I know it's probably getting redundant by now, but thanks for all the reviews, and also the follows, and favorites. I smile every time and they definitely encourage me to continue writing. I feel like I've been relatively quick with updates until now (at least quicker than I was anticipating). But the real world caught up a bit and plus I just couldn't get the second part of this chapter to a place where I liked it; still not 100% happy with it, but I want to move on, so I'm posting it now. And without further ado, here's Chapter Five…

Bellamy heard his phone buzz as he sat at his on his couch catching up on the latest episode of his favorite post-apocalyptic show about a group of teenage criminals who had been living in space before they were sent down to see if the earth was inhabitable after a nuclear war. He ignored his phone, but then it buzzed again. He picked it up and gave it a confused look. Why was an unknown number texting him? Then he actually read the messages.

+12223552753
Hey Bellamy, It's Clarke, I hope you don't
mind that I got your number from Octavia…
7:17 pm

I finished going over your thesis and was
wondering when you wanted to meet to talk
about it
7:18 pm

As he was typing his reply, his phone buzzed a third time.

I was going to knock on my slutty neighbor's
door to ask for you, but I didn't want to
interrupt anything
7:20 pm

Bellamy laughed. Regardless of Clarke being a stuck up princess most of the time, she definitely had a good memory and a sense of humor. Then again, maybe she was just making a jab at his "womanizing" reputation. He chose to believe the first. Bellamy added her number to his contacts before composing his reply.

Hey, Princess, no problem. And thanks again
for taking a look.
7:21 pm

I'm going to be on campus all day tomorrow grading
Latin tests if you want to stop by. I don't know
how far out of your way that is.
7:21 pm

Actually, the conservation center is pretty
close. I'm only there until 2, so maybe I could
drop by around 2:30?
7:23 pm

Yeah, that sounds good. My office is
Rutherfeld 231-B (for Bellamy…or Blake).
Not really, but if the shoe fits…
7:24 pm

If you get lost you could probably just
ask a student.
7:24 pm

Great. Just what I always wanted. To go back
to being that lost freshman on campus
7:25 pm

I'll figure it out. See you tomorrow
7:25 pm

Her name is Roma, by the way…
7:32 pm

Who?
7:38 pm

Your slutty neighbor who lives three
doors down.
7:39 pm

Are you fucking kidding me, Blake?!
7:40 pm

…Blake?
7:42 pm

Fuck this, I don't even care
7:45 pm

Yes
7:47 pm

Yes, what?
7:47 pm

Yes, I'm kidding you, and also yes
you do care.
7:48 pm

Ugh! You're so obnoxious!
7:48 pm

See? You're not denying that you care!
7:49 pm

Only for the sanity of Octavia. She
wouldn't want the mental image of you
fucking our slutty neighbor
7:50 pm

Sometimes we swear we can hear her. She
doesn't even close her door all the way before
she starts going after some of her dates
7:50 pm

Hmm…maybe I should knock on her door…
7:51 pm

You're disgusting! I'll talk to you tomorrow
7:53 pm

Looking forward to it. Night, Clarke.
7:54 pm

What? No "princess"?
7:55 pm

Well, if you insist…
7:55 pm

Good night, Princess ;)
7:55 pm

Ugh! Good night, Asshole
7:56 pm

Bellamy smiled and put his phone back on the table and resumed watching his show. His phone buzzed.

Princess
I'm going to hate myself for asking this…
8:15 pm

If she's not our slutty neighbor, then
who's Roma?
8:15 pm

Some slutty girl who lived a couple houses
down from me and O when I was in high school.
8:16 pm

Oh, okay then
8:17 pm

Good night…for real. See you tomorrow
8:17 pm

Good night, Princess.
8:17 pm

The next day, Bellamy looked at his clock anxiously as it approached 2:00, and more so when 2:20 and then 2:25 rolled around. He didn't know why he felt anxious. He was just meeting Clarke, so it shouldn't be a big deal. But then he realized it was going to be the first time they were hanging out just the two of them. Sure they had conversations, well mostly arguments, just one-on-one, but this was the first time there wouldn't be one of their friends in the next room ready to keep them from actually murdering one another.

At 2:45, he was just about to look up her number and call her to see if she had forgotten or backed out, when he heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he called.

