Smoke Filled Room by Mako ^
Warning Mature Content not suitable for people under the age of 18.
Once there was a girl who was invisible. No one could see or hear her. She wasn't a ghost; she was a living breathing person. Her invisibility was a fact she had to live with. That girl is me, Clarke Griffin.
My older half-sister, Raven Reyes was the pretty one. She was a brunette with tan skin, a gorgeous body, and honey brown eyes, which she got from her mother. Her mother died giving birth to her and our father Jake Griffin remarried to my mother Abby Griffin. She was a dirty blonde with fair skin and bright blue eyes. My little brother Jasper was the smart one. He had shaggy light brown hair, lightly tan, and green eyes. He looked like a younger version of dad. Then there was me the middle child. I had long bleach blonde wavy hair, bright blue eyes, and pale skin. The spitting image of both our parents combined.
My mother was clueless even though she had her head on her shoulders. She was the head surgeon of Jaha Hospital. She was brilliant in that aspect. Luckily there was dad. Dad was interested in everything. To him the world was filled with wonder and mystery, a puzzle to be solved.
Flashback
"See look through that." My father said handing me a magnifying glass.
"Yeah, it's gears and cogs."
"I'm fascinated by the inner workings of how these objects make clocks work, always moving always on going. Time never stops." I look at my father's watch smiling at him. "That is the look that means I don't want to hurt his feelings but I'd rather be doing my artwork."
End of Flashback
When he got sick, I wasn't worried because they said the treatments were working. When I would accompany him, we would relax, joke, and laugh. One time I almost shot soda out of my nose from laughing so hard.
Then dad died and everything changed. Without him, I began to fade. It started at home.
"Raven, are you okay? You haven't eaten anything?" Abby asked concerned.
"I just can't have carbs. I'll puff up like a blowfish." Raven sighs as Abby tried to understand.
"Jasper? How's school going?"
"Fine." Jasper continues to play on his video game.
"That's great." Abby picks up her phone checking her work schedule.
"You didn't ask me anything." Clarke tuned in.
"What's that?" Abby glanced over at Clarke.
"Forget it."
"Okay,"
Clarke walked up to her room seeing her name erased from the chalkboard hanging on her bedroom door. She rewrote 'Clarke's Room' in big bold letters before slamming the door shut.
And then it spread to other areas in my life. In class I raised my hand to ask a question and the teacher totally ignored me. By the summer I was totally gone.
"How come nobody woke me up?" Clarke walked in the kitchen looking at her siblings.
"Raven, would you stop for a second and look at me?" Clarke walks up to Raven blending a smoothie. "Ugh! Jasper, I specifically told you – hey!" Jasper walks passed Clarke putting his empty bowl in the sink.
"What I wouldn't give for a good night's sleep." Abby yawned holding a cup of coffee.
"Mom, Jasper and Raven are ignoring me again." Clarke whined.
"Where did I put your father's camera? Ah here we go." Abby looks through the junk drawer and finds an old Polaroid camera.
"Does nobody care that I'm going to be late for the first day of school?" Clarke looks around exasperated. "Mom!"
"Ahhhh!" Abby screams as Clarke grabbed her arm. "What the hell was that?" She looks around frantically. "Uhh, gotta capture the first day of school. Get over by the window." Jasper and Raven roll their eyes but oblige.
"It's gonna be backlit." Jasper sighs.
"It'll be perfect."
"I want to be in it too. Thanks for asking." Clarke grumbles. They all huddle together.
Click!
The camera takes a photo printing a Polaroid out. Abby grabs it shaking the photo. Everyone huddles looking at it.
"That's a keeper!" Abby exclaims.
"God, I have a double chin." Raven says in disgust.
"The lighting is horrible." Jasper points out.
"I'm not there." Clarke gasps.
"I think it's great."
"What's happening? Why are you all pretending I'm not here?"
But they weren't pretending.
Clarke goes upstairs seeing the chalk board on her door cleanly erased. She opens the door seeing storage everywhere. Clarke looks at the room confused. She walks away stunned.
I didn't want to accept it, but I had disappeared from sight and from memory. It was like I never existed.
I guess it's like anything. Eventually you adapt. Years later I'm 21 now. All things considered, I live a pretty normal life. I have my own place in a building that does corporate rentals. Nobody knows anybody, so I fit right in.
I have deliveries dropped in front of my door with a white board on it giving the driver's the instruction to ring the doorbell once and take the tip. However, they end up ringing the doorbell twice annoying me.
I have a job. Mostly, I work nights. I get messages telling me where people will be and I take the bus and go find them. I guess you can say I'm a private investigator for paparazzi. I can dress casually wearing dark skinny jeans, usually a black tight t-shirt, combat boots, and my father's leather jacket and watch. Most of my work settings are in night clubs, looking for these celebrities and finding their secrets. It's really an easy job. I can get close and personal to them just using my phone for the pictures I take. Usually, it's cheating scandals but the work does vary.
If you think I feel bad about what I do, you'd be wrong. I show people as they really are.
"Pretty terrific, huh? I'm telling you, this girl is good." Marcus Kane says over the phone looking at the head line. 'CHEATER! Wells Jaha caught one week after wedding.'
"Thank you." Clarke looks at him sitting across her feet up on the desk.
"And she delivers. Always delivers. No muss, no fuss. And she's cheap!"
"Not anymore, I'm not." Clarke pulls out her phone texting him.
"Yeah. Couldn't be happier. Yeah!"
Ting!
"That is great." Kane picks up his cell phone reading her text.
'I want a raise.'
"Hang on for a minute. Who the hell is this?"
"Oh for heaven's sake, I just sent you the cover photo." Clarke texts.
"That's it. This girl has a six sense. I don't know how she does it." Clarke angrily kicks off papers from his desk. "What the hell is this?"
As for my family, Jasper still lives at home. He moved to the basement as a teenager, for the view. It's what supposedly inspired his career as a visual artist. Jasper has been working on an experiment film called Top Ten Legs of the Last Decade for... well the last decade. Raven had remained her own number one fan until she married Finn Collins, an adventurous spacewalker as they put it. He was an astronaut working for NASA and with that, she doubled her fan club. Mom found a new love in a smaller hospital called Arkcadia. Friday night dinner is still a tradition, although Finn is usually held up at work. Not much has changed.
My favorite things about being invisible... going anywhere, seeing everything, not having to worry about rules or good manners, or even caring what I look like. I never feel ashamed or embarrassed. I can walk out of the communal shower butt ass naked, which I often do. The worst thing is not being a part of anything.
"Let's all have another round!" A girl screams. "I think I need to lie down." She slurs. Clarke watches the man and the woman at the bar. They starting walking to the stairs as Clarke stand up and takes their photo.
What is that girl doing? Has she ever learned about personal space?
Bellamy looks at a blonde girl up in the couples' business, confused. He focuses his eyes on the blonde and sees her following them, continuing taking pictures.
"Hey!" He yells. She ignores him. "Hey, you! Hey!" He roughly grabs her arm turning her around. She looks up at him with her blue eyes confused. "Why are you following those people?" She couldn't believe it someone was talking to her. She was so stunned her mouth just hung open not saying anything. "Alright." He grabs her arm again escorting her out.
"You can see me?" She stumbles as he drags her.
"Ever heard of respecting people's privacy?" He swings her arm basically throwing her out of the club's back door.
"Can you hear me? Can you hear me?"
"This conversation is over."
"Blake!" Someone yells for him. Clarke now notices how muscular this very hot guy is, even with his security buttoned down shirt. He had shaggy curly black hair, deep brown eyes, and freckles that spattered across his face. She was in awe not only for how gorgeous he was but that he could see her and hear her.
"Wait!" He turns around.
"I'm not letting you back in." He turns back around.
"Wait!"
"Blake, we need you in there." The guy who called him earlier walks out the door.
"Wait, don't go, I just..." Clarke's voice is barely a whisper. "Can you see me?" She asks the guy that walked out, but he lights a cigarette and blows the smoke in her face. She looks at the closed door confused.
"Dad, you'll never believe what happened. I met someone who can see me. He could hear me too. Just some random bouncer." Clarke says sitting cross legged in front of her dad's tombstone. "But the bad news is that I'm still invisible to everyone else. So I... I don't know what that means. I really..." She trails off looking down thinking about the guy. "I don't know how to put the pieces together." She looks at the tombstone then turns to lay down looking up at the sky.
Flashback
"What's wrong little bird?"
"What's going to happen when you die?"
"I'll be with you in spirit. Do you know what that means?" Jake asked the 12 year old Clarke. She nods her head slowly biting her inner cheek. "It means that the wind will carry me to you, whenever you need me." He smiles up at her holding her hand.
