhmm… bye, babe.” Lexa hangs up the call as she’s turning around, and Clarke can’t move quick enough so that Lexa wouldn’t see her standing there, listening to her conversation.
“Uh, I – I’m sorry… I just got out of the shower, and I – I heard you talking to someone.” Clarke stutters out, clearly shaken and upset about the whole ordeal. She thought that things were fine, but, of course, they weren’t.
“Oh.” Lexa says softly, moving to place her cellphone into the back of her jeans pocket. “It’s okay, Clarke.” She really hadn’t meant for Clarke to hear her conversation. She had wanted to tell the blonde that she decided on leaving New York early, in order to spend some more time with Costia before the wedding. That wasn’t entirely the truth, though. Lexa wanted to spend the time with Clarke, but now that she knows that Clarke thinks the kiss was a huge mistake, and that the blonde, clearly, doesn’t have those romantic feelings for her, Lexa thinks that she should go ahead and leave. Work on building things back with her fiancé.
The woman that she is actually marrying. “I was going to tell you – I’m heading back to Chicago early. My flight leaves in the morning.”
“I heard.”
“It’s just – I should probably get back and spend some time with Costia before the wedding. See if there’s any last-minute stuff that I should see to, you know?” Lexa doesn’t even want to meet Clarke’s eyes, but she does, because the blonde deserves that.
“No. I know.” Clarke replies, with a small shake of her head. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.”
“I do, though.” Lexa says softly, moving towards her friend. “You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to hurt your feelings. I’m sorry. I should have told you that I was planning on leaving in the morning.”
“It’s fine, Lexa.” Clarke says. “Really.” She tries to put on her best fake smile, but Lexa doesn’t buy it. Of course, she doesn’t. Lexa knows her better than she knows herself. Lexa is right in front of her now, and the taller woman pulls Clarke in for a hug.
Hesitantly, Clarke accepts it, and wraps her arms around Lexa. The brunette’s arms tighten and pull Clarke closer. Suddenly, this feels all too eerily of a ‘goodbye’ hug. Clarke buries her nose into Lexa’s shoulder, trying to do everything that she can to remember the other woman’s scent, as weird as that sounds. Lexa does the same, with her nose on top of Clarke’s head. “It’s just – “ Clarke starts, and she’s not entirely too sure of what she wants to say. “This is our last time together.”
Lexa pulls back immediately, but still holds Clarke in her arms. She furrows her brow and gives Clarke a puzzled look. “I just – I mean before the wedding.” Clarke corrects herself, although she’s not too sure how much time they’ll get together after the wedding. The shattered pieces of her heart, that are falling into the pit of her stomach, seem to cut everything in their path as they fall.
“I know.” Lexa says, sadly, her hands absentmindedly rubbing small circles into Clarke’s back. “Can we – would you like to, maybe, go do something with me? Right now?” Lexa wants to squeeze as much time in with her best friend before she leaves, and she really hopes that Clarke wants the same thing.
“Of course.” Clarke smiles, and Lexa reluctantly pulls away.
“Let’s go, then.” The brunette says, returning her friend’s smile, and the two of them grab their things and make their way out of the door.
//
It’s pretty late in the afternoon, and the setting sun is a glorious array of colors and warmth. Lexa had dragged Clarke along with her to the water’s edge, and the brunette bought them tickets on a tourist ferry that carries people around, showing them everything that New York has to offer tourists. The ferry isn’t too awfully crowded, and the two women find themselves standing at the very stern of the boat. They stand in silence for a lot of their time, neither knowing what to say or do. It’s sort of an unspoken thing that this will be their last time alone together for a while. Lexa knows that Clarke is right about Costia not wanting Lexa to spend time with her, and, even though, Lexa won’t let Costia dictate who she spends her time with, she’s sure that things will be strained between herself and her best friend.
Lexa, with her forearms rested on the railing at the back of the boat, takes in a deep breath, signaling to Clarke that she’s about to speak up, and she does. “I’ve been thinking a lot the past couple of days.” Lexa utters, and Clarke looks sideways to the other woman, urging her to continue. “About us, I mean.” And the brunette can’t bring herself to look at Clarke. Not yet.
Almost as if she’s too terrified to continue speaking, Lexa halts her words. “Have you?” Clarke asks, quietly, her eyes never leaving the side of Lexa’s face. Lexa’s gorgeous green eyes are focused out at the water in front of them, as if she’s searching for her next words. Or searching for the strength to say them. Lexa can only nod in acknowledgement to Clarke’s question. The blonde’s eyes flicker down to Lexa’s lips for a split second, before she averts her eyes back to the water. “Well, you know,” Clarke says with a faked grin, and she spins to where her back is to the railing and she crosses her arms in front of her chest. “Well there are a ton of different memories to choose from, I guess.”
