Finding Grace

"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed, launching to my feet.
She took a step away from me nervously, raising her hands.
"I --- I ---."
"Claire!" We both looked over as Clarke stepped off the bus, glancing between us worriedly.
CLAIRE.
"SHES your girlfriend?" I hissed.
Clarke hesitated, coming to stand protectively beside her.
My head was going to explode.
"What the hell?"
"Leah, don't freak out," Clarke said in a soothing tone.
"Don't TELL ME NOT TO FREAK OUT. WHAT THE FUCK?"
Clara cringed.
"You can't sleep with my boyfriend, my brother, AND my bassist, you raging cunt!"
"Leah!" Clarke snapped, taking her hand. "Calm your hormones! She was only doing that for her mothers research!"
"I don't care why, Clarke! But she did!" I was so hurt; how could he want to be with her after all the awful stuff she helped her mother write about our band?
She had slept with Andy!
And my brother!
And now my bassist!
What was it with her and B's?
That bitch!
I took a step forward, intent on strangling her.
Clarke stepped in front of her. "Leah, just listen, okay? It's not as bad as you think, really. She didn't mean for it to be taken so far --- why do you think her mother got fired?"
"Because she was an awful woman and overstepped herself!"
"Because Clara told the magazine about how she harrassed the bands and what she did to get information! She felt bad for what had been going on!"
"She didn't seem to feel bad when she was literally fucking everyone over!"
I made her wince.
"I'm really sorry about all that," she murmured. "You don't understand how my mother can be. She's so overbearing --- she threatened to cut off my cards! Stop paying my bills --- how was I supposed to make it?"
"You don't do awful things like that just because someone threatens you!" My eyes were burning --- I hated her so much! How dare she even come here! Did she really think she wouldn't run into me here? I was gonna run her over with the bus!
ALL OF THE BUSES.
"Leah," Clarke stiffened as I started forward, "it's okay. There's no reason to freak out right now or be unreasonable."
"Unreasonable?" I was literally shrieking at this point. "Unreasonable is you dating the girl who almost ruined mine and Andys relationship! Unreasonable is her then making my brother believe she liked him only to get information out of him! UNREASONABLE ---!"
"I get it!" Clara hissed at me, peeking around his shoulder, the sun glinting off her obnoxious glasses. "I was a total bitch and you have every right to hate me!"
"Believe me I do!" I clenched my fists. "I despise you!"
"You don't have to keep screaming about it, though," she continued to glare at me, and stepped brazenly around Clarke, facing me down. "You just have to make a scene! You wanna punch me again? Go the fuck ahead!"
"What? Again? Leah, no!" Clarke warned me as I went to take her suggestion.
They didn't understand.
I'd just started all those prenatal vitamins, gotten a different prescription for anxiety meds that were safe during pregnancy, and drank a huge cup of coffee.
I was very fine with beating her up and making sure she felt all my frustrations.
It was like her face was a bullseye.
"She's just manipulating you! She is completely incapable of feeling love!"
"Leah," now Clarke was getting huffy. "Now you're being ridiculous."
"I am not!" I squawked, feeling tears light my eyes. Why didn't he believe me? She was evil and she would only hurt him --- or take him away from the band! Nothing good came of her presence.
I just wanted to protect him!
"Oh, honey, don't cry," Clarke clucked at me, and he started to take a step to me, but Claras hand latched onto his jacket sleeve, stopping him.
"She's just manipulating the situation," I heard her mutter, and it just made me bawl even harder.
I wanted to protect Clarke! She was bad for him and would break his heart like she did Dannys and I couldn't stand the thought of it!
"Leah? Dammit, why is she crying now?" Vale hissed, hopping off the bus and trotting over to our little scene. "What did you do, Clarke? Doesn't she cry enough lately?"
She wrapped her arms around me and let me lean into her, my makeup streaking down my face. She glanced at Clara, but you could tell she didn't remember her
. "Do you want me to call Andy?" Vale asked, rubbing my arms, and I nodded, moping at my face and wishing I had a tissue.
Clara suddenly looked uneasy.
Yes! Call Andy!
HE could remind Clarke what a twat she was!
"We should go," Clara murmured, pulling tightly on my bassists arm. "We have plans."
"Plans?" Vale glanced up from where she'd been texting on her phone. "Who the fuck are you? Shit, is this your girlfriend you've been hiding from us?"
"Uh ---."
"It's Clara," I driveled. "She slept with Andy and pretended to be a fan and tried to ruin everything."
I'm not sure she understood half my sentence othedrthen her name but it seemed to click because when she looked at her this time, she looked ready to throw a house.
"Clarke! Do you know where that's BEEN?"
"Not you too," he muttered, looking annoyed. Vale narrowed her eyes, and Clara looked alot more afraid of her then she had me.
"Guys," Clarke narrowed his gaze, and he threaded his fingers through the devil witchs tightly, "I'm dating her. Officially. And there's nothing you can do to change that, alright? I never interfere with your relationships."
"But ---."
"No, Leah!" he snapped, and I cringed, hurt.
He didn't have to yell at me.
And now I was crying again!
"Dude, leave her the fuck alone!" I turned, seeing a pissed off Andy striding heroically toward us. He'd apparently only heard Clarke snap at me, and now he was in full boyfriend mode.
He stepped to my side, his arms slipping soothingly around me, and I buried my face in his shirt. He glanced over, and stiffened, recognizing Clara, who was studying her shoes.
"What's going on?" he asked Vale, patting my hair absently as I sniveled on his jacket uselessly.
Vale glared at him, mad at him all over as the memories of Clara resurfaced.
"You're still a dickhead for sleeping with her, first. And second, she's run her tentacles into Clarke and they're 'dating'."
Clarke glared at her, as did Clara.
"Oh." Andy frowned. "And who got Leah hysterical? Do you guys know how fucking hard it is to calm her down right now?"
That's what they were focusing on right now?
How difficult I could be?
I scowled, pulling away from his arms and rubbing my eyes, knowing my make up was done.
"Clarke," Clara strained on his hand. "Please, let's go. I'm only here for a couple days and I Don't need this. Mother is enough."
"Okay, babe."
I wanted to gag.
"Clarke!"
"Don't start, Vale," he snapped at her, and then was walking over, Clara sending us a nasty grin over her shoulder.
I would personally hit her with my bus.
We had to save Clarke from the siren!

Notes

Boom shaka, Clara has returned!