CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"You poisoned me, asshole!" 

***

Chancellor Jaha looks the exact same as I remember. Close-cropped dark hair, eyes so brown they look black, and clear, dark skin. Just like Wells. His gravely voice sent spikes of anger up my chest, but I clenched my teeth to keep it in. I have been pardoned for my crimes... Bellamy, hasn't. But he will, because I am not leaving this room until he is safe from death-by-Jaha. 

 The screen is flickering with static, and we were all squeezed together on two chairs that we scrounged up from the Drop Ship. His eyes narrowed when he saw me, and I flashed him a sassy grin and two thumbs-up. 

 "Mister Blake, I have waited some time to see you." 

 "Okay, can I say something?" I cut in, and Clarke and Jaha rolled their eyes in almost perfect unison. I still don't have a shirt, and was shivering slightly from the cool air. "You sent us down here, with the main idea that we would all die." I began, wringing my hands together with my nerves. "But, somehow, most of us are still alive, and I think we have Bellamy to thank for that." I cleared my throat nervously. "He knows stuff about weapons that none of us do." 

 "Yeah, and with the guns we need him now more than ever." Clarke jumped in, giving me an encouraging smile. 

 "Yes, exactly, guns..." My voice trailed off, and I jumped back into conversation mode as soon as I realized. "My point is, he might be a huge pain in the ass, but he's an important pain in the ass, and he's one of us... and deserves to be pardoned for his crimes as well." 

 "Nathaniel, Clarke-" his voice glitched, going up an octave, and then down back, due to the bad reception. "I appreciate your very... interesting point of view, but it is simply not that simple." 

 "It is." Bellamy jumped in, shifting as he was squished between Clarke and I. "If you want to know who on the Ark wants you dead." 

 We fell into silence for a minute, my heart racing so fast I was sure they could hear it. The chancellor looked down, and then back up at us. I thought I saw Clarke's lips curve into a smile, but she turned her head before she could see. 

 "Bellamy Blake you are pardoned for your crimes." 

 I released a breath that I didn't know I was holding, and my shoulders sagged in relief. A grin spread across Bellamy's bloody face,  a smile of pure happiness that made my heart jolt. 

 "Now." Jaha's voice was stern, like he was scolding us for information, "tell me who gave you that gun." 

***

"Unity juice!" An exuberant grin covered Jasper's face as he ran from the Drop Ship, a large jug of liquid above his head. "Who's thirsty?" 

 He was met with yells of appreciation from the delinquents, as he was swarmed for the alcohol. I stood of to the side, rubbing my arms. It was cold, and I was more grateful then ever that Raven found me a long-sleeved shirt. It was a little tight, but it worked. 

The chancellor's voice echoed around the camp, but nobody was listening. It was Unity Day, and apparently the way we do it on the ground is underage drinking. 

 "Nathan Masteron!" Jasper jogged over, waving a cup of clear liquid in my face. "You gotta have some of this! It'll be good for you!" 

 I took the cup, having no intention of drinking the moonshine in it. It smelled too strong, and I didn't want to be poisoned again.  "Uh, I'm good!"

 "Come on, Nattie!" 

 I furrowed my eyebrows at the suspiciously girly-sounding nickname. 

 "It's really good!" He drew out the really, his words slurring together. "I'm not leaving you alone until you try-" 

 I rolled my eyes, bringing the cup to my lips and draining it. I pulled it away, grimacing and screwing my eyes shut at the burning sensation that traveled down my throat. "Ugh, that's disgusting." 

 I guess it worked though, my head felt lighter, and the pain in my stomach was barely noticeable. I'm super lightweight when it comes to drinking, maybe because I don't do it much, maybe it's because I actually have never done it and I just said the first reason so I don't look like a loser... who knows? 

 "Yay! I'll get you another one!" Jasper bounded off into the crowd, and I shook my head, blinking to try and get rid of the light-headed feeling. Jasper re-appeared, and shoved another cup in my hand. I downed it without even thinking, and as soon as I set it back down, I burst into a round of vivacious laughter. I immediately covered my mouth with my hand, unsure where that came from. Is this what happens when you're drunk? Everything becomes hilarious? Jasper flashed me a thumbs up, before flouncing away. 

 I laughed again, sighing and relishing the light-headed feeling when I realized it wasn't going away. I liked this, I felt alive. 

"Bellamy!" I spotted the familiar figure in the crowd, and I walked over, tripping slightly and grabbing the shoulder of some random person to stay upright. Bellamy's eyebrows shot up so high I was surprised they didn't fly off his face. Ha! That was hilarious, I am on a roll! "Omigosh, your face looks like a painting." 

 I reached my hand up, tracing his jawline in wonder. He looks so surreal, and beautiful. I don't understand how someone so annoying could be so hot. "It's not fair! Your hair is so smooth." I reached up because I wanted to touch it, earning a light blush and a smirk from the boy in front of me. 

