OUR OBLIVION | BELLAMY BLAKE

FIVE| just a meteor burning in the atmosphere

I knew the day was going to be hard. I knew I was going to have to bite back the urge to start crying during class. I knew I would get looks of pity from everyone. It happened every year on the anniversary of my mother's death. Although, the fifth year seemed like the worst so far. Maybe it was because my mom was always so excited to see me graduate my classes, and in a few weeks I would be doing just that without her there to see it.

My dad offered to tell everyone I was still recovering from the concussion and didn't feel like going back to class yet but staying alone in my room all day wouldn't help. I needed to distract myself with something. I needed to be around my friends.

So, I got up and got dressed. I brushed my hair and tied a few pieces back into a braid. Then, I stared down at the black pearl necklace sitting inside my jewelry box. A wave of sadness hit me like a strong gust of wind as I picked it up. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, but I inhaled a sharp breath and blinked them away.

I clasped on the necklace, looked at myself in the mirror, and said, "You can do this. Just get through this day, and you'll be fine."

My dad had left early for a council meeting, so I was greeted with silence when I exited my room. I pulled my bag around my shoulder as my mind flashed back to when my mom would always be waiting at the door to hug me goodbye before school.

My eyes wandered over to the door. I could picture her standing there with a bright smile and open arms, "Don't terrorize those boys too much today, ok Peanut," She would say as she fixed my lopsided ponytail. "I don't want to have to pick you up from detention because you glued Murphy's hand to his desk again."

I would just laugh, "Ok, Mom, but you know he deserved it."

I snapped myself out of the memory as I remembered that I couldn't be late to class again. With one last intake of a breath, I forced myself out of the apartment.

When I stepped into the hallway, people were already hurrying to their morning assignments and classes. Guards were doing their normal morning patrol, and I couldn't help but scan their faces to see if Bellamy was one of them.

Why did I feel a pang of disappointment when he wasn't? He was annoying and rude and cocky and a pain in the ass. I shook my head and began walking to class shoving the thought of Bellamy out of my thoughts for as long as I could.

Surprisingly, I wasn't the last one to class. In fact, there were five open seats when I walked through the door. Mrs. Garcia was sitting at her desk looking down at a tablet and scrolling through her lesson plans as I took my seat between Archie and Wells.

"Hey Harles," Archie said with understanding in his eyes. He knew what today was. "How would you feel if later tonight we went over to The Loft. We haven't been in a few months. I say it's time to get back to the party."

The Loft was a secret place in Mecha Station where all the teenagers went to party. There usually was alcohol, but it was homemade by these two crazy guys named Jasper and Monty. It tasted like garbage, and it burned your lungs on the way down, but it made you forgot what was bothering you and just let loose for a while.

But, I wasn't really in a partying mood, "I'm not really feeling the whole party thing today, Arch, but maybe next week."

Then, I felt Wells's hand on mine. I flickered my eyes up to meet his which were full of seriousness and pity. A look I was all too familiar with that day, "You know, you don't have to be here today."

"Yes I do," I replied. "My mom wouldn't want me sitting in my room feeling sorry for myself. She would want me to finish my classes and suck it up. So, that's what I'm doing."