"Yeah, right." She whispers.
"It will. You'll see."
"How come you'll be in the wind?"
"Because the wind is the soul's messenger."
"But if I can't see you, how will I know you're there?"
"Because you'll feel loved." She twitches her leg looking down at him sitting in the wheel chair; he reaches up and tugs on a blonde curl.
End of Flashback
Woosh!
The wind blows through Clarke's hair as she thinks about that memory.
Clarke enters her apartment throwing down her keys as the wind lightly blows through her magazines. She looks down and picks them up noticing a guy on the one cover. 'Blake caught cheating!' She sees the bouncer from the club who saw her.
That's when it dawned on me. What if he wasn't some random bouncer? What if we were connected?
Clarke pulls out her laptop searching Bellamy Blake.
"Bellamy Blake, former world champion and one of the most sought after fighters in MMA is now all but forgotten." The telecommuter says on the video. She stares down at the video. "What happened? Bellamy Blake, first on the scene with a series of unexpected wins against veteran fighters. From there, his career took off. Fans latched onto his rags to riches story and he caught the eyes of actress and supermodel, Echo Spy. Bellamy and Echo became the 'it' couple of the moment, until this." The picture Clarke took popped up on the video of Bellamy kissing a blonde. "These photos of Blake caught cheating on Echo quickly went viral. The break up was immediate. Bellamy's fans turned against him and his life spiraled out of control. It all came to a hit at the championship, fight against Roan Azgeda. Blake had been an early favorite to win. Instead, he suffered a crushing defeat by Azgeda. Maybe it's karma. Cheaters never win. Thanks for watching. Tune in next week."
Clarke wrinkled her eyebrows together closing her laptop and picks up the magazine.
"Bellamy Blake?" Bellamy walks out of the club's back door finishing his shift, looking at the beautiful blonde that called out to him. "Do you remember me?" She sighs, seeing that he still sees and hears her.
"Vaguely, what do you want?" He stops looking her up and down. She was a head shorter than him, which maybe her even more attractive. She had deep blue eye, curves all in the right places. Her black high waisted skinny jeans and tight black crop top t-shirt with the leather jacket and boots made her look stunning, he thought a smirk placed on his lips. Clarke hands him the magazine, he looks at it as his smirk falls. "You think I haven't seen this picture a hundred times?" He angrily throws the magazine to the ground glaring at her.
"I took it. I took that picture." She says as he starts walking off.
"Why are you telling me this?" He stops and turns around.
"I – I want... I -" She starts to stutter.
"That picture destroyed my life." He gets in her face.
"I know."
"No, you don't know, but you don't care. Makes you feel better about your own sorry life." He starts to walk away again.
"You're probably right." She follows.
"Stay away from me."
"I can't." She says meekly.
"You can't?" He furrows his eyebrows and turns around.
"You're the only person who can..." She trails off thinking that he'll think she's crazy, even though the whole situation is crazy as it is.
"Who can what?" He asked irritated.
"I want to make it up to you." She takes a step towards him and looks up at him boldly.
"You want to make it up to me?" He asks sarcastically in disbelief. She nods her head. "Alright yeah, uh, so yeah, you just gotta fix my reputation. You gotta... uh, restart my fighting career. And then you gotta get me back with Echo. That's it. If you do all that, you'll have made it up to me."
"I can fix you image. I can. And I could help with your career. I don't know about your girlfriend but I can try." She says in a light voice. He looks down and shakes his head.
"You're crazy." He starts to walk away again.
"What...? I'm trying to help."
"Do you mind? I got somewhere to be." He looks over his shoulder annoyed.
"I don't mind at all, no." She says walking next to him. He stops and looks at her.
"I mean, get lost. We're done."
"But that's not what you said." She looks at him confused. He looks left and right then back at her.
"Look, I'm gonna meet my manager over there. I got some business to take care of." He says sternly.
"Give me five minutes in there with you. If you don't think after five minutes that I can help you, then I'll leave you alone." He rubs his hand down his face sighing. "And you have to promise to ignore me."
"Done."
He walks into a hole in the wall bar and sees his manager sitting at the end.
"Yay! Hey! There he is. The camp!" He stands up reaching for Bellamy.
"What's up, Murphy?"
"Not much, same old. How about you?"
"Ah, you know, maintaining. Trying to make this million."
"Trying to make you rich." They both sat down on the stools as Clarke stood next to Bellamy.
"Basically no information has been exchanged so far." Clarke says looking at the guy named Murphy.
"What are you doing?" Bellamy looks at her.
"G&T" Murphy says. "You?" Bellamy looks back at Murphy.
"Don't talk to me that's the deal."
"Pop!" Murphy yells waving down a bartender.
"And right about now you're gonna start to wonder why it is that he doesn't seem to notice me."
"Double scotch." Bellamy tells Murphy. Clarke walks to the left of Murphy and sits on the bar looking at them.
"G&T, double scotch." Murphy tells the bartender. "So beat this, huh? I got an offer for you to book you on a live show."
"What kind of show?"
"Celebrity Poker Rodeo." Murphy puts up his hands signaling a nonexistent sign in front of him.
"Never heard of it." Bellamy creased his eyebrows together.
"Are you serious?"
"It's where a bunch of has – beens playing poker in front of an audience." Clarke cuts in.
"Dude, you shoot the breeze with a couple of celebrities and that's it. Simple."
"Has – beens." Bellamy looks over Murphy's shoulder then back at him.
"Are you hearing this?"
"What?" Murphy looks confused.
Buzz. Buzz.
Murphy's phone goes off.
"Hold on." Murphy opens up a picture of two girls in lingerie. "Oohoo! Ooohh. It's the wife." He says as he zooms in on the picture.
"Definitely not his wife." Bellamy looks straight ahead drinking his scotch.
"So what's up? You gonna do this or what?"
"Is that all you got? When's it start?" Murphy picks up his phone and looks.
"Let's see, next Tuesday, as long as you stay in the game once a week."
"How much does it pay?"
"Eight hundred dollars a pop."
"It says fifteen hundred here. Just so you know." Clarke looks down at the phone than at Bellamy.
"I thought it was fifteen hundred, Murphy."
"Who told you that?" Murphy creases his eyebrows, taking a sip of his drink.
"Just something I thought you said last time." Bellamy shakes his head.
"Oh yeah? Let me check." Murphy looks back down at his phone. "Mm, I see it. It's right there." Murphy shows his phone to Bellamy. "Fifteen hundred. Even sweeter. Talk to me."
"I'll be outside when you want to talk." Clarke hops down and walks out of the bar.
"Champ, this is what you've been waiting for, exposure. Play some poker. They're gonna be like, 'who is this guy? Look how brolic he looks. I want to fight him.' So sup, you in or what?" Bellamy downs the rest of his scotch.
"Let me think about it." He pays for his drink and walks out looking for the blonde.
"What was that in there?"
"It's uh, it's complicated."
"Okay." He looks at her to continue.
"It sounds really crazy to um... to say it."
"Say what?"
"That I'm a... I'm invisible." She avoids eye contact.
"What does that mean you're invisible?" He scoffs.
"Well... not to you, obviously. But to everyone else."
"Right." He looks around not knowing if he should take her serious or not.
"You don't believe me?
"No, I don't."
"Well didn't you see what just... just happened in there? How do you think that I take my pictures? I don't use fancy lenses. I don't have to. I'm right there." He stares at her intently.
"Okay, you know what? I don't need to know what your trick is."
"You want me to prove it to you? Fine. I'll prove it to you." He turns around and sees her standing in the middle of the road, a car coming at her.
"What are you doing? Get out of the street."
"If he sees me, he's gonna stop, right?"
"Not if he's drunk. Get out of the street." The car keeps the same speed getting closer to her.
"I need you to believe me." He looks at the car and then at her. He runs out and pulls her out of the way.
Beep!
"Could have gotten yourself killed." The taxi driver looks at Bellamy.
"Tell her that." Bellamy points to Clarke. The driver looks around then back up at him.
"Who?"
"Her." Bellamy looks at Clarke and pulls her to the driver.
"Psycho." The driver looks at him then drives away. Clarke walks back to the sidewalk turning to face him.
"I would have moved, I just... I was proving a point." Bellamy stunned on the street slowly turns around.
"He couldn't see you?"
"No."
"And Murphy, my manager, he couldn't see you." He walks towards her as she shakes her head no. "So I'm the only guy in this whole city that can see you?" He looks around shocked.
"My family lives right over the bridge and they can't see me either."
"Unless... Let's assume for a second it's true and I'm not saying I buy it, but let's just assume I'm the only guy in the whole world who can see you. What am I supposed to do with that?" She looks down for a second and looks him in the eyes.
