The 100 | 1x1 w/ kellybelly1403

[senna_]

Jaylen Myers | location· forest → lake
tags· specifically clarke, mentions whole group
With his hands deep inside his pockets, Jay trailed behind the group, keeping his gaze down, as if the mud below him was the most fascinating thing around. In all fairness, it was something quite new to the eye, so it wouldn't appear odd if someone caught him watching the ground. He refused to look up at Vera, who was most likely fuming at this point. Did she have a right to feel that way? He supposed so, for her anger took them way back, and she *had* said her thanks... It still didn't feel right, yet Jaylen refused to say anything.

He carried on walking.

The whole choking incident seemingly flew right over his head, which was a bit unusual. By the time Jay had processed what had happened, everything had already drifted forward, and he found himself falling behind once more. It wasn't long before they reached a small lake. Its surface was almost an aqua colour, nearly see-through from where Jay stood. Within minutes, people were stripping down and hopping in. He couldn't find Vera at that point, and assumed she had either taken off or went with the rest into the water. He desperately hoped it was the second option.

Finding Clarke- the girl who had stepped up right from the get-go- near a large boulder, Jaylen walked over, hands still resting in his pants' pocket. "I can take watch," he offered her. "I'm not going in." He held her gaze for a brief moment to show he was serious before walking in. It wasn't long after that that he noticed she had been dragged in by a boy, and decided to take her spot on the boulder. Taking a seat, he allowed his legs to hang off the side, keeping an alert eye out. After Vera's incident, Jay had a feeling it was going to be difficult to get his happiness back up for the remainder of the day.




Finn Collins | location· forest → lake
tags· eli, clarke
It seemed as though the choking was more of an act than anything else. Finn, who was usually fairly open to light-hearted comments and overall teasing, wasn’t impressed. His dark eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, lips parted as he stepped away from Eli, who had an overbearingly large grin on his lips.

“Not cool, man,” he added, his tone a mumble in comparison to Clarke’s sharp tone. He wasn’t the leader, and Clarke clearly said what she had to say (even though it wasn’t much verbally) to smarten Eli up, so Finn didn’t feel he needed to say anything more. His dark eyes lingered on the boy a moment longer, almost as it to assure himself that it was all a prank, then swiveled on his heel and walked away. His heart rate was still up, thumping rapidly against his rib cage. He really did fear they’d experience a potential death just then. Perhaps it was a stupid assumption, but this entire place gave him the creeps. Nobody could be too relaxed.

Ironically enough, however, the moment Finn set eyes on the lake in front of them, that precaution vanished. He felt like a kid in a candy store at that moment, his eyes wide and excited, a giddy smile on his face. Octavia was right in with the questions, and Finn’s gaze settled on Clarke as he awaited a response. He was more than willing to hop right in, but Octavia asked, so he’d let her have the first go at it. He waited until she popped herself into the clear blue water before abandoning Clarke’s side. As if to purposely make sure she was pleased, Finn grabbed a water bottle and catch her eye as he filled it, then tightened the lid and tossed it aside, just barely missing the backpack he’d first pulled it from. By now, quite a few people had hopped into the lake. The air was a little chilly, but Finn knew that his shirt wouldn’t dry anytime soon if he swam with it on, and he didn’t have a spare, so he reluctantly peeled it off, tossing it near the water bottle before merging into the water. It was lukewarm and comforting, and with a contented sigh, Finn waded further in. It didn’t take long for him to realize Clarke was still on the Earth’s surface, looking a bit hesitant. A cheeky gleam caught in his eye, and he swam over to where a bunch of boulders lay, pulling himself up and out of the water. He was silent as he walked over to Clarke, expression giving away very little.

“C’mon Princess, loosen up a bit!” he grinned before lightly pushing on her upper back, spending her flying backward into the water. He threw back his head with a gleeful laugh. “And there ya have it!” He edged closer to the boulder, peering down at her. “Look out, I’m coming back in.” With that being said, he dove back in, closing his eyes just before his head dipped under the surface of the water. He stayed under another second or two, enjoying the fresh feeling of the water, then pulled back up for some air. “It’s not that bad, Clarke, I promise!”

[senna_]

Vera Walters || Locations: Lake
Tagging: Clarke’s group

Reflections from the sun made the river appear shimmery as Vera let out a sigh of relief when the water covered her tense body. Her mind completely clear and attentive to the things around her, yet tuned out the sounds of the group and as she moved through the clear water, it almost seemed as if she was moving in slow motion, like something you would see in a movie.

The girl ran her fingers through her wet wavy hair, now listening to the excited screams her group is letting out. Vera didn’t understand why they needed to yell to show they were having fun, but then again sometimes you just can’t contain yourself. The girl that took charge, Clarke, was now in the water due to Finn pushing her. She didn’t seem too happy about it at first but after a while, she seemed to relax with them as well. Vera kept to herself while the others played in the water, swimming after each other and pulling each other down into the water. She was never huge on noisy activities but she had to admit that looked fun. She debated whether or not to join their game but it only just acquired to her that the water was clear, therefore revealing her body and the scars on her thighs. No one knew about them, and to be honest, she forgot them as well. It was part of her past she hated but could no longer fix or change. At the time, it felt good at the time but the results of her cutting remained on her forever and did not do her justice on what she wanted. All she could do was try and forget.

Vera slowly swam back to the shore as the others still played in the water. She had nothing else to do, she really only wanted to rinse off the grim from the Ark and the crash and to relax as much as possible, but her feeling relaxed didn’t last long. Nothing in her life does. The ginger pulled herself out of the water and noticed Jay sitting against a tree. *Why wasn’t he in the water* She wondered before heading to grab her clothes that were also against a tree.



Clarke Griffin || Location: Lake
Tagging: Finn, Clarke’s group

The annoyed look on Clarke’s face said it all, but it didn’t last long when the look of relief replaced that. As much as she did not want to be in the water, especially in her clothes, it felt amazing. The water surrounded her with a hug like feeling, allowing any tension to be melted away. She turned to the brunette, “You know you could have waited for me to take off my clothes before pushing me in.” The blonde said with annoyance in her voice with a hint of sarcasm. She reached down and untied her shoes that were still on her feet and placed them out in the sun to dry as well as her shirt and pants. They still had a ways to go and hiking in soaked runners would not be comfortable, neither would her wet clothes. The blonde knew that they would be nowhere near dry when they leave again but it was better than just walking in complete wetness. Clarke then walked back to the group and drove right in. Feeling her hair flow through the water as she swam under the others brought her peace. When she broke through the surface, someone started a game of TAG. Eli chased after Octavia before tagging her foot and taking off. Just then Clarke remembered why they were out here in the first place. “Guys, I hate to break the fun but we can’t spend our whole time here. We still need to find Mt. Weather and bring supplies back to the Dropship before sundown.” She announced. “We can stay here for another 5 minutes but then we need to get going.”


