Then: June 3, 2003
2:49 pm
The door slammed opened and slammed shut almost just as quickly. Clarke and Bellamy looked over from their seats on the couch in Clarke's family room. They had been watching TV while talking about Bellamy's latest baseball game when Octavia walked in. It was Wednesday and for as long as Clarke could remember Bellamy and Octavia had been coming to her house after school on Wednesday's. It used to be because Aurora and Abby switched off babysitting duty to help each other out with their odd work hours but now Octavia was the only one who really needed a babysitter.
Normally Clarke and Bellamy would get off their middle school bus at the Griffin's first with Octavia arriving from elementary school and hour later. She would come in with a giant smile on her face talking enthusiastically about the day's events.
Today was a different story though if Octavia's upset face had anything to say about it.
"O, what's wrong?" Bellamy asked concern written all over his face.
"Today Fox uninvited me from her birthday party" Octavia said teary eyed as she hopped up onto the couch between Bellamy and Clarke. She leaned her head on Bellamy's shoulder as she sniffled.
"Why would she do that? I thought you guys were friends?" Clarke asked looking over at her and Bellamy confused.
Octavia shrugged "Her mom says I can't come because of our mom…" She kicked her legs up onto the coffee table and crossed her arms. She still had a few tears in her eyes but she looked more angry than sad. For a ten year old Octavia Blake should sure give an angry glare. "What does that even mean?"
Clarke and Bellamy looked at each other knowing instantly what this was really about. Last month Aurora had been arrested after being caught on camera stealing from the bar she worked as a waitress at. Bellamy and Octavia had been at Clarke's house when the phone call came and Abby went to pick Aurora up without a word to any of them. Her behavior had instantly alerted Bellamy and Clarke that something was wrong but nobody said anything to them. Jake had stayed behind and made popcorn for them while putting on a movie seemingly trying to distract them. Octavia ended up getting distracted playing with some polly pockets though while Bellamy and Clarke sat not really watching the movie.
When Abby came back home with Aurora, Jake had told them to go down to the game room in the basement. They had been down there for about ten minutes when Octavia passed out asleep on the couch and Bellamy and Clarke heard yelling from upstairs.
The two had listened at the bottom of the stairs to the conversation between the adults and learned that Aurora had been caught stealing money out of the register. Abby had been yelling about how she should have told her that money was so tight because they would have helped out but Aurora just yelled back that she didn't understand what it was like not to be able to take care of her family.
The two had listened for a while before heading back down to the game room but neither spoke about the situation to each other. Bellamy's face was visibly upset and Clarke didn't want to pry. The adults seemed to have talked things out and Aurora agreed to accept some help from Abby but made it clear that it was a loan that would be paid back.
Her manager had agreed to give her a second chance after Aurora explained how financially unstable she was but said if it happened again she was out. Clarke was pretty sure one of her parents had talked to the manager as well.
Still the two never spoke about that night or what had happened and it seemed to have been a forgotten piece of the past.
Until now.
Fox's dad was a police officer and had obviously found out about what had happened that night and told Fox's mother. Pretending it didn't happen was no longer an option.
"O…listen I know you're upset about the party but maybe you me and Clarke can have like our own party that day?" Bellamy said hopeful.
Octavia looked up slightly interested. "Yeah like what?"
"Well we could ask my dad to take us to the water park. You keep saying you want to go back plus they have a new water slide." Clarke suggested and Octavia's eyes perked up.
"And we could get ice cream" she added "that's way cooler than whatever party Fox is having."
"Agreed" Bellamy said hopeful to cheer his younger sibling up.
"I still don't get why I she uninvited me though. Why doesn't she like mom?" She looked up at Bellamy with confusion in her eyes.
He shrugged not looking her in the eye. "I don't know Octavia but try not to worry about that. Just think of the water park. Okay?"
"Okay" Octavia said with a smile. "I'm gonna find Abby so she can help me with my math". She skipped out of the room seeming to feel better but Clarke knew if her friends were talking about Fox's party in front of her she'd get upset again. She just hoped Octavia didn't end up finding out what her mom did.
Bellamy was looking back at the TV but his face had changed to one of worry. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing.
"You okay?" She asked. They hadn't talked about it before but maybe they should now.
He shrugged "I just don't want her to know. She looks up to mom."
"Well your mom is a good person."
Bellamy gave her a look "She stole a ton of money Clarke".
Clarke sighed "Not because she's a bad person, because she needed it."
Bellamy shrugged again. "Doesn't make it right."
"Sometimes we forget what the right thing to do is when we think we're doing it for the right reasons".
He looked over her and nodded "Thanks". She nodded back.
They didn't bring it up again.