Her mother's stare was cold and angry, but behind the initial anger, Clarke thought she could detect a sliver of sympathy in the hazel eyes. She drummed her fingers on the granite kitchen surface impatiently. Her mother hated it when she did that.

"Fighting at school, Clarke, really?" She finally said with a sigh.

"Would you rather I do it somewhere else?" Clarke's voice dripped with sarcasm and her mother Abby's nostrils flared.

"Mum, you know what he did to me! To us!" Clarke retorted with a cry of exasperation. It was so unfair, why did the college have to bring her Mum into this anyways? She hoped Glass was receiving a similar stoniness from her mother, worse was preferable, the back of Clarke's head still hurt.

Abby sighed and leaned against the counter, tilting her head back to the ceiling.

"I know, Clarke," She said finally, without looking at her daughter. They didn't look the same, Abby's hair and eyes were dark, Clarke had her father's looks, the same hair, the same flecks in their eyes, the crease between their brows when they concentrated and the way they both bit their lip when they were nervous. That information made her squirm whenever she saw her reflection. How could she move on when she could still see his face in her own?

"I know it's hard honey," Abby finally looked at her again, stepping away from the counter to bundle her daughter in her arms. Clarke let her, they rarely shared physical touches anymore, they had both withdrawn into themselves after their loss and just as the wound was beginning to heal, it was ripped open again by Wells's betrayal.

Clarke sighed against her mother's shoulder, enjoying the way Abby cradled her close and kissed the top of her hair.

"I love you, you know that, and I understand how you feel, more than anyone. But fighting," She exhaled loudly, sending strands of Clarke's hair fluttering with her breath, "Fighting isn't the way to solve anything,"

"I don't know," Clarke mumbled, "It felt pretty good to watch him fall," She snorted but Abby stepped away, holding her by the shoulders.

"Clarke, please be serious," Clarke rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, okay, Mum," She shrugged Abby's hands away, picked up her bag from the floor and left the room, left her mother who sighed too much for any one person.

She knew her mother was right, that it was wrong to try and hurt Wells just because she had been hurt first. But there had been something so satisfying about the way his face looked as her hands collided with his chest; she had been filled with such a nervous, angry energy, it felt good to release it. Still, she was glad Bellamy had pulled her away before she could have done anything serious, or gotten herself into more trouble. Bellamy.

Bellamy.

Bellamy Blake, her best friend's brother, a back in the college rugby team, a biology student, a son. Those were the things he was, but he was more. The second year heart throb that slept with all the prettiest girls, breaking their hearts before he moved onto the next one, arrogant and self centred. Except he wasn't. Clarke couldn't say anything about his sexual habits of course, she blushed at the mere thought, but he wasn't selfish in any way shape or form. Octavia adored him and he her, all he did seemed to be for his family's benefit more than his own. She had seen him at college looking tough with his band of groupies and the other players of the sports teams, with his head held high, laughing at those beneath him. But she had also seen him at his home, laughing with Octavia, twirling her around and helping his Mother with dinner. Even talking to Clarke occasionally, teasing her, tugging at her hair or jabbing her skinny ribs.

She had seen him today too, and it had been both sides of Bellamy and a new Bellamy all rolled into one. It was enthralling. And strange. She had known him for her entire adolescent life, but she had never seen him in the way that she had today.

When he had stormed over to where she and Glass had their catfight he had shouted in his deep, velvet voice. It was only one word that he had said, just one name. But it was her name. She couldn't remember the last time he had called her by her name and not by the nickname he had given to her. She had liked the way it sounded on his lips, deep and smooth, possessive.

And he had been so close to her, touching her, and holding her to that wall. If he had bent down only a little further, their lips might have brushed. They didn't of course, Clarke cursed herself for being so stupid, but they could've. She almost wanted them to.

She'd always known he was handsome, everyone knew. But today she had seen him up close, so close to her that she could've breathed him in. His tanned skin was spattered with tiny freckles that covered his cheeks and nose, he tended to moisten his lips with the tip of his tongue before he spoke and his dark eyes had spots of lightness in them. His eyes had never left her.

Clarke flopped backwards onto her bed and pushed her palms into her eye sockets, trying to lose sight of Bellamy's face by doing so. She couldn't possible, actually, like him, could she? It was unacceptable. What would Octavia think? What would he think?

