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Sorry I haven't updated in over a week, I found this really difficult to start.

Clary

My alarm sprang to life at the usual time of six o'clock in the morning, pulling me out of my slumber. 'Damn, forgot to turn it off!' I think, huffily lashing my arm down on the snooze button, buying myself more time. Then, I pick up the horrendous thing and rip the batteries out, flinging them across the room. Settling back under the warm covers, I snuggle down and try to sleep. But after rolling around for an hour I decide it's futile. 'Great!' I think grumpily. 'There goes my Saturday lie-in'.

I throw back the duvet and pull on my old pyjamas. I groggily walk down the stairs, focusing on the banister so I don't have to see myself in the mirror. I'd fallen into bed last night, only bothering to yank off my shoes. I didn't want to see the sloppy remains of yesterday's make-up, and my hair didn't bear thinking about. Not to mention my pounding headache from a killer hangover. Not the best start to a weekend.

Turning on the kitchen light, I wince at the brightness, rubbing my eyes. But finally, after searching, I find the solution to all my problems. Ben & Jerry's.

Meandering to my beige living room, I collapse into the plush, white fabric of my sofa. Wielding a spoon, I push through the creamy goodness and eat, allowing my brain to be overridden with thoughts.

'Is Jace actually being nice to me, or is this just another tactic? He still hasn't apologised for the Celine thing. Not like that will change anything. I can never forgive him for that. As hot as he is, that doesn't change the fact that he's an insufferable arse. And a player.' I nod to myself.

'Has everything he used to be; charming, affectionate and good-tempered, vanished so quickly? That Jace must be down there somewhere. Maybe not', I retort against myself. 'Maybe he has changed beyond recognition. Did I do that to him?'

A knock on the door stuns me out of my reverie and makes my heart jump in shock. I gather my many wits and hovel to the door.

"Who is it?" I croak, sounding startlingly like Golem. I clear my throat.

"Clary? Is that you? IT'S ME! I forgot my keys!" comes the unmistakable voice of my flatmate, Simon. I sigh; does he want to wake up the entire neighbourhood?

But, like always, I get a wave of relief that he's here. He's one of the only people I can actually be myself with, without the necessity of the cold-hearted bitch disguise.

I open the door and Simon walks in with a bag of groceries in one hand and his damp dark hair flopping over his eyes.

"I'm appreciative, but why are you up at half eight in the morning?"

Then, his gaze lands on me.

"I see the charity shop decided to lend you their extras." Simon says, seriously.

"Shut up! They're comfortable…" I reply, hitting him playfully on the arm.

Simon drops his grocery bag and hoists me up onto his shoulder. I squeal like a pig, kicking and screaming, demanding an explanation.

"Sorry, but the fashion police have eyes everywhere." Simon jokes.

After all we'd finished messing around, Simon made me a cup of warm milk and we went through the ritual of telling each other about our week. Even though we lived together, he worked night shifts at a bar and we hardly got any time to talk.

"So this week wasn't particularly special. Carl says I'm one of the front runners for a promotion to 'Head Barman', but I'm sure he's going to pick Becky. The way he letches over her is just…" Simon pauses, shuddering. "Anyway, I met this cool girl called Cherise, but I think she might have a boyfriend and – Actually, never mind, because I can tell you're just about to trump everything I said."

I stop nervously fidgeting and look him in the eyes apologetically. He was right.

"We got a new employee this week. It's Jace."

It took a good half an hour and three hot beverages to go through everything that had been going on.

"Please tell me you're not going to forgive him." Simon begs.

"Of course not! I'm not some masochistic, desperate tramp!" I yell.

"You could've fooled me. I saw a desperate tramp the other day and I swear you stole his clothes." Simon tells me. I hit him in the arm again, pouting.

"Hey!" he says. "Mind the jacket. It's designer!"

"Since when do you wear designer clothes? I thought you said it was consumerist bullshit." I reply, frowning. 'It didn't look designer, just like an ordinary leather jacket.'

"Yup, it is. I just wanted you to stop hitting me." Simon admits, and I grin mischievously.

The doorbell rings out, playing Greensleeves. It had come with the house and neither of us had had the heart to change it.

Simon raises an eyebrow, "Expecting someone?"

'It's not fair how everyone can do that but me', I think bitterly.

I shake my head in answer to Simon's question and get up. Simon gets to the door before me and he opens it to reveal Maia standing on our doorstep.

"Hi Maia. Please don't make a comment about what I look like unless your face needs an introduction to my fist," I say brightly, gesturing her to enter.

"Oooooh, I'm terrified of your midget fist! Anyway, what's the plan for today?" Maia asks expectantly.

"What do you mean? You came here!" I exclaim in surprise.

"I mean, when I told you two days ago to call up that amazing wedding cake shop to get us a tasting for today!" Maia retorts, hands on her hips.

'Oh shit,' I think, 'THAT was what I was supposed to do!'

"Wedding cake? Who's getting married?" Simon asks Maia.

I want to fall into the floor. She's going to kill me!

"CLARY! You didn't tell SIMON?" Maia yells at me, her voice raising a few octaves.

