Following some substantial effort, I had managed to stop Harper's words from swirling around in my mind by the morning. All that remained was a heavy confusion over Bellamy's hot and cold behaviour as of late and I struggled to make any sense of it.
When I arrived at the meeting point for my training with Octavia, I was stunned to find that she was absent. In all of our days together, she had been strictly devoted to the plan and had been diligently awaiting my arrival at every session. I sat tapping my knee anxiously for a while and when it became clear that she would not be coming, I wandered through the courtyard with confusion. I discovered that Bellamy was still in his room as I stepped inside and he met my eyes with an expression that indicated he had been searching for me. He rushed over to greet me whilst I stared back at him in surprise.
"There you are! Didn't you get my message?" He asked with a hint of irritation and I cocked a brow at him. "Your training with Octavia is cancelled today, we've got an assignment and I thought you'd want to join for it." He started cryptically and I stared back at him with a lurch in my stomach. "We're going to Mount Weather." He revealed and I noticed that he observed me closely with an obvious concern.
"What?" I breathed as I battled to contain the wave of shock that crashed over me and he made a sympathetic expression. My legs felt weak as I processed the idea and my breathing became sharper.
"Kane's cleared us to go to Mount Weather. There's plenty of supplies there that are going to waste, he wants us to start bringing them back to camp." He clarified as I stared open mouthed with a feeling of dread in my stomach. Although I could understand the logic of this plan, the very concept of returning to the location that held horrifying memories for almost every resident of camp was too large to fit in my mind. "Look, if I got this wrong and you can't handle it, you don't have to come Indie. I just...I thought that it might help you to face it." He explained with a nervous voice and I finally recovered enough of my composure to nod fervently at him. I swallowed the terror and fixed a determination into my voice.
"No, you're completely right Bel, I need to put this to rest." I agreed in reaction to his insecure addition. A dazzling smile spread across his face at my words and I felt a surge of comfort at the sight of it. "How do I convince Kane to let me join?" I enquired as I began to build my confidence internally and set my mind to the task. I couldn't allow myself to become distracted with the list of reasons that this plan was a bad idea that my brain was compiling.
"I've already arranged it. You and Octavia are the official guard support." He revealed with pride evident in his voice and I smiled at him in amazement. "I know, I'm awesome. Now hurry up and get ready, everyone else is preparing to leave." He ushered me inside with an urgency and I rushed to gather my things so that I could follow him from the room.
We attended the armoury together and Bellamy took the time to check that I was thoroughly equipped before we were joined by the prying eyes of the rest of the unit. I smiled fondly at the way that he fussed over me and after his bizarre antics in recent days, I enjoyed being the subject of his protective nature again. When we entered the hanger where the guard group was gathered, I was surprised to find a far smaller crew than the last outing. I took a moment to consider that some of the originals must not be recovered enough to embark on another mission yet. Instead, I found Octavia, Monty, Raven, Miller and Harper waiting with smiling faces at our entrance. For a moment, it felt like old times as we glanced at each other and I felt a surge of optimism for the mission. We finished gathering supplies and endured a short briefing from Kane and Abby before we were finally allowed to leave the camp.
It was a gruelling journey to the place that I had been rescued from barely weeks ago. Due to the fact that I was unconscious during the return to camp, I hadn't realised the distance and I gained a new appreciation for the challenge that it had been to assault the facility. As we strolled through the endless trees we filled the time with idle chatter and it was strangely peaceful to be surrounded by those closest to me. Monty revealed that he had left Jasper in Knox's care and I found myself hoping that he was kinder to the poor kid than he had been to either of us.
As Bellamy announced that we were near the entrance now, I felt a fresh set of nerves build in my stomach and I was pleased when he dropped to the back of the group to slip his hand into mine in a gesture of reassurance that I sorely needed. Any other members of our group who had been held inside the mountain became shifty and awkward too; Harper in particular seemed legitimately stressed and I smiled when I noticed Monty subtly placed a hand on her arm to steady her. As the oversized bunker door crept into view, I struggled to contain a wave of terror that caused me to break into trembling all over and Harper paused to gag between the trees. The others waited patiently whilst we took a moment to compose ourselves and Bellamy positioned himself to block me from their view so that I could recover without an audience.
