Chapter Text
“What’s got you so quiet back there, Clarke?” Bellamy asked, looking at the blonde through his rearview mirror.
Raven turned around from the passenger seat to eye her best friend. Once she saw the look on her face, she felt like she immediately knew what was on the girl’s mind, “Let her nap, the hospital has been crazy this week. I’ve barely seen her in the apartment since last Tuesday.”
Clarke let out a small smile at her friend’s fib, “I’m fine, just tired thinking about how much will be going on this weekend.”
“Come on,” Bellamy grinned, “my baby sister is getting married. It’s a perfect excuse for us to let loose for the next few days.”
The blonde rolled her eyes, “She’s hardly a baby, Bell. She’s only a year younger than you,” before earning a shrug and a chuckle from the man.
The three were halfway through their car ride up to the Catskills for Octavia and Lincoln’s big day. In true fashion, the pair had decided on a small, intimate ceremony and party at a lodge resort in the mountains. The destination wasn’t hard to choose, it was a good middle ground for both their families and the setting was perfect for the outdoor-loving couple.
Thankfully, the duo being celebrated wasn’t one for frills. The weekend’s agenda was simple: check in to the resort when they arrive and after they settle in, attend a meet and greet-type mixer for everyone included in the festivities. Tomorrow held some time for Clarke and Raven to help Octavia with some final touches, followed by the rehearsal and dinner for the bridal party, leaving Saturday for the big day.
“You know,” Bellamy broke the silence again, “I haven’t spent much time with any of Lincoln’s friends. You guys said they were pretty cool, right?”
“Yeah,” Raven spoke up, “I mean, we were only with them for a weekend, but they’re cool people.”
Bellamy nodded, “Wow, how long ago was that anyway? I can’t believe I couldn’t make it up for that. I still need to go see that lake house.”
“Three months,” Clarke mumbled from the back seat.
It had been three months since she found herself so engulfed with a complete stranger and the said stranger’s dog. Three months since she let her emotions get the best of her. Three months since Lexa had kissed her. Three months since Clarke stopped it. And three months since she said her goodbyes without ever speaking to the girl again.
“You know,” Bellamy suggested, “for someone who’s best friend is getting married, you don’t seem at all excited.”
“For the record,” Raven interjected, “I’m Clarke’s best friend, but that’s beside the point. Why don’t you stop worrying about Clarke’s fun-meter and focus on getting us to the lodge so we can start the celebrations.”
The man turned to his right, “I feel like there’s something the two of you aren’t telling me, and I feel like if that’s the case, I’m still probably never going to find out.”
The brunette moved her hand to the man’s head to rustle her his hair, “You hear that, Clarkey? Our little Bellamy is starting to learn.”
Clarke let out a small laugh as she shook her head at the two, before bringing her attention back down to her phone. She searched her messages for Lexa’s name, finding the one text that the brunette sent her which had gone unresponded to.
Lexa Woods: Hey, it’s Lexa. I hope you don’t mind, but I asked Octavia for your number. I just wanted to say that it was really wonderful meeting you last weekend, I had a great time with you (and so did Aria). I don’t want things to be weird at the wedding or if we end up seeing each other beforehand. I guess what I want to say is that I understand why things left off the way they did, and that I respect your decision and also think it was probably for the better. I hope home is treating you well, and I’ll see you soon.
She sighed as she read the message over and over, just as she had done for the entire week. After one final time, she turned the screen off and set the device to the side, “How much longer, Bell?”
He scrunched his nose up, “Why, finally ready to party?”
The blonde rolled her eyes, “I just need a drink, that’s all.” Clarke then turned to Raven’s side of the car, “Rae, do you know who’s going to be there tonight?”
Clarke was well aware that it was just the bridal party, immediate family, and extremely close friends for the first few days, and even though Lexa was accompanying Lincoln as a groomswoman, she never actually asked anyone explicitly if the brunette would be arriving as early to the celebrations as Octavia’s side was.
Raven shifted in her seat before turning in Clarke’s direction, “Yeah, I think it’s just the bridal party.”
“Oh, okay,” Clarke nodded.
“Uh, yeah. Just the bridal party,” Raven took a breath, “And I think some of them brought guests.”
---
The rest of the drive was done in silence, the trio of friends taking in the sights on the road before them. The clear skies, clad with stars dusting at every corner, was an indication that they were far beyond the city limits. Far from home, and closer to what should be yielding a beautiful, relaxing, weekend.
“Wow,” Raven gasped as she stepped out of the car, looking above to take the sight in, “it’s gorgeous out here. Is that the milky way?” she asked, pointing up to a purple streak in the sky.
“I think we’re in the milky way, Rae,” Clarke pointed out, chuckling at her friend.
“Well,” a voice from the distance started, “we’re definitely in it, but the sky we’re looking up at is also part of it. Guess you’re both right.”
Raven smiled as she started to walk towards the voice, “Are you still making a habit out of finding friends in the dark?”
A chuckle escaped, “Only if you and Clarke are still in the habit of driving places late at night and creeping up on people in the dark.”
