Chapter Text
Arkadia High was nothing special. It was your average high school with the cliché cliques, run-down classrooms, lockers banged up from too many years of use, and an overriding smell of sweat and wasted potential.
Clarke and her friends would openly admit to the fact that Arkadia was far from perfect, but it was their school and they would defend its honor to their last breath.
Which is why Clarke was currently glancing around nervously while her two idiot friends, Harper and Octavia, defaced the statue of their biggest rival, Polis Academy. In the lead-up to the big homecoming game, prank wars between the two schools weren’t uncommon. Yes, Clarke knew it was petty and childish, but for some reason she always allowed her friends to drag her into these situations.
She rolled her eyes as Harper and Octavia snickered from where they were currently spray-painting large pink-rimmed glasses onto Polis’s mascot, a fierce-looking warrior woman.
“Will you guys hurry up? We’re going to get caught if we stay out here much longer,” Clarke huffed out, exasperated.
“Lighten up Clarke, the security guard won’t be back for another half-an-hour. He always takes a nap break at this time,” Octavia replied, shaking her spray-paint can before applying a large pink mustache to the statue.
“It’s because he works at the drug store during the day.”
“Ahhhhh!!!!” All three girls jumped spinning around to face an unamused-looking Polis student standing a few feet away from them.
Harper and Octavia had wide-eyed looks as they pointed their spray-paint cans at the tall brunette.
“Fulton! You scared the crap out of me!” Harper laid a hand over her heart dramatically.
The student chuckled, taking a step towards them. “I can see your childish attempts at pranks have gotten extremely original over the years. You do know Jimmy will have this cleaned off by morning?”
Harper gave her a confused look. “Jimmy?”
“The security guard taking a nap right now? His name is Jimmy, and he’s become practically a professional at getting spray paint off this statue in a matter of minutes.”
Harper grunted, but turned back towards the statue and sighed. “Well, it was fun regardless.”
“I hear the arcade is as well, why don’t you try that, next time you’re bored,” the brunette remarked dryly, turning back towards the school.
“Wait, so you’re just going to let us be?” Clarke asked, frowning at the retreating student.
The Polis student gave Clarke an impassive look, and she immediately regretted her words. Harper and Octavia groaned from their positions next to the statue.
Lexa Fulton was Polis Academy’s top student, and top dog. Among all of the rich snobs attending the school, she was the richest and by far the most popular. Lexa and her friends over the years, well at least in the two years since Lexa moved here, had constantly ridiculed and gotten into pointless prank wars with Clarke and her friends. It didn’t help that their schools were so closely located, and many of them lived close together. But the Polis kids were rich and much better off, and they weren’t afraid to rub that into the Arkadia students’ faces. The Arkadia kids had fought back with everything they had, despite knowing the underprivileged position they had compared to the Polis students.
So Lexa letting this incident go, it was something Clarke wasn’t able to comprehend.
“I don’t see the point of continuing this conversation, Clarke. Like I said, Jimmy will have this off by morning, and none will be the wiser. I’d rather not waste my breath telling my friends about this pointless encounter.”
Clarke rolled her eyes at the clipped, formal way Lexa spoke. She always acted like she had a stick up her ass, and it drove Clarke mad. Also the way that she was unfairly attractive in her school uniform, but Clarke would rather not get into that.
“Whatever Lexa, I’m sorry you were forced to converse with such lowly subjects as us. Do continue with your evening,” Clarke’s bitter voice and mock-bow didn’t even register to Lexa, and she simply turned to continue towards the darkened school.
“What are you even doing here this late, Fulton?” Harper called after her, causing Octavia to elbow her in the side.
Lexa turned her head slightly and gave Harper an annoyed look. “I believe that is none of your business, Harper. If I were you I would clear out of here, Jimmy should be up from his nap soon.”
Harper rolled her eyes at Lexa’s back as she made her way over to the entrance of the academy and used a key to unlock the door and slip inside.
“She’s such a snob,” Harper grumbled, jumping down from the statue pedestal.
Octavia nodded in agreement and Clarke just sighed. “It doesn’t matter, let’s just clear out of here before Jimmy stops by.”
“What kind of security guard name is Jimmy anyway?” Harper asked, as the three hurried away.
*****
Lexa entered the security guard’s office quietly, knowing Jimmy was probably still napping. Glancing over towards the desk she confirmed her suspicion.
