Chapter Text
Clarke Griffin sat in her cubicle, her fingers drumming against her desk nervously as she counted the sales figures in her head. This month she had done $65,000 in sales- which wasn’t awful- but it wasn’t nearly as good as her numbers from this time last year. She sighed and flattened her palms against her desk, dipping her forehead forward like she was ready to bang it into her computer monitor. But she froze at the last moment when she heard the office doors fly open. Her ears perked up and recognized the swift and rhythmic steps of leather shoes against thick berber carpet, and her heart stopped for a millisecond as she immediately straightened up and adjusted her surroundings, moving her arms to conceal the sheet with her sales figures beneath the curve of her elbow.
She had to be ready, the first friday of every month was war in the sales department, and the pretentious cackle of her most formidable enemy could be heard coming down the hallway-only a few feet away.
She hated him every weekday that she was forced to work in the same office with this king-of all assholes- but she hated him most on the 1st Friday of every month when the sales figures were cast publicly for the whole office to see. She especially hated him when her numbers were this low, and no doubt being trumped by his own.
She could sense his presence the way a gazelle sensed a wolf stalking it from a distance, her whole body tightening and her senses fine-tuning to prepare themselves for his verbal assault.
Her eyes trained ahead on her screen, suddenly appearing to be completely absorbed in whatever nonsense was scrolling across her monitor. Maybe he will keep walking. Maybe for once he will just pass me by without saying a word..like most other people in this place. Maybe he..
“Well hello, Clarke.” His deep baritone voice vibrated down her spinal cord. She exhaled sharply and swiveled her chair to face him, a fake smile plastered across her face.
He was casually leaning against the side of her cubicle, his arms crossed against his broad chest while sporting a tight black-collared shirt and dark khakis- as always wearing his usual devious grin that made her stomach churn.
“Hello Bellamy. What can I do for you?” She kept her words tight and quick as she balled her hands together in her lap nervously.
His astonishingly dark eyes raked over her, a calculating gaze sweeping over every inch of her form in a way that anyone else would have taken as suggestive-but Clarke knew better. This was his way of sizing her up, he was trying to intimidate her. It was all a competition between the two of them.
“Don’t pretend like you don’t know why I’m here.” He confidently strolled into her cubicle and cocked his head at the picture collage hanging against the right wall. He kept his eyes glued on the photographs, studying them carefully as he spoke. “It’s the first of the month, and I don’t know about you..but I’ve been waiting all month to shares my figures with you.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat, carefully leaning her whole body forward to conceal the sheet on her desk. “Well you can see them at 10 am- when everyone’s results are posted.” She replied.
He turned on a dime and narrowed his eyes at her, his jaw clenching as he stalked forward until he towered over her chair. He lifted his chin and peered down at her from over his nose.
“You are not going to deprive me this month. I refuse to wait another two hours. Show me your figures..now.” His voice was smooth and threatening.
She stood, rising so that her head just reached his shoulders as she stared up at him defiantly.
“Aren’t you getting a little too old for bullying? You don’t scare me Bellamy Blake. Your little act may work on the others, but it doesn’t work on me.”
He furrowed his brows and took a step closer, Clarke could feel the heat emanating from his full lips as his breath coursed over her face…they were only inches apart. His lips curled into a tiny smirk as he watched her jaw drop at his proximity. It seemed like every month he was growing bolder, and less careful with their boundaries.
“Others? You know I don’t care about the others. I only care about you Clarke.”
She raised an eyebrow at him and sighed. “You’re obsessed with me Bellamy. It’s sad, really.”
Bellamy chuckled darkly and lowered his chin, gazing up at her from under his mop of messy black curls, his hair always managing to look so perfectly disheveled. It made her almost jealous how carelessly handsome he managed to look, with his olive tan complexion and his high cheekbones- even the dusting of freckles across his nose and cheeks lent him a boyish charm on an otherwise chiseled face. He was terrifying when he wanted to be, and devilishly charming when he needed to be. He always came at her with such a mixture of both worlds that he managed to crawl under her skin, making her want to rip her own hair from her scalp.
