❝ 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹,
𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 ❞
- 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀

𝗔𝘃𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩

After walking for a good half an hour I'm suddenly pushed up against a tree. Bellamy covers my mouth with his hand and I look at him in confusion.

"Oh, Charlotte! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Murphy's voice sings and my eyes widen.

Their footsteps get closer and Bellamy looks around for a way out but there is none. I hear a twig snap and I panic, pulling Bellamy's hand off my mouth and he looks at me in confusion.

"I'm sorry" I whisper before crushing my lips onto his.

Bellamy freezes in shock but quickly recovers, kissing me back and pushing my back against the tree. His hands grab my waist tightly and I wind my arms around his neck.

I get so lost in the kiss that I don't even realise people there until somebody speaks up.

"Get a room!" A guy yells, causing Bellamy and I to snap our heads to look at the group.

Murphy's laughs comes to an abrupt end when he sees it's me.

"A-Ava?" He stutters in disbelief.

"Hi, Murph" I breathe out, taking a step towards him and away from Bellamy whose arms slip away from my waist.

"You're sneaking around with Bellamy Blake?" Murphy spits in anger but I see the hurt in his eyes which makes a guilty feeling bubble up inside my chest.

Although I feel guilty for hurting his feelings, i'd rather him think that Bellamy and I are hooking up rather than searching for the same thing they are.

"I'm sorry" I apologise but he scoffs.

"You're not sorry at all. You're living for this, you always have" He accuses me and I look at him in disbelief.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I question him, hoping to stall him and figure out what he's talking about at the same time.

"I may have hurt you, Ava, but I didn't turn you into the monster you are. It's always been in you, hiding under those fake smiles and happy giggles. You won't admit it but you are cold blooded and heartless. That's the real reason I did what I did. You are batshit crazy" Murphy rants and I stand there speechless.

"You may pretend to be a happy little girl with no problems, but you've got demons that could scare a grown man. It's sad because you don't see how broken you really are, gorgeous" Murphy taunts me and I feel my eyes glaze over with hurt.

"You're just hurt. You don't mean that, Murphy" I shrug him off.

"Get out of my sight" He seethes and i'm taken aback.

"What?" I whisper breathlessly.

"Get out of my damn sight, Ava!" He roars and I stumble backwards.

I give him once last glance before grabbing Bellamy's hand and dragging him deeper into the forest. I wordlessly walk through the forest, speed walking in front of Bellamy so I don't have to look him in the eyes and explain whatever had just happened.

My hand is grabbed and I try to pull it out Bellamy's grip but he pulls me back and turns me to face him.

"What the hell was that?" Bellamy demands.

"I don't wanna talk about it" I grumble and he frowns.

"You can talk to me" He assures me.

I look down at his feet and he sighs, putting his finger under my chin and lifting it up.

"What are friends for?" He smiles and I snort.

I let out a sigh and walk away from him. He catches up to me and I glance over at him to see him looking around for Charlotte.

"Murphy and I have history" I state, continuing to look for the young girl as we talk.

"That much is obvious. What kind of history?" Bellamy asks.

"He was my boyfriend" I reply and Bellamy looks at me in surprise.

"I've known Murphy since we were kids. He always picked on me, and I was a troublesome kid so naturally I'd retaliate. Murphy and I got together when I was fourteen. He told me he was in love with me and I believed him. We were happy, or so I thought anyways. It was our one year anniversary when I walked in on him with some girl. He told me it was a mistake and that he was scared but I knew it was bullshit" I rant and Bellamy listens patiently.

"Now he says he fucked with my head because I'm cold blooded and heartless? Because I've got demons? I was a mess after he fucked everything up! I got myself locked up for fuck sake! If it wasn't for that asshole I'd still be up on the Ark with Raven and I'd probably have went on to be a doctor like my mom or a mechanic like my dad, but no! I'm down here trudging through mud to look for a twelve year old that murdered the Chancellor's son!" I finish my rant and glare at nothing in particular.

"It's not that bad down here" Bellamy shrugs.

"I know. I'm sorry for taking this out on you" I apologise and Bellamy looks at me with a small smile.

"Don't let what he said bother you, sunshine. We've all got demons, and for what it's worth, I think you're great" He tells me and walks ahead, causing me to grin softly.

