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The parking lot was packed. Pulling into the only empty spot she could find, Clarke stopped her car, "this is it?" she peered through the windshield at the building in front of them, two stories of solid, windowless, gray brick. Crowds milled in dozens in front of the metal doors. But there wasn't a sign with the name of the place in sight.
Next to her in the seat Octavia scrunched up her face and peered through the windshield too, "I think so." she shrugged and looked down at her phone where the map was, "at least it says right here."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Clarke grinned ear to ear. She couldn't wait. They had lived in this town almost a whole week, "for the rain to stop?" she asked with a smirk and a glance up. Because of the weather, they had been cooped up in their house. This was the first Friday night out, and earlier, she had pulled a black skirt, heels, and a white long sleeve shirt that was slit down the front and looked up the closest Karaoke bar. It came back as a place called 'Dropship.'
"That won't happen," Octavia laughed. She had on dark makeup tonight and a leather jacket. With a wary eye, she looked over at the bar, "sure about this?"
"Wanheda fears nothing," Clarke kicked open her car door. Getting out in the rain, she slammed it behind her, only glancing back once to see Octavia get out before taking off toward the door where they got swallowed by the crowds. Trying to see over their heads to the door slowed Clarke down a little,
"Hey sexy," a voice to her left spoke. Clarke turned her head to see a guy with shaggy brown hair checking her out. He gave her a lopsided grin, "where have I been all your life? Can I get you a drink?"
But Clarke was speechless at first then found her voice, "no, thank you." She didn't come here to drink.
"It's just a drink," he insisted and shrugged at her. Right at that second Octavia found her and stepped up to her side,
"Problem, Babe?" she asked, looking at Clarke she raised her eyebrows and then looked back at him.
"Nah, I got it," Clarke said, "have a good night," she told him, then, took advantage of Octavia standing there, grabbed her by the hand, and dragged her through the metal doors. They squealed as they opened and loud music poured out,
"*Welcome to the Hotel California…" some guy was truly nailing the song. Clarke peered through the busy crowds to the guy on the small stage at the other side of the room.
A voice in the group cheered him on, "Yeah!! Lincoln!!!" The shout was followed by whistling.
Clarke smiled as Lincoln seemed to catch her eye and winked, not at her, though, at Octavia, "such a lovely place...such a lovely face…"
Octavia melted, "oh my god, did you see that!" she shouted over the music.
Clarke nodded excitedly, "guess we're over then?" she teased the little act they pulled at the door.
"Shut up," Octavia laughed, "let's go find a table."
Clarke shrugged, "maybe we can sit next to his?" it was just a suggestion. But she knew her friend would go for it if they could. Right as they moved to go deeper into the bar through a hand grabbed her forearm,
"Any time of year...you can find us here….."
"Just a second…." a woman's voice sneered. Clarke whipped around quickly and found herself staring at a woman about her age with black hair. There were scars on her face. But they almost looked like they were put there on purpose, "I need to see id." the woman said, "for your friend too." she glared at Octavia.
Clarke didn't roll her eyes, "what is your name?" she asked, pulling out her wallet as she did. This woman was only doing her job, and because of her drinks would stay out of the wrong hands. So she wasn't offended.
"Ontari," the woman replied, "why does it matter?"
"Just wondering," Clarke showed her id. So did Octavia. Ontari narrowed her eyes on each of them for a few seconds before shrugging and walking off. Clarke put her i.d. away.
Octavia did roll her eyes, "wow…" she laughed, glancing at Clarke, "such personality."
"I know, right?" Clarke grabbed Octavia by the arm, "let's go get our songs in." she spied out the karaoke dj's table at the back of the room and started dragging Octavia in its direction.
"Whoa, whoa, wait…" Octavia laughed, "I'm not singing tonight. I don't want to scare all the patrons off." she motioned around them as they arrived at the table.
"Chicken?" Clarke asked with a smirk.