“Obsessed with beating you..maybe. Probably.” He laughed, his eyes suddenly catching sight of something over her shoulder. “Definitely..” His eyes widened for a split second, and suddenly he was reaching around her body, his fingers stretching for the paper on her desk.
“Hey! You can’t just..!” Clarke yelped as his strong arms curled around her waist, easily picking her up and swinging her out of the way as his left hand swiped the paper off her desk.
“Ah-hah!”
“Stop! You bastard!” She was kicking and swinging at him furiously, but his arm was still tightly coiled around her middle, the lean muscles in his forearm sinking into her stomach as his eyes scanned the document. The longer he read, the wider his wicked grin spread across his mouth, threatening to break his face in half. She could feel her cheeks filling with blood, the churning in her stomach now lurching into her chest. She knew that look.
“Ha!” He shouted triumphantly, and dropped the paper from his hand, Clarke watched in defeat as it floated back to her desk.
“$65,000? Looks like you lose again Griffin!”
The short blond ripped herself away from his grasp, she adjusted her black pencil skirt and purple blouse, her hands smoothing over her long blonde curls as she tried to maintain her last semblance of pride.
“I hate you.” She spit at him, her venomous words hit him hard for the briefest of moments, and she saw something flash in his eyes before his face eased back into a satisfied smile. He leaned forward, whispering into her ear.
“Not as much as I hate you, Princess. By the way- I did $80,000.”
He pulled away from her slightly, his eyes sweeping over her features to assess the anger and frustration she revealed to him all too clearly, and with one final wink of the eye he turned on his heels and walked out of her cubicle.
Clarke was dazed, staring at a blank spot on the wall as she tried to make peace with the whirlwind of embarrassment and fury that was spinning inside her. Her eyes fell on a particular photograph that stood out in the middle of her collage, mostly of which were photos of she and her fiance’ on vacation. But smack dab in the middle was a specific photo, the very same photo Bellamy had been eyeing carefully only minutes earlier. Clarke dragged herself to her feet and walked forward, gazing at it carefully. It was a picture of Clarke, dressed in a short summer dress and heels, her arm wrapped around her fiance’- Finn. To the left was another couple that looked equally cozy. The brunette-Roma- was in the middle and her hand was resting on Finn’s other shoulder. Roma and Finn were best friends since high school, and to this day she remained the most important girl in Finn’s life, other than Clarke of course. The man on the end was Roma’s fiancé- and Clarke scoffed as his black curls, dark eyes, and carefree smile staring back at her.
Bellamy.
She had to be unlucky enough to fall in love with a man whose best friend was engaged to none other than her arch nemesis himself.
When Clarke started dating Finn, he had told her about Roma and how it was so vital to him that his girlfriend and his best friend get along. When Finn mentioned that Roma had a boyfriend of her own, Clarke was relieved, the only natural jealousy that she felt melted away once she heard that Roma was taken. But in order for this relationship to work, Clarke had to make nice with Roma and her new boyfriend too. Finn refused to get serious with any girl who couldn’t be around his social circles- especially anyone having to do with Roma. Clarke had no idea that Roma’s boyfriend just happened to be the very bane of her existence, and no other man would have been worth her willingly being in the same room as Bellamy, except Finn. Finn was the perfect guy for Clarke-he was intelligent, caring, handsome, and he was the overall picture of Prince Charming that Clarke had always imagined for herself, but never dreamed possible.
She remembered back one year ago, the day Finn took Clarke to meet Roma and her boyfriend for the first time at the local bowling alley. She remembered it like it was yesterday. She had been so excited to finally meet the infamous Roma, yet part of her was almost nervous and expecting to be judged harshly in the eyes of her boyfriend’s female friend. But the moment they turned the corner, the tall Brunette with the soft features and the wide eyes jumped from her chair and bounded towards them, hugging Clarke tightly with the most welcoming smile gracing her face. Clarke felt her tension dissolve immediately under the easy chatter of the friendly girl.
“So wonderful to meet you Clarke, Finn raves about you constantly!” Roma’s eyes were bright and glowing as she spoke. “You are even more gorgeous than Finn said.”