"Are you sure you're okay with this, Love?" He enquired with his brows furrowed deeply in concern and I nodded in response, despite the fear that blossomed in my chest. "You don't have to go in there if you've changed your mind, or if it's too much. You're in control here." He asserted and I smiled at him fondly with a deep appreciation for his careful wording. I was impressed that he had chosen to ensure that he empowered me and as he observed me attentively, I felt my nerves slowly minimising back under my control in the safety that he radiated. When I next met his eyes, I displayed a new determination and he smiled proudly at me. "Alright, I'll be right there the whole time, you're safe." He soothed, before turning to rejoin our friends. "Let's get this over with." He announced as he led us toward the door and I took long, slow breaths on the approach.
The moment that we entered the facility, the first thing that we noticed was the pungent smell of death. Harper barely managed a few steps inside, before she ran back out to vomit and I frantically covered my face with my hands in a desperate bid to prevent myself from following suit. Bellamy snatched the rag from his belt and wrapped it over my nose and mouth, without any consideration for his own discomfort. Even Octavia could not contain her reaction, despite her well practiced controlled exterior and the group quickly ensured that they all sourced something to cover their faces with.
The familiar halls and spaces contained horrors that rivalled even my nightmares as almost every room contained bodies in various stages of decay. It was abundantly clear that none of us had prepared for this issue and we spent a gruelling few hours dragging them outside to burn. It was thankless work and I found myself wishing that we had been provided with a larger group for this particular task.
Once we had cleared the dead, Bellamy announced that cleaning of the bunker could wait until the next outing and we gathered around a map of the facility to strategise. We divided ourselves into smaller groups and planned to each search a different area for the necessary supplies. Monty and Harper teamed up for communication devices or other useful technology, Miller and Raven beelined for food whilst Octavia was assigned a list of priority medications from Abby. Bellamy and I were left to search for weaponry and as we all split with instructions to regroup, I was relieved to have a moment alone. I turned to face Bellamy as I dropped my facade of calm and he assessed me with a clear anxiety in his expression.
"How you doing Indie?" He asked with a soft tone to his voice and I sighed as I fidgeted on the spot. There was an overwhelming nervous energy flowing through my body as I battled to remain focused on the task rather than the panic that lurked at the back of my mind. It took constant concentration to hold myself together and I willed myself to complete this mission without having a full breakdown of any sort.
"It's surreal to be here, especially with you." I grumbled quietly as I fiddled with my hands and he smiled supportively. "This is where I grieved for you. And yet, here you are, standing in front of me as if none of it happened. I guess it just starts to feel hard to tell dreams from reality, you know." I explained and he nodded at me with a patient understanding that was comforting to witness. He stepped closer and took my face in his hands carefully.
"Let me help." He whispered as he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on my forehead and I felt myself relax slightly at the warmth of his touch. "That feel real to you?" He asked with adoration glistening in his eyes and I stared into them with a swelling in my heart. I nodded bashfully, earning a smile from him as he took this as incentive to continue. He graced his lips delicately on one of my cheeks, before trailing his way teasingly past my mouth to the other cheek. "How about that?" He breathed against my skin and I nodded again as I gulped in anticipation. "Good. Final test, is this real to you yet Indigo?" His voice grew gruff and raspy as he found his way to my lips and although he was holding the heat between us at bay with his cautious movements, the connection of his kiss blew the breath from my lungs.
I had expected by now for his effect on me to have waned somewhat, or at least to have lost the extremity of it's edge, but as we stood in the very halls where I fell into him for the first time, I felt the same overwhelming, world spinning thrill as I did then. Whenever he kissed me, it was grounding and his devotion always blew any fear away, as I knew that I couldn't have imagined something as incredible as this. When he finally stepped away, I felt far more equipped to deal with the situation and I smiled at him with appreciation that came directly from my heart.
"Definitely real." I commented smugly and he chuckled before he took my hand to lead toward our assigned role.
"Okay, let me know if you need to check again." He remarked with a wink that made my heart flip.
