Be Alright
~Dean Lewis
Clary couldn't believe them. Her boyfriend. And her best friend. She is sitting on his lap. And him nuzzling her neck, as if they've been in love forever. Sebastian Verlac, the all-star running back of Idris High, the second-most popular, most sought after guy in school, and, now, her ex. Kaelie Whitewillow, her second best friend since elementary school, well, ex-second best friend now.
Clary was at her usually table in the high school's cafeteria along with her best friend, Isabelle Lightwood, but it was Izzy if one knew what was good for them. Jonathan, her brother, Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane, Simon Lewis, and last, but not least, Jace Lightwood-Herondale.
Jace Lightwood-Herondale has become quite important to her these past weeks, after the nasty breakup between her and Sebastian. It almost as if it were him she should've been with, not Seb. A sharp pain pierced her chest as she recalled the incident that happened almost three weeks ago.
The Idris high football team just won their Homecoming game and there was a party at Rafael's. Everyone who was anyone would go.
"This totally screams you!" Izzy said throwing a black, backless, mid-thigh dress at her. Clary tried to remember where in the world she got this and how Izzy pulled it up from the deepest depths of her closet.
"I think it screams 'Sleep with Me!' more than it does me," she responded. Izzy laughed, "That's the point! This is the party, Clarissa. And to attend the party, one must look the part." Clary glared, she really disliked it when people used her full name.
"Besides," Izzy continued, oblivious to the redheads discontent, "don't you want to look nice for that boy toy of yours?" Again, Clary glared at her. Izzy has expressed her displeasure upon the idea of Clary with anyone but her adopted brother Jace. For some reason, the raven haired seductress who was her best friend got it in her head that she and Jace would be the most perfect couple and it was, simply, meant to be. However, Seb asked Clary to homecoming September of their sophomore year and she said yes. Because why not? Seb was cute and seemed like a nice guy, whereas, Jace never showed any interest.
"If I wear this, then I'm not wearing any of those death traps," Clary compromised, referring to the extremely high high heels Izzy always loved to wear, and force her into. Izzy tapped a finger against her chin, thinking.
"Deal, but I get to do full hair and makeup." Nodding her agreement, Clary went to change in her bathroom. Once fully dressed, she looked herself in the mirror. Her red hair was frazzled, but when wasn't it? She didn't considered herself especially pretty, but she was petite, almost like a fairy. Her emerald eyes were doe-like and freckles crossed her face cheekbone to cheekbone, scattering over her nose. Neither of her 'assets' were overly large and curves were just beginning to fill in. So, no, she didn't feel necessarily pretty, but Seb always had a way of making her see a herself in a different light.
"Hurry up or we'll be late!" Izzy pounded on the outside of the door with her fist.
Clary laughed incredulously as she exited the bathroom, "The only real reason we're late will be because of your indecisiveness!" She was met with a middle finger poking out from her closet.
The party was in full swing by time the girls arrived. Entering the house, they were met with various 'hellos' and other greetings. They met with Jace and Alec by the makeshift bar with the host himself as the bartender.
"To make sure no one gets out of hand" he always said when asked why he would do work at his own party. Clary sat on the stool next to Jace, on her right, and Izzy on her left, while she faced what was the dance floor. Mostly mingling and grinding bodies, if that counted as dancing. Clary scanned the room for her boyfriend, but didn't see him yet.
'You hear yet?' She texted him. Ten minutes passed, no response, but she saw that it had been read at least five minutes ago. Deciding to go look for him, she got up, set her drink down, and after letting Izzy and Jace know, she left. She searched the living room, the kitchen, even the media room. But no Seb. As a last ditch effort, she went out back to the pool. There she found Kaelie sitting on the edge of the pool, staring absently into the water.
"Hey K, you alright?" Clary tapped her on the shoulder.
"I'm fine," she sniffled. Clary shook her head and sat down next to her.
"Come on, K. I've known you forever. Something's wrong, so what's up?" Clary reached for her hand, but she pulled away.
"What's on you mind?" Clary asked again.
