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Bellamy pulled into the overcrowded parking lot, groaning internally at the thought of trying to fight his way out again.
“Thanks, Bell!” Octavia leapt out almost as soon as the car stopped, an impressive feat considering the amount of fabric she’d been buried under. Bellamy had no idea how she even managed to breathe under all of it let alone move.
A chuckle sounded from directly behind him and his eyes flickered up to the rear-view mirror to meet an amused grin.
“Good luck with all that, Princess.” Bellamy smiled.
“I’ve changed my mind, take me back.”
“Too late. Besides, Prom is a right of passage, everyone has to go through it.”
“Bullshit, you didn’t go,” Clarke argued, gathering up her bag.
“I’m special.” Bellamy grinned as Clarke snorted in disbelief and opened the car door.
“I don’t think ‘special’ is the word you’re looking for,” she rolled her eyes, “but thanks for driving.”
“No problem, just get Octavia to text me whenever you’re finished.”
“Will do.” She shot him another smile, closed the door and made her way towards the dance hall.
He could already hear music blasting from the open double doors leading into the venue and once again thanked every deity he knew that he wouldn’t have to endure hours of current chart music.
He watched Clarke make her way through the entrance, admiring the way her dress hugged her curves. He’d been tongue-tied when Clarke had walked out to the car and Octavia had shot him a knowing smirk when it had taken him an extra few seconds to shift into gear as they’d set off.
It had snuck up on him his feelings for Clarke. They’d known each other for the past seven years ever since Octavia had been pushed off a swing when she was ten and Clarke had leapt to her defence and yelled at the boy. They’d become best friends from that point on.
Bellamy had never really paid attention to Clarke other than to say hello and occasionally throw in a comment or two whenever they had a conversation near him.
But over the past two years they’d gradually grown closer as Bellamy and Octavia’s mother had gotten sick. Clarke had come around pretty frequently, making sure they remembered to eat and just generally being there to take their minds off things.
Bellamy had delayed going to college but now that Aurora had recovered he was going as soon as summer finished. He’d thought it would be a little weird that he’d be starting at the same time as O and Clarke but they’d assured him it was fine, even if O did grumble a little at first.
He wasn’t sure how he’d be able to ignore his feelings much longer if he was going to be seeing Clarke even more frequently from now on.
Bellamy huffed as the lot showed no sign of emptying any time soon.
He grabbed the book he’d left in the glove compartment, resolved to wait it out until everybody went inside.
Fifteen minutes later the parking lot had mostly cleared and he was just getting ready to pull out when a flash of blonde hair caught his eye.
He watched as Clarke ran around the corner of the building. It looked like she was crying but he couldn’t be sure and he hesitated a few seconds, debating over what to do.
His body seemed to come to a decision before his mind and before he knew it he was out of the car and walking towards where he’d seen Clarke disappear.
He heard her before he saw her, quiet gasps and a few choked off sobs told him she was near but he wasn’t prepared to see the heartbroken expression on her face.
She must have heard him because her head whipped around fully as he stepped closer and her expression morphed into one of confusion before crumpling again.
“Clarke…” Bellamy hesitated, hands reaching towards her but unsure as to how to comfort her.
He was saved from having to make a decision when Clarke jumped up and barrelled into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his shoulder.
His arms immediately came up to return the hug and he stood with her, desperately wracking his brain for something to say.
After a minute she pulled back just enough to mumble something about ‘Finn’ and ‘another date’ and ‘cheating’ and Bellamy understood enough to think about all the ways ‘Finn’, ‘my fist’, ‘Finn’s face’, fit into a sentence.
Clarke had stopped crying by the time Bellamy got to the thirteenth variation of that sentence and they both pulled back just enough to make eye contact.
“Sorry.” She grimaced, removing one of her hands from his waist to wipe at her face.
“No need to apologise. Do you want me to do anything? Throw a punch? Kick an ass?” He was only partly joking at this point.
“I already did it and the girl he was with was busy chewing him out when I left so I think payback is pretty much covered at this point.” She smiled slightly, an awkward tilt to it as she pulled back a bit more.
“You can never have too much of a good thing,” Bellamy laughed, attempting to ease some of her embarrassment.
Clarke smiled a little more genuinely this time, “Yeah, well, I’ve had enough of prom.”
“Don’t let that asshole ruin it for you.” Bellamy protested.
“I never actually wanted to go, it was Finn who talked me into it. It was supposed to be a date.” Clarke scrunched her face up in disgust.
Bellamy’s heart lurched a little at the mention of a date but he ignored it. “I thought it would’ve been Octavia who talked you into going.”
“She wanted me to come but we were all going as a group anyway so it was never a big deal if I didn’t.” Clarke shrugged.
“Still, you’re here and all dressed up. Did I tell you that you look great tonight, by the way? Seriously, Finn is an idiot.” He pulled back and pointedly looked her up and down, exaggerating a wink.
Clarke laughed and shook her head, punching him lightly in the ribs, “Shut up.”
“I’m completely serious!” He smiled, relaxing as the tension and awkwardness receded.
Clarke pulled away and shuffled around so her shoulder was under his arm then tugged him forward as she started walking back towards the entrance.
She hesitated just as they passed but pointedly turned and made towards Bellamy’s car instead.
The music was still blasting from the entrance and Bellamy had a ridiculous idea.
“Okay, at least stay for one dance.”
“I’m not going back inside.”
“So dance outside.” Bellamy suggested.
“With who?”
“Me.”
Clarke ducked out from underneath his arm and shot him an incredulous look.
“Seriously?”
“Come on, I didn’t go to prom, you’re leaving early, let’s have our own mini prom.” He held his hand out towards her, a challenge in his eyes.
“You’re ridiculous.” Clarke laughed, taking his hand anyway and letting him draw her closer.
“We’re making important memories here, Clarke.” He spun her around and she giggled loudly.
“Knowing you it’ll be the memory of you stepping on my toes.” She joked, moving closer to him and swaying along to the slowing music.
Bellamy shot her a mock offended scowl, “The cheek,” he shook his head, “catch me doing another nice thing for you ever again.”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” she looked up and smiled, “thanks, Bellamy.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled back.
They drifted closer, swaying gently until they were basically just hugging.
Clarke squeezed him a little tighter as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
He unwrapped his arms from her waist and slid his hands down her arms to tangle their fingers together, catching her eyes and smiling. “Now how about we ditch prom, order a takeaway and trash talk a movie?”
Clarke beamed, pushed up on her toes to kiss his cheek then stepped away and walked towards the car. She met his eyes as she opened the door, “Sounds great.”