Elijah Lively || Location: Lake
Tagging: Clarke's group, Octavia

Eli just rolled his eyes at all the comments everyone made, especially Clarkes. Can’t they just loosen up and have fun? He was obviously joking around, he didn’t mean any harm. He understood why they were saying the things they were saying because seeing someone choke is terrifying, and if he was in their situation he would probably react the same way but he wasn’t. But the way Clarke was saying he wasted time, the brunette couldn’t wrap around his head. How did he waste time? It’s not like anyone is dying back at the dropship that they NEED to get back as soon as possible with supplies, right? Everyone can easily camp out a few nights, gather freshwater they find as well as food, make any weapons and supplies they need. They learned all these skills back at their Earth Surviving classes. It’s not like they just got thrown into a new world not knowing anything about this world…

Elijah just zoned out into his thoughts having an argument and trying to figure out why everyone was so uptight when they arrived at an open spot with a lake. The scenery was beautiful. So calm and peaceful. Before he knew it, everyone started getting into the crystal blue water. He watched as they ran into the water with just their undergarments. He quickly tossed his clothes and shoes away and ran to a drop-off and jumped. “CANON BALL!!” He yelled before making a huge splash. He stayed under for a good amount of time, just enjoying the feeling of being free. The water was at the perfect temperature. Eli came up just before he ran out of air, “Ah, this is the life.”



Bellamy Blake || Dropship
Tagging: Natalia

Bellamy half smiled at her comment. “No no, you don’t look bad at all.” He was telling the truth, the dark circles were barely visible. He only recognized them because his mother used to have those every night. She could never sleep, and he hated that. Bell loved his mom dearly, he watched as she slowly killed herself by not eating or sleeping. He blamed the guard that knocked her up for her mental health issues. She was perfectly fine before him, but night after night the same guard would come into their room and r@pe his mother. That’s how his little sister came to be. And then sixteen years later his mother got floated after Octavia was discovered. He blamed himself for that. If Bellamy never invited O to the gala, she would have never been found and his mother might be still alive.

Natalia brought him out of his thoughts, “Hm?” The brunette met her eyes. “You know, tonight you’re welcome to share the blankets with me. There is plenty of room.” He said smoothly. He didn’t care if she meant her words in a harsh way, she had a good point. ”If it makes you feel better, we can hitch up some more tents tonight for others with the tarps and rope we have in the ship? That way there is more shelter.” He spoke, then noticed the worry in her eyes. “I’m sure everything will be alright.” Bellamy didn’t sense anything wrong with this place like she did, but he wanted to comfort her as much as he could.

[senna_]

Jaylen Myers | location· lake
tags· Vera
It was evident that Clarke was rather hesitant to give up her position, but Jay knew she’d eventually cave. It seemed Finn had the same mindset, given the way he quite literally dragged his female friend into the crystal blue water. A small, ghostly smile played at the corner of Jay’s lip. He didn’t know the blonde very well at all, and had a feeling that if a friendship was laid out they probably wouldn’t be super close, but he could tell she needed a small break. The dark circles under her eyes visibly showed her stress, and she was seemingly dragging herself along on her last breath. This little game the swimmers were playing would hopefully recharge her battery.

Jay himself was more than happy to avoid the water. It wasn’t like he had an issue with it, per se, but he had no interest. His mood had drastically dipped from Vera’s outburst this morning, and he didn’t want to participate in anything fun. He wasn’t sure why it affected him so much. Every interaction with Vera resulted in a hurt heart, but he pushed onward anyway. Jay wasn’t usually a very stubborn person, and admittedly, it still surprised him now and then when his body automatically went to her. She felt like home to him, even despite the hatred she visibly portrayed when he was around her. He couldn’t help but wonder how much longer it would take before he eventually broke.

On the thought of Vera, Jay’s eyes flickered upward, and ironically enough, he happened to catch her just as she was wading towards the shore. He silently hoped the shadows of the tree he was leaning on would hide his person enough so that his staring wasn’t super obvious. He couldn’t quite figure out the look on her face, but her earlier frown had vanished. She wasn’t smiling, but Jay knew she was no longer angered, either.

His breath caught in his throat a second later.

He didn’t mean to let his eyes roam her body, for he had zero intentions or thoughts of anything other than a concern for her being, but the scars caught him off guard. His blood ran cold, and goosebumps appeared on his arms. When she was closer, he could tell they were most certainly scars from self-harm. Jay couldn’t take his eyes off of the markings. What had she done? When had that happened? Every moment they spent in the Ark was a moment of happiness. Had things drastically changed that much after they went their own ways? He was quick to tear his eyes away once he realized she was heading in his direction, but he admittedly didn’t doubt she saw his lingering gaze. Still, Jay awkwardly cleared his throat once she was in earshot, his dark eyes focused hard on the shimmery body of water before them. “How’s the water?”



Finn Collins | location· lake
tags· Clarke
A grin, visibly cheeky yet still hearty and genuine, lit up Finn’s face at Clarke’s reaction. The pretty water had definitely had a positive effect on everyone who had entered. What about it was not to love? It was lukewarm, the temperature that didn’t make things uncomfortable, and the top of it shimmered elegantly. It was a pocket of peace. His eyes sparkled mischievously at Clarke’s grumble of a comment. Her tone was low, but Finn could tell she was merely joking.

“I didn't think you were that bold, princess,” he drawled in response, raising a brow. “Didn’t take you to be a girl who’d strip for a guy who shows interest within a day.” He snickered cheekily, dipping his head back as she parted from him to remove her soaking articles of clothing. He had kept his t-shirt on for comfort, and although it hugged his body to such a degree that he even found himself having slight difficulties catching his breath when physically swimming, the material didn’t make it heavy or unbearably uncomfortable. There was a good line of clothing on the shore, though. Thankfully, nobody else was around to snatch it up. Things were much different here on Earth.

