Chapter Three: The Will of the Club

"That's Clarke?" Kieran asked, turning towards me. "I mean, I know I can google a picture of him or whatever, but he is much better looking in person."

"Seriously?" I sighed slightly at him.

"What? He's hot, but it doesn't mean he's not a jerk," Kieran confirmed.

"Can we go, please?" I said, looking to Ava.

She bit her lip slightly instead of replying.

"What?" I sighed deeply.

"I get you hate the guy right now, but his friend is really hot, and he's keeps looking at me," Ava smiled slightly.

I turned to look in the direction of the boys, who had now moved into the VIP corner of the club. Ava was right however. It seemed Clarke's friend had noticed Ava, most likely because Ava had noticed him when he walked in. He would glance over at her and smirk slightly, and she would smile back. I was just thankful Clarke hadn't noticed me though, which I was grateful for.

"Really, Ava?" I felt my body collapse a little.

"Oh, relax, Rory," Ava brushed it off. "Clarke hasn't noticed you, and he won't. I'll go talk to this guy, and you guys can just hang out. Please, Rory? That guy is cute and as I was just saying my love life is in the drain, so just this once, please?"

I looked my best friend in the eye and felt myself sigh. I would happily put her happiness over mine any day, and that's what I had to do now. Besides she was right, I could avoid Clarke easily enough, this place was filling up.

"Fine," I breathed out. "Just keep an eye on your phone, in case, okay?"

"Thank you," Ava smiled, as she hugged me quickly and zoomed off into the direction of Clarke's friend.

I glanced at Kieran who rolled his eyes a little. "Okay, girl, you need more alcohol. Come on."

I followed Kieran to the bar where he managed to get the bartenders attention amongst all these people and get us something. We kept doing this for a while, drinking, and eventually dancing as the alcohol started to run through my system. That didn't last too long though because I hadn't seen Ava for a while and that started to play on my mind, maybe she was enjoying herself, but something told me no friend of Clarke's was exactly good news.

"Is this guy really that bad?" Kieran asked, leaning himself to a wall so he could lean next to me, as I was up against the wall.

"What?" I frowned.

"Clarke?" Kieran confirmed. "I can see you worrying about Ava. Is Clarke such an asshole that you can't enjoy yourself?"

I shrugged a little and shook my head a bit. "It's not so much him being an asshole. It's about watching him screw up what Henry left behind, which so far he is."

"So, it's not so much Clarke, but what he's doing?" Kieran inquired.

"Oh no, it's still definitely him," I said quickly. "He's still definitely an asshole, but he's an asshole who is going to destroy everything Henry built. So I guess I get a little defensive."

Kieran gave me a look as he leaned over me. I knew the look all too well. Kieran was never afraid to tell it how it was, give out those harsh truths, and the look was one of those moments.

"What?" I groaned.

"You know you can be ridiculously stubborn?" Kieran asked me. "Plus you can be a bit harsh when you're set in your way."

I rolled my eyes slightly. "You're telling me that I'm the one being the bitch?"

"Yes and no. It sounds like you're both stubborn," Kieran admitted. "I just want to make your life easier."

"He doesn't like me though," I shrugged. "I don't know why, but I can just tell, he doesn't. "

"Or he can just tell you don't like him," Kieran rolled his eyes.

"Can we stop talking about this?" I groaned. "If I'm being made to come out I want to at least enjoy it."

Kieran smiled. "Come on, chickie. Let's dance."

So we danced, for a while too, just the two of us enjoying ourselves in our drunk state, not letting anything bother me for a change. I did tend to process my alcohol quickly so within the hour I found myself needing another drink. Kieran was enjoying himself so I told him to stay and dance while I braved the bar myself. Turns out it was a bad idea.

"You've got to be kidding me."

I knew the voice before I even moved and I cursed out loud. I was leaning against the bar trying to get the bartenders attention when I heard Clarke's voice behind me. I didn't want to turn around, or even look at him, but Kieran was right, I couldn't be a bitch.

"Kidding you? What about me?" Okay, so I was still being the bitch.

"Out of all the gin joints in New York, this one," he commented, shaking his head.

"I can say the same for you, Mr. V.I.P," I mocked him slightly. "Why are you down here, with the rest of us commoners? Don't you have your own bar?"

"We do," he answered me simply, "but it is out of what I'm after so I came down here, and I definitely wouldn't say you're a commoner."

"Well, fine," I said, spinning around trying to get the bartenders attention again. I just wanted my drink now.

"Here, let me," Clarke insisted, pushing next to me.

Sure enough, like Kieran the bartender immediately came over and served us.

"You don't have to pay for me," I insisted, as he pulled out his money.

Clarke paused and chuckled. "No, you're right, I've seen all the money my father has given to you."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped slightly. "I work for my money."

Clarke laughed again. "Not all of it."

"Yes, all of it," I argued back.

Clarke paused again, looking at me slowly. "You really don't know."

"Don't know what?" I demanded, stamping my foot a little.

"You weren't asked to be at the reading of my father's will, were you?" Clarke asked me, softly leaning closer to me.

"No," I responded. "Henry wouldn't have left me anything."

"Just instructions in my part of the will," Clarke muttered this and I almost didn't hear him, but I was confused even when I did.

"What the hell-."

"Oh, Rory!"

Before I could even finish my sentence I was tapped on the shoulder and turned from Clarke slightly. Standing there, holding my shoulder was Ava, and boy was she drunk, more than I was. Behind her was Clarke's friend, and he looked drunk too, but not like Ava.

"See, this is my friend," Ava slurred. "He thought I should come find you."

"I think she needs to go home," the man said to me, looking at Clarke as he spoke. "Do you two know each other?"

