The (Bill)ionaire

Chapter 5: The Next Morning

As the night went on Clarke slowly started to get drunk, Lexa on the other hand decided to be the more responsible one and just stick with water for the rest of the night. When Clarke started to get too drunk Lexa decided it was better to call it a night soon and told Clarke she should take it easy and sober up a bit. After a bit of arguing Clarke agreed and started to drink some glasses of water, after which Lexa called her driver, which yes she had but she didn't use his services often because she didn't like it when other people had to do things for her. In this scenario however, she was glad she could call her driver since she didn't like the idea of letting Clarke get home by cab.

Not long after Lexa got a text from her driver, saying that he was waiting outside the bar. She smiled and turned to Clarke, who was giggling at something on the bar TV screen. "Hey, Princess, come on. The car is here. I'm taking you home." She said, gently nudging her shoulder.

Clarke looked at Lexa with a pout. "But I don't want to go home. I want to stay here with you." She whined, wrapping her arms around Lexa's waist. "You're so pretty."

Lexa felt a surge of warmth in her chest, but also a pang of guilt. She knew that Clarke was extremely drunk and probably didn't mean what she was saying. She also knew that Clarke probably wasn't going to remember much of tonight, seeing how much she had had to drink.

"I know princess, but it's getting late and you are very drunk." Lexa said hoping to convince the blonde, but knowing it wasn't going to be that easy, she added: "Here take my card, we can do this again some other time, okay princess?".

Lexa knew there probably wouldn't be another time because she had noticed how Clarke had looked at her when she offered her a drink, Clarke probably knew who she was and it didn't look like she was a fan, to say the slightest. That's also why it surprised Lexa when Clarke accepted her offer and more so told her about what had made her come here in the first place. Therefore Lexa expected Clarke would throw away her card the first thing in the morning especially if she didn't remember their interaction.

Clarke took the card from Lexa's hand and stared at it. It had Lexa's name, phone number, and email address on it. Clarke smiled, realizing Lexa wanted to stay in touch with her. She tucked the card in her pocket and looked at Lexa with a warm expression. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "Of course, Princess."

--

Despite their long night full of drinks, Lexa wakes up early the next morning, she isn't one to sleep in since she is determined to do her work and to the dislike of her cousin, often puts her work above everything else.

Today however work isn't the first thing on her mind, she finds herself sitting at her desk thinking about Clarke. It wasn't like her to walk up to a random stranger at a bar and have a chat with them, but seeing as the girl nervously watched the menu, clearly embarrassed for what Lexa assumed was because the girl couldn't afford the high-priced drinks Polis offers, she felt the urge to walk up to her and help her out. So she did. Her initial plan was to offer her a drink and after that leave her alone, but as she started talking to the girl she felt herself wanting to get to know her, for some reason, she felt a connection with the girl she only just met. And when Clarke had told Lexa about her father, her heart broke. She immediately felt the urge to make her smile, to comfort her, to protect her, and to help her in whatever way she could.

--

Where Lexa woke up early, Clarke was the exact opposite, she probably could have slept the entire day if it wasn't for the knock on her bedroom door waking her. She groaned and buried her face in her pillow, hoping it would go away. But the knocking continued, followed by a familiar voice.

Clarke, honey, are you awake? It was her mother Abby. Clarke felt a surge of guilt and dread. She hadn't responded to her mom's text and knowing Abby she must have been so worried when Clarke hadn't returned yet, in the evening when Abby left for work. Although she felt guilty for not responding to her mom and acting the way she did the previous day, she wasn't quite ready to face her.

Knowing she couldn't ignore her mother forever she sighed and got out of bed with an extreme headache, god she was hungover. She walked to the door of her bedroom and opened it slightly, peeking out.

"Mom," she said softly. Abby who was in tears smiled and hugged her daughter. "Clarke, I'm so glad you are okay. I was worried sick about you." Clarke felt a wave of emotion wash over her. She hugged her mother back, feeling tears siting her eyes. She had missed her mother, too, and knew her mother wasn't to blame, she only wanted to protect her daughter, but even thinking about losing her dad for good hurt her so much that she got angry at her mother.

"I'm sorry, Mom," she said softly. I'm sorry for reacting the way I did, I know you would never make that decision if you had another choice and I'm sorry for just walking away like that and not responding you your messages."

Abby pulled away from the hug and looked at Clarke with concern. "It's okay honey. I understand you were angry. But please don't hate me... I can't lose you too."

Clarke shook her head and wiped her eyes. "I don't hate you mom, I could never hate you... I love you. I just don't want to lose him for real and I got angry. I shouldn't have reacted my anger out on you."

Abby smiled and kissed Clarke's forehead. "I love you too, honey. But you have to understand that this is what Jake would have wanted, Clarke you have been dreaming of becoming an artist your entire life, you can't drop out of school the last year."

Clarke sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway, nobody wants to hire someone without education or experience anyways."

Abby Is relieved to see that Clarke has already given up on finding a full-time job, but on the other hand, she feels terrible for Clarke, knowing that her daughter doesn't like to be helpless, especially when it comes to helping her dad. "Oh, honey... I'm so sorry, I know you want to do everything you can to help him, but sometimes it's just not in our control." Abby says, trying to comfort Clarke a little. "Just promise me you won't go out and do reckless things again okay? And please don't lose yourself in alcohol like I did, it's no good. I don't blame you but I could smell the alcohol from the living room when I walked in"

Abby had smelled the alcohol the minute she walked into the apartment when she came home from work early in the morning. She was glad to know that Clarke had come home, but she was certain Clarke had drank way too much, which worried her knowing what had happened to her after they got the news Jake would most likely never wake up. She had started drinking a lot, which hurt her work, Clarke, and mostly on herself. She was lucky enough to have Marcus (a colleague and friend) who helped her through it before it got out of hand.

"I.." Clarke wanted to answer but didn't know what to say, she knew how badly alcohol had affected her mother and she knew how afraid her mom would be every time she came home drunk after a party or something of sorts. However, this time she drank more than she ever had and she was sure her mom was aware of that. But after waking up with a complete hangover, barely remembering anything, she also knew she would never again drink that much. "I won't mom, I just needed it last night, it won't happen again... I promise."

Abby nodded, but she didn't look convinced. She trusted Clarke, but also knows how hard it can be to control yourself when in a stage of grief, feeling angry and frustrated at everything and anyone.