Why I Won't Forget You

Not the same

Clarke and Liam lay there in the backseat of his car, the quietness between them thick and heavy. Clarke stared out the window at the night sky, her mind buzzing with a mix of emotions—none of them quite landing in a place that felt right. Liam, sensing her growing unease, shifted and turned to her.

"Maybe we should go to the party," Liam suggested after a moment, his tone light, as if he was trying to lift the mood.

Clarke sighed, sitting up slowly, running a hand through her tangled hair. She knew what this was—an escape, a distraction, just like everything else lately. Part of her didn't want to deal with the party, with people, with everything that came with it. But the idea of staying in this car, trapped in her thoughts, was even worse.

"Fine," Clarke muttered, her voice flat. "Let's go."

The drive to the party felt like a blur, and before Clarke knew it, they were pulling up to the Wilderbes' house. The music was already loud, and the house was packed with people—just as it always was during these kinds of events. Luna had mentioned she'd invited the other group—those new kids who had somehow wormed their way into Clarke's life over the last few weeks, though she still felt detached from most of them.

As they walked up to the house, Liam slung his arm over Clarke's shoulder, pulling her close like old times. Clarke felt a strange discomfort, something she couldn't quite place. It wasn't that she didn't like Liam—he was familiar, safe even—but the weight of his arm around her felt wrong. Different.

Clarke walked into the Wilderbes' house, Liam's arm draped loosely over her shoulders as they pushed through the crowded entryway. She wasn't exactly sure why she'd agreed to come to this party, especially with Liam by her side, but a part of her was tired of being alone in her head, so she let herself be dragged along.

Inside, the atmosphere was lively—music thumped through the walls, and people crowded the living room, kitchen, and backyard. Clarke spotted Luna and the others across the room—her new group, the ones who called themselves the "delinquents." They were huddled in a corner, laughing and sharing drinks. Lexa, Raven, Octavia, and Bellamy stood close by, and for a moment, Clarke hesitated. She wasn't sure how they'd react to seeing her with Liam, especially since they didn't know him. Only her childhood friends—Dany, Luna, and Jona—were familiar with Liam, and even they hadn't seen him in a long time.

As they approached, Clarke could feel the weight of the stares on her, especially from Lexa, who had been unusually quiet lately. Lexa's piercing gaze fell on Clarke immediately, her jaw tightening slightly as her eyes flicked to Liam's arm around Clarke's shoulders.

Luna was the first to speak up, her usual playful smile spreading across her face. "Clarke, hey! I haven't seen Liam in forever. Are you two back together or something?"

Clarke let out a nervous laugh, shaking her head quickly. "No, no, nothing like that. He just... showed up," she said, glancing at Liam. "Madi invited him."

Liam grinned, clearly unfazed by the curiosity surrounding them. "Just thought I'd check in on her. It's been a while."

The others exchanged looks, but Lexa remained silent, her expression unreadable as she continued to watch the exchange from the edge of the group. There was something about her stare that made Clarke's heart race, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Luna gestured to the group, trying to ease the tension. "Well, it's good to see you both. We were just hanging out, nothing too crazy."

Octavia raised an eyebrow at Liam. "Haven't seen you around in a while. What brings you back?"

Liam shrugged, keeping his arm casually draped around Clarke. "Just visiting for a bit, seeing old friends." His fingers squeezed Clarke's shoulder slightly as he said it, and for the first time, Clarke felt a flicker of discomfort she couldn't ignore.

She shifted slightly under Liam's arm, her attention briefly drawn to Lexa, who hadn't taken her eyes off her. Clarke's pulse quickened under Lexa's gaze, and she found herself feeling strangely out of place, even with Liam beside her.

Before anyone could say much else, Liam, always the social one, suggested, "Why don't we sit and catch up for a bit?"

Clarke opened her mouth to protest, wanting nothing more than to escape the growing tension between her and the group, but Liam had already steered her toward an open spot near Lexa. She reluctantly sat down, feeling Lexa's presence just a few feet away, the air between them thick with unspoken words.

"So," Octavia started, glancing between Clarke and Liam, "how long's it been since you two last saw each other?"

Clarke shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to answer. "Uh, it's been a while," she muttered, avoiding Lexa's eyes. She could still feel them on her, the intensity of Lexa's silence louder than any of the conversation going on around them.

Liam, always quick to charm, chuckled. "Yeah, we used to be pretty close. Figured it was time to reconnect." His words were light, but there was an edge to them that Clarke couldn't quite shake. She glanced over at Lexa, whose expression had barely changed—still that stoic, unreadable look, though her jaw was clenched now.

Luna, sensing the awkwardness, chimed in with a grin. "Well, it's good to have you back, Liam. Clarke's been... quiet lately."

Clarke shot Luna a quick glare, but she didn't say anything. She could feel Lexa's gaze burning into her, and it made her stomach twist. Why was Lexa so focused on her? And why did Liam's casual touch feel so wrong all of a sudden?

As the conversation went on, Clarke found herself drifting further from it, her thoughts tangled in the tension between her and Lexa. The way Lexa kept looking at her—it made Clarke feel seen in a way that unnerved her as Lexa could see past the walls Clarke had built up around herself.

And when Octavia made a playful comment about how close Clarke and Liam seemed, Clarke caught the briefest flash of something in Lexa's expression—something sharp and fleeting, like jealousy. Clarke's pulse quickened again, and she shifted under Liam's arm, feeling more out of place than ever.

"We're not together," Clarke said suddenly, her voice firmer than she intended, cutting through the group's chatter. She glanced at Liam, who gave her a puzzled look, but she didn't back down. "It's not like that."

The group fell into a brief, awkward silence, and Clarke felt a surge of frustration. Why was this so hard? Why did being here, in this moment, feel so wrong?

Lexa finally spoke, her voice quiet but steady. "Maybe we should stop assuming things." Her eyes met Clarke's, and there was something in them—something that made Clarke's heart skip a beat.

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Thanks for reading 📖 hope you enjoyed feel free to comment unless you have something negative to say tho your constrictive criticism is appreciated 😊.