We searched several areas that we had highlighted as potential storage for weaponry and gathered a small selection of items from each as we continued from room to room. Bellamy stepped into our final location first and fiddled around in search of a light switch, whilst I kept my attention on him so that I wouldn't spiral into panic. Whilst I waited, it occurred to me that he had purposely chosen our task around avoiding dorms or any of the common areas and I was once again struck with how considerate he was of my needs. As the lights flickered into life on the ridiculously high ceilings, I realised that we were in a hangar sized space that was crammed with weaponry that overflowed from the shelves and I turned to face Bellamy in open mouthed shock.
"Holy shit! Jackpot." I hissed as he stared around in amazement. He took a few careful steps into the room and I followed with my eyes roaming the shelves. Although logically I knew that this bunker had been designed to survive and endure, it was shocking to discover this level of preparation. We wandered aimlessly through the stacks of shelves until we emerged to an area where large shutters waited behind an unfamiliar vehicle and I glanced back at Bellamy with an exhilarated smile. "You think it works?" I crooned with an excitement that was clearly contagious and his eyes twinkled with hope.
"Let's find out." He suggested as he rushed toward the driver's door and I ran to the passenger side with my heartbeat pounding. The doors opened easily to our surprise and we slid into the seats. Bellamy immediately began searching for a set of keys whilst I was distracted by the large area in the back that could easily accommodate our group and a substantial amount of salvage.
"We could take so much more home with this!" I exclaimed as I turned back to the front and felt optimism filling the space that my anxiety had inhabited until now. I hadn't expected to find anything this helpful inside the mountain and found myself feeling thankful that we'd taken this risk. Bellamy pulled down the sun visor and released a set of keys that dropped toward his lap. He caught them mid air with a flourish and fixed me with a dazzling smile.
"It's a good day, Love." He stated with a cheerful tone that made my stomach fizz and I relished in his joy. As he fiddled to insert the keys, I clocked him with a worried realisation and felt the return of some anxiety.
"Wait a second. Do you even know how to drive?" I enquired with concern and he paused momentarily at my scrutiny. A wicked smile spread across his face and I felt my stomach lurch in dread. This was a familiar expression that I knew was usually closely followed by some kind of reckless decision and I was unsure if I could handle this side of him today.
"Eh, how hard can it be?" He stated and I cocked a brow at him suspiciously. He turned the keys confidently in the ignition and the engine grumbled to life. I gasped at the victory whilst he held both fists up in celebration and we high fived in a shared moment of excitement. "Alright, what have we got? Accelerator, brakes, yeah I've got this." He mumbled aloud as I assessed him nervously.
"Calm your jets, Bel. Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe we should just wait for Raven, I bet she could give us a full crash course." I reasoned in a calm manner and he rolled his eyes at me. For the first time since our original camp, I felt as if I were boring him with my attitude and a tingle of nostalgia crossed my chest.
"Have a little faith Indie, I know what I'm doing." He asserted with an overpowering confidence and I viewed him sceptically. "Buckle up." He instructed and I rushed to strap myself in as he prepared to test whether the vehicle could still manage any movement. "Are you ready for the ride of your life?" He winked as he spoke and I felt a flutter of nervous butterflies as I nodded back with my hand tightly clinging to the handle above the door. "Now, if I just-"
I hardly noticed what it was that caused the car to spur into action, but before he could even finish his sentence the vehicle surged forward and crashed a set of shelving to the ground in a clattering noise that sent its contents flying. Bellamy's head bounced lightly against the steering wheel, rousing into action ancient airbags that exploded dust clouds over the pair of us and I yelped in shock.
"Oh my god! Oh my god, are you alright?" I asked with a wave of terror as I frantically examined him and when he met my eyes, I couldn't contain a snort of laughter at his bewildered expression. In barely moments we had descended into hysterical cackling and each of us fed the others uncontrollable fits. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I could barely catch my breath as he guffawed back at me. I realised that we had never had the chance to share playfulness like this before and I treasured the innocent pleasure that beamed across Bellamy's face.
