Bellamy
Somehow, I woke up when it was still dark. The winter nights were beginning to start outstaying their welcome more and more each morning. But I don't mind the winter, I don't mind the cold, in fact I welcome it. The cold wasn't something everyone could battle, it was something that made me stronger than the others.
I went down to breakfast, considering it was around eight in the morning, the Arkadia was unusually quiet for my liking. I was down even before Jake and Jaha who liked to start on their coffee, or if the previous day was bad, whisky as soon as possible. But there were a few Murphy clan hanging about and their girls I recognised from last night and the rest business men and women running late for their days already. I sat by the window, the breakfast lounge was on the 22nd floor and loomed over the city below. I could just see Monty opening a car door below to take the new residents' bags. An old man pushed himself out of the car, steadying himself with the roof. It was Clarke's grandad, I recognised him instantly from 22 floors up. Jake must be at the door ready to greet him. "
"Mr Blake what can I get you this morning?" the waiter approached
"You choose this morning Mark, I don't care," I grunted. He nodded and walked away. I was too distracted to have an opinion on breakfast this morning. Why was Clarke's grandad here? To talk some sense into Clarke? She had gotten too close to Joe Murphy last night, and she thinks she was just doing her job. But she's too good at her job, that she can fool herself as easily as she fools others.
A brunette in a red tight fitting dress walked into the room, her hair was wrapped neatly on her head. She went over to Mark to ask for a table, before spotting the empty chairs surrounding me. I realised I was staring and turned on my charm and pretended to be looking out the window again. She came over and placed her pampered hands on the opposite chair- "Excuse me, but I have no company this morning and a guy like you looks like very pleasant company," she smirked, direct and to the point, I liked it.
"Then please sit down," I gestured, I reached my hand out, "Bellamy Blake," I said shaking her hand as she sat down.
"I know who you are," she replied, "I'm Anya, the Murphy's PR". Great, I knew what she was doing.
"So, you're here to wine and dine me I suppose? Get anything out of me that could ruin our reputation?"
She cocked her head, "You got me," Ha, a sense of humour. "What were you looking at?"
"Just the city below, got to check up on what's going on every now and then, "She chuckled, she bit her lips, which left a little red lipstick on her teeth, something a Griffin woman would never do.
"Do you know the city? Can you take me round?"
"Are you kidding? It's my playground. I grew up here."
"Did you grow up here? Or in the city below?" she asked tentatively, I rolled my tongue in my mouth. My life has always been dangerous, but it was not always with the safety of those around me. I knew now that anyone who was a part of the Arkadia would take a bullet for me, as I would for them.
"If you must know, as I'm sure you probably already do Miss PR, my sister and I were born near Mount Weather, and were outcast by our community. My mother got into some trouble and couldn't support us and pay rent and do all the things a normal mother would do." The waiter then brought over some pastries and coffee, I poured some for both Anya and me.
"Go on," she placed her head on her hand, as if this story was one of great promise and adventure
"She tried, but it wasn't enough. We made our way around the city, until eventually my mum died." She gasped, placing her hand on top of mine on the table, predictable. "No, its okay," I consoled, "I was 18, I could start to work, but I got into some trouble and ended up in a gang. You probably know all the details."
She cocked her head again, trying to play dumb. Did she think I was from some other world? I knew exactly why she was here, and she wasn't just some Murphy girl running around head over heels. She was their PR. I took a sip of my coffee.
"They wanted me to shoot Jaha, the legendary sidekick of the Jake Griffin, owner of the Arkadia. My palace, what I looked up to from the streets below. So, please, don't mind me every now and then looking at the city below, because it reminds me of who I am and how lucky I am to be among the Arkadian Gods up here."
"You're a god?" the brunette smirked,
"In some respects," I replied, returning the same cheek on my face.
"But how can you be an Arkadian God, if you nearly killed one?" she asked, drawing circles on my hand. I decided to give no attention to it or this girl's advances. The secret to all the powerful families in the city was its women, and I liked to think I was smart enough to remember this. But, God, sometimes it was hard.
"The Griffins are always one step ahead Miss Anya, they knew of my 'grand plan' and approached me knowing my skills and reputation. Jaha offered my sister and I a life. And I took it."
"And you just left your old life behind, your mother, like that?" I felt a rush of anger.
"I never left my mother behind." I paused, "I originally declined the offer, I wasn't built for such a high and mighty lifestyle, I thought, I may be able to be powerful in the streets of this city, but who knew how I would cope above? But one day Octavia came home with a broken wrist, she had bruises all over her body, she was bleeding. I realised then how foolish I was for declining. Octavia had lost her mother, she was still so young and was already in a life of continuous pain, this could take her out of it. And, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I left some of my best friends behind, but at the end of the day, they were trouble and I had to do what was right for Octavia."
