Why I Won't Forget You

Project

It was a typical Monday morning, and Clarke had settled into her routine, determined to keep her head down and avoid any unnecessary drama. It had been a couple of weeks since the party incident, and she'd done her best to stay out of the scene, skipping any invites and laying low. School, at least, was predictable.

Today for Clarke would be a normal day, go to school attend some classes, come home, eat, sleep repeat throughout the week.

In biology class, Clarke was half-listening to the teacher drone on about genetic mutations when she heard her name.

"Griffin, Woods, you're paired up for the project on genetic diversity," the teacher said, his eyes scanning the room.

Clarke blinked and turned her head slightly, locking eyes with Lexa, who was already looking her way. Lexa gave her a small nod, and Clarke shrugged in response. They hadn't spoken much since the night at Swen's house. It wasn't awkward between them, but there was definitely something... unspoken. Clarke had been avoiding getting too close to anyone lately, even if Lexa intrigued her in ways she couldn't explain.

The promise Clarke had made at the beginning of the year had momentarily been forgotten and that night it all came back.

After class, as they gathered their things, Lexa walked over to Clarke. "Hey, we should get started on the project soon. Do you want to come over to my place this afternoon?"

Clarke slung her bag over her shoulder and smirked. "Lexa, it's literally the first day of the project. You're already eager to start?"

Lexa raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "You know me, I like getting things done early. Plus, it's a big project, and I'd rather not leave it to the last minute."

Clarke chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'll come over. But just know you're a total nerd for this."

Lexa rolled her eyes. "And you're the one who's gonna thank me when we finish before everyone else."

"Fair point," Clarke said, grinning. "Lead the way, Ms. Overachiever."

That afternoon, Clarke arrived at Lexa's house. It wasn't as grand as the twins' mansion, but it was warm and comfortable, nestled in a quiet neighborhood. Lexa's home felt different-more personal. Clarke noticed small touches of Lexa's personality in the details: the neatly arranged books, a few sports trophies on the mantle, and a framed photo of Lexa with a group of friends on a basketball court.

"Nice place," Clarke said as Lexa led her inside.

"Thanks," Lexa said, tossing her bag on the couch. "My mom's out, so we have the house to ourselves. Want something to drink?"

"Sure," Clarke replied, eyeing the neatness of the living room. "You really are organized, huh?"

Lexa smiled as she handed Clarke a soda. "It helps me focus."

Clarke took a sip and leaned against the counter, teasing. "So, do you have a secret lab in here too? Somewhere you practice all your biology experiments?"

Lexa gave her a deadpan look. "Not exactly, but I'm pretty sure we'll crush this project if we actually start working."

Clarke laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm just messing with you. Lead the way, science nerd."

They headed to Lexa's room, where the atmosphere shifted. Clarke could feel the underlying tension that had been building between them ever since that night, but she ignored it, focusing on the project instead. Something she hadn't told Lexa and probably never will but she saw Lexa watching her and that just encouraged her to dance like that.

Lexa opened her laptop, pulling up research, and for a while, they worked in comfortable silence, bouncing ideas off each other.

At one point, Clarke glanced over at Lexa, who was deeply focused, her brows slightly furrowed as she scrolled through a website.