"Hey, Bellamy?" I call out.

"Yeah?" He answers turning to me.

"Thank you" I say gratefully and he shrugs.

"Anytime" He replies with a warm smile.

I take a step forward but then I hear a twig snap and both our heads look in the direction of the noise. Bellamy puts his finger over his lips and I nod following him silently.

We hide behind a large tree and I poke my head out to see Charlotte running alone. Bellamy snatches her, causing her to scream but I slap my hand over her mouth.

"Shh" I whisper

"Charlotte! You can't hide forever!" I hear Murphy yell and I grab Bellamy, pulling him away.

"Don't worry. We won't hurt you!" Another voice shouts.

We run, Bellamy dragging a very unhappy Charlotte behind us until she starts fighting back.

"Let me go!" Charlotte snaps.

"I'm trying-" Bellamy is cut off when Charlotte let's out a small screech.

"Hey! Hey!" I hiss.

"I'm trying to help you" Bellamy snaps.

"I'm not your sister. Just stop helping me!" Charlotte shouts in Bellamy's face and I look at her in disbelief.

She slips out of Bellamy's grip and races off but I chase after her in concern.

"I'm over here!" She screams and I grab her ungrateful ass, throwing her to Bellamy.

"Are you trying to get us all killed?!" He huffs at her.

"Just go, okay? I'm the one they want!" She argues.

"Listen here, missy" I snap in irritation, grabbing her by the collar "I'm not leaving you here, Bellamy isn't leaving you here. Stop being so damn stupid and just stay quiet!"

"Please, Ava" She whimpers.

My grip loosens and my face softens but it hardens again when she tries to make another run for it. Bellamy grabs her, throwing her over his shoulder but she screams louder than before.

"Murphy, i'm here!" She screeches as we run through the forest.

"Come on out, Charlotte! Come on out!" Murphy barks.

"Faster, Bellamy!" I snap, speeding up.

"No! No! Murphy!" Charlotte screams.

"Shut up!" I yell at the obviously suicidal girl.

"Charlotte!" Murphy shouts, sounding closer than before.

"Put me down!" Charlotte shrieks.

"Charlotte!" He yells again, this time from right behind us.

Bellamy stops dead, putting the girl down and I groan when I see why. We're at a cliff, a dead end and there's nowhere left to run to.

"Damn it" Bellamy curses.

"Bellamy! Ava!" Murphy barks, emerging from the trees with his crew.

"You can't fight all of us. Give her up" Murphy reasons.

"Maybe not, but I guarantee i'll take a few of you with me" Bellamy replies and I shake my head.

"Bellamy! No!" Clarke shouts and she emerges from the trees with Finn.

She opens her mouth to talk but I refuse to let her start another war so slowly approach Murphy.

"This has gone too far, Murphy. Just calm down and we can talk things out, okay? Don't do anything you'll regret" I reason with the boy I once loved.

He nods and I sigh in relief, putting on a smile. I turn to see Charlotte but I'm grabbed and a sharp knife is held against my throat.

"I'm sick of listening to you talk" Murphy snarls into my ear.

"Let her go!" Finn barks.

"I will slit her throat!" Murphy threatens.

"No, please! Please don't hurt her!" Charlotte begs.

"Don't hurt her?" Murphy asks and I feel his knife dig into my throat.

"Okay, i'll make you a deal. You come with me right now, I will let her go" Murphy bargains, tapping my shoulder with his other hand.

"Don't do it, Charlotte!" I hear Clarke yell.

"Listen to blondie, Lottie! Stay right where you are!" I plead with the young girl.

Charlotte tries to walk towards us but Bellamy grabs her.

"No! No, I have to!" Charlotte argues.

Bellamy straightens the girl out and turns back to us.

"Murphy, this is not happening" Bellamy declares and Murphy's knife slices into my skin making me grit my teeth in pain.

"I can't let any of you get hurt anymore" Charlotte cries and I feel a tear run down my cheek.

"Not because of me. Not after what I did" She adds.

She runs backwards and I slip out of Murphy's grip, his knife cutting me more but I don't even care.

"Charlotte!" I cry out in horror as she jumps off the cliff.