Hi! :) I hope you are enjoying my story! Oh by the way, when I say 'Max', I am referring to Max Lightwood-Bane.
Clary POV
August 23. My birthday. I am finally turning 21. I couldn't wait for Izzy to dress me up, and then maybe head down to Pandemonium later tonight. I head down to the kitchen. That's weird. I see my friends, doing normal stuff, none of them say anything as I walk to the pantry to get some cereal. Jace waves at me and smiles.
"Hey Clary, I need to run out for a bit. Do you want anything?" Jace asks. He grabs my hand and squeezes it.
What I wanted to say was, Um, hello? Today's my birthday. I want to do something special. I didn't though. I just say, "No thanks, I'm good."
Simon comes in, grabs, a granola bar, and then run out.
"Hi, Simon." I call. He stops a minute.
"Oh, hey Clary. I was just about to head out to see Maia and Bat. Need anything?" Simon comes over to steal some of my food.
"Oh no, I don't need anything." I say. "Can I come to see Maia and Bat?"
"Oh, I'm sorry Clary. We already made reservations for three at a place. I would have squeezed you in if I had known you wanted to come. Gotta go!" Simon says, running out of the kitchen.
That was really weird. Simon never missed my birthday in like fifteen years. I didn't want to pressure him or anyone into remembering, because it would have made them feel bad. I finish my breakfast and head to my room.
I get a call from my mom, and answer it.
"Hey, mom." I say.
"Happy Birthday, Clary!" Jocelyn's voice warms my head.
"Thanks. Funny, you're the only one that remembered it today." I say.
"Oh, did I wake you up?" my mother's voice becomes a bit worried.
"No, I've been up." I say.
"Not even Simon? Well why don't you remind them what today is? They'll know then."
"I guess I can do that." I lie. Again, I didn't want my friends to feel bad over me. It's just me. Just Clary. No one special. If they can't remember something special like a birthday, then I guess I can celebrate on my own.
"Luke, says happy birthday as well. I have to go, I have to do stuff later. Once your friends remember you guys can do something. Bye Clary!"
"Uh, bye mom." I say as she hangs up.
That was really weird. I hope at least Izzy or Alec remember.
Alec POV
"-look anyways, I feel really bad for her. I saw her moping around like a sad dog today at breakfast." Jace was saying. I wasn't listening until then. I was helping Max blow up balloons.
"Okay, just if she brings it up, don't ignore it. Just say Happy Birthday and then promise to do stuff later." I answer.
"I guess so. Hey did you order the cake?" Jace asks.
"Yeah."
"Is it going to be done by six tonight?"
"I think so." I answer. Izzy had the idea of printing one of Clary's drawings onto the cake. So, she snuck into Clary's room last night to choose a picture out of her sketchbook, which is strictly off limits to anyone. We all voted Izzy do it, because she was the one that would be able to get away with not being murdered by Clary. My sister chose a picture of all of our friends, and then she took a picture of it and sent it to me. This morning at the bakery, I asked them to put the picture on the cake and write. Happy Birthday Clary! on it. I am to pick up the cake tonight.
"Okay. Good. Where are you?" Jace asks.
"In the ballroom, with Izzy and Max. Max is helping me blow up balloons, and Izzy is putting up some decorations." I say, looking around.
"Okay, don't go overboard, Clary doesn't like that much attention." Jace says.
"THIS IS IZZY AND MAGNUS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm at Taki's, ordering food right now. Bye."
I put my phone away, turning my attention back to my warlock child.
Clary POV
I wander aimlessly around the Institute. Somehow, I don't see many of my friends.
"See, you don't have a mommy." Alec says gently.
"Everyone has a mommy." Max argues. "You have Grandma Maryse."
"What about Magnus? Magnus' mommy is dead."
"Daddy Magnus has Asmodeus as his daddy."
"He told you, huh?"
"I'm telling you I have a mommy, but I don't remember who she is, or where she is." Max complains.
"Well, I mean you do, but she's not here. It's just me and Daddy Magnus."
"And Clary."
"WHAT?!"
"No, look there, Clary." Max points to me.
"Sorry to interrupt. Do you know where Jace is?" I ask.
"He's at Taki's." Alec answers. "Max, go find Izzy." Max waves to me and leaves.
"Oh, ok." I say, sort of down. "Well, I guess I'm going to go train. Bye Alec."
"Bye Clary."
I find myself going to my room instead.
I open my phone to text Jace.
Me: hi Jace.
Jace: hi. is everything ok?
Me: yeah. do you want to do something when you get back? alec told me you were at taki's.
Jace: sorry. i promised alec to do something today. we haven't really done anything together in a while.
Me: ok have fun. bye
I set my phone down and feel tears streaming down my face. How, could someone so important as a boyfriend forget your birthday? I open my sketchbook and begin to draw.
Jace POV
I go back to the Institute. It hurts me to turn down Clary. But in order to make her happy things had to happen. Even turning her down. I head back to the ballroom. Izzy and Magnus have set up a bunch of stuff.
"Hey everyone, this looks great! Has Jonathan stopped by yet?" I say.
Izzy poked her head from around a bunch of balloons she was tying to a post. "Yeah, he just left."
"Good." I respond.
"Listen, I have to get her ready around five. It should take around an hour to get Clary ready. People will get here around five thirty. Everyone should be in position around five fifty. Alec will get the cake when the guests start arriving."
"What positions?" I ask.
"Oh, I was thinking, I'll be like, 'oh Clary I'm sorry we forgot your birthday. Want to come to Pandemonium to celebrate?' And then I get her ready to go to 'Pandemonium'. I'll lead her to the ballroom, and then music will be playing and stuff and all. We can go in and we'll all be like 'Surprise!' and then we party. What do you think?"
"Okay, it's good." I say. "I'll pick up Taki's at five thirty."
I walked around to find Alec. He was in his room.
"Hey Alec. I told Clary we are bonding. What's new with you?"
"Ok. How 'bout you?" Alec looks up from his phone.
"Where's Max?" I ask looking around.
"With Magnus. I hope he turns out to be like me, Magnus is trying to teach him the concepts of glitter." Alec says.
"Good." I laugh.
"Did you go to the ballroom yet?" Alec asks. "It's pretty good so far."
I nod. "Izzy has this plan."
"What plan?" Simon says walking in. "I asked Maia and Bat to ask everyone to come, they can by the way, but they wouldn't so I was out longer than planned. I had to go out and ask everyone"
"Oh, good." Simon says.
"Simon you have to tell everyone when they all get here. I have to get a cake, and Jace has to go to Taki's." Alec says laying across his bed.
"Yeah yeah okay." Simon says waving us off. "I'm going down to help." Simon leaves the room.
Alec and I follow him down to the ballroom.