"That's so sweet," she whispered, pretending to be affected by my sob story, she took my hand in hers fully now, and just stared at me. Clarke then walked into the room, I immediately withdrew my hand, and wiped it on my trousers. She raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" Anya asked.
"Urm, nothing, just remembering my mom that's all." I forced a smile. I ran my hands through my hair and looked back out the window. I looked in my reflection to see Clarke in a white blouse and a dark-reddish spotted skirt. She never came down for breakfast and was never up this early. What was going on? She sat down in the corner and pulled out her diary. Did she just need to draw or write something? Was she still a little tipsy?
"BELLAMY!" Anya raised her voice, I came back to the table "So are you still up to take me around this side of town?"
"Sure, sure, I think were all to the dropship later, you should come."
"I'd love to," she smiled, and if her work was done, she began to gather up her purse, "I'm really sorry but I better be heading to see Mr. Murphy's morning briefing, you know how it is. Must be punctual," she chuckled, as did I getting up to give her cheek a kiss goodbye. She was beautiful, I'd give her that, I thought as my eyes followed her out, but she was no match for the Griffin girl sitting in the corner.
I walked over to her, and she quickly hid her diary into her purse with her pen as she saw me approaching.
"Go away," she declared, "I have no time for you this morning,"
"Princess, why are you here, and how are you so awake? This is not like you!"
"Non- of your business, and sometimes I like to have breakfast here, it cuts off how many flights of stairs I have to get down before the day starts. "
"No, you don't, and you could easily use the elevators."
"That wouldn't be very classy would it?" she sneered, "Now go away." I sat down opposite her and looked out of the window she was sitting beside. It was a whole other part of town, you could just see the Hotel Polis, spying on our every move, as we did them.
She rolled her eyes and clasped her hands together. "Why are you so annoying? Is that why your little friend left?"
"Huh, my little friend?"
"Yes, I could be taller than her without my stilettos on," she stated, looking out the window avoiding eye contact.
"Oh, Anya?" She rolled her eyes again
"It has a name?"
"Why are you so jealous?" I exclaimed, not that I wasn't enjoying watching her envy unravel.
"I'm not, but you should be warned she's just using you and trying to get information out of you," She took hold of her coffee cup, still not looking at me directly in the eyes. Octavia suddenly came out of nowhere to join us. She got Mark to add a table on the end for her to sit on.
"What are we talking about?" she said excitedly as she flicked her hair out of her face.
"Why are you here as well? What's going on that I don't know about?" I replied, confused as to why the two were up before 1 o'clock for once and why they were so perky.
"We are having breakfast with Beth," Clarke put down her coffee cup to finally look me in the eye.
"What! You know these girls are not your friends correct?"
"Oh, sorry so you're allowed to liase with the Murphy girls, but we aren't?" Clarke's face started to go a little pinker.
"Who?!" Octavia said, as she gestured to Mark to get her some coffee.
"The girl with the red lip stain, who is sleeping with Beth's husband," Clarke still didn't take her eyes off me in fury.
"What!" Octavia slapped me on the arm, "Stop it now,"
"You stop your loyalties to this Beth then,"
"No, Beth's pregnant and needs some allies, as all the gross Murphy girls are horrible."
"All I'm saying is you need to be as careful as I with all these Murphys around," I whispered, aware that we had been speaking very loudly about the Murphy clan, considering a few were seated around us. Clarke huffed under her breath and looked back out the window. "Besides, I can't, I've invited her to the dropship later," Clarke head turned sharply to once again show her fury.
"What!" the girls shouted at the same time.
"Shh!" I whispered.
"What!" they sarcastically replied in synchrony.
I went to my office to get some paperwork ready for the Murphys. They were here for good publicity, hence tomorrows big event in which we will announce our deal to open another casino in their hotel. However, who knew the dangers of having such a highly valued casino in a prosperous hotel. Their side of town was also infamous for drug dealing and of course if the Murphys had their way their casino would be in the centre of it.
Wells came to greet me at the door for our morning briefing. We walked down the stairs to one of the meeting rooms, not where we had usual family meetings. This room was set alight by the huge windows on either side, the oval shaped table was enough to fit dozens, however only Jake, Abby, Jaha, Wells, Finn and usually the girls however they were nowhere to be seen. I saw Jake Senior, and instantly went over to give him a handshake. His hands were frail, but he still held a strong handshake. "Blake, nice to see you again," he mumbled. He had a Santa like beard, although trimmed to perfection and wore a pinstriped suit, with the family emblem pinned to his collar. I recognised that Jake had also pinned his on his suit today.
"Sir, it's good to see you well, how's things?"
