"Happy Birthday!" Clarke squealed as the Blake's front door was pulled upon but she coughed and looked at her feet when the person opening it was fully visible. "Oh, it's you," She blushed and smoothed her hair behind her ears.
"Well it's nice to see you too, Princess," Bellamy rolled his dark eyes and stepped aside so that Clarke could enter, her body brushing his as she walked past.
"Oh, you know I didn't mean it like that!" She said in a flustered tone but Bellamy smiled.
"I know, she's in the living room," Clarke nodded at his words. He reached out to grab her hand but she moved away; it wasn't that she didn't want to, but this was Octavia's day, it should be about her. Clarke had always been a relatively selfless person, shying away from being the centre of attention and preferring to aid others, Octavia was the opposite. She liked being the main attraction at any event and Clarke knew she wouldn't be pleased at being upstaged by her brother on her birthday.
Clarke shot Bellamy a quick smile before entering the living room. It was decorated with clusters of balloons in variant shades of pinks; a small pile of presents on the coffee table wrapped in glittery paper and strings of ribbons hanging on the walls to hold birthday cards. And there in the centre of it all was Octavia.
"Happy Birthday!" Clarke yelled again, this time to the right person, and her friend shot up with a beaming grin to envelope her in a hug.
"Thanks, Clarke!" She smiled enormously, happiness emanating from her. Clarke felt her heart swell at the sight; it was only a small birthday do and one that was rather un-extravagant, but Octavia was as happy as ever.
Her blue eyes were bright with her smiles and her cheeks were as pink as her balloons. She wore her dark hair loose over her shoulders and was clothed in a white vest and pastel pink skirt that sat high at her waist and clung to her hips. The outfit was part way between girly and seductive; Clarke thought it a brilliant representation of Octavia's mannerisms.
Clarke had put on a dress for the occasion, a floral number of purple and blue hues and she gained an approving look from Octavia to let her know she had done well. Fashion had never been Clarke's strongpoint, but she was becoming more interested in the way that she looked now that, well, now that there was a man in her life.
Behind her, said man entered the room and Clarke had to fight to ignore his close proximity. He was gorgeous as usual, and unlike the girls, he hadn't even made a visible effort with his appearance. He was just naturally beautiful. It was unbearable.
"So," Clarke stepped aside from Bellamy, swinging her arms slightly, "What did you get?" That was all it took for Octavia to begin rolling off all the wonderful things that had happened for her birthday and the presents she had already opened; a dress and tickets to a musical from her mother and a provisional license from Bellamy who was tired of giving her lifts everywhere all the time.
"Open mine," Clarke handed her friend two parcels, one flat and wide, the other a tiny box. They sat on the sofa as Octavia began tearing the paper. Clarke was delighted at the way her face lit up when she saw it.
The first present was a photo album that held tens of pictures of the two girls together; pulling silly faces, on their last day of school, at their prom, dressing up. Most of them were highly embarrassing, but they were memories, precious and fun. Octavia snorted as she flicked through it, stopping at a particularly unflattering picture of her in a wig one Halloween.
"Oh Christ, I can't believe you put that in there!" She gasped in horror but the smile was still on her face.
"Oh great, let's have a look!" Bellamy reached across Clarke to grab the album but Octavia smacked his hand with it.
"I'm not done yet and you've got enough embarrassing stories about me without this," She unwrapped the second parcel to reveal a pale blue box embossed with Pandora's silver logo. Nestled on tissue paper inside was a delicate silver charm bracelet and dangling from it were an 'O', a 'C', and between them a golden, heart shaped bead. Octavia gave an awed gasp.
"Oh Clarke, it's beautiful!" She ran the jewellery between the pads of her fingers as she marvelled at it. "Thank you so much!" She wrapped Clarke in a tight hug before beaming; "Help me put it on,"
The blonde girl blushed as she clasped the bracelet onto Octavia's wrist; pleased that she liked her gifts so much.
