Nameless danger

Chapter 9

Nathan's POV

At the restaurant, Eric and I were waiting for our orders. Date nights haven't been so common since school started, but we never went too long without seeing each other.

"There's a new program at the general town hospital for students. I really want to try it out. I'm a bit worried though. I don't know if they would choose me." Eric admitted.

"Your grades are perfect, and I'm sure mrs. Brown will write a recommendation note, if you ask her. They'll be stupid not to choose you." I reminded him.

The waiter came with our food as we were talking. He placed my pasta in front of me, and I picked up my fork to begin eating.

But I didn't actually get the chance to. Because in between my pasta, there were worms. Real, alive worms.

"What the hell!" I yelled.

"Are those... worms?" Eric widened his eyes.

Surely this was a joke. Was someone pranking me?

Then my phone beeped. I picked it up to check who texted me.

"This is what live bait looks like. You and your friends should relate.
-A."

What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

"Nate? Are you alright?"

No.

"Yeah, I have no idea what happened. But this restaurant is definitely blacklisted from now on."

I spoke but I wasn't really focused on what I was saying.

Eric laughed, "Definitely." He stared at me a little longer. "Are you sure you're alright?"

No.

"Yes, but my appetite is kinda gone. Can't stop seeing those damn worms coming out of my food." He laughed again, those disgusting worms must've been a convincing enough reason not to look so well.

We left immediately and ended up at a park, sharing McDonald's french fries.

But the message never left my mind.

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Bellamy's POV

Clarke, Octavia, and I were lazing about at my house, as dad was once again at work.

I wanted to question them more, I needed to know more about everything that was going on. But Octavia was inconsolable. She and Lincoln got into a fight, it was their first big one, and she wasn't handling it well.

That's why I pushed all my curiosity aside. Octavia was more important.

"I know exactly what we're going to do!" Clarke exclaimed.

"Should we be scared?" Octavia teased.

Clarke ignored her as she walked towards the fridge. She opened the freezer and took out the ice cream.

"Ladies and gents, prepare your spoons. Let's dig in while watching a sappy movie."

"Clarke, that is so cliche." I commented.

"I don't care. We're doing this."

She turned around and started making her way to the living room.

"I guess we're doing this." Octavia agreed. "Coming, Bellamy?"  Without waiting for my answer she followed Clarke out.

I guess we're doing this.

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We settled on the couch, all sharing a blanket while the movie played in front of us. I sat in the middle of the two girls.

I wasn't really paying attention to the movie, too lost on my head and the questions I couldn't ask.

Clarke's reaction yesterday was the worst, and it worried me to no ends. I didn't realise I was staring at her while thinking about yesterday, until she moved her head and a few strands of hair fell in front of her face.

Instinctively, I pushed them back. Then, instead of pulling my hand back, I started playing with her hair.

She shifted and laid her head on my shoulder, with my hand going behind her neck and still twirling her hair between my fingers.

I shouldn't overthink it. I really shouldn't. But I don't always do as I should.

"Ugh this is sickening. Have some respect to the heart broken." Octavia complained.

I thought she was talking about the movie, until I saw that she was looking at Clarke and I.

Clarke jumped out of my arms like she caught on fire.

"Focus on the movie, Octavia." I retorted.

"No need to get defensive. I was only joking, after all."

She really loved getting on my nerves. And teasing Clarke and me.

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After the movie ended, and Clarke left, Octavia and I were in the kitchen sorting out the ice cream buckets we had used.

"I'm going up in my room if that's all." She announced.

I hesitated only for a moment, before I decided that we needed to talk.

"Octavia, wait." I called out before she could leave.

"What is it?"

"We should talk."

"That's never good. About what?"

"Yesterday."

At that, her postured stiffened and she started glaring at me.

"Let's not. I already heard that lecture. 'I thought you trusted me. You should tell me what's going on. You shouldn't deal with it alone.' I'm done feeling guilty for my choices. If it was something that concerned you, any of you, I would've told you."

The thing is, I knew she was right. She was a teenager, she needed the freedom to choose for herself. To make mistakes and learn from them. That's what mum would've wanted for her.

So I took a deep breath, and told her what I needed to, even if I couldn't bring myself to completely agree with it and stop worrying.

"You're right."

"Wait what?"

"You're right. If you think you shouldn't share it with us, then don't."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Are you playing with me?"

"I'm serious. I trust your judgment."

"Do you?"

"Just because I worry about you, doesn't mean I can't see that you're old enough to understand and asses a situation."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yes. I want you to know though, that does not mean I agree with you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Of course, you don't."

"I hope that when you sort everything out in your head, you will come to me on your own terms and tell me what is bothering you, or who is bothering you."

She nodded her head.
"Maybe."

And well, "maybe" had to be good enough for now. It was all I had.

I knew one of them would come to me at some point, they wouldn't hide this for long. I just hoped that they weren't too late. And that it wasn't anything actually dangerous.

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