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“I definitely wasn’t expecting this for our first date,” Clarke said, staring around her in awe.
Bellamy smirked. When he had read about it in the paper a few days ago, he had thought it was the perfect place to take her for a first date. He obviously wasn’t wrong.
“Where did you think I was taking you?” he asked, his wide grin going unnoticed by her as she kept looking at everything around her.
“I wasn’t too sure. You said dress up nicely, so I figured maybe a fancy restaurant?” Clarke shrugged her shoulders. “That’s usually where most of my dates take place.”
When Clarke finally looked up at Bellamy, his eyebrows were raised as his gaze settled on her. She rolled her eyes at him. “I’m not trying to be pretentious. I’ve actually always hated it. I like variety and the whole restaurant thing was way too overused. But taking me to an art gallery? That’s pretty amazing. And unique.”
Bellamy didn’t try to hide the please smile that lit up his face, his eyes shining with pride. It definitely helped that he had known she was an art major and an aspiring artist. What helped even more was having enough luck that the local art gallery was holding a fairly big exhibition that weekend. That kind of luck was what convinced Bellamy to ask out the beautiful blonde that lived across the hall.
He saw her every morning, when he was leaving for work at The Ark, a gym a couple of blocks away. She would be leaving for classes at the same time, and they usually met up right outside of their apartment doors and kept up a conversation until they parted ways outside the apartment complex. Since she had moved in at the end of the summer, nearly 6 months ago, this had become a routine with them. During those 15 minutes they talked about average things, like school, family, aspirations, but after about 2 months, they began seeing each other in other ways besides those 15 minutes. They would see each other at the park across the street, Bellamy doing his daily jog and Clarke taking some time out of her day to sketch a scene, or at the laundromat, because their building didn't have a laundry room. Soon enough, they began casually be hanging out, talking about everything and anything.
Bellamy would be lying if he said that her appearance wasn’t what first attracted him to her. The moment he had laid his eyes on her he was intrigued. Her cheeks red as she exclaimed for him to hold the elevator door open, wisps of her blonde hair coming out of the haphazard braid she had created, electric blue eyes that even as they looked at him seemed to be in a completely different place. When she finally stepped into the elevator, she thanked him with a shy smile and moved to the other side, where she bounced lightly on her feet. Bellamy stood there examining her, taking advantage of the fact that she very obviously wasn’t mentally present at the time. Her forehead had an imprint going across it, most likely a mark left by her pillow, and he noticed the dried paint around the corner of her fingernails. Her plain white t-shirt was loose and willowy, but held a couple of wrinkles, while her dark blue jeans had the knees worn out, a much lighter color to them. Her converse sneakers were covered in small little designs, which is when he looked back up and noticed the sketchpad in her hands, even though she had bag that she could put it in hanging on her shoulder. She looked so disheveled and caught up in her own world that Bellamy was captivated by it.
Which is why he spoke before he could stop himself. He introduced himself, because he knew that she was new to the building. In his 3 years living there, he had never seen her before, because if he had he would’ve definitely remembered. She looked surprised at first, but was quickly over it, introducing herself as well. After that, it was history. From that day on, they spoke whenever they saw each other. He saw the other parts of her that made her beautiful besides her looks and body, like the fact that she volunteered at animal shelters when she could and that even though her parents were loaded she had asked them to allow her to live in a simple apartment to finish off her last year of college.
But on Monday while he was having his breakfast, Bellamy had opened up his newspaper and seen an article a few pages in about the exhibition, which gave him enough courage to officially ask Clarke out on a date when they were in the elevator that morning. As usual she had been rushing, her wild curls thrown up in a rushed ponytail and carrying her sketchpad in her hands. She grinned as she met up with him in front of the elevator, the both of them waiting patiently. After their usual greetings, the elevator got to their floor, and when they walked inside he asked her out. She had stared at him in shock for a moment, before her bright eyes crinkled at the edges from the wide smile that spread across her face. When she agreed, Bellamy felt the same smile spread across his face as well. He had glanced down at her clothes, where her light blue jeans had small paint stains in various places, slightly worried she might be embarrassed if she showed up to the exhibition underdressed, so he mentioned for her to dress nicely. She had glared at him and told him off, saying she always looked nice. He had laughed, not disagreeing, and knew she had understood his meaning.
