Not All Fun and Games

Chapter 10

I decide to busy myself so that I don't think too much about Bellamy and last night.
I spot Jasper and Monty sitting on a rock by the woods, just outside of camp. Deciding to join them, I pick up a long stick and rummage around in my jacket for my knife.
"Hey, Clarke," says Monty.
"Hi," I smile, sitting to his left. I begin to cut the end of my stick, attempting to turn it into a spear.
"Jasper was just telling me about-"
"Shut up, Monty!" Shouts Jasper, smacking a hand over his friend's mouth. "Ow! Did you just bite me?" he yells.
Monty laughs maliciously. "Jasper was telling me about is girlfriend," he spits out before Jasper can stop him.
His best friend punches his arm, trying his best to look angry.
"Who's the lucky girl?" I ask.
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm back in first grade?" groans Jasper.
Monty ignores his comment. "It's Peyton. They danced last night."
"Oooh," I tease, smirking. "Jasper's got a girlfriend."
He snorts and punches me playfully in the arm.

Once I'm done sharpening my new weapon, I check the time: 12:53.
"I'm gonna call it a night, I need to get some sleep. See you tomorrow morning." I say to Monty and Jasper, standing up and heading back towards camp.
"Goodnight. Be careful, though."
I turn around to face Jasper. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I know camp's right there, but Bellamy said he saw the grounder really close to the fence."
I freeze, my face immediately heating up.
"What grounder?"
Monty and Jasper look at each other, confused.
"This morning?" Jasper pauses, frowning. "Clarke, haven't you heard about Alex?"
Words come tumbling out of my mouth. "Who's Alex? What happened? What grounder?"
Monty speaks up. "No one told you? Alex is one of us. She's fifteen. This morning after breakfast, one of her friends discovered her missing. But she had seen Alex about fifteen minutes before."
I can't look at either of them.
How could I not know? How come no one told me?
"And how do you know she was taken by a grounder?" I ask, kicking at a thick root in the ground.
Monty answers with slow, careful words. "Well, Bellamy saw a grounder right outside of camp a few minutes before she was reported missing."
"And no one thought to tell me?" I ask, finally meeting his eyes. "No one thought to alert anyone? Don't I have a right to know?" My voice grows louder and angrier with each word.
"Clarke, Bellamy didn't want to scare anyone."
"Oh, he didn't want to scare me. Well then, I guess that makes it all okay."
"Clarke-"
He's too late. I've already gone marching back to camp, straight towards Bellamy's tent.