The guy behind the table noticed her, "good-evening ladies. I'm Gustus. Your KJ tonight." He was a big dude, Clarke thought, with a beard. He would be like more of a bouncer than a KJ. But his grin when he rubbed his hands and looked between them was far too warm and excited, "I haven't seen you two around yet."
"We're new in town." Octavia offered, "nice place, though." She looked over at Lincoln, who was finishing his song up.
"Well," Gustus put his hands on his hips, "happy to have you. What would you like to sing tonight."
"I'm not gonna sing," Octavia shook her head and backed up a step.
"Shame," Gustus sighed, "you?" he looked at Clarke.
"That's what I'm here for," she grabbed a book from the table, one of the little slips to write her song on, and a pencil. Heart pounding with excitement, she started flipping through the book.
"That's great!" Gustus spoke fast, "it's sort of a theme night. We got a lot of classics going up tonight. But since you're new, you can pick whatever you want."
Octavia nudged her, "do that song!" she spoke up quickly, excitement in her eyes when Octavia looked up, "the new one by Alie."
"Everyone is going to do that tonight," Clarke countered. She bit her lip and looked through the book. Her eyes landed on one. She stared at it a second because she knew this would be a first impression on everyone, and it would be lasting. She glanced up at Gustus, "you said they are tossing classics up tonight?" she asked. If it was a theme night, she wanted to play along.
But Gustus was busy changing the song, "next up," he announced over a microphone, "we have Titus, singing **Leroy Brown!" Boos and cheers alike went around the crowd, "Titus! You're up!" The music started up through the speakers, and Clarke turned and watched as a bald man walked onto the stage and grabbed the mic, "well, the south side of Chicago is the baddest part of town…"
Clarke cringed and wanted to cover her ears. But Gustus turned his attention back to her, "find a song?"
"I think so," Clarke scribbled the name of the song on the paper slip and handed it over.
"What is it?" Octavia pried as they turned and started to walk away, "what are you going to-"
She was cut off by Gustus behind them, "Miss!"
Clarke whirled, "yeah?"
He was scratching his head and looking at the paper, "what's your name?"
"Oh," Clarke had forgotten that, "Wanheda. Name's Wanheda."
"Wanheda?" he arched an eyebrow in surprise.
"Yeah," she sensed hesitation, "something wrong?"
"No," Gustus smirked like he knew a secret, and his eyes sparkled a little as he wrote her name down on the paper and put it on the table, "coming right up."
"Cool," Clarke grinned, nerves were starting to get to her, though. So, grabbing Octavia by the arm, she led her away from the table. Thankfully Titus was halfway through his song-
"-wonder where that Lincoln guy went?!" Octavia shouted at her.
"I don't know," Clarke shouted back, "but let's get a table and see if we can see him!" She needed to sit down because her legs were shaking. It happened every time she sang in a new place. She hoped soon as she was into the song, the nerves would be over. So she pushed to a table near the back and asked, "this good."
"Works," Octavia nodded, and Clarke slid in thankfully, "I'll grab us some drinks. Maybe I'll see him."
"Maybe." Clarke laughed. She barely had time to nod before her friend vanished into the crowd, and she was left sitting at the table, trying not to throw up from nerves. She loved doing this. But the stage fright still got to her sometimes.
Finally, Titus finished 'singing,' and people started clapping, and out of habit, she started clapping too. The room was quiet for a minute as Gustus changed the song. She could hear people chattering at different tables. Clarke looked around, hoping Octavia would come back but didn't see her anywhere. Then Gustus's voice was coming over the speakers,
"Next up," he sounded excited, "we have Heda tonight, singing '***Lovesong.'"
That was her song, already. Even though he got her name wrong, that was her song. How could it be her turn so soon, she wondered, and while the opening cords of the music twisted through the air, Clarke's stomach dropped as she stood up and started through the crowds toward the stage.
It only took a second to get there because the crowds parted to let her through. But right as she reached it, a girl about her age jumped up onto the low stage and grabbed the microphone from its stand. Brushing long brown hair back over her shoulders, the woman closed her eyes and swayed her hips as she started to sing,
"Whenever I'm alone with you....you make me feel like I am home again."