"I think we're supposed to help each other. I'm Clarke, by the way. Clarke Griffin." She says taking a step forward.
"Okay, how about this? That building on the corner over there, apartment 510, that's me. If you're still invisible in the morning, come by and we'll talk." She looks at him curiously. He walks away to head home as she smiles.
Knock, knock, knock.
"What time is it?" Bellamy opens the door seeing Clarke.
"Six." She squints her eyes thinking, trying not to notice Bellamy shirtless. "You said come by in the morning. He looks at her then steps aside allowing her room to enter.
"What's up with you?" He looks at his three legged dog lying on the floor. "She's usually more of a guard dog."
"She can't see me, remember?" They walk into his studio apartment as he grabs a shirt and puts it on.
"Look... What do you want from me?"
"I wasn't always like this and you weren't always like... this. My point is maybe if I can fix what I broke... then things will go back to normal for both of us."
"How do you plan to do that?" He looks at her and she smiles. He raises an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, this is just so strange."
"Tell me about it."
"No, I – I mean the way that... you look at me and not through me." She looks where his eyes travel the whole time excited. "I'm just not used to it." He scratches the back of his neck nervously.
"I got to take her out. Harper, let's go."
"How'd she lose her leg?"
"That's how I found her, tied to a post. Someone gave up on her, same as me."
"Who gave up on you?"
"What's that guy's problem?" Bellamy asked looking at the old man across the street.
"Oh he, uh, thinks you're talking to yourself."
"Everybody in this city talks to themselves."
"So who gave up on you?"
"What?"
"You said..." Clarke points to Harper.
"Oh. Yeah. My mom's boyfriend kicked me out when I was thirteen, decided I was old enough to fend for myself."
"Where did you go?"
"Wherever. Around."
"You slept on the street?"
"In cars, mostly."
"I've done that."
"There was this junkyard nearby, no place to shower though. Kids at school would make fun of me and then my sister Octavia, so I started getting into fights. Eventually I dropped out. My sister wasn't too happy but I made sure she stayed with mom so she didn't have to live like me. Luckily our mom's boyfriend allowed her to stay. Maybe because she was a girl or maybe he just didn't like me but she had a home."
"You kept fighting though. I'm sure your sister watches you." He smirks.
"One day, I take on this guy, disrespected my sister at a bar. These kids at my old school gathered round. Me and him were going at it. He was a big dude too. All of a sudden they start calling my name. Like cheering me on like I'm all of a sudden important or whatever. That's when I'm like, if this is what it means to be a fighter, I think I just found my calling." She smiles enjoying his story about protecting his sister.
"We gotta get you back out there."
"I still fight."
"Wait. You still fight? Why didn't you say something?"
"Because you didn't ask." She rolled her eyes as he smirked.
"Well that makes things a lot easier."
"I got a fight on Friday if you want me to put you on the list."
"Oh that – no I – I can't go into crowds." He smirks.
"I wouldn't worry."
She comes to a car garage and watches Bellamy fight. He was swift on his feet, quick with his punches. The guy was definitely bulkier than Bellamy's slim toned body. She watched him as he dropped the guy on the ground throwing continuous punches at the guy's face. The bell rings as the referee breaks them apart. Bellamy winning he helps the other guy up and Clarke smiles at them.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Murphy walks in as Bellamy presses a towel against his lip and Clarke stands near Bellamy.
"Look at that, huh? Good as new."
"Hardly." Clarke looks at Bellamy.
"Nice going, champ. Should I tell them same time next month?"
"I'll be there."
"Haha, my man." Murphy slaps Bellamy's hand, handing him cash. "It's for you, you earned it." Murphy points at him as he leaves.
"Is that three hundred dollars?" Bellamy sighs and shoved the money is his pocket.
"You don't do it for the money, you do it 'cause you love the sport."
"You call this a sport?"
"It may not look it to you but there's a lot of strategy in MMA. It's a lot more than throwing punches." He says unwrapping his hands.
"It seems like people throwing punches."
"Oh, okay look, say you got – a – a wrestler over here and then a kick boxer over there. Okay?" He motions at one side and another, trying to build a picture for her. "And – and they're both very good at what they do. But they're different you know? Like one's a hurricane and one's a tornado and – and so you get these two crazy opposing forces of nature in the ring and it takes everything they've got to beat the other one, you know? Physical, mental... it's like a game of chess. It's like chess."
"Still, I mean three hundred dollars is just wrong." Clarke breathes.
"The other guy gets half, so... go talk to him."
"We need to get you better venues and bigger fights." Clarke walks to the other side as Bellamy walks to where she was just standing leaning against a table.
"You think so?"
"Yes." He sighs, not getting his hopes up.
"How are you gonna match me up with better fighters? 'Cause let's be real, nobody who's anybody is gonna fight me." He opens up the fridge next to him popping a can.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't sell tickets anymore."
"Just get me a list."
Clarke researches the list of fighters Bellamy wrote down to see if she could pick up anything on them. She comes across an article of Dax Shumway, where he denies the use of steroids.
"Yeah, right." Clarke circles his name and heads out to find him.
Clarke finally finds his apartment and surprisingly his door is unlocked. She walks in and sits on his kitchen counter watching him cook. Clarke sends a picture to Dax.
'I found your pills.' He stares at his phone confused. 'Could be our little secret.'
'Who is this?' He texts back.
'Someone who want to make a deal.' He puts the phone down after reading the message and starts to chop up vegetables. He stops then looks back at the phone and picks it up.
'What kind of deal?' She looks at her phone and smiles.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in, it's open." Bellamy yells tying his shoe.
"So, I have some news."
"Oh wait, wait two seconds." Bellamy looks out the window.
"Finish line is right here. Which one of these guys is gonna win?" Bellamy points to the raindrops on the window. Clarke sits down in front of Bellamy on his night stand.
"Oh. The top one."
"You sure about that?"
"Definitely. Look there they go." Bellamy looks at Clarke for a second seeing her legs straddle his; he could feel her heat radiating on the outside of his legs. He turns his gaze back on the window watching the raindrops fall.
"Okay."
"Come on."
"Go! Go!"
"Come on. Yes!"
"Aw. How does that happen?" He pouts and Clarke smirks.
"Let me tell you, this is not my first rodeo." She looks down at him and smiles, he smirks back up at her and she turns her head. "I mean – I just mean, um I've spent a lot of time staring out windows."
"When you said it wasn't always like this for you what did you mean?"
"It started when my dad died." She half smiles. "He was kind of the only one who got me. So when he was gone, I just kind of..." She shrugs looking back at Bellamy who was staring at her intently. "I was twelve." He looks down.
"I'm sorry." She sadly smiles, neither one noticing how close they're really sitting.
Buzz.
"Oh you should... you should probably take that." She smirks.
God that smirk of hers is going to kill me.
He just stares into her eyes never leaving them as he picks up his phone.
"Hey."
"Hey champ!"
"Hey Murphy, what's up?"
"Get ready for this, pulled some strings." Clarke keeps smirking down at him. "You're gonna be fighting Dax Shumway in six weeks." Bellamy suddenly stands up.
"You're kidding." Clarke now with a shit eating grin on her face.
"He's not." She says. Bellamy looks her in the eyes searching for some kind of joke.
"Yeah what – uh... I will. Okay. Alright. Bye." He hangs up the phone stunned.
"Let me guess. You're fighting Dax 'The Cleaver' Shumway."
"How did you pull that off?" He asked flabbergasted.
"You let me worry about setting up the fights. You worry about your training." Bellamy puts his hands against his head, with a shit eating grin on his face.
"You're awesome."
"I know I am, but you my friend better get to work." He exhales and Clarke thought for a second he looked like a kid in a candy store.
"Alright, yeah."
"Drop and give me twenty!" He actually dropped to the ground and started doing pushups. "I was kidding!" She laughs. Bellamy chuckles enjoying her laugh how it made his sides tickle.
"Bellamy Blake. Now that's a name we haven't heard in a while." One radio host says.
"This match up with Dax Shumway came out of nowhere." Says another.
"I give the guy credit for giving it a shot but we're talking about a five year layoff here."
"Shumway is a great competitor. He's the real deal. He has a great ground game."
"What I want to know is how do you make up for all this lost time in just six weeks? Hey, look Bellamy Blake was a good fighter. Maybe a great fighter back in his day."
"Blake is way out of his league if you ask me. Shumway is gonna put him away in the first round. Call in guys, let me know what you think."
"My news prediction, he's gonna get killed out there."
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Clarke takes a few photos of Bellamy working out.
"What's with the pictures?"
"For publicity, I'm fixing your image."
