"You ready?" Niylah asks while we take our seats in Pike's room.
"No. I mean I studied all weekend but I feel like I could have studied more." I say while pulling out a pencil.
"You will ace it. I know you will." Niylah smiles at me.
"Stop talking to yourself, it is weird." I say with a grin and she rolls her eyes playfully. Pike stands up in the center of the room.
"Alright, don't cheat. I will know if you do. Just take the test and when you are done you can leave." Pike says while he hands out the test.
I know I am smart and I am also good at school. However, I happen to be a horrible test taker. Pike puts the paper on my desk and I take a deep breath before I start.
The first few questions were easy, but the test gradually got harder and harder. I stumble onto a question about the muscle groups in the neck. I stare at the question then think back to what Lexa said.
I close my eyes and put my finger on my desk, tracing out the different muscle groups in the neck. It works better than I thought it would but I start blushing. I am imagining her body and the muscles on her.
I open my eyes quickly and clear my throat. I look back down at my paper. I know I got this correct...
"Why are you blushing... it is a test?" Niylah whispers and I glare at her. Next question. I do the same exact thing. This is not good. I trace out her body and think about all of her... tattoos. I think about how hot she looks when she is boxing.
I think about yesterday, how her body felt holding me while she was running. The feeling of her strong rough hands on my legs... I blink a couple times and look back at my test. This is not good.
Next question... just focus on the question. The question is important and I need to focus on... abs. No. Okay, question 23: "What are the main muscles in the hamstrings?" Not thighs questions.... not thigh question. I have seen her legs when she is boxing and- focus.
I answer the question, not letting myself trace the desk for the rest of the test.
***
"Are you okay? I actually thought you were about to pass out in there?" Niylah says while we leave the lecture hall.
"I told you the test was deadly." I mutter, not wanting her to know the truth.
"Sure... you have some anxiety issues." Niylah chuckles a little. I nod, I would rather her think I have anxiety than know why I was freaking out during the test.
"Yeah, anxiety. Anyways, want to have lunch? I am starving." I ask the woman next to me who shakes her head.
"I would love to, but Octavia asked me yesterday if we could have lunch. She wants to rant about her classes to me." Niylah says with a small grin, I smirk at her.
"Okay. I am good with that. I will go annoy Raven." I wink at Niylah, who takes this as a competition.
"Oh, Clarke, I know you weren't anxious. I used to blush like that when I had a crush on the girl sitting next to me in science during high school." Niylah says while a smile then she turns to walk away.
"I wasn't thinking of you!" I call out to her and she calls back.
"I know, Commander Lover." I just watch her walk away, then sigh. She won't tell anyone. I turn to walk to Raven's dorm when I get a text.
(123) 456-7890
How'd the test go?
Clarke
actually pretty well :)
I really need to give her a name. I go to edit her profile and pause while looking at the screen. What should I put? I type Lexa but then I delete that. I go straight to the emoji's and put 🥰🙃 then change her profile picture to the picture I took of her laying in the sun.
I am in love with the picture. I don't know why, but it is the best picture I have ever taken. The lighting is great, it isn't blurry, Lexa looks so peaceful, the background is the forest. I want to set it as my wallpaper but Raven will see that.
I continue walking while I text Lexa.
🥰🙃
Did the method I told you, work?
I gulp.
Clarke
yes it did... but dont let that get to your head...
🥰🙃
Too late.
Clarke
damn. i knew i shouldn't have said anything... smh
🥰🙃
Smh?
Clarke
do you not know what that means?
🥰🙃
...
Clarke
you dont?!
🥰🙃
Don't pick on me.
Clarke
please guess what it means.
🥰🙃
Smelling my hair?
Clarke
.... yes.
🥰🙃
Really? That's what that means. Anya sends that to me all the time but I never got it. Now I do. Thanks Clarke :)
Clarke
i am here to help :)
I snicker while I walk up to Raven's dorm. Raven made me an extra key, so I just open the door and walk in I smile at my phone then put it in my back pocket, when I look up I freeze.
Raven is straddling Luna on her bed while they make out. Luna has her hands slowly going up Raven's shirt while Raven holds Luna's face in her hands, "Having fun?" I announce my presence. Raven quickly rolls off Luna and turns a deep shade of red, so does Luna.
