Yay, new update :)
So I am officially done with my second year of college! I did like totally nothing today. Such an odd feeling, to have all this time without having to be stressing about an assignment or this or that...now to just wait for my grades. Mhhh...those...
Thank you to all my reviewers, we're slowly capturing more and more each time ;) : shaemysterious, jadegurl2, Nessie2000, heidi1245401, sydcast, and Darkmaster of the arts!
As it turned out, through Clarke, Bellamy met many new 'friends', some friendlier than others. Wells was always seemingly unsure of him, and that was perfectly fine because Bellamy wasn't sure about him at all either. His father was trying to do good things, but trying and doing were two very different ideas. They did bond over one thing, though. It the mutual acceptance that they were perhaps some of the few that were curious what had made this change- the after school groups, changing up of classrooms, and ect- occur. They both had noticed people they didn't know staring at them in the halls. For Wells, that might be normal enough, but people looking at Bellamy and whispering was a whole different matter entirely.
While he had soon figured out that there were a total of 44 of them in this room, and he did learn all their names by the second year, there were a couple ones that he saw or talked to more than others.
There was Raven, a girl with even more fire than Clarke (he didn't think that was possible) who had black hair that was never combed down properly and was notorious for taking things apart and almost putting them back together. She was getting better at it, granted.
There was John Murphy (Murphy, there were too many Johns to call by their first names), who Bellamy had no real reason to dislike, but he couldn't like him because his whole body told him something was off although he was a perfectly nice kid, if not a little grumpy. He was young and sarcastic to the bone. Sometimes, Bellamy got the impression the kid was following him around, copying him. It did flatter Bellamy that anyone would want to emulate him.
There was Monty who had snuck his best friend Jasper into the group because they'd been separated and they were firmly best friends who wouldn't leave each other behind. There was better food and toys here, so naturally, Monty insisted Jasper migrate to this group. His stubborn sense of loyalty and protectiveness toward his friend reminded Bellamy of his sister, so he helped Monty (along with Miller, Clarke, Raven, Wells, and sometimes even Monty) to hide Jasper from anyone finding out. It had been years now, and he was pretty sure the attendee was turning a blind eye, but officially, no one could know he was the 45 person.
There were three girls- Harper, Monroe, and Roma- that all stuck together in a clump and he wasn't even sure if they had defined personalities yet. He remembered Roma best of all, but only because she had a stupid puppy dog crush on him which he found to be increasingly annoying. He avoided her at all costs.
He made some of his own friends too, and some were even his own age. There was Benny, Hendrick, and Brad- he went to their houses pretty often, and they never seemed bothered he didn't invite them back to his. He hung out with Clarke far more often, though, so perhaps they just weren't good enough friends to expect that of him. Either way, sometimes it was nice to have guys going through his classes he could sit with during the day, instead of alone like he once had.
As much as he liked having friends, as it were (most of them were his sister's age), the guilt and nervousness about leaving his sister alone while he was here always made him a little on edge. Some days he was more acutely aware of these feelings than others. He felt bad that he got to experience all this and she just couldn't.
To be perfectly honest, he enjoyed the nights with Clarke's family much better. He never understood their partnership, and why his mother wasn't equally encouraging him over to Miller or Brad's houses or whatnot, but he didn't want to complain. About once a month, he'd go over there (sometimes with his mom, often not now that he was growing up) and they'd cook for him and he'd spend it with Clarke the rest of the night. It was easier to relax here than in the after school group, although he couldn't imagine why that might be.
Once Wells brought up the idea of figuring out what was going on to Bellamy-three years of both of them trying to figure it out, and Wells finally had an idea. He caught Bellamy alone as the class let out. Miller had left early that day, having to go home to help his father with something. Clarke was off somewhere else with Bree. He didn't dislike Bree after all these years, but honestly she'd given them all so little it was hard to form much of an opinion of her. She had her big doe eyes that seemed liquid and it seemed she might start crying at anything that was said...she was mousy, and that was fine and dandy, but Bellamy already knew they had perhaps two things in common and they'd both exhausted both topics within knowing each other. He couldn't imagine what Clarke might have to talk with her about, but maybe it was 'girl things' he wouldn't be interested in anyway.
