Chapter Text
"Jesus, when you said 'small town' you literally meant a small town? This is like in the middle of nowhere? Surrounded by woods? At least 60 miles from the closest city?" Raven said. Her eyes glued to the surrounding forest.
They had just passed the sign. Welcome to Arkadia. Enjoy your stay!
More like welcome back, Clarke thought.
"Yeah...small town. I told you it was one of those places where everyone knows everyone? Not much mystery to it."
"And you really haven't been back for what? 8 years?" Raven asks.
"No"
Raven ponders that for a moment. She rolls down the window and lets the cool night air into the car.
"I know you already told me why but...Clarke...not to point out the obvious but your parents aren't even here anymore..."
Clarke lets that hang in the air. A little awkwardly. Of course her dad isn't here. He's six feet in the ground. The thought must run through Raven's mind at the same time, because she quickly adds "Shit. I'm sorry. I just meant...well your dad is gone...and your mom is back in Chicago so what? Friends? Do you have any other family here?"
"Not really. I mean, I don't have any family. And I probably don't have any friends left. Leaving like I did and...Not really, uh, not really contacting anyone after I left. So no, no family no friends."
Raven lets the topic drop as they drive through Arkadia, back to the house that Clarke's dad had left her.
Clarke didn't expect Raven to understand, but that didn't really matter. She was just glad that Raven was willing to come with her. To say that she didn't expect her to tag along would be an understatement. She was pretty shocked that night after she had broken down and finally told Raven that she had to leave, had to get out of Chicago, the brunette simply said, "Okay. When do we leave?"
"What?"
"Well you didn't think I would just let you leave without me? Leave me behind like an old mattress?"
"No Raven...I just....I didn't expect you to want to come with me? You know why I want to leave..and you know that I don't want to leave you but, I just. I didn't think I had a choice."
"Look Clarke, I know why you want to leave. Honestly I'm kind of surprised that you waited this long. As for me...I don't..I mean, I don't have anything keeping me here? And you know the only reason I came here was...you know. So what else do I have in this crappy city? My shitty job? Please. I can get a shitty job anywhere."
Tears swam in Clarke's eyes, "Raven..."
"I know I know. I'm a great friend. There's a reason why I was always picked first. Well...a reason I used to be picked first."
"I'd pick you first."
"Of course you would. I'm awesome."
Clarke pulls into the driveway of her old house. Well, her dad's old house. After her parent's had split when she was 15, her dad moved out of their (huge) house and bought his own. She spent her weekends with her dad and the rest of the week with her mom. His house was completely different from their (well, her mom’s) house. It was a one story house with decent sized back yard. Even though her mother’s house was bigger, she loved this one more. Where her mother’s house was neat, spotless and minimally decorated, her fathers was the complete opposite. The walls were painted a different color in every room. The furniture was antique and completely miss-matched. He had paintings hung everywhere and different art pieces all around the house. It always smelled like a mixture of paint and flowers while her mother’s smelled like...well, a hospital. She'd always felt more comfortable at her dads house. He let her decorate her own room. He even let her paint what she wanted on the walls. This was her home. She'd always felt like a guest at her mother’s house, even though she had lived there most of her life. It just had that kind of feel to it.
Clarke turned the engine off and looked over at Raven. Once again, her chest fluttered with affection. When Clarke imagined coming home, she always imagined herself alone. She never actually thought she'd have someone in her life who'd willingly follow her all the way to the East Coast.
"What?" Raven asked, noticing the way Clarke was suddenly looking at her.
"Nothing. I'm just...I'm just really glad you're here" Clarke answered.
"So am I...now can we please get out of this car? I don't want to sit in this thing for the next month. No. The next year. I think my ass has left a permanent imprint in this seat." She opens the door and steps out.
Clarke laughs and opens her door.
She looks back at Raven, but she's looking at the sky. It was 1:21 in the morning and it was almost pitch black outside.
"What are you looking at?"
"The stars. There are so many of them here? Wow. It's pretty much impossible to see them back in Chicago, with all the lights. I'd forgotten how beautiful the sky looked at night."
Clarke looked up. It was true. She couldn't remember the last time she looked up and saw more than a couple here and there. But here they were everywhere. In every direction she looked, stars and more stars. It really was beautiful. And instead of making her feel small, insignificant, she was in awe. She'd been nervous about coming home since she'd first had the thought, months ago. Now, standing here, with the vast sky above her, she didn't feel nervous. She felt whole.