"Clarke!" Raven shouts and I smile at her.
"Looks like you aren't the only one with blackmail." I grin and hold up my phone. I didn't take a picture but she doesn't know that.
"You took a picture, pervert?" Raven almost yells at me. I grin.
"Call it even! You interrupted Lexa and I!" I point at her and Luna is just sitting up quietly on Raven's bed.
"Oh I am sorry, I didn't know you two were making out!" Raven raises her voice and I gasp.
"Wait, what?" Luna asks, but we ignore her.
"Just because I am not making out with her doesn't mean I want you to interrupt." I cross my arms and Raven crosses hers.
"Why are you here?" Raven asks, annoyed.
"Cause you are my bestfriend and you knew I took a very important test today, I thought you would like to know it went well." I say and Raven rolls her eyes.
"To be honest, Clarke, I really don't care. I knew you would ace the test. I knew it wasn't going to be as hard as you were making it seem. Just get out." Raven says and then I look at Luna, who is awkwardly staring at her lap.
"Alright, sorry I interrupted." I say and then walk out of the room. I sigh and look down at my phone.
🥰🙃
I lost my bubbles :(
Clarke
Come pick me up and we can get you new bubbles
🥰🙃
:D okay
I smile and leave Ravens dorm building. I feel like I am jogging to my dorm building so I can get ready. I get to my room and change my shirt to the blue crop top Octavia and Raven says looks on me, with ripped jeans and cute converse.
There is a knock at my door, I am assuming it is Raven. She needs to apologize for being a brat earlier. I walk over to the door, my hair still in it's messy bun, "What do you want?" I open the door and she is standing there.
"Oh.... um, sorry. I probably should have waited down stairs." Lexa says while looking at her busted up shoes.
"Oh, no, Lexa. I thought you were Raven." I put my hand on her arm and she looks up at me. I see her eyes get a little wider when she looks at me, "Sorry, my hair is a mess. Come in." I say and move out of the way to let her in.
Lexa walks in and stands against the wall while I grab my hair brush, "You don't have to do anything to your hair. I like it." Lexa says quietly. I smile at her. She is being shy.
"I am going to fix it." I smile at her and she smiles back, "You aren't going to be the only one seeing me." I laugh and she looks back at her shoes, "Why is the great Commander so shy right now?" I say with another little laugh.
"Pfft. I'm not shy." Lexa puts her hands in her pockets while I brush my hair.
"Okay then... look at me." I say and she looks at me while trying to hide her smile. She fails. We stare at each other for a moment and she looks back down at her feet, blushing, "Knew it."
"You know nothing, John Snow." She chuckles, "So how were your classes?" Lexa asks while I finish brushing my hair.
"I only had one today, the one with the test, and it was pretty good. The test went well but after the class Raven was being more annoying than usual." I start explaing my day while Lexa sits on her sisters bed.
"Why was she being more annoying than usual?" Lexa asks me, while watching me fix my make up.
"I don't want to bore you with my day." I say nerviously.
"You aren't. I like hearing about your day." Lexa says and I smile a little.
"Well... Niylah left me to have lunch with Octavia so I went to Ravens room, only to find her making out with Luna on her bed. I acted like I have blackmail, cause she has blackmail on me, but she just started yelling at me to leave and just... saying things I didn't want to hear I guess." I shrug at the last part then turn to look at Lexa.
Her eyes have some form of anger in them, "She has blackmail on you?" Lexa furrows her eyebrows and I nod, "What is it?"
"I um... accidently said your name around her and now she know. She also walked in on us having a moment. So she threatens to tell Octavia and Octavia would have a field day shipping us." I explain and she still looks mad, "You can trust Raven. She is annoying but you can trust her."
Lexa nods and then looks down at her lap, "What does shipping mean?" Lexa asks and I laugh, "I mean you told me what S-M-H is and I am grateful for that." I try and hold in my laugh.
"Ship means she thinks we would be a great couple." I say and Lexa laughs a little.
"Seems a bit childish don't you think?" Lexa asks and I shake my head.
"Pfft. Wait until you see murphamy." I say and she gives me a questioning look, "Don't ask." She smile and I smile, "Okay I am ready."