“Thank you!” Clarke smiled back. “So are you.” And she was. Clarke wasn’t expecting her to be so attractive..
“Oh and you have to meet my boyfriend. I just know the two of you will it hit it off perfectly! You two Finn.” She winked at him.
“Well where the heck is this guy?” Finn teased, raking his hand through his long chestnut hair that fell nearly to his shoulders, “I’m beginning to think you made him up.”
Roma shot him a dirty look, “He’s walking here now actually, he just grabbed our bowling shoes. Oh and Clarke, you won’t believe this, but I think you two may know each other.”
“Oh?’ Clarke perked up curiously.
“He works at Terracon Technologies. He sells software like you do!”
“Really?” Clarke racked her brain, trying to think of all the younger guys in her office when suddenly she heard a voice call Roma’s name. It was a deep, rattling voice that shook her very bones- his voice.
“No..” Clarke whispered under her breath. It couldn’t be. It had to be ANYBODY but him. But to her disbelief it was Bellamy who appeared around the corner, striding to Roma’s side as he smiled at her and kissed her sweetly on the cheek. He first noticed Finn and forced a friendly nod in his direction, and then finally his eyes landed on Clarke. Instantly he reflected back her own look of horror and confusion, both their jaws dropping and their eyes wide as they stared at one another in shock. Then their eyes narrowed into slits, like two pit bulls circling each other before a fight.
“So.. you two know each other?” Finn asked, he and Roma both casting glances at one another that looked something like worry.
Bellamy caught their exchange, and so did Clarke. He made the first move, his shoulders visibly relaxing as a (fake) delighted smile tugged on his lips. “Clarke!” He stepped towards her and held out his arms, and Clarke went rigid with disgust as he closed his limbs around her, actually hugging her.
“Hi…Bellamy!?” Clarke painfully winced, and remembered that she needed to pretend to be happy to see him. When he pulled away their eyes were still tense, but their falsely plastered smiles were convincing enough that Roma and Finn looked relieved.
Bellamy cleared his throat, “Clarke here is one of the salespeople in my channel. We actually compete against each other..occasionally.”
Clarke laughed nervously, “Sometimes.” Understatement of the century.
“But,” he interrupted, “She’s also one of my best pals in the office.” He locked eyes on Clarke, and for a fleeting moment he looked almost pleading as he caught her gaze. It was clear that Roma had the same talk with Bellamy that Finn had with Clarke. The message was clear for both of them- if they wanted to date Roma and Finn, they all had to get along. Like one happy family. At least when Roma and Finn were around, that is.
“We..we sure are,” Clarke played along awkwardly. Shit, she had to do better than this. “They even call me his office wife.” She winked at Bellamy and nudged him with her elbow. Bellamy’s lips tightened in response.
“Aw that’s so sweet!” Roma exclaimed joyously, “I’m so glad you two already know each other, especially since now that I’m back in town permanently, Finn and I thought that it would be fun if we made this a weekly get together, every Friday night all four of us!”
Clarke’s heart dropped into her stomach. Bellamy’s eyes widened. Every Friday?
Finn threw an arm around Roma’s shoulders and the two friends leaned into one another. “See Roma? We had nothing to worry about- everyone is going to get along just fine. I mean- these two are already friends! What are the odds of that?!” Finn and Roma smiled at each other warmly, and Bellamy caught Clarke’s gaze. There was a silent exchange between them as they both saw the clear affection that their significant other’s had for one another. Bellamy arched his brow slightly at Clarke in concern, and she shot him a worried glance. Suddenly, with one more glimpse at Roma and Finn, his dark eyes filled with a steely determination, and right then Clarke realized that he was just as desperate to make his relationship work as she was. Clarke felt the planes of her face hardening as she locked eyes with Bellamy and nodded. His lips pulled into the faintest smirk and he nodded back in silent agreement.
For the tiniest fraction of a second they made a pact. They were uneasy allies, agreeing to play the part of perfect friends every Friday when Roma and Finn dragged them to restaurants, movies, dancing, or whatever else they came up with. Then the following Monday they would resume their usual spiteful, hate-filled, competitive relationship that they had already come to know so well. Riddling each other with insults and intimidation, and barely a friendly word between them during the week until Friday came around again.
