#7

Clarke smiled at Finn across their table. The music was loud and their food had yet to arrive, but she was convinced it was perfect. She really didn't like the club scene, but her wonderful fiancé had picked it, so she was determined to enjoy herself.

"Let's dance", she yelled, raising her voice to be heard over the music.

Finn smiled, taking her hand and leading her out onto the dance floor. They were just about to come together when a young waitress bumped into Clarke, sloshing one of the drinks onto her favorite black dress.

"I'm so sorry", the girl said, "It's so crazy in here tonight, and I'm…"

"It's fine", Clarke smiled, "No harm done."

"I'm sorry, Princess. I know how much you liked that dress", Finn said apologetically.

"I'll live. I've got a great drycleaner", the blonde said with a smile, "However, I should probably go get this cleaned up."

She made her way through the throng of people to the dark hallway, stopping before a crudely written sign that said restroom. Great, she thought as she stepped into the gross little nook letting the door shut behind her.

The half used roll of paper towels sat on the edge of the grungy sink, and she tore off a few to dab at the dark wet spot on her bodice. When she was satisfied that she'd done all she could, she checked her reflection in the cracked mirror before turning to leave.

As her hand reached for the doorknob, she discovered a problem. The handle was gone, and she was stuck. She scrambled for her phone in her clutch, groaning when she remembered that she'd left it on the table.

Clarke growled in frustration as she began to yell embarrassingly for someone to let her out of the nasty restroom. It soon became apparent that the music was much too loud, and that no one would hear her.

She turned to the toilet with a grimace, dropping the cover with her foot and then covering it with a layer of paper towels before taking a seat. She gave a huff, her chin dropping to her hand as she sat to wait for a rescue.

Bellamy stared at the redhead across from him. She was pretty and mildly intelligent, but her laugh had to be the most annoying thing he'd ever heard. After hearing her snorting cackle for the tenth time in five minutes, he was ready to escape.

"I'm gonna find the john", he said as he stood.

"Ok, hurry back", Jen purred.

Bellamy grimaced as he fought through the crowd to the peaceful quiet near the restrooms. As he reached for the handle, he hoped he'd find an unbarred window on the other side because he couldn't take another hour of Jen's screeching outbursts of mirth.

He found the door unlocked, pushing it open and letting it slam behind him. Just as it clicked shut, a woman stood from her seat on the commode.

"No", she yelled.

"I'm sorry, miss. I… Clarke", he said as he recognized the petite blonde before him.

"Bellamy Blake! I should have known! And I thought this couldn't get any worse", she rambled as she began to pace.

"What's going on? What are you doing in here, Princess", he asked, letting his old nickname for her slip.

"Don't you dare call me that Blake! You lost that right eight years ago when you dumped me for Ms. Tall-Blonde-And-Stupid", Clarke seethed.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry! What are you doing in here Clarke", he asked putting heavy emphasis on her name, "Is that better?"

"Well for your information Bellamy, we are now both stuck in this crummy little bathroom thanks to you!"

"Me, what did I do? We can just…", Bellamy said as he reached for the knob only to find it missing.

"We can just what, Bellamy? Teleport out of here", the little blonde hissed.

"We could try yelling for help", he offered only to receive a glare from the tiny woman, "Or not…"

"We're just going to have to endure one another's company until someone else comes along to let us out."

Bellamy watched as she once again took her seat atop the little pile of rough brown paper, her posture that of a composed socialite at an afternoon tea instead of a frazzled blonde sitting on a filthy toilet.

He grinned, doing his best to hide his smirk as he leaned against the rickety vanity. His gaze traveled over her, taking in her red kitten heels, the soft skin of legs, the black dress with a drying stain that hugged her every curve, the adorable pout of her pink lips, and the way her blonde curls shone in the drab florescent lighting. She was still just as beautiful as ever.

"So, Clarke", he began, the sound of his voice drawing her blue eyes to his face, "Who're you here with?"