Clarke stood mesmerized. A blonde near the front of the stage with a beer in each hand shot to her feet, "Wooooo!"
Clarke knew this was her song. She put the paper in to sing it. So she took another step up and was on the stage. The brunette's eyes snapped open and looked right at her, "whenever I'm alone with you. You make me feel like I am whole again." Striding right up and into Clarke's space, she wasn't shy of looking Clarke up and down.
Clarke took advantage of it and took the mic from the brunette's hand. Two could play at this game. Sliding forward into the other girl's space, Clarke made her back up a few steps as she started singing the next part, "whenever I'm alone with you. You make me feel like I am young again," Clarke smirked at her, " whenever I'm alone with you. You make me feel like I am fun again.." Clarke's heart was beating a mile a minute. Because suddenly the air had changed from cold to hot.
With a look at each other and a small nod, they went to the front of the stage. Clarke put the microphone in the stand, "how-ever far away," she closed her eyes sang into one side, "I will always love you.."
"However long I stay," the girl closed her eyes and sang into the other, "I will always love you."
They opened their eyes at the same time, and face to face sang at the same time, "whatever words I say. I will always love you. I will always love you…" As the song started into the chorus, she started dancing to the music with Clarke. Clarke picked it up quickly, dancing along, closer and closer until she held the girl's hips. Her heart was beating fast as they moved together. She saw green eyes and sweat in flashing lights. She didn't know they had mesmerized the whole place.
But suddenly the girl skimmed a thumb under her jaw then broke away fast and grabbed the microphone again and sang into it, "whenever I'm alone..with you," the girl threw back her head and glanced over to Clarke, "you make me feel like I am free again." She tossed the mic Clarke's way.
Clarke barely caught it and strode into the girl's space again, "whenever I'm alone, with you. You make me feel like I am clean again." with a wide grin that the girl copied, she firmly placed the microphone back in the stand. Under the hot lights, standing right up against the girl that their hair mingled together, Clarke closed her eyes as they sang at the same time,
"However long I stay. I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you."
For the rest of the song, Clarke's heart was beating fast. When she opened her eyes, the other girl would be looking right back at her, with hot green eyes. Clarke licked her lips and teased back, singing out the last notes, "I will always love you….." she stepped back as the song faded out.
So did the girl.
As though pulled from a trance, she jumped a mile when the room exploded with cheering and clapping. Clarke waved at them all. Out of breath and high on adrenaline, she whipped a gaze at the girl with whom she'd sang her song. She was waving too and was smiling ear to ear. Turning to Clarke, she held out a hand and glancing from her to the audience.
Clarke knew what she wanted and laced their fingers together. They bowed at the same time, and more roars of clapping and cheering exploded. In the middle of it, all Clarke started laughing, as was her duet partner. Finally, though, everything died down, and Clarke took a deep breath and turned to her, "you did amazing."
"So did you." The brunette's smile was huge.
Clarke's heart skipped a beat, just looking at her. She realized she was still holding the girl's hand too, but she wasn't ready to let go, so she started to shake it instead, "I'm Clarke."
"Lexa." Lexa shook her hand too. Finally, reluctantly, Clarke stepped back and dropped her hands at her sides. She stared at Lexa and wasn't quite able to breathe because Lexa was smiling and staring back.
"That was my song, by the way. But it's okay." Clarke informed.
"But...it was my song. I put it in." Lexa looked confused, "not that I didn't mind sharing it with you."
Clarke laughed, "must have been a mix-up. But it made a damn good duet." She glanced over at Gustus and knew they had to leave the stage for the next person because he was setting up for the next song. She looked at Lexa again; hopefully, "we should do this again." Clarke blurted out.
"Next Friday?" Lexa asked, "I'll be here."
"Me too." Clarke would make sure of it.
"Come sit at my table?" Lexa asked her.
"I'd love to," Clarke answered, and together, they strolled off the stage.
(*the Eagles, **Jim Croce, ***311)