He pushed himself upright as the pretty blonde returned, wading peacefully in the water. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Eli and Octavia harmlessly splashing around. Finn found it amusing, but the blank look on Clarke’s face said otherwise.

“Clarke, relax,” he told her, his tone quieter, more sincere. “The sun’s only just gone up. We’ll have plenty of time to explore.” He left out the fact that he was sure that come the near future they probably wouldn’t often have a lot of downtime, since the reason they were down here was to survive and make a living. He didn’t need to stress her out any more than she already was.



Octavia Blake | location· lake
tags· Eli
Octavia hadn't really made any other comments after she asked Clarke for permission. She had been quick to catch onto the awkward tension between the blonde and her beloved brother, and although she knew she'd most likely side with her brother over Clarke if she had to- that was the sibling code, right?- she didn't at all mind the girl. That being said, Octavia also had no interest in leading or making any formal decisions, so she was simply basing Clarke off of her overall personality, not her leadership skills. A large grin spread across her lips at her granted request, and she dashed off towards the water, quickly removing her top layer of clothes for further comfort. A girlish giggle escaped her lips as she slid into the water. It lapped at her legs pleasantly, and she instantly felt more relaxed. She didn't go much further until she was sure some more of them were joining, but once she got that confirmation, Octavia dipped her whole body underwater. The feeling made her feel free, alive. It was so different from the Ark. She felt as though she had finally begun her life as a free girl.

She rose up to the surface a moment later, brushing back the small black hairs that had decided to stick to the sides of her face. The tips of her hair floated around her shoulders like unhealthy seaweed, tickling her bare skin every now and then. A gasp escaped her lips as the back of her body was sprayed with water, and she spun around as quickly as she could against the current. Eli had just jumped into the water, and she was sure he had gotten nearly all of them. A smile landed on her features when she caught onto his comment. It really was the life, wasn't it?

She wasn't expecting him to chase after her a moment later, and Octavia roared with laughter as he tagged her. Given her living circumstances, Octavia hadn't ever had the opportunity to play childish games like tag, and this was a total joy for her. She kicked off after he tagged her heel and began making her way back over to him. "Be scared, Eli," she teased. "You're going to wish you'd never done that."



Natalia Beckett | location· outside dropship
tags· Bellamy
Even if the boy was lying about her appearance, his words were enough to relieve Natalia. She, in all honesty, didn't have much of a care in terms of what she looked like physically, but it was still nice to have that thought in mind. She didn't have any professional job like he or Clarke, so she supposed she could have hidden in the shadows if worst came to worst.

Things had quieted down for a bit, and when Nat glanced over at him, she could tell he was in memory lane. A thoughtful look had cast upon his features, yet his lips formed a tight line, touching on a frown. Something was evidently bothering him, but before she could ask him if everything was alright, he snapped out of it and returned his attention to her. Embarrassed, for Nat had stepped closer to tap his shoulder to get his attention, she quickly shuffled back to give them both a good amount of personal space.

"That might make others feel a bit safer," she agreed a moment later. She hated to admit it, but she was pleasantly surprised by his suggestion regarding the tents. Natalia didn't have a bad feeling about him, but she couldn't help but feel he was the type who would run to save himself before helping a bunch of strangers if a situation brought that on. She didn't say that aloud, though. She wanted to prove herself wrong.
It took her an extra second to comprehend his first comment, and she raised a brow, peering up at him as if she was attempting to read what was on his mind. "You're too kind," she responded, her tone touching on gentle sarcasm. "I think some of those blankets might be good in the tents you suggested putting up. Some people look like they're going to need them." Worry clouded over her gaze once more, and she pressed her lips together. "I'm serious. Some people are looking a lot paler today than when we first stepped foot here last night. I'm hoping it's just because there's such a big adjustment, but I can't be sure. We'll just have to be a bit more careful."

[senna_]

Vera Walters || Locations: Lake
Tagging: Jay

Vera walked awkwardly to her clothes, and the light breeze gave her goosebumps on her bare wet skin. Her brown eyes stayed looking on the ground as the feeling of someone watching her took way. Her pace picked up and the girl tried her very best to make it not obvious. When she made it to the tree where she had neatly folded her clothing, her eyes quickly drifted to where her old friend was. His facial expressions were now different from when they were moments ago. He wore a worried look. But why? Vera didn’t notice any possible reasoning for him to worry, at least she didn’t think so. She then tore her eyes away from him and resumed looking down at the ground. She put her clothes back on but her mind wandered trying to figure out the answer to his expression.

She was then snapped out of her thoughts. The ginger turned her head with a confused/worried look to where the voice came from. Jay. Even though he is the one constantly starting the conversation with her, he still manages to surprise her each time when he acknowledges her. “It’s refreshing,” Vera spoke softly answering his question tying her shoe in the process. “You should probably head in before we leave.” Even though she was no longer fond of and practically hated Jay, there was still a small bit of her that cared for him. Just by looking at him, she could see he was battling something, and she knew he needed to relax, even just for a second.




Clarke Griffin || Location: Woods
Tagging: Finn

Clarke glared at Finn’s comment. She knew he was teasing but did he really need to say that? Those were not her intentions whatsoever, nor did she ever think of that. So why did he need to say that? The blonde just left it at that, she didn’t have time to play whatever game he was trying to play with her. She just needed to rinse off, that’s it. As did the rest of the group but clearly they had other plans. She didn’t understand why no one cared about finding Mount Weather. It was in fact the only thing they actually knew about this place, and they were technically supposed to be there already but the dropship’s program was messed up and crashed. And even when that happened, no one seemed to care, they were only celebrating they survived. Which yes, she understood that, but there were two people who didn’t survive so how could they celebrate when they were killed. Clarke just really hoped back at the dropship they were being smart and not goofing off like they were here.

“I hope so. As much as I would like us to stay here Finn, we just can’t. We have no idea what we will run into and we need to save as much time as we can. We don’t have time to play around at every spot we find peaceful.” She told the brunette.




Elijah Lively || Location: Lake
Tagging: Octavia

Eli laughed as the girl swam after him. He wasn’t expecting The Girl Under The Floor to actually join him in a game, but he was grateful she did. They didn’t have anyone else who would join, Clarke and Finn were doing their own thing, Jay never got in the water, and Vera had just got out of the water. But he didn’t care. Honestly, if Octavia never joined him he would still be swimming around having a good all time.

