Chapter Text
The early light was shining into the room. Clarke studied the girl asleep in the bed in front of her. Taking in her luscious brown curls that splayed across the pillow, her high cheekbones, razor-sharp jawline, and plump kissable lips. She had never been so in love with someone. But that love had always been there she supposed. From the very first-day forest green eyes connected with sky blue. Their love story started in kindergarten. Although at the time, they didn't know what it was. How could they at that age she thought with a chuckle.
Clarke Griffin was a girl with a plan. Always prepared and ready to take on the world. She wanted to be the very best. That plan however went out the window when a young Lexa Woods walked cautiously through the classroom door. She was small with big curious green eyes. The small girl was being held back by an older bald man with a stern face. Lexa clutched her green backpack to her chest like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
Clarke admired her beautiful tan skin and her wild brown curls. Despite all the cheesy Hallmark movies her parents watched, Clarke never really believed in love at first sight. Or she wasn't sure she'd ever feel such a strong pull to someone. That was until this very day. She watched with peaked interest as the girl nervously made her way into the classroom. Her father always keeping a hand on her shoulder and Lexa winced when his grip tightened.
She didn't like the feeling she got seeing her in pain. She still doesn't like seeing her in pain today. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The teacher clapping her hands to get everyone's attention pulled her from her thoughts. Clarke had a plan. But that plan was long forgotten as she stole glances at the quiet girl across from her all of the class. Eventually, the lunch bell rang and everyone lined up with their lunch bags.
Lexa sat at the far end of the U-shaped table, away from everyone. She seemed happy within her own thoughts. That part is still true with the woman before her today. Clarke set a face of determination and walked up to the girl.
"Can I sit here?" She asked
Lexa looked at her with wide eyes and furrowed brows, clutching her sandwich tightly
"My name is Clarke Griffin." She said with a toothy smile
Lexa's lip twitched into an adorable half reserved smile. She gave a tiny nod and Clarke sat down next to her.
"What is your name?" Clarke asked
"Lexa." She said hesitantly as if unsure she even wanted to share
It wasn't long before Clarke was able to get a small laugh out of the other girl. Lexa was quiet and reserved in nature but not for Clarke. Later during recess, they were swinging next to each other sharing laughs and stealing small glances at one another.
Clarke went home that day with a huge smile on her face and the name Lexa ringing in her mind like a song stuck on replay. From that day forward the two were practically inseparable.
"Klawk!" Lexa would shout with a smile every day after her guardian left
She had trouble with the blonde girl's name. Something Murphy and Finn would tease her for. Clarke was quick to defend her new friend. She even landed herself in the principal's office for pushing Murphy after he had broken all of Lexa's crayons. She hated seeing tears fall out of those green orbs.
Her mother was not pleased, to say the least when she had to leave her shift at the hospital to pick up Clarke for disrupting class. The blonde girl, however, regretted nothing. That day was the first time she got to hold Lexa's hand in her own. After defending her against the trouble maker Murphy, Lexa had grabbed onto her hand to stop her from doing any further damage. She gave her hand a gentle squeeze even as tears continued to spill out of her eyes.
Lexa avoided physical contact with others. Clarke had learned that early on. There was always a respectful distance between the two and anytime Clarke had tried to initiate a hug, Lexa quickly shuffled backward with fear in her eyes. She didn't understand it at the time. How could she have? she was young and shielded from the terrible things that happen in the world.
It wasn't until one fateful day in the third grade, that Clarke's eyes were opened to the cruel world she lived in. She was never meant to see it. Part of her wondered how long it would have taken her to realize what was going on if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes that day. Gym class was finally over. She never liked gym class. She knew she wasn't meant for sports. Clumsy and uncoordinated are the words Jasper and Murphy would use to describe Clarke Griffin. They were spot on in many ways.
Lexa Woods, however, was very coordinated. She could easily keep up with the boys on the rope climb and make a mockery of the children in soccer. It was five minutes before the end of class and the coach had let them go early that day. Giving them all time to get cleaned up. Clarke went to one of the bathroom stalls, while everyone else set about changing and fixing their appearances.
Lexa normally changed in one of the bathroom stalls away from prying eyes. But that day was especially crowded. Her anxiety was at an all-time high as she played with the hem of her sweaty shirt while pacing back and forth. The bell eventually rang and Lexa groaned and hit her head on the locker in frustration.
Students all quickly filed out. The locker room was quiet and Lexa didn't bother with the bathroom stall thinking she was all to herself. She had lifted the hem of her shirt over her head and threw it on the bench. At that moment Clarke had made her way out of the stall, having changed.
The sound of a backpack hitting the floor caused Lexa to spin around with wide eyes while covering her chest with her hands.
