Clarke liked Octavia Blake. She liked the fact that she was so bubbly and alive. Everything she said and every gesture she made was wild and full of excitement. They walked side by side towards the Phoenix stalls with Clarke leading Bravado.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to own him!" Octavia squealed and glanced over at the chestnut gelding.
Clarke smiled. Octavia was different from the girls she'd normally hang around with. She didn't care about her appearance or the name brands on her clothes. Octavia said whatever came to mind and never apologized if she happened to curse – which was quite frequently.
"I'm just glad he's going to good home." Clarke replied, petting Bravado on the neck. "He's a great horse."
They walked into barn isle through the wide stone archway and were immediately greeted by whinny from Mist. Octavia gasped when she spotted Clarke's horse.
"You're so lucky to have her. Did you show her this weekend?" Octavia asked as they stopped in front of the wrought iron stall.
Clarke stepped towards the dappled mare looking out over her stall guard. The horse leaned forward as she approached, quickly lipping at the treat she pulled out of her pocket.
"Yeah, we competed in the Hunter Derby and some of the other smaller classes." she said, turning towards Octavia who was stroking Mist's nose gently.
"It's my dream to ride in an A show Hunter Derby…" Octavia whispered, her voice trailing off.
Clarke remembered that she had come from Walden Farms. Some of the riders who competed under Marcus Kane could only afford the county shows and not the expensive A circuits. Octavia was more fortunate than most, her father was Marcus. Clarke had seen Octavia ride once or twice, she definitely had the talent. Then of course there was her brother…
"Don't you compete in the 3'3 Hunters?" Clarke asked, pushing away the memory of Bellamy Blake watching her ride. He was the very definition of trouble.
Octavia's eyes lit up. "Yeah, but dad says I can move up to 3'6 soon, especially since we have Bravado now."
"He'll take you far." Clarke gave Octavia the widest smile.
"I know he will, it's just that I can't believe…" her voice wandered off. Clarke saw Octavia's face grow distant. The other girl was obviously not thinking about Bravado anymore. She pushed a long tendril of black hair behind her ear and crossed her arms, looking disheartened.
"Come on," Clarke piped up. "Let's go get you two acquainted."
Octavia's demeanor immediately perked and she followed Clarke and Bravado to the Phoenix crossties.
. . .
Sometime later, Clarke and Octavia were both laughing together in the tack room eating pizza. They had been wandering around the Phoenix barn since this morning and Clarke was having fun showing Octavia around. Sure, the other girls were staring at Octavia with dislike, but Clarke scowled at them right back. They weren't used to seeing Walden riders around here.
"I can't believe your hair net smells this bad!" Clarke laughed and threw the disgusting thing back at Octavia.
"It doesn't smell that bad!" Octavia replied, indignant. She brought it up to her nose and sniffed. How she didn't throw up all over the tack room floor, Clarke didn't know.
"When was the last time you washed that thing?" asked Clarke plugging her nose and waving a hand in front of her face.
"You're supposed to wash them?" Octavia replied with all seriousness in her voice. Clarke shook her head laughing, laughing so hard that it made her stomach hurt.
"I know," she hiccupped. "What you're getting for Christmas."
"A rich polo boyfriend?" Octavia tried. Clarke cocked her head to the side and studied her. She was about to open her mouth when someone else stepped into the tack room. Octavia quickly stood up.
Bellamy Blake swaggered over, dropping a heavy arm over his sister's shoulder. She tried to wiggle free, but he held her close. "Hey, little Sis."
She rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. A look of worship filled her eyes as she gazed up at him. "Thanks… for Bravado."
"Don't thank me, thank Kane."
He pulled her closer, smiling – really smiling, and it was a nice look on him. He should try it more often. Then he glanced over at Clarke and his eyes narrowed, as if he just realized she was there, in her tack room. The smile was completely gone and replaced by a hard scowl.
"What are you doing?"
Clarke glanced down at the food in her lap. It seemed pretty obvious what she was doing considering her show pants had pizza sauce all over them. "I'm –"
"I wasn't asking you." He turned to his blushing sister. "What are you doing?"
"She was showing me around the barn. Don't be an ass." Octavia punched Bellamy in the stomach before squirming free. "Now we're eating pizza."
He was silent for a moment. "Is this what you do in your spare time?" he asked Clarke.