It stayed like that for a long time, and even when Bellamy later proposed to Roma and Finn proposed to Clarke two days later, the weekly Friday hang outs simply could not be shaken.
Flash forward one year later to present day, when Bellamy was still glowing with satisfaction over his monthly sales figures that he had mercilessly rubbed in Clarke’s face. He was now staring at her from across the board-room during their weekly group sales meeting. Her long blond hair kept falling in her face and she kept pushing it behind her ear with her right hand, which he knew meant she was nervous. Her clear blue eyes purposely soaking in every detail of the room- trying too hard to avoid his gaze. He studied her. He always studied her. He knew all of Clarke’s body movements and exactly what they meant. Despite their complicated personal connections (aka their weirdly-close fiance’s)- Bellamy had to keep a keen watch on the innocent yet fierce little blonde. The two had consistently and ruthlessly battled over the coveted title of top account manager every month for the past year and a half- since they first started working at Terracon Technologies.
The sales manager was giving a speech about account maximization with the newest up selling strategies for software, and Clarke could barely concentrate with Bellamy’s incessant smirk digging into her skin from across the table. He was still messing with her, still gloating over his win. She had expected this though, and she had prepared to ignore him the entire day, pretending like she could care less about his cocky remarks and intimidating stares.
Once the meeting was let out, Clarke headed back to her cubicle to gather her things. It had been a long and sobering day, and she needed desperately to get home and soak in her warm tub with her Epsom salt and her scented candles. She needed to relieve some stress before night fell, because after all it was Friday and she knew that her weekend-freedom feeling was to be painfully short-lived. Her Friday nights were nearly as unnerving sometimes as her weekdays, when she had to pretend to be bosom-buddies with evil incarnate just to stay in good graces with her fiance’s best friend.
She squashed a few things into her purse, including her favorite teas she had stock-piled on her desk during the week, and slipped out of the office miraculously unseen.
She waited for the elevator nervously, hearing the doors opening behind her she closed her eyes and prayed that it wasn’t him she would be riding down with.
“Princess.” He groaned, his tall frame and messy black curls appearing beside her. She sighed and rolled her eyes. She hated his nickname for her, especially when he used it in front of their coworkers.
Bellamy stood completely silent as the doors opened and they stepped into the elevator car in unison. It was a tall building- They were on the 15th floor- so that meant a long ride down. Even worse, their office always let out later than 5, so they had already missed the foot traffic of business people who usually piled into the elevators. Bellamy and Clarke stood alone in total silence as they practically shoved their shoulders against opposing sides of the elevator, as far away from each other as possible.
Clarke watched the tiny numbers light up in a torturous countdown as they sailed through the floors at a pace that was agonizingly slow.
After several moments he cleared his throat, and Clarke prepared herself for the endless spew of cruelty.
“Your fiance’ better not pick that lame-ass chinese place again. The last time we went there he spent the whole time reading those stupid horoscope wheel things.”
“And what animal were you again? Weren’t you the cock?”
“No.” He said under his breath. “I was a rabbit, actually.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t a cock? Because I’m pretty sure you fit the bill perfectly for that one.”
He glared at her out of the corner of his eyes. “Haha. Very original. Remind me who beat your sorry ass again this month? Oh right. That was me. My numbers crushed you.”
Clarke dug her teeth into her bottom lip, but then reminded herself that she had the perfect ammunition to throw at him.
“That’s okay. And which one of us has the Nichelsen account again? Oh right. Still me.”
That did it. Bellamy could barely conceal his fury, his jaw clenching and the veins nearly popping out the sides of his neck. No matter what he threw at her, she could always trample him in the end with the mere mention of the company’s top account that had been awarded to her-instead of him- after their first three months of brutal sales training.
“Ha.” Bellamy scoffed, unbuttoning his top button on his collar and loosening his neckline with his fingers. “Throw that at me all you want- we both know the real reason you won the Nichelsen account.”