The laughing continued as the chase flipped between the two of them. Tag after tag, the game got more intense. Water splashed everywhere and light cramps would come and go in his side. He heard what the blonde had to say but he didn’t care. If she really wanted to leave in five minutes she could, he was staying here. It’s not like anything bad could happen here. Right?

Just then, the brunette felt something bump his leg, and he stopped in his tracks. Octavia still swimming away from him giggling. His stomach turned and Eli began treading frantically, turning his head side to side and dunking it in the water. He saw nothing. “Guys!! Guys!!” He shouted trying to get their attention. “There is something in the water!! Something big!”




Bellamy Blake || Dropship
Tagging: Natalia

Bell raised his eyebrow at her response. “Your lost.” He said simply with a shrug. It didn’t seem to mind him that Natalia didn’t want to join him, he didn’t think she would. Although that doesn’t mean he will give up. She had a nice personality, so caring for others. He didn’t quite understand it. He was once like that too. All he was now was selfish and rude. Well, that’s what others called him. He tried not to believe it, most of the time he just laughed at those comments but once and a while he became soft. Vulnerable. He hated it. When that happens, he becomes cocky. He is already hot headed but since he doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions he becomes more so.

“You know...there is such a thing as body heat. We don’t have blankets for everyone. Especially those loonatics who left us for some mountain.” He pointed out where the group left not long ago. He was still quite annoyed with the girl who took charge. She had no business talking to everyone the way she did. Thinking that she is better than everyone. But then again, she’s privileged. And those who are privileged automatically have a higher place than the working class. Bellamy never understood that, and he was going to change that. He tuned back in when she spoke moments after him. “Okay okay.” He said in a softer tone. “I’ll get some guys to get the tarps up as soon as possible. And I’ll spare as many blankets as I can. Give them to the weak that is. Do you know anyone down here who knows how to treat the sick?”

[senna_]

Jaylen Myers | location· lake
tags· Vera
Jay drew a knee up to his chest, cringing ever-so-slightly at the scratchy sound of the soles of his shoes against the loose pebbles. He rested his chin on the top of his knee, forcing his gaze to remain lingering on the sparkling blue liquid. It took everything in his power not to turn his head even a few inches in the direction of Vera. He wasn't too sure if she wanted to talk or not, but given where she had stopped to retrieve her clothes and where he was currently sitting, it would have been even more awkward if they carried on silently. He didn't turn to look at her until he was sure she had finished speaking. The rustling of her clothes' fabric had come to a halt, indicating she was back in her normal attire, and silence had begun to sweep over them.

Her tone was quiet, soft, unlike anything he had heard the past few months. It was oddly surprising, in a refreshing sort of way. Vera used to be pretty loud with him back when they shared a close friendship, almost to such a degree that Jay was often on the verge of shushing her to avoid getting in trouble, so her gentle tone was a big change. However, it wasn't cold nor angered, and he'd take it to be a good start. Baby steps, some could say. He could only hold his breath and pray that wouldn't wear off in a few moments.

"Clarke seemed pretty anxious to get going," he responded in a settled tone, flickering his gaze over to her momentarily. Her ginger hair was sleek, on the edge of a fiery red now. She looked at peace. It had been ages since he saw that look. "I don't think getting in the water now would cheer her up." He gave a shrug of his shoulders, straightening his back against the tree stump. "Maybe some other time, though. Seemed nice to just have some time to yourself there, though, hm?"



Finn Collins | location· lake
tags· Clarke
Clarke was conflicted, Finn could see it in the way she carried herself. Her expression was puzzling. It lacked the anger and visible anxiety she was dealing with earlier that morning, but her eyes weren't shining with pure joy, either. Moreover, she wasn't revealing *nothing,* either. He wished he could tell what was going on in her mind. He didn't know her very well, but something about her drew him in.

"I know," he simply said a moment later. It was truthful, too; he knew they had to eventually get going, but he longed for a few more minutes of peace. He didn't know how she grew up, but until the last few months of being in the Ark, Finn was used to hanging about and relaxing. It was a bit of a difficult transition for him.

He returned his gaze onto her. Her grey eyes were staring back at him, but Finn could tell she wasn't completely focused on his person. Her golden blonde hair weaved peacefully around her neck and shoulders, and a few cheeky pieces stuck to her temples. Gently, Finn shifted his weight, then quickly reached up and brushed some of the hairs out of her eyes. Startlingly, the touch gave him a quick flash-back of Raven, and he quickly pulled back his hand. However, before he had the chance to even reflect on his emotions, a feminine screech pulled his attention elsewhere. Worry flashed in his gaze at the large splashes on the other side of the water, but he couldn't make out what was being said, or even what was happening.

"Who is that?" he asked Clarke, squinting his eyes in an attempt to see better. Despite the calmness in his tone, his heart rate had begun to pick up. "Are they still just goofing off?"



Octavia Blake | location· lake
tags· Eli
It was nice to know that someone was up for some fun. Eli hadn't yet addressed her as the oddball, the girl who shouldn't have lived, or anything in between. He was watching and addressing her as if she was a normal human being, and it lightened her spirits. The glee she felt was overpowering- not only was she in this beautiful body of water, but she was with a cute boy with a sweet personality. Admittedly, Octavia was glad Bell hadn't tagged along. Although she was worried about him, she knew he'd have shut down her fun a long time ago. She appreciated his concern, but she was nearly an adult. She could handle herself.

Octavia dipped back underwater after she tagged Eli again, bursting towards the other side of the lake, where it lacked other bodies. It wasn't long before the splashing lessened, as if Eli had left her side. Confused, the girl began to tread water and glanced back around. Up ahead, Eli had begun to wave his hands around. For a second her heart felt like it stopped, but then, amused, she shook her head lightly. He was back at it with his tricks. She *had* mentioned how much more fun it would be to have the group in on the game, and it seemed this was his way of getting their attention. A small hum of a laugh escaped her lips.

Then she was pulled underwater. Octavia hadn't even had a second to process what had happened, but her mouth was filled with the salty liquid and her head was below the surface. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Frantic, she began whipping her arms around. The movement seemed to give her attacker a second to retreat, and Octavia quickly returned to the surface of the water, coughing and breathing heavily.

"Help me!" she screamed, then she was pulled back under.