He brought his attention back to Wells, who was starting to explain his plan.
"If there's anything to know, it will be in my dad's office." He said knowingly.
"Why tell me?" Bellamy asked, eyes narrowed, "Can't you just go in there?"
"Unlikely. He always keeps it locked when he's not in there. The only way I see getting into his files is a distraction while someone sneaks in."
The reason Bellamy had been invited to a movie party at Wells' house that following night was now obvious.
"So you want me to raid the Chancellor's private desk?"
"No." Wells said, and Bellamy honestly felt relieved, "I'm doing that. I'll only get a little bit in trouble if he finds me. Clarke would kill me if I got you locked away in the Sky Box." He said it so casually, and Bellamy had to restrain his twitching jaw. People like him got locked away for less, and he never wanted to be there. If he got in trouble, he knew it wouldn't be long before his sister was discovered and his mother was floated.
"So I have to make a distraction." Bellamy still didn't like this idea, "Why can't Clarke help you? Your dad likes her."
"She doesn't believe there's anything going on." Wells said, "She thinks all of this," He pointed back to the room, "Is just...natural." He grunted, unable to find words, "You're one of the only ones that Clarke trusts, and therefore I do-not much though, and that thinks there's more to this whole situation than we're being told."
"You don't trust your father?" To this day, it still surprised Bellamy. Wells was shoe-in to be Chancellor one day himself, and he was the crowned king of the Ark. The very idea that he'd have so little faith in his own father was startling.
Then again, Bellamy understood. He never even knew his dad, so he had little reason to respect or believe any older man's authority.
"I know that sometimes a chancellor must do what's best for the people, not for his family." Wells' answer was guarded, but it was good enough for Bellamy.
"Fine. What do you expect me to do?" Bellamy asked.
"Nothing big. Wait until my dad's in the study, and then spill your drink on the floor. Spill someone's. Accidents happen. Clarke will undoubtedly go get him, and I'll trail after and slip in when he comes out to help matters." Wells decided.
"Okay." He agreed.
Clarke had peeled away from Bree at this point, waving good-bye and saying she'd bring something to Wells' place that night, and bounded up between the two boys.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, hope glimmering in her eyes. She knew it was obvious the pair tolerated each other, for no particular reason, and Bellamy understood she hoped perhaps they were becoming friends.
Wells gave him a glance mirroring his own thoughts; unlikely. But neither said that, instead Wells smiled at Clarke.
"Just talking about chess and how he can stop being such a wimp, you know, win against me one day, if he's lucky." Wells whole demeanor changed around Clarke. It was barf-worthy.
"Yeah, sure. I'd better get going." Bellamy said swiftly, "I'll see you two tonight." He nodded, and went back to his room.
That night, twelve children piled into the Chancellor's living room. Well, Bellamy wouldn't say 'piled' since they all fit quite comfortably, and there could have been room for maybe two or three more. There was Bree, Clarke, Wells (obviously), himself, Raven, Murphy and Jasper, Miller, Murphy, Ana Woloshcuck, Brad Grahn, Benny Edl, and Leslie Hettrick- all people from their 'after school group'. Obviously by three years now he knew everyone fairly well, and no one was outright mean to one another, but there for sure groups that were closer to certain people than others. They didn't have much of an opportunity to talk to people that weren't in their after school group, and Bellamy didn't see much point. He had all the friends he required right there.
"Let's get this party fucking started." Benny said as he plopped himself on the couch, grabbing the popcorn bowl from Clarke's hands while she glared.
"Don't swear. You're in the Chancellor's house!" She sounded horrified. Plus, she was only 8, and eight year olds hardly swore as it was. Thirteen year olds didn't swear much either, unless you knew how to. Benny's father 'swore like a sailor', his mum said, which was an extremely antiquated phrase Bellamy didn't much understand.
"Shit, sorry. I mean, crap?" He looked at Bellamy, "Is that considered a swear word?"
