Love Hate Relationship

Chapter 63

Lexa pulled into Clarke's driveway and sat for a few moments. She gave herself the now necessary Clarke pep talk. Friends and friends only. Don't be in love. No kissing. No touching. Well, maybe she could be lenient on that one. Touching was allowed between friends. She got out of her car, walked up to the door, stepping around a set of golf clubs that were sitting on the front porch. She rang the doorbell and Finn answered, keys in his hands.

"Hey Lexa, c'mon in. Let me get Clarke."

Lexa walked into the foyer as Finn called out "Clarke! Lexa's here. I'm heading out to golf now!"

"Okay," came Clarke's reply from upstairs.

"Sorry, I'd love to chat, but I'm already late for my tee time," Finn told Lexa.

"No worries, I'll see you later."

"You can wait in the living room if you want," Finn said, as he rushed out the front door.

"Okay, thanks."

"I'll be right down," Clarke called from upstairs.

"Take your time," Lexa hollered back as she went and sat on the sofa. Oliver came over to Lexa and she gave him the hand signal to sit. When his butt hit the floor, she slipped him a small treat. She ruffled the fur on his head. "Good boy." She went over a few of the other commands that she had been teaching him. He performed like a champ. Lexa had never told Clarke that she was working with Oliver during the week at daycare. The trick today would be to get Clarke to establish her alpha dominance over the dog.

"Hey!" Clarke had been watching Oliver's performance from the steps.

Lexa looked up guiltily, knowing she was caught.

Clarke crossed her arms. "He knows all those commands?"

"Ah, yeah?"

"But, how?" Clarke came over to the couch, looking all confused.

Lexa cocked an eyebrow and tried to look innocent. "I don't know. He's smart?"

The light bulb went off in Clarke's head. "You've been training him during the week, haven't you?"

"Um, what?"

"Lexa? Have you been working with him on the side?"

"Oh...maybe? Yes? Okay, I have been," Lexa said with resignation.

"Is that something you do with all your clients?"

"No. I was just, I don't know, helping you out. I know you have trouble controlling him, and I thought I would help. Since we're friends and all."

"We just became friends a couple of weeks ago. Seems to me you've been training him for a while."

"He's a quick learner."

"Ha! I don't think so. When did you start?"

"Not that long ago, it's no big deal."

Clarke decided to let it drop for now, suspecting that Lexa had been working with Oliver way before their friendship pact. And that thought made her happy for some reason. Even when they were arguing and fighting, Lexa was taking time out of her day to help her dog. "I know that costs extra, I hope you've been charging us." Finn usually paid the bills, so Clarke never saw the weekly bills from Lexa's business.

"No."

Clarke sat down next to her. "No, you haven't been charging us?"

"No, I haven't been. Like I said, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it." Lexa felt a little self-conscious admitting she was spending extra time with Oliver and had been for quite a while now. Was it some sort of subliminal way of being part of Clarke's life? Who the fuck knows. Probably. Muddy McFucked.