Natalia Beckett | location· outside dropship
tags· Bellamy
Natalia furrowed her brows ever-so-slightly at his comment, shooting him a somewhat quizzing look. She hadn't thought anything bad by it, but it wasn't exactly her cup of tea. Not only was she a bit hesitant on the idea of being in close contact with someone else, she didn't really know Bellamy. For all she knew, he could be a spy, or something crazy. She highly doubted it, but anything was possible- with regards to all of them- and she wasn't ready to put herself in that position.

She flicked her bottom lip with her tongue, remaining silent for an extra moment or two. She did agree with Bellamy to some degree in terms of those who left the group so early on. She hadn't quite understood why the blonde wanted to leave before checking to make sure everyone was able to properly adjust to the Earth and its belongings, but she hoped she would reconsider. Yes, eventually Natalia wanted to reach their safe spot, but they needed time. There were far too many of them to simply pack up and leave so quickly, especially before they got a good taste of what Earth had to offer.

She didn't make a single comment about the body heat situation. Unless everyone was willing to pile on top of one another, it wasn't going to be enough. Natalia had paid particularly close attention to the history of Earth back on the Ark, and one thing that had caught her attention immensely had been the seasons. They seemed to have landed during some season other than winter, given the lack of snow, but it was only a matter of time before the days got chilly and the nights got even colder.

A beaming smile took over her previous pouted frown when he finally caved, and she peered up at him contentedly. "Thank you." She spoke softly, but it was evidently filled with gratitude. "I'll help, too. I'm not the strongest, but I'll do my best." Her smile turned shy at his last question, though with a hint of sadness as the image of her mother flashed in her mind. "I can. I just don't know what supplies were given to us on our way down."

[senna_]

Vera Walters || Locations: Lake
Tagging: Jay Mentioning: Octavia

Vera was hesitant to move closer to him as he carried on the conversation. The two of them weren’t super close together, but they were not far away either. The distance between them was just enough that they didn’t have to shout or raise their voice, but they didn’t need to be right next to each other. Around ten feet or so. The girl stood awkwardly as she listened to her old friend, her eyes looking everywhere but him, and she fidgeted with the bottom of her shirt. “I mean ya...I guess that’s true. You could at least just dip your hands in, and splash your face? The ginger suggested, quickly glancing over at Jay. She was now sitting on the ground with her knees to her chest, and her fingers playing with her wet hair, eventually put it in a french braid. “Um ya..” She paused. “It was nice. Would’ve enjoyed it more if it was quieter.” She answered as she looked over at the two teens playing.

Then she saw it.

A dark figure swimming in the water. Heading directly towards the same two teens she was once complaining about. Vera jumped up from her spot, her braid now loose. Her heart racing in fear. She moved closer to the shoreline and that's when Eli noticed the figure. As he warned everyone to get out, no one addressed him. It wasn’t like he was quiet about it either. He yelled it. Just then the girl was dragged under. Vera gasped. Everything was happening so fast. The rest of the group quickly swam back to land, except for one. Eli, swam out to save her.



Clarke Griffin || Location: Woods
Tagging: Finn, the group

Clarke could see the sadness in his eyes. He clearly didn’t want to leave, she didn’t blame him. If they didn’t need to get supplies from a mysterious place twenty miles out and bring it back to the others before nightfall, she would allow everyone to stay, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The surroundings of the lake were beautiful and peaceful. This place was perfect. Almost too perfect. Ever since they arrived on the Ground, Clarke has had an unsettling feeling. Almost as if something or someone was watching them. She didn’t like it. And if she spoke up about it no one would believe her. They alrighty didn’t like her as it is. Heaven forbid her mother is the head doctor, and her father was the senior environmental engineer and deputy resource officer before he was floated that is. She didn’t choose to be favourited, and she wishes she never was. Well, besides the perks of constantly knowing what was going on, and the education she received that others didn’t. But again it wasn’t like she chose that, if it was her choice she would have it so everyone would receive the same services.

Clarke’s focus was brought back by a soft touch, brushing the strands of hair out of her face. It startled her at first but then it relaxed her. Two deep brown eyes stared into hers, giving her goosebumps and butterflies. A feeling she never experienced before. But it quickly ended as he pulled away. She wasn’t sure why but the blonde wasn’t going to question it. It didn’t matter anyway. It meant nothing. Right?

The blonde was aware of Eli’s announcements but Clarke didn’t have time to deal with any more of his pranks. He should’ve learned not to pull any more, especially not when it involves a serious situation. Plus it was just about time to get a move on. Was that his way of keeping everyone in? Trying to get everyone worked up and curious about the water? They’ll never know. Just then, screams echoed the sky. Clarke turned to where the girl was, and she was gone. Only bubbles from where she was dragged were left. Her eyes were wide open, she now to treading frantically. “GO GO GO! Everyone out of the water!!” She ordered. And she too swam back. Once everyone was out, Clarke tried to think of something to help the girl, but still, in utter shock, she froze. Octavia still underwater, the blonde worried for her.




Elijah Lively || Location: Lake
Tagging: Octavia

Elijah’s heart rate picked up drastically as he saw the creature swim directly towards Octavia. “Octavia!! Look out! ”Without thinking he raced over, but he was too late, the girl was quickly dragged underwater, but that didn’t stop him. The brunette dove under the water and swam after the girl. His vision was blurry however and stung due to the water but he didn’t care. She was in danger. He tried reaching out to her but the creature kept twisting her around bringing her further away from Eli. He kicked harder and tried getting the creature's attention but that wasn’t working. As his chest began to tighten due to the lack of air, the creature released Octavia and swam quickly towards shore. He didn’t bother to see where that thing was going, Eli’s priority was the girl, and he quickly swam to her. When he reached her, he grabbed her waist and brought her up. He gasped for air as they broke the surface. Before moving, Eli looked around for the creature. Thankfully it wasn’t coming near them, but it wasn’t too far from where they were. “Come on. We gotta swim.” He said firmly. Still holding onto Octavia, he swam to a different part of the shore away from the creature.

As the two of them got closer to the shore, the creature began charging in their direction. Eli picked up the speed and raced to the shore. “GO! GO! GO!” She shouted, pushing her up onto the grass as he watched the shadow grow closer to him. As soon as Octavia was up, the brunette pulled himself out of the water right before the creature reached him. “Are you...are you okay?” He asked between breaths, looking down at her leg with cuts and now bruising.



