Midnight Flower part 2

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"Midnight." I said and stood up. I held out my hand and pulled her up beside me. "Now. Watch."

I watched the flowers tense up, waiting to burst open. I saw Clary turn to ask me what was happening; I held up my hand.

"Wait" She turned back to the plant. Suddenly the flower buds started to shake, it bulged to the size of a tennis ball and burst open. The dark red petals spread out wards, as if they were stretching after a long nights sleep. I saw Clary's eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh!" She turned to look at me "Do they bloom every night?"

"Only at midnight" I felt oddly sentimental "Happy birthday, Clarissa Fray." She looked like she was about to cry.

"Thank you" she said quietly

"I have something for you" I shoved a hand in my pocket searching for a smooth, flat surface…

I held the witchlight out to Clary. She looked at me, puzzled.

"Huh. You know, when most girls say they want a big rock they don't mean, you know, literally a big rock." I rolled my eyes at her.

"Very amusing, my sarcastic friend. Its not a rock, precisely. All Shadowhunters have a witchlight rune-stone."

"Oh" She sounded interested now, she closed her small hand around it and watched the light peek out through her fingertips.

"It will bring you light, even among the darkest shadows of this world and others"

When did I get to be so sentimental? I sounded like a complete sap even to my own ears.

This is you're weakness, Jace…My fathers voice echoed round my head; why won't he go away?

"Well, thanks. It was nice of you to give me anything." I could feel the tension pressing down on us, like a hot blanket on a humid night. It was stifling. Clary ploughed on, dtermined to break the tension;

"Better than a bath in spaghetti, any day." I knew I shouldn't have told her that. I stared at her blackly, and said threateningly;

"If you share that little bit of personal information with anyone, I may have to kill you."

"Well, when I was five I wanted my mother to let me go around and around in the dryer with the clothes. Difference is, she didn't let me."

"Probably because going around and around inside a dryer can be fatal, whereas pasta is rarely fatal. Unless Isabelle makes it." The tension had lifted slightly, though still not enough for my liking. We watched the blood-coloured petals fall to the ground in silence. Clary was the first to break it:

"When I was twelve, I wanted a tattoo. My mom wouldn't let me have that either."

I nodded; "Most Shadowhunters get their first marks when at twelve. It must have been in your blood."

"Maybe, although I doubt most Shadowhunters get a tattoo of Donatello from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on their left shoulder."

"You wanted a turtle on your shoulder?" I asked

"I wanted to cover up my chicken pox scar." She pulled down the strap of her tank top slightly, revealing a small white scar on her cream-coloured flesh. I gulped as some type of hot desire ran through my body; it was overpowering. I was losing my mind.

"See?" She pointed to the scar. I turned away; I couldn't cope with these feelings. I needed to get out before I did something rash. I couldn't believe how much I wanted her. It was terrifying.

"It's getting late," I said, no longer feeling like myself "We should go back downstairs."

Clary pulled up the strap to her top, with a look of chagrin and embarrassment. I wanted to hug her, to make her feel better…

Stop it!

I shook my head and turned towards the door.

"Have you and Isabelle ever - dated?" I heard her ask from behind me; I turned around, shocked. Her face flushed a deeper scarlet.

"Isabelle?" I asked her blankly, what has Isabelle got to do with anything? My father sighed patronizingly in my head:

She's jealous, Jace…

Don't be stupid, father... Is she?

"I thought-" She fiddled with the hem of her top, looking at the floor. "Simon was wondering."

I felt hot rage shoot up inside me. Simon?

"Maybe he should ask her" I said, I sounded cooler than I felt.

"I'm not sure he wants to. Anyway, never mind. It's none of my business" She was still blushing. Maybe this was about her after all; not that slimy mundane. I smiled at her, like a cat ready to pounce.

"The answer is no. I mean, there may have been a time when one or the other of us may have considered it, but she's almost a sister to me. It would be strange"

"You mean you and Isabelle never-"

"Never"

"She hates me" Clary observed, I hated her thinking like that.

"No, she doesn't," I saw her look at me in surprise "You just make her nervous, because she's been the only girl in a crowd of adoring boys, and she isn't anymore"

"But she's so beautiful" Clary said looking amazed.

"So are you," I said without thinking "and in a very different way than she is and she cant help but notice that. She's always wanted to be small and delicate, you know. She hates being taller than most boys" Had I just called her beautiful? I was like somebody else was in charge of my mouth now and I was just watching and commenting in the background.

"We should probably go downstairs" She was staring at him. He felt very self-conscious especially now as he wasn't sure what he'd say next.

"All right" she answered and we started walking back.

I was absorbed in my thoughts. I'd never felt this way about anyone. What was so different about Clary? Why did I want her so much?

Suddenly she bumped into me, reflexively I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her from falling over. She turned round to look at me; her mouth open ready to apologise. And without consciously meaning to do it, my mouth collided with hers.

Mwahaha! Cliff-hanger! The chapters in City of bones are so long that I'm afraid I'm going to spin this out for another few chapters. My arms start to ache after a while ;)

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