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“Did you do it?”
Anya looked up to see the normally stoic Lexa practically vibrating with excitement. Anya slammed her locker closed with a sigh and stalked down the halls. She was really regretting telling Lexa about her current problem.
Last weekend they had been working on their science project, which had been testing the effects of sleep deprivation. It had been a Saturday night- or maybe Sunday morning, the details were very fuzzy. They had been awake since Thursday. And Anya in her sleep deprived haze had maybe admitted to Lexa that she had a teeny tiny crush on one of her classmates. And Lexa may or may not have started sobbing in joy.
Again, the details were fuzzy.
“Do what?”
“You know what.” Lexa said with a barely contained grin. Seriously, they were verging into full blown smile territory. If Lexa did manage to fully express an emotion in the school hallway it might irreparably ruin their reputations as stone cold bitches.
“Yes,” Anya finally grit out. “I did it.”
“Wait, you did?” Lexa asked, stopping fully in her tracks. “Are you sure that was a wise idea?”
“It was your fucking idea!” Anya hissed trying not to draw attention to the duo.
“Yeah… but like, what if she does something to you? Or your car? Or my car?” Lexa wondered, a now panicked expression started to creep onto her face.
“She’s not going to do anything.” Anya said rolling her eyes again, “I put a note in her locker that said to come alone to Tondc park after 9pm to get her Valentines surprise.”
Lexa suddenly grabbed Anya and shoved her into the nearest classroom, closing the door behind her. “What exactly did your note say?”
“It said to come alone Tondc park after 9pm to get your Valentines surprise.” Anya repeated. It was an ideal note, short and to the point, as were all of her preferred interactions. Lexa was staring at Anya with a disbelieving expression on her face.
“Ok, let me get this straight… you put an anonymous note into a high school girl’s locker saying to meet you after dark in a park that is ten miles outside of the city?”
“Yes.” Anya was really starting to get annoyed with Lexa’s tone. Lexa had been the one who wouldn't stop harassing Anya about doing something for Valentines Day and now she was judging her plans.
“Ok, Anya, do you not see how that could come across as slightly threatening and not in any way romantic?”
“I wrote it on red paper.”
“That doesn't make it better! If anything that is more threatening!”
“Lexa, it’s fine, she’ll know what it means.”
“Will she?”
Anya shrugged, not really concerned with how her note could be taken. It was already in the locker. Either she would come to the date or she wouldn't. Anya would find out tonight.
“This is a terrible idea, you should never pursue your romantic interests again, we gotta break into her locker and get the note out.” Lexa decided.
Anya watched in amusement as Lexa started pacing back and forth trying to come up with a game plan. She was going to have to distract Lexa or else they really would try and break in. The last thing Anya ever wanted to do was mess with Raven Reyes stuff. The last person who had done that had wound up in the ER with a broken penis. Incidentally that was when Anya had started to have a crush on her classmate, it had been so hot.
In times like these there was only one way to distract Lexa, nothing else would prevent her spiral of anxiety.
“If you’re such an expert on Valentines Day what are you doing for Griffin then?” Bringing up Clarke Griffin was literally the only thing that could distract Lexa. If her crush on her wasn't so annoying, it would be really funny.
Lexa froze mid step, “what do you mean ‘what am I doing for Clarke for Valentines day?’”
“I literally mean that.”
“Oh- well…” Lexa turned beet red and stared at the ground with an embarrassed expression on her face. “I asked her if she had any plans and she said she was going to marathon the Bachelor and hang out at home.”
“Right, so no plans.” Anya summarised.
“I- she- no plans…” Lexa trailed off and her face turned white as she realised her mistake. “She has no plans. Oh my god Anya she has no plans!”
“Oh good, I wasn't sure.” Anya deadpanned as she watched Lexa spiral some more.
“I- I’ve gotta go.” Lexa threw out the door and bolted down the hallway. Anya tried her best to keep from laughing as her friend lost her damn mind.
“Is everything ok with Lexa?”
Speak of the devil, Clarke was standing in the doorway of the classroom looking in the direction that Lexa had gone with a concerned expression on her face.
“Yeah, she… forgot her tampon.” Anya said lamely. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s the art classroom, I’m here for art class.” Clarke said slowly, finally turning her full attention to Anya. “Why are you here?”
Anya finally looked around the room and realised that she was in fact in the art classroom, seriously, how did she miss all of the paintings before?