Bellamy Blake || Dropship
Tagging: Natalia

Bellamy nodded in response. “We can start by grabbing the tarps and cloth in the dropship. Maybe we’ll find some more supplies while we dig through?” He suggested. The brunette wasn’t positive there would be extra supplies on the ship, mostly because they were put down here for an experiment and as punishment. So why would the guards think of packing extra or even any supplies for them? But it didn’t matter because everyone down on the ground didn’t need any help from the Ark. They could survive without them. Make a new life. A better life. Bellamy was glad they were sent down. He just hoped that the guards wouldn’t find out about the chancellor. In all fairness, it wasn’t his idea to shoot Jaha. He was ordered by one of the guards, the same guard that told him about the dropship. But if anyone on the Ark did find out, he’d be killed. That’s why he needed to find a way to not have the Ark come down here. What did Clarke say about the bracelets again?

The different tone Nat used caught him off guard. It was almost as she remembers something, but not in a good way. Her voice was still soft but now had sadness as well. “Okay...” He said softly, with a worried look on his face. “Whatever you need I’ll get it for you.” He finished with a small smile, hoping to bring one to her as well.

[senna_]

Jaylen Myers | location· lake
tags· Vera
Jaylen tilted his head in consideration at her suggestion, eyes focusing on the shoreline. That was possible, yes. He was sure a splash to the face would get him up and going again; his sleep had been horrendous, and admittedly, he could feel himself getting sleepier by the second. A new thought surged over the old a moment later, however, and a frown appeared on his face. Had she suggested he went to the water so that she could be alone again? Although he was there before she had, her clothes had technically claimed the spot. Did she want him gone? He hoped that was just his subconscious side taking into effect, as if he was truly worried about what damage he could potentially bring upon her by just talking, but he couldn't be sure. That being said, Vera had just taken a seat nearby, so she couldn't have possibly been that mad, right?

Swallowing hard, Jay let his gaze travel back onto her. "It's not a far walk from our campsite," he commented thoughtfully. "I bet with permission you could take someone out here and have some time to yourself." He didn't mean anything more than what he had said, although, once again, he began to overthink it once more and began fretting what would go down if she automatically assumed he was talking about them. It was strange, Jay was never an overthinker. It truly was crazy how much someone you love could change the ways of your mind.

He heard the scream at the same time Vera leaped to her feet. He, too, scrambled to stand upright, gaze slashing left and right as he looked for the victim. Not too far away, he could see a lot of splashing from the water, following by various gasps and panicked cries by the shore.

"Jeezus," he breathed, his heart rate picking up astronomically as he watched. There really wasn't much more he could do. Going into the water was suicide, and Finn and Clarke had already rushed towards the nearby boulders. His gaze snapped over to Vera, who was dangerously close to the shoreline. "V," he called out, unintentionally using the nickname he always called her before their fight, "Get back from there. I don't know what's in there, but I don't want it to grab you and drag you in." As much as he wanted to lunge forward, take her hand, and yank her back to safety, he knew better than to touch her. Calling out was as good as it was going to get for the time being.


Finn Collins | location· lake
tags· Clarke
Clarke was just as surprised as Finn was by his action, given the way she jolted back like a startled horse, but there was no time to act on it. The splashing had increased, and Finn was no longer convinced it was just harmless fooling around. Furthermore, Eli, the crazy brunette who had nearly scared the entire group half to death with his berry prank, was shouting, and screams were increasing. Finn whipped his head around, heart pounding, eyes wide and concerned, although still very puzzled. Then, all at once, the puzzle pieces flitted together and created the perfect image.

Octavia Blake was in trouble.

Clarke's screams brought him back to reality, and Finn swam as quickly as he could back to shore. Although he wanted nothing more than to rush over there and help, rather than take the long way back to shore, he knew that was troublesome on multiple different levels. Not only would it be quicker for him to run to the other side of the lake on two feet, but he didn't know what in the water was attacking the raven-haired girl, or how many more there were.

"Clarke!" Finn called out as soon as he was back on land. His eyes had scoped out some boulders near the treeline where Octavia struggled, and he knew that could do the trick. However, it seemed the blonde had already spotted the same thing. He took off after her in the direction of the large stones. They were way too large to carry, but he had a feeling with some muscle, he and Clarke could roll them out. A miracle seemed to have cast upon them, though, for by the time the two had reached the boulders, the screaming had died down. At first, Finn's panic surged and his mind automatically went to the worst scenario, but that quickly dissolved upon noticing Octavia by Eli's side. She was crouched low by the water's shore, but she was out. He snapped his head back towards the water's surface, eyes grazing over it for any sign of movement. "Do you see anything?" he asked Clarke, hopeful that she'd see more than him. The water was no longer crystal clear and smooth; waves had taken over, and it had turned to a navy blue. Blood drizzled through certain pockets, canceling out what was once a pretty sight. "You're right, we need to get out of here."


Octavia Blake | location· lake
tags· Eli
Octavia couldn't breathe. Every time she managed to split the surface, her mouth was engulfed by salty water, sending her into a coughing fit, then she was pulled under again. Her senses were unclear and she couldn't make out anything. She squeezed her eyes shut, aimlessly thrashing her legs around in an attempt to loosen the tight grip on her ankle. Oddly enough, she wasn't being pulled in any other direction than down, but there was no possible way she was going to escape this on her own. Unsure of where everyone else was or if anything had grabbed anyone else, she simply found herself focusing deeply on her panicked thoughts. She was going to die. She was getting weaker by the second, and the water was beginning to weigh her body down. She felt something snake around her waist, but her head felt heavy and her body weightless, and she gave up. There was nothing left inside of her that would fight back.

And then her head was above water once more. It took an extra second or two for Octavia to snap back into the moment, but once she realized where she was, she gasped, panting heavily from the lack of air in her body. The boy's voice was fuzzy, but she was able to make out enough of it to realize what he wanted. She did nothing more than offer a tiny
'mhm," but began kicking her legs, and soon enough, the feeling started to return to her body.

She was out of breath by the time they reached the shore, and Eli had to pull her up. Octavia laid limply as he pushed her onto the grass, resting the side of her head against it like it was a cushion. Her heart was still racing to such an extent that she could feel the throbbing in her throat. Her chest was sore and stinging, her body visibly shaky from the incident. But she was alive.