"Only took you twelve years." Lexa jokes and I push her shoulder a little. We both chuckle while we leave my dorm room. I lock the door and then we walk down the stairs to her motorbike. She was faster at the stairs than I was but she never walked past me...
She took each step at my pace. It might seem like I am really slow at stairs and I am really not that bad but with her long legs she could take them two at a time and be okay.
Lexa walks up to her bike, leaving me behind a little, then she hands her a helmet and takes off her leather jacket, "Here, wear this, you are in a crop top and if any pebble bounces up and hits you it is going to hurt." Lexa holds out the jacket.
"You wear it... you are driving... well steering, and your arms are important too." I say while pointing to her arms, that may or may not have helped me through a test.
"I'm not talking about your arms." She says and she looks downs at the part of my stomach that is showing. Lexa also notices a little bit of the bruise she gave me is sticking out from the bottom of the crop top. Lexa slowly brushes her finger over the part of the bruise she can see.
I flinch a little at the touch and she pulls her hand away quickly, "I am so sorry I did this to you." She whispers and I shrug.
"You had to. I understand Lexa. You couldn't let me win and the only way out was to hit me. You did far more damage to Bellamy." I smile at her and she smirks back at the memory of fighting Bellamy.
"Yeah, I just toyed with him. He would be a good boxer but he lets anger and emotion control him. He also has a bad stance." Lexa starts rambling, which I find very cute, "Anyway, where would we go to get bubbles?"
"I have no clue." I laugh and pull out my phone to google it. Lexa sits down on her bike and I stand in front of her. She just stares up at me the whole time, "There is Target or Walmart."
"Okay." Lexa says and I am about to get on the bike when we both hear a whistle from the dorm buildings. I turn and look at two guys, who are staring me down with smirks, "Who are they?" Lexa asks me while staring them down.
"No one, just some catcallers. Ignore them." I say to her and I am about to get on the bike but the guys starts speaking, their funeral.
"Hey, baby! Those jeans look great on you." The brown haired man calls out and the other one laughs. Lexa stands up to get a good look at the guys. This is when they finally see her, because I was standing in front of her.
"Try that again." Lexa calls back to the boys who start laughing. Lexa clenches her jaw.
"Lexa it's okay, lets just go-" I put my hand on her stomach but she doesn't look at me.
"No, Klark, it's not okay. They can't talk to you like that." Lexa pretty much growls.
"Anyway! You wanna come to our dorm?" The other catcaller asks and Lexa moves around me, walking over to them and grabbing both of their shirts, shoving then into the wall.
"You two think it is okay to stand outside a girls dorm building and harass them? You are disgusting." Lexa says to both of them. Their faces turn from cocky to scared for their lives.
"Whatever, we don't care about you. We just want your girlfriend." The brown haired one says. Isn't he brave. Lexa pulls him off the wall and throws him back into it. The man hits his head and then falls to the floor, holding it.
Lexa just takes the other guy and throws him on top of the brown haired man, "If I see you back here... or you harass her again... you will walk away with more than a bumped head and a scrapped knee." Lexa says while she pulls the brown haired mans wallet out of his pocket to read his name, "Cage Wallace." Lexa throws the mans wallet down and walks back to me.
"Lexa... you didn't have to do that." I say quietly and she shakes her head while grabbing my helmet. She puts it on my head then takes her jacket off her bike and puts it on my shoulders.
"Yes I did. If they ever talk to you like that again... if anyone ever talks to you like that, you tell me and I will take care of them." Lexa says to me while I put the jacket on. I nod and get on the bike with her. Holding onto her body, we start going. The smell of campfire suffocates me and I am not even mad. I love the smell. I love her smell. It smells safe.
***
Lexa pulls up to the Target and we get off the bike, hooking the helmets to the bike. She doesn't try to take her jacket back, so I keep it on. It is getting colder because it is mid September ... okay it isn't getting colder but her jacket smells good.
"Okay, mission: 'get bubbles' is a go." I say and Lexa laughs while we walk into the store. The doors open and I automatically drag her to the dollar section. They might have bubbles there. We walk through the second and I see some cute animal head bands, "Lex. Come here." I grin and Lexa walks over to me.
