2005
Clary POV
My whole life was changing. I was going to start 10th grade on Monday with Jace and Izzy. Me and Izzy were super close. I thought of her as my sister. Then there was Jace. Things with him were… complicated. I wanted him to be my best friend, like he had been forever. But he wasn't the same Jace. He was a football player. He was cool and rich and funny and gorgeous. The girls liked him and the guys wanted to be him. Suddenly, I wasn't the center of the universe to him. And I can't say I liked that feeling. He was still my friend, but our relationship was changing. He and his "guys" were always busy. Izzy and I had our own friends from cheerleading and dance. We were in different worlds most of the time. But I couldn't seem to get him out of my mind.
Izzy and I were walking in Dupont Circle, only a couple blocks away from our houses. The city was abuzz with activity and we loved being a part of the excitement. All the sudden, Izzy pulled me into a store, screaming "Oh em gee Clary, you've GOT to try on this dress!" I finally saw what she had in her hand, a short, ruffled, strapless dress. Over the summer, I'd grown some curves. I had a butt now and my boobs weren't too bad either. I was still thin, but now it was from exercise and cheerleading, and it was toned and muscular, not a stick like before. I shook my head, grabbed the dress from Izzy, and went into the dressing room. After I slid the dress onto my body, I couldn't help but admit that it looked good. I walked out of the room, but Izzy was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, I heard someone whistle loudly. I turned around, lost my balance, and slammed right into Jace. Oh my god, I slammed into Jace! "Cherry, you look good" he whispered into my ear as he helped me keep my balance. I pulled away, looking for Izzy. Jace chimed in. "Izzy went over to meet some guys, she said to say she would be right back. Apparently they are friends with you guys," he said, with a weird tone in his voice. Was he jealous? No, Jace Lightwood doesn't get jealous. "But, you are definitely getting that dress, Cherry, you look beyond beautiful," he whispered. Just as I was going to tell him to stop calling me Cherry, that we weren't kids anymore, I saw Izzy.
"Clary, that dress looks awesome!" Izzy screamed as she darted to the back of the store, there was a group of guys following her. I recognized them as some guys from middle school. Simon was there. He was an awesome guy, so sweet. I thought him and Izzy would be great together, so I was constantly trying to get them together. As Jace started talking to the group, I looked down, realizing that I was in a tiny dress, and ran to change. A few minutes later, I emerged in my tight jeans, a black tank top, and black ballet flats. As I came out, I saw Raph, short for Raphael, a good friend of Izzy and myself. I'd had a little crush on him last year, but I think it was over. "So, how was tennis camp, Raph?" I asked nonchalantly. "It was good. I had fun, but I missed you," he replied with a wink. He put his arm around my shoulders and we walked back to the group. Izzy was leaving with Simon, something about going to see a movie with him before school started and that she would text me later. The rest of the guys started to leave too, and soon it was just Jace, Raph, and me. It was awkward, especially since Jace was glaring at Raph's arm around my shoulders. If looks could kill, Raph would be dead and buried. Raph turned to me, sliding his arm away from me, and asked if I wanted to hang out. Seeing the look on Jace's face, I just couldn't leave him alone. I politely declined and said I would see him at school tomorrow. He kissed my cheek and left.
As soon as Raph was gone, I went to pay for my dress, knowing Jace would follow me. He was being quiet. Too quiet. It was scaring me. I paid for the dress and we walked home in peace, but without conversation. As we got to my door, I turned to him, "Do you wanna go swimming with me?" I asked, completely surprising myself. "Sure," he said and he slowly walked to his door. I ran upstairs, knowing my parents were out of town so I didn't need to greet anyone. I slipped into my hot pink bikini. It was cute, and skimpy. I absolutely loved it, and the boys in Mexico seemed to like it when I was there for my vacation. I couldn't help but show off my body for Jace. I grabbed my sunglasses and a towel and darted up to the roof. I knew Jace would just let himself in my house – he still had the key I gave him years ago. I slid my sunglasses on, dropped the towel, and slowly entered into the water. I felt strange. Was I nervous? Nervous to hang out alone with Jace? That was weird. He was my best friend. Sure, things were different now. We were in high school now, not six years old. But it was still Jace. I had always been able to keep my feelings for him in check. What seemed like second later, Jace came storming through the door and did a cannon ball into the pool. My thoughts were gone, and I squealed as Jace picked me up, threw my sunglasses to the side of the pool and tossed me into the water. Then we were just laughing and splashing – enjoying our last hours of freedom before school started again. And it felt like the good old days again, just me and Jace.
Jace PO
As soon as I saw my Cherry in that dress, I was gone. All I could think about was her fire red hair. Her green eyes. He beautiful curves and her soft laugh. I couldn't help but compliment her on that dress, it really was something. She was no longer the small, thin little girl that she had been. She was a woman now, and I couldn't help but see her differently. Whenever I saw her, I had to fight an internal struggle between being friends with my little Cherry and being in love with the grown up Clary. Wait, love? No, Jace Lightwood doesn't do love. I do girlfriends, who I promptly dump when they get boring. But Cherry is different. I can never stop thinking about her. And that's why I had to stay away from her! She was too good, and I could never give her friendship up. Yet, here I was, in her pool laughing and hanging out with her in her tiny pink bikini. God, she was gorgeous. Suddenly, without my control, my hand grabbed hers and dragged her closer to me. I felt her bare skin on mine and every spot where we touched was on fire. Her eyes sparkled and she just stared at me. I know she felt the shot of electricity just like I did, and we both shivered.
We stood there like that for what seemed like hours, just staring into each others eyes. Before I knew it, I was pulling her closer and slamming my lips to hers. At first, it was chaste. Then, something changed. She pushed me against the wall of the pool, wrapping her hands around my neck. I pressed harder against her mouth, eliciting a sigh from her. I have never wanted a girl the way I wanted her. She knew all of my deep, dark secrets. She knew I sucked my thumb until I was seven and that I had a crush on Mrs. Martin, our sixth grade homeroom teacher. She knew me. Her hands starting sliding over my naked chest and we broke apart to breathe. I began to kiss her neck, she moaned and slid her hands all over my body. I grinded into her, my hips skimming along her hips. We groaned in unison, passion overcoming us both. All of the sudden, she pulled away. She was shaking. "Jace, this can't happen," she mumbled as she rushed out of the pool. "We can't do this. You're my best friend. This can't happen." She burst into tears, telling me to go home as she ran. I was stunned, but I did what she asked.
Later that night, sitting on my bed, I couldn't help but stare into her window and I saw her writing in her journal. She looked peaceful. I had to talk to her. I had to explain. I climbed out the window and walked across the tree, just like I did when we were kids. I banged on the window and chuckled as she jumped. She saw that it was me and unlocked the window. I climbed in and sat on her window seat. She didn't say anything, just sat back on her bed and looked at me – she had definitely been crying, her eyes were red and bloodshot. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, hoping she could hear me. Finally, I heard a tearful "me too." I walked over to her bed slowly, giving her the chance to tell me not to. But she didn't. I sat next to her and grabbed her hand. "You're right, we are best friends. I don't know what's wrong with me. Please, can we just go back to being Jace and Cherry, us against the world?" I pleaded, hopeful that she would allow me to be her friend again, like we were when we were little. "I'd like that," she smiled her radiant smile and laid down with her hand still in mine. We fell asleep curled up together. I had to be her friend. I couldn't lose her over these stupid feelings. I loved her.
