Now: June 21, 2015
8:00 a.m.
Clarke groaned at the sound of her alarm going off. She had been looking forward to sleeping in until Echo informed her that the dress shopping was to take place at the crack of dawn.
She knew she shouldn't be annoyed; Echo probably had a lot of last minute things to do. She was planning a wedding of course. And it was nice of her to invite her. Still after the conversation between her and Bellamy the night before she could have used another hour or two of sleep to avoid the day.
She threw on a pair of jeans and a purple tank top before throwing her hair up in a mess bun. She figured there was no need to look nice considering she was just going to be changing out of these clothes to try on dresses anyway.
Apparently her logic was wrong though because when she walked downstairs Echo was in a pretty teal summer dress with her hair down and curled. She looked gorgeous and Clarke couldn't help but feel plain in comparison. Unfortunately before she could bolt back up to her room and change Echo, and Bellamy who was standing next to her, saw Clarke.
Echo smiled "Morning Clarke, I'm so glad you're going to come on me and Octavia's last minute errands."
Clarke put on a fake smile for the both of them. Suddenly her friend Monty's moonshine was sounding like a real good pick me up. "Yeah should be fun." She could hear the fakeness in her own voice.
Bellamy apparently could too because he gave her a look. Clarke rolled her eyes and walked over to the kitchen cabinet to grab a granola bar.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go?" Bellamy asked Echo sounding nervous.
"Obviously. Bellamy I'm putting on my wedding dress. You can't see me in it it's bad luck. Besides you need to go with Lincoln to the reception hall to make sure they put in place those changes for the table that I asked for."
"Whose Lincoln?" Clarke asked not caring that she was intruding as she took a bite of the granola bar.
"Octavia's new boyfriend." Bellamy said looking up at her. There was tension between them from last night but he was clearly trying to hide it from Echo by acting casual. "I'm surprised Octavia didn't tell you about him."
"Me too. Must be serious if she's taking him to the wedding." Clarke said aloud more to herself. Octavia had never been real serious with any of her boyfriends and usually made up excuses as to why they couldn't attend any family events. Clarke knew the real reason they weren't there, Octavia didn't invite them.
Echo looked over. "He's great you'll love him. Who knows maybe he's got some cute friends Clarke". She winked and Clarke felt her chest tighten.
Echo knowing Octavia's boyfriend, being close with him, actually being close with both the Blake's made her feel replaced. She knew she had gotten more distant since she moved to the city and especially after her confession to Bellamy exploded in her face but she couldn't help the jealousy she was feeling. It was one thing to feel like she was loosing Bellamy but also Octavia?
Maybe she was being selfish. Echo was going to be their family after all.
Relief flooded over her when Octavia came strolling into the room. "Morning bitches. Sorry I'm late." She walked over to the coffee machine and Clarke moved over to her leaving Echo and Bellamy to themselves.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?" She whispered to the girl feeling slightly upset that she hadn't confided in her and hoping Bellamy and Echo didn't hear the bother in her voice from where they were.
Octavia shrugged as she poured the coffee,"I don't know it's just you had stuff going on and…"
"Oh my god do not tell me that you didn't tell me because of what happened with me and you know who?"
She looked up at her. "You know who? He's not Waldomort, Clarke."
"It's Voldemort. Geez, Octavia try to at least pretend you've seen Harry Potter." Clarke rolled her eyes as she leaned back on the counter. Octavia was never as much of a movie person as her and Bellamy. She got bored to quickly.
"I saw the one with the snake. And I didn't tell you because it was weird timing and I didn't want to make you feel bad."
Clarke shook her head. "Well thanks now I feel worse." She walked back over to where the other two were; ready to get this day over with.
Echo clapped her hands together as she came over. "Ready to go? I'm so excited."
"I'm ready" Octavia said grabbing her mug giving Clarke an apologetic look.
Clarke grabbed her purse. "Yeah me too."
Echo turned and gave Bellamy a little too long in Clarke's eyes goodbye kiss before turning for them to head out.
Bellamy's eyes lingered on Clarke's after the kiss as if anticipating her reaction.
She was getting real fed up with this pity party.
…
Echo looked beautiful in her dress. It was a fitted halter top style with an open back and a long train that flared out at the hips. The long lace veil pulled the whole look together and Clarke hated to admit it but she was a stunning bride.
The girl beside her looked just as stunning in Clarke's eyes though. Octavia's dress was a deep dark purple, fitted, and strapless. The back had a slight dip that was tied together with ribbon but not in a flashy big ugly bow way.
She had always seen Octavia as a little sister and even though she was hurt that she kept Lincoln at this moment all of that was forgotten. Because she felt like she was looking at her little sister all grown up.
Octavia turned and looked at her. Seeing Clarke's smile she posed. "What do you think?"
"I think Lincoln's going to be blown away." She stood up and put Octavia's hair up in an imaginary bun while turning her towards the mirror. "This way he can see your face."
Octavia smiled and titled her head to Clarke who was behind her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep it from you. It's just I hadn't talk to you in months with everything…I guess I just didn't know how."
Clarke somewhat understood. She had cut herself off after all. "It's okay I've just missed you."
"Me too so don't fly off the Earth again okay?"
"Okay."
Echo had come back out of the dressing room after changing out of her dress and smiled at Octavia. "Oh you look stunning. I can't believe you're going to be my sister."
Clarke dropped Octavia's hair but gave a small weak smile at the two girls.
Octavia seemed to sense the discomfort as she turned to Clarke. "We still have to find you a dress."
"Really I can just find something in my closet…"
"Nonsense, Octavia is right. We want you to look nice." Echo said staring at Clarke's clothes and Clarke realized what she was implying. She hadn't dressed as nicely as the other two for their shopping trip and Echo assumed Clarke's formal wear would be just as bad.