Her bright eyes targeted his person a moment later, and she pushed herself up so she was sitting upright. Letting her head hang low, she gave a small nod. Her right ankle had an ugly anklet-like bruise that wrapped around the bone, but apart from that, she felt alright pain-wise. "Thank you."


Natalia Beckett | location· outside dropship
tags· Bellamy
Natalia mirrored his nod, hers curt and to the point. She had yet to check out the back part of the ship, where the supplies were located, but figured Bellamy had already rummaged through there, given the fact that he had been hoarding half of their blanket supplies the night earlier. The corners of her fair lips twitched into a smile that lasted about a second. It didn't meet her eyes, but it was enough to show him that she was truly appreciative of his gesture.

"Alright, let's get going." Without a word more, she slipped past him, clutching her sketchbook in her hand even tighter than before. She hadn't said anything about the odd drawing because in all reality, despite the fact that it threw her off guard, it wasn't much of a concern to her. Her mind often fell into an odd, imaginative world of strange fairytales when she was tired, and clearly, this weird sketch was the outcome this time around.

Hauling herself up and onto the dropship, Natalia quickly tossed the sketchpad onto the nearest seat, then proceeded towards the back of the ship. She yanked open the door to the supplies, and gasped aloud. Before her, a boy that looked much older than he probably actually was was huddled in the corner, stuffing who-knows-what into his mouth. A chill ran down her spine, and she stared at the stranger.

"That's all we have left!" she snapped a moment later. Natalia didn't often lose her temper, but she was in no mood to fool around right now. "We don't have any more food! Stop that! What is *wrong* with you?!"

[senna_]

NEW POSTS START HERE

[kellybelly1403]

Vera
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location: lake tagging: Jaylen

Vera looked back to where they once came from. He was right, it wasn’t a long walk, maybe twenty minutes at the most. And with that with consideration, she would most definitely come out here to get away from the group. It was quiet and peaceful, unlike back at the dropship. But would she ask for permission to go out? No. They aren’t in charge of her, she’s in charge of herself “Um yea I probably could...” Vera trailed off, purposely ignoring the fact he said she should bring someone. The point of her going on a walk is to be alone, not with someone. And if he thought he would be invited, he thought wrong. The ginger doesn’t want to spend any more time than she already needs to with him, and right now she’s being nice.
…

Vera waited anxiously on the shoreline for the girl to come to safety, but if she was to be honest, it didn’t look good. Octavia was getting tossed around like a rag doll and getting pulled under numerous times. She heard that same voice call out something she hasn’t heard in ages. Her nickname. Something only one person called her. Jay...her best friend, well who was her best friend. It caught her off guard and a soft expression formed on the girl's face. Memories of them then flooded her mind. From when they were children to where they last spoke as friends. Chills went down her entire body, covering her in goosebumps. She stood there frozen, overwhelmed with emotions until that same voice snapped her out. She immediately turned her head to him. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. They had no idea what type of creature was in the water, and she too could be put into Octavia’s exact same situation in seconds. But did she care? No, not really, but she didn’t want to take any other chances of someone jumping in after her if that were to happen so she backed up. And by someone, she knew exactly who would.
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Elijah
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location: lake tagging: Octavia, Finn

Eli's heart still raced with adrenaline, but he began slowing his breaths. He was relieved she was okay. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if something serious happened to her. As she struggled to sit herself up, Eli placed his hand behind her back for extra support. He could tell she was weak and tired, as would anyone if they were in her situation. “Ya, of course.” He said simply in response to her words. It didn’t just now occur to him that he saved someone's life. Before he thought nothing of it, but now since he can collect his thoughts he realized what he has done. The brunette sat in shock for a minute or two, processing everything that happened in the water, until Clarke and Finn came back. “Hey, uh, is it cool if I take Octavia back to camp?” He asked politely. “I don’t think she's in the right shape to continue on the journey.”

Clarke
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location: lake tagging: Finn, Octavia

Clarke searched for ideas, her mind racing a mile a minute but nothing was coming to her. If someone were to jump in to distract them or even attempt to rescue there’s a high chance they would be in the same boat as Octavia, and Clarke couldn’t have that. If only there was some big enough object to distract the creature to give the two teens in the water a chance. Just then she notices a line of boulders. When Finn called out her name, she nodded, the blonde knew exactly what his plan was, as it was hers as well. She quickly ran to the rocks, meeting the brunette there. They both bent their knees, getting her hands in position to roll out the rock. “On three. One, Two, Three.” They carefully lifted the boulder but at the same time, everything went quiet. Clarke looked out to where the splashing was and noticed both teens coming to shore. The rock getting heavy in her arms. “Put it down. Put it down. Put it down“ She blurted out quickly and she lowered it, making sure not to hurt Finn.

The blonde then checked to where both teens landed. Both seemed to be okay. Alive at least. Octavia was in rough shape but she looked like she would be okay. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in. Turning her attention back towards the brunette, she looked out onto the water. “No...” she let out. The creature that was once visible was nowhere to be found. She nodded at his agreement. “Come on, let’s back with the others.” Jogging back to where the girl lay limp. “Hey. Are you guys okay?” she spoke in a worried tone.


Bellamy
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location: dropship tagging: Natalia

Bell nodded in response. Even though her smile wasn’t big, it was big enough for him. He followed her into the dropship, a few minutes after her giving her some space, to look for more supplies. But as soon as he was in, all he heard was Natila’s voice bouncing off the walls with rage. But why? When the brunette looked over her shoulder, there sat some kid covered in crumbs and rappers. “Seriously dude?” Bell said in annoyance. He now understood why she was so angry. But even with Nat telling the guy to stop eating the last of their food, he didn’t stop. That’s when Bellamy came around and smacked that piece of protein bar out of his hand. “She asked you to stop, man!” His voice full of rage. He picked up the very last piece of food and handed it to the girl. “Come on.” He said in a much calmer tone.

Bellamy led her out of the ship and to the edge of the woods. “Hey look at me.” Bringing her chin up from the ground. He knew she was upset, and she didn’t need to say anything to tell him that. “We’ll find some more rations.” A small smile played at the corner of his lip. “I’m sure there are lots of different types of food in the woods.”

[senna_]

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬
(17) (male) (the 100) (location: lake edge) (tags: clarke, eli, octavia)
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Whether the sharp movement of the boulder worked or not, Finn was relieved to note that the monster appeared to have left. The water returned to its quiet, glistening form; it was a haunting sight, given what had just happened. Returning to the calm before the storm, it seemed to have done. It was chilling. Turning away from it, Finn wiped his hands together, getting rid of the tiny pebble that had stubbornly stuck to the bottom part of his palm. It left a little indent, but it wasn't very painful.

