It will be me before it's you (And that's okay)

Chapter 4

Lexa was in the back room. Clarke had been at work for five hours now, and had only seen the woman once- when she had called for a cup of tea. It was way past lunch time now, and Clarke was growing increasingly worried for the brunette. Had something happened? She would knock, or go in to check on her, but she had been warned not to bother her. After all, Clarke had just got this job. She didn't want to be fired on the first day.

She was sat, mind almost rotting, at the kitchen bench staring down at the plain, white cup in her hands. It seemed minimal. In fact, the entirety of the floor seemed minimal. Perhaps old habits die hard- even harder when built in the army. She glanced around at the walls. Empty. She imagined all the beautiful paintings she could hang  up to bring more colour to the dismal floor.

Sighing in boredom, Clarke finally gave in. She stood up, dragging her loose hair into a ponytail, locking it in place with a hair tie previously found on her wrist. She made her way over towards the closed double doors of which were closed on her all those hours ago. The blonde lifted her hand, and lightly rapped her knuckles against the wood.

"Ms Woods?" She spoke hesitantly.

There was a long pause, until finally came an agitated voice "What do you want?!"

"M-May I come in?"

"fine"

Clarke gently gripped the handle and edged one of the doors open. The young woman was sat with her chair inches away from the window, staring out at the beautiful view her home allowed her to see. Had she been sat here all this time?

"It's 3 o'clock now Lexa"

"And?" she snapped

"You haven't eaten yet. Would you like anything?"

"There's soup in the cupboards" she said bluntly. Her head never once turned away from the window.

"I see. I'll go put that on for you now then. May I leave the door open for now?"

"Why do you want to do that?" she grumbled

"Just so I can keep an eye on you while I'm in the kitchen" she responded

"I don't need looking after. That door has been closed for hours"

"Or maybe" Clarke backed away from the door "I just like the view"

"Excuse me?" Lexa turned her chair to face her, looking annoyed

"I meant... the view outside..."

"Oh." Lexa nodded, frowning and turning back to the window "Sure. Whatever"

The blonde retreated to the kitchen, the air feeling far less tense... and awkward. At least she could say she made some form of progress, by getting Lexa to leave the door open for her. There was no doubt in her mind that the woman was very quiet and restricted about herself, never mind her private life. The woman was far too private to have no story behind her. Clarke was guiltily curious.

Huffing out a nervously held breath, Clarke swung open one of the kitchen cupboards. Stacks of plain, and old by the looks of it, chicken soup lined the shelves. There was a single space from where she could only guess a can had been taken yesterday for dinner.

"All this money and she doesn't even have tomato?" She whispered to herself, digging in the drawers below the bench for a can opener.

As she set the soup as well as the utensil on the counter,  she sense the slightest of movement. Looking up, her eyes caught the green of Lexa's. That was, of course, before the woman turned in her wheelchair to face the window once more. Had she been watching her?