 "Are you drunk, Nate?" 

 "No." I shook my head, before feeling another laugh bubble in my chest. That was funny, and a lie. "Kidding!" 

 "Did you just lie to me?" He teased, poking my stomach (being careful to avoid the stitches) and making me pull my hands from his hair and giggle. 

 "No!" I poked his stomach back, and a small, adorable laugh slipped past his lips. "I never lie." 

 "Except that you just did." 

 "Oops." I stared up at the sky, blinking and trying to relish my moment of peace, The stupid chancellor wouldn't stop talking.  "Shut up! We know it's Unity Day, you already said!" 

 Another familiar face traipsed into our group, and I grinned, hugging Clarke as tight as I could without pulling my stitches. "Clarke! You're finally here!" 

 "I never left." the blonde muttered, taking a step back and looking me over, "Nate are you drunk?"

 "What is that, the question of the day?" I threw my hands up in exasperation, befuddled by the idea that everyone could tell I was drinking. Barely, I am not exactly your 'party' kind of guy. "Teen drinking is wrong!" 

 "Then why were you doing it?" 

 "Shut up, Bellamy!" I rolled my eyes, although I was smiling against my own will. I laughed again, that weird high pitched giggle that made me slap my hand over my mouth. Bellamy looked amused to say the least. 

"No, Nate I really need to talk to you, it's important." 

 "I can talk." 

 "I need you to remember what we spoke about." She groaned, pulling at her hair in annoyance. Why is she so worried? I'm not even drunk, everyone is just being super funny. 

  "Okay, here." She grabbed a cup from someone's hand, and handed it to me. "Drink this." 

 I smelled the cup, and recoiled, scrunching my nose. "What the ever-loving hell is that?"

 "Something that will make you better!" She grinned, talking slow like I was some sort of stupid three year old. "It's actually super good!" 

 "Yeah, delicious." Bellamy, whom I forgot was still here, smirked. Clarke shot him a very sharp look, and I weighed my options. What did I have to lose? I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip, immediately gagging at whatever the hell was in there. Clarke smiled to herself as I turned and emptied whatever was left in my stomach on the grass. I groaned as a sharp headache sprung up, and my throat burned. That was the second time I threw up in front of Bellamy, and I wasn't thrilled about it. I also wasn't thrilled at how my head cleared and everything sunk back into the unfortunate, focused, reality.

 "You poisoned me, asshole!" I gasped, pointing to Clarke, spitting to try and rid my mouth of that disgusting taste. Uh, I am never drinking again. 

 "Well this is important! And Jasper got to you before I could." 

 "I like Jasper!" I complained. "I thought when you drink you have to like, sleep it off." 

 "Or you could just puke." 

 "Yeah, got that." 

 Clarke grabbed my arm, dragging me away from Bellamy. I wasn't complaining, I guess drunk Nate tells the truth, no matter how awkward it is to tell a straight guy you think his hair was smooth... that doesn't even make sense, ugh! I am totally gonna jump off a cliff now. 

 "Finn wants to take an alliance with the Grounders." She said as soon as we were out of earshot. My eyes widened. Finn wants an alliance? With the people who stabbed him? 

 "Well, that's.... dumb." 

 "I don't think so." She spoke quickly, like she was afraid I would cut her off. "I mean think about it! If we aren't fighting with these people, then we won't have to worry about fighting with them, and we can survive." 

 "How can we get an audience with them?" I asked the obvious question, shifting on my feet as Clarke opened the gate and guided me out. "I mean, I don't count them as the most, er, friendly neighbors out there." 

"Finn took care of it. We are meeting at the bridge at first light..." She paused, "And I want you to be there to talk to them with me." 

 "What?" I blanched, "Me? Why me?" 

 "Because they hurt you." She actually jumped when she said that, her eyes searching my face for any tone of indifference. I didn't show one, so she continued, "one of theirs hurt you, so if you show that you don't hold it against them, it can show that we are reasonable, and that we don't want revenge... or fighting." 

 I clenched my teeth, running through this scenario in my pounding head. "Okay, so you want me to walk up there, with you, and tell them that I'm cool they kicked me, and slashed me, and poisoned me?" 

 Clarke paused, "yes." 

 "But I'm not!" I laughed lightly, although the situation wasn't all that funny. "I mean, I'm the kinda guy who gets pissed off when he gets killed!" 

 "You can't be that guy today," Clarke's icy blue eyes hardened, and she grabbed onto my arm tighter then what I would deem necessary. "You need to be forgiving! You forgave me, you can forgive them!" 

 "You mean I can forgive the random chick that literally murdered me?" 

 Again, a pause, "yes." 

 "Oh my-" I trailed off, wishing I was back at camp being stupid with Jasper. I sighed, seeing no way for me to get out of this. 

 "I'm going to bed, wake me up when we have to go."