When we could finally calm ourselves enough to speak, he peeked out at the chaos that he'd caused through the windscreen, then returned his attention to me with amusement dancing in his eyes.
"You have to cover for me. When the team gets here, say it was you who drove into the shelving and dented the brand new vehicle we just found." He instructed in his best attempt at any authoritative voice and I raised my brows at him with a scoff.
"Hell no! This is gold! This is all you, baby." I defended with the lilt of laughter still clear in my voice and I wiped at my damp cheeks. Although I'd been pleased to share this experience with him, I partly wished that anyone else had been here to witness it as he tried to shift the blame.
"Come on Indie, this is my reputation we're talking about! I'm their unit leader." He pleaded and I felt myself easily slipping into giggles again at his embarrassment. I could only imagine the expressions on the faces of the trainees if they realised that their leader was an overconfident goofball and felt a new appreciation for the fact that I had the privilege to experience this side of him.
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you went all Evel Knievel on it?" I snorted and he reached over to playfully jab me in the side, only causing me to laugh harder.
We managed to move the vehicle back into its original position and assessed that other than some minor marks on the bonnet, there were no obvious signs of damage. I assisted Bellamy in replacing the shelving and items, before he radioed the others to inform them of our discovery. He instructed Raven to come to us for a full assessment of the vehicle before we could increase the amount of supplies we gathered. We brushed the dust from our clothes and attempted to clear each other's faces, despite the mutual distrust about whether we'd truly got it all. The air bags were practically impossible to return correctly but Bellamy was adamant that no one would ever have to know that they'd gone off.
Once Raven had recovered from the thrill of discovering the vehicle, she confirmed that it was likely to be able to manage the journey back to Arkadia, but asserted that it would need some work once home. She busied herself with seeking out the parts needed for the repairs whilst Bellamy and I arranged a larger stack of weaponry to place in the boot. Deep in the shelves, I worked through the items to ensure that I collected a mixture that would give us an advantage and startled as Raven crept up beside me.
"So, about that rover...I noticed that the panel on the airbags is broken, and it's pretty dusty in there?" She spoke smugly and I gave my best effort to shrug innocently. She thinned her eyes at me and I felt myself gulp involuntarily. "You two been going at it instead of working?" She crooned and my eyes widened dramatically.
"No! That's so gross Raven!" I hissed under my breath and a satisfied cackle escaped Raven's composure. "Let's just say that I think it would be best if you drove us home." I reported with a playful wink and I noticed that her expression dropped slightly. I tilted my head at her in confusion and she released a long sigh.
"I can't. The walk here was already too much for my stupid leg." She admitted bitterly as she avoided my gaze and I kicked myself inwardly for being too focused on my own anxieties to notice her struggle. I reached out to put a hand on her arm and was pleased when she reluctantly met my eyes.
"Hey, that's okay, next time for sure." I asserted and she nodded slowly. "In the meantime, I think we'd all appreciate it if you could give Bellamy some pointers." I hinted and she smiled at my insinuation. I glanced around to check that we were alone and dropped my voice so that I couldn't be overheard. "He crashed it into the shelves earlier." I revealed and was relieved when she returned to laughing. It was always difficult for me to witness Raven suffering and I made a mental note to check on her more frequently in future.
Bellamy's voice carried across the hangar as he returned with the others and we regrouped to finish loading supplies into the back of the rover. Raven seized the opportunity to instruct Bellamy under the guise of confirming that everything worked as it should and I was thankful for her subtlety for a change. There was a buzz of excitement in the air as we piled into the rover and I could practically feel the relief in the group that we wouldn't have to walk. Bellamy turned the key in the ignition and I made a point of fastening my seatbelt whilst smirking at him.
"Not a word." He grumbled as a warning and I struggled to suppress a smile at our in-joke.
"I didn't say anything." I breathed with a wide smile that forced its way onto my face and I noticed that his lips twitched upward too.
I was relieved to find that Bellamy's driving was far soother now that he had spoken with Raven and it was actually a pleasant journey through the woods as the others chatted casually in the cramped back seats. There was a strange sense of peace that filled the overpacked space and as I looked into the rear view mirror, I noticed that even Octavia had relaxed into the warm atmosphere.
