Chapter 3

Bellamy finished his morning workout with a grimace. He knew how cliché it was to start a diet regimen during quarantine, but he had been lazy enough in the first few days, and at least exercising would help the time go by.

When he had been at college, going to the gym was practically a daily thing. His roommate Miller would drag him and act as his personal trainer. Murphy would laugh at him, but he lost his smug smile when Bellamy proudly showed his six-pack that summer when they went to the beach. However, Murphy did find his match in Emory, they had just gotten married, and Bellamy was still alone.

He had dated Echo, a beautiful and intense girl, who had been his longest relationship to date. They had met in his sophomore year of college through some mutual friends and Bellamy thought she was the one. They had a nice three-year run, but then they graduated, and Echo wanted to spend her days traveling the world. She had begged Bellamy to accompany him, but he liked Arkadia. He liked the simple life, being a ten-minute drive from his family, the same coffee house. And he loved his job.

Being a history nerd was not always easy. In high school, his peers would make fun of him behind his back. Bellamy endured a few years of bullying and painful rejection, but it all came to a stop when his senior year had started, and with it came a glow-up for him. Apparently, being a nerd was okay when you are tall with broad shoulders. It was no surprise to his friends and family when he decided he wanted to be a history teacher and he actually enjoyed working in a high school, even if his own experience wasn't the most pleasant.

Loud music outside pulled him from his reminiscing and piqued his curiosity. His building had mostly elderly tenants or small families, and he couldn't imagine any of them listening to that kind of music. He got out into his balcony and turned around, quickly regretting his decision.

Clarke was on her own balcony, wearing tight yoga pants and a training top. She had her back to him, and he could see how the fabric hugged her skin, making him feel slightly light-headed. God, what was happening to him? Clarke was obviously hot, but so was many other girls who had crossed his path. The week before the quarantine, he had been out with Murphy for some drinks and there was this beautiful woman, who kept making eyes at him. He had thought she was beautiful, but that's as far as his interest went. He had happily paid his tab and left the bar without regrets, despite Murphy's worried questioning about the lack of his love life.

But Clarke just threw him off balance. It was like when he was a dumb teenager that barely could look at a girl without getting excited. He wondered if his self-control had also decided to go on quarantine.

Not willing to find out how much more of that he could take, but not ready to head inside just yet, Bellamy cleared his throat. Clarke jumped and turned around, smiling brightly when she saw him there.

"Good morning, Bellamy," Clarke greeted.

"It's two in the afternoon," he pointed out, bet not able to hide his smile at her energized mood.

"Well, my sleeping schedule is kinda off, so it's morning for me."

"I wish I could say I know what you mean, but I don't. My schedule is still on point."

Clarke smirked. "I'll see you when you get there." Bellamy shook his head at her cheekiness and tried to think of something else to say, to keep her there a little bit longer. What was going on with him? "Have you finished that book?" Thankfully, Clarke wasn't ready to turn in yet.

"Oh, right. I did! Just wait here." Bellamy went inside and picked the book from his coffee table. He had been running through several scenarios in his mind about how to get the book to her, not wanting to be pushy. "There you go." He leaned out over the balcony rail, being careful to not lose balance. If he did, it would be a nasty fall. Thankfully, Clarke's balcony was not far, and she managed to grasp the book from his hands.

"Thank you," she said. "I can't wait to get started."

"It's a good read."

"Oh, I bet. I find WWII to be an incredibly compelling story about survival and resilience." Bellamy stared at her strangely. "I know it's weird. But ever since I learned of the Holocaust, I can't help but admire those people. I don't think I would survive very long in those conditions and it's amazing they did. Not all of them, but those who did are survivors. There should be thousands of books about them, but writers usually write about the Nazis."

"I -" He was at a loss for words. Clarke was the first person he'd met to have such a strong opinion on the Holocaust. At least, one as strong as his. "I agree with you."

"You do?" The surprised tone in her voice took him back about a decade when he was just a freshman at college, and he found out that there were people who loved history as much as he did.

"I do. I believe WWII should be about the survivors, not about the Nazis and their victims. Yes, they were victims and shouldn't be shamed for that, but at the same time, I feel that there is always a negative tone when people use that word. The ones that should be ashamed were the people who hurt them," he explained, forgetting his growing attraction for Clarke as he dove into a subject that he actually mastered. "I actually find it revolting that people like Joseph Mengele never got what they deserved."

Clarke listened as he unburdened his feelings about one of the worst moments of history. She was so used to not having anyone to discuss it with that this moment seemed so unreal to her. It was like she stepped into an alternate reality. "You know a lot about history," Clarke pointed out, making Bellamy blush once again. She had never considered a blushing man something sexy, but something about there something about him being flustered that was endearing.

"I'm a history teacher at Arkadia High School." His confession threw her off balance. If anyone asked, Clarke could've guessed thousands of jobs that suited Bellamy. Teacher was not on that list. When he crossed paths with her in the morning during the week, he was usually wearing a simple shirt with a tie. Sometimes she liked to imagine he was a high-end lawyer. The teacher-student fantasy was definitely a better one.

"I'm the head of the tourist department at the Arkadia Museum." His eyes widened in surprise and she couldn't hold back a laugh. Most people were astonished to know what she did for a living. Some said her job didn't match her personality and she tried not to take it to heart, but it did kind of hurt her. Others said that expected more of someone of her background and that she just found ridiculous.

"I love the Arkadian Museum." Clarke chuckled at his confession. Of course, he did. "I've done my share of sightseeing and I've got to say, there no museum like ours." She took in those words with a proud smile. Since she took over the department, there were a lot of changes and, while most of the staff wasn't happy about it, there had been an increase in the visitors' flow.

"Well, when this is over, I would be more than happy to take you on private tour after closing time." Bellamy smiled widely at her offer.

"I would appreciate that a lot." Clarke's mind ran wild at the idea of being with him at the museum after hours, not leaving much room for a smart reply. However, her phone rang, saving her from the humiliation of not having an answer.

"Sorry, it's my mother. And I do have to take it." The last time she didn't, Abby panicked and had sent her husband, Clarke's stepfather, to check on her. Marcus Kane had heart problems and if there was someone who shouldn't be walking around during a pandemic, it was him.

"Yes, of course. I hope you enjoy the book," Bellamy waved her goodbye and got inside. Clarke watched his retreating back with a sigh. That man was truly a masterpiece.

Hey guys,

A warm, new chapter for you.

Not really into long notes right now, so... I hope you enjoy it.

Love,

Jane