I get on the tips of my toes so I can put the headband on her. She got the raccoon ears. Lexa looks at me with a fake unamused face. I can see she is trying to hide her smile. Lexa sighs and takes a headband off the shelf and puts it on my head. I take out my phone so I can see what I look like.
"We look so cute." I say and Lexa looks into the camera to see herself. She smiles a little and looks at me and I snap a picture of us. Lexa doesn't seem to care. She laughs a little.
"You are getting distracted from the super important mission." The taller woman says to me and I take the headband of me and then take hers.
"Right... sorry." I can't help but smile while we continue looking for bubbles. This tough boxer that can easily hide her emotions like they are controlled with a switch... is looking for bubbles. We look around the dollar section and meet in the middle.
"No bubbles." She frowns and I laugh.
"Now is The Great Commander giving up?" I ask her and take her wrist. She lets me drag her to the back of the store near the kid section. My hand slips into hers and we lace our fingers together while I lead her around the store. She didn't seem to complain.
Our hands fit perfectly together, Her long fingers intertwine themselves with mine. Her hands are really cold, I feel them warming up while I hold them. They are rough and you can feel all the manual labor that she has had to do. Her hand is strong and safe.
I pull her into an isle, that I assume has bubbles, and we slowly let go of each others hands. Lexa and I look around the isle. "I got them!" Lexa cheers while taking a bottle of bubbles off the shelves.
I walk over to Lexa and she shows me the bubbles with a smile, "How long do you think these will last you?" I ask and she looks down at me.
"Maybe a week." She grins at me and I take the bubbles from her.
"There is one more thing we need to get." I put my hand out for hers and she takes it automatically. I drag her over to the shoe section, "Get some new converse."
"Klark... I don't need them-"
"Yes you really do. Your shoes are falling apart and you could trip in the ring then get hurt and I can't just watch that." I say and push her down on the bench. She sits, "You need to take care of yourself too. I am getting you new shoes." She opens her mouth but I put my hand over it. "I have your bubbles captive."
I feel her smile on my hand. I remove it then walk over to the converse. I grab the same type of converse that she always wears. I bring them back over to her and hand her the box, "Try them on." She nods at what I say and then puts on the shoes.
"Wow... they actually have padding on the bottom." Lexa jokes and looks down at the shoe.
"That's what new shoes feel like. They will help you fight better." I say and she nods while taking them off. We stare at each other for a moment.
"Why do you care so much?" Lexa asks me and I furrow my eyebrows, "I mean... you are the first person in my life to ever care if I have new shoes or not... to care if I get hurt during a fight... to care if I go to the doctor... you care and no one ever cares."
"Lex- I-"
"Why do you care?" She asks me and I can see a thin layer of tears in her eyes that look like glass. I pierce my lips and sigh. I slowly take her hand in mine.
I look at her hand, that I am holding in my lap, while I answer her question, "When I look into your eyes I see a harsh past and a beautiful person that didn't deserve any of it. I see that you are hurting and that just hurts me." I look into her eyes and she licks her lips.
"So its pity?" She asks me with her little head tilt.
I roll my eyes at her, "Absolutely not. I care about you because I... you are someone I really want in my life." I whisper and we start to lean in closer to each other. I see her gulp as our faces get closer. I feel her warm breath against my lips.
"Klark," She pulls back a little, "I have to show you something." The green eyed woman says next to me, "And you won't see me the same after it."
"I am sure I will, Lexa." I respond and she stands then puts her hand out for me to take. I don't hesitate to intertwine our fingers. We walk to the check out, I pay for the bubbles, she wouldn't let me pay for the shoes no matter how hard I tried.
We walk out of the store, holding hands. Lexa puts the bubbles and shoes into her, as beat up and broken as her old shoes, backpack. I wear the backpack so I can hold onto her. We start driving.
Lexa gets onto the highway and we pass the Dropship Bar. I know where we are going. Lexa pulls into the dirt road that leads to the field we trained in. Instead of stopping where we stopped last time we were here, she goes around the edge of the field to that little path on the other side. We keep going till we get to the creek. That is when Lexa stopped.
"The creek?" I look down at it. It has a lot of slippery rocks in it and the water would come up to my knees, "Is this a jokes or something?" I ask her and she shakes her head while taking the backpack from me.
