𝐃𝐔𝐁𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐘 ── bellamy blake ¹ ✓

[ 18 ] warm welcome

"Aw, how adorable. Boyfriend and girlfriend, huh? Look at you, all grown up. But he's right, it did take you long enough."

"Raven, stop. This is not helping," I whine, "It's bad enough you heard the whole thing."

"Relax, Kane, I'm just messing with you," the smile that, I bet, is now playing on her lips, is pretty damn well audible even through the crackling static, "I'm happy for you."

And I'm happy, too. What I feel for Bellamy is genuine to such a heartfelt extent, unlike anything I've ever felt for anyone else, even that one longterm boyfriend I had when I was 16. We've been building our relationship between and over so many bumps in the road, and no matter how rocky our interactions were in the beginning, we have worked through it and right now, I can finally call him my boyfriend. (Unless our definitions of asking someone out are completely different, which, no joke, would literally break my heart.)

"Raveeeen!" I catch myself getting sentimental over my best friend's revelation, "It means so much to me."

"I know, Emily," Raven breathes out a quiet laugh, "Now, enough with the sappy shit, you should be reaching the end soon, so I'm gonna go and focus on some other stuff. Call if you need anything?"

"Of course. And, Raven? Thank you," I quickly blurt before she leaves. There's another light chuckle from the other end, before the static ceases.

Now that I put the entire focus on my task, I begin crawling through the vent on a more rapid pace; I think I see some light at the end of the way, but I can't be too sure-- after all, my eyesight has not been the best lately.

When I near the end of the tunnel, it is obvious that I did see light bleeding in through the cover of the vents; I can even hear quiet chatter and some old music playing. Suddenly, my heart begins beating much faster. My friends are really just a couple of feet away.

It forces me to move faster. I drag myself down the metal surface in attempts to speed up the process of crawling, pushing my sneaker clad feet to follow along my arm movements. It barely registers in my mind when I'm so close to the dorm I can hook my fingers around the plastic bars that cover the vents and pop them out. It falls to the floor, clattering, earning the attention of the delinquents.

I lift my head up, hands now holding onto the corner of the wall, "Can somebody help me?"

The large group of teenagers stare at me blankly, giving me time to take in their surroundings; everyone's been divided into small groups, hanging around several bunk beds, or even on the floor (some beds are also occupied by sleeping figures, which sets off a split second of envy somewhere in me). My stomach flips when my eyes settle on Monty, sitting by a pale Harper, or Jasper, standing next to a blonde girl, both their mouths wide agape. I just can't spot Aiden.

"Well?" I then exclaim, growing impatient; the vents aren't the most comfortable place in this mountain. Like, I haven't slept in a bed for days now.

And there it goes; most of the crowd rushes to the wall I'm pretty much occupying. As someone turns up the volume of the classical piece that's currently playing, Miller is the first one to reach his arms up and he carefully drags me out of the vent, allowing me to breathe for a split second, before, surprisingly, I'm pulled into a welcoming hug.

"I can't believe you're here," Miller laughs, pulling away.

"Well, here I am," I whisper, taking a look around with the biggest of grins.

"Jas, hey!" Reaching out to drag my friend into a crushing embrace, I greet an almost flabbergasted Jasper, that rushes to welcome me next.

"I knew I saw you out there," he mumbles into my hair, unwillingly moving away from me after a few longer moments. There's a fresh coat of tears noticeable in his eyes, causing a wave of emotion to wash over me, too. I place an obnoxious kiss on his cheek (which is pretty tricky, as that boy is a literal walking tree, even compared to me).