"What kinda place is this?" he muttered in a breathy tone to himself. He shook his head in slight disbelief, then hopped down after Clarke, trailing behind her like a duckling following its mother as the blonde changed directions. He could only hope the thing- whatever it was- wasn't a land creature, too. If it was strong enough to bring a decent-sized female down underwater, it had to be fairly impressive in size.

Octavia didn't appear to be too bruised up, luckily. A nasty-looking bite was visible on her ankle, and she looked exhausted, but other than that, the girl seemed all right. Of course, Finn was no expert, but she was speaking and sitting up, so that had to be a good start. Eli seemed all right, too; Finn wasn't sure how involved the boy was in the accident.

He didn't say anything, letting Clarke do the talking as per usual, though did raise his brows in agreement at Eli's request. "I think that's a good idea," he put in his two senses, but ultimately, it was Clarke's decision.

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𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞
(17) (female) (the 100) (location: lake edge) (tags: eli, clarke, finn)
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For a moment later, Octavia remained still, head lolled towards the ground. Her heart was still pounding, blood rushing up to her face, ears as hot as a burning flame. Her mouth was salivating, though not because she was hungry. She felt like she was about to vomit, given the hiccups that had begun to abruptly set off inside of her, but she knew it wasn't going to happen. Closing her eyes, she let out a dull moan of exhaustion, then laid back down. The feeling of Eli's gentle hand against her back was comforting, and she did her best to shift her mind to the action, as opposed to the awful feeling that was stirring in the pit of her stomach. Her adrenaline was beginning to cool, her heart pounding aggressively though not as much, and a new wave of fatigue washed over her. Covering her hand to hide a yawn, Octavia pushed herself upright once more before her body could claim the patch of moss as her newest bed.

She lazily tucked back some dripping strands of hair as Clarke and Finn moved closer. Although Octavia was naturally a confident girl, she couldn't help but feel a slight bit of guilt run through her veins at the sight of Clarke. "I'm so sorry," she found herself blubbering. "I shouldn't have asked to go in there." Running her hands through the small knots that had begun to form in her dark hair, Octavia's ocean-blue eyes skimmed over the water, which was now just as calm as it had been when they first arrived. What on Earth was in there? From the slight throb on her ankle, she didn't quite want to know.

Thankfully, if Clarke was ticked off, it didn't show on her features. Or maybe it did and Octavia was too taken aback to notice. Whatever the case may be, she was glad she didn't see it, because she knew the disapproving frown would make her feel even worse. A dull glimmer of hope glistened in her eyes at Eli's polite request. "I'd like that," she chimed in. "Then I can take some painkillers and have a rest."

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𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐭
(18) (female) (the 100) (location: camp) (tags: bellamy)
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Natalia didn't usually snap without a second thought, and she supposed the reason she burst was because the bottle of emotions she'd been hiding inside of her popped its top off, but it still came out, and on this poor kid, too. She had a right to be upset though, right? On the calmer side of things, Nat supposed she knew where the stranger was coming from, especially if he'd come from a privileged life his entire life, but it was common sense not to waste what was to be split between one hundred people. Her mind momentarily flashed back to the deceased body on the ground when they had first landed, and she gulped. Ninety-nine people.

She couldn't quite wrap her head around everything that was happening, her limbs too shaky and her mind swirling too quickly to properly process it, but she knew the new voice that had cut in was Bellamy's. Whatever had been placed in her hand felt like a hundred pounds, and she felt the cool material slip from her palm and back onto the floor. Hot tears had settled against her eyes, making her vision blurry. Her lip trembled, and she pressed them together to put a halt to any potential sobs that were threatening to pour out.

She allowed Bellamy to pull her limp body outside, nearly tripping in the process. Despite his sweetness, the soft tone made her even more upset, mostly because it was so sincere, and she felt a tear slide down her cheek. "How ignorant can someone be?" she whispered, her voice cracking as she glanced up at his warm chocolate eyes. "It could take days to find something promising." Sniffing, Natalia drew her hand up to her face and wiped away what she could, then blinked a few times to make sure that was the end of the tears. Goodness, she felt stupid, crying like this for no good reason. Usually, she'd doubt Bell a bit more, but given her vulnerable state, she managed a quiet, "You think so?" before anything else, figuring the questions could come after she'd calmed down.

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𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬
(17) (male) (the 100) (location: lake edge) (tags: vera)
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It hurt Jay to come to the realization that Vera was not at all too impressed by his suggestion. He hadn't volunteered himself to go with her (although, admittedly, that would have been nice), but it seemed that was where her mind automatically jumped to. And yet, he couldn't help but wonder who the first person her mind would have leaped to if someone else had suggested what he had told her. He highly doubted his name would come up, or if it did it would be last, the ultimately last decision she'd make if she absolutely had to, but still, the tiniest flicker of hope sparked inside of him. It died quickly, though. He had to learn to accept this, all of this. Vera hated him. It made him shiver, and at the same time, his whole face flushed with shame. What was he even doing? He was struggling to keep hold of his dream, this fantasy of living happily-ever-after with the girl he'd always loved in a place that screamed freedom. Let it go, his silent voice screamed at him. Give her what she wants. It's not you.

That hurt almost as much as when she vocalized her frustrations regarding him.

Despite this all, he was still very worried for her when she edged closer to the shoreline. And much to his surprise, she actually listened to him. Given the distance between them, Jaylen wasn't quite able to get a good look at her expression, but she wasn't scowling, so he supposed that was a decent start. Having one injured person was bad enough, they didn't need more to get dragged underwater. It would take even longer to pull someone back to shore than it had been with Octavia, who was already in the water with everyone else. He felt his stomach churn upon mentally visualizing Vera in Octavia's position, and desperately wanted to pull him into him and hug her and give her all the protection she deserved. He knew she'd despise him even more if she did that, if at all possible. And so, despite his desire to give her warmth and affection and comfort, he managed to settle with a near-silent "thank you." Forcing a tiny, shaky smile in her direction, Jay let his arms wrap around himself instead, allowing his gaze to linger on the beautiful girl for a moment longer before turning away with the slightest shake of his head.