My sister and I watched a Bring It On movie on Netflix last night (I used to adore them when I was little), so it made me think of this.
Clarke Griffin likes Bellamy Blake – that's all everyone at their school seems to talk about. And Clarke hates it, but thinks it's fair. She knows she can be an open book, and with the amount of attention she gets as the head cheerleader, of course people are going to want to say things.
She just wishes the gossip (but for once, gossip that is true) would somehow reach Bellamy himself. She's too much of a chicken to say it outright, but he's not one to pretend or to avoid awkwardness; if he thought she liked him, he'd say something to her. To either reject her, or… Well, she hopes he wouldn't reject her. Because she doesn't know how she could ever like someone as much as she likes him.
Clarke doesn't date, not really. She thought it was because no one liked her that way (still does to be honest), but when she said that to Octavia a few months ago, right at the start of their sophomore year, she and Raven just laughed in her face.
"Yeah, right," Raven rolled her eyes, biting into a slice of cucumber.
"Let me see," Octavia looked up at the ceiling, mock-contemplation. "You're hot, smart, sweet and popular, you're a head cheerleader, why would anyone like you?"
Because it was too awkward, Clarke did her best to change the topic, but she started hoping that maybe there was a chance that Bellamy could like her one day.
She doesn't understand how more people aren't into him. He's smart (pretty much a nerd, which she completely digs), he's kind with a no-nonsense attitude, he pretty much raised Octavia because their mother is never there, he's gotten ripped since he started doing sports more seriously, and he doesn't belong to any single clique because he doesn't care about social order in their school (and that kind of confidence can't not be attractive).
Bellamy not belonging to any social clique is also why gossip almost never reaches him, and Clarke is kind of lost as to what to do, to be honest. She just wishes he would notice her in a way that isn't as his little sister's friend.
"Hey, Blake," Raven calls out as they pass Bellamy in the corridor. Raven is dating Wick – one of his closest friends – so she's a lot more comfortable talking to him, while Clarke usually just stands there, her hands sweating and her feet numb. She's ridiculous with this crush of hers. "Good luck with the game tonight, I won't be there to see it."
"Aw," Bellamy responds, slamming his locker shut, "bailing on your favourite team, Reyes? Where has Wick invited you this time?"
Clarke notices him look at her and she averts her eyes awkwardly in a panic. It lasts a few seconds, and then he's back to talking to Raven.
"Shut up," Raven says, shoving his arm.
Octavia, in turn, shoves Clarke a little, noticing her shyness. "Just talk to him," she whispers to her, and Clarke thinks that maybe, if she has Octavia's support, it's not all lost.
She doesn't know what to say though, her throat suddenly dry.
"Hey, Bell!" Octavia speaks up instead, and Clarke feels a chill go down her spine. Oh God. "Clarke's been working on a new routine with her squad, so you better be appreciative when they cheer for you guys tonight."
Bellamy looks at Clarke, eyes twinkling with warmth. "Of course. See you at the game, Clarke," he says and walks off to class, leaving Clarke melted into a puddle.
"See?" Raven says, grinning at her.
"See what? He was just being polite."
"Uh-huh," sing-songs Octavia with an eye roll.
"Stop stressing," Octavia says as Clarke wipes her hands on her skirt for the hundredth time in the last minute. "He's seen you perform like a billion times."
She always comes to the games, and Clarke likes to think that it isn't just to support Bellamy, but also her. Octavia is the person to whom she usually complains about how hard it is to come up with new routines and the pressure of being the captain.
"Yeah, but thanks to you, he'll make sure to watch intently this time, just because he's promised and he's polite." She's terrified, and it's no coincidence that she put extra effort into her makeup and hair and added extra contouring to her cleavage (even though she knows she doesn't need that). It's all in the details – that's what she tells herself at least.
She doesn't miss Octavia scrunch up her nose and roll her eyes.
"Stop making that face or it'll get stuck," Clarke sticks her tongue out at her friend, trying to relax a little.
A few moments later, the team scores, so it's time for the cheerleaders to perform. Octavia pecks her cheek for good luck. "Go get him."
They get down from the bleachers as The Veronicas' Popular starts to play.
Clarke knows the routine off by heart, so it's easy to not concentrate on it too much and just go through the movements with ease. She sees Bellamy stand to the side, taking a sip of water at first, then giving her a wave as he notices her watching him. She responds with a radiant smile, the dance moves making her feel bold as the familiar high of performing in front of packed stadium fills her body.
As the captain, she always has the front and centre spot, so it's probably easy for Bellamy to never lose sight of her. And he doesn't, he keeps watching her all through their routine. At some point, in a dance move, Clarke smooths her hands down the sides of her body in what she hopes is a seductive manner, and watches his eyes follow the movement. The high she's already feeling intensifies.
It feels like there's no one there, no sky blue pompoms and bright uniforms, no people cheering in the background, just her dancing and him watching. She thinks she's never felt that way before. Their routine ends with their normal chants, but it takes Clarke a while even after that to snap out of the feeling.
Bellamy watches her all the way back to the bleachers and up to the moment he has to return to his game.
Octavia squeals when she sits down next to her and throws her arms around Clarke's shoulders. "Damn," she says appreciatively. "If my brother doesn't fall for that, he's an idiot."
Clarke bumps into him outside the girls' changing room, and the thought that maybe he was waiting for her (especially considering she was the last person behind) makes her heart go wild.
"Hey," she says, quiet and probably too shy, the boldness she felt while performing gone.
"Hi," he responds, soft, raising his eyebrows, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "So… that was… wow."
Clarke's never seen Bellamy at a loss for words, and it makes her giggle a little. "Thank you."
"A new routine, huh?"
"Yeah."
The conversation lags, and it feels so awkward that Clarke is already starting to think of an excuse to leave, when Bellamy suddenly blurts out, "Do you want to go out with me?"
And Clarke could swear she feels her heart stop for a good few moments. It's so unexpected that she doesn't know how to respond, and when she doesn't, she sees his face fall and he starts to step back, preparing to apologise, so she pretty much lunges forward to kiss him.
Bellamy freezes for a moment, but then his hand is in her hair and he's kissing her with such passion and almost reverence that it makes her heart want to sing.
"Thank God for cheerleading," he says a few moments later, between soft kisses to her face, like he can't possibly stop kissing her. "I thought I'd never have a chance with you."
Clarke giggles. "I thought you knew how I felt for a long time."
"No idea. But I had a hunch after that performance of yours. Could you do it again at some point?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Only if it's just for you."
"I would never say no to that."
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