We drove for hours until Bellamy started to seem confused and we descended into bickering as I made my best effort to direct him with a painfully simple map of the area. I didn't even notice that the rest of the car had fallen silent to listen to us until Octavia called out to assist Bellamy with her knowledge of the area. As we moved off again, Bellamy glanced over at me sheepishly and I clenched my jaw in a huff.
"Christ, this is like the real road trip experience, mom and dad arguing in the front." Miller commented idly from behind and rapidly the tension disappeared as I could sense every person in the vehicle struggling to suppress their amusement.
"Are we nearly there yet?" Harper groaned dramatically as I kept my eyes trained on the passenger window in an effort to hide my expression.
"Mom, dad, I have to pee." Raven announced to further fuel the group who were quickly falling into an exhaustion fuelled, playful delirium.
"God, Raven, you're the worst. That's the fifth time." Monty crooned in a convincing tone and I could hardly believe that this conversation was gaining momentum.
"I have a small bladder, leave me alone." She defended bitterly as her voice cracked and she began to laugh. The energy that bounced between them was almost palpable in the small containment of the back compartment and I felt a pull of sentimentality as I processed how pleasant it was to be able to share humour with them.
"I'm hungry, can I open the snacks?" Octavia asked in a whinier voice than I'd ever heard her use and I rolled my eyes at her dramatic performance as Bellamy peeked at me out of the corner of his eyes. I could feel that he was as delighted by their enjoyment of this time together as I was and we shared a subtle smile at each other.
"Mom, Miller hit me!" Harper called, causing the entire group to break into vivacious laughter that filled the vehicle with warmth. I couldn't recall a time where I'd heard them behave in such a manner and I could no longer resist indulging in the playful atmosphere.
"Stop distracting your father or you'll all be going to bed early." I scolded as I finally caved to their childish game with a wink at Bellamy and he chuckled to himself.
"Hey!" Bellamy called authoritatively and they all flinched in surprise as their attention turned to him nervously. "You better behave back there or so help me god, I will turn this car around." He ordered with a blatant smirk spread across his lips and the others cheered at his participation.
"What about you two, going to bed early?" Raven crooned with a suggestive wink and I threw a bread roll at her head from the bag at the front.
The rest of the journey passed in a blur and several members of the group fell asleep in the back. Bellamy occasionally glanced over at me with a fond smile which I couldn't help returning. It was a strange outcome for a day that began full of dread to be one of my favourite days since we arrived on Earth. I peeked into the rearview mirror to observe my peacefully sleeping, ragtag family huddled together in the back and smiled in contentment. In this moment, I felt that life truly couldn't get any better and I found myself finally starting to accept my new reality.
- O - O - O - O - O -
The sound of conversation and laughter filled the air as we relaxed in the metal seats under the night sky. There was a feeling of intense satisfaction in the camp tonight after a particularly delightful meal made with the food from the mountain and I had been thrilled to discover that Miller had snuck a plentiful supply of alcohol into the back of the rover. We had promptly set about creating a simple bar and a terrace area in the camp upon our return. As Harper, Raven and I drank in a chilled state, I felt pleased that we had chosen to install this area and noticed several other members of camp settling nearby.
"To us!" Raven announced as she lifted her cup and we all toasted. "We are the heroes of food and booze." She added with a smirk and we chuckled at her brazen attitude. We'd been here for a while, observing the bustling activity of camp whilst we caught up on petty gossip and Raven, as usual, downed twice the amount of drinks as Harper or I. She had already given Harper a thorough grilling on Monty, from which I'd had to rescue her before Raven caused any long term trauma. I sighed in contentment as I glanced between them and now that she was well warmed, I decided to use this opportunity to attempt to pry information from Raven.
"So, Raven, a little birdy told me that there was a potential suitor around whilst we were away." I began in a smooth tone and Harper sat forward in interest. Raven tensed slightly as she viewed me with a deep suspicion.
"Oh really? And who told you that?" She asked with a pout that revealed her displeasure in my knowledge of this and I thinned my eyes at her. I couldn't understand why she hadn't mentioned it and her avoidance of the topic only further fueled my interest.