"My fiancé", she replied with a tilt of her chin.

Bellamy felt like all of the air had just been knocked out of him.

"Lucky guy", he said snidely, trying to cover up the way her news affected him.

"Yep he sure is", Clarke said with a little snarl, "So, who are you here with Casanova?"

"Girlfriend of two years", Bellamy lied.

He didn't want her to know that he hadn't had a stable relationship since they'd broke it off his senior year. He watched as something akin to jealously flickered in her blue gaze, and he was shocked to find that he could still read her like a book.

"I'm happy for you", she said with a smile as fake as his date's auburn locks.

"When's the big day", Bellamy found himself asking after a long silence.

"Three months", Clarke replied, her enthusiasm waning.

"You don't sound excited. Shouldn't you be glowing or something", he asked.

The blonde sighed, one hand running through her curls before her gaze rose to meet his.

"I don't know, he's just been so distant lately. I'll admit I was a little disappointed when brought me here tonight because…"

"Clubs aren't your thing", Bellamy supplied.

Clarke stared at him dumfounded, her heart pounding at the realization that he still, after all these years, knew her better than anyone else. She watched as a blush crept up his neck, and he began to fiddle with the hem of his shirt.

"I just remember because you don't like loud music", he stammered, and the blonde felt her heart soften.

"That's right, I don't like loud music."

His gaze soon traveled to her face, the way his brown eyes darkened making her breath catch. He still did funny things to her heart, and she was having a hard time ignoring the gravitational pull he'd always had on her.

Clarke found herself standing on shaky legs, drawing nearer to where Bellamy leaned haphazardly against the sink. His black shirt clung to him like a second skin, and his messy curls called for her touch.

She came closer, observing how his gaze dropped to her lips and then flickered back up to her eyes. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and laid a hand against his cheek.

Bellamy moved, dragging her to him and capturing her lips with his own. Her hands wandered up his back, her fingers tangling in the curls at the nape of his neck. They were totally in sync, just like they'd been all those years ago. Each moving in a sort of dance that only they knew by heart.

Suddenly a loud thud sounded on the door and they broke apart. They stood staring at each other for a moment, eyes wide and lips swollen. Then a voice sounded, and Clarke's attention was snapped to the door.

"Why did you come here", Finn asked breathlessly, "My girlfriend could spot us at any moment."

A feminine voice purred, "I had to see you. I love you Finn."

Clarke gasped, her world shattering at her fiancé's reply.

"I love you too, Raven, but you can't be here", Finn said in a hushed tone.

The blonde felt as though every bit of oxygen had been sucked from the room, tears gathering in her eyes. Then, just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, the door swung open to reveal a middle aged man and next to him- Finn and his lover.

"Finn! What is this all about", Clarke asked her eyes begging him to tell her this was all a dream.

Finn sighed, looking behind the woman he was to marry at the dark haired man that hovered over her shoulder.

"Bellamy! What's he doing here", Finn asked.

"That's not important. Who is she Finn? How long have you been cheating on me", Clarke demanded.

Finn had the decency to look ashamed, "Since the night of our engagement party."

Clarke staggered back, colliding with Bellamy's chest as a sob tore from her throat. She yanked the ring off of her finger, throwing it at her fiancé, "We're through! I don't ever want to see, or hear from you again, got it!"

"Wait, Clarke…", Finn called after her, but he was halted from following when a hand took hold of his collar.

"How could you do this to her", Bellamy seethed, "She loved you, and you betrayed her!"

"Looks like she did a little betraying of her own, if that lipstick smeared all over your mouth is any indication", Finn sneered.

He soon found out that that was the wrong thing to say as Bellamy's fist rammed into his nose, a sickening crunch sounding before blood began to pour down his lip.

"Never contact her, or a broken nose will be the least of your worries."

Bellamy left the couple standing by the dirty bathroom in the dark hallway, his gaze scanning the crowd for a glimpse of blonde hair. A hand on his arm drew his attention, the face of his very unhappy date coming into view.