Clarke walked in, looking over her shoulder, nose wrinkled slightly and mouth downturned. She rolled her eyes and then turned to Bellamy, face changing to an apologetic smile "Sorry I'm late...I may or may not have gotten lost and may or may not have been too stubborn to ask for directions." She closed the door and sat down in one of the chairs on the other side of his desk.

"It's fine. I didn't even notice the time," Bellamy lied smoothly. "What was that look for?"

"What look?"

"The look you had on your face as you were walking in."

"Oh, well, I'm not sure what her problem is, but when I walked in, the girl sitting at the desk out there asked me who I was here to see. At first I was like, no big deal, but when I said you, she gave me the third degree, interrogating me as to what business I had, 'Because clearly I'm not a Classics major' and apparently there is 'no other legitimate reason for me interrupting your grading.'" Clarke said, using a high-pitched mocking voice to "quote" the girl from the outer office area.

Bellamy laughed. "That would be Echo, she's the general office assistant, an undergraduate work study student. I don't think I'd be stretching the truth to say she has a crush on me."

"Normally I would chalk that comment up to you being a cocky asshole," Clarke said with a grin, "but she the look she gave me when I refused to tell her outright why I was here and just said 'personal business'…well, if looks could kill, I would not be standing here now."

Belllamy chuckled, "Why didn't you just tell her? It's not like you looking over my thesis is a big deal."

"No. But she was rude to me. Why should I give her an explanation?"

"Ever the princess," Bellamy shook his head, smile still on his face.

Clarke stuck her tongue out at him, "Do you want my opinion on your thesis or not?"

"Of course," Bellamy placated, "What have you got?" His face changed to a look of surprise as Clarke pulled the copy of his thesis he had given her, now covered in pen markings. "Geez, I know you're not my biggest fan, but you didn't have to take it out on the culmination of my graduate school work."

"No, no, no," she reassured hurriedly, "most of the markings are me just making notes for myself or else it was just a lack of finding other paper as I wrote down various translations. It's actually really good, Bellamy, like really good."

Bellamy couldn't stop the slight blush that was creeping over his cheeks, as much as he may act confident and cocky, he was actually quite humble when it came to other's praising his work. "So, did you have any luck with the translations I highlighted?"

Clarke nodded enthusiastically, "I completely understand what you mean about it being difficult to get the right mood in English, but here's a couple of different nuances I picked up and translated the best I could…"

Several hours and a couple of minor spats about how to better translate a word or phrase later, out of nowhere Bellamy hears, "Let's talk about sex, baby. Let's talk about you and me. Let's talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be. Let's talk abo-ut sex…"

Clarke began searching her bag that had been abandoned on the floor, "Remind me to kill your sister for changing my ringtone again. I'm just glad it didn't go off at work….speak of the devil," she said, having found her phone. "Hey O!...Oh, sorry, I didn't realize the time…yeah, I went over to the university after work to talk with Bellamy about his thesis…no, neither of us have killed the other…I can check for his pulse if you'd really like…alright…I'll let him know…I'll be home in a bit…yup, I'll pick it up on my way…love you, too…bye."

Bellamy raised an eyebrow in question to what Octavia had said.

"First, she would like me to tell you how proud she is that neither of us are dead." Bellamy rolled his eyes. "Second, she wanted me to remind you about Chinese at our place and then drinks at the Drop Ship for tomorrow night. Raven is requiring everyone's presence and is apparently threatening to hunt down anyone who doesn't show."

"Seeing as though I miraculously have the night off, I'll be there. Though, I do have a shift tonight in…" he drew out the last syllable as he checked the clock, "two hours, so I should probably head home to get changed and such."

"Octavia is demanding that I pick up dinner and bring it home ASAP, anyway, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" They stood up and Clarke grabbed her bag from the floor.

"Hey, maybe I'll crash on your couch and you can see my shining face bright and early in the morning." Bellamy joked.

"As long as your shining face doesn't take my coffee." Clarke quipped and swung open the door and out of the room, waving a hand behind her.

Fun Fact #1: I made Clarke's phone number (12223552753) because it stands for 1-BC (for Bellamy and Clarke (or CB for Clarke and Bellamy)) BELLARKE

Fun Fact #2: I gave myself total Bellarke feels with this text convo; I was literally giddy while writing it. Hope you got at least an ounce of that from this chapter.