"Let's just grab our purses and leave the suitcases for tomorrow. I just want to lie in an actual bed."
"Okay" Clarke said.
They grabbed their bags and made their way to the front door. Clarke unlocked it and flipped on the light switch. She had called the power company a week before they left and requested to turn the electricity back on. After she decided to leave, she didn't want to rent the house out. She told herself it was because she didn't want the hassle of having tenants and being something like a land-lord but...if she was going to be honest, it was mostly because she didn't want some family to move in and change the house. It was her home. It didn't feel right to let some strangers make it their own. It was for that reason that she couldn't sell it either.
Raven took a look around. So did Clarke.
It had been 8 years since she last saw this place. She thought of it often, and she had spent enough time there to remember where everything was; how it looked. But there were things she'd forgotten. Like how some of the paintings hung slightly crooked, or how her dad always seemed to buy the most random things and label them as 'house decor'. There was a candle warmer in the shape of a pumpkin next to the tv. There was a small black model of the Eiffel tower on the other side of the candle warmer; the tv between the two. She looked around the living room. It didn't scream of abandonment. In fact, it just seemed like whoever lived here left to run errands or something. There was even an old mug on the coffee table.
Tears swam in her eyes once more. The feeling was overwhelming. She could practically see her father sitting on the couch, his feet perched on the coffee table.
Raven noticed the look on Clarke's face after she'd looked around for a few minutes. She closed the distance between them with a few steps and silently pulled Clarke into a hug. That was another thing she loved about her friend. She always seemed to know when Clarke was hurting, when she needed to be held.
Clarke let a few tears slip down her face as they hugged.
"I know this must be hard for you, Clarke. I know. You don't have to pretend like this place doesn't make you sad."
Clarke nodded. "I know...I guess I had just forgotten what it felt like..being in this place. And it doesn't make me sad because he's gone...I've come to terms with that. I know he's not coming back but...in Chicago everything was new but here...everything just screams 'I was here', you know?"
"I know. Are you sure you can handle being here? I mean...this is all his stuff."
"I can. I can handle it. It makes me homesick, for him, but it also makes me happy. It makes me feel safe."
They finally let go of one another and Clarke showed Raven the rest of the house. She takes her into the small kitchen, then down the hall to show her where the (only) bathroom is. She takes her into her dad’s room next. Much like the living room, her father’s room screams of his presence.
"I think...I mean, tomorrow, we should clear this room out. You can sleep here tonight, or join me in my room but tomorrow let’s clear it out."
"Are you sure? I mean...it's his room."
"No Raven. I'm sure. The dead don't need rooms. The living do. So tomorrow let’s pack all this stuff up. I'll put it in the garage. Tomorrow, it'll be your room" Clarke says, and smiles at her friend. Hopefully convincing her that she really was okay with it.
"Okay, well, I can sleep with you tonight" Raven says.
Clarke took Raven to her room. It looks exactly like she'd left it. No surprise there.
"Woah! Clarke! Oh my god. This is amazing! Your dad let you do this?" Rave exclaimed, looking at the wall farthest from the door.
Clarke's dad let her paint her walls. At first she just settled for white because she couldn't really decide on a color. When her dad told her it didn't have to be just one color, Clarke had finally decided on what she wanted to paint. The wall Raven was now studying was painted (from top to bottom) as a replica of The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. Her dad helped her paint it. The other three walls were painted the same blue, with little yellow stars clustered at different positions all around.
"Yeah, he actually helped me" Clarke told her.
"Wow. It's amazing. I know I already said that but...just wow."
Clarke chuckled. "Thanks Raven. Maybe we can paint your room too? If you want that is."
Raven whipped around. "Oh my god, yes, Clarke, yes! I would love that...but what should I do? I mean, which painting?"
"Well it doesn't necessarily have to be a painting. It can be whatever you want it to be. It is your room after all."
Raven smiled at her before turning back around to look at the walls.
"But can we please decide tomorrow, or whenever, that isn't tonight? I'm about five seconds away from passing out."
"No shit. Let's go to bed."
Clarke found herself a pair of old stretchy sweatpants and a big t-shirt. She grabbed something similar for Raven. While Clarke was sure that Raven could fit Clarke's 18-year-old clothes, she was less hopeful for herself. She'd become a little curvier in the past 8 years, gained a little weight. But the old sweat pants and t-shirt still hung on her comfortably. She'd always loved clothes that were a little big when she was at home.