Sighing, she placed the paper bag in her hand carefully on the desk and made her way over to where Jimmy was napping. She hated to wake him up, especially when she knew he was working double-shifts, which basically meant the only time he slept was on his lunch break and when he could get away with napping here at the school.
“Jimmy? Jimmy you need to wake up.” She gently shook his shoulder, and chuckled when he started suddenly, bringing a sleeve up to wipe at the drool dripping down his chin.
“What? What? Lexa? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, Jimmy. Well, nothing except for the fact that the warrior statue was defaced again.”
Jimmy groaned as he rubbed at his eyes. “Great, I just cleaned it off three days ago.”
“This school obviously didn’t put much thought into what would happen if they put up that statue there.”
“That or they just assumed I would clean it off every night, like I do.”
Lexa chuckled, shoving the paper bag towards him. “I brought you something to eat. Why don’t you eat up and then we can clean it off together.”
Jimmy opened the bag with a grateful smile. “Thanks Lexa, you don’t have to help me though. I know you’ve been busy with your experiments.”
Lexa chuckled as she jumped up and took a seat on the edge of the desk. “The experiments can wait, between the two of us we can get that statue cleaned off in no time.”
“Who was it this time?”
“Just some Arkadian barbarians.”
“Lexa.”
“Yeah, yeah I know. These three are just particularly irritating.”
“Clarke, Harper, and Octavia?”
“So I’ve mentioned them before.”
“Arkadia’s troublemakers? Yeah you’ve mentioned them.”
Lexa sighed, staring at a stain on the wall as she let her thoughts drift off. Truthfully, she had no real problem with the Arkadian students. She knew her “friends” often got into tussles with the Arkadian students. And somehow she was constantly getting dragged into the rivalry.
Yes, Lexa was fully aware of her reputation at the school. She was the most popular student at the school, but Lexa knew it was for no other reason other than the pure dollar amount she was worth. She stayed out of almost all school activities, preferring to stay out of the way. According to her friend, Anya, that only leant to her reputation as some kind of mysterious, sexy walking, talking dollar sign. Anya always had had a way with words.
Jimmy finished the last of his sandwich, crumpling up the napkin Lexa had brought, tossing it in a perfect arc into the waste basket.
“Let’s go kiddo.” Lexa jumped off the edge of the counter and walked with Jimmy to the cleaning closet. They grabbed some cleaning supplies and walked outside to begin cleaning off the statue.
“So how’s life for my favorite little mini scientist?” Jimmy asked, rubbing at the pink spray-paint viciously.
Lexa chuckled. “It’s the same as it was last night.”
“You getting enough sleep?”
“Yes, Jimmy. Don’t worry about me.”
“Can’t help it, Lexa. You spend hours here at night, go to school during the day, plus the amount of schoolwork you have on your plate, I don’t know how you’re fitting in a healthy life-style.”
“I’m doing fine, I promise.”
Jimmy sighed, wiping his brow as he examined his work. “If you say so, Lexa. Maggie wanted me to invite you over to dinner one of these nights, by the way.”
Lexa smiled, “Thanks, I’d like that Jimmy. How is she doing since Blaine was born?”
“She’s doing alright, the last couple of months have been hard, but I think she’s finally beginning to get her old strength back.”
“I’m sure she’ll back at full strength very soon, and until she is, don’t be afraid to ask for help at any time.”
Jimmy nodded, “I know. Lexa. Your help is really appreciated.”
The two continued in silence for a bit, before the graffiti was finally cleaned off and the two made their way back inside. Jimmy retreated back to his office where Lexa was suspicious he was probably going to take another nap.
With a deep sigh she made her way to the biology lab. The echo of her expensive loafers slapping against the tiled floor soothed her mind. She loved being in the school when it was completely empty. It almost made up for how much she hated being here during the day.
Quickly entering the lab she made her way over to pull on her lab coat and gloves. After quickly outfitting herself she made her way over to where she had some left some cultivations last night. Working meticulously, she examined several of them under the microscope, making notes as she went along.
The hours flew by and before she knew it, she was checking her watch and it was almost 3:00 A.M.
Sighing, she put away her work carefully. She gathered her things and made her way to the exit. She briefly checked in on Jimmy, who was still sleeping. She chuckled and headed home. She hopped onto her motorbike and sped away.