"Right" Clarke said letting the two girls lead her over to where some of the formal dresses were. She looked through the rack not really caring what she was going to wear. It didn't matter anyway; Bellamy's eyes were only going to be on Echo.
She shook her head to herself. She couldn't think like that anymore. She had to let go of him, move on. She had plenty of other options. Cute guys, cute girls. They were everywhere. She couldn't let Bellamy Blake ruin dating for her.
She smiled at a navy blue gown and pulled it off the rack. The top was laced over the solid bodice and had long sleeves and Clarke liked the elegant look it provided.
"I love that! Try it on!" Octavia demanded as she practically snatched the dress from her. "Yes I have shoes the will go perfectly with this" she added decidedly as she led Clarke over to the changing room shoving her and the dress inside.
Clarke stepped out and Octavia's jaw dropped as she turned to look at the mirror herself. She even smiled at the sight. She felt confident, beautiful.
"Now that will turn eyes" Octavia nodded.
The three of them headed to a French restaurant for lunch after the dress shopping had concluded. Clarke felt really anxious in the quiet close proximity to Echo. While they were at the shop all the focus had been on the dresses and the wedding but now...
"I'll have a salad with light dressing and a glass of water." Echo stated with a smile to the waitress as she handed her the last menu. She turned to Clarke. "So Clarke tell me what it's like living in the city."
Clarke felt slight relief that she had started the conversation but the awkwardness of the situation didn't seem to fad. "Um it's good just very different. I mean I'd always lived in the suburbs and well the city is much more hectic. Always full of life."
Echo nodded with a smile. "I don't know how you manage I've always felt like it was so…dirty and filled with creepy people."
"Well Clarke lives in a good part of the city." Octavia chimed in and while Clarke was grateful it wasn't exactly true. She lived in a cheap apartment building that was nearly set on fire every other week due to her close friends and neighbors, Monty and Jasper. The truth was she didn't make much money at the museum and she was too proud to use her parents money to live off of.
"Well it's filled with museums which are what I love. Especially the art." Clarke explained taking a sip of the wine she had ordered.
"Oh museums. Bellamy loves those too. Personally I can't stand to walk around those things all day."
Clarke shrugged "It's a preference thing I guess."
"Clarke, Lincoln likes to draw too" Octavia explained "I'm sure he'd love to see some of your work."
"Really?" Clarke said surprised but a bit excited that she might have someone to share her passion with.
"Oh speaking of art, I have a favor to ask of you Clarke." Echo said interrupting Octavia and Clarke.
"Oh?" Clarke could feel anxiety beginning to well up. What kind of favor could she possible want of her?
"Yes well I mean I want to give something nice to Bellamy for our wedding present but I haven't been able to think of anything. Then a friend of mine told me something they did. A painting!"
Clarke felt her nerves rising. She didn't like where this was going.
"So how would you like to paint me for Bellamy?" Echo asked looking from Clarke to Octavia with a giant smile like it was the best idea in the world.
Octavia looked nervously at Clarke clearly not expecting this outburst either.
"Like naked?" Clarke asked ready to vomit.
Echo laughed. "Not of course not. I'll be wearing something elegant and sexy though."
"Um…"
"I mean don't worry I'll pay you." She said with a wave of her hand. "But I didn't want to be boring and just buy some meaningless present. This will be like a constant reminder of how sexy his wife is. Who wouldn't want that?"
"Aren't you being there every day a constant reminder?" Clarke asked trying to find a way to get out of this.
"Well you know so he'll remember what I look like even when I get fat. Waiter! I'd like a refill." She said putting her hand up. "Just think about it. It can always be a late gift." She added as the waiter came over.
Clarke nodded awkwardly not really sure what to make of the whole situation as the conversation turned elsewhere.
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful with a few stops made on the way back to Clarke's parent's vacation house. She felt relieved when she saw the house come into view. The day hadn't gone badly yet she still felt a bit emotionally drained and had Echo's request laying on her mind. For someone who loved painting the idea of it had never made her feel so sick.
They walked into the house and Echo immediately ran to Bellamy and gave him again a long kiss. It hurt but Clarke shook her head remembering her promise to move on. Maybe that was it; if she wanted to move on she had to accept Echo. Maybe painting her would help.
They all sat in the living room like one giant family to chat after dinner. Clarke curled up on the couch next to her dad leaning into his arm as everyone chatted. This was the one good part about her trip, being reunited with him.
He looked down at her. "Did you find a pretty dress today?" No one else was listening as they were busy in their own conversations.
She shrugged "Yeah it's alright."
"I bet you look beautiful."
She shrugged again playing with her phone in her hands. She had left her new cat with Raven and was waiting for an update on how it was going.
Her dad sighed. "I know things look bad now but trust me things have a way of working out the way they are supposed to."
She looked up from her phone confused. "What do you mean?"
Her dad's eyes moved over to Bellamy. Clarke's heart dropped.
"You know?" She whispered even though no one else was listening.
He gave her a soft smile. "You don't think I can tell when my own child is in love?"
Clarke looked down not being able to meet his eyes. "I feel so stupid dad."
"You're not stupid." He sighed "I was hoping you two would talk last night."
Clarke looked back up at him. "You did that on purpose?"
"You need to talk."
"No we don't he's made his feelings clear." She huffed in her loud whisper.
He gave her a look. "You sure about that?"
Clarke was about to ask him what he meant when the doorbell rang and the conversations in the room seemed to cease.
Abby stood up. "That's odd. I wonder who that is." She walked out of the living room to get the door while Aurora asked Bellamy and Echo if they were expecting someone.
Abby walked back in looking surprised. "Clarke it's for you." Behind her walked in a familiar brunette with a suitcase trailing behind her.
"Raven!"