"No, Ben. But, maybe…stop talking?" Ana chuckled. Everyone knew he had the dirtiest mouth out of all the 45 kids, teaching even the supervisors that checked in sporadically some new terms they'd never encountered before. Word was he knew how to say at least one swear word in every language that still existed, and then some. Admittedly, Bellamy hadn't helped the cause by helping him swear in Greek and Latin. But, shhh, his mom doesn't know that he knows those sorts of naughty words. He didn't hear it from Bellamy, if he was ever asked.
"Hey everyone." Jaha greeted the children as he came from the kitchen with a couple bowls of snacks, snacks that kids like Bellamy or Ana only got when they turned a specific special age like thirteen or sixteen or something. All the kids became instantly stiffer, muttering greetings, except for Wells, Clarke, Nathan, Bree, and Murphy (only because Murphy hardly respected any authority figure as it was). He waved them goodnight, and turned into his study, the door locking with a distinctive 'click'.
Halfway through the movie, Wells caught Bellamy's eyes and nodded. Bellamy had placed his own drink precariously close to the edge, and also close enough to Clarke's and Jasper's that if he just...he threw his body forward as Jasper reached for his glass, causing him to knock all three of theirs onto the floor.
"Darn it." Jasper's face turned ashen, "I didn't mean to Wells, I swear."
"It was just an accident! I'm sure Chancellor Jaha won't be mad. Not if we clean it up right away. We should tell him." Clarke was quick to comfort him, and of course, had a plan.
Right as Wells had predicted, she jumped up after setting their now-empty glasses back upright, knocking bravely on Jaha's study door. Wells was a shadow behind her, and no one seemed to notice, everyone petrified the next thing they'd see was the four gloomy walls of a Sky Box cell.
"Everyone, relax." Jaha almost laughed, "It was an accident, an one that is easily fixed." He said, "Clarke, Nathan, come get the cleaning supplies with me? Jasper, you can refill the glasses." He said. Bellamy shot a glance behind them to see Wells' figure disappearing into his father's study as the door closed softly behind him.
Wells returned right before his father finished, slipping back by Bree with an emotionless look on his face. Bellamy tried to catch his eyes all night, but the boy was very quietly avoiding his looks. It wasn't until the next day of after-school session that he managed to pin Wells alone.
"Well, Wells?" He questioned.
"I found nothing." Wells muttered to the floor.
"It sure doesn't seem like you found nothing." Bellamy scrutinized him, "You wouldn't be acting like that otherwise."
"There was literally nothing. I'm acting like this because I'm trying to accept we might be wrong, that maybe it is nothing. Maybe we're over thinking it." Wells snapped, pushing away from Bellamy.
"Like bull." Bellamy snorted, "You know something, and you're not even going to tell me? I should have known better." He stalked away, angry and upset for trusting Wells.
He dropped the subject, and just hoped Wells would eventually feel guilty enough to tell him or it would slip out, but it never did. He did start looking at Clarke differently, a pronounced sense of longing even though she still existed right in front of him. Yet it was as though he felt she was too far away for him to touch, and every glance at her for months after the incident was pained. He looked at Bree with similar eyes too. He glared at Bellamy, but this, of course, was not out of the ordinary at all.
So I realize we've had mostly chapters from Bell's POV, but that's just because Clarke's so young her story probably wouldn't be very interesting XD But we will start to get some now that we're beginning to move through the ages of the children in some of the next chapters and all.
Below I have a list of all the children in the program. I already have the couples planned out of course, but I'd be interested to hear who you think are going to end up being together? There's quite a lot of OCs just because I didn't think it would be reasonable for ALL of them to be from the Sky Box. So, if you don't recognize a name, it's likely an OC!
BOYS: Bellamy, Lazurus, Wells, Aloysuis, Miller, Benny, Murphy, Marten, Monty, Hendrick, Dax, Grennon, Atom, Mat, Sterling, Tom, Simon, Karl, Armin, Toby, Keshawn, Brad
GIRLS: Clarke, Bree, Harper, Raven, Monroe, Trina, Roma, Fox, Sarah, Felice, Ana, Zahira, Marisha, Jovana, Uma, Kran, Cadence, Leslie, Caylie, Stasia, Teal, Jezelia
Of course Jasper, Octavia, and Finn are other kids that will make appearances in the story, but they're not in the official 'group'. Remember to leave a review!
