A sigh escaped Clarke's lips as she inhaled the cold air, the sting of it laying over her where she stood on the balcony. She heard steps and felt a warm hand on her bare back and looked to her side to see Finn. "Your mother called you back in, you can't hide on the balcony all night. After all how often do you get to go to a ball?"
Clarke suppressed a sigh and turned to him. "More often than you'd think when you're the daughter of the hospitals owner and the head over the trauma surgeon department... well was at least."
She saw Finn's gaze avert downwards to their feet where two cigarette stumps were hidden in a conveniently located plant. "Again?" Finn asked and Clarke sighed. "Let's go in." Finn suggested and Clarke nodded and followed him inside.
Finn released his hand on her back, his fingertips grazing the fabric of her red dress, cut low in the back. She walked inside ahead of him, her gaze going around at couples eating, dancing, talking and laughing. She found her mother in a group of people and approached them quickly, moving to stand next to Abby.
"Honey, there you are. Let me introduce you to Lexa Woods, our very generous donor to help make the new hospital wing a reality."
Clarke's gaze shifted to the woman wearing a spotless looking suit, brown chestnut curls spilling down her left blazer clad shoulder. "Nice to meet you." She extended an arm and studied the woman, high cheekbones and a sharp jaw defining her face with plump, pink lips and piercing green eyes. "Likewise." The woman said and took her hand, and the spark of interest that had been lit at the first gaze died down inside Clarke.
She wasn't supposed to be here, and she knew it. But the board couldn't keep her out of the ball and her mother wouldn't allow her to stay away from it. "I suppose we owe you our gratitude for your large donation miss Woods." Clarke said stiffly and the brunette raised a brow.
"Not really, I didn't donate to get gratitude. And feel free to call me Lexa, but if you'll excuse me I'll go help myself to a drink." She left them and Abby smiled at Clarke. "Isn't she a looker?" She smiled and Clarke nodded, feeling Finn shift behind her and she turned to him. "Don't worry babe you're a looker too." She smiled and he chuckled. "Yeah I know, that's why you're marrying me right?" He joked stiffly and Clarke stifled a sigh, for probably the hundredth time tonight and mustered a smile.
"I think a drink is a good idea." She said and trailed after Lexa, leaving Finn, her soon to be engaged, as he refers it as. When he had brought up the idea of marriage, she had quickly told him that even though she saw it for them in the future, she wasn't ready for the marriage talk yet. Luckily it had been enough to keep the meant to be secret wedding ring in Finn's pocket, but since then he continuingly kept bringing up the topic of marriage in their discussions, probably scanning Clarke's reaction for a sign that she was ready.
She arrived by the bar next to Lexa and watched her get served. "I'll have what she's having." She said and was given a glass of scotch, taking a slow sip. "Would have taken you for a wine drinker." Lexa said and Clarke raised a brow, seating next to her on one of the barstools. "As long as there's booze in it i'd drink anything." She said, taking another swig. "Yeah thank god for open bar right?" Lexa said and Clarke prodded an eyebrow towards the ceiling of her forehead. "Yes because I bet you couldn't afford to pay for your drinks, big shot." She said, earning a smile from the tight lipped brunette.
"Maybe paying for your wing cleaned me out." Lexa quipped back. "It's not my wing, but of course, let me buy you a drink then." She nodded the bartender for two more drinks and smirked at the brunette. Lexa put down her empty glass. "That's a cheap trick. Not even going to pay for the drink you're so called buying me?" She turned to Clarke with her full body and Clarke did the same, the two girls facing each other completely.
"You want me to pay for a free drink?" Clarke asked. "Or you could take me out some other night." Lexa answered, looking pleased with herself for steering the conversation in the exact direction she wished for it to go. "I'm engaged." Clarke said, no point in beating around the bush.
"No ring. Is he as cheap as you are? Or if this is your way of getting out of buying me a drink then I can pay." Lexa teased. "No, I actually have a boyfriend, and he's coming this way." She nodded at Finn who were closing in on them. "Boyfriend? A second ago it was fiance." Lexa raised a brow.