Clarke looked at me and I looked back at him.

"Yeah, I'll tell you later," Clarke waved it off. "You better get her home."

"Yeah, I'd better," I nodded at Clarke and then looked back at his friend. "Thank you..."

"Oh, Parker," he introduced himself quickly.

"Parker, thank you," I smiled and then turned to Ava. "Alright, drunky, let's find Kieran and get out of here."

Once we found Kieran he helped me carry Ava out of the club, and when I say carry, I mean he had her around his shoulder and helped her walk straight. He hailed us a cab and we made our way back downtown. The whole time Ava talked about Parker, about how nice he was, how funny he was, how smart he was...by the time I walked her into the front door I was ready to just put some ear plugs in and let her carry on.

"Well, I hope you got this guy's number," I told Ava as I dropped her on the couch. "Sounds like you'll have to ring him."

Ava shook her head. "He has mine, I don't have his."

"Ava," I sighed.

"What? It's a great way to figure out if a guy is into you," she shrugged. "If he calls, then I know I'm not wasting my time."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, can't argue with that."

"Saw you got stuck talking to Clarke, sorry," she hiccuped slightly.

"Its fine," I said, taking my shoes off. "Hey, did you ever find it odd Henry didn't leave me anything in his will?"

"No," Ava frowned slightly. "Only because I know that whatever he tried to leave you, you'd insist on not taking. He wanted to pay off all your debts upfront and you refused."

"Yeah, I have to work to pay them off, fair and square," I insisted. "Then why did Clarke ask me about Henry's will?"

"That's what you two were talking about?" Ava muttered, her voice drifting off.

I turned around to see Ava nearly asleep and I realised she was in no state to talk. With a sigh I grabbed her off the couch and brought her into her room and got her into bed before she completely fell asleep. With another sigh I took myself to my room and didn't even bother to get undressed and just lied down on my bed.

I was trying to figure out what the hell Clarke was talking about. When it came to money Henry knew I wasn't exactly in the upper-class. I had student debts up to my ears, and the money I did get from working went to my rent and food and any supplies for school, so it would be a long time before I paid off my college debts. Then there would be law school, and God knows how I would pay for that. I would never accept a handout though. Henry tried, more than once, but I insisted on working for it. It was how I was raised, I had to work for what I wanted. Henry knew where I stood on that matter, which was why I was more confused by what Clarke had asked me.

I realised I was focusing a lot of my energy on Clarke, more than I wanted to. Just because Henry wasn't here anymore didn't mean I wasn't going to keep working for my future, and I had to learn to ignore who Clarke was and just work. My life would have to carry on.

When I woke up I realised I must've drifted off at some point while I was lost in my thoughts. I realised I was still in last night's clothes and once I was dressed I realised I was starving. When I got to the kitchen I immediately starting making breakfast, and coffee.

"Oh, what is that heavenly smell?"

I turned to see Ava dragging herself down the hallway. She had circles under her eyes and her hair was a complete mess, and she had changed into nothing else but just a long t-shirt.

"Your hangover cure," I informed her. "There's a fresh pot of coffee there."

"Oh thank God," Ava exhaled, walking over and grabbing a mug and filling it up. "How did I manage to drink so much?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, moving the bacon around in the pan. "It might've had something to do with your new friend."

I gave Ava a look and she realised what I was talking about, I saw last night all come back from her. Slowly she sighed and sat down at the bench, cautiously putting her coffee down.

"Sorry," Ava said softly.

"Why are you sorry?" I frowned.

"Because he was Clarke's friend and I put you in an awkward position," Ava said.

I shook my head at her. "Not at all. I mean a little, but it's nothing I couldn't handle, so don't worry about me. Has Parker called?"

"He's texted," Ava nodded slowly, "to check I made it home, said he'll call later."

I could still see she was being cautious, like she was asking me permission to answer the phone if he called.

"Do you like him?" I asked her, pretending not to notice the way she was acting.

"Well, yeah," Ava shrugged. "He was nice, and funny and weirdly smart, but not overly. I'd like to get to know him more."

"Well, let's hope he calls then," I smiled at her.

She smiled back as she then sipped her coffee. It fell quiet for a moment as I continued to cook the bacon and then added the eggs to the pan.

"So...last night, if I remember correctly, Clarke asked you about Henry's will?" I sighed as Ava spoke. I was kind of hoping she wouldn't remember as I had kept myself awake thinking about it.

Eventually I nodded at her. "It was a very...weird thing to ask me about."

"Yeah," Ava agreed. "I mean, I wasn't surprised that you weren't included in Henry's will, but I wouldn't have been surprised if you were too. I mean, Henry was like a second father to you in the end there, but you did always turn down whatever he wanted to give you. You wouldn't even take that Christmas present from him."

"Because it was diamond earrings," I defended myself and shook my head. "It doesn't matter anyway, I think Clarke is just trying to get in my head."

"But it worked, didn't it?" Ava said slowly.

I looked down and hesitated to answer. "Yes."

"Right, so know you have to ask him what he meant," Ava said confidently.

I turned to look at Ava surprised.

"What? You can't let him get away with it. He mentioned it and you have every right to ask him about it," Ava shrugged. "You have to work with him, so the least he can do to try and relieve the tension, especially since he's created it in the first place."

I nodded at Ava again as I knew she was right. I was going to have to ask Clarke what he meant because it was literally eating away at me, and would continue to. Henry left this world so suddenly it felt there was this big gaping hole and every time I brought him up I felt like I was standing on the edge of the hole. What I didn't realise was that I was wrong, it was actually a can of worms, and I was about to open it up.