ATARAXIA • BELLAMY BLAKE

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Freya and Bellamy lay in the bed the two of them had shared ever since Freya had left her home to come stay with the Blakes years ago.

"Mr. Douglas is the worst," Freya complained quietly as to not wake the sleeping Octavia up. She had been sick the past couple of days, which had made her tenth birthday an especially bad day. Aurora was working late in order to afford medicine, whereas Bellamy had stayed home from school, pretending that it was him that was sick.

Bellamy laughed softly. "Yeah, I definitely don't miss his classes."

"School sucks. I'm so bored I could just die in my seat," Freya huffed, pulling the blanket over her shoulders. "I wish I was a year older so we could be classmates. I don't have any other friends."

"That's not true." Bellamy sat up to lean against the wall with a frown. "You have other friends."

Freya copied Bellamy's action, sitting up to face him. It was hard to make out his face in the darkness, though her eyes were starting to adjust. She sighed. "Oh yeah, like who?"

Freya did talk to one boy sometimes. Jaime, his name was. But they didn't talk enough to be anything more than friendly acquaintances. And Bellamy had no idea how mean fifteen-year-old girls could be, especially since most of them were obsessed with him.

"I don't know, but everyone likes you," Bellamy shrugged.

"Now I know you're lying," Freya joked lightheartedly.

"Well..." Bellamy reached a hand out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I like you."

Freya hoped the darkness covered the blush that crept to her cheeks. She nudged his shoulder lightly. "I sure hope so. You're my only friend."

"The only one you'll ever need," he smiled.

Freya's face fell, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "Just...don't ever leave me, okay?"

A surprised look took over Bellamy's otherwise relaxed expression. His brows pinched together with a slight shake of his head. "I'd never leave you, Freya. Ever." He paused awkwardly. "Actually, I've been meaning to give you something." He shuffled out of bed and snuck over to his backpack. Then he pulled out a pouch.

"But my birthday's not for another three days," said Freya, a little confused.

He settled back into bed and Freya sat up straighter when he took her hand and placed the pouch in it. "I know, but I kind of wanted to give you this in private."

Freya pulled at the strings to open the pouch and stuck her hand inside, feeling something cool touch her finger tips. She pulled out a gorgeous necklace with an almost inaudible gasp. The chain was dainty; gold, with a small rectangular green emerald pendant attached. She immediately felt bad for only giving him a sweater for his birthday last month. Granted, it was a great sweater, but nothing compared to her necklace.

"Bell, I—" She had no idea what to say.

Bellamy smiled warmly, a slight blush on his cheeks as he took it from her palm. He placed both hands on her shoulders, pushing her lightly to turn around. She shuffled in her seat and turned her back to him, still at a loss for words. She fought back a shiver when Bellamy gathered her hair and she reached behind her to hold it for him. She felt the cool metal touch her chest and looked down at the emerald while Bellamy clasped the necklace shut.