She changed in the bathroom, and after washing her face she made her way back to her room a little lazily. Raven was already under the covers by the time Clarke made it back. She turned the lights off and crawled in.
"Hey Raven?"
"Hmm?"
"I know I've already said this but..thank you. I...I'm so glad you're here with me. I'm glad I'm not alone."
"S'okay Clarke. What are friends for?"
"Goodnight Raven"
"Goodnight Clarke"
She shifted until she was comfortable. The last thought she had before she drifted off to sleep was that she was so glad she'd come home. She couldn't remember why she didn't come back sooner.
When Clarke woke up the next morning, she was alone. She got up and went to search for Raven. She found her in the kitchen.
"There's no food. No coffee." Raven groaned.
"Well...we did get here at 1 am. What'd you expect? I think I have a bag of M&M's in my purse?" Clarke suggested.
"Thanks but no thanks, Griffin. I need something a little more substantial. Some real food." Raven said.
"Okay well...let’s get dressed and go grocery shopping? Or maybe to a diner or something?"
"Diner first. We can go shopping afterwards."
"Okay well, I really need a shower."
About an hour later, when they were both clean and dressed properly, they got into Clarke's car.
"Ugh I can't believe I'm back in this thing already. It hasn't even been 24 hours!" Raven said.
"Well, do you want to walk? Maybe carry all of our groceries home?"
Raven gave her a look.
"That's what I thought." Clarke smiled.
She had felt peaceful last night. But now, with the sun well into the sky, she started feeling nervous again. She was bound to run into someone eventually. She could only hope that she wouldn't be recognized (yeah right)...scratch that. She hoped that whoever recognized her would be civil, or just ignore her.
They made their way to a Waffle House about 15 minutes away. They walked in and sat down in a booth. The place was half-full. It was almost 11 am.
A young waitress (one Clarke didn't recognize, thank god) came to their booth and took their orders. She was too cheerful, in that waitress-y way. And she obviously didn't recognize either of them, so she made a little chit-chat but nothing too uncomfortable. She probably figured they were just passing through.
Clarke basically inhaled her waffles. She was finished by the time Raven was only half-way done with her meal. Clarke grabbed her mug of coffee and took a long sip while she surveyed their surroundings. From what she could tell, there were a few elderly couples and a few younger families. No one their age. Good.
"So what are you gonna say when people ask why you came back? Because you know they will, right?" Raven asked.
"Yeah...they'll ask...um, but I'm not really sure what I'm going to say. I guess I could say something cheesy like 'I just missed this place' to my acquaintances but...as for my friends..or well, the people who actually used to know me, I have no idea."
"Well, is there anyone who you actually want to see?"
Clarke thought about that for a second. Of course. Of course there were people she actually wanted to see. She thought of Monty. Of Jasper. Of Maya, Harper, Monroe. She thought of Miller. She thought of Bellamy and her heart rate sped up.
"Yeah, yeah there are people I want to see. But. I don't know if they actually want to see me." She looked down at her hands. They were starting to tremble at the thought of seeing them. Seeing him. The coffee wasn't exactly helping.
"You think they'll be mad? What about that one guy...you know...the one you told me about?"
Clarke sighed. "I really don't know. I don't know if any of them are still here. And if they are...I can't really see any of them being happy to see me. I'm the one that left. I'm the one that never bothered to call, or visit, or anything really."
"Why is that? If you don't mind me asking? I mean, I know why you left but you never really explained why you never made any contact with any of them?"
"I don't know. I guess I just thought, at the time, that I needed a clean slate. That I needed to leave my old life, and by that extension, the people in it if I wanted to be someone new...but by the time I realized how messed up that was, it was too late. I didn't really have the courage to reach out...to any of them. I just figured they'd moved on so I should too."
"Yikes. Well hopefully we can avoid that for a little while. Get settled first then cross that bridge? Besides, they're your friends. Well, they were, 8 years ago. So maybe they'll be accepting?"
"I'm not really sure Rae. I just know that I'm fucking nervous. I...I think I hurt a few of them. Leaving like I did."
Raven studies her. "That guy?"
