Life Is About More Than Just Surviving • | Clexa AU | (in editing)

Chapter 10

Clarke's POV   (Bold is Bryce and Italics are Lauren)

     We all sat listening to what came through the speakers. "Lauren? I can't believe it's actually you! I knew I saw Lexa carry you in!" The boy ran over and hugged Lauren. "You're the first person I've found from Scottsdale, my only friend I've found in all of this," The three girls all looked at each other with wide eyes and open mouths. "Same here, except for one," Lauren laughed. "Holy shit the girl has emotions!" Octavia squealed causing us all to laugh. "I have so many questions. What happened to your face? Where have you been all this time?" "I was with the factory people for a while before I realized how dangerous they were. Then, I rode a bike to California and roamed the streets dressed as a walker hoping not to be recognized by people nor dead ones. Someone noticed I wasn't a walker, threatened to kill me if I didn't come with her and brought me here. She tied me to a chair and asked me questions. I didn't answer, and she beat the shit out of me and eventually started to cut me. At that point, I passed out, and it's a blur from there. All I remember was being carried in strong arms and looking up to see the one you call Lexa carrying me. I was scared, but I couldn't show it,"  "Wow, you've been through a lot. I'm sorry. But why do you refuse to show any emotion?" "You might want to sit down for this, and this is the only time I'm telling it. It was the beginning of the apocalypse you know when we all got outside for the fire drill but it went to absolute shit. Well, I went back to my house with Carley and my parents weren't home. We barricaded everything, sealed every door, and we slept the night there. The next day, my parents arrived home and treated Carley like family. We spent the day counting water and food supplies, looking for anything useful. That night, my parents slept in their room while Carley and I stayed on the couches in the living room. I heard noises coming from downstairs and decided to check on my parents. I opened the door, and the light of my flashlight landed on the most horrifying thing I'd ever seen. My parents were dead on the floor with a man above them pulling their intestines out of them. The noises. Everything. I froze. Carley pulled me away and by that time it was starting to become day. We went to the school, figuring the classrooms would be easy to hide in with connecting doors. One of the teachers was stupid and had daggers hidden in his filing cabinet, probably a collector. I took all of them, giving a few to Carley. I killed my first walker with a dagger, and we spent the night there. The next morning while I was waiting for Carley to wake up, I was thinking. Carley had barricaded my parent's room a second time that night, and we figured out that walkers couldn't actually open doors. Carley let a walker in on purpose. I was so angry, I plunged a dagger into her forehead and left swearing I wouldn't tell or show my emotions to anyone I can't surely trust. No one cares anyway,"  "Lauren, trust me. The people here will love you and you can trust them. I've been with Lexa this whole time and you can probably trust her the most. And I care, Lauren. You have me, and all these other people if you decide to stay. Please, for me. Think about it," After he finished talking he walked out the door.

     "That was deep," I said with a blank face. I really felt bad for her. She is more broken than any of us are. "I feel terrible, but she feels worse. And she hides all of this. Imagine being alone this long having to think and see that stuff again, I can't imagine how horrible that is," Lexa said looking at the door. "I should go talk to her again," Lexa said. And with that, she walked out the door.

Lexa's POV

     This girl must be on the verge of breaking. I don't know how she's lasted this long. I ran down the stairs to her room, ready to ask if she's going to stay. I opened the door to the room and entered slowly. "Hey," I said in a soft tone. Lauren just looked at me with a blank expression. "Have you decided?" She looked away and nodded. Staring at the wall ahead of her she said, "I'll stay," I wasn't surprised now that I knew about Bryce being her friend. That's when I decided to tell her. "Alright so I don't know how to say this, but there's a camera in this room," I said pointing a finger to the corner. "We heard everything you and Bryce talked about, and no we didn't send him down here. We were just in the control room when we saw you singing and then Bryce came in after I told you-you could either stay or leave. I'm glad you're staying, and I'm sorry. For everything. I can't believe the things you've been through and I wouldn't wish that on anyone," I walked closer to the bed, looking at Lauren. "If I had to go through that, I don't think I'd still be here. You're stronger than you think, stronger than any of the people in this group. I promise you that you can trust everyone here, and you'll be safe with us. Although I don't think you really need our protection. Anyway, I'm sorry you had to be alone that long with your thoughts and I wish there was some way for me to help-" I was cut off by the girl wrapping her arms around me. I was shocked at first, she hardly showed emotion and she was hugging me. I felt my shirt get wet as she cried into my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her, rubbing her back. "It's going to be okay," I said. "It's going to be okay,"