"Good, good, a little weaker than I once was but that only comes with a lifetime of Griffin women," he winked. I chuckled and sat down opposite Abby who was reading a magazine in one hand, glasses on the end of her nose. She had a cigarette in hand as per usual and offered me one when she saw me.
"Thanks,"
"Did anyone find anything out last night?" Jake first questioned, "I want to know about any connections that family have with any drug lords of this town as soon as possible,"
"Nothing except that Harry Jr and Beth are having that baby soon," said Wells, excited to bring this to the table, "Surely, they will focus on the birth of their dynasty before the casino,"
"That's true, the casino isn't set to get its license until after the birth, therefore are they using time wisely?" Jake further questioned.
"All you stupid boys," Abby put down her magazine, "We all know that the birth of a child isn't going to put halt to any plans the Murphys have of power,"
"You may all be sensitive Sally's who I'm sure are as excited for grandchildren as I," she said sarcastically "but you must look at the bigger picture. This baby may just be a distraction from what's going on behind the scenes. Imagine, Murphy press release of the birth of their grandchild, whilst the press is concerned with that, they will forget to watch their little elves running around town shouting about their new drug palace that we will be put in prison for if found out!" She took a long blow of her cigarette.
"Abigail's right Jake," his father warned, "and to think we'd do the same."
"Where has Joseph Murphy gone?" I changed the topic.
"Supposedly, he has gone to find a new advisor or something like that. Interviewing," Jaha answered
"Can he not just wait until the end of the weekend?"
"You would think," Jake mumbled. "Where are the girls?"
"They're with Beth Murphy," Abby replied
"What? Why?" came from different voices in the room.
"Well the girls came friendly with her last night, so I've told them to keep an eye on her."
"Abigail, I hope you know what you are doing," her father in law warned again. His wisdom, or perhaps simple inspiration of his tone and speech, flowed like pen and ink. There were reasons this family was so prosperous. One of them was Jake Griffin Senior.
"I do, a girl's companionship is something stronger than anything you know. That Beth girl needs a friend. And she is also an easy way into the Murphy family. "
"Do you really think dear that Harry would tell that wife anything? Women are gossipers." Jake countered.
"You tell me everything,"
"You have no one to gossip to," Jake replied with a smile, which Abby returned sarcastically.
"What about the girls? Where had this sudden mistrust in women come from?"
"I trust women, so long as they're Griffin."
I met Anya in the foyer later on, she had changed from her red dress and was wearing her evening clothes. She wore a black dress with a lacy back. She pushed her silky hair out of her eyes when she saw me coming down the stairs.
"Isn't it a workout coming down from the top floors on the stairs?" she joked as I gestured my arm, for her to wrap hers around mine.
"You get used to it," I replied, she really did look stunning.
Wells and Finn also waited in the foyer alongside the three remaining Murphy boys. I felt the tension radiate off of me between Finn and John, I was sure to keep an eye on the two tonight, especially if Raven happened to turn up, as she so often did at the most inconvenient of times. I also felt a burning stare from Harry as he acknowledged Anya's tight grasp around my arm, perhaps she wasn't using me solely for information but attention of Harry. But there was little she could do when Harry muttered, "Wow," under his breath as we all followed his eyeline to the three beauties walking down the stairs.
Octavia glided down the stairs in a long fitted silver skirt, her hair plaited neatly cascading down one of her shoulders. Harry however was looking at who I assumed Beth, who wore some sort of off the shoulder blue dress with frills. She was glowing and was in her stride as she came to meet Harry who was still stunned at how beautiful she looked, as if he had never seen her before in his life. But my gaze was still attached to the blonde who had dropped her purse on the stair and was scrambling to pick up all the things fallen out. She wore a white strappy dress that barely covered her legs. She looked stunning, not that I was surprised she always looked that way. But tonight, more than ever. She was the last to reach our group and with a huge smile she said, "Are we ready?" She noticed Anya on my arm and her smile, although to anyone else looking unquivering, slightly dropped and she turned away and instead took Octavia's arm and got Monty to open the doors and call the car to take us.
Myself, Anya, Wells, Lincoln and John all arrived first and headed to the VIP area.
"So, when you told me you were going to take me round town, I didn't realise you had the best access to all the places in town!" Anya said excitedly,
"Surely you know of the perks of being a powerful family and town,"
"Not like this!" she exclaimed, her excited tone only becoming more intense. I thought it strange that something like this was so peculiar to her in the world that she lived in. The dropship was just turning into the nightclub as we had got there and soon the music was loud enough to start shouting at each other. Clarke, Octavia, Finn, Harry and Beth arrived twenty minutes after,
"What took you so long?" I asked Octavia when she finally got to the club,
"Harry was trying to convince Beth not to come as an eight month pregnant lady!" Octavia shouted, as she placed her bags down and physically pushed my on the couch where we were sitting to sit down herself.
