Six Years | Bellarke

I. Nobody Knows How to Get Back Home

Clarke played with the fabric of her navy blue dress. As she rubbed her fingers on the lining, trying to use anything as a distraction, she took several long, deep breaths.

"Oh, Clarke, you look beautiful," her mother said as she emerged from the separate room. Abby Griffin was dressed in a long, plain white dress, her hair pulled up into a dignified bun, with a bouquet of blue peonies. She looked happier than Clarke had seen her in years. Clarke supposed that was a good sign— it was her mother's wedding day, after all.

More than half a decade since after Clarke's father passed away, Abby was remarrying Marcus Kane, a big time politician. Clarke didn't know why a second large wedding was even necessary, but Kane made a point that he wanted it to be community celebration. She thought it was a matter of public image, with his re-election less than a year away.

As horrible as it may have been, Clarke didn't want to come. Her and Abby's relationship had been far from perfect in the past. When Clarke was a teenager, Abby struggled with her pain medication, and it left some scars. But more than that, there was a different reason Clarke left Arkadia six years ago and coming back to the small town on the coast of Virginia made her feel a sick combination of disgust and nostalgia.

Most of all, she was terrified of running into anyone from her old life— or really, just one person. She had put the past behind her. The last time Clarke was here, she was a clueless, sad eighteen year-old kid. Now, she was an adult, half way through medical school and stronger than she had ever been. The last thing she needed was all those bad memories coming back.

"You look great, Mom." Clarke tried to smile.

After making some final touches, all while Clarke ignored the gigantic knot in her stomach, they headed out of their house and got in a car to ride them to the ceremony. Abby and Kane had chosen a park by the beach for the occasion, and the warm weather swamped over Clarke as she exited the vehicle. Rows and rows of guests sat in wooden chairs, facing the water, and Kane stood closest to the shore, waiting for his bride. Clarke was her mother's maid of honor, so she walked down the grass isle first.

As she put one foot in front of another, Clarke tried not to look around at the hundred of faces staring at her, but her efforts were futile. She saw her childhood friend's father, Mr. Jaha, and she noticed her old elderly neighbor, Mrs. Felix.

Those were the encounters she could smile through. She even gave them little waves and kept walking.

Then, she saw him— dark curly hair, a broad chest, compelling eyes, and freckles that shone in the evening sunlight. He looked older, obviously, as if he had finally grown into his strong build. It took all of her willpower to not trip on her own two feet. Her knees almost gave out.

Sitting in the fifth row of her mother's wedding was Bellamy Blake.

Bellamy's eyes went wide when he saw her, and his mouth opened slightly. She noticed that Raven, Murphy, Miller, Jasper, and Monty — her old friends from high school— sat beside him, but she couldn't even focus on them. She couldn't take her eyes off Bellamy. Before she could look any longer, Clarke forced herself to walk even faster.

Of course, that didn't really help, since when she reached the end of the isle, she had to turn around and look right at him. He looked so good in his suit, and she noticed he didn't have a tie on, which under any other circumstances would have made her smile. Bellamy always hated ties. Remembering this little detail brought on an intense sense of guilt and sadness and, to her surprise, a little anger.