Hey Princess

My Guardian Angel Is Missing

I don't know how other schools work, but my school has alternating blocked scheduling. That means we have four classes each day that are eighty-four minutes long, with different classes every other day. That's how I'm modeling the grounder school.

Clarke POV

I tap my fingers on the desk anxiously. Obviously the kid next to me does not appreciate this, but I ignore his glares. It's been approximately eighty-two minutes and forty-eight seconds since Lexa dropped me off at this class. Forty-nine. Fifty. The clock drags on slowly as if my stare is actually weighing it down. I try to convince myself that my boredom is the sole reason for my clock hating, but I know the truth. I kind of want to see Lexa again. Yes, the same Lexa who I branded as a sociopath upon first sight. I've spent the past two weeks getting to know her. She still walks me to my classes, under the pretense that she has a job to do and she at least better do it right, but we both know the truth. I know where all my classes are by now, let's just say that. I can't help it, she intrigues me. I smile unconsciously as I think about all of our banter, and create replies to possible things she could say in the future.

I glance up at the clock and see it has now been eighty-three minutes and thirty seconds. I feel the butterflies in my stomach stir at the approaching interaction that is bound to happen.

"Clarke, can you tell me the answer to the question?" asks the teacher, whose name I have already forgotten. Mr. Brothelberg or something. Maybe Rothenberg. Who knows? I jolt out of my trance and peek at the board. What class even is this? History? No that was yesterday. English? Well, I see Charles Dickens written on the board so maybe that's my safest bet.

"Clarke? So good to have your full attention again. I know it's rude of me to break up your little staring contest with the clock, but I fear your education is slightly useful in the outside world," he lectures, calling me out in front of the entire class. I feel heat crawl up my face to my cheeks and my ears. Very soon my whole face will probably be bright red.

"Come on, Ms. Griffin. I'm not going to dismiss the class until you answer the question. I know you all have lunch next period so there's no reason I can't," he continues. Now I know he just signed my death warrant. Immediately pairs of annoyed and hungry eyes flip back to look at me. I just made a lot of enemies. Just as I'm considering holding my breath until I pass out, I hear another voice. I whip around to find my guardian angel and see Lexa leaning on the doorframe.

"To answer your question, Charles Dickens's 'Great Expectations' was a bildungsroman which means basically you watch a kid grow up, make mistakes, and learn from it," she drawls.

"That question was for Clarke, Ms. Woods. But since you seem to be paying attention enough for the both of you, you kids may be on your way," he falters, seemingly a little flustered that things didn't go exactly his way.

I quickly gather all my stuff, without dropping everything this time, and meet Lexa at the door.

"Thank you," I sigh, relief dripping from my voice.

"No problem. Mop head can't be the only knight in the kingdom, otherwise your reign would most certainly not last long. And I can't have that, I just thought of ten more snarky comments in my last class," she responds.

"This whole Princess thing, you're never going to let up?" I ask, cringing a little bit.

"Nope," she says smiling smugly.

"Well then, I might as well call you out on being, dare I say, helpful to me back there. Aren't you concerned that your rebel status is extremely at risk?" I jest back.

"Who says I wanted to be a rebel?" she challenges, starting to walk down the hallway. I jog to catch up with her.

"Then what do you want to be?" I question, not prepared for her previous answer.

"I'll get back to you on that," she says and then winks. Soon she's gone, the mass of people swarming to get food is too for me to try to find her again. I sigh and enter the cafeteria to join my friends.

"Better day?" Raven teases in a playful tone after seeing my smile.

"Yeah, I guess. What about you all?" I deflect, trying to dim my grin.

I glance around the table to see indifferent shrugs. Apparently, no one's day has been as good as mine. The only energy I see is Raven, animatedly whispering something to Octavia who giggles and shakes her head. I frown, but before I call them out I notice something is different, someone's missing.

"Where's Murphy?" I ask.

"I don't know, he never came into lunch," Bellamy replies. 

Stupid Murphy. He's probably going to make another move. I should probably go warn Lexa. 

I get up from my table and Octavia, Bellamy, and Raven move to flank me. We walk over to Lexa's usual table, but I'm not greeted by those green eyes that seem to always hold a new depth whenever I see them. Instead, I'm greeted by Lincoln's rather large biceps flexing menacingly and Indra's stern face.

"Where's Lexa? We need to speak with her," I demand, trying to express my urgency.

"We were almost ready to ask you that. She hasn't come in all lunch," Indra replies and my heart speeds with anxiety.

She's fine Clarke. She's probably just... I don't know, terrorizing a freshman or something. No need to get worried. 

"Well we wanted to warn you, Murphy hasn't come into lunch either," I try to state calmly. I see Anya's eyes widen slightly and Lincoln stands up.

"Well that's... concerning. We will get some people to look for her," Indra says coolly back, dismissal evident in her voice.

"We're coming too," I declare quickly. Bellamy steps forward, Raven nods, and Octavia crosses her arms over her chest.

"I hardly think it's your place to-" Indra begins but I reject her.

"That was not an offer. We are coming."

Indra opens her mouth but Lincoln places a hand on her shoulder, effectively shushing her.

"Fine. We must go soon Indra, and standing here arguing is just a waste of time," he reasons. "Anya, Indra, Gustus, and I will search with you. We can split up or go together, whatever you prefer."

"Let's split up, cover more ground," I say hurriedly. We need to be out there, searching for her and Murphy. While I'm fairly certain she can take care of herself, I really don't want our next interaction to be me testifying against her in a 1st-degree manslaughter case. The fact that part of me doesn't even think that's a joke makes me almost shake with the need to begin looking for her. I turn to walk off when I hear another voice.

"What about me? I want to look for her," Aden pipes up, trying to stand until Anya's hand slams him down.

"Not a chance little one," she says with a small smirk. 

Maybe that's where Lexa get's it from? The smirk could be a family trait... ugh get a grip, I do not have time to be thinking about these little things. Like, I do not have time to think about how her small chuckles make my stomachs do flips and-

"CLARKE! YOOHOO," I hear Raven yell at me.

"Right, yes, Lexa, no Aden, split up, Murphy, got it," I mutter and speed walk towards the hallway. I overhear Raven whispering to Octavia.

"Looks like I'm going to win the bet. Want to pay up now or..."

"There's still time," Octavia murmurs back.

What bet?