It was routine by now. Go to school, go to the diner and do her homework, go to school again and work on her research, and go home and get a couple hours of sleep. She knew how to sneak back into her home without waking up her uncle, how to slide into school with just the perfect amount of lateness, and how to ignore pretty much everything going on.
It was Lexa’s life, and she was ok with it. The key was to survive until she was eighteen and finally out of high school. She’d take the inheritance due to her when she turned eighteen, and start her own life. Free from her uncle and her past. Her past haunted her, and though she knew she couldn't leave everything from her past behind, more than anything-she just wanted to be able to move on. She wanted to stop feeling like she was constantly living in this type of haze.
With a deep sigh, Lexa collapsed onto her bed, not even bothering to change her clothes, she’d just straighten out and wear the uniform tomorrow.
*****
Clarke sat on the bleachers, bent over her sketch. On the field her boyfriend was practicing with the football squad. Frowning, she stared at her sketch. Something was slightly off and it was bothering her.
“If you stare at it any harder it might burst into flames.” Octavia plopped down beside her.
Clarke huffed out a sigh, glancing up towards her friend. “It just doesn’t look right.”
“It looks amazing to me.”
Clarke just grunted, trying to add a little extra shade around the eyes of her father.
“You ok Clarke?”
Clarke looked up from her sketchpad, giving Octavia a small smile. “Yeah, just fine. Why?”
Octavia shrugged. “Just making sure.”
The two sat in silence for a while, watching the football squad practice. “How are things with Finn going?”
Clarke shrugged, returning to her sketch. “Just fine.”
“Whoa, restrain yourself Shakespeare.”
“It’s as expected, popular girl dates star football player. It’s not like some great cliché love story, but out of everyone at this school, he’s not a bad option.”
“And what about when school ends in the spring?”
“Then I get out of this town, simple as that.”
“And Finn?”
“I don’t know, I think he wants to try and get a football scholarship to UT.”
Octavia frowned. “So you guys haven’t even talked about a future together at all? You’re just going to what, break up as soon as you get that diploma in your hands?”
“Well, I’ll probably wait until after the ceremony. I have a little class, Octavia.”
“Does he know this? The you wanting to break up as soon as you graduate?”
Clarke shrugged. “I think he knows. He’s not a bad guy, he’s been a good boyfriend and everything, but I think we both know we’re only together so we’re both not alone.”
Octavia rolled her eyes. “The stuff of true love stories.”
“I literally just said we weren’t some love story, Octavia.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyway, you coming to Harper and Sarah’s soccer game tonight? They’re playing Jaha Academy.”
“Sure, I don’t have much else to do.”
Octavia clapped her hands together and stood up, “Great! Are you going to just wait here for Finn to finish up?”
I smiled up at Octavia, “Yeah, he’s gonna give me a ride home. But I’ll see you tonight?”
Octavia nodded, “Absolutely C-dog. Have fun with your placeholder boyfriend.”
Clarke laughed as Octavia gave a little wiggle of her fingers and bounded away. She was a feisty one, that’s for sure. But fiercely loyal, and always ready to listen on the rare times that Clarke actually wanted to talk about something serious.
True to her word, Clarke showed up to the soccer game that night. She gave a wave to Harper and Sarah as they warmed up on the field. Both returned her wave eagerly. Harper was a spitfire, just like Octavia, but in a much more mellow way. She restrained her energy inward and let it out in pointed sarcasm and clever speeches. She was the debate team’s star. Sarah, on the other hand, was much more quiet and shy. She had been the last of them to join their close-knit group of five people. Zoe Monroe being the other member. Clarke and the others were very protective of Sarah, she had this sweet but nervous manner around her that reminded Clarke of a younger version of herself. Clarke had been shocked at first when Sarah had told them she made the soccer team along with Harper, but by the way she was beaming, Clarke figured soccer must just be something she loved.
Clarke watched the girls for a few more seconds before turning and climbing up the stairs, a very excited Octavia waving her over to where Zoe and their other two friends, Rachel and Whitney, were already sitting.
Clarke bounded up the stairs and slid into the bleacher seat beside Octavia, greeting the other girls with a small wave.
“They’re totally going to crush this game, Jaha Academy won’t even know what hit them!” Octavia exclaimed excitedly.
Clarke laughed. “With Sarah and Harper on the team, I have no doubt.”
