Chapter 3
I apologize for my unplanned haitus this summer, but thankfully, I did find the time to write some updates. Every other story is updated expect Daggered Hearts, sorry I'm still working on that one. Thank you to everyone that is still reading my stories, it makes it a lot more motivating to write when I have you guys reading and reviewing! Without further introduction, I give you chapter 3 of Life Unexpected.
Ed Sheeran – Photograph
Rachel Platten – Fight song
Characters belong to Cassie Clare.
Clary POV
I wish the weekend could have lasted longer. I asked my parents to let me have a skip day but they both refused, saying it would 'look suspicious'. I don't care anymore, I just want to feel safe again. It stresses me out knowing that people are trying to sniff out any juicy secret they can out of me – and they're getting really close too. The last thing I want is for people to thin I don't care about my fans, but if I didn't then I wouldn't have any fans at all. What to do then?
I stare down at the latest of my many drawings of Jace Herondale. I'm not a stalker, he just has the body and face of a god. We've gone to the same school for forever but he's only ever acknowledged me, as Clary, a handful of times. He's not even bad company to keep around, he's just a ring leader of the most popular group St. Xavier's has to offer.
When I first moved to town, there was some kids that were bullying me because of my hair. It got so bad that I was skipping school, not working on my music, and secluding myself when I was at school. I only had Simon for a friend and it's not like he could do much.
One day, when Sebastian Verlac was pulling on my braids while my brother wasn't looking, he pulled too hard and pulled me off my chair. Everyone laughed at me and I cried from the pain in me head.
If you can believe it, of all people, Jace Lightwood was the one that stood up to me. He said, "I'm tired of your games, Sebastian – leave her alone or pick on someone your own size."
Sebastian never came near me again; he even ended up switching schools because people labeled him as a bully after that. Jace helped me up and flattened my braid back down.
"He won't mess with you again, no one will," he had said quietly. The entire room was looking at us, especially Simon. He took his phone the desk and took a quick selfie of us – his arm around my waist pulling us closer and the biggest grin on his face. "I'll email it to you," he said quickly. After another moment, he was gone.
Our school has designated school emails so it's not like he had to look me up or anything. An hour later, my phone buzzed with the picture and one small caption. You should smile more, it looks good on you.
I put that picture in my locket next to the one with my parents and I on the first night I ever performed as Riza Fairchild. Someone could definitely connect the dots if they saw it, so no one's ever been allowed to look inside of it. I keep it safely tucked away under every shirt, even as Riza Fairchild, to remind me to smile. It reminds me that the world isn't always so bad, even when it feels like it could come crashing down any second. At least I have two happy memories to remember.
He's the only one that has ever stood up to me – and the only member of the popular group that has never made fun of me. After that, it was like I was invisible, just enough to get by with my secret all these years.
"Clary," I heard.
"Yeah," I said a little too fast.
"You checked out again," Simon said at our lunch table. We share our table with only a couple other people. Jordan and Maia sit with us sometimes, when they're not making out in a janitor closet somewhere. On occasion, even Magnus will sit with us, when he doesn't feel like sitting with the populars. He's one of the only people that has ever gotten away with being friends with everyone and anyone at the same time.
"You alright?" Maia asked slowly. Jordan only knew my secret because he walked in on Maia and I practicing new makeup styles one day at her house, and I had my wig out. He has been sworn to secrecy, not even my parents know that he knows.
"Yeah," I lied as best I could.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked making sure no one else was around to listen in.
"They're getting really close," I said painfully. "Too close. Yesterday they had a police officer asking questions in the main office about Riza Fairchild and if she ever attended here."
"At least school records are confidential," Maia said shrugging. "And your parents said they would take care of that."
"That doesn't change the fact that they still tried," I mumbled.
"No one can prove it but you," she said honestly.
"Unless you pull that wig off your head in front of someone, there really is no way to be 100% sure," Simon assured me as well. "Even if they suspect, they can't be sure."
"Too bad you can't put the wig on and walk around in public for a while," I said putting my head on my arms.
"I know," Maia said gently. "I'm sure there's something else we can do, your parents will figure this out, they always do."
"I don't want to let it go yet," I said wiping away the emotion from my face. "I'm not ready. It's not time yet."
Simon, Maia, and I are sitting at our favorite spot in the neighborhood park. We come here all the time to do homework and mess around. It's one of the only places we go that we are just ourselves, nothing more and nothing less. I sang my first song just as me at this park for a fundraising event back in Jr. High. It's been our place ever since.
"Turn that up!" Maia practically screamed when the next song played on Simon's Bluetooth speaker.
"But it's Ed Sheeran," Simon complained maxing out the volume.
Maia and stood up to sing and dance to the song. She took my hand as we did our favorite waltz. It might look weird to any passing bystander to see two girls waltzing at the park, but for us it was normal.
Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing makes us feel alive
We spun around the swings and Simon took out his phone. He likes to video some of the crazy things we do in case we're ever split up or something happens. He calls it a 'video diary'.
We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still
We split apart this time because Maia doesn't like to sing the lead part. I stood in front of us and sang the wonderful song.
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home
Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul
And it's the only thing that I know, know
I swear it will get easier
Remember that with every piece of you
Hm, and it's the only thing we take with us when we die
And if you hurt me
That's okay baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go
Oh, you can fit me
Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen
Next to your heartbeat where I should be
Keep it deep within your soul
And if you hurt me
Well, that's okay baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go
I held myself together as the song rode itself out. Maia and Simon always clap for me when we sing songs together. I took a mock bow and twirled around.
My phone rang and I rolled my eyes as I answered it.
"Mom?" I asked, she usually doesn't call me home on a school night. She wants me to live like normal teenager while I can.
"You guys need to come," she said quickly. "Emergency interview, two hours."
"Guys, we have to go," I said gathering my books from the grass.
"We're doing some damage control on all this drama," she said. That was enough for me.
The three of us came barreling into my house like a train wreck. Simon waited downstairs with my parents while Maia and I hit my bathroom with Riza's makeup kit.
Our record time, an hour and ten minutes later, we came running back down the stairs. I have my full Riza on as we run to the garage for the car with the tinted windows.
Exactly twenty minutes later, I was sitting in front of a stage manager getting briefed on the interview before we were live on the air. How my parents can book an emergency channel 3 interview, I'll never know, but it helps to be powerful in the industry.
"Your singing the next single for the new album," my mom instructed.
"I thought we were saving that one for the end," I said with a questionable tone.
"We have a plan," she said waiving her hand. "You need to show that you are strong right now. Show the people they can't walk all over you."
"Okay," I said giving her a hug and stepping to the stage entrance.
"Good afternoon, Riza," the lady said from beside me. I gently shook her hand and took a sit across from her.
"Thanks for having me," I said smiling as rehearsed.
"This is your second interview this week already, is it not?" she asked with an appealing edge to her voice. I smiled wide before answering.
"It is," I confirmed, "but it's no trouble."
"Well we are thrilled to have you," she said cheekily. "It's my understanding that there has been some slight controversy over you. We have some tweets that could really use a comment just to clear things up for everyone, if that's okay with you."
"Of course," I said sitting forward to see the screen on the wall next to us portraying the first tweet.
If Riza Fairchild went to St. Xaviers, I think we would have noticed RizaFairchild
"It seems that no one remembers going to school with you," she said moving her hands with her mouth. "Is it possible that there could have been a mistake? It was 3 years ago now? Right? You are a senior now?" she asked again.
"Yes, I am a senior now," I commented back. "However, there is a little misunderstanding," I said just like we rehearsed. "I was homeschooled until Jr. High, provided by the St. Xavier's curriculum. So while I was officially attending the school, I was not actually present."
It wasn't a lie, but it was. I was homeschooled, just not at St. Xaviers.
The next tweet came up.
She has a varsity jacket, you only get those if you go there, unless it's not hers RizaFairchild
"And you have a varsity jacket then because?" she asked with a mocking tone.
"It's my brother's," I said with a cheeky grin. "He gave it to me while I was homeschooling."
"So your bother attended St. Xavier's then?" she said fishing for more information.
"Yes," I said confidently. "And before anyone decides to go searching him out, you should know that school records are confidential and our last names are different. We take precaution for our safety as well as those around us. As for any rumor out there that I am not who I say I am," I continued arrogantly. "My name is my name, not yours." I put a shit-eating grin on my face and stood up next to the microphone on the stage. "My next performance is coming up in a week, and I will refund every backstage pass if this charade continues. My safety is more important than this paparazzi propaganda."
The host looked a little pissed but she evened out her face.
"Well I think that took care of any concerns fans have about you or your past," she said smiling at the camera. "Riza has graciously agreed to perform her brand new, first time ever on the air, single hit song from her latest album. This makes four of twelve folks! We heard from your last interview that this album had something to do with a guy?"
"Yes," I said simply.
"No juicy details?" she asked with a puppy dog face.
"Unrequited love," I said into the microphone. "What goes through you when you think about someone all the time – want someone all the time – and how to keep going. It's about having confidence in yourself even though you know you won't ever get that one thing you want so badly."
"Your last few songs that have been released have been about the emotional side of the rollarcoaster, correct? With Never Your Girl, I Can't Be Me and Be With You, Not Really Letting Go, and America's Sweetheart, what will we have next?"
"My Fight Song," I said with a grin. "It's actually the last song in the series but I thought you would like a sneak peek."
"You thought correctly," she cheered as the song began.