You hated me I hated myself, you forgave me I forgave myself, you started our friendship I continued it on but I don’t know if you fell in love but I know I did
Overview: After getting kicked out of MIT, Raven’s best friend (Clarke) offers her a place to stay and a job at her boyfriend’s (Bellamy) bar “Arkadia.” While there she reunites with a former frenemy from highschool, John Murphy.
Modern AU: Takes place in present day. Clarke’s in Med school. Bellamy owns the bar. Murphy bar-tends along with Jasper and Monty.
Pairings: (Main) Murphy x Raven, (Secondary) Clarke x Bellamy
Characters: (The 100) John Murphy, Raven Reyes, Clarke Griffin, Bellamy Blake, Finn Collins, Zeke Shaw, Jasper Jordan, Monty Green
Rating: M (adult language + situations)
Chapter: One
Inspired by the song Oasis by Jasmine Thompson.
Raven leaned against her car, arms folded across her chest as she stared at the brick building across from her. She couldn’t believe this was her life now. Obviously, she was grateful to Clarke for helping her get a job, and a place to stay for that matter, so quickly but it was still a hard pill to swallow. A week ago, she was top of her class at MIT and now here she was, standing in a parking lot in New Haven about to begin her new job as a bartender. She would've laughed if she didn’t feel so stupid.
It wasn't that she thought she was too good to be a bartender, no, she felt stupid for even putting herself in this situation in the first place. There were others things she could've done, but instead she acted on impulse and in the process ruined her entire college career. Although she argued with herself that it was already ruined the second she walked into his office that night.
Not wanting to think about it, she checks her phone for the time, exhaling deeply when she realizes that Clarke is late. Per usual. Not that she was upset, if anything it bought her more time to wallow in self-pity before having to put on a happy face. Even though Clarke would be able to see right through it.
She shifted her weight as her eyes scanned the building once more. It felt weird standing outside a bar this early in the day. Almost as if she wasn’t allowed to be there when the sun was still out.
Her eyes fixated on the damaged sign above the door. Arkadia. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out why Bellamy kept the bar after his mother passed. It seemed a little ridiculous to keep the family business alive when you hated your family. As far as she knew, his sister was still in California making someone else's life hell, and really the only family he had was Clarke.
But the more she thought about it the more it made sense. The bar may not have any familial sentimental value but it was where he first saw Clarke, it was where they had their first conversation and even where they had their first kiss. Maybe it wasn’t as ridiculous as she originally thought.
The sound of a car pulling up next to her grabs her attention and she watches as the petite blonde makes her way over to her, an apologetic look adorning her face.
"I'm sorry I'm late." Clarke sighs, pulling the brunette in for a hug. "My last class went way longer than it should've."
"It's okay." Raven shrugs, shoving her hands into her front pockets. "I was busy admiring the architecture."
Clarke smirks, picking up on her sarcasm. It wasn’t lost on her that Arkadia was kind of a dump but much like Bellamy it held a special place in her heart. She playfully nudges her before glancing into Raven's car. "Where's all your stuff?"
"It's all in the trunk." And by 'all' she means there's a small duffle bag holding her toothbrush, a couple of t-shirts and her underwear.
"Right." Clarke gives her a knowing look before gesturing for her to follow. "Well c'mon, let's go introduce you to the others."
____
The inside of Arkadia was better than she expected. She had been anticipating a Coyote Ugly situation but the atmosphere had more of a Cheers vibe to it and almost immediately she was feeling more at ease. The first thing she noticed was how big it was. The second thing she noticed was the two guys standing behind the bar seemingly throwing olive pits at each other. One of which was wearing goggles on his head.
"Hey, you're here." Bellamy's voice pulls Raven's attention from the two guys who were now staring at her. She watches as he kisses Clarke on the lips before turning to give her a quick and friendly hug. "So, what do you think?" He asks, this time directing his words towards Raven. He gestures vaguely but his smile remains genuine as he waits for her response.
"It's... nicer than I expected to be honest." She smiles, still feeling two pairs of eyes on her. She knew what they were staring at. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for her. Her leg brace always attracted unwanted attention but after wearing it for 5 years she was already used to the social implications that came along with it. It hardly phased her anymore.
Bellamy seemed happy with her answer, smiling again before speaking. "Let me introduce you to the guys." Raven nods and follows suit as they approach the counter top where the two boys were now waiting. "Guys, this is Raven, she's our new bartender. Raven, this is Monty and Jasper."
"Nice to meet you."
The one with goggles on his head winks while the other offers up a timid smile. Before anyone can say anything else the sound of the front door opening catches their attention and in walks another guy, the tallest of the four, eyes on the ground, hoodie cloaking his head, holding a to-go tray of coffees.
"And here's Murphy now."
The guy looks up at the sound of his name being said, a smug smirk tugging at his lips once his eyes lock with Raven's. She stares at him in disbelief and disdain. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me." She murmurs.
"Do my eyes deceive me?" Murphy smirks, pushing his hoodie off to reveal his messy dark hair. It hadn't changed much since the last time she saw him. He places the coffees on the counter. "It's been awhile, Reyes."
"You two know each other?" Clarke glances at Raven, trying to read a reaction.
"Oh yeah. Raven and I go way back." Murphy answers for her. His eyes scan down her body, resting on her bad leg for just a split second before he continues to walk, making his way behind the bar. "Isn't that right?"
