I have no idea if this is good or not.
It's been ages since Clarke has been to a good party, and she's actually really looking forward to this one, even if it is for work. Who says she can't have a good time as well?
"How do I look?" she asks, twirling around in front of Raven's desk so she can give her opinion. The outfit she's wearing consists of a black dress with a tight bodice, the skirt flaring out in order to make it easy to access the gun strapped to her thigh. Her hair falls in waves around her face to cover the device she has in her ear. Not that they expect Lexa to be dangerous, but Clarke's not taking any chances this time. The ensemble is completed with the fake necklace they'd taken from Bellamy.
"Hot," Raven grins. "You remember your cover, right?"
"I'm Candace Casey and I'm an up and coming actress and Lexa Lindgren's biggest fan," Clarke recites.
"Great," Raven nods. "I'll be in your ear the whole time and we've got Indra and Harper on standby so if anything goes wrong we'll be able to get you out immediately. I won't have a visual but I'll be able to hear everything."
"This really isn't necessary," Clarke sighs. It's at her mother's insistence that she takes all these extra precautions, and she understands that Abby is just trying to protect her (and the operation) but just because she screwed up one time doesn't mean she needs to be treated like a baby.
"I know, but it will keep your mom happy," Raven tells her. Clarke nods reluctantly.
"Any news on Bellamy?" Clarke asks.
"Monroe is still tailing him. He appears to be living in his own apartment with Octavia. Monroe hasn't noticed anything unusual yet," Raven informs her.
"Okay, keep me updated," Clarke says.
"Monroe can probably get pictures of him in the shower if you want," Raven smirks.
"I hate you."
The after party is being held at some exclusive club Clarke has never been to before, and tonight it has been specifically hired out for the after party of this awards ceremony. Clarke gets in easily, Maya having done her job of getting her on the list, and she checks her purse and coat and scopes out the place, trying to get a glimpse of Lexa Lindgren. She can't see her, but she can see plenty of other famous people, and honestly it's kind of exhilarating.
"Are you inside?" Clarke hears Raven in her ear. Clarke almost nods before remembering Raven can't see her.
"Yes," she says. "I can't see Lexa anywhere."
"She might not be there yet," Raven muses. "That's okay, gives you time to check out the place. Oh, hold on, Monroe's calling me." Raven disconnects for a second while she talks to Monroe. She's back on the line a few seconds later.
"Is everything okay?" Clarke asks.
"Monroe's still tailing Bellamy. She says he's outside the club," Raven tells her.
"What?" Clarke fumes, at the same time her stomach drops at the mention of his name. "This can't be a coincidence. Do you think he followed me here?"
"Go and find him," Raven instructs her. "Get him to leave. He might jeopardize the operation."
"I'd say it's highly likely he will," Clarke mutters, heading back towards the entrance of the club. She spots Bellamy striding in immediately, looking effortlessly gorgeous as usual, and marches up to him.
"What are you doing here?" she snaps.
"Oh, hey, Clarke," Bellamy grins. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Did you follow me here?" she accuses.
"No, I'm guessing you saw the same buzzfeed article as me," Bellamy rolls his eyes.
"Buzzfeed article?" Clarke questions.
"That's where Maya got the picture," Raven says in Clarke's ear.
"Ten times Lexa Lindgren looked better than all your faves?" Bellamy prompts. Clarke groans. Of course Maya gets her information from buzzfeed.
"How did you even get in here?" Clarke scowls.
"Miller's dad is the bouncer," Bellamy grins. His eyes dart downwards, probably noticing she's wearing his necklace. "You look very nice, by the way."
"Don't start," Clarke huffs. She's not about to tell him he looks nice too, even though he does. He probably already knows and she doesn't need to feed his ego. And she knows he's only complimenting her to get under her skin, because that seems to be why he does everything.
"You're so into him," Raven laughs. "You guys should bang." Clarke rolls her eyes, which Bellamy thankfully seems to think is directed at him.
"You know, since we're both here maybe we should work together," Bellamy suggests.
"No, Bellamy. You need to leave," Clarke demands. "I was here first."
"Suit yourself," Bellamy shrugs. "I see Lexa. Time to make my move." He points up to a balcony on the second story looking over the dancefloor.
"Your move?" Clarke snorts.
"I thought I'd take a leaf out of your book and try my hand at seduction. I'm bound to have more success than you," Bellamy smirks. Clarke just smirks back and he immediately frowns, clearly wondering why she's not scowling at him at usual.
"This I have to see," Clarke grins. Clearly Bellamy hasn't done his research. He shrugs and heads upstairs with Clarke following him.