"Yeah"
"Well I guess we'll find out eventually. And besides, you know I'll have your back. And if anyone's too rude...I'll just give them that Raven Glare. You know that always works."
Clarke laughs. How did she get so lucky? How did one of the worst things that's happened to her lead her to Raven?
Afterwards, they made their way to the grocery store a few streets away from the diner. Clarke parked and looked outside. Nothing had changed. Everything looked exactly the same. The only thing that was different was her.
They got out and went inside the store. Raven grabbed a cart and they made their way around, picking up food as they went. The house was missing a few things, so they got those as well; shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper and other necessities. The cashier, an elderly woman Clarke recognized but couldn't name, checked them out.
"Good morning ladies. Find everything you were looking for?"
"Yes, thank you" Clarke answered.
"You ladies new to town? You look kind of familiar" she said, looking at Clarke.
"Um, not exactly, I used to live here. But my friend here is new to town"
"Well, in that case, welcome back. What's your name?"
"Clarke Griffin"
"Griffin? As in Jake and Abby's daughter?"
"Yep. That's me."
"Wow Clarke, you've really grown up! I remember you coming in here with your father"
Clarke tried to smile, mumbled "yeah" while hoping that the lady would just hurry up.
"I'm sorry...for your loss. I don't know if I ever told you that. Your dad was a good man"
"Thanks. Um, how much do I owe you?"
"65.73" They'd gotten a lot of stuff. The cart was full.
Raven came up to stand next to Clarke.
"Let me get half of that" she said.
"No Raven. I got it this time. It's the least I could do"
"Suit yourself"
Clarke paid and waved goodbye. They put the groceries in the trunk and made their way home.
"So that wasn't too bad" Raven said.
"No. I guess I should get used to it. But honestly...I just can't wait for everyone to finally accept that I'm back and stop asking me questions. That was nothing compared to what I'll probably get."
"Yeah well...can't get there without going through the shitty part first" Raven said.
"Yup."
They got home and unloaded their groceries. Filled the fridge and the cabinets with food, the bathroom with the things they'd gotten.
Afterwards Clarke craved coffee so she went into the kitchen only to realize they didn't have a coffee maker.
"Ugh. We need to get a coffee maker ASAP" she said, as she sat down on the old couch next to Raven.
"Yeah, and cable and internet?"
"That too...but its Sunday. So we'll have to wait until tomorrow for that"
"Well do you want to go shopping? Get a coffee maker and other things?"
"I don't know Raven...I kind of just want to sit around the house. Maybe clean a little? Unless you want to?"
"No, it can wait. I'm down for a day inside"
They decided to get up and start cleaning. After a few hours, Clarke was pleased with their progress. They'd dusted and vacuumed, they opened the windows and washed them. They wiped down the kitchen and the floors. She sat back down on the couch and Raven joined her. They decided to make dinner. Since Clarke wasn't a good cook (she wasn't ashamed to admit it), she set the table and went to clean the bathroom while Raven cooked dinner. Clarke took another shower (cleaning was sweaty work) and dressed in a pair of leggings and another loose shirt. She got the bottle of wine out of the freezer and found two wine glasses. She filled them both to the brim.
They ate dinner and drank their wine. Raven was a good cook. She could only do a few dishes, but still. They were tasty.
"So have you thought about job options?" Clarke asked Raven after complimenting her on the food.
"Not really. I mean, I just figured I'd go to a garage or something and tell them about how awesome I was. You guys do have a garage here, right?"
Clarke rolled her eyes. "Of course we have a garage! It's actually pretty popular. Well, it was when I left. It's pretty big. Big enough that people from surrounding towns, even the city, come down to get their cars fixed or whatever"
"Well that’s great! Do you know the owner?" Raven said, taking another sip of her wine.
"Yeah. I do actually" Clarke looked down. Took another bite of the chicken-alfredo Raven made. "I guess we could go in together and I can introduce you?"
"Yeah that'd be awesome. Hopefully they're hiring."
"Well...even if they aren't, I'm sure they'll hire you. Who would pass up on an 'awesome' mechanic?"
"Very funny Clarke"
"I know" Clarke smiled.
They ate in silence for the next few minutes while Clarke thought about the garage. It was true...she did know the owner. Marcus Kane. He'd always been kind to her, her father. But the last time she saw Kane, he was in a new relationship with Aurora Blake. She shuttered. She wasn't sure if they were still together, but, they might be. She wasn't ready to face Aurora yet.