“It’s more than that.” Lexa says immediately, turning to look at her best friend, and Clarke turns her head so that her eyes finally meet Lexa’s emerald ones. They both have to use their hands to push hair out of their eyes, when a strong gush of wind blows through. Lexa smirks, and cocks her head to the side a little bit, and Clarke can’t help but to smile back. “I mean, it’s a little bit embarrassing to say it this way, but” Lexa continues, now completely facing Clarke, and the blonde is listening intently. “You – you’ve sort of been… the woman in my life, you know?” Lexa sputters out, her face turning a light shade of pink at the admission.
Clarke’s heart is hammering in her chest, and her eyes, once again, flicker down to Lexa’s lips before looking back to her eyes again. If Lexa notices, she doesn’t act like she did.
It takes a few seconds for Clarke to be able to respond, but she finally does, and there’s a little bit of sadness in her eyes. “Well,” Clarke clears her throat. “You’ve been the woman in mine.” The corner of her lips turn up a bit, but nothing to write home about.
Her palms are sweaty, and the thumping organ in her chest is, surely, about to beat out.
Lexa turns so that her back is against the railing now, too. She props herself up on her hands, which are behind her, grasping onto the cold metal rails. “I was just – this could be our last time alone together, before… you know, the wedding.” Lexa admits sadly, and their eyes lock together once more before Clarke looks away, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and grinning a bit.
“Except for that hot affair that we’ll have twice a year.” She jokes nervously, causing Lexa to chuckle and raise her eyebrows seductively.
“Except for that.” She says alluringly, and the both smile. Real, full, bright smiles, and they both fall for each other even further in that moment, if that’s at all possible. Lexa, being the roller coaster of a person that she is, starts talking again. “You know, you commit to this wedding, you pledge yourself to this person, and then it’s like this drive, this energy… and then you just forget that you chose it.” Lexa sounds a little out of breath, looking up at the sky, and throwing her hands in the air, gesturing at nothing, in particular. She’s irritated. She looks down at her feet for a second before looking back up at Clarke. “You and I, like, in our past relationships with other people… we didn’t, you know –“ Lexa runs her long fingers through her hair, pulling it back again because of the wind. “We didn’t use the word ‘love’ a lot, did we?” Clarke smiles a sad, small smile and looks down at her feet and shakes her head ‘no’. Lexa had only ever told one other person that she was in love with them, and that was Clarke, close to ten years ago. Clarke had only ever loved one person, and that was Lexa, and we all know how that’s turned out. She still hasn’t said the word. She still hasn’t expressed those feelings.
Lexa looks down at her feet again to, her fingers, behind her, wiggling on the rail. “Costia says, if you love someone, you should just say it.” The brunette says firmly, and Clarke looks back up to watch her mouth as she speaks, free to do so since Lexa is still looking downward. “You say it.” She says a bit louder, looking up at Clarke. “You say it out loud.” Her green eyes glance to
Clarke’s lips, and she wishes that Clarke knew how her heart felt in her chest. How it seemed to only beat for the blonde. How it only ever hurt when she was around her, and couldn’t be honest with herself. “Or else, the moment kind of just - I don’t know…” Lexa trails off, her eyes still boring into Clarke’s.
“Passes you by.” Clarke says almost as if she’s out of breath, and lost in her best friend’s eyes.
“Yeah.” Lexa says, nodding her head. Her mouth is slightly parted, and her chest is rising and falling rapidly. Green is only focused on blue, and it’s as if the world has stopped, and she feels herself leaning in a bit, before pulling back and looking straight ahead. Her eyes show that she’s mad and frustrated. Sad and depressed.
Unshed tears fill Clarke’s cerulean eyes and she has to make herself look away, too. Her hands are shaking, and all that she wants to do, right now, is break down and cry. She wants to break down and cry, but she wants Lexa’s arms holding her when she does. She licks her lips and shakes her head, slightly, trying to focus and bring herself out of her funk. It doesn’t work, naturally. They both stand there, the sun in the sky, falling even lower now, and Clarke closes her eyes as the orange warmth settles over their faces as the ferry makes its way out from under a bridge that they just passed under.
Clarke closes her eyes, and looks up to the painted sky. The two best friends stand there in silence for what feels like an eternity, but in reality, it was probably only a minute or two. Lexa tries her hardest to put on, yet another, fake smile and shakes her head. “We don’t even have a damn song.” She admits. “Costia and I,” Clarke turns to look at her friend, the tears still visible in her eyes, but Lexa isn’t looking at her. Her green eyes are still focused on the water ahead of them. “We don’t have a song. You think that’s a bad sign? Like taboo or something?” Lexa chuckles sarcastically, wondering when her life became this fake, totally false thing. Clarke grins at her and then they both laugh out loud… for some reason.
Lexa thinks back to a time when she and Clarke were together. It’s a dangerous thought, but that the first place that her mind goes. A younger Clarke and a younger Lexa, dancing the night away at some college benefit party. Lexa had held Clarke in her arms so easily then, as their song played over the loud speakers in the benefit hall. Frank Sinatra’s cover of ‘The Way You Look Tonight’.
Without thinking, Lexa starts to sing quietly, so that only she and Clarke can hear. “Someday,” She sings, looking down to meet Clarke’s blue eyes and reaching back to place her hand on top of the blonde’s. They both share a warm and knowing smile.