Buzz. Buzz.
Bellamy looks over at Clarke's phone while he picks up his gloves. He paused a second curiosity getting the best of him. He looks up at Clarke strapping his gloves on.
"Who's Jasper?" He asked nonchalantly.
"My brother."
"I didn't know you had a brother."
Snap!
"I have an older half-sister too." She smirks.
"What's your family like?"
"Well let's see. My uh, my brother is a pervert who spends his days ogling women's legs." Bellamy chuckles. "Seriously, and my sister's interest in the world consists of what's on her plate. Her latest diet is sesame crackers and water." Bellamy starts hitting a punching bag, but listens attentively to her. "She says everything else makes her nauseous."
Snap!
"Maybe she's pregnant."
"Yeah right, she could never stand to gain the weight."
"Wait, so your family never talks about you?"
"No, it's like I never existed."
"That's insane. Hey why don't I teach you how to fight?"
"Huh? Me? Oh no!" Clarke shakes her head vigorously.
"Why not? It'll be fun!" He smiles a really smile that reaches his eyes.
"Uh no, I'm clumsy as shit and not really athletic."
"Really? You look pretty fit to me." Bellamy roams his eyes over Clarke's body as she shrugs.
"Well, I like to run and do cardio, but that's pretty much it. Everything else I'm really clumsy."
"Come on just try it, I swear I'm a good teacher." Clarke sighs.
"Fine." Bellamy's eyes lit up as he gives her a set of gloves.
"Alright which is your dominant hand?"
"My left."
"Okay. Keep your legs shoulder width apart your right foot slightly in front. Put your fists near your cheeks and bend your legs. I want you to punch straight out as you twist your hips and your wrist with the punch giving yourself more force. Then pull your fist quickly back up to your cheek."
"My stance like this?" Bellamy comes up behind her and adjusts her, one hand on her shoulder the other on her hip.
"Uh, um, yeah, yeah, watch and learn." Bellamy goes to the punching bag and jabs a few times. "Now you try." Clarke stands in front and jabs a few times.
"That was amazing. Is it bad of me to feel like this?" Bellamy smirks and shakes his head no.
"No, you're a natural."
"You know, I wish I could be at your fight."
"You're not coming?" Bellamy asks disappointed.
"I don't do crowds that size..."
"Why?" he turns to look at her.
"The last time I did, I got this." She pulls up her black legging revealing a huge scar down the side of her calf.
"Oh my God."
"I had to give myself stitches." She smirks.
"Damn, we have a badass in the house." She laughs.
"It sucked ass, so I will be watching you but from home."
"Why don't you come watch the fight at my place?" Bellamy glances over continuing to hit the punching bag. Clarke shrugs.
"Okay." Bellamy tries to hide his smile but fails miserably.
"Alright."
"Come on, baby! We're gonna be late." Finn says to Raven.
"Hi Finn, hey Rave... Mind if I borrow some clothes?
"Does this look too tight on me? It feels too tight." Raven rushes over to Finn.
"You look perfect."
"I promise I'll bring them back." The door closes, Raven and Finn gone. Clarke puts on black high waisted skinny jeans, a white long sleeve sheer bodysuit with floral patterns all over the chest, a very low cut vee, a simple black choker, black stilettos and her father's leather jacket and watch. She puts on light make up and walks out.
Clarke's bodysuit ^ it was a little hard to describe it, so here's a visual.
"Well Blake came into tonight's match as the underdog." An announcer says on the TV. "You can see him trying to find his rhythm against an opponent in his prime like Shumway. But we have seen him a lot of belts in the past. "
"Keep doing what you're doing champ! You got him!" Murphy yells from the side lines.
Dax gets Bellamy to the ground, Dax's specialty as Bellamy elbows him on the side. Bellamy is flat on his back trying to get up.
"Blake tries to gain distance from Shumway."
"Dax wraps his arm around Bellamy's head as Bellamy grips Dax's back flipping him on his side. Dax tries to get out but Bellamy puts him in a head lock. Dax backs Bellamy into the cage wall as Bellamy jabs Dax in the ribs. Dax swings and lands a right hook to Bellamy's face.
"Blake looks a bit stunned but he shakes it off, Shumway now looking for a takedown."
Dax lunges for Bellamy's legs as Bellamy pushes Dax's shoulders down grabbing him in a choke hold. Both are struggling to keep a shoulder up, Dax kicks out trying to get out of the hold. Dax finally taps out losing oxygen.
"And it's all over!"
"Yes!" Clarke jumps up in the air.
"Blake wins by submission in the third round! Unbelievable!"
"Yes!" Clarke dances around Bellamy's apartment.
"Yeah he tapped out! Whooo!" Murphy shouts.
"And the winner is Bellamy Blake!" The referee holds up Bellamy's arm.
"What'd I tell you, huh? Stick with me, bud. You're the man! By the way, that purse is not quite what they said. Something about taxes what have you. But for the next fight, you're gonna be making triple what you made now." Murphy says to Bellamy in the cage. "Yeah! Champ right here! Champ right here!" Murphy points at Bellamy as Bellamy gives him a disappointed look.
Clarke sits on a chair shaking her leg up and down waiting for Bellamy to arrive.
"Bellamy? Nathan Miller, Wonkru News. Congratulations on your bug win tonight!"
"Thanks man!"
"You went in as the underdog in a lot of people's minds. What happened?"
"I mean, Shumway is a great fighter. He made a mistake and I capitalized on it."
"Yeah, rumor has it you're gonna be fighting Tommy Reaper next."
"Yep."
I get it, it's his job but can he just leave me alone now? I want to go see Clarke.
"Uh, any reason you're not out tonight celebrating? Did you get injured?"
"I feel great and I do plan to celebrate." Bellamy leaves a confused Miller behind entering his apartment complex.
"Hey Harper." Clarke stands up.
"You did it!"
"Felt pretty good."
"Oh my God you're eye!" Clarke stands in front of him.
"Looks worse than it is." Bellamy goes to the fridge and grabs ice cream, two spoons, and a blanket not noticing Clarke's outfit. "Come on." Clarke smiles and follows. "I want to show you ladies something." Bellamy carries Harper up the stairs to the roof and puts her down. "There you go. Hey, stick that thing in the door, will you?" Clarke moves a brick propping the door slightly open. "There you go, not bad huh?"
"Wow!" Clarke looks around at the beautiful garden the full moon large above their heads, a light hue of blue surrounding them.
"Here you go I got this for you." Bellamy gives her the blanket. "And this is for me."
"What kind is it?"
"Peanut butter ice cream, the best thing ever after a fight." They both take a spoonful and eat it gratefully. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"You looked great out there. You really did." Clarke turns her head smiling at him.
"Thanks." He finally looks at her outfit and almost chokes on his ice cream.
What the hell? God, is she trying to push me? She looks drop dead gorgeous and that low cut...
"Are you okay?" She asked innocently.
"Uh yeah, just went down my wind pipe. You look good, by the way." Bellamy looks down at the low cut vee, not trying to hide his stare anymore.
"Thank you but my eyes are up here. I know I have a nice body and all but I think you have a little drool here." Bellamy wipes his mouth with the back of his hand as Clarke bursts out laughing.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure you're real?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" She gives him a weird look.
"You know. Maybe I took a few too many hits to the head over the years."
"You know just because people can't see me doesn't mean I don't exist." Clarke says annoyed.
"Alright, see? I knew you were gonna get mad."
"You're writing me off."
"I'm not writing you off, I'm just... trying to understand." Clarke scoffs, knowing she shouldn't get mad at him but doesn't look at him. "Hey." He brushes a strand of blonde hair out of her face. "I want you to be real." He puts his hand at the back of her neck. She looks at her straight in the eyes.
"Prove it." He pulls her in and slowly and gently kisses her, curling his fingers through her hair. She holds his shirt to keep her hands from shaking as he licks the bottom on her lips for entry to deepen the kiss.
Snap!
"Hey! Come back with that camera." Bellamy gets up and runs for the reporter, Miller. Harper barking after him, the door closes behind Miller.
Slam!
"No, no, no!" Bellamy shakes the handle the door doesn't budge. He punches the door twice.
"Well hey, jokes on him. It's gonna look like you're alone in that picture." Clarke shrugs as Bellamy scoffs walking back to her.
"Hope you like sleeping under the stars." They lay the blanket on the ground; Bellamy lays on top of it on his back still a little grumpy. Clarke lies next to him. She looks over to her right looking at him as he looks to his left looking at her.
"Here, come here." He lays out his left arm so she could rest her head of his chest. He pulls her closer to him as she wraps her left arm around his stomach and her left leg swung over his.