"I made a dumb mistake." Clary felt uneasy now. She didn't know why Kaelie wouldn't just say what was bothering her.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure we can fix it. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened." Kaelie's eyes welled up with unshed tears.
"Do you...do you remember when you found the cigarettes on the kitchen counter? In my house. Last Friday." Clary frowned. What did that have to do with now?
"Yeah. You said they belonged to your college friends. Aline, I think her name was, Aline Penhallow. And her girlfriend Helen."
"They weren't my friend's," Kaelie corrected, trembling and voice breaking, not looking at Clary.
"Then who's were they?" Clary asked, more out of curiosity than judgement. They were seniors, after all. Everyone has done some experimenting with sexuality, alcohol, and smoking at this point.
Kaelie's mouth opens and closes. Before she could respond, Sebastian came out too. Clary turned to him to admonish him for not texting back, though the words died on her lips before she could say anything. Because Seb was smoking a cigarette. Clary felt the color drain from her face because the cigarette in his mouth was the same brand of cigarette that she found on Kaelie's kitchen counter just last Friday. Clary was frozen, unsure, but she looked back to Kaelie and her face said it all. Her mind raced, connecting all the previously unseen dots. Clary pulled out her phone and scrolled through her texts to Seb.
'Do you want to see a move tonight?' Delivered Friday, 5:45 PM
'Can't tonight. Have to work late. How about next Saturday? After we win Homecoming and the party Friday night?
Delivered Friday, 5:49 PM
Clary vaguely remembered agreeing. They were going see the new Avengers movie. Because they've seen every Avengers movie thus far together. It was their thing. Something they always did. Clary glanced up, numb.
Clary comprehended the fact that Kaelie just admitted that she cheated with Seb. Or was it that Seb cheated with her? Did it matter? The feeling of betrayal was what she just couldn't seem to shake.
"Clare? You alright?" Seb asked, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and breathing a stream of smoke. But she couldn't stop looking between Seb and Kaelie. Him standing, her sitting. Clary finally felt her legs move, now she was standing. Face to face with Seb. She felt her arm move. Her hand made contact with Seb's cheek.
"How could you?" She whispered. And then, she ran. Back into the house. Out the front door. Down the road. Two streets over. To her house. Up the stairs. Second door on the right. Her room. Clary locks the door. She feels her bed, her blankets, and finally the pain seeps in. The numbness vanishes and she cried and cried and cried and cried herself to sleep. Vaguely remembering the voices calling to her as she bolted out the front. Vaguely remembering Sebastian's echoing words, "You told her?!". And vaguely remembering that it was the two-year anniversary of when she and Seb officially got together.
Monday, when everyone went back to school, Clary was dragged into the girls restroom before first period by Izzy. She demanded what happened. And Clary explained. The words just fell out of her mouth because she was tired and she needed someone. Anyone. But mainly her best friend. Izzy scolded her for ignoring her texts and calls. And Jace's. And Alec's. And everyone else's. And for ignoring Jon in general. Clary apologized and all was forgiven.
During homeroom, Izzy group texted everyone, explaining so Clary didn't have to again. Clary felt better now that all her friends knew, but she still felt shaky. Seb said he loved her. And she said she loved him. So where did that end? Where did the loving stop?
Lunch that day was tense. Jace and Jon were here earlier in the day, but no where to be found come lunch time. Coincidentally, neither was Sebastian. And Kaelie didn't even bother to show up to school.
There was a loud bang outside of the main doors. A feeling of dread grew in Clary's stomach. The lunch monitors opened the doors to the image of Jon holding Sebastian as Jace beat him senseless. The teachers rushed to break them up.
Jace and Jon got a week's suspension. And Seb was sent to the nurse.
"Clary? Clary!" A voice broke through her memory. She was brought back to the present.
"Hm?"
"You okay?" Jace asked concerned. Clary smiled slightly at him. She glanced to Seb and Kaelie one last time before turning fully to him.
"I'm fine." She said, kissing Jace - the all-star quarterback of Idris high, the number one sought after guy in school, and her date to Prom - on the cheek.
It'll be okay. It'll be alright.