"Klawk," Lexa said in shock
"Lexa... you're hurt," Clarke said as she took a step closer
Lexa retreated back a step
"I... I fell." Lexa said nervously as she tried to reach for her clean shirt while still covering her chest
"But there's a handprint Lexa," Clarke said with tears stinging her eyes
"Shh." Lexa hissed as she quickly pulled her shirt over her head
"What happened?" Clarke asked with concern
"I fell... I have to go to class." Lexa says as she quickly gathered her things
Clarke was left standing there with her mouth wide open
She couldn't focus at all the rest of the day. She kept looking over at Lexa with sad eyes. The girl's closed-off demeanor had been a result of her home life. She did not understand how someone could do that. Hurt someone else like that. A child nonetheless.
When the bell finally rang indicating the day was over, Lexa was quick to grab Clarke's wrist outside.
"You can't tell anyone." Lexa stuttered
Clarke looked at her in disbelief "You have to tell someone. The teacher or my mom. She's a doctor. She can help!" She said
"No. Promise me Klawk," Lexa said with wide green eyes searching hers
She hesitantly agreed
Although Clarke kept her promise, it ate away at her slowly. She tried even harder to love Lexa. She wanted nothing more than to see the girl happy and smiling every day she was at school. That happiness didn't last, however. No matter the long clothing she wore, the bruises couldn't stay hidden forever.
Eventually, the school found out. It wasn't until the fifth grade when Lexa broke her arm on the playground. Clarke remembers her yelp of pain like it was yesterday. She sat with her and wiped her tears as the girl held her broken arm tightly to her chest. They wound up in the nurse's room.
Clarke's mom had come to check her out early that day for a dentist appointment. She was quite surprised to see Clarke sitting in the nurse's room when she went to the front office.
"Clarke honey, what are you doing here?" Abby asked
"Lexa hurt her arm," Clarke said as she turned her head around, revealing puffy red eyes and a snotty nose
Abby came into the room and looked around
"Where is Lexa?" She asked
Clarke pointed to the curtain on the far side of the room
Abby made her way over just as the nurse was exiting the curtain and quickly shutting it.
"I'll be right with you ma'am." The nurse says as she quickly picks up the phone and dials into it.
"We have a situation in the nurse's office. I need the principal immediately." She said into the phone before hanging up
Abby looked at her with furrowed brows "I am a doctor, my daughter said her friend hurt her arm. May I check it?" She asked
The nurses pulled Abby aside and they both spoke in hushed whispers. Abby's face went from shocked to neutral in the blink of an eye. She nodded and pulled the curtain back revealing a sniffling Lexa on the small bed.
"Hello Lexa, my name is Abby. I'm Clarke's mom. I'm a doctor. Do you mind if I take a look at your arm?" Abby asks
Lexa looks at her hesitantly and then looked across at Clarke. She turned her eyes back to Abby and gave her a nod. Abby examined her arm carefully as the small girl winced in pain. Her bottom lip trembling.
"It's broken. You'll need to go to the hospital to get a cast on it." Abby says
Lexa shook her head frantically "I'm okay." She choked out
"You aren't okay Lexa. If you don't get a cast, it won't heal properly. You will be in tremendous pain." Abby said slowly
The principal chatted away with the nurse and soon officers and a social worker were joining them in the office. The social worker sank down on her knees and asked Lexa how she got the bruises on her body. Lexa looked petrified. The social workers asked her simple questions and Lexa reluctantly answered her questions. How her guardian had a temper and would lash out at her.
She told them how her parents had died when she was younger and how Titus became her guardian. The social worker explained what was going to happen, while the police officers took statements. Abby offered to take her to the hospital since she was the lead trauma surgeon at Tondc memorial hospital.
The social worker had followed them there and Abby let Lexa pick out her cast color. She of course picked her favorite color, green. She had let Clarke sign her name on it. It put the biggest smile on the girl's face she had ever seen at that time. Abby had offered to take Lexa home with her until they could figure out her living situation. The social worker exchanged information with her and said she would be in touch in the morning.
Clarke intertwined her hand with Lexa's in the back of the car. That night had been one of the best nights of the young girl's life. Jake had made them mac n cheese for dinner and let them have cookies for dessert. Clarke had let Lexa borrow her favorite pajamas. The two fell asleep entangled with one another.
Unfortunately, Lexa became a kid plagued by the foster system. She bounced from home to home. Some were nice, others not so nice. Through it all, the only constant in her life was Clarke Griffin. That was until her current foster home didn't work out. The guy was apparently an alcoholic and the mother was a deadbeat looking for an easy check.
Clarke had tears in her eyes when Lexa told her she was moving again. This time it wasn't around town, it was into another town. One over an hour away. She was moving into a home with a stern woman named Indra and a bigger man named Gustus. They both seemed nice. They already had a foster child living with them for some time. Anya was her name. She was a few years older than her.
She didn't see her best friend after that. Clarke was heartbroken for days.