"Tell me again, why you're not going not going to formal?"
"I didn't say that I wasn't going." Clary slammed her locker closed. "I said that i wasn't going with you." She jabbed him in the chest with her finger. Walking toward Izzy's locker, Jace persisted.
"Come on why not i could be a great date. Pick you up way too early, bring you a corsage, do the whole 'does she still want to go with me' nervous wreck thing. Well okay i wouldn't be nervous because." He gestured to himself. "I'm me, but-"
"Iz and i already decided the we were going together. Anyways hasn't someone else already asked you considering." She mocked his previous gesture. They stopped by the bench near Isabelle's locker and Clary opened her bag, taking out a container of cucumber slices. She sat down opening it and waiting for her friend to finish up whatever she was doing and get her stuff so that they could walk home.
Jace took a slice, considering and began answering her question. "I've gotten a few offers but none that really pull to me yet." He chewed on another piece.
"Don't you hate cucumber?" He waved a hand. "Yeah but why should that stop me." Clary rolled her eyes.
Jace had been asking her to go to the formal coming up daily for the whole week they'd been back and seemed to prefer to ignore her decline to his requests. It's not that she didn't think he'd be a good date or that he wouldn't look good in a tux, which she knew he did after attending one of Izzy's cousins weddings the previous summer. It's just that her and Isabelle had already made plans to go together and even though she said that it would be okay, Clary didn't want to leave her friend alone considering the dance meant more to her that it did to Clary.
"Hold on guys lemme just grab my stuff." Isabelle rushed out of nowhere, yanking open her locker door and quickly shoving all her books into her bag.
"It's no rush Izzy you can calm down you're not even that late."
"Yes rush, yes very rush. Things to tell you. Important things that should not be said in front of him." She glowered at Jace for a moment before turning back and locking up.
"Alright alright at least don't hurt yourself."
The walk back to their house was relatively quiet with the occasion yell at Isabelle to stop bouncing around, from Jace.
The moment that the two girls parted from and got through the front door, Isabelle began shrieking and jumping in the spot, looking at Clary wide eyed.
"What's going on?" She suddenly froze to see a startled looking Luke standing behind them with a large knife in one hand and a carrot in the other.
"Sorry Luke she's just a little excited about something. Why are you home so early?"
"Business was slow today, i closed up early and was making some lunch." He lifted up the had with the carrot, looking at them carefully.
"Got it, alright we're gonna go upstairs." Clary gave a thumbs up, grabbing Isabelle's hand and running up the stairs to her room.
"Okay now that you've scared Luke half to death, what-"
"Simonaskedmetothedance!" Isabelle shouted quickly, looking at her wide-eyed.
"Sorry what, what."
"Simon asked me to the dance." She said again, punctuating every word.
"He did WHAT?" Clary yelled. "Iz that's so awesome what did you say?"
"I asked him if i could get back to him causes like you and I were supposed to go together and everything." She looked sheepish.
"Screw me, tell him yes. Text him right now I can be my own date, or your adult supervision. Make sure everything's PG."
"Ooooorrrr you could tell Jace that you'll go with him."
"Izzyyyyy." Clary groaned, rolling her eyes and falling backwards onto her bed.
"What would be so bad about it. He's never done anything bad to you and I'm sure that he'd be perfectly polite." She sat down. "Well almost perfectly." She added as an afterthought.
"I don't know I mean, he was probably asking as a joke."
"Trust me Clary, it wasn't a joke." She said reassuringly.
"Anyways enough about that, TEXT HIM." Clary hit her arm. "NOW!"
"Alright, alright." Isabelle smiled clearly not bothered.
"So what are we going to wear?" And in that moment Clary swore that Isabelle had never more resembled the Cheshire Cat.
"Pajamas?" Isabelle gave her a dirty look getting off the bed.
"Okay get up and grab your wallet."
"Izzy nooo." Clary pleaded.
"Izzy yes."
Rolling her eyes she got up, rummaging for a moment before finding her wallet and grabbing her coat.
They made their way over to the Lightwood's, Isabelle looking for her scarf and bag.