"It's nothing, you deserve it, happy birthday," She bit her lip as Octavia continued to examine the bracelet.
"Oh, mum, look what Clarke got me!" She jumped up as Aurora Blake entered the room. Octavia's mother was a sweet, if a little jumpy, woman. She had dark hair like her children and Bellamy's dark eyes that twinkled when she smiled. Clarke liked her well enough, but she was incredulous as to how the quiet woman had produced such loud and ballsy children. Octavia swore she was strict but Clarke had never seen it.
"That's beautiful, O. Clarke, that's very kind of you," The woman smiled at Clarke before turning back to talk to her daughter as Octavia giggled and babbled on. Clarke wasn't listening; she was distracted by the light touch of Bellamy's fingers on her bare leg.
"You show me up with your present giving, Princess," He whispered as he trailed his index and middle finger back and forth Clarke's thigh.
"Your present was very thoughtful," Clarke assured him but she cursed herself when her voice came out much breathier than she had intended. Bellamy laughed, a deep sultry sound and Clarke swallowed nervously. She wasn't supposed to get distracted this easily, but even the barest of his touches felt like she was turning to flames.
"Thoughtful," Bellamy mused as he ran his fingers all the way up to the hem of her dress before pulling them away sharply and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You look nice with your hair back, you can see your eyes better," His words were a mere whisper and Clarke barely caught them before the door bell rang and Octavia shouted excitedly.
"That must be Jasper!" She raced to the hall, towing a very pleased looking Jasper by the arm when she came back. In his arms was a huge bunch of flowers; lilies and lavender and wild, purple daisies all wrapped in blue cellophane. Clarke stood up abruptly just to distract herself from Bellamy who muffled his laughs in his fist behind her.
"No need to stand for my presence, Clarke," Jasper teased with a smile as he turned to Octavia and offered her an innocent kiss along with the bunch of flowers, though it was his turn to be embarrassed when he noticed Aurora stood behind his girlfriend. His cheeks turned a brilliant red.
"Hello Jasper," Aurora smiled sweetly to him.
"Hello Mrs Blake," On the sofa Bellamy was beside himself with laughter.
"Is everyone in this room just a walking social disaster?" He snorted with a shake of his head.
"Bellamy!" His mother chided but he paid no mind, standing up and placing his arm on the small of Clarke's back. The gesture did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room. Clarke didn't know whether she should be proud of his affections or whether she should shrivel up and die of embarrassment. Somewhere in the middle is good Clarke, she told herself. Just breathe, focus, don't let him distract you. It was no use; she thought she might explode beneath his hand. Stupid Bellamy.
Bellamy grinned as Clarke gasped under his touch. She looked so beautiful in the little flowing dress with her hair down and her eyes bright. He didn't want to admit it; but he'd been looking forward to her arrival all day.
When Octavia had roused from her beauty sleep she had made a show of the fact that it was her day, asking Bellamy to make her breakfast in the sweet voice she used when she really wanted to get her way. Bellamy couldn't really begrudge her that, birthdays were special and besides it was only a heightened version of his sister's usual behaviour.
He had had fun with her, teasing her and treating her and watching her grins of delight every time a new surprise was revealed, but Bellamy was waiting. He couldn't admit it, oh no, but he was waiting for her, for Clarke.
Contrary to popular opinion, Octavia was not so shallow and self centred as to be unobservant, and she was in fact particularly perceptive to the thoughts and feelings of those around her; especially those of her brother. She had caught him by the arm that morning when their mother had left the room and whispered with a grin.
"I know you're waiting for her, for Clarke. I know she's your Princess, but just remember, that today, sweet brother, I am your queen," She had winked then, ignoring Bellamy's snorts of protests as she skipped away.
He could have laughed at her now, wrapped up in Jasper's arms planting tiny kisses all along his jaw and giggling into his shoulder as soon as Aurora was out of sight. And she had the audacity to say that he was whipped. He was...enthralled by Clarke, intoxicated by her, wanted her, but whipped...no, definitely not.