“Yeah, who would have guessed that Sarah could be such a beast on the field,” Zoe piped in, eyes sparkling in amusement.
Zoe was the most easy-going of all the five. She had an easy charisma around her that instantly made people like her. She was the least likely to get angry in fights, and the first to jump in to defend her friends. Clarke and her had once kissed on a dare at a party, and although both of them had boyfriends, Clarke could have easily seen herself developing a crush on the short-haired brunette.
“Sarah was a surprise, but we all know Harper would explode if she didn’t have something to channel her fire into,” Rachel added from beside Zoe.
“Yeah, that’s why Octavia here is our resident bad-ass boxer,” Clarke said, bumping shoulders with Octavia.
“That, and we all know we need a professional fighter in those stupid tussles we get into with those Polis snobs,” Octavia added, practically spitting out her words when the Polis kids were mentioned.
“Ugh, last week a bunch of them came into the diner Sarah and I work at, and they were treating her like shit. Like, they ordered stuff, and when the food came they made a bunch of complaints and she had to bring all the food back and get new food,” Whitney added.
Octavia snorted, “Let me guess. Lexa, Anya, and that Ontari bitch were among the group.”
“Anya and Ontari were, but Lexa came in a while later. When she saw the group she came over and dragged them all away to some party or something.”
“Typical,” Octavia added.
“Lexa comes in a lot by herself, actually. She usually sits at the counter and orders coffee, and some kind of pie. She’ll sit there for hours just working on her homework. I always think it’s kind of weird, like that girl could go study anywhere and instead she comes into some crappy diner with crappy coffee. She goes through like five cups of it too, Sarah is constantly refilling her mug.”
Octavia looked surprised. “She doesn’t harass Sarah or anything, does she?”
“I don’t think so, Sarah never says anything about their interactions. Actually-”
Before Whitney could continue her sentence, the game began with a shrill whistle. Immediately the girls start cheering and hollering for their friends. There’s not a whole lot of people in the crowd, but it’s full enough.
At first Clarke doesn’t see her, but she glances to her right sometime during the game and does a double-take.
Lexa is sitting on one of the far-right bleaches, hands tucked under her thighs as she sits on the edge of the seat, watching the game intently.
She is dressed surprisingly casually. Clarke is used to seeing her in her Polis uniform, which is perhaps why Clarke didn’t recognize her at first.
She has a long-sleeve blue flannel on, with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. It’s complimented by black skinny jeans, and expensive-looking black shoes. It’s as casual and un-Lexa an outfit that Clarke has ever seen.
Clarke watches her avidly, trying to figure out what she is doing at the soccer game, and alone at that. She has this impassive look on her face, and Clarke wonders if she’s here to scout out the competition or something. She knows that Arkadia has a game with Polis coming up soon.
But then Harper has a breakaway, and she’s streaking down the side of the field. Clarke hears her friends cheering next to her, and out of the corner of her eye she sees Lexa tense up, leaning forward even more. Her face has an unreadable expression on it. Then Harper kicks a perfect cross straight towards an open Sarah, who barely has to touch the ball and she’s sending it soaring into the corner of the goal.
She watches as her friends start hollering so loud she’s sure she’ll be deaf tomorrow, and she is thrilled at the celebration happening on the field. Sarah is immediately swarmed by her teammates, and she’s smiling so wide Clarke is sure that the smile will get stuck there.
But what she’s really fascinated about is the small grin that is now affixed to their enemy. She’s ducking her head as if trying to hide the smile, but her eyes are still transfixed on the field, and Clarke is completely taken aback by what this is all supposed to mean.
Before she can wonder about it more, Octavia is jumping into her arms in excitement and her attention is thoroughly pulled away from the flannel-wearing girl a few bleachers over.
Arkadia wins the game 1-0, Sarah’s one goal being the difference maker. Everyone is thrilled, and Clarke can’t help but feel warm and happy herself. Afterwards the girls make their way over to Harper and Sarah, who are both sweaty and panting, but wearing identical smiles. Sarah’s eyes are sparkling in joy.
“Oh my god, that was AMAZING Sarah!” Octavia runs over, wrapping herself totally around the normally shy girl.
“Thanks, but it was only because of Harper’s perfect cross.”
“Which was also, AMAZING!” Zoe says, stepping up and giving Harper a huge hug. Clarke laughs and joins the hug. A round of hugs commences, and when Clarke’s eyes land on Sarah, she frowns at the look on Sarah’s face.