"Nice try, but I know better than to rat out my sources, especially to you, or they'll never tell me anything again." I teased as I sipped my cup with a resolute expression and she rolled her eyes. I could only imagine what she would do to timid Knox if she knew that he had been gossiping to me and I decided that he did not deserve such a fate.
"Don't avoid the question, you weren't this shy when it came to grilling me!" Harper stated as she addressed her with a wink and leaned closer to examine her. "Now, spill the tea." She insisted with a jab which Raven flinched away from her in annoyance. It was fascinating to watch their developing friendship and I hoped that Raven might accept her support eventually as she had mine. From the reports of others in the camp, she'd been making quite the attempt to isolate herself recently and I knew that it would take consistent work to undo that.
"There's nothing to spill!" She whined in a voice that was entirely the wrong pitch for her and I knew immediately that she was lying as she shuffled in her seat. "Why do you even want to know?" She enquired defensively and Harper scoffed under her breath.
"Such a hypocrite!" She hissed as she crossed her arms at me and I chuckled at her reaction. I had known Raven long enough to recognise her tight lipped attitude when it came to sharing anything she didn't want to and I smiled knowingly at Harper before turning my attention to our avoidant friend. If I were going to prize this information from her, it would take some well planned tactics.
"I'm a concerned friend, I need to check that whoever it is deserves you." I explained in an almost convincing tone as she cocked a brow at me.
"Bitch, have you ever known me to drop my standards? I know my worth." She asserted, before she leaned forward to assess me in a movement that made my stomach lurch. I recognised the glint in her eyes and tried to steel myself for a counter attack. "Besides, if I'm gonna part with that kind of information, I'm gonna need something in return." She began with a smile and I felt my spine straighten in response. I knew immediately that I'd made a mistake by challenging her and tried to seem unphased by her demand.
"Oh, here we go." I muttered as she observed me like an animal studying its prey. Already I regretted initiating this conversation and I hadn't even heard her price yet.
"I wanna know what it was like when you finally got it on with Bellamy, give me the details. What's he like? Does he have any kinks? Was it rough, or is that all just bravado? Ooh, how big's his dick?!" She spurted out the questions in rapid fire and my cheeks grew red at the same speed. Harper choked loudly on her drink and it poured out of her nostrils as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Raven!" I scolded as my mouth dropped open in shock and she smiled in a manner that indicated she was thoroughly pleased with herself. I glanced over at Harper for assistance, who had now finished drying herself off and was peeking between us with riveted interest.
"This outta be good." Harper muttered and I sighed in disappointment at her betrayal after my earlier support of her. I made a mental note to allow Raven to question her to her heart's desire in future.
"Don't be a prude!" Raven remarked as she rounded on me again. "Is it big?" She asked with absolutely no shame in sight and I squirmed in my seat with a gulp. "Oh yeah, looks like he would be big. Your face says it is." She teased and I covered my face in humiliation whilst she cackled wickedly.
"You know, until now I've never wished that I died in Mount Weather." I groaned as I squinted back up at the two of them and although Harper smiled apologetically, Raven simply shrugged with a complete lack of any remorse. I had always known that she was able to embarrass me at any time, but it was clear she was demonstrating the full power of her ability to teach me a lesson.
"Your face is almost blending into your hair there, lover." She commented as she sipped on her drink with a smug expression. I decided in this moment that I would need to develop a far thicker skin before I ever attempted to corner her again.
"Just cause you're my friend, that doesn't mean I won't kick you in the face." I spat as I twitched toward her threateningly and she simply held her middle finger up carelessly.
"Oh jesus Mel, give it a rest." Harper muttered as we both regarded her in confusion. "Talk about barking up the wrong tree." She added as she indicated to her side and we followed her eyeline to Bellamy. He was standing in the courtyard chatting to a young, brunette girl who seemed particularly more invested in the conversation than he did. I felt my stomach lurch slightly at the way that she batted her lashes at him but ensured that it didn't show on my face as Raven turned back to consider us with a cold expression.
