Chapter Text
My hair sticks to my face, soaked through from the rain. Thunder and lightning are all I can take in right now. I finger the ring on my left ring finger, the ring that I thought meant so much to the man who gave it to me. The man who said he loved me and had proposed to me. I slipped it off and gripped the railing of the bridge leaning over to watch the ring slip through my fingers, it sparkled and shined on its way down, straight into the rapids of a river below. It was only then I let myself break down into tears.
The rain helped, to be honest, it made me feel like less of a mess. The cold droplets kept the tears from sticking to my face as I cried. I was soaked to the bone in the middle of a thunder storm crying, it was like a stupid movie scene, except I didn’t have a guy to run into his arms and plant one on him in the pouring rain. Nope, my fiancé, Finn Collins, was a complete and utter asshole.
Friday night has been date night for Finn and I for the year we’ve been together. I was in for a shock when I knocked on his apartment, to have not Finn open the door, but Raven Reyes an engineer Finn graduated high school with.
“Hi, I’m here to see Finn.” I stated simply
“Do you think maybe you could come back tomorrow? Finn and I are having dinner, we haven’t seen each other for two years.” She said glancing back into the apartment
“Babe who is at the door?” I heard Finn’s voice at the door
“Clarke.” I stated so Raven could call my name back into the apartment. Moments later Finn appeared shirtless with hickeys down his throat that I had not put there.
“Clarke what the hell are you doing here?” He looked utterly shocked
“Well I thought we had plans, but clearly we don’t.” I stated simply “Nice to meet you Raven, have fun with this charmer here.” I turned to walk out before I tossed Finn a glare “Oh Finn, it’s over asshole.” I gave Raven a smile before she turned angry towards Finn. I happily walked down the hallway. I’m probably gonna regret doing that.
“Over? What is over?” She screamed and it echoed down the hall after me
I guess you could say tonight sucked, but without the relationship holding me back I felt a hundred pounds lighter. I gave a small smile before walking of the bridge. I pulled my wet hair back into a messy ponytail and headed into the closest bar, The Ark. I rung out my shirt and my hair half-heartedly before heading to the bar.
“Vodka Tonic.” I said to the bartender in front of me
“Rough night?” He asked me simply before filling my order and sliding it towards me
“You can say that again.” I gulped the drink and set the glass on the bar.
“The rain is crazy tonight, why were you out in it?” He filled my drink again
“It’s not so bad. If you ask me it was better than where I was before it started raining.” I sipped the drink this time, feeling the liquid slide down my throat
“Mind explaining? You’re my only customer and I’d rather hear an interesting story than listen to my co-worker babble on and on about his boyfriend.” I glanced up at him to find a handsome face with gorgeous curly locks hanging into his brown eyes, a smirk set itself on his lips, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
“You’ll have to give me a few more drinks before I am ready to tell that story, and your name.” I said taking another gulp of the tonic
“Bellamy Blake,” he extended his hand and I took it briefly giving it a squeeze
“Clarke Griffin.” I stated finishing off the drink.
“So tell me Clarke, what exactly is the state governor’s daughter doing in a bar in this run down town?”
“Well Bellamy, I may have been here for an art show, and I also may have been visiting my ex.” He refiled my drink
“How many drinks is gonna take for you to tell me a story I’m just dying to hear?” I downed the drink after seeing the cocky grin on his lips, and dimples that never failed to make my heart beat just a tad faster.
“About that many.” I stated
I launched into the story bitterly, and took sips of the drink he’d served me after I’d finished the last one. His hands clenched around the edge of the bar. I stayed entirely emotionless and left out the deep details.
“So I threw the ring off the bridge and came here. We were together a year and they were together at least two years, he made the other woman because he was lonely while his model worthy girlfriend, Raven, was away.” I said bitterly
“Damn, what a dick.” Bellamy stated “Wait Raven?” he questioned eyebrows raised
“Yeah, Raven Reyes.”
“So you’re telling me you dated Finn fucking Collins for an entire year?” He let out a dry laugh “That guy is a total douchebag.”
“You know him?” I questioned
“Went to school with the ass. Raven too, they’ve been dating since their sophomore year of high school.” Bellamy stated filling my glass again
“I’m good on the alcohol, I’m feeling enough buzz to tell me getting up is going to be hell tomorrow.” A chill ran through me, my clothes were still soaked to my skin and I shivered at the wet cold.
“Oh shit, come in the back with me, I’ll get you my spare clothes.” He said seconds before he shifted planted his hand on the bar and swung himself over the top of it. The motion was swift and he was graceful like a cat. My jaw dropped open, I swear I’m not drooling. Okay maybe I am, but can you blame me? Bellamy Blake is the single most attractive man I’ve ever seen in my life. I dumbly followed him swaying slightly as I stood up. Man was I buzzed. “Here ya go, Princess.”
I barely registered his words as I watched his lips move, his tongue darted out to wet his lips. I dragged my own bottom lip between my teeth as I thanked him.
“Bathroom is through that door.” He stated and headed back to the bar.
I stepped out of my pants and dragged my shirt over my head in quick succession stumbling to get out of the pants. I was shocked to find that he’d given me just a tee shirt and a pair of boxers. I tugged them off and undid my hair running my fingers through it before exiting the bathroom, wet clothes in hand.
“Thanks again for the clothes.” I pulled two twentys out of my wallet and dropped them in front of him on the bar. “Is that enough” He nodded “Well, I’ll return your clothes eventually, I should get back home before I get too drunk.”
“Where exactly is home Clarke? Cause I don’t think I’m okay with you walking home alone.” He looked concerned and the way his mouth set into a straight line kind of upset me and the way he looked at me like I was going to break made it even worse. “I can drive you home, I promise I don’t have any bad intentions, I just wouldn’t want my sister walking around alone this late at night.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.” I stated with a glare
“But I would feel better if I saw you get home, I wouldn’t want my favorite tee shirt getting ruined when you don’t make it home for some reason. Please Clarke, just let me take you home.” His eyes pleaded with me
“Fine.” I bunched up my clothes and took a look at my phone.
Seven missed calls, 19 new messages.
I turned it off the moment I saw the first caller: Finn.
“Let’s get out of here.” He slipped his keys into his pocket and grabbed a leather jacket from under the bar. “Where do you live anyway, Princess?” I was too buzzed to care about the nickname
“Rosewood Apartments about twenty minutes from here.” He opened the passenger door of his truck for me the rain had toned down to a trickle and it almost upset me.
“I know them, my sister lives there.” Suddenly the dots connected
“You’re Octavia’s brother!” I exclaimed
“Wait, don’t tell me you’re the hot blonde neighbor she talks about playing her music too loud.” I laughed
“It helps me focus on my painting.” I said with a smile. I glanced over to find a smile on his lips and his eyes focused on the road.
I sung drunkenly along to the radio and Bellamy sat there laughing at me. The rain picked up and I let out a giggle and danced to the song playing on the radio. Seconds later Bellamy was singing along with me as he pulled the truck to a stop in front of my apartment building.
“Thanks Bellamy.” And before I could stop myself I planted a kiss right on the corner of his lips, and turned to leave the vehicle
“Wait Clarke.” He slipped his leather jacket around my shoulders. “Get some rest Princess.”
“Give me your phone.” He unlocked it immediately and I opened up the contacts and added my number. “Text me.” I said and dashed quickly out of the truck smiling giddily.
And I realized, with the rain my feelings for Finn washed away.