AN: Okay so here goes chapter four! It's back to Alec's point of view and we learn more about the mysterious Violin-boy19. Again, thank you for all the likes, favorites and reviews!
Hope you enjoy!
Cruel Reflections
All characters belong to Cassandra Clare; I just like to play with them.
Chapter 4.
Alec sat in the beige colored computer lab, doing his Geography assignments, working harder than he would've liked. How are mountains created? Why does the world work the way it does? Most importantly, how was Hawaii created? Alec tackled these killer questions with utmost concentration. Jace on the other hand sat opposite of him, like always, and insisted on reading his history book out loud. Honestly it was a bit hard to concentrate on mountains and lava and stuff while Jace went on and on about how the First World War was a complete and utter disaster in his opinion, of course.
A vibrating buzz from Alec's phone made the table shake lightly. Alec raised an eyebrow and grabbed his phone. In all honestly he had been avoiding it since last night, since he had accepted Violin boy's chat request. So far he had gotten no message or nothing, which kind of made him glad and relieved, but at the same time a bit sad and confused. Go figure. His feelings were doing cartwheels inside his head even though he had never voiced his concerns out loud. In his mind all these jumbled thoughts seemed justified, but when he thought about speaking out his feelings they sounded silly and childish. And maybe they were a bit infantile, but the point was that he recognized the fact and tried to make sense of it.
Alec slid the lock of his phone open and felt a wave of adrenaline and relief wash over him all in one second. He quickly opened i. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and clicked the now flashing chat icon. He smiled to himself for no particular reason as he read the first message out loud.
Violin boy: Hi.
It was awfully simple and plain. What the hell was Alec supposed to say to that? He bit his lip in frustration whilst his fingertips lingered above his screen. Finally he typed.
Peaches: Hi.
Wow Alec that was amazing. How did you ever come up with such a reply? Alec scowled at his lacking social skills and wished he could have a do-over. A few moments passed with his heartbeat chugging in his ears. Typing…the screen said. Okay, so Violin boy is typing. That's a good thing, right? Alec shook his head but didn't put his phone down.
Violin boy: So, thanks for accepting my chat request. I noticed we had a few common interests, that's why I added you.
Okay, so that was…again very plain and hard to interpret. Or was Alec just overanalyzing things. What was he supposed to say?
Peaches: No problem, I didn't really get a chance to look at your profile so I don't know what our common interests are.
Violin boy: Would you like some examples?
Did he want examples? Was that a playful comment or an actual offer? This whole chatting thing was harder than he thought. Or again, maybe he was just making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Peaches: Sure.
Violin boy: Well for example we seem to share the love for books. Also I like traveling, and well I don't mind peaches.
Alec furrowed his brown in confusion.
Peaches: You…don't mind peaches?
Violin boy: Yes. Your profile says you have taken a distinct liking to peaches. I found that quite unique. In a good way, you know.
Alec blinked rapidly a couple of times. Then swiftly moved to his profile and had a minor stroke.
"Jace!" He hissed.
"Huh?" Jace raised his eyes to meet Alec's steely stare. "Oh, hell what'd I do now?" Jace asked, rolling his eyes in an over dramatic manner.
"What the hell did you write in my i. F.R.I.E.N.D.S profile?"
A look of confusion crossed Jace's face until of course the memory of making Alec's profile seemed to dawn in his mind. A sly grin slowly appeared on his angelic face. "Oh Yeaaah, I remember now. That profile is a keeper," Jace said.
"A distinct liking to peaches? Really Jace, is that the best you could come up with?
"Actually no it's not. If I had my way your profile would also contain that super cute picture of you in your peach themed pajamas," Jace said, his mind lingering in Maryse's old family picture album. "That picture is the most adorable thing I have ever seen." Jace winked. That Goddamned bastard winked.
"I was five!" Alec exclaimed, earning curious looks throughout the computer lab. He blushed slightly, which made him feel even more embarrassed, knowing the red color would lace along his cheeks any time soon. Sinking down lower on his chair, he continued to glare at Jace with a supremely disapproving look. "So what if I happened to like peaches."
"Hey, that's okay," Jace stated. "If nothing, saying that you have a distinct liking to peaches will just explain your username."
Alec contemplated Jace's words in his mind quietly for a while. He looked at the matter from all points of view that he could think of and actually ended up agreeing with Jace. The comment would do less harm than it would do good.
"So how come you're only reading your profile now? I thought you said you added stuff on it yesterday."
"I did," Alec sighed. "But I didn't really read through it until I got this chat request."
"Ooh," Jace chimed and lost all interest in his history adventures. "Who are you chatting with? How long has it been? Tell me everything."
Alec gave Jace a questioning look. "First of all I've had this app for, like, three days so it hasn't been that long. Second of all I don't know who I'm chatting with. The username is Violin boy, that's all I know. Oh and also he has common interest with me, like books and travelling, but that you probably figured out already. And he just send me a message a minute or so ago."
Jace kept his eyes on Alec and slowly shook his head. "You know, you talk about this dude like you're reading someone's medical stats."