"Oh, you're talking to me now?" smiling tightly, Clarke set her plate on the tack trunk and crossed her arms. "No, in my spare time I'm normally out schooling horses. It's kind of my job. What's yours? Spitting on kittens?"
"I'm not sure I should say it in front of my sister." he replied, his expression turning wolfish.
"Gross." Octavia made a face.
Clarke's mind filled with explicit images and she could tell by the look on Bellamy's face that he knew it.
"I doubt you could school a Walden horse." he added.
Octavia shoved her brother, but he didn't move. "Don't be a jackass. Please?"
Clarke glanced over at Octavia. Her face was wilting and her posture hunched. Clarke squared her shoulders and stared directly at Bellamy. "I could school that crazy warmblood of yours until he was push button."
Bellamy raised an eyebrow.
"I'd like to see you try." he spat.
"Bellamy, stop." Octavia whispered, her eyes welling. "I like her."
Remarkably, her brother's eyes softened. "O…" He cursed under his breath and folded his arms. "O, you have friends."
"Not like Clarke!" she protested.
Bellamy glanced over at her, his lip curling. She wished she had a crop to throw at his head. In fact, she wished she had a horseshoe to throw at his head – it would hurt a lot more and probably shut him up. "They're your friends, Octavia. They're like you. You don't need to be friends with someone like her."
Clarke couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer. "What do you mean, someone like me?"
Bellamy tilted his head. His sister's eyes darted back from Clarke to Bellamy. "He didn't mean anything by it." she hurried.
Bellamy swore.
Clarke's hands clenched into a pair of fists. "What in the hell is your problem?" she hissed.
Bellamy faced her, an odd look on his face. "You're my problem."
"Excuse me?" she said taking a step forward. "Last time I checked I didn't even know you and you definitely don't know me."
"You are all the same." A muscle popped in his jaw. "I don't need to know you or, for that matter, want to know you."
"Good, because I don't want to know you either."
"Bell, knock it off." Octavia pleaded.
He smirked wickedly at Clarke. "I don't like that you're friends with my sister."
Clarke was pretty sure she had steam coming out of her ears. She wasn't the type to go around telling people off, but this guy was getting underneath her skin. He was arrogant and spiteful and for whatever reason, hated her. She said the first thing that came to mind.
"And I don't give two horse shits what you think."
He strode over to where Clarke was now standing. She took a step back and he followed her until her back was pressed up against the tack room wall. Bellamy bent his head, dark black curls falling just above his eyes. Heat rolled off his body in waves. "Listen closely. If my sister gets bullied and teased by –" He stopped and his gaze dropped to her parted lips. Something flickered in his eyes, but whatever it was faded quickly.
The images were back, darting before Clarke's eyes. The two of them. Sweaty and hot, making out in an empty stall. She bit her tongue and attempted to keep her expression blank. She could tell he knew what she was thinking by the annoyingly smug grin plastered across his face.
"You're dirty, Princess."
Clarke blinked hard several times. She gulped. "What?"
"Dirty," his voice was so low that even Octavia couldn't hear him. "You're covered in dirt… and pizza. Might want to get that cleaned up before you enter the show ring. Wouldn't want the judges knocking off points based on how you look."
There was a short pause before he opened his mouth again. "What did you think I meant?"
"Nothing," Clarke replied, wishing he would back up. With Bellamy this close, dressed in a polo and nicely fitting breeches, the feeling wasn't exactly comfortable. "I ride horses, it's a dirty job."
His lips twitched and he leaned closer. He smelled musky, a good kind of musky. Didn't he know that his sister was watching? "There are a lot more fun ways to get dirty," he breathed. "Not that I would ever show you."
Clarke had the feeling that he knew all the ways to get dirty around here. A deep, red blush rose in her cheeks. "I would rather roll around in manure than get dirty in the way that you have in mind."
Bellamy chuckled and spun around to face Octavia. "Kane wants to see you back at the barn."
Clarke stayed where she was, pressed up against the wall, until he had disappeared around the corner. She swallowed looking at a distraught Octavia.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry my brother is such a dick." she apologized.
Clarke was speechless.
"Please tell me he hasn't scared you off…" Octavia murmured. Clarke waved her hand.
"It'll take a lot more than that to scare me away." she replied pushing herself off the wall.
Octavia ran up and hugged Clarke then, a quick excited hug. "Good, I will see you tomorrow!"
And just like she bounced out the tack room and Clarke was left alone with her own pulsating heart.