Instead of answering Clarke Anya just swept past her and started to make her way towards her next class. She’d rather suffer through an hour of math then spend another minute trying to get through a conversation with Clarke.
“Anya!”
Anya tried her best to hide how startled she was. Lexa slid into the stool next to her and set an overstuffed bag at their feet.
“Aren't you supposed to be in AP Lit right now?” Anya asked, looking around the room to see if anyone had noticed Lexa’s appearance. Anya doubted that Lexa skipping would be an actual problem, it was shop class. As long as no one was on fire things were fairly flexible.
“It’s fine, I have an A.” Lexa said, waving her hand dismissively.
“This is going to ruin your perfect attendance record.” Anya teased, Lexa had been given an award for it every year, it would seem that she was finally going to forfeit her position as 'Commander' of perfect attendance.
“This is more important.” Lexa said bending over and rummaging through her bag. “I went to a boutique in Polis, and I got some chocolates, roses and a teddy bear.” Lexa said as she pulled each of the items out of the bag and set them on the table.
Anya stared at them blankly. “You went to Polis? Walmart is like two minutes away from here.”
Lexa stopped her digging and straightened up to level Anya with a withering glare. “I am not about to buy Clarke some chocolates from Walmart. I have standards.”
“Ok, so why are you showing me this?” Anya asked, gesturing to the pile of shit now obscuring her project that she really needed to finish today.
“What? No, Anya, this if for you to give to-” Lexa unsubtly jerked her head to where Raven was sitting a few tables up. She and Emori were currently building some sort of engine together. Anya’s eyes flicked back and forth between Raven and Lexa.
“I’m not giving her this shit Lexa.” Anya said flatly. It was just stuff, which was all well and fine, some people loved stuff, Clarke probably loved stuff, Lexa loved giving stuff. But Anya hated stuff and she had a feeling that Raven would probably not be a fan either. Anya had long since decided that a personal and thoughtful gift was the way to go.
“Oh my god Anya, I love you, but you’re killing me. Just take the damn gifts.” Lexa said shoving the pile of Valentine's Day crap into her arms. Anya tried to shove it back into Lexa's hands. They went back and forth for a minute before they were interrupted.
“Oh, cute, we were all wondering when you guys were gonna get together. You make a nice couple.”
Anya swung around, ready to decimate whoever had uttered such blasphemy with a haunting glare. Unfortunately for her it was Emori who was watching them with a smirk, she was dating John Murphy and was immune to such expressions. Just past her shoulder Anya spied Raven watching the exchange with a curious expression.
“We are not together.” Lexa said quickly, while Anya tried not to gag at the idea.
Emori shrugged, “whatever, can we borrow your small wrench set Anya? Raven lent hers to Jasper and he forgot where he put it cause he was high.”
“Fine,” Anya growled and fished the wrench set out from under the pile of stuff and handed it to Emori. “And take this.” She threw the heart shaped box of chocolates at Emori who barely managed to catch them.
So what if it meant that Raven would probably get to eat some nice chocolates on Valentines Day cause Emori always shared her food? It also helped to solidify the message that Lexa and her were not an item.
“Uh… thanks?” Emori muttered as she walked back over to Raven.
Anya swung back around to glare at Lexa who was watching her with a smirk.
“Wanna throw the flowers at her next?”
Anya rolled her eyes, ripped the petals off of one of the roses and shoved it in her mouth. Lexa made some sort of inhuman strangled squeak as she stared at Anya in horror. “What? They’re edible.”
“They’re flowers! You’re supposed to look at them and marvel at their beauty! Not eat them!”
Anya shrugged, “they’re functional, and delicious.” Anya smirked as she popped another one into her mouth.
Lexa stared at her for a second and then grabbed the flowers and stuffed bear off of the table and put them back into her bag. “We’re no longer friends.”
“Next time bring poppies, we can have some real fun.”
Lexa flipped her off and stormed out of the shop, probably to go to class or do something romantic and gay for Clarke. Anya didn't really have time to worry about that, she had to finish her project or her plans for tonight would be moot.
The rest of the day passed with little fanfare, kids throughout the day got random gifts from their peers. Some of them wanted, some of them not.
Anya was making her way out to the parking lot when she finally ran into Lexa again. Her bad mood over the flowers seemed to have disappeared in favor of some weird hiding. Anya came to a stop before her friend and watched as she hunkered down behind Anya’s car, clearly waiting for something.
