Not All Fun and Games

Chapter 37

Bellamy and I make our way back to camp together while Zoe stays behind to spend more time with Calvin. We walk hand in hand as we make our way back through the woods.
"I don't know about you, but I don't think things could have possibly gone any better," he says.
"I know. Calvin seems like a really good guy."
Bellamy nods.
After a small pause, I speak again. "Do you think we should tell the camp about the meeting?"
He takes a moment to ponder my question, then replies: "I guess so. I don't know how they'll take it, but it doesn't matter. It's happening whether they like it or not."
I raise an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't too keen on the idea yourself."
Bellamy sighs and takes my other hand so that he is now holding both of them. We stop walking and he looks straight into my eyes.
"I was just worried about you. I don't like the idea of you going alone. But I know I need to suck it up, because you know what you're doing."
I smile, leaning into him and resting my head on his shoulder. "Thank you."
His warm fingers unlace themselves from my hands and move to my back. He lowers his head and moulds his soft lips to mine. I kiss him back, wishing to stay trapped in this moment for longer than I know it can last.
To my disappointment, Bellamy breaks the kiss.
"Clarke..."
"Hm?"
"Let me take you somewhere. Somewhere better than here," he says, our noses just barely touching.
I nod, not wanting to speak in fear of letting the taste of his lips escape my mouth. Ridiculous, I know.
He removes his body from mine and I notice how cold I feel all of a sudden. His body heat had been keeping me warm, making me feel protected. I shake my head, laughing inside my head at how ridiculous I'm being. I don't need somebody else's protection, and it's not even cold outside. It discomforts me to think of how desperate I am to have Bellamy near me, how dependant I feel of him. When did this even happen?
"Come with me," he says, pulling me by the hand to our right. "It's not too far."
I wonder with anticipation where he could possibly be taking me. When did he venture out in the woods and find the place anyway? I mentally pinch myself for even having to ask that question. Of course he's been out here on his own: he's the mysterious, whatever-the-hell-I-want Bellamy Blake.
It excites me that he's willing to show me this special place of his. I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but I really hope I'm the first person he will have taken.

After what seems like seconds, Bellamy stops. As I snap out of my thoughts, I look around us. Trees. Bushes. More trees.
I catch his eye, furrowing my brow in confusion. "This is it?"
"Wow. I can really hear the excitement in your voice," he says, chuckling.
I look away quickly, feeling ashamed but still very confused.
"I'm just kidding," he laughs. "This isn't it."
I look back up at him, shaking my head and rolling my eyes. "I swear I am going to kill you, Bellamy Blake."
"Aw, shit," he says back without wasting a second. "Why does this always happen?"
"Why does what always happen?" I ask, playing into his joke.
He bites his bottom lip before replying: "I always fall in love with the psychopathic murders. I swear to God, it happens every time."
The smile falls from my face and I look at him, my eyes wide. Did I hear wrong? Or did he just say love?
He realizes it, too. His eyes intensify, but his bright, humorous smile doesn't leave his face.
"I won't keep you waiting," he says, breaking the momentary silence. His arm raises to push away the large, thick leaves in front of him.
I gasp in wonder as what must be our destination comes into view.
The first thing I see is the waterfall. Small and simple, but incredible all the same. The glistening turquoise water tumbles over large rocks and into the thin stream. On our side of the river, the earth is covered by flowers of every colour. The trees around us are thick with soft green moss and hung with long, tangling vines.
"Bellamy, this is amazing." The words come out as a whisper, but I know he hears me.
"I thought you'd like it," he replies proudly. He takes my hand again and gestures for me to come with him.
Bellamy leads me to the edge of the river. It looks shallow enough to stand in, and it's easily thin enough to swim across. That is, if I knew how to swim.
When I look back at Bellamy, he is shirtless and in the midst of removing his pants.
"What are you doing?" I half laugh, half gasp.
"We're going swimming." He emphasizes the "we're".
"But we can't swim."
"Speak for yourself, Princess." He smirks.
He can swim?
"I taught myself how to swim on the second day we came down here," he explains, as if having read my mind. "It's really not that hard."
I look at the stream uneasily. The water does seem inviting, and it's been a lifelong dream of mine to swim. But something about it seems mysterious, almost scary.
"Come on, Clarke. You can stand up in here anyway. It only gets deeper down there," says Bellamy, pointing in the direction opposite the waterfall.
I look at him. He stands before me in only his boxers and his leg brace. If anything, it's probably the almost-naked Bellamy that makes up my mind.
I pull off my jacket, my shirt and my pants so that I'm only in my underwear and bra. "Let's do this." I wink at him and he grins.
Without any warning, he takes a few quick, limping steps and jumps into the blue water, splashing me in the process.
"Bellamy Blake!" I shout, plunging into the water after him. My heart pumps with pure exhilaration as my body hits the cool liquid. When I stand up, it goes up to my shoulders. The ground is sandy and the water is refreshing.
I splash Bellamy in the face and he disappears under the water. The river isn't quite clear enough for me to see him.
I begin to worry when he doesn't reappear after a short while.
The water around me is still. Where is he? He couldn't have overestimated his capability to swim, right?
Suddenly, a cold hand grabs my ankle and yanks it. I lose my balance and fall forward, my head going under water.
Before I even have time to panic, I am lifted out of the water by two strong arms.
I rub the water from my eyes and look up to see Bellamy, holding me in his arms as if I was a giant, 6-pound baby. I kick my legs but his firm hold won't let me go.
Part of me wants to slap him. The other second half wants to kiss him.

For the second time today, I find myself giving in to my second half.