"Were you trying to bail on me", she shrieked.

"Yes, I was. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go", Bellamy said, jerking his arm from her hold.

He ran outside, rain wetting his hair and running down his face. He looked frantically up and down the sidewalk until he finally spotted her standing under a streetlamp.

Clarke sobbed into her hands, her clothes drenched and her mascara running. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she looked up to find Bellamy standing beside her.

"What do you want", she rasped.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke. You didn't deserve what that jerk did to you", he said quietly.

A mirthless laugh escaped her lips, "Why is it that no man wants me? Am I not good enough", she asked, her voice breaking on a sob.

Bellamy pulled her to him, knowing it was time to come clean. He waited until her arms had come around him, and then he began to speak.

"You remember the night of my senior prom when you caught me with Brittany Smallwood?"

"How could I forget", Clarke said miserably.

"Well, it wasn't what you thought. Yeah, we kissed but she'd been the one to initiate. I was just getting her off of me when you happened by."

"Why would you let me believe that you'd been unfaithful", the blonde asked as she stared up at him, her blue eyes filled with confusion.

"I didn't think I deserved you, Princess. I thought you would be better off without a bum who didn't know what to do with his life", Bellamy admitted.

"You were young, sweetheart, we could have figured things out together", Clarke said, allowing her own endearment to slip.

"I know, but I was scared. So, I let you believe that I'd cheated so you'd move on."

Clarke studied his features, his strong jaw, and the smattering of freckles that dotted his cheeks, those old feelings for him slamming into her with surprising force.

"What about you, Bell, did you move one", she asked softly.

"No. The girlfriend was a lie. O will tell you that I have a string of one nightstands that would reach from here to Timbuktu", he said with a sigh.

Clarke smiled, tugging him closer and twining her fingers in his curls.

"Wanna move on together", she whispered.

Her only answer was a searing kiss that made her forget all about Finn Collins, and his treachery. Instead, she was taken back to the happiest time of her life- the moment she kissed Bellamy Blake for the first time.

One Year Later…

Bellamy sat across from his girlfriend of 365 days, a smile on his face as he listened to her tell about the little kids in her art class. Her blue eyes were bright, her grin infectious, and her hands waved animatedly as she spoke of the little boy who'd decided to paint his neighbor's face instead of the paper before him.

"You should have seen this kid, babe! His face was splattered with red paint, and I just knew his mother would have my job", she said with a chuckle.

"Sounds like you had an interesting day", he replied with a grin.

"Yes, and I am starving, but I've got to go to the little girl's room really quick. Did you see a sign for the bathroom anywhere?"

Bellamy immediately grabbed her hand, "You can't go!"

"What do you mean I can't go", Clarke asked in confusion.

"Not before I ask you something. I know what happens when you go to the restroom, and your liable not to make it back", he said slyly.

"That was one time, Bell. Honestly, I…"

Clarke's words trailed off as she watched her boyfriend get down on one knee, taking her hand in his own. He pulled a black velvet box out of his coat pocket with the other, flipping it open to reveal a gorgeous princess cut diamond.

"From the day I met you when I was sixteen, I knew that I would love you for an eternity. Losing you was the most painful thing I've ever had to endure, and I never want to be parted from you again. So, before you run off and get locked in the bathroom with any more exes, I'm staking my claim. Clarke Griffin, will you marry me?"

The blonde sat in stunned silence for half a second before she nodded, tears welling in her eyes as the love of her life slipped that beautiful ring on her finger. She didn't give him time to stand; instead she dove forward and kissed him for all she was worth.

As she pulled away, the cheering around them fading as she looked into Bellamy's warm brown eyes, she was thankful for that tiny icky bathroom because there she'd found the man she'd always loved, and it'd kept her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

"I love you, Bellamy Blake, and there is no one I'd rather be stuck with for the rest of my life."