"What about you? “Raven asked, pulling Clarke back to reality.
"I don't know. I guess I just figured I'd go to the hospital and ask for a job. Pretty much every hospital could always use another doctor"
"Is that what you really want to do? Or is that you settling?"
"I don't know Rae. I don't know if I even want to be a doctor anymore. Resident, technically. But I think it's for the best. Right now. That way I can have some form of income while I actually decide if that's what I want to do."
"Well, that's a good way of looking at it. But I hope it won't be like it was in Chicago. I mean, sometimes you'd be away for days? Sleeping at the hospital?"
Clarke laughs. "Well, I don't think that'll be an issue here. Small town, remember?"
They finish their dinner and their wine. Clarke washed the dishes (as a thanks for dinner) and afterwards they settle on the couch, with more wine in their glasses. They talk a bit about Chicago, and call the (few) friends they made to let them know how things were going.
"So do you want to start clearing your room?" Clarke asks Raven.
"Yeah! We could get a lot done before we head to bed but...we don't have any boxes?"
"Shit. I knew we forgot something" Clarke sighs.
"I guess we can get those tomorrow when we go shopping?"
"Yeah, but for right now, we could clear the big stuff? You know like, the stuff that won't fit in boxes anyway?"
"I'm game" Raven says, and they get up and go to work.
They take the paintings off of the walls and take them to the garage. They start sorting the items so that the can put them in boxes the next day; giving them an idea of how many they'll need. Occasionally Clarke will come across something she wants to keep for herself, like her dads old copies of Harry Potter (they both loved those books) and his old watch. Clarke decides that they should donate some of the stuff to the closest Goodwill.
"Are you sure?" Raven asks.
"Yeah" Clarke smiles, "I mean, if I don't it would just be in the garage collecting dust. But this way, at least someone can get some use out this stuff? I know my dad would want me to do that"
Raven smiles at her and gets back to sorting. Something about being home makes it easier to talk about him. And packing some of this stuff up, donating it, making room for Raven fills her with joy. Her father was gone but his memory was everywhere. She didn't need to keep his clothes, his shoes, to remember him. She always would.
After a few hours they decide to call it quits. They go to bed early, a little tired from all the cleaning and moving they did.
"Hey, are you asleep?" Raven asks.
"Yes" Clarke answers.
"Very funny. Anyway, I think I know what I want to do with my room."
"Yeah? What do you have in mind?"
"Outer space."
"Outer space?"
"Outer space."
The next morning, Clarke makes a list of things they need to do while Raven makes them breakfast. Something about making a list makes her feel good. Wow. I'm happy about making a list? She thought. Well, they do say it's the little things in life!
After they eat, Clarke quickly clears the table and does the dishes while Raven gets ready. As usual, Raven looks amazing. Simple, in a red tank top and black pants that stick to her long, toned legs. Her hair is up in it's usually pony tail and she's got on lipstick that's precisely the shade of her shirt.
"How can you do that? It's not fair." Clarke says, looking at Raven.
"Do what?"
"Get ready in like 10 minutes? Put on a basic outfit and look amazing?"
"Basic? Thanks. Haha. Kidding. I can't help it."
"Obviously"
Clarke goes to her closet and ponders. She wants to look nice. She will probably not be as lucky as she was yesterday. Chances are, today she'll actually run into someone who knows her.
"What's up? You're just standing there, I thought we were leaving?"
"We are. I just...I don't know what to wear. I'll probably run into people I know today, especially since we're going to the garage...so I want to look decent. I don't want anyone to think I let myself go..."
"Hm. Well how about this?" Raven holds up a pink dress.
"Raven.....I want to look casual but nice. I don't want to look so nice that it's obvious that I'm trying? I want to look cute but casual...like you"
"Okay jeez" Raven says as they both look through Clarke's suitcase. She hasn't fully unpacked yet.
"Okay so how about his?" Raven holds up a pretty blue tank top.
It had thick straps and it was tight up top (did good things for her boobs) and flowy from there. Clarke put it on and Raven handed her a pair of nice jeans. Clarke went and put on some mascara, a little champagne colored eyeshadow and let her hair out of its braid. She looked in the mirror. With her hair long and blonde, her makeup and the blue shirt, she looked cute. Cute but casual.
