●Seventeen●

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"Why so glum?"

I snapped out of my daze and focused on Finn who smiled down at me.

"You almost died, asshole. You were my first friend down here so by law you're not allowed to leave me... ever."

"My bad," Finn grunted as he pulled himself up. "Next time, I'll ask the Grounders not to stab me with poisonous knives. I'm sure they'll listen."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Spacewalker." I smiled softly readjusting my head on his leg. His wound, no longer ruby crusted, appeared much better in the light. Finn really scared everyone yesterday causing tensions to fly through the roof, I wouldn't be surprised if they felt it all the way back on The Ark.

"You look a little pale. Have you been here all night?"

"Sort of. Kinda."

Finn drew his eyebrows down teasingly. "Sort of. Kinda. What is that supposed to mean?"

"I left with Bellamy through the night. Then came back after a while."

"So, you and Bellamy, huh?" Finn's suggestive tone wasn't as annoying as Jasper's. "Does that mean all hope for you and me is lost?"

I laughed openly at Finn's current predicament. "I think two heartbroken girls is enough for you to fret over, at the moment, buddy." I patted his leg sympathetically. He should have kept it in his pants... or at least kept it in there for longer than he did.

"Don't remind me. Is it too late to die of poisoning?"

I pursed my lips. "If that wasn't the type of joke I'd say, I'd be very upset with you talking like that."

"Thank God for Eden."

I grinned with happiness knowing Finn lived to fight another day and my friendship group hadn't lost a member.

"What's this I hear about you getting electrocuted?"

I hummed stretching out. "Things got a little heated and little did I know I was in for a shock." I snickered at my awful pun whilst Finn covered his eyes. "Your girlfriend got a bit emotional whilst waving wires around."

"Eden, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's in the past."

"It was yesterday."

"Exactly, the past."

Finn swapped the topic. "You do really look pale."

"I feel fine."

Disbelief wrote itself all over Finn's face. I felt bad because he was still recovering and I was the one worrying him. His eyes drifted around before he called out, "Kieron!"

The boy came jogging over and looked between us expectantly. "What's up?"

"Can you take Eden outside for some fresh air."

"Sure."

Reluctantly, I left Finn and allowed Kieron to walk me outside. People were hovering by Clarke's tent waiting to speak to loved ones on The Ark, whilst Clarke had a meeting in there with Jaha and the council. I noticed Jasper and Monty sat on some logs piling out nuts, others were doing their jobs around camp, it was all quite busy.

I dragged my eyes back to Kieron and crossed my arms. "You know, I always catch you staring at me as if you hate my guts, but then you're nothing but nice. Slightly annoying, but nothing but nice."

"That's not true."

"Maybe you're just waiting for me to be in a weak state so that you can drive a knife through my back."

Kieron appeared all flustered all of a sudden and unsure on what to say. I let him suffer a little more before grinning. "I was just joking."

Kieron's wide, paralysed eyes calmed and his shoulders sagged. Anyone would have thought the nonsense I spouted was true.

"You've got a warped sense of humour."

"Who would have thought? Earth really messes with you." I leaned off the ship and patted Kieron on the shoulder. "Would you look at that? I'm feeling a thousand times better now."

I started to walk away all too quickly and bumped into Clarke. "Sorry," I apologised.

"Don't be. Actually, I was coming to find you." My eyebrows creased a little in interest. "Bellamy and I are going to find a supply depot that The Ark mentioned. Did you want to join?"

The idea of getting out of camp and not speaking to my dad or Jaha put me at ease. I smiled and nodded, grateful that Clarke chose to involve me. "I'd love to get the hell out of camp. When do we leave?"

"In under ten minutes."

"Okay. No problem."

I headed for my tent to grab some stuff. Making sure I had my knife on me and grabbed my jacket. It was a day trip so I wouldn't really need anything except an empty bag, water and a couple of rations. Once everything was sorted I grabbed a pile of papers I stole from the grounder and made a beeline for Bellamy's tent.

We hadn't spoken since he walked away from me last night and I hadn't seen him around camp either. Maybe he was purposely avoiding me, but we were about to go on a trek together so he couldn't avoid me forever. Out of the two of us, I'm the petty one, so it's unlikely he'd decide not to go because of me― I hoped.