"Where you guys going?" Jace questioned walking up behind them.
"Mall." Isabelle replied rummaging through her bag.
"Ooo fun, for what."
"Dresses."
"Can I come?"
"Only if you drive." She straightened.
Jace thought for a second before grabbing his jacket and keys. "Deal."
Clary ended up in the passenger seat while Isabelle took up the back, taking off her toenail polish.
"Why are you taking it off now, the salon will do it if you're getting them painted."
"It makes the whole process faster." Isabelle waved a hand.
Not wanting to argue Clary turned to face the front, turning up radio.
"So have you re-thought your decision on going to the formal."
Isabelle kicked the back of her seat.
"Well there was a change of plans so maybe."
His eyebrow raised.
"Ah so you've finally decided that going with me is the best option."
"Nah but I'll still go with you anyways."
"Wait actually?" He looked at her.
"Yeah but I'm wearing pajamas." She put her feet up on the dashboard.
"Okay, just tell me what colour so that my tie can match."
Isabelle squeaked from the back.
Pulling up in the mall parking lot Isabelle but her sandals back on and hoped out of the car, waiting for Clary to follow.
They made their way through the stores. Isabelle insisting on trying on every dress that she thought had even a pinch of potential.
They eventually ended up at one last store, both still dress-less as Isabelle had banned Clary from wearing every dress that she had tried on.
Clary looked up and down the racks, Jace trailing behind and occasionally picking up any dresses that he thought were ridiculous.
"Alright what about this one."
Clary turned to see him holding up a violent pink dress the collar sleeves and bottom lined with what looked like feathered boas in a bubblegum shade. She rolled her continuing.
Scanning through the rack her eyes fell on a foresty coloured dress with a velvety fabric.
She picked it up, scanning through the rest of the store before going to the change rooms and sitting down on a near-by chair.
Isabelle followed a few minutes later with an armful of choices.
Walking into a stall Clary took off her t-shirt an jeans and slipped on the dress. The fabric felt like satin against her skin and zipping it up, she turned to the mirror.
Her eyes opened wider as she took in the dress. The top was widestrapped going down into a v-shaped that stopped about half way down her chest, still looking conservative enough for a school event. The dress went down, hugging her around the waist and flowing to just past her ankles. When she shifted the colour of the dress moved subtle shades of green, reminding her of the meadow outside of Luke's farmhouse.
She dimly processed Jace and Isabelle arguing about something outside but focused on twirling around. The back was also cut out into a v-shape, ending a bit lower than the back.
She unlocked the door and walked out to Izzy spinning in front of the mirror. She turned around gasping and proclaiming that that dress was the one and that Clary one day just had to get married in it. Not that the dress looked that formal but dressed up with some pearls and other accessories and Clary could see herself doing just that.
She turned around to look at Jace who was staring at her wide-eyed.
"I mean yeah, yeah you should definitely get that one." He stammered. She blushed slightly before walking back into the changing room.
The price of the dress was a bit steep but considering that she could see herself wearing the dress many times in the future she bought it without a second thought, going with Jace to the food-court while Isabelle went and got her nails done.
"So, do you need to buy a suit?" She asked biting into a french fry.
"Nah, I've got like at least two at home."
The Lightwood's were always either throwing or going to some kind of banquet or event and more often than not, the Lightwood children were dragged with them.
"Got any plans after this?"
"Nah."
"You hanging out with Izzy at our house?"
"You know it."
He nodded, stealing one of her fries.
The way home was spent with Isabelle singing off key to whatever was playing and Clary poorly harmonizing.
They walked back into their house when something attacked Clary's waist. Looking down, she saw that Max, the youngest Lightwood, had latched himself onto her.
"Hey bud, what's shakin'?"
He looked up at her grinning. "The new Captain America movie's coming out soon."
"That's right. Meaning that we've got to head down to the comic-book store ad get some more issues right?"
"That's be awesome!" He unwrapped himself, running into the kitchen.
"You spoil him." Izzy tisked.
"Well someone has to." She replied sitting down on their couch and seeing what movies were on.