"Your heart is beating really fast." She looks up at him hoping he's okay. He looks down at her then moves around laying her on her back, his left arm still holding her head and his right arm holding her leg. He kisses her gently as she moves her left hand to his face. Clarke bites his lower lip causing him to growl. He deepens the kiss rubbing his hand up and down her thigh, causing her to moan into his lips. He smirks pulling off her jacket, the top of her bodysuit shifting. He leaves a trails of kisses down her neck, his mouth reaches her left breast.
"Okay, whoa!" Bellamy backs up.
"Is this okay?" He sees Clarke panting grabbing her chest.
"No, it's – it's good – it's... It's really good. It's just new." Clarke says as she sits up. Realization hitting Bellamy a deep blush rises to his face, Clarke's mirroring his. He nods his head.
Right. She turned invisible around 12 and had no real interactions with anyone. I'm kind of happy about that and scared. I don't want to hurt her but I also just want to feel her soft skin against mine.
"We can take our time."
"Okay."
***********************************************************
Bellamy slowly leans in, Clarke holding his face lightly kissing his lips. He gently brushes his finger tips from her neck to her collar bone slipping his fingers into her shirt, pushing the light fabric off her shoulder. His hand following it down her arm, he kisses the top of her shoulder as she breathes into his ear. Sending pleasurable shivers down his back, she pulls her left arm out of her sleeve. Her left side of her body exposed, he moves his mouth down to her breast lightly licking her hard nipple. She lets out a muffled moan as she bites her lower lip.
"No, I want to hear you." Bellamy says in a low sultry voice making her even wetter than she was.
He kisses her right neck pulling her right arm out of her shirt, the fabric hanging around her waist. He runs his hands from her hips up to her arms guiding them above her head. Hovering over her he traces his fingers down her right arm, to her shoulder, to the side of her breast, to her stomach as she arches her back feeling the delight on his touch. He brings his finger tips to the side of her face to her lips as he looks deeply into her eyes. Her bright blue eyes glowing in the low light, she brings her arms down cupping his face pulling him into a kiss. She pushes back his flannel and pulls his shirt up and over his head.
"What?" She blushes a deep red.
"I don't know what to do next." They both laugh.
"I got some ideas."
He pulls her into his arms flipping them so she is straddling his hips. She sits up running a hand through her hair. He looks up at her appreciating her beauty and just runs his fingers up her arms across her shoulders down to her breast as he slightly massages them. She lets out a moan this time not trying to suppress it. She could feel his member growing underneath her so she moved her hips forward, having him groan immediately grabbing her hips tightly. She smirks, liking that he's so aroused by her.
He flips them again sliding his finger at the top of her jeans. She arches her back in response to him. He slowly unbuttons her pants, he then shimmies them down pulling her bodysuit and heels along with it. He looks down noticing she wasn't wearing any underwear. He takes a sharp breath in thinking of her choosing out the outfit. If she wanted to seduce him he was already there. He lowers his head kissing her stomach; he grabs her hips running his thumbs in circles to relax her causing her to do the opposite.
"Haaaaaa! Bellamy!"
That was all it took as her lowered his head between her legs, his hands pushing her legs a part. He licked her clít making her moan and inhuman sound. He looks up at her face seeing it in pure bliss. He slides a finger into her tight pússy. She takes a sharp inhale, her hands rushing to his messy curls. He started to pump his finger slowly in and out, while licking her clít in circle. She rocked her hips up as he used his other hand to press her hips down. He inserted a second finger and she almost screams of ecstasy. Bellamy was so turned on he pumped his fingers faster into her, she pulled his hair only for him to growl and sucking real hard on her clít.
"Bellllllaaammmmy!" She screamed, thrusting her hips up into his head as he slowed his fingers letting her ride out her orgasm.
He sits up pulling his fingers out from her licking them. She sees him do this and pulls his head down to her kissing him.
Didn't expect that she would kiss me right after.
"Didn't think you'd kiss after I was down there, Princess."
"I wanted to taste myself on your lips."
"Clarke, if you keep at this I'm not going to be able to hold back."
"Then don't, I trust you."
Bellamy's eyes were a blaze as he shoves his pants down, almost ripping them off. Clarke's eyes grow wide as she looks at his very large throbbing cóck. She wanted to make him feel good as much as he did for her. So she crawls over to him on her hands a knees and kneeling in front of him. His eyes never leaving hers, she wrapped her lips around the tip, swirling her tongue around it. He inhales suddenly putting his hands through her hair. He looks at her and she slightly nods letting him know it was okay. She slowly takes as much of him as she can into her mouth slowly moving back and forth hollowing out her mouth. He gives a loud groan as her eyes light up. She grabbed his hips pumping faster.
"Clarkkee." He hissed, trying to hold back. "I'm sorry." He says as she nods knowing all too well what is about to happen.
He grips her hair and thrusts into her mouth forcefully. Her eyes start to tear up from the pressure but she takes it. Just seeing that he climaxes and spills into her mouth, with her sucking him dry. Proud of her he pulls her up to kiss him deeply, he lays her back down and hovers over her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She kisses as she reaches down rubbing his now again erect cóck.
"Clarke, you're making this very hard to hold back."
"Don't." She whispers in his ear. "I want you now."
He moans into her kiss as she smiles. He pulls out a condom out of his wallet; he looks at her again as she nods. He rips the package taking out the rubber and rolling it down his shaft. He grabs the base of his cóck rubbing the tip on her clít. She moans his name begging for him to go inside her. He slowly pushes into her; a low whimper leaves her lips. He stops for her to get use to his size before he moves further in. He finally pushes the rest of his large member into her waiting until she is comfortable for him to move.
She raises her hips giving him the okay. He moves back pulling out then pushes forward. She cries. Tears rolling down her sides, he wipes them away and leans down to kiss her forehead. He moves his lips to her kissing her slowly as he starts to move again. She starts to moan louder and louder pumping into her. She grips his back rocking her hips to meet his thrusts. He groans into her ear moving faster and faster. She inhales quickly feeling the pressure build in her lower abdomen. He pumps harder into her, his hips meet hers, both reaching their climax.
"Bellamy!"
"Clarke!"
They both come undone in pure desire and ecstasy. He pulls out throwing the fully loaded condom in the empty ice cream container throwing them in the trash. He comes back and lies next to a glistening Clarke, sweat all over her body. He pulls her close, their naked bodies wrapped within each other, using half of the blanket to cover them.
***************************************************************
Clarke all giddy walks through a park when something catches her eye. A man was lying down on a bench his head on the lap of his boyfriend. Clarke looked at the newspaper he was holding seeing the front page. 'Who is Shadow Girl?' The headline read clearly, seeing Bellamy's picture of him and her. She moves her hand across the front page shocked.
"I'm in the photo! Yes!" She yells and jumps up and down. "Thank you." She looks at the two guys knowing they can't see or hear her, but none the less she was happy to be in a photo.
"Tommy, as a two time platinum belt winner, what's your prediction going into the fight?" A man calls out.
"How many times did I win that belt?"
"Two times."
"Man, this joker's been out of the game for five years. I bet you right here, I get that submission in the first round."
"Bellamy, what do you say to that?"
"I've been working hard and I know what I'm capable of. All that matters is what happens in the cage."
"Haha, only thing that'll happen in that cage is I'm gonna beat your ass like a drum."
"Bellamy, is it true you fired your manager?" Bellamy looks over to where Clarke was standing.
"We parted ways."
"You sure it wasn't the other way around." Tommy chuckles. "I'm gonna give you a little preview of what it's like when I mop the floor with his face." Bellamy turns his attention to Tommy. "I'm gonna make it look like Azgeda took it easy on you, baby." Tommy stands up followed by Bellamy.
"Why don't you walk over here, I'll knock you out right now."
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please." The Organizer stands up pushing his hands against the two men.
"The fear in his eyes, man."
"Alright we have time for one more question." The three of them sit down.
"Bellamy, is Echo Spy Shadow Girl?"
"What?" Bellamy looks over at Clarke.
"There are rumors going around that you and Echo Spy are getting back together. Is she the woman in this picture?" Realization hits him and Clarke just smiles.
"No comment."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Tommy walks to his limo.
"Tommy, Tommy!" A fan comes over asking for his autograph.
"Oh, my people. Here you go!" Clarke climbs into the limo. "Don't forget, you look good, you feel good. You feel good, you fight good." He climbs into the limo sitting down. "Yeah, we waiting on someone?"
"Well Tommy, I'll get right down to business, shall I?" Clarke asks reaching into her pocket for her phone.
Ding!
He opens his message seeing him and a girl naked.
'Too bad she's only 16.'
"Yeah right."
"Hm."
Ding!
