On Thin Ice

The one with hugs and gifts

"Are you sure, Lexa?" Clarke's blue eyes implored Lexa's green ones. They gazed undeterred back at her.

"Yes Clarke. Parties are not my thing." Lexa got up off her bed and walked to her closet, grabbing Clarke's coat for her.

"I know, but come on. It's Christmas."

"No, Christmas is next week. This is a typical high school party hosted under the excuse of a Christmas 'gathering'."

Clarke pouted. Lexa could only sigh. Clarke waved goodbye one last time before she stepped into Raven's truck to Lexa, who was looking through her bedroom window.

"Are you ready to party, Princess?" Raven asked. Clarke scoffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder, giving her wink.

"Aren't I always?"

The girls laughed as Raven started to drive away. As they turned onto John Murphy's street, they saw his large house, illuminated by red and green lights, cars haphazardly parked all along the sidewalk. Octavia gave a low whistle at the appearance of it all. They could hear the music a block away, the bass rumbling through the neighborhood. Clarke was sure Murphy's neighbors weren't too happy. Raven pulled in behind another car and the girls hopped out. Octavia smoothed down her leather skirt and fixed her hair.

As they stepped up to Murphy's deck, the door swung open with a bang. A sophomore stumbled out, her long dark hair covering her face. She shrieked as she tripped against the deck and took a deep, jagged breath before bending over the rail and puking.

Clarke, Raven, and Octavia could only try to look away as she emptied the contents of her stomach. They stood there in silence, staring at any and everything but the younger girl. When she was done, she staggered down the stairs and saw the three girls standing there.

"What a party, eh?"

* * * *

Clarke checked her phone for the seventeenth time in the last five minutes. Raven and Octavia had disappeared long ago, leaving Clarke in the kitchen, watching drunk teenagers make a fool of themselves. As she sipped her (non-alcoholic!) punch, she felt very much alone in a crowd of people. It never used to be like this. The last party she went to, she woke up in the tub wearing Raven's clothes. She was a party princess, but tonight, she just wasn't feeling it.

Clarke sighed as she craned her neck, searching for her friends. She looked for Raven's now-faded red jacket, but she was nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd of people. Clarke was starting to get a headache; the music was so loud. The bass that usually flowed through her was starting to sound like a hammer pounding her head. The cramped space and heavy air did no good for her either. Sweaty bodies surrounded her and the heat was stifling. Clarke blinked and shoved her way through the throng of teens. She made her way to the door, craving the sweet fresh air and the wide open space. Shoving a particularly intoxicated male out of her way, she finally reached the exit. When she stepped through the door, the crisp scent of purity filled her lungs. Inside the house, it smelled of sweat and alcohol, but out here, Clarke could breath, and hear her own thoughts. She ran a hand through her long blonde hair, forgetting that she had braided it earlier. She sighed as she untangled her fingers from her knotted tresses. Clarke sat down on the porch steps.

I wished Lexa was here. Clarke's mind was straight forward. She was alone, bored and missed her best friend. So she stood up, and started walking.