"No." She says as she pulls a plank out from behind a tree. Lexa puts the plank down across the creek, then she walks across it to the other side. Lexa turns and puts her hand out for me, "It is stable." I take her hand and cross the creek. Lexa picks up the plank and rests it against another tree, "Follow me." Lexa says and she starts to lead me deeper into the woods.
We walk for about three minutes until I come to the sight I am guessing she doesn't want me to see.
There is a tent which is unzipped, showing me a cot that has one pillow and two blankets on it and bottles of water in a case. There is also a radio, small suit case full of clothes, and a stack of books. There is a clothing line going from one tree to another tree, holding damp clothes and a couple pots and pans that look like they were put there to dry. There is a dip in the ground, showing old burnt pieces of fire wood. You can see a piece of a tree trunk right next to the fire, where I am assuming Lexa sits.
There is a locked cooler that I also assume has all of her food. I see dish soap sitting next to it. Lexa walks over to a stack of fire wood that is sitting next to a tree stump, while has an hatchet sticking out of it.
"You... live here?" I ask while looking around.
"Yeah." She scratches the back of her neck, "So, what I am trying to say is I can't give you anything. I can barely keep myself afloat. I wouldn't be a good girlf—person to have in your life."
I turn and look at Lexa, "That doesn't matter to me. You are still the same you I met in the bar. But, why do you live here? You make enough money to have a cheap apartment." Lexa nods then leans down to grab something in her tent.
Lexa pulls out a file then hands it to me. I look at her then down at the file, opening it.
Name: Indra Porter
Age: 56
Gender: F
DOB: March 31, 1964
Family:
Adopted Children: Anya Woods, Luna Woods, Lexa Woods, Aden Woods
Diagnoses: Comatose
Cause: Head trauma; Car accident
Date of Injury: February 23, 2018
Notes: Been in comatose for 2 years. Head trauma slowly healing.
I look up at Lexa with shock. She is looking down at her feet, "Your mother is in the hospital... that's why you were there that one day. But that doesn't explain why you live in the woods."
"All the money I make goes into keeping her in the hospital and making sure that she is getting the right care. Our ensure ran out for some reason last year, leaving my family in the dark." Lexa explains. I just stare at her.
"Lexa..."
"I'm not a statue. I'm not made out of stone like I pretend in the ring. I am here and alone. This is all I have, Klark. Everything I own is right here." Lexa puts her arms out and looks around.
"Lexa-"
"And I have family issues. I haven't seen or talked to my little brother in two years. My oldest sister hates me, my other older sister and I have an awkward relationship, my adoptive mother is in a coma and has been for 2 years, my adoptive father was a drunk and got kicked out of the house. I am messed up." Lexa starts dabbling and I have to yell to get her attention.
"Lexa! That doesn't matter to me! I am screwed up too! My dad died when I was eight right in front of me. My ex boyfriend would come home drunk every single day and he hit me any time I 'misbehaved'" I do quotient marks in the air with my fingers, "I don't care about how messed up your past is... I want to be here for you."
"Klark... I am so sorry... I-" I shake my head and walk up to Lexa. I look up at the taller women who has tears in her eyes.
"I'm not saying that so you feel sorry for me... I am saying that so you know I'm not running because of your messed up past. I am here. I care." Lexa gulps and looks down at my lips.
"He hurt you." Her green eyes flash with anger. I cup her face with my hands and she leans into my touch.
"He is in my past. He really screwed me up but he is gone. In jail, gone." I reassure Lexa who nods, "You are my future."
Her eyes look deep into mine, "I am sorry I hit you." Lexa looks down to look at my stomach but looks somewhere else on accident, she looks away, blushing.
I pull her face to look back at me. Her jaw feels like it could cut my hands if I'm not careful, "Lex, it's okay." I smile and she nods.
Her arms slowly wrap around me while she pulls me closer to her. My arms wrap around her neck while we embrace each other. Our bodies fit together perfectly. Her head buries itself into the nook between my neck and shoulder. I blush when the tip of her nose brushes against my skin.
We stand here for a moment, listening to the quiet wind of the woods and the creek in the distance. Smelling in the scent of campfire and clean air.
Lexa pulls her head away from me a little to just look in my eyes, "Thank you..." Is all she says and our noses brush against each other. Her warm breath touches my lips.
I am in paradise.