Clarke looks down and both of their faces are one-hundred percent serious again… or sad. “When I’m awfully low, and the world is cold.” Lexa lifts herself off of the railing and faces Clarke, forcing the blonde to look up to her again. “I will feel a glow, just thinking of you,” They grin at each other sweetly. “And the way you look,” Lexa’s eyes fall sad as she steps forward towards her best friend. She basically whispers. “Tonight.” Lexa stands directly in front of Clarke and grins again. “Is your dance card filled?”
Clarke chuckles, and Lexa feels her heart warm even further. “Not sure.” Clarke teases, her tongue poking out from between her teeth as she smiles. “I keep it pretty booked up. I’m a popular girl, Miss Woods.”
“Oh, is that right?” Lexa grins widely, and holds out her hand for Clarke to take. The blue-eyed woman smiles and graciously accepts Lexa’s warm hand. Lexa’s left hand holds tightly to Clarke’s right, as they hold them in the air out to their sides. Clarke’s left hand settles between Lexa’s shoulder blades, and Lexa’s right hand takes purchase on the small of Clarke’s back. “With each word, your tenderness grows,” Lexa starts singing again, and Clarke lays her head on her friend shoulder, the hand that was between Lexa’s shoulder blades, now hanging on tightly to the brunette’s shoulder under Clarke’s head. “Tearing my fears apart.”
Lexa rests the side of her face against the top of Clarke’s blonde head, and she tries to fight off her tears. She feels like she’s losing it.
In their minds, they can both hear the instruments playing in time with Lexa’s words as they sway there, on the back end of the ferry boat, not caring if anyone is watching them or not. “With each laugh that wrinkles your nose, touches my foolish heart.”
Clarke raises her hand a bit to wipe at the tears that have started falling down her face. ‘This can’t be happening. I can’t lose Lexa.’ Is all that she can think.
They continue dancing, while Lexa’s soft voice sings their song in Clarke’s ear. They lose track of time, and ignore everyone that is, more than likely, staring at them. Towards the end of the song, Clarke finds herself pulling back to look into green eyes. She doesn’t care that she’s been crying and that Lexa can see, but to her surprise, she sees that Lexa has been crying, as well. The both grin sadly at each other, and Lexa lifts a hands to wipe at Clarke’s face. This is by far the most heartbreaking thing that she’s ever done in her life, and getting married is supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
//
Later that night, as Clarke and Lexa prepare themselves for bed, Lexa digs Costia’s wedding ring out of her bag and jumps into Clarke’s bag, causing the blonde to laugh. “Whatcha got?” She asks, rolling over on her side and grinning widely at her best friend. Her eyes widen and her smile falls when she sees Lexa lift up, what looks to be, a ring box.
“I need you to hold onto this.” Lexa says hesitantly. “I’m going to have so much on my mind already, I don’t want to be in charge of this. I’ll lose it or forget it somewhere.”
“Lexa – I can’t.”
“Please, Clarke.” Lexa urges, putting the box into her friend’s hand and closing Clarke’s fingers around the small container. “As my Maid of Honor, it’s your duty.” She grins.
“Hey!” Clarke exclaims, slapping Lexa on the arm. “You can’t play that card!”
“I just did.”
Clarke groans. “Fine.” And Lexa smiles, and after a couple of moments of quiet, Clarke speaks again. The smile falling from her face. “I can’t believe you’re leaving in the morning.”
“I know.” Lexa grins sadly, lifting her hand to push a strand of Clarke’s hair back behind her so she can see her best friend. “I’m starting to think that Marcus may kill me if I keep you from any more work this week.” She teases.
Clarke rolls her and eyes and then thinks. “Hey. What about your other rookie interview? Didn’t you have two set up?”
“I did, but the other kid got busted for drugs.” Lexa makes a face and so does Clarke. “Yeah… so that’s not happening. I’ll see you in a couple of days, though, alright?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Clarke answers, rolling over for a second and placing the ring box onto her nightstand. When she turns over, Lexa seems to be a bit closer, but she doesn’t question in, she just leans in and lays her head on Lexa’s chest, both of them wrapping their arms around one another tightly. “You smell good.” Clarke says, causing Lexa to grin.
“It’s called a ‘bath’, Clarke.”
Clarke smacks her in the stomach. “If you’re insinuating that I don’t shower, then you’re an ass, Woods.” Lexa actually laughs out loud, causing Clarke’s heart to swell and pound in her chest.
“Go to sleep, Clarke.”
“I don’t want to.” Clarke practically whines like a child and Lexa looks up to give her a look. “Because when I wake up, you’ll be gone.” Lexa gives her best friend a sad smile, and leans down to place a kiss on the blonde’s forehead. Her lips linger there for far too long, but neither of them seems to care. Clarke stays up for another couple of hours, just holding on to Lexa and having small, meaningful conversations with each other. She refuses to cry again, and when she finally falls asleep from exhaustion, Lexa is still there, holding tightly to her side, and placing kissed to the top of blonde hair every little while.
This is what love should feel like.