“What crawled up your ass and died? Was it the rest of my snack?” Anya asked with a smirk in reference to the roses that Lexa had seized from her.
Lexa jumped slightly and grabbed Anya, dragging her down with her. “Not so loud.” Lexa hissed as she looked around to make sure that they had not drawn attention. Unfortunately, Lexa was anything but subtle. Several of their classmates were watching them with confused expressions.
“You're really living up to the name Lextra today aren't you?”
“I told you never to call me that.” Lexa muttered as she peaked around the car again.
“What are you doing?” Anya finally asked, gripping the box containing part of her shop class project. The rest of it was at home, which was where she wanted to be, she had stuff to do.
“I covered Clarke’s car with notes filled with my favorite things about her.” Lexa said distractedly.
Anya peaked around the car and saw that Clarke Griffin’s car was in fact covered with probably a hundred pink and red heart shaped notes taped to the surface. They looked like they were handmade.
“Wow, be gayer why don't you.”
“Shut up! You’re one to talk, Ted Bundy.”
Anya shot Lexa a scowl, but Lexa wasn't paying attention. Clarke had finally left the school, Raven and their other friend, Octagon or something like that, in tow. The three of them were laden with multiple Valentines gifts. Anya supposed that was the price of being popular, people just gave you random shit. The trio slowed down as they approached Clarke’s car, and Anya saw Raven say something to Clarke, but they were too far away to hear it.
Clarke quickly moved around the car opening the notes, a large smile on her face. At this rate they were going to be here for an hour watching Clarke Griffin read.
“So what’s your plan?” Anya asked Lexa as the other girl watched Clarke with an entranced expression on her face.
“Once she reads the last letter I’m going to come out and give her the flowers and chocolates and ask her on a date. I made a reservation at Gustus’ restaurant.”
Anya would give Lexa that, she knew how to come up with some romantic shit. It was nauseating. Unfortunately since both of the girls were distracted neither of them saw when Clarke had finished reading all the notes. Or when the group had awkwardly stood around the parking lot clearly waiting for something to happen.
Of course, Anya did see the part where O-something saw Lexa and Anya half hidden behind the car and pointed them out to Clarke and Raven.
Anya shoved Lexa out from behind the car and the two of them made their way over to the other girls who were watching them with a mixture of curious and weary expressions.
“Lexa, did you do this?” Clarke asked, her lips twitching in excitement as she pointed at her heart covered car. It looked like cupid and vomited on it. Anya was pretty sure she spied glitter on the hood of the car.
“You- me- food.” Lexa said lamely, Anya not so subtly stepped on Lexa’s foot and Lexa’s arm snapped up and held out the bouquet of pink roses for Clarke.
A full smile crossed Clarke’s lips as she took the roses from Lexa with quiet thank you. “I love them, and I’d love to go out with you tonight.”
“I made reservations for 7pm, I could pick you up?” Lexa asked, Anya was a bit worried that Lexa was going to pass out. Her hands were shaking slightly and she looked a little pale. If Lexa could keep it together until they got back to her car, Anya could give her a spare gatorade she had, the girl needed to replenish her electrolytes.
“Yeah that sounds great! I’ll text you my address.” Clarke said excitedly.
Lexa nodded and Anya wondered if Lexa had even heard her. Raven and their other friend were watching the exchange with giant shit eating grins on their faces.
There was a long awkward moment where Lexa had clearly not gotten over her shock at getting a date with her crush and thus did not have the mental capacity to remember that they needed to leave, and so they all just stood there for a long moment.
“Anya, it looks like you did pretty well today to.” Clarke said with a nod towards Anya’s box. Anya glanced down at it and realised Clarke must have assumed that it was filled with gifts. Beside her, Lexa snorted.
“I do well everyday.” Anya said flatly.
“People are too afraid to look at Anya too long, let alone give her a gift.” Lexa said with a snicker. “What about you two?” Lexa asked Raven and the other girl.
“Octavia got a ton of shit from her boyfriend which was no surprise to anyone.” Raven said with a roll of her eyes.
“Hey! At least my Valentines weren't from my ex boyfriend or a serial killer.”
“Ex boyfriend?”
“Serial killer?”
Anya and Lexa both asked at the same time. Anya thinned her lips and tried to keep her expression neutral. She really shouldn't have said anything.