It was her turn to roll her eyes. “Not this again.”
“Not what?” He looked her dead on with an accusatory gaze.”Not you walking around the office in your tight little skirts with your chest hanging out for Mr. Nichelsen to drool into? “ He shifted his weight on his hips and batted his eyes to imitate Clarke, puffing up his imaginary breasts.“Oh Mr. Nielsen…” His voice was irritatingly high. “I would love to service your account. I would get on my knees right now and..”
Clarke was mortified, she could feel herself fuming out her ears. She crossed the elevator car and slapped Bellamy squarely across the face before he could finish.
“Hey!” His hand flew to his face. “You hit me?!”
“You’re calling me a whore! Of course I hit you!And you know that none of that ever happened- I never touched that man, I won the account fair and square. You’re just a sore loser because I happen to be better at my job.”
“Please.” He gritted his teeth, still rubbing the redness out of his cheeks.” I’ve seen less cleavage in a strip club.”
“Ugh! Can’t you please just die already?!” Clarke’s fists were clenching into white knuckles at her side.
Bellamy suddenly fell silent, and all she heard was the soft dings of the elevator numbers permeating the stillness. It was annoying the way the car kept stopping at random floors when no one else was getting on, like it was conspiring against her to keep her locked in this tiny cage with him. Bellamy wasn’t saying a word, and for a second she wondered if she had actually hurt his feelings, still she wouldn’t dare look at him.
Then he chuckled darkly to himself again, but there was no laughter in his eyes. “That would just be too easy on you, wouldn't it?” He finally replied.
“It would certainly help.” She hissed.
As if on cue, they both swiveled to face one another, their stances aggressive as they breached any personal space between them without flinching- they were already too used to this game. “Admit it,” He breathed, his ebony eyes burning fiercely into her blue eyes. “You’d miss me. You know you would.”
She rose her chin and stepped even closer, “Please. I’d miss you about as much as you would miss me. Which I’m guessing is not much.”
He paused, raising an eyebrow at her questioningly. “ Well maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do...Princess.”
His words sent an eerie tingle through her stomach. What the hell did that mean?
“Enough of your mind games Bellamy. You know you don’t give a shit about me.”
The insidious smirk tugged at his lips again. “Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t.” He inched closer still. “Or maybe- deep down some part of me utterly depends on these fucked up little circles we keep spinning around each other. And maybe if you were gone I would realize that I have lost the one thing that fueled me to wake up in the morning and tirelessly push myself to succeed, just so I could see the pathetic look on your pretty little face when you finally realize that I will always, always be better than you.”
Clarke hesitated, and right then he saw the exact flash of doubt in her eyes that he had hoped to see. Her breath hitched in her throat as he leaned in impossibly close, pressing his forehead into hers so all she could see were those dangerously dark eyes ripping through her. He whispered calmly, too calmly- “I win. Again.”
Clarke dug her teeth so hard into her lip she could almost imagine the taste of blood in her mouth. As he pulled away she had to restrain herself from punching that disgustingly smug look off his face; but suddenly his expression shifted when his eyes rested on something just below her neckline. Bellamy grew serious, his brow furrowing in confusion. Without asking permission Bellamy reached his hand out and grabbed her golden pendant necklace that was dangling from her neck, his fingers unconsciously grazing the skin along the top of her chest. She froze. But he didn’t seem concerned with her reaction, his eyes were trained on the tiny gold pendant rolling between his fingers. He acted like it was only natural that he was allowed to get this close to her, seeming completely unphased.
“Clarke.” His deep voice rumbled smoothly in the air. “Does Finn know who gave you this necklace?”
“Excuse me?” Clarke’s eyes widened. The man could give her whiplash with his rapid shifts in direction, his mood changing course so suddenly. “No… why? It’s not important.”
He raised both eyebrows at her. “Why are you still wearing a necklace that was given to you by your ex?”
She stared at him like he had three heads. Why would he care? “Because I..I didn’t feel like buying another...because..wait..why are you asking me this again!?” She winced at her own stutter, hating herself for being so affected.
Bellamy’s eyes narrowed, concentrating a little too deeply on her necklace, like he was trying to uncover something.
