Neighbors

Chapter Eleven: You Should Leave, You Should Stay

(Third Person's POV)

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Clarke asked as she walked into her flat, slamming the door right after Bellamy walked in behind her. 

 "You're coming back home to figure your life out. You can't just sit here and wait for something to happen-"

"I have job mom! I have a friend, and actually, he's right there! Tell her Bellamy, tell her you're my friend," she said as she was trying to control her anger. 

"Uh, y-yeah, we're friends," he coughed into his hand awkwardly and tried to back out of the room slowly.

"You can stay, Bellamy. My mom was just about to leave."

"You can't push everyone away, not after what happened last year-"

"I almost have my life figured out and you show up here trying to 'fix me?' Well, I'm not broken anymore! You don't have to patch me up every time I scrape my knee or bump my elbow!"

"Seriously, I'll go, it's no problem-"

"No, Bellamy. We're almost done, you're fine," Clarke said motioning for him to take a seat. He walked to the counter and sat on one of the stools, trying to avoid getting in the middle of the awkward conversation. 

"If your flat is any resemblance to your life, I'd say it's pretty disgusting!"

"Get out," Clarke said as she began to push her mother towards the door. 

"I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to take you out for lunch and further discuss your future."

Right before her mother was all the way out the door, Clarke gave her a quick hug and said,

"I love you, mom."

"I love you, too." 

When the door finally closed, Clarke let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"It's not my business, but what just happened?" Bellamy asked as he slowly got up from the stool and walked towards her. 

"We promised never to leave any conversation angry, in case something happened to one of us," she sighed as she walked towards the fridge. When she opened the door, she realized she should have probably gone shopping for groceries. 

"No, I get that. But you're an adult, why does she want you to go home?"

"I just started putting my life together, she can't see where any of this is going to lead me."

"Where do you want it to?"

"I have no idea and I think it's fair that I don't have to decide what my future is going to look like at this moment."

"Are you, you know, planning on staying here awhile?" Bellamy asked while scratching the back of neck. Clarke noted that he usually did this when the conversation or situation made him nervous. 

"Nothing's holding me down here, Bell."

And in a sense, that was true. She had a menial job, a messy flat, and no proper bed. She could pick up and leave with her mother tonight if that's what she decided to do. 

"What if something was holding you down? I mean, you're very strong and you have your own mind, but what if something or someone caught your interest?" 

The two of them could not have been more obvious about the hints they were throwing, yet each one was oblivious to the other.

"Maybe, it's just that I don't want to jump into something with someone I hardly know.  And I don't really have that many friends here." 

"You can't seriously be considering the possibility of leaving-"

"It's not up to you." 

"Just stay for little while longer for me. Don't leave with your mom."

At this point, neither one had realized how close they were to each other. Clarke didn't dare look into his eyes for the fear of getting lost in them. 

"I was planning on staying here anyways, I just wanted to hear you beg," she playfully punched him on the arm and added a little more distance between them. "Just know that I'm definitely not doing this for you," she said as she began to usher him to the front door. On his way out, he picked up his luggage he had left the night before. 

"Of course," he smiled as took the final step outside. 

"Like, you are not involved in any of my decisions, ever."

"That's not what it seems like, but whatever helps you sleep at night," he smirked as he dug his key out of his pocket. 

"Jokes on you, I don't really sleep," Clarke made her way out of her own flat and walked with Bellamy's to his. The walk wasn't long, they were neighbors. 

"Are you following me?" 

"Just making sure you got home safe," she smiled as she leaned up against the wall.

"I live right next to you."

"Thank God for that to," she said under her breath.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Nothing," she smiled then said, "I'll see you later then?"

"Later," he replied opening his front door. 

He subconsciously rubbed his neck again and said,

"Screw it."