For the first time, I stepped into Bellamy's tent. He stood off to the side eyes firmly on me. I took a couple more steps in to meet him since he stopped what he was doing and came towards me.

"I thought you didn't want to come in here?"

"I'm sorry for what I said, and for hurting your feelings. You were right. I don't care too much about what people think a lot of the time. But you've still had sex with girls there." I motioned to the makeshift bedding area with minimal distaste.

"I said you were the girl I'm sticking with, so what does it matter."

"I didn't want to fight again. I thought it should be my turn to make you a peace offering. Hopefully you like it!" I grinned handing over the booklet of paper.

During the night whilst I couldn't sleep, I snuck up to the top of the Dropship and took some paper and some sort of charcoal stick from the grounder's stuff. I had folded the sheets in half and drew really amazing pictures of moments whilst we were on Earth. When I say amazing I mean what I call amazing stickmen drawings with labels for people who were unidentifiable. I also wrote little summaries under each picture.

In reality, I knew it was shit and I probably should have got Clarke to draw at least one picture, but it's the thought and effort that counts. I mean I even put in the details, for instance: Jasper's goggles; Monty holding a wristband and wires; Bellamy had a crown on his head, as did Clarke; Octavia's held a butterfly; Finn was floating; Callum had a jester's hat; and I draw shorts on myself. Or at least that's what the first picture was supposed to depict.

Bellamy's face slowly lit up with a handsome laugh. "It's like a comic of our time down here."

I flipped my hair with pride. "Just call me Picasso from now on."

"How do you manage to make these serious situations funny with just stickmen?" Bellamy laughed and looked at me.

"Okay, it's not that amazing. But I did try."

"Well I like it. A lot." Bellamy wrapped me in his arms instantly. His hold was tight as if I was going to try and run away or leave him. I could hear his languid heartbeat echoing in his broad chest. I relaxed and took in the warmth and comfort of Bellamy Blake as his head rested on top of mine. "Thank you."

"You're welcome... I hate to ruin the moment but Clarke will be waiting for us."

"Us?"

I peered up. "Yeah. Clarke asked me to go with you guys."

Bellamy hesitated before responding, his eyes drifted away from mine for a second looking at his unpacked bag. "I wanted you to stay here in camp."

"Oh. Why?"

"You're our not-so-much leader, leader." Bellamy smiled. "Someone needs to be in charge. Even though you didn't want the responsibility, I trust you, and everyone out there trusts and will listen to you."

Naturally, I scoffed. "Yeah right. I wanted to get out of camp and do something non-stressful," I whined.

Bellamy tilted his head with a look of astonishment. "With Clarke and I gone, I don't doubt you'll turn the camp upside down in a good way. You'll easily make it fun without us."

"Bellamy," I whined trying to draw him in with big, pleading, green eyes.

"Eden. I need you here, so I can put my full trust in somebody that's worth it."

After a stubborn silence, I relented with a sigh and nod. "Okay. Fine. Since you begged me."

"I didn't beg you."

"Well that's what I'm telling Clarke and anybody else that asks." I pulled away and slipped my booklet of art from Bellamy's hand. "Chop chop. Clarke will be waiting for you. I'll leave this here so that when you come back you can admire my gift more."

I felt Bellamy's eyes follow me as I placed the booklet by his pillow. The gentle crease between his brows and the far away look in his eyes told me he was deep in thought, whatever it was made him tense and frown.

"Bellamy, Clarke is gonna be ann-"

Bellamy stole the words right off my tongue with a passionate kiss. Our lips followed along the same rhyming couplets as his arms swept me into a beacon of heat, dominance and desire. I let him guide the moment wherever he so pleased, too overwhelmed with shock and delight. My arms wound up around his neck, my fingertips tracing the back of his neck and downwards, meanwhile his exploring hand raised my thigh up by his waist bringing me closer.

"What is taking so long?" Bellamy and I untangled ourselves and looked at Clarke. "Oh. . . just. . . hurry up!" She left as quick as she came.

I smiled finding the situation funny, so did Bellamy. It was random and impulsive but I really liked it, just like I really liked Bellamy. "I tried to tell you." I laughed.

"You did. Maybe I should start listening to you too, now." Bellamy stole another kiss, this one short and sweet. "Will you get me a few rations whilst I finish up here?"

"Sure."