She rolled onto her stomach and groaned softly into the pillow. She should've been thinking about Wells and Glass, what had gone on that afternoon, or her father, or...or, anything! Anything except him. Elusive and exciting, she didn't think she could've stopped thinking about him even if she'd wanted to. And she didn't want to; she didn't want to stop thinking about him, not yet at least. She would just close her eyes and savour the thought of his face inches from hers, just for a moment longer.


"So how's Clarke holding up?" Octavia gave him a knowing look and sneer as she buckled her seat belt. Bellamy had decided not to walk to college again today so Octavia was lucky enough to get a lift with him. She couldn't drive herself, her birthday was a month away and she was planning some big party that Bellamy felt the need to scoff at every time she brought it up, though he was sure driving lessons were not on the agenda for her even after she turned seventeen. Whenever he asked her she always cocked her head, smiled sweetly and said innocently 'But then who would you drive around all the time?' He spoilt her silly, he knew, but he couldn't help it, ever since she was born he had loved his sister to the ends of the earth. However much he loved her though, he did hate it when she gave him that look.

"You saw her after I did," He tried not to rise to the bait, keeping his eyes firmly on his mirror as he began to reverse out of the car park.

"You were the one who carried her away, carried away your little princess like a knight in shining armour!" Octavia clasped her hands together dramatically and smiled at him teasingly.

"You know that's not what it's like; it's not why I call her that. For god's sake I barely know the girl," Bellamy snapped more harshly than he intended. He hated snapping at Octavia but she was hitting a nerve, he didn't even know why, but she was being unusually irritating, even for her.

"Oh Bells! Look at you getting all flustered!"

"I am not -"

"That's my point though Bells," She raised her brows at him, "You've known her for going on six years, why are you showing an interest now? Because she's finally got a pair of tits or because, thanks to my advice, she finally wears jeans that showcase her bum?"

"Enough!" Bellamy stomped on the brake too hard at the red light, making them both thump into their seats with the force. He looked at her then, she didn't seem surprised by his outburst, instead she looked serious. It was not an emotion that she usually showed on her face. Life was a game for Octavia, seriousness rarely came into it.

"I'm just saying," She said slowly, "I know what you're like with girls Bellamy, you screw them and then you leave them, and that's okay for you, but it's not okay for Clarke. So don't screw it up,"

"Jesus, she doesn't even like me!" Bellamy cried before he realised his choice of words and Octavia's eyebrows raised so high they threatened to disappear into her hairline. "I mean, I don't even like her!" It was too late, the damage was done, and now he'd have to deal with Octavia being at him to no end for however long her fantasy of her brother and her best friend continued. It was her fantasy, wasn't it? Not his, right? He sighed, he wasn't sure.

"Well, thanks for the ride," Octavia smiled at him as she got out of the car. If he didn't know her he might say it was shyly, as it was, he knew that behind that smile there was a scheming little mind, and who knew what she was planning.

He sighed, he knew she was right, about the way he treated girls, at least. He still refused to believe her accusations about his thoughts toward Clarke. His past love life had consisted mainly of one night stands, or at best, short-term friends with benefits. He had dated a couple of girls for a while, but they hadn't ended well. He knew everyone thought he was heartless for it, but it's not as if the girls were looking for anything serious either. They just wanted to say that they had had a go on aloof, attractive Bellamy, to see if he was as cocky in other areas as he was when he spoke.

Bellamy slammed his fist down onto the steering wheel in a sudden burst of anger. Why did he always have to be the bad guy in these situations? Why wasn't he ever allowed to be the heartbroken one?

He put his head in his hands but all he could see was Clarke Griffin's stupid face and the way she had looked so stupidly beautiful pressed against the wall that afternoon. He could have kissed her right then, he wanted to. But he didn't think he could've stood the embarrassment if she'd rejected him. That Wells guy really blew his chances. He was lucky to have had a girl like Clarke.

Seeing her mad today had enticed Bellamy in some strange way, she was feisty and tough and he liked it. He had felt powerful standing over her in that hall, close enough to press her flush to him and kiss her lips, her neck...The idea excited him.

He groaned against his palms. It was just a crush, he told himself as he slammed his car door shut. Just a crush, indeed.


A/N A glimpse of the angsty Bellamy we know and love, I don't know, I think he's kinda hot ;) What do you think? I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) - J x