"Well in any aspect I'm taken." Clarke said in a hushed tone right before Finn reached them. "There you are girls. Yapping about girl stuff?" He asked and Lexa tilted her head. "Yes, we were comparing shades of pink nail polish." She rolled her eyes and rose. "Enjoy your night Clarke." She said and left them without another word. "Did I say something wrong?" Finn asked confused. "Don't worry about it." Clarke said and looked after Lexa who she saw just passed another familiar brunette and Clarke grinned. "Raven!" it was enough to make Lexa turn around to glance back at her, and then her gaze met Raven's. Raven smirked, but Lexa passed her and walked forward towards the exit. Clarke walked up to Raven and pulled her into a hug.
"Who is the hottie? Anyone you know?" She asked and Clarke shook her head. "You know she's just your type." Raven pointed out. "Standing right here Reyes." Finn glared at her. "I can see that Finn I'm just choosing to ignore you." Clarke sighed. Ever since they dated in high school and had an ugly breakup they never managed to quite get along, and when Clarke and Finn had started dating years later, with Raven's insurance that it was fine but with her insistence that Clarke deserved better, she had never quite managed to get them to be friends. "Well if you're not gonna tap that you should let me." Raven said, pulling Clarke out of her thoughts. "Oh. Uh, I.. I mean you talk as if I can do anything about it, I literally just had one conversation with her." She said, a small wrinkle appearing between her eyebrows. "Perfect! That's enough to introduce us." Raven grinned.
Clarke searched the room with her gaze but Lexa was nowhere to be seen. "I think she left.." She said before seeing her chatting up some board members, and Clarke bit her lip. "Oh there she is. But I don't want to disturb her.." She said, but Raven had already grabbed her arm and was dragging her towards the brunette.
They approached the group, the board members turning to Clarke awkwardly. "Miss Griffin.. nice to see you here." One of them said, a woman in her thirties. "Nice to see you to Janice, you're looking well. If you ever want to come back to mine and Finn's place for some charades you're always welcome."
Janice nodded. They hated this. Someone who was a respected colleague and maybe even a friend was now someone they had to access and hold her future in their hands, Clarke knew. They wanted to cut all ties to simplify it for them. "Excuse me." Janice took off and Clarke looked at the two remaining board members, "We're going to look at the spread, my stomach's churning." One said and they quickly left. Lexa turned to her and raised a brow. "That was interesting to watch. What was that?" She asked.
"Nothing important. Lexa, this is Raven. Raven is a personal trainer plus life coach and owns an inspiration & lifestyle blog that's very popular, Lexa just invested money for a new children's wing at the hospital." Lexa turned to Raven, seemingly taking her in for a moment, her gaze remaining natural, maybe even uninterested. "Nice to meet you Raven." She said before turning back to Clarke. "Where is your boyfriend/ fiance?" She asked with an amused look.
"Oh he's, you know, mingling and socializing. He's great with people. He doesn't go off just because someone made a comment about your gender." Clarke said, feeling rather proud of herself for ignoring Lexa's teasing amusement. "Well no of course not when he is the one making the comments. Or is that just usually what you do, find strange girls to drink scotch and have.. girl talks with?" Clarke raised a brow and folded her arms over her chest. "Maybe he can step his foot in his mouth sometimes but at least he doesn't make assumptions about people and act superior, like he knows everything."
Raven looked back and forth between them during the interactions. "What did I miss? Finn's being an ass again?" She asked amused and Lexa smirked. "Pigs ass I'd go as far as to say." Clarke sighed at the two brunettes and shook her head. "I'll leave you two to it, I'm sure you'll have a great time. You already seem to have a lot in common." She turned to leave but felt a hand wrap around her upper arm. Assuming it was Raven she turned around only to find herself mere inches away from Lexa's face, now seeming regretful and sincere. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make assumptions." She said and Clarke examined her gaze before nodding. "It's okay." She said, trying to keep casually but strangely moved by Lexa's change and show of sincerity.
"I'll.. let you finish this, I'll get us all drinks." Raven said and took off and Clarke glanced after her, clearing her throat when she was out of hearing reach. "Want to make it up to me? My friend thinks you're interesting. Why don't you take her out for drinks?" Lexa looked at her surprised, her gaze flickering to Raven for a second before returning to Clarke. "I'm sorry, I don't think that's a good idea. Besides I should get going, but tell your friend goodbye from me." And with that the hand released from Clarke's upper arm and Lexa walked away, in a moment gone in the crowd.