Chapter Text
The sun was shining brightly above us as we made our way to the artificial lake in the middle of the camping site. My parents thought it would be a blast to go camping all together for my mom’s two weeks off of work. She was really busy being a doctor so it usually ended up being me and my dad alone at home. My mom really wanted to try the whole camping experience, so here we are at a camping site somewhere in Washington. Surrounded by kids and families playing around on the white sandy beach or sliding in the waterslides. I sighed, I love camping, don’t get me wrong, I'm not some rich kid complaining about lack of comfort. It's just that we usually go to my grandma's house in Florida and right now, it felt more like a school trip than vacation. Anyway, complaining won’t get me anywhere, so I better put a smile on my face and enjoy this family trip with my parents. I mean, the sun would probably give me a nice tan and the lake seemed cozy enough, what more could I ask for?
After a bit, we finally found the perfect spot to settle in for the day. My parents left me with the task to take our beach chairs out of their bags, while they were applying one too many layers of sunscreen on their already sunburned skin. As I was getting ready to sit my lazy butt on one of the chairs, a kid came running into my legs, falling on her back seconds later, covered in sand. I did my best not to laugh at the irritated expression of the little girl, who could not be older than 7; lying on the ground, a frown on her face, her bottom lip pulled out in a pout. Another girl came running after her, this one majorly taller and older, putting the girl up on her feet as she started laughing diabolically.
-“Oh shoot! You never would’ve catch me if she did not get in the way.” The little girl whined, throwing me a frustrated stare as the taller girl started tickling her.
-“You are such a sore loser, just accept the fact that I’m faster kid.” Said the girl with her back still turned to me. I would have been more bothered by the kid’s accusation if my brain hadn’t short circuited right this second. Why? You are wondering, well because I was standing in front of a curly brown haired angel. All long tan legs, flawless skin, round and perfect ass covered by a red bikini. I licked my lips as I took at her intriguing upper arm and back tattoos, resisting the urge to go get my sketchbook and draw the elegant lines, inked on the girl’s skin.
All of a sudden, the perfect backside was gone and the smiling face of a goddess came into view. I stared wide eyes, mouth agape at this green eyed beauty with plump lips to kill for and high flush cheekbones that made her look even more delectable.
-Hey, are you alright? Said the girl with a breathy deep voice. She was harboring an amuse smile as I struggled to get anything out.
- “I... Hee... Fine, I'm goo...reat.” I finally said, ending up mixing the word good and great, frowning at my not so smooth manners. Get a hold of yourself Griffin, you are a charmer don’t let your nerd show. The girl laughed quietly as I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.
- “I’m happy that you are goo-reat. Wouldn’t want to hurt a pretty girl like you” Said the girl that should definitely look herself in the mirror if she was calling me pretty. “I'm Lexa and this little monster right here is Tris. We are sorry for the bother right Tris?" She said louder looking playfully at the grumpy kid that muttered a low "yeah". There was a awkward moment where neither of us said a thing and although I'm not known to be shy around people, I found myself staring wordlessly at her.
“Okay... I guess we'll go now see ya goo-reat girl!" She said turning back around after sending me a wink. I stood there as she and Tris walked back the way they came from, pushing each other teasingly and laughing loudly.
Okay I’m definitely never seeing this girl again, she must think I’m a weirdo because during this whole 30 seconds conversation we just had, I had absolutely zero chill! I let out a loud sigh sitting ungracefully in my Blue beach chair as my parents snickered not so subtly behind me. I turned around a frown still in place on my face.
"What?"
"I'm sorry honey but have you seen yourself? You could barely function in front of this girl!" My mom said bursting out laughing, probably playing the situation back in her head.
"I always thought I had no game in front of pretty girls, but now that I've seen you, I have new found confidence in myself" My dad added to my mom’s comment. They ended up both cracking up as I turned back around sitting in my chair ignoring the child I have as parents. I decided now was the perfect time to draw, so I took my bag and got my sketchbook and pencils out. Just as I was about to start sketching a cute couple walking nearby, my dad went running into the lake, just to dive in stomach first a second later. The thing is, the lake could not have been deeper than two feet deep there, so he ended up splashing all the poor kids playing around, lying flat on his stomach, butt lifted in the air, laughing loudly at his own self. I hid myself behind my sketchbook cheeks burning, because this was my dad and he was now calling MY name, waving for me and my mom to join him. I decided to ignore him and hopped for the best. A minute later, he came running up to us, taking my sketchbook with his wet hands and throwing me over his shoulder as I started screaming.
"NO DAD! I’LL GO, just... Please let me dowwwwnn" I whined, kicking is stomach with my feet, now happy that we where in a camping in the middle of nowhere, where I knew absolutely nobody and my reputation, when i'll go back to school would still be intact. He let me down laughing with my mom at my panic state. I let out a breath watching as my mom was now the one swing on my dad’s shoulder. I followed behind them as they made their way to the lake, trying to ignore all pairs of eyes staring at us. When he threw my mom in the lake, at a more acceptable water depth that is, I got into the water myself. I started swimming around having no idea what to do. Octavia, Bellamy, Raven and their families were getting here in 2 days but until then it was just my parents and I, which ended up sometimes being boring.
