the world as we know it -- bellarke au

chapter eight - the medical scientist

c l a r k e   g r i f f i n

I sat with Monty and Bellamy the next morning at breakfast. Raven was still asleep in Bellamy's bed, refusing to wake up. Jasper sat with Maya, as per usual, and Octavia sat nearby with Lincoln.

"I was talking to Harper at the party yesterday," Monty said, stirring his tea. "She said if we ask some of the guards, we can get permission to have picnics outside. They'll set up the decontamination unit in advance and everything."

I took a bite of cereal, nodding. 

"Good," Bellamy said. "I can't imagine spending the rest of our lives trapped in here. We just got back to the ground."

"We aren't trapped," a new voice said, and a tray appeared beside me. "Would you want to leave the one place with good food and..." I looked up to see Luke grinning at me. "A ridiculous amount of clothes?"

He slid into the seat beside me, holding out a hand to Bellamy. "We didn't get the chance to formally meet. I'm Luke Kinney. I work in the medical research centre."

"Bellamy Blake. Currently unemployed." They shook hands, and Monty took his turn. 

"Monty Green. You guys have a research centre?"

Luke nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "Are you interested in that sort of thing?"

"Agriculture science," Monty said. "And biology, mainly."

"Sick," Luke said. "I'll introduce you to some people. We have a lot of internships, you might be the perfect fit for one of them. We're always trying to get new blood in there, anyways." He looked back at Bellamy. "You a scientist too?"

He shook his head adamantly. "Different kind of hands on. Think the guard's hiring?"

"Actually," Luke said thoughtfully. "You could probably get into one of the training programs, since you guys are able to go on the ground without any protective suits. People tend to get injured and lose their edge, and with all the patrols out and about now... I could ask around, if you want. See if anyone's looking to pick up a rookie."

Bellamy set down his cereal spoon. "Seriously?"

"Of course."

"That would be awesome, actually."

"Cool," Luke said. He started to gather up his food, despite only having eaten a few bites.

"Leaving already?" Monty asked. 

"I promised someone I'd meet them," he said, looking at me apologetically. 

"Girlfriend?" I teased. 

"Wouldn't you like to know," he said, and left with a wave. 

I looked back at Bellamy and Monty, who were both staring at me with raised eyebrows. 

"What?" I asked. 

"I didn't know you were such a flirt," Monty said, grinning. 

"Me neither," Bellamy agreed. He wasn't grinning quite as much. 

---

After breakfast, I went with Bellamy back to his room for a second attempt at waking up Raven. Octavia and Lincoln were meeting us later, and we'd decided to make it a little party of our own. 

"Are you gonna date Luke?" Bellamy asked out of nowhere, as we turned the corner by our wing.

"What? No. I don't know."

"You don't know?"

I stared at him. "You're the one who told me to flirt with him."

"I did not."