She’s looking towards the bleachers and has a shocked expression, but before Clarke can follow her gaze, their moment is ruined by-of course-a group of Polis students.
“Nice goal, ragmuffin, but don’t think that performance was enough to take on Polis.” Ontari, quite clearly the nastiest of all the Polis rich girls, walks up to them with a sneer. Anya, Gabby, and Emori are flanking her.
“In fact, you might want to just save yourself the embarrassment and not show up at all,” Anya adds, eyes twinkling in that not-fun way.
Octavia rolled her eyes, “Oh, back off Davis, Phillips. You just wish you an ounce of the talent Harper and Sarah had.”
“Please, I wouldn’t want an ounce of anything related to either of these ragmuffins,” Ontari rolls her eyes.
“What are you guys even doing here?” Clarke asks, hostility in her tone.
“Checking out our competition, obviously. I have to say, I’m not impressed,” Gabby speaks up, raising an eyebrow snobbishly.
Clarke rolls her eyes, “Well you can fuck off, this is Arkadia territory. We don’t want your heavily perfumed body odor to start rotting our field.”
“It might be an improvement, to be honest,” Anya replies.
Before any more fighting can break out, the soccer coach walks over, clapping Sarah on the shoulder. “is there a problem here?” She raises an eyebrow at the Polis students, who smile sweetly back at her.
“None at all, we were just congratulating these girls on their win,” Ontari says, the sweetness in her tone almost making Clarke sick.
“Well that’s very nice of you, I have to steal these star players away now, I’m afraid.”
“Of course,” Ontari replies, nodding at her possy. The Polis students turn and march away, leaving the Arkadian students rolling their eyes and sticking their tongues out at them. It’s childish, but Clarke somehow feels better after it.
The rest of the girls go to wait near the parking lot for Sarah and Harper, they were going to go out later that night. Before they arrive, and Clarke is thoroughly distracted by celebrations over the win, she wonders briefly where Lexa had been during the whole interaction, and if she had only been there to scout the competition, like the other Polis girls. But then Sarah and Harper arrive, and she doesn’t think about it for the rest of the evening.
******
The persistent knocking at the wooden door the following week is not exactly the way Clarke wants to start her day, but she figures it was about time she got of bed, anyway.
She rolls over and falls out of bed with a grunt. She pulls herself up and sleepily makes her way out of her bedroom and over to the front door. She yanked it open. “What?!”
Octavia, Sarah, Harper and Zoe are grinning at her from the front door. “It’s shopping day, Clarke, why aren’t you ready?” Octavia asks, clearly having been the one persistently pounding on the door.
Clarke groaned and slapped her forehead. “Sorry, I forgot.” She steps backwards. “Come in, I’ll be ready in a moment.”
The girls roll their eyes but come inside and head straight over to the kitchen. Clarke rolls her eyes, knowing they’re going to help themselves to whatever is in the fridge and cupboards.
She gets ready in a hurry, quickly shimmying into some jeans and a nice shirt. Brushing her hair and teeth, she applies some light makeup and then grabs her wallet.
“You know we’re getting lunch at the mall, right?” She raises and eyebrow at the four girls who have their mouths already stuffed with some cookies Clarke’s dad had stocked their cupboards with. He had an even bigger sweet tooth than Clarke.
The four girls gave her a sheepish grin, but finished swallowing and then put away the cookies.
“We were hungry now,” Harper says with a pout. Clarke just laughs and heads towards the front door.
“Come on, you dorks.” The girls follow her without question, laughing as they joke about whatever they had been talking about in the kitchen.
Later, the five friends were laughing as they walked down the sidewalk.
“I swear my room was like a sauna! I don’t even remember breaking the temperature valve,” Octavia shook her head, as she finished her tale.
The friends paused suddenly as they saw a group of Polis girls walking towards them. Lexa was conversing with one of the girls near the back of the group. The three girls at the front spotted them and immediately gave the five Arkadian girls their signature snobbish smirk.
“Look at this, a group of ragmuffins decided to gang up and visit the muffin man together.”
Clarke rolled her eyes at Ontari, of course it was Ontari. Her gaze slid over to Lexa briefly, who had briefly glanced upwards towards the group and was frowning from where she stood back with the girl she had been conversing with.
Ontari stepped towards them.
