Chapter Four:

Time Jump-Three Months Later

Clary POV:

Today was like any other day; Jace and I were sitting under the tree doing our normal things when he screamed.

"What?" I yelled back as I dropped my sketchbook.

"Nothing, I'm fine." I looked at him and he had a scared expression on his face.

"Really? You look scared to death." People started to look over at us.

"Yea, there was just a duck."

"A duck? Like the little fluffy things?"

"They are evil, I'm telling you." I couldn't control my self I started laughing so hard that I had now grabbed everyone's attention. "It's not that funny Clary."

"Oh my god. That is hilarious." I couldn't stop laughing and people were starting to make their way over to us to see what was happening.

"There is nothing to see here people." Jace called out and picked me up and slung me over his shoulder. "We're going."

"Oh come on Jace, that was so funny."

"Maybe to you. I hate ducks. I know it's irrational fear but I don't like them, or trust them." He finally put me down on the brick wall that lined the garden. Everyone was staring at us with a confused expression.

"You heard him, there is nothing to see here." Everyone slowly went back to doing what they were doing.

"What's your biggest fear?" He asks, which throws me off because I thought we'd just go back to our normal routine.

"Uh, I have a couple."

"Well, what's the one you'd dread more than the others?"

"That would have to be clowns." I shuttered as I said it.

"So that would be like you just sitting and relaxing and than all of the sudden a clown appears. You'd freak too."

"I guess you have a point. I'm sorry for laughing."

"It's okay." I smiled at him and before I could say anything else the bell rang. The rest of the day went by and I made my way out to my car when Izzy stopped me.

"What was that at lunch today?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on Clary, what happened between you and Jace?"

"Oh, something he said was funny and I started laughing."

"That was it? He looked mad."

"Oh no, I think he was just annoyed that I grabbed everyone's attention. He didn't want everyone to come over to us so he moved us." I got in my car and drove home.

The next month was different between Jace and I. We started to talk during lunch. Since it was no longer warm outside we had to move inside and we were at a lunch table that was far from everyone. I could see people were still confused but even more so now that we were actually talking.

"So, I want to ask you something." He started off.

"Okay. Should I be worried?" I laughed and he shook his head.

"I don't think so but I was just curious if we could talk about something you told me a couple months ago." I nodded; I knew where this was going. "How did you become anorexic?"

"Well, two years ago my mom died. It was really hard, and my father and my brother became really distant towards me. They got closer but they excluded me. They blame me you see, and they decided that I was worthless, and ugly and fat. Oh god they thought I was fat. They would make comments about it when I ate dinner, or when I would be just walking around the house in a sports bra or any piece of tight clothing. Before I knew it I believed them. I stopped eating, and I started weighing myself every day. Sometimes twice a day. I started exercising like crazy, I would go for five-mile runs and sometimes I would pass out and wake up in a strange neighborhood or in a park somewhere. This went on for a year. It wasn't until I met Izzy that I stopped believing it. Eating is still really hard though. And I still sometimes have that mentality that I'm too fat. I can't even look in a mirror without seeing myself the way my father and brother see me." I looked at him, but he didn't have a saddened expression or a sympathetic expression either he just looked concerned.

"Can you promise me something?" I nod. "Can you eat something at lunch? I don't care if it's an apple or a pop tart, but something." I look at him with hesitation. "I'll do it too."

"Deal." I smile and he smiles back. "Now, can I ask you something?" He nods and has the same nervous expression that I probably had. "Why do you care?"

"Because you're my friend Clary, and nobody should make you feel that way. Especially your family. You're beautiful." He froze but continued soon after. "And nobody should make you feel any less."

"Thanks Jace." I smile at him and he smiles back. "So we're friends now?" I say in a sarcastic tone, but I was also surprised when he called us friends in the first place.

"Well, yea. Is that okay?"

"Of course, but you aren't exactly the type of person to make friends. You haven't talked to anyone in this school for the past three years."

"That's not true. I talk to Alec and Izzy."

"Only when it's a good time for you."

"Maybe, but I have no reason to talk to anyone else."

"So why me?"

"You didn't really give me a choice in the matter. You sat down one day and never left."

"Only because you helped me, and you never asked me to leave."

"Maybe I didn't want you to leave."

"Oh really?"

"Yea, I don't know what it is about you but I like your company."

"I like yours too." I smile at him. Over the past couple months I've started to develop some feelings for Jace, and although I don't know much about him I feel comfortable with him and I'm glad we are friends.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. It was Friday so I was heading over to Izzy's house to spend the afternoon together.

"So, how is Jace?" She said with a glimmer in her eye.

"He's good. Why do you ask?"

"Because you've been sitting with him at lunch for months and he talks to you. That's more than he's talked to anyone is three years. He bumped into Alec in the hallway and apologized. Apologized Clary, he never did that before."

"We're friends Iz. Of course we talk."

"But is there something more?" I bit my lip and looked down while I slowly began to blush. "I totally knew it! You like him!"

"It doesn't matter. He'll never like me. He told me today that we were friends."

"Oh come on Clary he has never even tried to make friends with anyone before you. Hell, he's had so many girls try to get his attention in high school yet he's always blown them off, until you."

"I don't know Iz." It couldn't be possible for Jace to like me, it just couldn't. He was golden. And I mean literally golden. He had golden hair, and golden eyes and he was shaped like an angel. It was obvious how attractive Jace was. And according to Izzy before the accident he knew it too.

"Well trust me, he likes you. Just give him some time, he'll show it eventually. Hey, next weekend you wanna spend the weekend and have some girl time! I miss you, since lunch was the only time and since you filled that time with Jace I want you to myself!"

"I wish I could Iz but my father is making me go with and my brother on a trip this weekend." But the weekend after, we can." I smile and she smiles back!

That weekend passed shortly and so did the next week. It was Friday and I was sitting at lunch with Jace.

"You look upset. What's wrong?" He asked as he took a bite of an apple.

"I have to go away with my father and my brother this weekend."

"Oh. Any reason?"

"I don't know. They won't tell me. But I have to go."

"You could say no."

"I tried, it turned into a verbal altercation where I was being hit with every insult they could find until I gave in."

"Well, when you get back let me know and we can take a walk so you can get away." He smiled and I got butterflies.

"I would like that."