“Just curious..” His voice softened, looking her straight in the eye. “Maybe you need to tell lover boy to buy you a new one.”
He laid the pendant back down, gently removing his fingers from her sternum. He turned to face the door as if nothing had happened.
Clarke blinked, mindlessly touching the skin above her chest where his fingertips had brushed against her.
She hated when he did that, when amidst the most heated power struggles, he could just turn on a dime and say something so personal. Almost as if he saw her as an actual human being..which she knew was ridiculous.
It also reminded her that Bellamy and Clarke had known each other longer than either of their relationships. When they were first hired, Bellamy was still single and Clarke was on the edge of her horrific break-up with Ted- her manipulative and cheating boyfriend who she was on-again off-again with for nearly two years.
Her mind wandered back to the second month on her job, Ted had been barging into her work and pleading with her to take him back. Clarke was so embarrassed, she begged him to leave her alone and to stop making her look bad in front of her new co-workers. Most of the employees would stare and whisper rudely when Ted appeared, but no one would come to her defense. Somehow Bellamy had been the one to finally step in. That day Clarke had been only seconds away from bursting into tears as Ted was stalking her desk once again, vehemently claiming he refused to leave until she took him back one last time. Just when she was finally on the verge of a mental breakdown, Bellamy suddenly appeared- stepping between them.
“I think you need to leave the lady alone.” He’d growled.
Clarke’s jaw nearly hit her desk as she watched her enemy sizing up her ex, and she remembered being taken back by Bellamy’s sudden flash of possessiveness that seemed to come out of nowhere. When Ted had refused, Bellamy had practically picked him up by the shirt collar and dragged him out the door, threatening severe bodily harm if he should ever bother her again. That was the last time he ever came to her work, and Clarke had spent the rest of the week being quietly grateful to Bellamy; watching him out of the corner of her eyes and wondering whether or not she should thank him. But he never brought it up again, and neither did she. The next week, they were back at each other's throats as usual.
But that didn’t explain how he knew that the necklace had been given to her by Ted..
She was jolted out of her head by the sound of the metal door opening, and they both stepped out of the elevator.
The two walked across the building’s lobby wordlessly, taking turns pushing through the rotating door. As their feet hit the sidewalk Bellamy’s stride slowed as he gazed at the ground, opening his mouth to say something and then hesitating. Clarke eyed him suspiciously as he turned and stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, which he pulled away a second later.
“Listen. Roma and Finn are at dinner right now. They want us to meet them after.”
“What?” Clarke blinked, how come Finn hadn’t told her himself?
Bellamy let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know. She just texted me as I was leaving. They’ll be done in an hour and a half.” He paused, avoiding her eyes again. “They want us to come together. I guess parking is tight and too many cars just wouldn’t work.”
Ugh, this night just kept getting better and better. “Why didn’t they just wait for us then?”
Bellamy was growing irritated, shifting his jaw. “I don’t know Clarke. I guess they were hungry. Am I picking you up or not?”
She felt her shoulders sag. “Fine, whatever. I’ll see you at 7:30.”
“Be ready on time. There’s no way in hell I’m being late.”
“Why?” She cocked her head. “Worried they’ll have an affair if we leave them alone too long?”
He glared at her.
“God! You are ridiculous, you know that? Finn would never cheat on to me.”
“Just be ready Clarke.” He held her gaze for a moment longer before turning to stalk away.
“Yes sir!” She shouted after him, watching as he disappeared around the corner towards parking lot B.
She felt a flicker of worry as she walked to her own car in parking lot C, wondering if there was any validity to Bellamy’s paranoia. Roma and Finn had been making it a habit lately to spend more time together on the side, with only themselves. Clarke told herself he just needed his space to be with his own friends, and she couldn’t expect him to always have her around, could she?
She shook her head and pushed the thoughts from her mind, telling herself she was just letting Bellamy get under her skin again. Clarke and Finn were madly in love- and so were Roma and Bellamy, not to mention that Roma and Finn were basically like brother and sister. Completely platonic. It would never, ever happen. Right?
.