They went to one of the many family-owned stores, Meca, because Clarke remembered they had carried appliances. She knew the owners and she recognized a few customers but luckily no one approached her. They picked up a coffee maker, a toaster, some new sheets for each of them and a comforter for Raven. They got a Blu-ray player (they needed those Netflix binges) and a new lamp for Raven's room.
Afterwards they made their way to the garage. Clarke's nerves were at an all-time high. She gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were turning extra-white.
"Are you that nervous?" Raven asked, glancing at Clarke's death grip on the steering wheel.
"Is it that obvious?"
"To me, yeah"
"Yeah, I'm a little nervous. The garage is next to this bar slash restaurant, Kane owns both, and uh, well it was kind of a 'hangout spot' for a lot of us. So I'm worried about who I'll run into."
"Is this about your friends? Or that guy? Who by the way, I don't even know the name of?"
"It's not important. I mean...he probably won't even be there. He might have left this place." Clarke wasn't sure who she was trying to convince, Raven or herself. He was still here. She just knew it.
"Clarke, if it makes you that nervous, I could go in by myself? You know I have no problem with that?"
"No, I don't want to do that to you. Besides...I'll have to face him...face them, eventually"
"Okay, well, if you're sure"
They pulled into the parking lot and Clarke glanced around quickly. It was different.
The first thing she noticed was that it was bigger. They had expanded. The garage was practically twice as big as it used to be. The bar/restaurant combo was right next to the garage, it also looked a little different. A lot nicer, from what she could tell from outside of the car. But the biggest difference was the huge yellow-lettered sign that hung on the garage building, about a quarter from the top. It said Kane-Blake Automotive. Shit. It used to be just Kane Automotive.
Clarke actually felt nauseous. She could already feel the sweat coating her palms, gathering at the base of her neck. Her heart hammered in her chest. Raven was looking at her from the passenger side, studying Clarke's face to see her reaction. Control yourself, Clarke. It's just a sign, Clarke thought to herself. She looked over and gave Raven a tight-lipped smile, trying to give her what she hoped was an I'm okay smile.
"Clarke. Look. We both know you don't want to do this. I have no problem going in there by myself. You know that. Why don't you just wait in the car?"
"Raven...I have to face them eventually? And I already told you I would do this"
"No, Clarke. I mean, yeah you do have to face them eventually but it doesn't have to be today. It can be on your terms. In fact, I'm asking you as your friend to please stay in the car. You having a panic attack while I'm trying to secure a job is the last thing I want"
And before Clarke could even respond Raven was out the door. Walking right into the garage and speaking to the first person she saw. Clarke watched her from the car. A little jealously, if she was gonna be honest with herself. She admired Raven. The way she could basically face anyone at any time about anything.
Meanwhile, Clarke was sitting in her car, watching her best friend charm anyone within hearing distance. Raven was taken to the office, where she was probably talking to Kane. He's probably making her a job offer right now, Clarke thought. She loved Raven but something petty inside of Clarke made her resent her friend in that moment. But she quickly banished that thought and settled on something she'd thought quite often: Coward.
I can't believe I'm here, hiding in my car. But she just couldn't bring herself to open the door and get out. Her hand was on the handle; all she had to do was pull. But she couldn't. However, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't relieved. Oh well. I'm a coward. And I don't care. I will face them. All of them. But I want to have a few glasses of wine before I do. Or a fifth of vodka.
She stayed in the car and looked around. She saw a few people here and there but not clearly enough to tell if it was anyone she knew. The place looked nice. They must have really picked up. The thought made Clarke smile. Though her father's place was her home, this place was in almost all of her best memories. It was more than just a hang-out spot for her group of friends. It had this homey feel to it; like she was with her family when she sat at the bar, or one of the tables, or in one of the booths with her friends. They came there a couple of times a week, and almost every single Friday/Saturday night. It was where she took her first sip of alcohol. Where she'd tried her first cigarette. Where she technically got her first boyfriend. A lot of memories.
Suddenly she had the urge to get out and go into the bar. To see if it still looked the same. Did the same items hang on the walls? Were the booths and stools still red? Was their booth still there? The one she and her friends almost always claimed as their own? Were her initials still in the bottom left corner (where she always sat) of the wooden table where they always sat? Or was the inside as different as the outside? She wasn't sure how that made her feel, but she pushed the urge to get out of the car down, and stayed where she was.