I left the tent mesmerized by the lasting sensation of Bellamy's lips on mine. My heart skipped with joy and a flutter of excited butterflies erupted in my stomach. Having Bellamy down here made a few things more bearable. It felt like a rewarding accomplishment to have gotten as close to Bellamy as I had, since he'd always been adamant he didn't need anybody.

I grabbed a few rations for him ready to turn back, when I felt a strong presence behind me and watched a hand reach out for more rations.

"I'm a big boy, I'm gonna need more than that."

I raised my eyebrows and faced Bellamy handing over the rations.

"That's a lot of rations." Clarke observed. She must have headed over with Bellamy. "You realise this is a day trip."

"A lot can happen in a day."

"Eden, where's your stuff?"

"Bellamy begged me to stay and watch over the camp, so since he sounded quite desperate I agreed." I smiled sweetly. "Isn't that right, Bell?"

Bellamy paused for a second probably giving me a look but I'd already looked away. "Yeah. She's right."

"Okay. Well let's go then."

I walked the pair to the edge of camp. Clarke marched on, but Bellamy stopped. "Don't miss me too much, Eden." His smile made me smile.

"It's a day trip. I'm sure I can survive without you for a little bit. Now go." I softly pushed him away and watched him disappear between the trees as he followed after Clarke.

I strolled away and drifted over to Monty and Jasper who were sat in front of a load of nuts.

"Hey guys! Can I help?"

"Yeah," Monty gestured between him and Jasper.

"We were just talking―" Jasper started. "And, what do you think they're gonna do with the Grounder?"

All three of us set our gaze on the Dropship. I hummed in thought pondering the options. "Well after the whole 'ordeal' yesterday, he's probably gonna be here for a while. Bellamy's not gonna let him go and Clarke isn't gonna let him be killed."

"How long till his friends come looking?"

"Who knows?" I shrugged.

"Cheer up. In that time we'll all be dead from hypothermia."

"That's great, Monty," I laughed.

He chucked a few nuts into his mouth then motioned for Jasper to catch some in his mouth. I laughed as Jasper swung his arms out in pride; the pair raised their hands as if to give each other high fives, but then high fived themselves. I laughed even harder at the pair of best friends admiring their funny friendship. Every time I saw them I couldn't help but smile and want to give them hugs all the time.

"You guys are weird. But I love you."

"Don't go all sappy on us," Jasper nudged me with his elbow sending a cheeky smile my way.

I rolled my eyes and started helping them bag the rations of nuts. Sorting through the food was easy, it was more the fact Jasper and I kept trying to eat it when we thought Monty wasn't looking.

After a long while, I groaned and stopped what I was doing. I rubbed my forehead in hopes to erase the ache. "I'm so bored."

"We have to get these rations done so that we're ready for winter," Monty said.

"Remind me again why you didn't go with Clarke and Bellamy," Jasper looked at me.

"Bellamy begged me to stay and be in charge."

"If you're in charge, you can do whatever you want and tell us to do whatever you want."

"What are you getting at Jasper?"

"We don't have to be doing this right now."

My eyes almost bulged out of my head. I scanned around the busy camp until an idea popped into my head. "I have a great idea!"

Monty looked very unsure and hesitant.

"Come on, buddy! Let your hair down."

"Following you two is never a good idea," he stated yet still put down the rations and followed us.

"Let's do camp challenges!" I exclaimed.

Jasper's eyes glistened as he too scanned around camp. "Even better, let's do an assault course!"

I bounced in excitement and made my way to the centre of the camp. Jasper urged me to step up on a log, so I did as I was told. Some people took notice and stopped what they were doing, whereas others didn't see me and kept on with their jobs. I did a little dramatic cough and then projected my voice so that everybody could hear me.

"Everybody listen up! We're going to take a break!"

Some girl stepped forward with a sceptical look. "But Clarke and Bellamy said-"

"Clarke and Bellamy have left camp on a necessary trip which means I'm in charge! And since I'm in charge, I say we're going to take a break and have a little competition!"

"What sort of competition?"

"An assault course! We'll have five winners and they get a prize!"

People cheered in excitement clearly loving the sound of prizes. Obviously, there were things that needed to be done around camp, but it's healthy to take a break and let your hair down every once in a while, even with the threat of grounders looming over us. All of us needed a reason to be happy and enjoy life for the first time in a while, no matter how temporary.