A picture of the girl's high school ID is sent, as he zooms in on the picture. Reading grade 10.
"Oh shit! The fuck?"
"Yep."
Ding!
'Blake wins the fight or I tell the press about your underage.'
"Get the fu... yeah, alright." 'Who is this?'
'Yes or no?'
"This is some bullshit. Playing games with Reaper."
"Hi." Bellamy closes the club's back door and looks at the beautiful blonde.
"Hi." He smiles.
"When are you gonna quit? You don't have to work here anymore."
"It keeps me humble."
"Why did you let them think it was Echo?" They walk side by side together.
"What are you talking about?"
"At the press conference when they asked you about... Shadow Girl?"
"I thought you didn't show up in pictures."
"I don't... usually." She looks up at him as they stopped and looked at each other.
"So you're coming back?" He looks surprised and relieved at the same time. She smiles. "You're coming back!" She shrugs as he engulfs her into a hug spinning her. She giggles.
"You... you made me feel like... like I matter."
"Of course you matter." He looks down at her, his arms wrapped around her waist. They continue to walk side by side as she sighs happily.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
He looks down confused and picks up the call.
"Hello?"
"Hi."
"Echo?" Clarke looks at him. "Hold on just a second." He motions to Clarke to wait.
"I heard we might be getting back together. I'm just kidding. Congratulations on the Shumway fight. That was pretty impressive."
"Thanks." He sounded more confused than anything. Clarke continued to stare.
"Well uh, I will be rooting for you during the next one."
"You in town?"
"For a few weeks, my new movie's coming out so... Anyway um, I just wanted to wish you luck."
"Appreciate it." He hangs up his phone walking back to Clarke. "Wasn't expecting her to call."
"Well, you are a winner again."
"She sounded happy for me."
"She's an actress." Bellamy gives her a look. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
"No, I know what you meant."
"Hey I'm just looking out for you."
"Is that what you're doing?"
"And now for the moment you've all been waiting for, the main event of the evening. Fighting out of the red corner with an undefeated record of ten wins and no loses, Tommy 'The Destroyer' Reaper! And challenging him for the first time, the former world champion fighting out of the blue corner, Bellamy Blake!"
Crowd goes wild cheering.
"Obey my commands at all time, protect yourselves at all time. Touch gloves." The referee informs, holding onto both of their shoulders. Bellamy puts up his gloves, Tommy refusing to lift his.
"This don't make you a winner." Tommy says.
"Ready? Ready? Fight!"
Kane lifts up a magazine headline reads 'Blake Crushes Reaper.'
'I've got a behind the scenes exclusive Blake training.' Clarke texts.
Ding!
'Does it include naked shower photos?' Kane laughs sarcastically.
Ding!
'No shower photos.'
'Well doll face, good people and hard work don't sell magazines.'
Ding!
'How about this for an exclusive? Azgeda agrees to rematch with Blake.'
"When did that happen?" Kane picks up his office phone and calls someone.
"Kane! You got something good for me?"
"You know anything about a rematch between Blake and Azgeda? One of my sources. I can't remember her name, but she's good."
Ding!
'Giving you this, either you run with it or someone else will. It's going to be the fight of the year, decade.'
"Hell, if we print it it's halfway to being true anyway. Kick the embezzlement scandal off page one. They're a dime a dozen."
"You're telling me..."
"People love a good comeback story."
"Roan!" A skateboarder rolls by.
"What's up bud?" Roan stops jogging.
"Can I get your autograph?
"Yeah of course, man."
"Dude, I'm totally pumped about the rematch." Roan looks up at the kid.
"Rematch?"
"Yeah."
"What rematch?"
"Bellamy Blake. That's pretty cool man."
"Alight, man." Roan turns into his apartment complex.
"Thanks!"
"What's this bullshit about a Blake rematch?" Roan says through the phone, unlocking his apartment. "How is this, the first you've heard of it? Well, it's not happening." He tosses his keys unto the table Clarke following closely behind. "Because I already beat him. That's ridiculous. You know what? I've beat him before and I can beat him again." Clarke looks around the apartment. "Fine, just get it done so I can focus on the championship." Roan hangs up the phone tossing it on the table.
Nice place.
Clarke hears the water running and she rummages through his apartment. The water stops running as he exits him bathroom.
"Come on, we've all got secrets." She exhales as she sits on the floor her back to the couch looking at Roan. "Carrots." She sees him bit into one.
"You still up?" Clarke looks at him. "I'm just checking on you."
"Please, be a prostitute or a dealer." Clarke whines.
"Yeah? What are you wearing?" Clarke looks at him hopeful. "Come on Ma, they're just slippers."
"Ugh!"
"Your other ones were worn out. Aw, I'm glad you think they're comfortable. Alright, you have a great night, Ma. I love you too."
Clarke puts Raven's clothes back that she borrowed sighing.
"Raven?" Clarke hears sobs as she walks to the bathroom. "Oh my God, you are pregnant. Does Finn know?" Raven slows her crying then shoves the test at the bottom of the garbage. "What's the matter? Why aren't you happy about it?" Clarke looks at her confused as she cleans herself up.
"Hey, this is Bellamy. Leave a message."
"Hey, so you were right, Raven's pregnant but she's not telling her husband about it. I hope she's not having an affair. Call me back." Clarke hangs up the phone biting a Twizzler.
Buzz, buzz!
'Echo Spy spotted on a date at Grounder Lounge.' Clarke looks at her phone then decides to go check it out.
"Thank you. To old times." Echo moves her martini glass towards Bellamy's scotch glass. "Come on, they weren't all bad. Some things were great."
"They were."
"How's Harper? I miss her."
"She's doing good. So still with that uh, big hot shot director?" She looks at him and smiles.
"No, he was a producer. And no, that was a long time ago."
"So who's the lucky guy?" She shrugs.
"Who says there's only one?" Bellamy scoffs, she laughs. "I'm just kidding, there's no one. What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Who's the girl in that picture with you? Who's Shadow Girl?"
"Nobody you'd know." Bellamy doesn't smile but Echo could see something in his eyes.
"Okay, well, if you're trying to make me jealous it's working." She tugs on her ear nervously.
"Echo, I don't know what this is but I don't have time for games." Bellamy looks at her.
"I'm not playing." Echo moves closer to him putting her hand onto of his.
"That didn't take you long." Bellamy turns around and sees Clarke.
"What are you doing here?"
"What?" Echo looks confused.
"What are you doing here?" Clarke argues back.
"Are you spying on me?" Bellamy looks at her in disbelief. She scoffs.
"Who are you talking to?" Echo asks.
"What?" Clarke looks at him.
"Bellamy, what's going on?" Bellamy turns back to Echo.
"I came for her, I didn't think you were gonna be her date." Clarke shakes her head before walking out.
"Clarke! Wait up!" Clarke keeps walking ignoring Bellamy's calls. "Clarke! Stop, stop!" He pulls her arm so she could face him. She sighs.
"So what was that the other night? That meant nothing to you?"
"Of course it did." Bellamy sighs looking at her sadly.
"So... so then what were you doing with Echo?"
"She called and asked if we could meet. I – I wanted to see what would happen." Bellamy averts his eyes. Clarke looks at him stunned.
"I have a pretty good idea, Blake." She spits at him in disgust.
"You don't get it. We've been through a lot, me and her."
"She doesn't care about you." Clarke presses. "She's just..."
"Clarke..."
"...using you!"
"Clarke... I think the world of you and I really do like you. I wouldn't be where I am without you. But... out in the real world... you don't exist." Clarke's mouth hung open. "People seeing us... People seeing us right now think I'm talking I'm talking to myself like I'm some kind of crazy person." Clarke looks away. "I just wanted to be straight with you, alright?" Bellamy for once is his life listened to his head, but he could feel his heart constricting.
"You deserve a medal." She rids herself of all emotion shutting down. She didn't like Bellamy for what he had; she liked him because of his heart. When he told her the story of him protecting his sister she knew he fought with his heart. But now she wasn't so sure.
"And don't pretend that you didn't... You want something else out of this." Her eyebrows rose up in surprise just listening to him not looking up.
"You wanted to help me as a way to help yourself." She laughs bitterly
"Well, that's maybe be all I can deliver."
"What?" He asks trying to get her to look at him, but failing in the end.
"I couldn't find anything on Azgeda."
"So?"
"So, I can't guarantee you're gonna win the fight."
"Yeah, of course you can. What are you...?" Bellamy was pissed. "You've been fixing these fights." He growled.
"You wanted me to wave a magic wand so I did." She gritted back still avoiding his eyes.
"So you make me a fraud?!"
"You didn't question the result!" Bellamy's blood pressure was rising.
