Bellarke One Shots Book 1

49)Playing Hooky

In the Ark hallway, Clarke stood glaring at the two fools blocking her from going into the medbay. Jasper and Monty just grinned back at her, their linked arms tightening as she assessed for weak spots in their position.

"Nuh-uh, Clarke," Jasper said. "You're not getting past us. Like your mom said, you deserve a day off."

"Jasper," she insisted, putting her hands on her hips. "I don't want a day off."

"But you need one," Monty piped up, and Jasper nodded in agreement.

"What the genius said," he added, and Clarke huffed in annoyance.

"Shouldn't you two be off cooking up a new moonshine recipe or trying to blow up something instead of preventing me from doing my job?"

Their grins just widened, and Monty replied, "Our job today, Clarke, is to make sure you get some time to yourself."

"Monty!" She groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead, then bargained, "Just let me update the inventory before I leave, at least. I promised Jackson I'd do it no later than tomorrow."

"All taken care of," Jackson called out from behind the boys, grinning at her as well. "I did it last night after you left."

"Do we have to get your mom up here?" Jasper asked imperiously, face pinched in mock admonishment.

Clarke threw up her hands in frustration before crossing them over her chest, not lessening her glare at Jasper and Monty. Suddenly, Monty's face broke out into excitement and he called out, "Bellamy!"

Turning, Clarke saw her co-leader look up from a conversation with the Millers as they passed by, cocking his head when the boys gestured for him to join them. If anyone in camp was more resistant to the idea of a day off than her, it was Bellamy, and she suppressed a smug smile when he joined them, betting that he would back her up on this argument.

"Bellamy, don't you agree that Clarke deserves a day off?" Jasper asked eagerly.

Sliding an amused look her way, Bellamy nodded and said, "Sure, she does."

Clearing her throat, Clarke turned to him and elaborated, "But it doesn't have to be today, because I have too much to do right now, what with the healers from Trigedakru coming in a week, and the salve stocks to renew, and-"

"Her mom told us to make sure she took today off," Monty blurted, and Clarke glared at him for revealing that unwanted piece of information. When he smiled guiltily at her, she sighed, shaking her head in exasperation, because she couldn't really be mad at his good intentions.

"I promise, another day, yeah?" She relented, figuring Bellamy would agree on that point.

As Jasper and Monty started to protest, Bellamy turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Another day? And when are you not going to have a million things to do?" Then he grinned at her mischievously and said, "Nah, I think today is as good a day as any for you to play hooky."

Clarke dropped her head back and groaned as Jasper and Monty cheered victoriously. Jasper reached out to clap Bellamy on the shoulder in solidarity while Monty gripped her arm gently. After catching her eye, he said softly, "Really, Clarke. You need it."

With a sigh, because his concern was so genuine, Clarke relented, "Fine. You win. I'm taking today off."

Jasper and Monty grinned at her once more before shifting away from the doorway, scampering off down the Ark hallway to go back to whatever trouble they had planned for the day. After making sure they were out of sight, Clarke shook her head in disbelief at their gullibility and went to walk into the medbay. Before she got far, however, she was jerked back by Bellamy's hand catching her elbow.

"And where do you think you're going?" He asked, humor in his voice.

"To work."

"Nope. Day off, you said so."

"And I lied. So what?" She asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Bellamy smiled slowly, shifting towards her until he was all but pressing her into the cool metal at her back. Her breath caught as he quirked his mouth in amusement before he said, "Well, that's too bad, because I was thinking of playing hooky today too."

Biting her lip to keep from smiling, Clarke tilted her head up and asked with mock disinterest, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really. I was going to head down to the watering hole and maybe take a swim. But if that doesn't interest you, I guess I'll just have Kane find me something else to do today."

"It is kind of hot out," Clarke said lightly, feeling her pulse stutter as her words lit a flame of want in Bellamy's dark eyes.

"Meet me there in ten," he murmured, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before ambling off down the hallway.

Clarke watched him walk away, eyes tracing every line of his wonderful body, before smiling to herself and considering that taking one day off wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.