"Yeah, she's definitely trying it." She drawled with an obvious annoyance that she shared with Harper as she met her eyes and I was warmed by their defensiveness on my behalf. "You wanna sort that out Indie?" Raven suggested with a gesture over her shoulder and stern eyes.
"It's fine." I remarked as I forced a smile and tone that I hoped was casual. "Bellamy's a big boy, he can do whatever he wants." I stated with a shrug and studied my drink in an effort to avoid their reactions. There was a moment of silence as I could sense that they were deciding how to address my apparent lack of interest and sighed as I expected to be scolded.
"Is he a big boy though?" Harper muttered under her breath and I gasped as my eyes snapped back up to her suggestive smile with shock.
"Harper!" I cried in outrage and playfully slapped her arm. "Jesus, I expect that kind of savagery from her but not you!" I scolded as I fought to contain a smile and returned my scowl to Raven. "You're a terrible influence, you know that?" I accused and she simply shrugged, before she glanced over her shoulder again with a growing disbelief.
"You're just gonna let that be?" She grilled and my attention flitted over to find Mel touching Bellamy's arm fondly as he shifted in a subtly awkward gesture that probably would've been unnoticable to anyone else. I felt a pang of annoyance at her ongoing efforts but tried to remind myself that Bellamy hadn't made any commitments to me, nor had I requested any, so I felt that I had no right to be upset. "She's literally doing it right in front of you." Raven groaned as she observed their conversation with a disgusted look.
"I don't think she even knows who I am, Raven. She has no idea not to do it in front of me." I commented idly and realised that Bellamy didn't even seem to be aware that we were here. Raven cocked a brow at me sceptically. "What would you suggest?" I asked in exasperation and as she assessed Mel with a darkness in her eyes, I immediately regretted my invitation for her twisted ideas.
"Me? I'd slap her about." She stated in a cold tone as she took a long sip from her cup and gave a meaningful expression.
"Shit, Raven!" I hissed as my mouth dropped open in disbelief and even Harper flinched at her words. This was extreme even for Raven and I began to realise that our time apart had changed her more than I had cared to address yet.
"She's just a dumb kid, we've all been there." Harper breathed in a sympathetic tone and Raven rolled her eyes in disappointment at the two of us.
"Baby, if you don't want to tell him to behave, I get it. But that doesn't mean you can't scare her the hell off." She presented her case with a clear belief in the validity of her wisdom and I scoffed at her simple logic. "Look, all I'm saying is that I've tried to be the cool, understanding girl who just waits for my guy to pick me and look at where it got me. I should've taken Clarke out of the picture when I had the chance." She avoided my gaze as she stared down at her hands and her face was filled with bitterness. I watched her with a deep sympathy but before I could say anything, she cleared her throat and forced a smile. "How about this: I'll hold her down and you punch." She suggested with a deviant wink and I stared at her with wide eyes.
"Okay, you know what, I'm sensing a hint of bitterness, and a serious anger problem and...hmm...you getting cut off for the night." I declared as I leaned forward to snatch the drink from her hands before leaning back to gesture to the bartender that she was done and he gave a thumbs up in confirmation. "Thank you." I chanted as I tipped the drink into my cup and she crossed her arms at me.
"Wow, I thought we were friends." She blurted in an accusing manner and I chuckled under my breath.
"We are friends! And friends don't let friends drink and drive...their life into the ground." I spoke with a flourish of my hands for emphasis and she groaned in disapproval as she moved to a standing position.
"Whatever, I have a stash in my room." She spat as she stumbled slightly on the spot and I scanned her unsteady posture with a worried smile.
"You're a menace to society, you know that?" I drawled whilst she simply yawned at me to imply that I was too dull for her interest. "You sure you can even make it back there in one piece?" I enquired with a lightly teasing tone and she scoffed loudly at my question.
"Fuck you." She groaned and although Harper shifted awkwardly at her aggressive tone, I caught a sly wink before Raven shuffled away in a veering journey towards the Ark.
"Don't worry, she'll get over it. She just needs to sleep off the temper." I confirmed with a smile as I sipped from my cup and Harper visibly relaxed at my confirmation.