“And the queen ragmuffin is here too. And in your finest rags too.” Sarah immediately dropped her gaze as Ontari stepped up to look down at her with a sneer.
Suddenly, a few things happened all at once. Just as Sarah went to take a step back, Ontari gave her the slightest of shoves. It wasn’t a true shove, but it was enough to send Sarah tumbling down to the sidewalk.
Harper and Octavia immediately leapt towards Ontari, but both were shoved aside by a fuming Lexa Fulton.
Clarke’s jaw dropped in shock as Lexa practically growled at Ontari, grabbing a fistful of her uniform and drawing her close to her face.
“Don’t you dare touch her Ontari!” Lexa’s eyes blazed and suddenly Ontari looked afraid.
“I’ve had it up to here with you insulting these students, and bullying them. You know, I’m done with this. I’m sorry I’ve been a coward for so long and haven’t confronted you. From now on, if you even so much as give any of these girls a look that can be seen as offensive, I’ll be on your case. You hear me?”
Ontari, despite legitimately looking scared, shook her head at Lexa. “What’s your deal Fulton? Why are you defending these girls all of a sudden?”
Lexa paused, glancing down at Sarah. “Because it’s the right thing to do, now fuck off.” Lexa let go of Ontari and shoved her down the sidewalk, the other Polis students joined her, giving Lexa a wide-eyed look.
She ignored them and knelt down to look Sarah in the eye. She gently placed a hand on Sarah’s knee, glancing over her to make sure she was ok. Clarke, still in shock, watched the scene unfold.
“Are you ok Sarah?”
Sarah nodded. “I’m fine Lexa. Thanks for defending me.”
“I’m sorry it had to come to that.” Lexa stood up and offered her a hand. Sarah took it and Lexa lifted her up. The two girls stared at each other and Lexa let out a deep sigh. “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Harper, Octavia, and Zoe all looked at each other, unsure how to respond to the whole interaction.
“Ok, good.”
Lexa suddenly started, and she glanced around her. She very briefly made eye contact with Clarke, before stepping backwards and nodding to the group.
She gave Sarah one last look before turning around and walking away crisply.
The whole group turned their gaze towards Sarah who immediately blushed and glanced downwards.
“Are you ok, Sarah?” Clarke asked, forehead wrinkled in concern.
“I’m fine, it was nothing, really.”
“What was that between you and Lexa?” Harper asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.
Sarah frowned. “Lexa and I? Nothing. She was just being nice.”
“I didn’t even know you’d met before.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well she knew your name.”
“Yeah she comes into the diner I work at sometimes.”
Harper nodded. “Oh ok, that makes sense.”
The five continued walking, talking despite the killed mood. Clarke glanced towards Sarah, who had a thoughtful expression on her face. Clarke just hoped she was ok, after all there really wasn’t a sweeter girl than Sarah.
*****
The door to the diner let out that familiarly annoying ding as she made her way inside, eyes darting around for the one person she was really here for.
Not seeing her at first, Lexa frowned and made her way over to the counter. Thankfully, none of the Polis students were here. Not that they usually came here, but still. Ever since the incident with the Arkadian students, they had steered clear of her. Lexa knew they were sizing her up, trying to decide whether she was someone they truly wanted to mess with. Ontari was fuming, this much Lexa knew. Truthfully, she couldn’t give a crap.
Sighing she slid into her usual seat at the counter, already feeling weary from the week, and it was only Monday.
“Are you going to try something besides the usual today?”
Lexa immediately brightened at the familiar tone. Turning around quickly she met Sarah’s sparkling eyes. Lexa gave her a wide smile. “Nope. I’m afraid if I try anything other than the usual I might give my waitress a heart attack.”
“We can’t have that, can we? I think your waitress is rather fond of you.”
“Oh did she tell you that? Well, don’t tell her, but I’m rather fond of her too,” Lexa leaned in and whispered the last part in Sarah’s ear, heart swelling at the small giggle Sarah let out.
Sarah let her hand brush against Lexa’s, smiling down at her in the way that made Lexa’s heart skip a beat.
“I’ll be right back,” she practically whispered. Lexa guessed she was getting Lexa’s food and coffee.
It was rather terrible coffee. Lexa only drank it because she needed the caffeine, and it was an excuse to hang out here while Sarah worked. It was an odd arrangement, but truthfully Lexa preferred doing her homework here than at home.