But as Clarke looked up at him through long, thick lashes Bellamy's heart skipped a beat. He was only graced with a short glance though before Clarke was turning back to the happy couple on the armchair; Jasper as red as could be and Octavia sniffing her flowers happily.
"Those are beautiful flowers," Clarke said politely and Jasper smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, there's this too, O," He pulled a small present from his pocket and Octavia clapped her hands together like a small child.
"Oh, Jas, you're so sweet," She tore at the paper with gentle fingers, opening it to reveal a pendant on a silver chain. The charm at the end of the necklace was an oval-shaped, silver locket with a butterfly decorating the metal. The wings were purple and blue and Octavia's face lit up when she saw it. "It's gorgeous! Thank you!"
"Well, I know you like butterflies," Jasper mumbled, rubbing at his eyebrow with his hand as he spoke.
Bellamy raised his heavy brows and turned to Clarke who had a similar expression of mingled awkwardness and disgust.
"Shall we leave them to it?" He asked and Clarke shot another glance at the couple before nodding. Bellamy let his hand slip from her back, down her arm and into her grasp, their fingers intertwining naturally. Neither Octavia nor Jasper noticed.
In the hall they could hear the sound of pots and pans clattering and Aurora humming to herself as she cooked. Bellamy hovered awkwardly there, he wanted to take Clarke upstairs and kiss her until she was breathless, but that was too obvious, and he would have to return his affections to his sister soon enough. A talk in the hall seemed the most plausible option for their brief alone time. He sat on the bottom step of the staircase and patted the space next to him until Clarke joined him. There wasn't much room so they were sat very close, but Bellamy didn't mind in the slightest, and by the look on her face, neither did Clarke.
Her bottom lip was caught between her teeth and her sea-coloured eyes were focused on Bellamy's mouth. It made him feel oddly shy. Bellamy was never shy and he wasn't a fan of the feeling.
"How are you enjoying the celebrations?" He cocked his head as he asked her, amused when she had to shake her head slightly, seemingly to clear her mind.
"Oh they're uh, well, Jasper and Octavia are very open," She widened her eyes and made a face into her lap, "But it's nice, I'm glad Octavia is having a nice time,"
"Yeah," Bellamy agreed, "And are you having a nice time?" He lifted her chin with his thumb so that she looked him in the eyes, dark to light, brown flecked with green and blue flecked with grey. Clarke's lips parted and her chest began to visibly lift with her breaths, bringing a smirk to Bellamy's lips.
"I was, until you pulled that ridiculous smirk," Clarke rolled her eyes, tugging on her hair.
"You love my smirk," He replied with a grin.
"It's patronising," She said softly. "But it suits you," Bellamy feigned innocence.
"And what's that supposed to mean, Princess?" His tone was full of mock horror.
"Oh, shut up," Clarke cupped his neck in her hand and captured his lips in a kiss. Bellamy's stomach filled with butterflies as large as the one on Octavia's necklace. It excited him that she had made the first move, it excited him that his family were in the next room and her hand was on his leg, everything about her was exciting and beautiful and his.
His heart swelled with pride and affection as he remembered how she had agreed to be his. He kissed her back with such a fervour that she gasped in surprise.
"Dinner's ready! Oh!" Bellamy pulled back abruptly at the sound of his mother's voice. He looked round to see her holding a dripping wooden spoon and wearing an apron and a look of pure embarrassment. Beside him, Clarke wore a similar expression painted with a glorious shade of blush.
"Thanks Mum, do you need a hand?" Bellamy stood up, the only one out of the three who was not embarrassed. They were only kissing, he could think of a lot worse situations to be caught in.
"No, that's okay, honey, you er, just come in when you're ready," His mother stammered before she retreated to the kitchen, leaving the two teenagers behind; Clarke hiding her face in her hands and Bellamy filling the house with his booming laugh.
A/N Thanks so much for all the support you have given to my story! It's so nice to hear, I hope you enjoyed this chapter - J x