“Touche, Anya,” Raven laughed, approaching the girl, “How the hell are you?”
“Happy to be here,” the girl grinned, “and happy that you guys are finally here. Grab your bags, everyone’s inside already. Check into your rooms then meet us in the bar. It’s just round back”
Raven nodded at the girl, “Everyone here already?”
Anya couldn’t help but look towards the car that was being unpacked, watching as Octavia’s older brother grabbed Clarke’s bags from her so that she wouldn’t have to carry them, “Yup. Everyone’s here.”
Raven turned back to see where Anya’s eyes lingered, and from an outsider’s perspective, she could only assume she knew what the other girl was thinking. Bellamy, not only a big brother to Octavia, but at this point to Raven and Clarke too, held his bag in one hand and two of Clarke’s in the other, with the blonde sleepily resting her head on his arm as they walked towards the pair waiting in front of the resort’s lobby.
The brunette sighed as she looked back to Anya, “Anya, this is Bellamy, O’s brother.”
The other girl didn’t take her eyes off Clarke, which didn’t go unnoticed by anyone, “I see. Hi, Clarke. You’re doing well, I’d imagine?”
Clarke nearly stood at attention once she realized the other girl was holding her gaze, “As well as I could be after a 36-hour shift and that drive, I guess,” she shrugged before she offered, “It’s good to see you.”
Anya ran a hand through her hair as she cooly nodded, “Well, I hope you have a little steam left in you. There are some people inside that have been waiting for you all night.”
“Oh, is that right?” Clarke asked with a raised brow, her anxiety about Lexa turning into a small bout of excitement.
“Mhm,” Anya nodded, “Octavia and Lincoln have been beaming about your guys’ arrival all night.”
“Right,” the blonde nodded back, “The happy couple,” she forced a smile.
“I’m going to get back going inside, but I just told Raven. Check into your rooms and meet us down by the bar around the back of the main room, we’re all just catching up and having a few drinks,” and with that, Anya left the three standing outside.
“Warm welcome,” Bellamy huffed. “She seems nice,” the sarcastic tone in his voice earned a slap to the stomach from the brunette.
“She’s cool, she’s probably just worked up about something,” Raven offered, “let’s get settled so we can have that drink we’ve been all wanting, though. Yeah?”
A tiny yawn escaped Clarke’s mouth, “Yeah, let’s do it.”
Bellamy followed the two into the lobby, “Why do I feel like I’m still out of the loop?”
“Because you are,” Raven shrugged as she made her way to the desk to check in.
---
Clarke and Raven had settled into their shared suite, grateful that their friend put them up in such a big room.
“This is massive,” Raven boasted, emerging from the bathroom after she had changed from her road trip outfit to something more appropropriate for drinks.
Clarke smiled, her hands smoothing out the frontside of the top she had just changed into, “Much bigger than the room we shared at Lincoln’s lake house.”
“Speaking of Lincoln’s lake house,” Raven started, “Are you feeling okay about seeing Lexa?”
The blonde nodded slightly, “It’s not a big deal. It shouldn’t be a big deal, it was one kiss that shouldn’t have happened.”
“Then why are you acting like a huge bundle of nerves?” Raven asked with a raised brow.
Clarke brushed off the girl’s question before diving into her own, “What did you mean earlier when you said some people were bringing guests?”
“Well, considering you’re saying seeing Lexa won’t be a big deal, I guess you’ll be okay knowing that she brought a date,” Raven shrugged.
“Aria?” Clarke asked, thinking back to the first time they met when Lexa, Octavia, and Anya all led Clarke to believe that Lexa had a girl waiting for her at the lake house.
Raven shook her head, “Pretty sure it’s a human this time, Griff.”
“Right,” Clarke let out, trying not to let the sinking feeling in her chest get the best of her, “I guess we should go down now, huh?”
The brunette slung her arm around her friend’s shoulder, knowing that the blonde was putting up a front about the Lexa ordeal, “Ready or not, here we come, right?” She looked at her friend and saw a forced smile, “If it’s awful for you, we can stay for a drink then head back up and say we’re tired from the drive. Deal?”
Clarke just nodded, silently appreciating her friend’s offer, before following her out the door of their suite, “Deal.”
---
The pair entered the small bar area of the lodge. The room was cozy, clad with sturdy, wood-framed loungers and a worn in leather couch. A fire was roaring in the fireplace, filling the room with a sense of warmth that Clarke didn’t know she was even craving.
Octavia was first to notice the addition of her two friends in the room, “There you are! Anya said she saw you guys thirty minutes ago. What the hell took you so long?”
Raven laughed as she took her shorter friend in for a big embrace, “I needed to make myself look presentable. Griff here was just kind enough to wait for me.”
“I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” Clarke smiled as Octavia lunged towards her after letting go of Raven.
Clarke tried her very hardest to keep her focus on Octavia, even though all she wanted to do was scan the room to find the green eyes that had been on her mind for three months. When the brunette let go of her, she gave a gentle nudge in the direction of her soon-to-be husband.
“Get over here and give me a hug,” the man laughed, standing up to greet the blonde.