That is until something grabbed my right foot, pulling me down in the water. I swear I’m not easily scared, but right there, right now, I almost shit my pants. Sadly I was too busy drowning to care. Thanks to my swimming class in kindergarden, I was able to surpass this traumatic event and easily got back to the surface. I was spluttering breathlessly, ready to scream for help, not sure what exactly pulled me into the water in the first place. Before I was even able to let out a sound, a girl, no scratch that, THE girl came out of the water. By the girl I mean the goddess, the top model, the beautiful and breathtaking Lexa.
A scowl made its way on my face as I realized she was the one who pulled me into the water. I stared at her smiling and perfect face as she passed her hand through her wild wet curls, kicking her feet to keep herself afloat.
"What is wrong with you?" I exclaimed because, yes, she might be breathtaking, but breathtaking persons were not allowed to drown people in the water just because of their good looks. And if that girl thought her fucking gorgeous face would excuse this murder attempt she should just put her foot in her mouth. Her probably perfect foot that I could stare at for hours. Oh my god, why do I have so little control over my gayness right now? Can I not act like a preteen? I absentmindedly muttered as I looked back at the future Victoria secret model.
"Well sorry but you were in my swimming path goo-reat girl." She said a wide grin spread across her face as she sent me a wink that totally did not make me blush.
"My name is not goo-reat okay... You asked me if I was okay and I mixed up great and good. And who has a swimming path in a camping lake?" I said irritated.
“Alright then what’s you name grumpy?” Grumpy? Really! She is so cocky. I almost, could have, maybe, in some bad turn of events, died because of her and I can’t be grumpy about it? “Maybe I just wanted to come talk to you or maybe I'm someone with a swimming path in a camping lake, which by the way, please don’t judge me”. She playfully said biting her bottom lip has she looked at my blushing face. Again… Really!?! Where has my confidence go seriously get a hold of yourself you are Clarke Griffin for crying out loud.
"I’m Clarke and next time you want to talk to someone, not almost drowning them would be a great idea, now if you’ll excuse me I'll just..."
"Clarkie-Pooh!!! Look what your old poppa can do!" Came the screaming voice of my dad cutting me off in my smooth exit and making me cringe at the nickname Lexa would surely have heard. Why? What have I done to deserve this? Clarke deserved better right? I turned around, easily spotting my dad, twenty feet away, waving is hands at me, his face split in a wide smile. All eyes were on us once again, as my dad got into the water head first, pedaling his feet in the air, splashing everyone around. He then came back from under the water, harboring the same smile, water dripping down his face. I looked at him quizzically, unsure of what just happened or how to react.
"I think he just did a roll into the water" Said Lexa's hot breathe in my ear, making my body shivers without my consent. I wanted to hide under a rock for the remaining length of my stay, because this was genuinely so embarrassing.
Before I could find anything to say, speechless by my father’s acts and Lexa’s proximity, a giant man with a bunch of tattoos on his face, long dark hair and a beard of the same length got into the water talking animatedly to my dad. After a second they both disappeared into the water doing awkward rolls and splashing everyone again and again and again. I shook my head not believing what I was watching as Lexa snickered in my ear. I was about to swim away for my own mental health when she opened her mouth again.
“And here comes my dad, Gustus… I guess we both have overly enthusiastic dads huh?” She said laughing as my eyes widen comically.
“That’s your dad?” I said, joining her in her laughing fit. In any other situation, I would have met this man and ran for my life, but now that I was seeing him playing in the water like a five-year-old, laughing with my dad he looked like an actual teddy bear.
“Hey at least mine don’t call me Lexie-Pooh.” She fired back starting to laugh as I pretend to be offended.
“Don’t remind me, I had my whole life planned out as a toddler and told everyone to call me Clarkie-Pooh because I would, one day, marry Winnie-the-Poo. But now I’m just trying to put that part of my life behind me since the day I realized my soul mate, winnie, was nothing more than a fictional character. It broke my heart.” I said, my left hand resting on my heart dramatically.
“Heart breaking story there Clarkie-Pooh” She said, snickering at my dork self probably. Anyway since I seemed to have no control over myself around this girl, I came to the conclusion that I should just embrace the weirdness. I know, beautiful. I almost shed a tear at this heartwarming realisation.
“Yes it’s still a sore subject so you better never again call me Clarkie-Pooh or you’ll have to deal with the emotional breakdown” I warned jokingly, swimming toward the shore leaving an offended Lexa behind.
“Hey wait, I think you are forgetting a gorgeous specimen behind!” Said the girl with no lack of self-esteem whatsoever.
“Hey Lexa bring your friend to our tent, we are inviting them for lunch!” Said the hoarse and scary voice of Lexa’s dad, staring at us like a wet puppy would, as Lexa caught up with me. I gave my dad a look, unsure if I really was “The friend” Gustus was talking about and if we were really going to eat lunch with Lexa’s family. My dad was staring at me, excited like an 8 years old who got invited to go play at his friend’s house.
I quietly sighed, saying goodbye to my quiet sketching time and hello to my preteen self with no chill toward a frustrating, but oh so beautiful, girl.
“Well Clarkie-Pooh, I guess you are stuck with me and if you think that’s the worst, wait ‘til you meet my family!” And that my friend is when I did a major eye roll, butterflies in my stomach, unsure if I was ready for the next two weeks to come.