I followed, tentatively, with the others as the restaurant host with the straightest posture I had ever seen weaved us through tablein the elegant dining room.
My hopes of a silent walk were quickly dashed when the big blond child, whose arm I held tightly to, in attempts of silencing, opened his mouth.
"Maia you look lovely this evening."
She didn't even bother to look at him, "whatever."
"And Simon,"
Oh no, I thought.
"You look quite cleaned up too, flossed your fangs I see? Nice touch."
"Polished your leather pants?" Simon immediately shot back.
I gave Simon an icy warning at the same time as chiding Jace through clenched teeth, "you promised."
He smiled at me a smile that would surely allow him to get away with murder…and far worse.
The host led us to a cozy table way in the back, thankfully. Jace stepped behind Maia's chair and gently pushed her in just as Simon's hand reached the chair back with the same intention. In the same motion he repeated the gesture with my chair.
"Ladies," he cooed in his most chivalrous voice while sitting down in a chair between us.
"Um yeah, thanks."
I grabbed a hold of Simon's arm, solid from his clenched fist, and pulled him out of his open mouth seething.
"Ignore him," I whispered into his shaggy brown hair covered ear.
"Yeah, sure, no problem."
"May I start you all with a drink?"
"Just an ice tea please," Maia went first, she tried to indiscreetly edge her chair away from Jace, over to Simon.
I opened my mouth to order the same, but was shortly interrupted.
"A glass of your house best my good man."
"May I see your ID sir?"
"ID?"
"Yes, it's something we silly humans carry around to identify us."
"Do you often forget who you are?"
"No stup-…Jace," Simon took in a quick breath, "the waiter wants to check that you're old enough to drink alcohol."
"Old enough? How stupid, I've never heard of that. OK how about I drink you for it? Get the shots; you hit the floor before me I get the wine."
"Very funny sir."
The waiter gave Jace a disgusted look.
"Obviously a sense of humor isn't a requirement to work here." Jace whispered to us just loud enough to make sure the waiter overheard.
Oh his toe the man turned and walked away.
"Nice you moron, now he'll spit in our food," Simon yelled at the grinning face across the table.
"If we even get food," Maia added.
"Don't worry, I 'm sure there are plenty of all night butcher's we can find that are open for you two and your special dietary requirements."
Jace motioned between the shocked vampire and werewolf.
"Jace stop!" I scolded him again.
"What?"
He turned his whole chair to face me now; this couldn't be the start of something good.
"It's o.k. Clary. I'm doing my best to get rid of them so that we can be alone like you want, but they just won't take the hint."
My face burned a fierce red; half from embarrassment, other half from anger.
"Funny." Simon knew that Jace was baiting him and it was working.
"Am I wrong Clary?" He looked straight at me.
"Yes!"
I answered quickly, guzzling down half my glass of water; the only thing other than complimentary breadsticks that had been served at our table.
Jace leaned his face in closer to me. His soft golden bangs barely touched against my forehead as he said in a voice so low it was almost inaudible,
"Am I wrong Clary?"
Yes, of course he was…sort of. No he wasn't. God, what was wrong with me, I was becoming as selfish and careless as him? But at that very moment I did wish that we were the only two people here. I wished that Simon's jealous eye and Maia's judgmental stare weren't on me.
"Please." It was a plead.
The only answer I could muster; a desperate plea to not torture me any further.
After about fifteen more minutes, the sullen waiter finally braved our table once again. We all ordered as fast as we could before someone could open their mouth and ruin it.
"And I'll take the strip steak with potatoes thank you." Simon finished.
"Raw."
All faces turned to the dreaded voice.
"Actually, you'd better make both of theirs extra raw. In fact, the more it's still wiggling the better."
Maia looked horrified and Simon eyes turned dark, I could tell from the way his body was shaking he was restraining as hard as possible not to hit Jace.
I twisted my foot to an impossible position and kicked as hard as I could.
"Ow!"
Jace looked at me, the merciless smile still spread proudly across his face.
"Geez sis, we're in a public place, control yourself. I mean if you want to touch me all you have to do is ask when we get home."
My face experienced new levels of warmth. I wanted to dump the remainder of my ice water on my burning cheeks and then just crawl under the tablecloth and never come out. Instead, I reached out, grabbed the arm next to me and stood up,
"Simon order for me."
He nodded at me with a smile, happy to see justice finally fall on his enemy.
There wasn't much of a struggle as I pulled Jace through the restaurant. Everyone looked up at the scene when we past by, but by the time we reached the front door all eyes were back at their meals.
"Jace!"
It took all my self control not to scream at him. His smug look dared me to.
"What?" He gave an innocent shrug.
"You promised. Why are you acting like this? You are being horrible to Simon and Maia."
"I'm just having fun, they know that."
"No they don't. No one else is having fun."
"C'mon Clary, even you have to admit how boring this place is."
How dare him, "It was your idea to do this!"
I was yelling now.
"I thought people were making it up when they told me how boring mundane restaurants were."
"Well too bad."
"Ok then," he grabbed my shoulder, a new bargaining tone in his voice. Although annoyance still flowed rampant through me, his touch didn't go ignored. A few skips of my heartbeat acknowledged his warm hand through my top.
"What if we all go some place else? I guarantee you'll all love it."
I couldn't deny the spark in his eyes. The thought of experiencing a dinner in the secret world all around us that I was becoming more and more aware of excited me.
"Ok, let's go ask the others."
Convincing Simon and Maia to leave was easy; any excuse to escape the embarrassment Jace had put them through. And although they'd never admit it, they were both uncomfortable in mundane places anymore; Maia more than Simon. I felt bad about skipping out on the food, but quickly got over it.
"You sure about this?" Simon caught my arm as we stepped out to meet Jace waiting on the sidewalk.
"Don't worry bloodsucker, you'll love it." Jace smiled at him.