Raven clenches her jaw as she watches him shrug off his jacket and hoodie and hang it on the hook behind him. Of course she'd be working with John Murphy. And here she thought this would be a tolerable job.
"We went to the same high school." She clarifies.
"Yep." Murphy adds, adding emphasis to the 'p'. He seemed completely disinterested in the conversation but continued to speak anyway. "Until she disappeared senior year."
Raven narrows her eyes at him. She was surprised he even noticed her absence. They weren't friends back then... She doesn’t bother adding anything to that. It's not like he even cared.
He punches his time card in before returning his attention to her, “What’s with the terminator leg?”
“Dude!” Bellamy smacks him in the arm like a father scolding his bratty kid. Clarke glares at him.
“No, it’s okay.” Raven brushes it off. His straight forward-ness was surprisingly refreshing. Usually people would just stare or offer her fake sympathy looks. Murphy was anything but subtle and she appreciated it. Even if he was a massive asshole. “Car accident.” She says simply without offering up anymore details. His honesty might’ve been refreshing but she wasn’t about to bare her soul to John fucking Murphy.
Fortunately for her Murphy doesn’t pry, taking her answer at face value. He purses his lips, still seeming completely disinterested in the conversation being held. “Works for you.”
“Excuse me?” Raven kinks an eyebrow up at him. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Well now you’re not just the hottest girl in the room but you’re also the most interesting.” His icy blue eyes showing the slightest bit of humor.
Raven smirks in spite of herself. “I don’t care if people think I’m interesting.”
“Of course not.” Murphy shrugs, throwing a rag over his shoulder before picking up a crate of bottles that were on the counter top. “You wouldn’t be you if you did.”
"Actually, Murphy hold on." Bellamy calls out, halting the boy from disappearing behind the door. "Can you show Raven upstairs?"
Murphy's brows furrow together as he stares incredulously at his boss. "Why the hell would I do that?"
"So she knows which one is hers." Bellamy answers like it was obvious.
"You're fucking with me, right?" Murphy chews on the inside of his cheek as his eyes glance over to Raven. "I mean, you said we were getting a new bartender you didn’t say shit about me getting a roommate. "
"Roommate?" Raven practically shrieks, flashing Clarke a horrified look.
"What, are you afraid she's going to hear all the girls you don't bring home?" Jasper smirks, playfully nudging Monty in his side before helping himself to the coffees. Murphy glares at the two but decides against wounding their ego... for now.
"You're not roommates. There are two apartments upstairs." Bellamy clarifies, seeing the look on Raven's face. "...And I wasn't aware that I had to run things by you first, Murphy. After all, this is my building. You're just living in it."
Murphy clenches his jaw, biting down whatever snarky remark he was dying to spit out. Instead, he locks eyes with Raven, stepping to the side in a mocking manner to let her walk in front of him. "After you."
______
Moving her things in was relatively easy considering it was one duffel bag. Bellamy was nice enough to let her use the furniture he already had in there that he used before he and Clarke moved in together. He even went as far as to buy her new sheets and a pillow which was completely unnecessary but appreciated regardless.
Murphy stood in the doorway, leaning all of his weight on the left side of the frame while he watched her "unpack". If you can even call it that. "So, how do you know Clarke?”
She considered giving him the borderline lie of an answer. Her past with Clarke was complicated and whenever she told the truth about how they knew each other everyone always looked at her like she had three heads. It saved a lot of judgement and energy telling people they knew each other through a "mutual friend".
The truth was that they both had the misfortune of loving the same guy a few years back. A guy that, while Raven was studying abroad, chose not to tell Clarke that he was in a relationship. He betrayed both of them but, luckily, it worked out in their favor. They might've lost a lover but they both gained a friend.
And even though she knew Murphy was only asking to make small talk, she found herself giving him the shorthand of the truth. “She slept with my boyfriend.”
Murphy doesn’t bat an eye, doesn’t visibly cringe or look uncomfortable by her answer. If anything, he seems amused. Slightly raising one eyebrow he replies, “Clarke Griffin the home-wrecker... I’ll be sure to include that in my speech at their wedding.”
“Bold of you to assume you’d even be invited.” Raven smirks, bending down to close the dresser drawers that were still open. “Although to be honest she wasn’t the homewrecker... Finn was.” There she went again. Voluntarily giving him details about her life that she knew he couldn’t care less about. After all it was Murphy she was talking to.
“Finn?” He narrows his eyes. He saunters in a bit further, stopping when he reaches her bed. “As in Finn Collins?”
“That’s the one.” She nods, watching as he adjusts the part of her sheet that was sticking out. “I didn’t realize you knew him.”
“Know of him is more like it. He's friends with Jasper and Monty.” Murphy curls his lip in disdain as he sits on the edge of her bed. “Dude's a fucking douchebag.”
"Couldn’t agree more." Raven smiles halfheartedly, pushing herself up on her feet. She loses her balance ever so slightly and is surprised when Murphy reaches out to help her. Meeting his gaze, she felt drawn to his eyes. The icy blueness generated a feeling like she was being pulled into a lake of frozen emotions. She stares down at his hand, still on her arm, before yanking away from his grasp.
Slowly he steps away, brushing his hands against his jeans. "Well, I guess I'll see you down there... roomie."