A few minutes later Sarah returned, coffee and pie in hand. “Here we go, the usual boring, unhealthy Lexa order.” She placed it before Lexa with a shy smile.
Lexa smiled up at her as she took a sip of the terrible coffee, wondering at the shy look Sarah was giving her.
She reached over tentatively, placing her hand on Sarah’s hand. “What’s wrong?”
Sarah bit her lip, bowing her head as she fiddled with Lexa’s fingers. “I just, I want to thank you for what you did on Saturday. I really appreciate you standing up for me.”
Lexa frowned, glancing down guiltily. Standing up for Sarah was the least she could do. “I should have done something sooner, Sarah. I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“You’ve always been there for me, Lexa. Like that time you came in here and dragged all those stupid Polis students out of here when I texted you.”
“I’ll always be here for you, Sarah. I should have done more to make them back off of you way sooner.”
“It’s okay, I understand Lexa. I do.”
Lexa sighed, staring where their hands continued to play with each other. “Still.” She glanced back up to Sarah’s face, the vulnerability there making her heart ache.
In a way, Lexa had been lying earlier, her life wasn’t all about just surviving. There were these moments, the moments Lexa spent with Sarah, that were Lexa’s one bright spot in her currently bleak life-comparably to her life three years ago, at least. And it was unfair how the two were separated by more than distance and different schools. Their lives were completely different. Lexa could have anything she wanted at the snap of a finger, and Sarah’s family sometimes struggled to get together a nice dinner.
She had left everything good in her life behind in Texas, and she lived most days with only the thought of escaping her past and everything that dragged her down. Everything and everyone but Sarah. Sarah was the only thing she wanted to take with her into her next stage of life. That and the two people she had left behind in Texas that she actually cared about.
And Sarah was so good. Her family may have been struggling, but they were happy most days. Her younger siblings adored Sarah, and her parents were so proud of everything she did. Sarah had these big dreams, and when one night she had sleepily shared them with Lexa as they were tangled up and happy together, Lexa’s breath had been taken away.
Lexa, for the first time, had been willing to share her own dreams, drunk on the way it was so easy with Sarah. They made plans together, and Lexa wished it could stay like this forever.
But then the next morning came, and they had to go separate ways. Sarah to her friends at Arkadia, and Lexa to Polis and people she really couldn’t give a crap about.
Lexa was happy Sarah had good friends looking out for her. Sometimes she wished she had found people like that, but then again, who would be willing to take in her and her messed up past? Lexa had been lucky enough meeting Sarah, she wasn’t going to push her luck.
“Lexa?” Sarah’s voice brought her out of her rambling thoughts. Smiling at Sarah, she glanced around the diner quickly. No one was looking so she quickly brought Sarah’s hand up to her lips and kissed it gently.
“Lexa!” Sarah blushed, also glancing around the diner quickly.
“No one’s looking Sarah,” Lexa’s eyes twinkled.
“Well someone could have been.”
“I checked.”
Sarah just rolled her eyes, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
“Are you still coming over tonight?”
“Of course, I promised your family the best tacos they’ve ever had,” Lexa’s southern drawl suddenly became more pronounced and Sarah rolled her eyes.
“Just because you’re from Texas doesn’t mean you’re suddenly an expert on all things Mexican.”
“I beg to differ. I’ve tasted all the Mexican restaurants in this Massachusetts town, and ya’ll have no idea how to even do Mexican food justice.”
Sarah laughed and shoved Lexa’s shoulder. “Whatever dork. As long as you make guacamole I’ll be happy to fuel your Texas-sized ego.”
“My guacamole does make all the ladies swoon,” Lexa winked at Sarah and then laughed at her blush.
“So you have a trail of ladies following you around now, huh Lexa?”
Lexa’s eyes softened. “Nah, just one, and I kinda like her, so I’ll probably keep her around.”
“Yeah, well, I kinda love you.”
Lexa’s breath hitched in her throat. It wasn’t the first time they said I love you to each other, but hearing it said so casually by Sarah, in public, made her heart do some uncomfortable palpitations.
Before Lexa could reply, Sarah was speaking again. “You know, my parents know why you offer to make dinner for everyone so much. They’re not stupid you know.”
Lexa’s eyes immediately fell downward. “I like cooking.”