“Yeah, fucking Finn was trying to get me back, again.” Raven scowled as she waved the ridiculous looking teddy bear she was holding around. Anya wondered if she had time today to hunt down Finn and kill him, or something that was less likely to put her in prison. He was an asshole, and had cheated on Raven with half the cheerleading squad before anyone found out.
“I still think the ex is better than the serial killer, at least with Finn you know what you're getting.” Clarke said patronisingly. “Raven got a note in her locker today. It was really creepy.”
Raven rolled her eyes and pointed the card containing the note in her hand, “Ok first of all, I don't have to go out with either of them, it is ok to be single on Valentines Day, and second-”
“Sorry, we have to go.” Lexa said suddenly, grabbing Anya and dragging her away from the group towards her car. "I’ll see you tonight Clarke!”
Lexa practically shoved Anya into the drivers seat and then ran around to the passengers side. Anya chose to ignore Lexa’s sudden weirdness and take them home. Lexa was probably on some sort of high from finally asking Clarke out on a date.
“So what are you gonna do?” Lexa finally asked after a minute of driving. Anya just made a noise that could be taken as her asking Lexa to elaborate on her question. “About tonight Anya,” Lexa said rolling her eyes. “There is no way Raven is gonna meet you, she thought the note was creepy.”
“No, Clarke thought the note was creepy, we don't know what Raven thought because you cut her off.” Anya said with a pointed stare at her friend.
“Fine,” Lexa conceded with a defeated huff as she said back in her seat, “hey, can I borrow your car for tonight? It’s nicer than mine.”
“That’s fine, I need to borrow yours anyway.” Anya said distractedly as she navigated through the neighborhood to her house. She and Lexa were neighbors and lived across the street from each other.
“Why do you need mine? I thought you’d take your motorbike or something.”
“Have you cleaned out your car since you went on that shopping spree at Candles Candles Candles?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Anya, you can’t use my candles, I need them.”
“You have a problem, I promise to only use one.” Anya lied. She was going to use at least ten for what she had in mind. “It’s either that or you take Clarke in your car and I’m not sure she’s ready to learn about your addiction to wax yet.”
Lexa scowled and huffed out a defeated fine, Anya grinned in victory. As long as Raven showed up tonight everything was going to go as she planned.
So in hindsight Anya would be willing to admit that leaving a vague anonymous note was maybe not the best way to get a date. But she would burn Lexa’s entire candle collection down and face her friends wrath before admitting that Lexa might have been right.
Anya was leaning against Lexa’s car in the parking lot waiting for Raven to show up. Raven was already fifteen minutes late. Anya would give her another five before she packed it up and went home and never ever tried to open herself up to the possibility of love again. Anya would die an old withered crone, and she would just have to make peace with that.
She was just about to leave when an old jeep pulled into the parking lot. Raven’s jeep. Anya tried to remain cool as her heart rate accelerated and she felt a little light headed. The jeep pulled into a nearby parking spot and Raven got out of the car with an expression of disbelief on her face.
“Anya?”
“Yes.”
“You were the one who left me this note?” Raven asked in disbelief as she held the note up and looked between Anya and the offending piece of paper.
“Were you expecting someone else?”
“Honestly? Yeah… Finn was following me around all day like a lost puppy and Wick has been flirting with me for a month- are you sure this note was for me?”
“Yes.”
Raven stared at her for a moment longer, Anya did her best to keep a cool air but her palms were beyond clammy and honestly she was a little embarrassed that Raven had not thought it might be her. Anya had smiled at her in class last week, how much more obvious could she get?
“If you would rather spend tonight with someone else you are free to go.” Anya said sharply, trying to compensate for her embarrassment.
Raven’s eyes flicked over Anya, as if seeing her for the first time, taking in her leather jacket, black ripped skinny jeans and white shirt. After another second Raven shrugged, “nah it’s cool. Finn’s a dick and Wick’s name rhymes with dick. So I feel like that might be a self fulfilling prophecy anyway.” She walked over to Anya and grinned, excitement in her eyes, “so what’s the plan?”
Anya let out a steadying breath of relief and tried not to get too lightheaded at being so close to Raven. She smelled really nice. And her hair was so shiny. And Anya might be a little too gay for this. Still, Anya did her level best to keep her cool and started to lead Raven onto one of the park's trails, she had arrived early and had set everything up ahead of time.