"What kind of prizes are we talking about?"

My eyes drifted to a brunette over to my left. "Certain camp privileges for a short time." I shrugged. The cheers got even louder making me laugh at Monty's expression. "Alright. We need to create a course!"

We all bounced around camp creating a great makeshift course. We all worked together quickly without problems. I was kind of proud of everyone, it felt good to see us all as a unit not fighting one another.

Hurdles were created out of logs that connected to a section where we'd have to crawl beneath a parachute. We'd then have to run out of camp to scale a small hill of logs and crates then circle round the outside of the camp. It seemed good enough. Monty figured we should do around eight heats and the winner from each will go to the final. We agreed we didn't want the event to go on forever, so this seemed the quickest way to do it. Plus, not everybody was participating, which was fair, those that didn't take part watched.

"What's going on?" Raven marched over unimpressed. "What the hell is this?" She invaded my personal space and stepped forward.

I smiled holding my ground. "An assault course. Care to join?"

"We're supposed to be preparing for winter and the grounders."

"We're taking a break. And it's like exercise anyway, only enjoyable."

"Can you hear yourself?" Raven exclaimed throwing her arms out right as kids raced passed the finish line. Callum hollered the winner, a loud raucous of cheers and claps erupted.

"I don't care if you don't like it. Don't ruin everyone's fun just because of your shit situation with Finn. I'm a camp leader, so I'm in charge. If you don't like it that's your problem."

"You don't have the best track record for decision making."

I groaned. "Why can't we just get on?"

"I don't know you."

"You knew Orion."

"You're cheating on him with someone just as selfish as you."

I frowned. "I'm not cheating."

"Why because he's not down here?"

"Because he's dead," I bit out ignoring her shocked and mortified eyes.

"What? How? When?"

"I don't know you," my voice iced the air between us. "Why would I tell you."

●▪●

We were all having a break from our talent show that Jasper and Monty hosted, and Callum, Miller and myself judged. It was as if someone flickered on an energy source in camp, since everybody seemed to thrum to life and buzz around socialising and eating nuts and berries.

I think Miller went back to guard the grounder and I swear I saw Jasper sat on a log holding a stick. My head rested on Callum's sprawled legs as I stared at the sky. Or was it actually the sea? I giggled crunching on more nuts.

"Ya know, I really like toadstools. Toad- stools. Toad... stools. Do you reckon I could find a toad on a stool. Or are they stools of toad." Callum murmured the most bizarre things, yet they totally made sense to me so I could only nod and hum in agreement. The answer to everything was yes.

"Eden..." Monty's voice hovered around me before his face took up my whole view. "I can't find the moon. Are you the sun?"

"Yes."

Callum moved beneath me, then Monty's cute, little face was replaced with Finn's. I patted his cheek.

"You should be in bed. As the sun, I order you to get back in your bed."

"You've had the nuts too, haven't you?"

"I'm not a squirrel, Finn." I frowned.

"Come on." He hauled me up and refused to answer me when I asked where we were heading. Instead, one minute I was stumbling along, the next I was soaking in ice cold water.

"Shit!" I hissed, numbly blinking. "What the fuck, Finn!" I shivered blinking through the freezing haze moving to land a hit on him anywhere as I hard as I could.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

I rolled my eyes at the two fingers he held up. "Seven." Finn lunged for more water, my eyes grew wide and I shrieked. "Two! You were holding up two fingers! Fuck." I breathed when he abandoned the water and flipped him off slumping down.

"Stop sulking."

"Easy for you to say. You're not chilled to the bone." I stuck out my tongue and frowned.

"Get up." He hauled me up and wiped my wet hair from my face like I was a naughty kid. "You need to help Raven and I with the camp. They're all loopy from those nuts."

"We can just throw water on them." I said with little seriousness as my teeth chattered.

"You always come up with the best ideas."

I helped Finn get back over to the logs by the fire, where we both split up taking care of people. There wasn't much we could do but wait for the effects to wear off and make sure nobody hurt themselves.

I managed to get Callum to fall asleep in my tent, since he was adamant a bear was asleep in his. I had to coax a knife from Kieron, who thought I was a grounder who had killed his step-brother. I didn't know he had a step-brother, but it was strange because once I thought he understood it

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