“Whatever Lexa, and that’s why you always buy way more groceries than you need. I’m pretty sure there’s no need for apples in tacos.”
“They’re to have with the vanilla ice cream.”
“Really? Then what are the strawberries for?”
“Ummm, diversity and choice? I’m trying to be progressive-minded Sarah.”
Sarah just rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, the door dinged. Lexa turned around and her face immediately slipped into the impassive look that Sarah hated. She felt Sarah pull her hand away, and though Lexa knew it was necessary, it still hurt a little.
Sarah’s friends gave her a weird look, especially Clarke, but then ignored her and turned their attention to Sarah.
Lexa immediately picked up her fork and began eating her pie, already missing Sarah as she slipped away to greet her friends.
She was aware of Clarke’s gaze on her. Truthfully, it made her uneasy. She had been aware of Clarke watching her throughout Sarah’s soccer game. She knew she shouldn’t have gone. There was absolutely no reason for her to be there. But she couldn’t resist. Watching Sarah so at ease on the field had made Lexa so happy; and when she had scored that goal, Lexa was pretty sure she had never been more proud or in love with her secret girlfriend.
But it had made Clarke suspicious. Which was ok, except for the fact that out of all of Sarah’s friends, Clarke was the most astute and observant. Octavia hated her guts, and would never look past her Polis uniform. Harper, likewise, would never forgive her for that time she supposedly filled her car with foam that had ruined the interior. It hadn’t even been her, but Anya and Emori. She had just happened to be in the parking lot when Harper discovered it, waiting for Sarah, actually. But before she could plead her innocence, Anya and Emori had shown up and dragged her away, giggling at the irate Harper. And Zoe hated her on behalf of her stupid boyfriend. She actually had fought with Sterling once, she wasn’t going to deny that. In her defense, he had deserved it. But no one had asked for her version of the events, and ever since, Zoe had had the worst impression of her.
Clarke though, Clarke didn’t have any real reason to hate her. And it had made her much more observant of Lexa’s behavior. Lexa sighed, resolving to avoid Clarke and the other Arkadians even more than she already did.
Sarah’s attention was taken most of the evening, only walking over to fill Lexa’s coffee cup as she gave her apologetic looks, that Lexa simply smiled away. She wouldn’t begrudge Sarah time with her friends. If she had any, she probably would want to spend time with them too. She focused on her homework, she had a lot of work to do in the lab tonight, and she needed to get this done quickly.
*****
Clarke had her gaze fixed on Lexa most of the evening. She had never actually given that much thought to the popular Polis student, but suddenly some sort of puzzle had dropped into Clarke’s lap and she was determined to figure it out.
Lexa was hunched over her homework, writing notes furiously on her page while she sipped from her coffee mug intermittently. It really was terrible coffee, and Clarke had no idea why Lexa drank so much of it.
It required Sarah going over there quite often. Every time she did, she lingered for a few seconds, giving Lexa this look that was undecipherable. Which was weird, because Clarke liked to think she knew Sarah pretty well at this point.
And every time, Lexa would raise her head from her homework, and give Sarah a small smile, thanking her. It was weird. The Lexa she knew was cold and ice. Impassive looks and rigid posture. But in the presence of Sarah, she just seemed to melt a little. Clarke supposed it was pretty much impossible not to, though. Sarah really was such a sweetheart.
“Does it get annoying, her constantly coming in here?” Octavia’s question was directed at Sarah who was leaning against the booth conversing with them. Sarah stiffened at the question.
“No, she’s polite and everything. She’s really not that bad.”
“Say that to my car,” Harper snorted.
“You don’t even know for sure that it was her.”
“Well, she didn’t deny it, and she was literally standing right there with Anya and Emori.”
“You didn’t even give her a chance to deny it.”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
“Hey, she did defend Sarah on Saturday, that’s worth something,” Clarke put in.
“After two years, I’m not sure that’s worth anything,” Octavia grumbled.
Something flashed in Sarah’s eyes, and then she was stalking away, mumbling something about evening prep.
Octavia watched her go with a frown. “What crawled up her ass?”
Everyone shrugged it off, continuing to eat their dinner. But Clarke glanced back towards Lexa, who had her gaze fixed on the door Sarah had just gone through to get into the back. She had a small frown on her face, and her rapid note-taking had completely ceased. Clarke shook her head, returning her focus to the group before her. The mystery of Lexa Fulton could be figured out another day.