But he hadn’t been prepared for what he saw when she opened her apartment door. She wasn’t quite wearing a dress, it was more like some sort of two piece. The top part was a black halter top, and the bottom was a white skirt that reached her knees. She was holding a small black purse in one hand while the other clutched a jacket. She was wearing simple black heels. For once, her hair was out and free, the blonde curls framing her face beautifully. He had been at a loss for words until she raised an eyebrow at him and made a joke about how he was speechless for once in his life. After that they fell into their usual banter and were at ease, but he couldn’t deny that she looked absolutely amazing. This was the second best outfit he had ever seen in her in, second to the first time he had seen her.
Bellamy thought of all this as he took her around the various rooms in the art gallery, letting her explain to him every art piece they saw. He had absolutely no idea what he was seeing, so her animated explanations were welcomed and enjoyed. At some point, they started gravitating towards each other as they walked around, brushing hands and arms and legs frequently. After one particular painting, Clarke had turned her head towards Bellamy’s, staring at him in a way he couldn’t identify. Then she leaned up, put her hands gently on either side of his face, and brushed a soft kiss on his cheek before pulling away and continuing to walk to another painting. Bellamy had been shocked, feeling the heat of her lips on his cheek even as she walked away, but his legs moved after her instinctually.
As he stepped up beside her again, he looked down at her. For once, he was not focused on the words she was saying, but was openly memorizing every feature of her face. As he did, he tried to ignore the searing fire in his chest.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
“That was the best date I’ve ever been on.”
Clarke was smiling at Bellamy as they were walking into the elevator. She was leaning into him, telling herself it was because his body was radiating heat. She ignored the fact that she was already wearing her jacket and the building was already perfectly heated.
“I’m not surprised,” Bellamy said, smirking. “I know how to make an impression.”
Clarke laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. “If you weren’t so cocky already, I’d agree with you.”
The elevator stopped at their floor. They both got off, not saying anything as they reached the doors of their respective apartments, both overwhelmed by the electricity they felt around the other.
Bellamy was the first to break. He cleared his throat, and Clarke looked up at him, amusement dancing in her eyes. “I really enjoyed tonight. We should do it again.”
Clarke quirked an eyebrow at him. “Is that you asking me out on a second date?”
“Could be.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Well if you are then I suggest actually asking me. Or else we won’t be doing it again,” Clarke said, staring at him expectantly.
Bellamy rolled his dark eyes at her, sighing. “Clarke Griffin, will you go on another date with me?”
Clarke gasped, placing a delicate hand over her mouth, blue eyes wide with mock shock. “Why, Bellamy Blake, I thought you’d never ask.”
They both couldn’t help but laugh, knowing they looked and sounded ridiculous but not caring at all. When they both stopped laughing they stood there in comfortable silence just smiling at each other softly, eyes saying a multitude of things their mouths couldn't.
Finally Clarke placed a hand gently on Bellamy’s forearm, stepping closer to him. The space between them disappeared as she leaned up, grabbing his cheek with her other hand, while he grabbed her waist with his own hands, pulling her to him. They came together in a delicate kiss, mouths closed and pressed against each other. They pulled away ever so slightly before coming back again, this time opening their mouths, letting each other in. The kiss was passionate, searing, embedding itself in their memories and bodies.
When they pulled apart again, they were breathing heavily, still wrapped up in each other’s arms. Bellamy touched his forehead to hers, closing his eyes in peace for a moment. Clarke let out a quiet and content sigh. Then he pulled away, knowing that if he stayed like that for too long he wouldn’t be capable of leaving. Clarke stepped away as well, immediately missing the way they fit together.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning?” Bellamy asked.
Clarke bit her lip. “It’s Sunday tomorrow, I don’t have classes.”
Bellamy smiled, chuckling. “I know. I meant for our date. I have the day off tomorrow. We can go out together and do something.”
Clarke laughed, nodding her head. “I would love to.”
“Look at that,” he said, smirking. “Not even the end of our first date and we’re already planning on going on a second date the next day.”
“Why prolong the inevitable, Blake?” Clarke asked rhetorically, shrugging her shoulders with a grin on her face.
As she stepped into her apartment and said good night before closing the door, Bellamy realized there was no point in ignoring the searing heat in his chest anymore. It was there to stay.