"Do you think he knows…?" Raven says before trailing off.
"Nope," Clarke says smugly. She stands back and he shoots a look over his shoulder at her as he approaches Lexa. Clarke watches on in amusement as Lexa turns around and Bellamy commences trying to flirt with her. Clarke can't hear what they're saying but it's pretty obvious Lexa is so not interested.
"I wish you could see this Raven," Clarke says under her breath.
"What's going on?" Raven asks in her ear.
"Bellamy is making a total fool of himself," Clarke laughs and she hears Raven give a chuckle too. Lexa turns away and Bellamy makes his way back to Clarke, looking severely put out.
"Well, as it turns out-," he starts.
"She's gay?" Clarke finishes gleefully.
"You knew?" Bellamy scowls. Clarke shrugs and Bellamy rolls his eyes.
"My turn," Clarke says smugly, leaving Bellamy and making her way over to Lexa. "Lexa Lindgren?" Clarke says sweetly, tapping Lexa on the shoulder. Lexa's eyes are narrowed when she turns, but she softens when she realises it's not Bellamy.
"Yes?" Lexa says.
"I'm Candace, I'm such a big fan-," Clarke starts, before Lexa cuts her off.
"Where did you get that necklace?" she frowns, her eyes flicking suspiciously from the necklace to Clarke's eyes.
"Oh this?" Clarke fiddles with the necklace. "I had a fake made after I saw you wearing the real thing a few years ago."
"You really are a fan, huh?" Lexa gives a small smile.
"Yeah, I mean, you have such great style," Clarke flutters her eyelashes a little. "Do you still have the necklace?" she cringes inwardly at her blunt question.
"Tone it down, Clarke," Raven warns.
"I mean, did you get to keep it or was it a loan? I would love to see the real thing," Clarke corrects herself, gracefully enough.
"I did get to keep it, it's actually mine. My stylist was trying to force the ugliest necklace I've ever seen on me and I showed her mine and she immediately gave up," Lexa smirks.
"It is beautiful," Clarke says carefully, hoping Lexa will go on without having to be prompted.
"Yeah," she smiles a little sadly. "I don't have it anymore so I can't show you the real thing, unfortunately."
"Really? What happened to it?" Clarke asks interestedly.
"You're not a reporter are you?" Lexa asks. Clarke shakes her head. "Truthfully? It was stolen. The police never found who took it."
"That's terrible," Clarke sympathises. She's pretty sure Lexa is telling the truth. Raven seems to agree. Which means one of two things. Either someone stole the necklace from Lexa and sold it to the Wallaces, or the Wallaces stole it from Lexa themselves. That still doesn't tell her where it is now.
"Yeah," Lexa agrees. "I try not to think about it or I just get angry."
"Okay, we don't have to talk about it," Clarke says. She's got all the information she needs anyway.
"Do you want a drink?" Lexa asks her. Clarke considers for a moment. She kind of does want a drink, and Lexa is very pretty and clearly interested, but…
"Clarke, your mom says you can't get a drink with her or you'll blow your cover," Raven says. Clarke does her best not to scowl. Of course her mother is there eavesdropping.
"I would love to but unfortunately I have to go and meet a friend," Clarke apologises to Lexa. Lexa looks at her disdainfully, as if she's never had anyone turn her down before.
"Fine, suit yourself," she says haughtily before stalking away.
"What did she say?" Bellamy is immediately at Clarke's side, startling her.
"None of your business," Clarke tells him.
"God, you're stubborn," Bellamy huffs.
"I think it's perfectly reasonable to not tell confidential information to a criminal who wants to ruin my assignment," Clarke points out.
"We could work together, you know," Bellamy suggests.
"I'll tell you what Lexa said if you tell me who you're working for," Clarke reasons, knowing full well he won't go for it. He clamps his mouth shut, proving her right. He glances down at her neck again.
"Hey, is that my necklace?" he frowns.
"If this is some weird tactic to distract me it's not going to work. I know you saw it earlier," Clarke snorts.
"What? When?" Bellamy frowns.
"When you first walked in. You were looking at it, and then you said I looked nice to make a point of it," Clarke reminds him.
"Oh," Bellamy says, looking a little sheepish. "I have to confess I wasn't exactly looking at your neck, Clarke." His gaze flicks down again and Clarke's follows his eyes to her cleavage. She reddens slightly and Bellamy gives a chuckle. God, why does her breath hitch when he does that, and why does her skin tingle whenever he's close to her? It's very distracting, not to mention frustrating.