Before she knew it, Clarke was being hoisted up into the air. It wasn’t until Lincoln started spinning her around that she finally spotted Lexa nestled up at the bar which was right behind where Clarke was originally standing. It was also pretty hard to miss how close she was huddled to a girl the blonde didn’t recognize.
“She always has to make a grand entrance, doesn’t she?” Bellamy grinned from the doorway, entering the space and hugging his sister and Lincoln.
Lincoln laughed at the comment, “I think I’ve just been making a habit of doing that whenever I see her.”
Bellamy walked towards Clarke and rested his arm around the shorter girl’s shoulder, “You doing okay? Know you were exhausted on the car ride over.”
“You’re such a mom,” Clarke rolled her eyes, “but yes, I’m fine. The concern is appreciated.”
Clarke’s eyes caught gaze of Anya, who was glaring in her direction. The two didn’t necessarily become close during their initial trip, but she couldn’t help but wonder why the girl was being as cold as she was. She deduced it probably had to do with the blonde’s lack of response to Lexa reaching out, but was unsure she still held the animosity especially since Lexa had clearly moved on.
“Lex, get over here,” Lincoln called back towards the bar, “I want you to meet O’s brother.”
The blonde couldn’t help but finally lock eyes with the girl who was causing her anxiety to break through the roof. Lexa looked good. No, that was an understatement. Lexa looked phenomenal. The girl was wearing a simple jumpsuit with her hair swept over her shoulder, much different attire than the cut-offs and denim shorts she was clad in during the weekend at the lake house.
Clarke finally broke the eye contact, noticing the girl close to Lexa’s side rubbing her arm in reassurance.
“Hi,” the blonde closed her eyes at the sound of Lexa’s voice, “I’m a friend of Lincoln’s. It’s nice to finally meet you, Bellamy.”
“More than a friend, I’d say. I mean, you are in the bridal party,” Bellamy tried to joke.
“I suppose you’re right,” Lexa nodded with a small smile, before turning to Clarke with her smile slyly morphing into a smirk, “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to give me a hug?”
Aside from the girl, who Clarke noted to be extraordinarily attractive, by Lexa’s side, the tone of the brunette’s voice found a way to calm the blonde’s nerves. She finally broke, giving Lexa a smile and stepping in to take the girl into a quick embrace, “Hi,” was all she could manage to breathe out.
“Hi,” Lexa smiled back, before turning to the girl at her side, “Echo, this is Clarke, one of Octavia’s best friends. And Bellamy, Octavia’s brother.”
“Nice to meet you both. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Echo paused, making eye contact with Clarke, before turning back to the brunette, “I feel like I’ve been awake for days. I’m going to head up to turn in, but you should stay down here if you’re not ready for bed yet.”
Lexa nodded at her, “I think I might, but I won’t be too far behind you.”
Echo smiled at the group, making her way to say goodnight to Octavia and Lincoln, and before Clarke knew it, she was quickly out of sight.
“She seems nice,” Clarke let out.
“Yeah, she’s great. She found out pretty last minute that she’d be able to get the whole time off from work to come. I’m glad it worked out,” Lexa nodded.
“So,” Clarke decided it was time to change the subject, not wanting to seem like she was prying and also not wanting to hear the ins and outs about the two, “Where’s Aria?”
Lexa raised a brow, “Was the only reason you were excited to see me because of the prospect of seeing my dog?”
The blonde laughed and then joked, “Excited to see you? Mighty presumptuous, much?”
Bellamy looked between the two before he interjected, “I think I’m going to let you two catch up. It was nice meeting you, Lexa.”
“He seems nice,” Lexa mimicked Clarke’s statement from just a minute earlier, her eyes still on Bellamy as he walked away.
“He’s the best,” Clarke replied, “we were supposed to take my car up here, but I had just come out of a 36-hour shift and could barely keep my eyes open. I got home to start packing, but Bell and Raven had my bags ready to go and he hopped behind the wheel.”
“How chivalrous,” Lexa smilled, “you must be exhausted, though.”
The blonde grinned, “I’m basically falling asleep while we’re standing here.”
“I’m sorry to be such a bore, then,” Lexa chuckled as she shuffled her feet, “I’ll leave you to it, but I’d like to catch up at some point this weekend if time allows.”
“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Clarke agreed. Before she turned to head back up to her room, the blonde remembered something, “Hey, so really no Aria this weekend?”
Lexa shook her head, “No pets allowed at the resort. Echo’s parents have her until we get back.”
“Ah, I see. Well I guess I’ll be seeing you tomorrow?”
The brunette nodded, “Something’s telling me we’ll be seeing each other all weekend. Get some rest, Clarke. I hope you sleep well.”
Clarke flashed the girl one final smile before saying goodbye to everyone in the room and heading back upstairs to seek refuge in the large bed that was calling her name. She tried her best to shake Lexa out of her thoughts, but her mind kept failing her. She knew she had to remind herself that Lexa looked happy, especially when she was huddled up with Echo. As she reached the handle to the room she was sharing with Raven, she was instantly flooded with regret. She should have just answered Lexa’s text from three months ago.