"Well, why is she here?"
"She's going to go home early but I suppose to keep an eye on your friend big lips, but I see you've got that covered," She replied. Clarke then sauntered over hand on Finn's arm, God I forgot how good she looked.
"First round on me?" she stated, ignoring that we had already got drinks
"Clarke, we've already got some- "Wells tried to inform but Clarke simply took his drink out of his hand and downed it in one. She walked over to the bar in her lace up heels and so I pushed Octavia up- "I'll go help."
Clarke was trying to get across to the barman for shots to our table, but her words were already slurred, she also already wreaked of alcohol.
"Have you already started drinking?" I asked, she leant on the bar and stared into my eyes for a few seconds.
"Well I had to keep hydrated in the longest argument ever back home between Beth and Harry. So, yeah Octavia and I may have had a bit to drink."
"How's An-yah?" she asked sarcastically, messing with her necklace. I looked behind me to our area to see Anya looking over at us talking. I smiled and she waved, when I turned back around Clarke was mockingly waving. I grabbed her wrist,
"Play nice Princess," she struggled to be free, but I felt a firm grip. Wells then came over and Clarke hugged him longingly.
"Ah! My two favourite humans! Wells and Bells!" she made herself laugh hysterically. Wells and I gave each other the same glance. The waiter then placed some shots on a tray on the bar to which Clarke picked up and gave to each of us, she picked up my elbow to raise it- "To a good night, to a good winter and to good friends and to good…" she went on. She didn't even clink our glasses and took a shot.
"Oh, What the hell," Wells clinked my glass also and shotted his glass.
"What the hell." I whispered to myself bringing the glass to my lips.
After many drinking games, all our party was on the dance floor. I saw Lincoln at one point touch Octavia's knee, which I hoped was due to her advances not his. Of course, it would be, I trusted my sister to be safe with her endeavours, but sometimes I couldn't help but be protective over her. At the end of the day, she was my little sister.
Anya and I had danced a little together, but she seemed more concerned with Harry watching over Beth most the night to give notice to me. The real life of the party however remained Clarke throughout the night much to the pleasure of all the men in the club. I went to sit down for a minute and have another drink when she came to sit next to me in the small booth.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" she giggled. She was practically sitting on top of me, as her drunk self forgot the concept of personal space, not that my drunk self really minded.
"You know what I really am," she laughed some more,
"Is Anya enjoying it?"
"Why do you keep bringing her up? Are you enjoying our nights together so much Miss Griffin that you can't stand to see me with someone else?" I smirked, she played with her rings.
"Don't lie, you were more jealous about Joe yesterday!"
"Aha! So, you are jealous!" I felt a rush of excitement for some reason
"No, I'm not! I'm jealous in the sense of your relationship with the Murphys,"
"No, you're not you're jealous! Its alright to admit, you want me all to yourself!"
"Bell-am-ee," she held my head together with her soft hands either side, it was hard not to be distracted that she was so close to me, in such as stunning dress.
"What?" I chuckled. She just held me head and smiled.
"Come on let's go dance," she took my hand and we got up to dance. She placed her hands around my shoulders, "You're not bad looking you know Blake, not that I'm complimenting you. I hate you."
"Thank you?" I guessed that was the best I was probably ever going to get "Well as much as I hate to say it Princess, you are not bad looking either, in fact you are the best not bad looking girl here tonight!"
"Wow!" she took my arm and used it to spin herself but span herself in so close to my body she nearly fell. "I'm not jealous Bellamy I just don't like her touching you,"
"Oh, I can't wait to repeat this to you in the morning Princess,"
"But the thing is I cannot date because as I previously mentioned, I hate you,"
"Yes, thank you,"
"And if my father ever found out, you would be pushed off the top of the Arkadia without being able to say goodbye to Octavia,"
"Lovely,"
"But I think we should carry on what were doing, but not be able to look at other girls or let them touch you,"
"So, you're end of the deal is exactly the same, we keep doing what ever it is that we are doing, and you get to dance with charming Murphy murderers, but I am not allowed to even look at other Hotel's PRs?"
"Exactly," she continued to dance in a laughing fit. So, I took it upon myself to properly hold her as we danced. She looked into my eyes in submission,
"Well Princess, I think we should carry on what were doing, not look at other girls, only go near the boys your father has instructed you to and let me take this white dress off tonight." I winked, and she playfully hit my arm.
But the moment was instantly ruined when someone screamed, and a circle formed at the other side of the room. I ran over to find John Murphy laying on the floor, blood running from his nose and shattered glass all over the place from his drink. I darted my eyes to Finn who was on the other side of the room and defensively put his hands up. Had someone tried to kill John Murphy? I suddenly felt a chill and this wasn't the sort of cold that I had previously welcomed.