"What's going on? Is he checking you out? Your mom is frowning super hard right now. She thinks you should leave. I think you should stay and bang Bellamy," Raven starts gushing in Clarke's ear, startling her. She'd forgotten Raven could hear everything. "Bad influence? Come on Abby, I'm a great influence." Clarke cringes. Right, her mother is there too, listening to everything.
"Let me get you a drink," Bellamy suggests. "You seem to be very tightly wound."
"I'm not always like this," Clarke huffs. "It's just-," she stops herself before she finishes the sentence, clamping her mouth shut.
"Me?" Bellamy finishes for her, that wicked glint in his eyes.
"Shut up."
"One drink?" Bellamy offers and Clarke hesitates. She really could use a drink right now.
"Do it," Raven whispers in her ear.
"Okay," Clarke agrees. Bellamy grins delightedly.
"Wait here," he tells her and Clarke nods.
"I'm going to tell Monroe she can go home," Raven tells Clarke. "I think you should be able to keep an eye on him for the rest of the night."
"Is my mom still there?" Clarke asks.
"Nah, she left after telling me I'm a terrible influence on you. You're going to bang him right?" Raven laughs.
"Of course not," Clarke scoffs. "It's just a drink, Raven."
"Whatever you say," Raven cackles.
"Goodbye, Raven," Clarke sighs, pulling the device from her ear and turning it off before shoving it into her cleavage. She looks up towards the bar to see Bellamy talking with a woman and she feels a twinge that feels suspiciously like jealousy. Which is ridiculous of course, she barely even knows him. She has no right to feel anything for him. But then he looks back at her and winks, and Clarke feels her stomach flutter. He grabs the drinks off the bar and saunters back over to her, handing her the drink wordlessly.
"You didn't slip something in this for payback did you?" Clarke raises an eyebrow at him, raising the glass to her lips.
"Was that a joke?" Bellamy grins and Clarke gives a small laugh before taking a sip. "Let's go and find somewhere to sit," Bellamy suggests. Clarke nods and she shivers when Bellamy places a hand on the small of her back to lead her to a secluded seating area.
"You know, we don't have to be on opposite sides," Bellamy says and Clarke slides onto the leather seat next to him. "We could be working together."
"So you've said. But all I'm hearing is that you need my help, and I don't really see why I need yours," Clarke points out.
"Do you know where the necklace is?" Bellamy asks.
"No," Clarke admits. "Do you?" Bellamy shakes his head.
"But two heads are better than one," Bellamy tries.
"Why is this so important to you? Who has so much dirt on you that you so desperately need this six million dollar piece of jewellery?" Clarke asks him.
"Who says I don't just want the six mil for myself?" Bellamy raises his eyebrows. Clarke purses her lips, looking at him pointedly. Bellamy sighs. "I can't tell you who I'm working for."
"I guess we won't be working together then," Clarke shrugs. She downs the rest of her drink quickly and goes to leave.
"Wait," Bellamy places a hand on her knee to stop her and Clarke glances down, feeling the heat from his hand seep through her. She's having a hard time quashing the thoughts she's managed to keep at bay since the first night she met him, of his hand between her legs and his mouth on hers. "I can't tell you who I'm working for, but I can tell you why I need the necklace."
"Okay," Clarke nods. He doesn't remove his hand from her leg and she doesn't make him.
"I got fired from the police force for tampering with evidence, but I was framed," Bellamy explains. "If I get the necklace to a certain someone, they said they'll give me my job back." He looks so earnest, but Clarke can't help but laugh. "What?" he says in confusion.
"I thought it was going to be something far more sinister," she grins. She's feeling far more comfortable now that she's had a drink, and it must have been strong because she's feeling a little lightheaded. Her eyes flick to Bellamy's lips and she's wondering how bad of an idea it would be to sleep with him. She looks him in the eye again and her breath hitches when she sees his expression mirrors her own.
"What are you thinking?" Bellamy murmurs. He still has his hand on her knee and she shifts slightly so she's closer to him, and his hand rests on her inner thigh.
"I'm thinking about the last time," she tells him, her voice low. Her head feels all fuzzy as she leans closer, and she thinks it must be the alcohol. But then, she's only had one drink. She pulls back suddenly, the room spinning, feeling like she's in that half asleep half awake stage and she can't quite pull herself out.
"Bellamy," she groans, reaching out for him.
"Clarke?" he says worriedly, grabbing her hand. "What's wrong?"
"I don't feel so good," she manages.
"Here, let's go outside," Bellamy says, pulling her to her feet. She can barely stand but her wraps a strong arm around her waist and manages to get her outside the club. She half registers him leaning her against the wall, trying to hold her up, but her eyes can't stay open any longer and that's the last thing she remembers before it all goes dark.