"Are you saying I'd make a good doctor?"
"No, I'm saying you'd make a really boring doctor." Jace laughed letting his melodic laugh run through the room.
Alec shook his head in slight dismay. "Luckily for us then, I won't be a doctor."
"Why? Too much blood?" Jace asked playfully.
"No, I just don't think I could be responsible for people's health and wellbeing. I mean if I got some diagnose wrong or somehow did the wrong thing, I'd beat myself up for it forever." Alec couldn't help but sink into the thought. Even just thinking about all that responsibility made him mentally choke.
"That's true. You always overthink and second guess things. I'm not saying it's a bad quality to have…" Jace let his words hang heavily in the air. "…Except that it is sometimes."
"You're making so much sense right now," Alec laughed and went back to checking his phone.
"Yeah, you just dismiss me and go back to your online friend," Jace huffed in a mock jealous voice. "You're the one missing out on my eternal wisdom."
Alec brought his hand up to cover his smile, looking at Jace sideways, he could see that the golden boy was smirking wildly. "You know I love you."
"Oh yeah, we totally have the bromance of all bromances." Jace blew a kiss at Alec and made him blush wildly. It wasn't that he actually felt like Jace was being anything but playful, still he couldn't help it. He would be as red as a tomato faster than you could say…well anything. It was a bad habit, you could say. Izzy argued that it was just a biological reaction that was triggered by Alec's sensitive mind, but Alec felt that she had no idea what she was talking about.
"Yeah, watch out Clary. Before you know it I'll be stealing you away to play video games and to go to poetry night." Alec explained, waving his hands in a circular pattern.
"The spooky thing is that Clary would totally love going to a poetry night," Jace said, rubbing his forehead. "You think you could take her?"
Alec shot him a look saying 'Are you kidding me, because you better be kidding me' and glanced at his phone.
Violin-boy19: So I have an idea; kind of a quick way to get to know each other. Let's play a game of questions. Each one gets ten and the other is required to answer truthfully. How does that sound?
How did that sound? Alec wasn't sure he was ready to answer truthfully to a complete stranger, but then again Violin boy had no way of telling if his answers were actually truthful. But he would most definitely feel guilty for not answering truthfully, that's just the way he was.
Peaches: I would love to get to know you, but I don't know if I'm ready to answer every single question you might ask.
Alec regretted sending the message immediately. He sounded way too vested in this…this, what was this? Surely not a relationship, he'd barely talked to this guy. he'd never actually met him in person. Geez, Alec cursed his over analytical brain.
Violin-boy 19: You're really taking this seriously, no kidding around?
Peaches: Yeah, I'm just kind of reserved…I guess.
Violin-boy 19: That's alright, I'm not exactly too open myself. That's why it's easy or at least easier talking to people online.
Peaches: Ok. Well I guess you can ask first then.
Violin-boy19: Okay well, I already read your profile so I know the basics…Let me see. What is your favorite book?
Alec let out a dulled down laugh. How on earth was he supposed to answer such a question? Honestly, he supposed.
Peaches: I don't know honestly, there's too many to pick. Sometimes I like reading classics, but sometimes I like fantasy novels or horror or YA books, really anything but dictionaries.
Violin-boy19: You seem to live by the rule that honesty is the best policy.
Peaches: Was that a question? Because I think it's my turn to ask.
Violin-boy19: No, it was merely a statement. But you are right, ask and you shall be answered.
Peaches: I for one haven't read your profile so I guess I'll start with the basics… Um how old are you?
Violin-boy19: I'm nineteen, as the name may imply. And just to make sure you won't waste a precious question, yes, I do play the violin.
Rolling his eyes, Alec felt a suspiciously warm smile spread across his angled features. It was typically very hard to find anything soft in Alec's features. He was all angles and pointed shadows embedded with icy blue eyes and coal black hair to frame the piece of art. Both of his parents were very unique people. People liked to say that Robert was handsome with his dark eyes, hair and pale complexion to balance them out. But people also liked to say that Robert was the luckiest man on earth to be married to Maryse. There was simply no way to get around it; Maryse Lightwood was and always would be striking. It wasn't just her beautiful looks that made people take a double take. It wasn't just her dark shimmering hair or her stormy grey eyes that caught people's attention. No, it was the way she carried herself. Even though Alec didn't always agree with the way she saw life, he had to admit that it fit her. People could see that she was a woman who stood behind what she believed in and strived to be good, strived to matter. And that was why even when Maryse Lightwood would age, she would never lose her striking looks. Alec had never liked being compared to his mother; people always said they looked so much alike. They always marvelled over how it was possible for Isabelle to look so much like her father and how Alec could resemble his mother so much. Being compared to Maryse Lightwood meant pressure, pressure to be good and strive to matter.
Peaches: Okay so maybe I should have seen that coming. You go ahead and come up with a better question.
The gleam of his computer screen distracted Alec, he was forced to put his phone down and concentrate on the text at hand. He started absentmindedly scrolling through the Geography text that now seemed as interesting as a bag of rice, which was very much not interesting at all.