Raven was unusually quiet as she followed Anya through the park. Raven was notoriously talkative, she was always joking with Jasper or Monty in shop class or arguing something with Murphy in science class. And Anya was now realising that she might have been paying way more attention to Raven then she had realised.
“Hey, so not that a late night hike isn't cool, but where are we going?”
“We’ll be there in a minute.” Anya said as they stepped off the well worn path and made their way through the thick undergrowth. After about five minutes they emerged into a small clearing.
“Oh…” Raven breathed in surprise, Anya tried to contain her victorious smile.
The clearing was at the edge of an outcropping and had a fantastic view of the city. But that wasn't why Anya had picked this spot, it was a clear night and all the stars were out. Her gift for Raven sat set up with a bow on it not too far from a picnic blanket and basket containing their dinner. Of course the whole thing was surrounded by about twenty candles, all of which had been generously, and unknowingly, provided by Lexa.
“Happy Valentines Day.” Anya said, trying her best to keep her voice even. Raven was just staring at her and the whole set up with a look of shock on her face. The moment stretched on and Anya started to feel panic bubble in her chest, had it been too much?
“Holy shit… I cannot believe that out of the two of you, you are the more romantic one.” Raven finally said, still staring around the clearing with shock. “Clarke has been texting me all evening about how romantic Lexa was being on their date, and I cannot believe that you out did her.”
Anya just shrugged, trying to conceal her embarrassment. “This is- uh, your Valentines gift.” Anya finally said, pointing awkwardly to the telescope that was set up near the blanket. Raven raised an eyebrow and walked over to examine the telescope, it worked, Anya had made sure of this.
“Hold on, wait a second… I recognise this stand, you were working on it in shop class last month. Did you make me a telescope?”
“You were watching me work?” Anya asked, she was trying to be teasing, but she felt a burst of hope in her chest that maybe her crush wasn't entirely one sided.
“Anya, seriously, did you make this whole thing?” Raven asked quietly as she looked in the eyehole and saw the stars.
“You like space.” Anya answered lamely.
Raven stared at her for a long moment and walked over to Anya and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “You’re so gay. Have you been working on this project for me all year?” Raven asked softly as she pulled away.
Anya could only nod, a beautiful smile spread across Raven’s face and she tugged Anya down onto the blanket. Anya pulled the food out of the basket and started dividing it up. It was just sandwiches and some cake for desert. Anya wasn't a very good cook, but she could make a mean chicken sandwich.
“I like the picnic basket.” Raven said as she started on the sandwich.
“It’s Lexa's, she bought it for a date night with Clarke.”
“She just asked her out today, how did she have time to buy it?” Raven queried as she took another bite of her dinner.
“She’s been trying to ask Clarke out for months now. She keeps buying stuff for a date night and then not using it because she chickens out of asking her.”
Raven laughed and Anya was pretty sure it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. “And the note?” Raven asked grinning.
“You said during introductions at shop class this year that your dream date was something that felt like a horror movie but turned out to be a romance.” Anya said, trying not to look embarrassed.
Raven smiled, “that was in September, how long have you liked me for?” Anya shrugged and mumbled something intelligible. “Sorry, I didn't hear that.” Raven prodded with a shit eating grin.
Anya rolled her eyes, and answered again more confidently. “Since you sent Roan to the ER for the broken penis.”
Raven nodded a knowing glint in her eye. That had happened last year, so Anya had just made herself very uncool by admitting that she had liked Raven for well over a year.
“Well if it helps, I totally had a crush on you last year as well, but then everyone thought you and Lexa were dating so I gave that up real quick.”
Anya’s head snapped up, people had thought she and Lexa were dating? That was gross, they just spent all their time together, talked to almost no one else and got along super well… ok, Anya would be willing to admit she could see how people might think that.
“I don't like Lexa that way.”
“Yes, I know, you made that very clear in shop class today.” Raven said with a laugh. “I am glad you asked me out.” She admitted after a second. “After Emori found out you were single, I was gonna ask you out next week.”
“Well, that can be the second date if you want?” Anya asked almost shyly.
Raven grinned and nodded and kissed Anya on the lips again. Anya was pretty sure that she could die happy now. They finished their food and went to check the telescope, while holding hands under the stars. It wasn't often Anya liked to spend time with other people, but time with Raven flew by, and there was no doubt in her mind that this was where she was supposed to be.