"Is that what you think of me? Is that what you think I wanted?" He yelled. "Get out of my sight." Clarke turns on her heel and leaves Bellamy in the street. "Keep looking for the worst in people, I guarantee you're gonna find it. Fuck!" Bellamy hits a nearby sign then walks off.
Clarke doesn't cry, she goes back to her work, finding people's true selves. Bellamy continues to train and goes back out with Echo. Clarke sees their faces everywhere as she shrugs.
Clarke takes a large swig of whiskey and looks at her table. Magazines of Bellamy scattered on it. She glares at them and crumbles them up throwing them into the garbage. She pours more whiskey into her glass shifting through the puzzle pieces on her coffee table.
How did it become like this? I couldn't leave well enough alone? Ha, and to think I was...
Knock, knock, knock.
Clarke snaps out of her thoughts looking to her door confused. She takes another swig and walks to her door. She scoffs looking through the peephole.
"What are you doing here?"
"Can I come in? I need to tell you something." She looks through him instead of at him but steps aside letting him in. Bellamy doesn't notice the void in her eyes as he follows her in. She turns around and looks at him.
"Go ahead."
"The picture you took of me and that girl wasn't the reason Echo and I broke up. It wasn't the reason I lost the fight. I think somewhere along the way I just kind of started to buy into my own hype. I felt like the world owed me something. Why try so hard you know? I cut corners, I got lazy. I cheated. We both did by the way. It wasn't the first time I got caught. It was most public. And when it all fell apart... I couldn't handle it."
"So all this time... it wasn't my fault?" He looks at her then looks down. "Well, it makes sense why it didn't work." She sits down on her bed. "Well, you got everything you wanted, right?" He then sees the lifelessness in her eyes and his heart breaks. He sits down next to her looking into her eyes searching for something anything.
"Tell me how I can make it up to you." She just looks at him and places her right hand on his cheek and just stares. She thought about kissing him but decided not to. He took her hand in his and swept a strand of hair out of her face. He could smell the alcohol of her. He cups her face in his hands. "I care about you Clarke, but I won't change the fact I'm with Echo. We have too much history. I'm just as confused as you are."
"Confused?" She backs up; thanking herself she didn't kiss him. "I wasn't and I'm not confused how I feel about you. Looks like you're still the same guy from the story." Bellamy looks down hurt.
"Look, whatever you lost... you gotta..."
"I gotta what?"
"I don't know. Face whatever happened."
"I know what happened, my dad died and my family abandoned me." Clarke started to tear up.
Why now? Why must I tear up now? Of all the times?
"Are you sure?"
"Am I sure?" Clarke looks him straight in the eyes.
"I just meant –" Bellamy sees her eyes fade more and more, the bright blue eyes now turning a deep sad grey.
"Am I sure?" She raised her voice.
"I just think maybe there's another way to look at it."
"You think that I want this? Do you think that this is a choice? Do you think that I woke up one day as a twelve year old and decided it wasn't enough to have the one person I cared about most die and watch everybody else move on, but what I would really, really love is to have everybody start ignoring me?" Her voice cracks as she stands up. "And slip into this weird in – between worlds where I don't get acknowledged by another soul for how every many years?" She was now yelling in his face. Bellamy bit the inside of his cheek seeing her break down even more.
"You know that's not what I said." He looks at her tears in his eyes. That was the final straw he wasn't allowed to be upset with her or for her. He got what he wanted and she was still is invisible, losing the one soul who could see and hear her.
"Just go..." He stands up and starts heading to the door.
"I hope you'll be there." He places a promo card with his fight against Roan on it. "It would mean a lot."
"I don't do crowds remember? What if I get hurt? I can't go to the hospital! Are you going to give me stitches, hmm?" He winces. "I didn't think so." Bellamy just walks out.
"Argh!"
Clarke shoves the puzzle pieces to the ground rips her father's watch off her wrist and throws it across the room, cracking the face.
Clarke wakes up and walks to her sink for water, her head throbbing with a hangover. She walks back and looks at the mirror. Her reflection was gone. She thinks back to her home when she was twelve and her room changed into a storage space. She quickly changes and grabs her jacket looking for Bellamy.
Knock, knock, knock!
Bellamy looks up at the window and sees nothing.
"Hey, Bellamy!"
Smack, smack, smack.
"Bellamy!"
Clarke sees Echo hand Bellamy a towel as she tilts her head up kissing him on the lips. Clarke breathes and walks away.
"So where are you huh? What happened to me never being alone? What happened to you coming whenever I need you? Well I need you now! Please. I don't know what to do. I don't – I don't have anywhere to go. Can someone tell me what to do?" Clarke cries. "Can someone tell me what to do?!" She sighs and nods her head.
"Okay, I have this photo shoot and then I'll be back. How are you feeling?"
"Ready to get in there and dominate."
"Great." Echo kisses Bellamy on the cheek. "Because I don't date losers." Bellamy looks out the window and continues to wrap his wrists. "Babe, I'm joking. "
"Let me ask you something. Would you have called me if I hadn't fought Shumway?"
"Yes, of course."
"Would you have called me if I hadn't won?"
"Eventually, yes. Look I'm not going to apologize to you for wanting you to be successful." He looks at her then up with a tight lip.
"Makes sense." He walks to the punching bag and all he could think about was Clarke. What she was doing? If she's okay?
Clarke replays her last conversation with Bellamy and decides to go home.
Knock, knock.
"Just a sec."
"I wanted to come say good bye to you." Clarke looks at Raven in the bathroom. "I'm not really sure how much longer I'm gonna be here." Raven picks up another pregnancy test. "That's your third one, Raven. I think it's pretty clear."
Knock, knock.
"Everything okay, baby?" Finn asks through the door.
"Just a sec." She throws away the test and fixes herself up making sure it didn't look like she was crying.
"You have to tell him, Rave." Raven puts on a smile and opens the door.
"Just broke a nail."
"No, she didn't! Look, they're prefect."
"You sure you're okay?" Finn asked unconvinced.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'm not leaving you like this." Clarke shakes her head then kicks the trash can. Raven and Finn both jump at the sound. Finn picks up the pregnancy test. Finn sighs.
"We make the baby?"
"I didn't know how to tell you."
"She's gonna be beautiful like her mommy." Finn grins widely. He hugs her.
"I can't... I can't." Raven sobs.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No, no, no, no... growing up I – I never felt like I was good enough, or smart enough, or interesting enough. My father always played favorites, and it – it definitely wasn't me. I felt so cheated when he died. All I could count on was that I looked nice and I don't want to put that on our kid. I – whether she's pretty or not, I – I don't – I don't ever want her to feel that's all she is." Raven sobs. Finn shakes his head.
"She won't." Raven sighs as Finn embraces her. "She won't."
"Same goes if it's a boy." Finn pulls back as they laugh. He grabs her face a presses soft kisses on her lips and cheeks.
Clarke finishes watching Jasper's documentary of legs. It was quite beautiful she thought. She didn't know you can read people's emotion just by watching their legs. She really enjoyed the one with the girl's feet rising showing she was kissing someone.
"Jasper, your film was really beautiful." She sits on his bed looking at him clean his lens. "I guess I wasn't really the best big sister, huh?" She exhales.
Beep, beep. Beep, beep.
Jasper gets up and sets the camera.
"You need to get out more." She then sees the legs with the stripped stockings. Clarke runs out chasing after her and trips the girl.
"Ow!"
"I'm sorry."
"Ow." Jasper sees her fall in the camera and runs out awkwardly.
"Are – are you okay, miss?" Jasper stutters.
"I – I think so... I – "
"You shouldn't stand, uh. Here uh, do you need a hand? I'm gonna put your arms..." He helps her move over to the tree.
"Come on, Jasper."
"Don't put – don't put too much weight on it."
"Uh, Okay."
"Do you need some ice?"
"No." The girl smiles at him "I'm Mya." Clarke smiles walking away.
"Oh, I'm Jasper. You took quite a spill."
"Yeah, I don't know what happened."
"Yeah, I saw it." He points to his house. "Then I thought I'd help."
"Why don't you date?" Clarke looks at her mom looking over documents for the hospital. "I always thought it was because you were too busy working but I've been wrong about a few things lately." Her mom rubs her eyes. "Why do you work so much? It's not like this make you happy." Clarke walks into her parent's room picking up a photo. "That's what you looked like when you're happy, mom." She looks at the wedding photo and walks around. "Are all these to help you sleep?" Clarke looks at all the pill bottles on one of the drawers.
She then looks at the wall seeing art works of cogs, gears, spindles, everything a person would see in a clock.
And then it clicked. Like the tumblers of a safe. Losing dad didn't happen just to me. It happened to all of us.
