"HEY HEY HO HO DONALD TRUMP HAS GOT GO! HEY HEY-" "SHOW ME WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOK LIKE! THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!"-BANG BANG-

Lexa sped around the corner, trying to avoid the determined push back of the police. The firing of rubber bullets and tear gas sounded off behind her. She turned another corner.

"NO TUMP! NO KKK! NO HATEFUL FACIST USA!"

Damn it. She thought she had made it past this shit. -BANG!-

Another can of tear gas into the crowd approaching the police.

"FUCK THE PIGS!"

A loud smashing and then glass shattering filled the street. They were breaking the glass walls of a bank. She reeved her engine ready to escape the mess filling DC. She zipped her jacket up and pulled her a scarf over her nose in hopes of preventing the tear gas and pepper sprays from reaching her lungs. Just as she pulled her feet up on to the bike, preparing to speed off down the street, two arms wrapped around her middle. For a moment, panic overcame her, fearing some of the rioters overtaking the protests. Her head snapped around to view whomever was behind her.

A young girl, maybe 19, bright red hair with blonde roots showing, clung to her. Not threatening, not scared- or at least not quite- she looked almost determined; until screaming started after a police officer began firing rubber coated bullets into the crowd.

Then she look terrified.

"DRIVE FUCKING DRIVE."

Lexa slammed her foot on the gas, carful not to turn any corners too fast- she didn't want the girl to fall, especially while she had no helmet. She drove with out stopping for 6 or 7 blocks, all but ignoring every traffic law to get away. DC traffic was crazy enough with out a presidential inauguration for a racist, homophobic, women abusing fuck.

As they traveled down the street the girls hands came to rest around Lexa's waist. Her grip was lose enough that Lexa could tell she wasn't scared anymore, but tight enough to give away that she had never been in a bike before. The motorcycle slipped through a couple back alleys and rounded a corner out of the downtown area.

Eventually they arrived outside the chaos and Lexa was able to slow down enough to pull a spare helmet out of the side bag. She handed to the girl behind her and drove on.

They rode in silence, not that they would have been able to talk over the roar of the engine. Lexa continued until they arrived on a quiet street lined with apartments. She pulled up along the curb and turned off the engine. The girl behind her released her grip around Lexa's waist and hopped off the bike. While she popped out the kickstand, the girl who stood semi awkwardly beside her gained the courage to break the silence.

"So hey, um, thanks. For the ride."

Lexa huffed but held back her laugh.

"Not like you gave me much of a choice." She replied without looking away from the bike she was currently parking.

The girl looked uncomfortable. Lexa could tell just from her stance and shaky voice that she wanted to apologize but didn't want to seem meek or like she regretted her actions. She was good at reading body language like that.

"I'm Lexa by the way."

"Clarke." She shook the girls hand then went back to standing semi uncomfortably in the middle of the sidewalk.

"I guess I'll be going then," Clarke said almost sounding like an offer. It was quiet for a moment. Lexa had shit to do. Her PoliSci class had a test next week and her apartment was a mess. She should leave it there, let Clarke go wherever she needed; she probably had things to do herself.

"You got a ride?" Lexi questioned, a towing engine of hope in her voice.

"I'll get an Uber."

She felt her moment slipping away as Lexa furrowed her brow in concern and almost out of desperation asked,

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She waved Lexi off.

"Well uh okay." She bit the inside of her check considering. Fuck it. "Hey, uh- It's completely insane out there still. You can wait with me a while. I mean, if you want. My apartments right here." She gestured to the brick building that stood beside them, an anxious, inviting smile placed on her face.

"Uh yeah thank you." Clarke brushed her hair back behind her ear.

Lexa smiled brightly, still chewing on her bottom lip

"Sure thing."

They started up the short set of stairs to the apartment complex's door. Inside, they turned right toward another door.

Lexa grabbed her set of keys from her pocket and carefully jiggled the key into the deadbolt and turned while pulling up in the handle.

"It get stuck sometimes," she explained as she held the door open for Clarke.

"Welcome to my humble abode."

.

.

.

"What! That's fucking crazy!"

Clarke bent forward in laughter, smiling brightly and crinkling her nose.

"No! Really! I don't know why but she totally believed it!"

Clarke's phone buzzed in the back pocket of her jeans as the laughter subdued.

"Well. That's my cue." She held up the phone with the Uber app open.

"Oh."

Clarke stood up to leave and Lexa followed suit, half jogging to get to the exit in time to open the door for her.

"So, um, thanks for the ride. And the- this." Clarke pushed her hands into her back pockets and unconsciously turned closer to Lexa.

"Anytime."

Clarke nodded one last time and stepped out the of the door.

A surge of adrenaline pushed Lexa forward, and she found herself reaching out and grabbing Clarke arm.

"Hey, wait, um. Can I give you my number?" A tentative, hopeful feeling radiated off her.

Clarke burst into a smile, nodding gladly. "Yeah, yeah," she shook her head and pulled out her phone. "Here."

Lexa punched in the 7 digits and her name, then returned the phone.

"So, text me, yeah?"

"Yeah." Clarke ran her younger through her lips and stepped back.

"Bye, lex." She waved once and turned to flounce out the building with a joyful step in her walk.

"Bye, Clarke," Lexa whispered to herself. She turned back into her apartment, securing the deadbolt and flopping joyously onto the sofa.

The buzz in her jacket pocket threw another wave of giddiness at Lexa.

Hey Lexa. I wanted to thank you again for saving me. Any chance I can repay you with dinner?