Chapter 8
That morning the sun shined in through the windows filling the room in their small apartment. Clarke threw on a pair of slippers and stretched waking up and rolling out of bed. There was a lot to do today. She had to turn in her art pieces for her final that morning and take an exam in one of her other classes. She would have to bring a change of clothes with her because the car wash was later that day. It was supposed to be beautiful out and on the warmer side, probably around 85 as the weather station predicted. She would have to wake Octavia up but wasn't sure if her "friend" left yet.
When she opened her door, she saw Bellamy sprawled out on their pull-out couch. Shirtless and his arm hanging above his head as he laid on it. The other hanging over the side and the rest of his body covered by sheets. She crept over to the kitchen not wanting to wake anyone up, taking one last look at Bellamy laying there. If she had just looked at him, she would say he was exactly the same, but she knew he wasn't. He was more fit for one thing. Muscular in his chest and abdomen. His broad shoulders were wide and husky for his fit figure. He must have had a lot of training being on the football team in college. It wasn't a big deal to her, so she didn't know why she gave it so much thought. She turned on the coffee machine, wondering what he thought of her yesterday. She had come a long way. Not that she let him in or tried to catch up with him when he arrived. Yet, she knew her appearance alone was different. She had worked hard to get where she was. Branching out by joining the sorority. Working out often at the school gym and soaking her creative oats in the arts.
She remembered herself in high school. Modest, always covering herself up, and brainy. Some might have referred to her as a goody two shoes, but she knew that was far from true now.
She reached into the cabinet retrieving a pan to make some breakfast for the house. She walked over to the fridge pulling out some turkey bacon, eggs, and butter. She pulled the bread from the side of the counter and began cooking. In no time she heard Octavia's door open. Lincoln was walking out fully dressed and Octavia walked him to the door. He placed a light kiss on her lips before leaving, just looking up to wave good-bye to Clarke. That was nice of him she thought, usually Octavia's conquests tried to either hit on her or snuck out with so much as a word.
Octavia ran over to the kitchen squealing silently. Clarke laughed as she moved the spatula around cooking the scrambled eggs. "Did someone have another good time last night?" She turned to Octavia raising her eye bow. Octavia pulled herself up on the island behind Clarke. "We didn't do anything. We just slept and talked. Almost all night. It was…" Clarke looked at Octavia as she grabbed an orange out of their fruit bowl, deciding whether or not to believe her. "Amazing, I've never had a connection with a guy like that you know". Clarke didn't really know she had few relationships in her life. She had a crush on a boy in high school, but he pretty much didn't know she existed. Her last and only long relationship was with a guy at the college freshman year and they fooled around a bit but in the end, he had turned out to be a jerk. Ignoring her calls after a while and basically ghosting out of her life. She assumed it was the commitment part that made him shaky. "I actually don't know O". Clarke responded pouring her a cup of coffee and handing it to her. "Oh, shut up, guys are throwing themselves at you all the time. You just never take the time to see it." She had no idea what Octavia was talking about.
A low grown came from the living room. "I smell coffee". Bellamy had gotten up as Clarke was plating everything. She set out 3 plates distributing the eggs and bacon. She popped a piece of toast on everyone's plate and handed one to Octavia and left the other on the counter for Bellamy. He looked over at her as she placed it down. Unsure if her gesture was supposed to be kind or not. "It's food, you know you eat it." He nodded his head at her taking the plate and grabbing a fork from the counter to dig in. "How do you like your coffee"? She looked at him coffee cup in hand. Another unexpected gesture. "I don't drink coffee, too much caffeine makes me jumpy. I'll just take some juice if you have it". He thought he might have been pushing the envelope by requesting something from her. Surely, she wouldn't follow through. Yet Clarke walked to the fridge, opened it up and took out the orange juice. She poured him a glass handing it over and placed the juice back in the fridge. Octavia looked over at her brother smiling. "Clarke takes care of everyone, it's just another great thing about her". She smiled over at her. Clarke smiling back knowing she knew her so well. Rugby was sitting by Clarke as she was eating her breakfast, she dropped some scrapes down to him. "Who decided on the dog?" Bellamy questioned looking at him but continuing to eat his breakfast. "Rugby is family, we got him when we moved in". Octavia told her brother looking all content and happy at her and Clarke's furry companion.
Rugby didn't mind guests, but he rarely bonded with anyone except for Clarke and Octavia. So, when Bellamy snickered and called him over Clarke was surprised, he left her side. Rugby ate up whatever scraps Bellamy gave him and rubbed his head underneath his hand before plopping on his back for belly rubs. "That is so odd, Rugby never leaves your side Clarke". Bellamy looked up "Well I guess it must be my amazing personality I give off". Clarke laughed. She cleared the plates and cleaned up the kitchen before wiping her hands on the towel. "I have to get ready for class O, I'm going to meet you later at the event ok?" Clarke moved to kiss Octavia's cheek and ran to her room for a change. She had her bag already packed and within 10-15 minutes was ready to leave with supplies in hand. She looked over at the siblings as she reached the door. Octavia waved her off and Bellamy looked up from where he was still sitting at the dining room table. He just nodded to her and she turned away without so much as a wave.
"Wow I thought for a second the Princess was starting to warm up to me". "Must you call her that". Octavia shouted in response washing her hands and throwing the towel at her brother. "It suits her, what". He shrugged his shoulders. He walked around their loft looking over their walls in the daylight. While he had arrived last night, he didn't exactly have time for a tour. There were photo's and drawings that were hanging all over the walls. Sections of it unframed and framed. "Are these all Clarke"? Octavia walking over to him and reaching her arm out to hang it over his shoulder. "Yea, she really is good at it. These are mostly the ones she does in her off time. The real prizes are over here". She walked over to Clarkes room opening the door. Bellamy followed but was unsure if he should enter so he stood in the doorway. Clarkes room was almost empty except for the wall that her bed was against. That wall was filled with pictures, mostly unframed.
She had drawings of her father, Octavia, people on campus. There were landscape drawings, and drawings of objects. A coffee cup sitting on the counter, a pencil on a notebook. They were all extremely detailed but mostly in black and white. His eyes fluttered to the top corner of the wall. Without realizing it he moved into the enclosed space. Looking up with a quizzical look on his face. Octavia looked over at him smiling to see what he was looking at. It was an older picture. The paper was worn and torn a bit. She must have done this drawing years ago, before she ever decided on art as her career. The picture focused on a football player on a bench. His elbows resting in his lap. His uniform all torn, and you could only see the slight side of his face as he looked to the side of the field. The jersey number 8. It was his number, his jersey. It was a picture of him.
"That ones my favorite". Octavia mentioned breaking his focus. "How long has Clarke had that". "It was the first one she put up after we moved in. She said it reminded her of home". Bellamy wanted to touch it, take a second to transport himself back to that moment, if he could. Remembering Clarke cheering him on at the games along with Wells. A very important person in his life that was always there for him. Instead he stepped back walking out of their room. Octavia followed him closing the door. She was important to him still. She just hasn't been apart of his life, and he didn't know if that's what he wanted anymore.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue reading, stay tuned for more. As always BE KIND
