Hook(er) Up - A Clexa Fic

Chapter 23- Out of the Clouds

Just one more conference and then the meeting with the owner and chief executive of Flame Corp. That's all she had to get through. The last thing on her schedule was labeled as an informal meet-up too. With Becca Pramheda. Two things Lexa knew didn't usually go together. 

Was it stupid to stress over an informal meeting at a coffee shop? Perhaps. But the idea just didn't lie right with Lexa. It would be first impressions between the two, and the first impressions of their businesses. First impressions with the owner of one of the biggest competing corporations and potential partners. Why would Becca ask for it to be casual?

Perhaps she wasn't actually considering the partnership and this was some half-assed attempt at finding out Lexa's weaknesses? No. That would be stupid. Lexa didn't have any weaknesses. At least not in the business and political realm. 

What if Becca was just planning an informal meeting to get a true sense of her and what she stood by? That seemed reasonable. I mean, it was something Lexa always did herself when working with other brands. Well, technically Anya always took charge of all the informal meets while Lexa worried about the more technical aspect- which made sense considering Anya was definitely more social and casual between the two. So why would Becca ask to meet Lexa specifically?

'Whatever. It didn't matter.'

Lexa knew how to play her cards. She knew how to talk with people- convince people. And while she didn't find much pleasure in such meetings- always feeling they were far less productive- if that's what it took to get Flame Corp as a partnering company, she would bear it.

Was this a big deal? Yes. 

Was Lexa going to stress over it? No.

She had years of practice and experience backing her. She had so many similar meetings before- even back when she was just starting her company- and not once did they go wrong. Not once did she lose her composure. Not once had she not won someone over. Not once did she ever sweat or fidget during her meetings. Never was she nervous. Never did she stutter. It was just her talent- engraved in her genes almost. She was like a wolf in a room full of sheep. She wasn't a force to be reckoned with.

And yet the idea of stressing over some coffee shop meet-up was preferable to the unresolvable internal problem she was having. The problem, that was only getting harder to deal with as days passed by. The problem, that revolved around a certain girl named Clarke. A girl named Clarke that's been on her mind more often than not any second Lexa had to herself. 

'Don't think about it.' Lexa shook her head and turned to the papers in front of her. 

As long as she was able to dedicate all her focus to one thing, she could forget about the pounding against her chest. And that was exactly what she was going to do. Because her priorities didn't accommodate for such emotions. She had bigger things to worry about.

____________________________________________

Taking one last glance at herself in the window's reflection, Lexa brushed any wrinkles off her suit and readjusted her collar the tenth time. She always had a thing to look perfect, professional, and composed. Dress to impress, they say. And she was certainly always doing that.

Her hand pushed against the door handle. It was go time.

She looked around for dark hair and a light complexion past the many heads waiting in line for their lunch-break coffee. It was an awful hour for a meeting, really. She didn't know if she'd even find Mrs. Pramheda, let alone hear her.

"Ms. Woods!" a voice called from the back end of the shop. There sat a woman dressed in a white button-up shirt and pleated, black pants. She had a blazer too but refused to wear it, keeping it rested on the backrest of her chair.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Pramheda," Lexa approached the only table left with a chair left available.

"Clearly a busy one as well," Becca joked.

"At this hour, I've yet to see this place empty," Lexa smiled. "I'm actually rather surprised you've acquired a vacant table."

"Well, arriving early does often have its perks as I'm sure you're aware."

"Of course. Apologies if I kept you waiting." Lexa sat down in the chair across the lady, making sure to not break eye contact.

"Oh no, it's no problem at all! I understood you had a meeting before this."

Their conversation continued, soon flowing into the discussion of their partnership- the real reason Lexa came in the first place. And with the passing hours, she was definitely making an impact, treading between serious and more relaxed topics in a way as to allow just enough of either type of conversation. But now she was really making progress, discussing all the plans she had already established as good staring grounds prior to meeting with Becca. She was basically going down a list. A perfectly formulated list that she already had practically memorized. A list that seemed to have Becca nodding at every new addition.

And it sparked even more satisfactory debates and agreements between the two. Everything was going just right. Even if Becca planned to have a more relaxed conversation to just get to know Lexa, she was showing a major part of herself just through her determination and drive. 

And, as expected, not once did she stress out or misphrase anything that would cause her to stutter.

. . . Until she fell victim to her wandering thoughts, triggered at the distant sight of a girl ordering her coffee in a now rather empty coffee shop.

Lexa's eyes, initially glancing away from Mrs. Pramheda for only a second, were now glued to a relaxed figure squinting her eyes to see the menu above her head. A girl who seemed so oblivious to how amazing she looked without trying, talking to the cashier without noticing the prolonged eye contact she was getting in return. 

She looked so sweet and approachable, the pink, painted on her button nose from the chilly weather she just escaped, only accentuating her gentle features and red, plump lips. She wore almost no make-up, and yet her face glowed against the setting sun's rays that defined her cheekbones and jaw. Even her hair, which was sloppily tied in a ponytail, managed to catch just the right amount of light as to make it glimmer with every small movement, appearing almost like gold. All this without trying.

Lexa's heart starting pounding against her ribcage the more she stared. But she couldn't look away. Her body wouldn't let her. Because of course the only person that walked into the coffee shop whilst Lexa was in the midst of her most important topic yet had to look like an absolute goddess. Because of course, out of everyone and anyone, it had to be Clarke Griffin.

Lexa felt her breathing get irregular, feeling a pit in her chest. She felt her fingers start to get sweaty and fidget with one another. She could feel Becca staring at her in confusion, the sentence Lexa started a minute prior, completely cut off, and forgotten.

And suddenly her nervous sweat was not just due to the girl standing across the room. Lexa screwed up. For the first time in a meeting ever, Lexa Woods stumbled over her words. She completely froze in her own sentence and lost track of her conversation completely. For the first time, she panicked.

And staring at her red cheeks and frantic eyes, Becca could easily guess why.

There was no way Lexa just ruined her chances of working alongside Mrs. Pramheda because of a crush.

This was it. Lexa could not afford any slip-ups. She had to get her head out of the clouds. She had to stop seeing Clarke.