Kings // c. griffin

Chapter Twelve

Isaac surveyed the drop site of Raven's pod, watching as almost everyone from camp was helping to lift things. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, so instead of screwing something up and ruining any chance of success, he was standing off to the side, waiting for Raven to give him a job. "Uhh..." the mechanic was biting her lip as she looked across the clearing, her eyes finally landing on something. "Help Finn carry the control panel back to camp," she suggested, gesturing towards where the long haired boy was struggling to lift a piece of metal with lots of buttons on it. 

Isaac said nothing, instead sending Raven a nod as he made his way towards Finn. He bent over, roughly grabbing the end of the panel before silently cursing at himself for making a show of it. "Isaac," Finn began, sounding tentative. Isaac resisted the urge to give the boy an icy glare, instead hauling the panel backwards as they began towards camp. 

"We need to launch those flares ASAP if we have any hope of saving those people," Raven called, urging the others to work quicker. Finn and Isaac, carry that control panel back to camp. You, pull out those wires in one piece or otherwise they won't work. Clarke, can I have a hand?" The nineteen year old was giving orders, sounding like a true leader already. 

"Isaac," Finn tried again. Stormy blue eyes rose from the ground and looked at him expectantly. Finn could see the annoyance, the anger directed at him from a simple gaze. Isaac liked to think he was good at hiding his emotions -everyone in the camp, especially those he knew well, thought otherwise. "I'm sorry."

The curly haired boy scoffed lightly, his eyebrows crawling up his forehead a bit as he glared at Finn. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." 

Finn pursed his lips. "I thought I'd never see her again-"

"But you never mentioned her," Isaac interrupted. "You let Clarke believe that you liked her and her alone. You gave her hope that you had no right to give her."

Finn almost stopped walking as he felt a wave of anger rise up in him. "And who has that right, you?" he spat. 

Isaac shook his head. "I'm not good enough for her. No one is."

Finn blew out a breath through his lips loudly. "What was I supposed to do?" he asked desperately. "Clarke, she- I'm not just pretending to have feelings for her. I really like her, but.... I still like Raven." 

"Well life isn't a romance novel," Isaac told him harshly. "You need to make up your mind because down here this kind of problem is not the kind we should be worrying about."

Finn looked furious, and Isaac was sure that if they weren't friends the boy would have dropped the panel and come at him. "Look, I know what this is about," he said finally, the anger turning into an almost superior look.

Isaac narrowed his eyes. "What, Finn? What is it about? Me actually caring if you break someone's heart?"

"No, this is you caring about me breaking Clarke's heart," Finn spat at him. Isaac froze, pulling Finn to a stop as well. 

"What?" he croaked.

Finn was almost smirking. "I see the way you look at her. Clarke. I guess I'm not the only one with feelings for her. But the thing is, I know why you're so bothered by this. She chose me, and you can't stand it. She prefers me over you, and now since she can't have me you'll end up being a sloppy second, if she even goes for you. Because I might be with Raven but Clarke will still like me." Isaac knew it was Finn's anger talking, nothing else. He was taken over by rage and annoyance, otherwise the boy wouldn't be saying any of these things. He tried to keep a steady heartbeat, tried to ignore what was being thrown at him. "She'll never choose you. And you hate that."