She waited for a little over 10 minutes before she saw Raven making her way out of the garage. The confidence in her strut and the smile on her face told Clarke how it had went even before she got the chance to ask. As Raven made her way to the passenger side, Clarke smiled at her and looked back at the garage.
She scanned the area one last time before her eyes landed on a pair of eyes that were already watching her. The look in those eyes told her that she'd been seen. She'd been caught. Clarke couldn't will herself to look away, even though the blood in her veins had turned to ice.
Embarrassed, Clarke looked down and quickly got out of the parking spot and made her way out of the area. She tried (really, she did) not to look in the rear-view mirror but she couldn't help herself. So she looked. And she saw what she'd been expecting to see.
Aurora Blake starring daggers at her. If looks could kill.
"So I take it that it went well?" Clarke asked.
"Yes!" Raven exclaimed, smiling. "I talked to the owner, Marcus? And he was totally amazing. He only asked me a few questions and I told him about my experience in Chicago. I told him I had a resume that I could bring him but he said I didn't have to. He said they closed early tonight, at 6, and that I could come by the bar and bring him my paperwork and talk about a possible offer!"
Clarke smiled. She wasn't surprised. "I'm glad Raven. So are you gonna go?"
"Well duh. Do you want to come with? It probably won't take more than an hour or two but you could hang out at the bar?"
"I don't know if I'm ready. Did...do they know you came here with me? Did they ask?"
"No, he didn't ask. But I told him anyway. I didn't say I was here with you. I said that I just moved to town and that he'd be stupid not to hire me."
"You actually said that?"
"Well...not those words exactly but I think he got the message" Raven said, smirking.
Clarke laughed. "Well it's true. They would be stupid not to hire you. You're the best mechanic I know."
"I'm the only mechanic you know"
"Hey! That's not true"
Raven laughed. "So where to next? The hospital? We need to eat. I'm starving. Oh, and we forgot the boxes...again"
"Shit! Where is my mind?" Clarke asked.
"I have a few ideas" Raven said but then quickly added "No matter. Why don't we stop by the hospital first? Then go back to that store and ask for a few boxes? Take them home and eat. Then I can just take your car and go to the garage myself? We can start packing when I get back".
And so they did.
Raven stayed in the car while Clarke went inside the hospital, asking the receptionist at the front desk if she could talk to someone in Human Resources. She made her way to the HR office and talked to a woman she didn't recognize. Becca was her name. She asked Clarke a few questions in an impromptu interview fashion. And she seemed satisfied enough with Clarke's answers and resume to discuss employment options on the spot. She was impressed with Clarke's credentials. They needed another doctor in the Critical Care Unit and Clarke was qualified for the position. She gave her the basic paperwork and told Clarke to look over it and contact her in 48 hours if she wanted to accept the offer. Clarke knew she was going to take the position, but she still told Becca she would get back to her.
She made her way out of the hospital and into the garage. She liked Becca. And she knew the hospital well enough.
Next they made their way back to Meca and asked for some boxes. A cashier went into the stockroom and came back with a variety of different sized boxes. She helped her and Raven load the boxes into Clarke’s car and they were home a little after 4 pm.
Raven made them sandwiches while Clarke looked over the paperwork Becca had given her. She decided she would call her the day after tomorrow.
After they ate Raven left for the garage and Clarke was left to her own devices. She wondered if she should have went along with Raven. They might have let her off easy during her interview, but she was sure that she would be questioned more thoroughly tonight. And what if Raven told them that she was here? Then they would all know she was back, and worse, that she was too scared to face them. Clarke groaned. Hopefully Raven would keep that piece of information to herself. She knew Clarke wasn't ready.
But then she remembered that Aurora had seen Raven get into Clarke's car. She knew Clarke was here. She probably told Kane, and by that extension, everyone who worked there. Fuck my life. She couldn't get the way Aurora had looked at her out of her mind. Cold. Angry. Calm down Clarke. You are a free woman. This is a free country. Aurora Blake doesn't own this town. This is your home. You are allowed to be here.
She tried to calm herself down. She hooked the Blu-ray player up to the tv and logged in to Netflix. She had set up their internet this morning. She browsed a little before deciding to continue her (third) re-watch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She got herself some wine and a couple of mini KitKats before settling in on the couch, wrapping herself in a thin blanket. She tried to forget about the garage, about Aurora Blake's unforgiving glare.