Violin-boy19: What is your favorite band, musician or piece of music?
Peaches: I don't know. It's hard to pick just one. I mean I guess I listen to all kinds of music, mostly whatever is on the radio.
Violin-boy19: That's understandable
Peaches: So is it my turn now?
Violin-boy19: Yes, go ahead. What would you like to know?
Peaches: Um…do you study?
Violin-boy19: I study music on my own and I've dabbled with philosophy as well.
Alec scrunched his eyebrows and took a minute to process the conversation he was currently having. It didn't really seem real. It seemed guidebook crazy unreal. Almost as if someone was messing with him. Alec looked up from his phone, letting his gaze land on Jace, who was once again deeply in thought, probably contemplating on the efficiency of armies back in the "good old days" as he liked to call them.
"Jace," Alec called, "Are you Violin-boy19?"
Jace whipped his head around and looked confused as hell. "Are you high?"
"No," Alec replied and depend his frown. "Why would you ask that?"
"My question exactly," Jace said, looking a bit offended. "I can't believe you would accuse me of screwing with you like that… Or maybe I can believe that, but I swear I'm not messing with you."
"Oh." Was all that Alec said, before he shifted his eyes back to the screen of his phone.
"So besides the usual reasons, why are you questioning my character?" Jace asked and once again closed his history tab.
"I don't know, this whole i.F.R.I.E.N.D.S. thing is super weird. Like how do I know these people aren't just messing with me? How do I know they're telling the truth? And am I supposed to question what they want from me?"
"You don't. You can't and no." Jace stated.
"How…"
"The hell are you supposed to survive?" Jace finished Alec's question. "You just need not to over think it."
"Thanks, but I can't really help it." Alec couldn't take his eyes off the screen and conversation.
"Look, just be careful and don't reveal information about yourself that you wouldn't post on social media. That's a good ground rule."
"I guess, yeah, yeah…ground rules. We need to set those, definitely." Alec nodded absentmindedly.
"Remember not to post any nudes," Jace added.
Alec fiddled with his phone trying to catalogue some sort of collection of rules he could go by. "Yeah, no nudes, got to add that to the list…wait what?"
Jace grinned. "Hey, people do crazy shit online."
"Nudes," Alec huffed. "What idiot would post nudes?"
"You'd be surprised," Jace said, crossing his arms. "People don't realize what the consequences of a naked picture could be. It's sent online, it doesn't seem real, until it spreads like a wildfire and then you're screwed."
"Wow," Alec sighed. "I think I'm too careful to get screwed."
"Let's hope so Peaches," Jace laughed and winked.
"I should probably message him back," Alec said, drawing his attention to his phone screen again.
Peaches: Okay, that sounds cool.
Violin-boy19: What about you, do you study?
Peaches: Yeah, I study science, mostly biology and geography.
Violin-boy19: That's great; you're a smart one then.
Peaches: Well that depends, there's different kinds of smart.
Violin-boy19: That's true, but they're all good kinds of smart.
Peaches: Why do I get the feeling you're a very positive person and always looking for the silver lining?
Violin-boy19: Probably because I'm always looking up to the sky, it's the best way to find silver linings.
Peaches: Hahaha that's a great philosophy.
Violin-boy19: And that ladies and gentlemen is why I study philosophy.
Peaches: Of course. I have another question for you. You don't have to answer this one if you don't want to but I'm curious. Why did you add me?
Violin-boy19: Honest answer or the answer that will make me seem stable and normal?
Peaches: Honest answer please, even if you think I'll like the stable normal one better.
Violin-boy19: Well if you insist…*Sighs* I was at a bar, getting very drunk and the name Peaches was the most hilarious thing I could think of at that moment so therefor we became friends.
Peaches: We're friends?
Violin-boy19: I hope so?
Peaches: We'll see?
Violin-boy19: Now I'm confused?
Peaches: We can decide after we finish the 10 questions.
Violin-boy19: How many have we done?
Peaches: I think it's five or six now?
Violin-boy19: Let's say five.
Peaches: Okay :D
Violin-boy19: Did I just earn a smiley face?
Peaches: Maybe, I guess you did, but I've got to go now. I have to finish reading something for school.
Violin-boy19: Alright, have a good one.
Peaches: Right back at ya.
"He seems nice," Alec stated and put his phone down.
"Violin guy?" Jace asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Alec said, feeling better about the whole situation.
"Nice as in nice or nice as in nice," Jace asked.
"What's the difference? Alec asked, his mind doing cartwheels.
"Oh you know," Jace said, spreading his arms and wiggling his eyebrows.
Alec shook his head and shied away. "You're bawdy."
"But that's why you love me, right?"
"Sure," Alec said, getting back to his school work.
AN: So how did you like it? Do you like Violin-boy? Just tell me what you thought of it over all? I kind of got the feeling you guys weren't that into Magnus' point of view, so do tell me which one you like better, Alec or Magnus' POV? Anyhow, thank you so much for reading!
Love Always, Alexandra!