After the End [ The 100 ]

8. Cant be late if theres no party

earth kills

[eiden]

"Oh! And remember what you said to that officer on Go-Sci when he littered right in front of you?" I ask. A laugh was already forming while I thought about the memory.

Ali jumps a little on my outstretched left arm as she chuckles lightly. "Yeah. Told him I'd just swept that hall. He saw me with the mop and everything. Surprised that's not when I got arrested."

"Well it was really rude. To do that in front of a girl who's working if not the front door of his superior."

"Superior?" Ali repeats. "You mean Commissioner Golde, stature almighty?"

Despite minimal light in the tent, I tilt my head down and smile, only to realize Ali's been looking at me the whole time. "What?" I ask softly.

"Yes, I'm Watts, you're Gray."

I roll my eyes and look away. Can't take anything serious, that one.

"It was so funny. I mean, you were leaning up against the door. He probably thought I was working for you with the way you were watching me."

"That's where you're wrong. I wasn't watching, I was nitpicking. Making sure you weren't missing a spot," I tease.

"Ha-ha. You know, these Skybox coveralls are somehow better than those janitorial ones."

All trace of a smile leaves my face as I look down at my shirt. My outfit's a symbol. It means I shouldn't be here. I'm wearing what I got arrested in; a black zip-up jacket with a high collar, clean gray tank top, and straight legged pants.

Maybe nobody else has noticed, but I can definitely feel it.

Then a scream. One we all recognize, but I still jump and Ali still groans.

"Stop," I warn her slowly, eyebrows raising. She grins slightly but there's still agitation on her face. "He's supposed to be getting better."

"One-hour intervals do not mean he's getting better," she complains. "I swear, if they get any shorter."

I'm already getting up. "They won't," I advise, but hell if I know. I always knew I wasn't going to take after my mom, and my father's death didn't change that. My mother clearly didn't know the type of person I was when she chose Jediah Golde as an eligible bachelor.

"Be fast."

I don't answer before leaving the tent and walking the distance to the drop ship. The sun's been up. It's radiant the way the light glides over the trees and dances patterns on the leaves.

When I get to the drop ship, I climb the ladder to the middle level and go through the hatch. Clarke's there. Wells is here. Then, I sigh, Octavia and Finn. Monty.

"Hey, I'm not late to the party, am I?"

Dead silence. A few turn their heads but not Clarke.

"Right, sorry," I recover quickly. "How is he?" I ask, now sitting on my heels beside him and in front of Wells.

"Pale," Octavia answers, glancing up. She's not doing too great.

"Really, really not well." Clarke's blunt. She looks at Monty who doesn't see because he's staring at Jasper. "But he'll get better. I'll be back, I'm gonna go check if there's anything upstairs."

She's already up when I nod in understanding. Then I remember the scratching sounds and the faint cracking.

I'm up in an instant and place my hand on the ladder. "Hey, I should probably do whatever will make Monty forget what I just said."