"You never got over him."
Slam.
"Mom?" Clarke looks into the office. "Mom?" Clarke follows her mom to her dad's grave. Abby puts the flowers down in front of the tombstone.
"Happy anniversary, Jake. I know you prefer the apricot – y orange but this one was the healthiest one they had." Abby puts a hand on the tombstone longingly. Clarke looks up at her mom amazed.
"I never realized how hard it must have been for you to go on without him. I'm sorry mom." Clarke reaches to touch her shoulder but remembered Clarke scaring her the last time and decided not to. Clarke walks away. Abby pauses a moment then looks over her shoulder and sees nothing.
I had always expected people to be there for me. But the truth was, I had never really been there for anyone else.
Clarke pulls a crinkled paper out of her pocket and looks at it. She folds it and runs.
"Roan!"
The crowd cheers. Roan and Bellamy walk out of the locker rooms heading to the cage.
Bellamy swings left then right. Roan dodging the attacks jabs and misses, then lands a left hook into Bellamy's gut. Roan grabs Bellamy's head and knees him in the face.
Clarke turns up the radio on the bus to the arena.
"Round two in this high round bout, Azgeda with a clear advantage so far but it's still early in the fight. Blake's strategy seems to be go straight on the offence but Azgeda right now is untouchable."
Bellamy kicks Roan as he grabs Bellamy's leg swinging his right. Bellamy blocks the punch hopping on one leg. Roan let's go and roundhouse kicks Bellamy in the head.
"Goes up against the fence trying to keep him from raining down strikes and that's round two."
"Alright, you got to hurry." Clarke says standing up.
"Bellamy, you got this baby!" Echo yells from the sidelines.
"Roan! Knock him out! Knock him out!" A guy shouts.
"Azgeda tags Blake with a left, then an upper cut. That one looks like it might have done some damage. Blake taking some heavy blows in this third round. He isn't backing down."
Bellamy's movements start to slow down, missing each hit.
"Looking good, babe!" Echo calls.
"Blake going for the take down and he gets it."
"Don't slow down! You can make the light, go!" Clarke pushes her foot against the pedal.
"Azgeda gets Blake into a headlock hoping to turn it into a sweep. But this is not a good position for Azgeda. "
Various cheers from both sides are thrown everywhere as the horn signals the end of the round.
"Azgeda has clearly dominated these first three rounds. Blake tried to reverse the momentum, but it may not be enough. Blake showing signs of fatigue."
Clarke rushes into the arena seeing the huge crowd. She makes her way quickly and slowly to the ring.
"Way to get him down! Let's go." Someone yells.
Clarke keeps her eyes on Bellamy moving forward.
"Take it to him, Roan! Take it to him. Take it to him! You got this, Roan!"
The crowd gets rowdier. Echo looks down at her phone texting someone. She signs an autograph and takes a photo opt not paying attention to Bellamy.
Clarke runs to the cage staring at them. Bellamy punches Roan in his ribs, Roan a tight hold on Bellamy. Bellamy swings as Roan ducks down. Roan picks Bellamy up from behind and slams him down. Clarke walks up the steps to get a better view. Roan hammers down on Bellamy.
Echo suddenly looks concerned for Bellamy.
Bellamy scrambles up swings with his right, Roan ducks and lands an upper cut. Bellamy blinks woozy. Roan backs Bellamy into the cage as Bellamy desperately blocks. Roan gets another good right hook then picks up Bellamy and slams him to the ground. Clarke runs into the cage and kneels down to Bellamy's eye level. She knows he can't see her but she tries to keep encouraging him.
"Come on Bellamy, stay in! Don't give up!" The horn blows. "Get up!" Bellamy pants out of breath. He's thinking what the hell he's doing. "Come on, get up." She says fiercely.
"Come on, babe you got it." Echo says unenthused. Bellamy thinks of Clarke as he slowly gets up.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Bellamy goes sits on the stool breathing looking down.
I wish Clarke was here. She should be here. I need her. What am I doing with Echo? Clarke's my rock.
"Hey, you're doing great." Clarke kneels down and grabs his gloved hand. "You deserve to be here 'cause you're a fighter and even though you can't see me... I'm here for you, no matter what." Bellamy could feel a tug at his heart as he grasp his thumb over her fingers. Bellamy's eyes slowly opened turning to look at her with wide eyes.
"Clarke?" He breathes.
"Hi. You can see me." She smiles.
"You're here."
"Yeah."
"Wait, I couldn't see you?"
"There were some complications. But you're doing great!"
"There's a woman in the cage." Echo looks at the blonde woman kneeling in front on Bellamy and she see the same thing in his eyes when she asked about Shadow Girl.
"Who's the girl in the cage?" A security guard radios in.
"How'd she get it?"
"She part of Blake's crew?"
"Let me check on that."
"Copy that."
"You got this; you have such a big heart Bellamy and you have survived because of it, now it's time to use your head."
"I've got you for that." She smiles.
"But I'm not the one fighting, you are. The head and the heart, Bellamy, remember that. Now you ready?" He nods standing up as she rushes out of the cage.
Bellamy's movements become quick, smoother. He lands more hits on Roan keeping up with him.
"What should I do? People are starting to complain."
"Get out of there!" Clarke yells. "Yes. Come one, Bellamy!" Bellamy gets out of Roan's grasp.
"Why won't she move?"
Bellamy tackles Roan to the ground.
"Looking good!" Clarke smiles. Bellamy throws one punch right after the other. "Come one, Bellamy!" If Bellamy could smile right now he would be, hearing Clarke cheer him on.
"That girl is not with Blake's crew."
"Copy that. I'm on it."
"Come on, Bellamy!"
"Hey."
"Yes. Hit him!"
"Hey." The security guard grabs her arm and pulls her down. "Ma'am! This is a restricted area." Clarke looks at her arm confused. "You can't be up there."
"Come on, Bellamy! Hit him!"
"Let's go."
"Just give me a minute!"
"Let's go, it's time to go." He pulls her down dragging her away.
"You can do it, babe! Come on!" Echo claps.
Bellamy has Roan in a choke hold, Roan trying everything to get out. Bellamy not budging, the horn blows. The referee pulls them apart.
"Bellamy, no matter what anybody says, you did it!" Clark yells being dragged away.
"Ladies and gentlemen, after five rounds we go to the judges' score cards for a decision. Monty Greene has forty-nine forty-six. Monroe Skylar has forty-nine forty-eight. Connor Miles had forty-eight forty-nine. And the winner by split decision... Roan Azgeda!" Bellamy breathes closing his eyes. Roan goes to Bellamy and hit gloves, both nodding to each other.
Echo looks at Bellamy disappointed.
"Hey Roan, congratulations on your victory. Tell me how do you feel?" Bellamy's team rushes in and puts Bellamy's hoodie on. Bellamy walks down the starts zipping up his hoodie.
"Hey, you. I'm sorry." Echo tries to be considerate but Bellamy could see she could care less. "But you did a good job."
"I gotta go find somebody."
"I know, I saw her." Echo nods her head not really caring but smiles. Bellamy walks away. "Oh hi."
"Hey."
"Uh, great job, great win. Congratulations."
"Thank you. Thank you very much." Roan looks at Echo.
"Pretty impressive."
"I um – I didn't realize I needed a ticket." Clarke looks at the two security guards holding her arms guiding her out. "Because I – "
"Hey!" Bellamy calls out. "She's with me."
"She didn't have a pass or anything." He looks at them. "Alright." They let go of her.
"You!" Clarke rushes into his arms, he holds her tightly not wanting her to disappear again. "You were amazing out there." She beams up at him. "Um..." She pulls away he looks down at her a tug at his heart.
"You came back." He slowly inches towards her as she moves back.
"You were right about so many things." She looks down like she was searching for something.
"Not everything." He takes her chin in his fingers guiding her head up to look at him.
"Wha – what about Echo?"
"We ended on good terms." He smirks.
"So she's just here to support you?" Bellamy tilts his head back and forth.
"In her own way." Her chin still in his fingers he leans down and kisses her. Her fingers curled into his messy hair immediately. He grabs the back of her neck and waist to pull her in closer, deepening the kiss.
"Oh my God." She breathes.
"I got a little blood on you, I'm sorry." She laughs, wiping her nose.
"It's okay." She kisses him again, both smiling into the kiss.
And so the spell was broken. But Love was only half the journey. The rest was learning to reorganize the depth, and longing, and pain of others. In short, to grow up.
Clarke breathes out looking at her mom. Abby looks at her, recognition slowly covering her face.
"Clarke?"
"Hi, Mom."
"Clarke." Clarke walks up to her mom and embraces her.