"I thought it would be better as a surprise…" I lie weakly.

"You completely forgot about everything, didn't you?" Maia sighs.

'I just messed everything up. What if she doesn't want me to be her maid of honour anymore? Oh God, that would be terrible! I'm such a shit friend.'

"I'm so sorry, Maia… It won't happen again!" I tell her guiltily, peeking up through my eyelashes.

"Wait a second. Maia, you're getting MARRIED?" Simon screeches. Maia rolls her eyes.

"That's the plan." She replies.

Simon makes a series of unmanly noises, launching into a hug with Maia.

"I am really sorry Maia. I just I have a lot on my mind." I attempt pathetically.

"Quit apologising already and take a few light-years to get decent. We've got lots of dress shops to trail around." Maia orders through gritted teeth still locked in Simon's crushing embrace. I smile at her and run upstairs.

After I've washed my face, pulled my heinous hair up and put on less embarrassing clothes, I run downstairs. Picking up my handbag, I find Maia standing in the hallway, looking thoroughly bored.

"I didn't literally mean light-years! We have lots of stuff to do!" Maia condones, pushing me through the door, while I try feebly to call a goodbye to Simon.

As we walk off to what plans to be a fun day out shopping with my best friend, I can't push back all thoughts of Jace. I smile at that. Maia turns to me when we are outside.

"Nice pyjamas by the way."

Jace

Pushing my strong arms through the surface, I propel myself through the water. Head down, I feel, not see, the end of the pool. I pull myself up onto the ledge, shaking out my golden hair. Swimming is my stress relief. It's so eerily calm under the water, I feel like I'm in another world. 'Wow, I sound like a girl.'

Looking around the buzzing room, I am disappointed to find that no-one is staring or giggling at me. It's three in the afternoon on a Saturday and there is hardly anyone here. 'What a waste of my tiny Speedo's. Never mind, I suppose I will have to cope with this trip being for the swimming form of exercise only.'

'But, did I want other exercise? Since I saw Clary in her office I can't think about anyone but her. She's messing with my head. '

I dip back into the silky water, pushing off the wall. Darting through the water like an arrow. I hold my breath for as long as I can, which is an impressive time, even for me.

As I reach the wall near the entry, I hear hushed laughter and talking. I turn around, placing my arms on the wall and leaning my head against it in a fake relaxed position.

"Isn't he tasty? TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS!" One of the women squeals, erupting into fits of hysteric glee. The older swimmers turn to look at the lady with undisguised disgust. She was drunk, but I appreciated the compliment all the same.

"I'm sure he is. Now, you don't really want to go swimming, do you?" came the reply in a condoning voice, as if she was talking to a child. The voice sounded familiar.

"Aww, come on! It'll be fun… Look! I'm jumping in, and you're coming with me!" The first woman replies and her words are followed by a tremendous splash. 'Way to make an entrance'.

"MAIA! AAARRHG," comes an aggressive scream. Maia? As in from work? I definitely know that voice. I whip my head to the left and sure enough see Maia splashing something. Moving closer I see that 'something' is a small person. More specifically, Clary.

She stands in the shallow end of the pool, about ten feet away from me, in a black swimsuit and nothing else. She has her arms crossed over her chest and her lower lip is jutting out aggressively. Ain't she cute, I think.

I take this time to make my entrance.

"You know, stalking is a federal crime." I tell the frolicking girls.

They turn simultaneously and look at me. Clary's eyes pop and her jaw drops, and Maia bites her lip. I notice Clary's eyes look hungrily over my exposed body for a second, and she blushes deeply when she realised I noticed. 'It's so obvious! Why didn't I notice it before? She's clearly infatuated.'

"Take your time. My abs can do this to people." I say, winking.

"W-Why are you here?" Clary asks. For a clever person she was pretty stupid.

"Well, Clary. I'm doing this thing. It's called 'swimming'." I tell her.

"Oh." Clary says awkwardly.

"I think I might try that out for a second." Maia says hastily, now very alert. Clary sends her a desperate look but Maia just swims away. She throws her hands up, in disbelief, leaving them resting at her sides.

"So, why are you here?" I ask Clary politely. 'Baby steps', I think.

"Well, we were wedding shopping for the bridesmaids dresses. Then one of the shop assistants told us about this wine tasting…" Clary trails off, flushing with embarrassment.

"Let me guess, Maia did a bit more than 'tasting'?" I smile, amused at the thought.

"Pretty much. The she said she wanted to go to the pool, and bought us these expensive swimming costumes from the next door store. I couldn't say no, or she'd drive herself." Clary says.

I nod back and we stand there for a while. 'She's too good for me, too caring. But she can't help loving me'. I find myself staring at Clary's body and she crosses her arms again. 'She doesn't know how pretty she is. She's so stupid sometimes I just want to strangle her. But I suppose that would defeat the point. Leaving her dead and all. I don't want her dead. That's the last thing I want. God, am I falling for her?'

"We have to go." Clary says curtly. I nod again and she pulls herself out of the pool, giving me a good sight of her butt. She walks over to Maia, who is doing a lazy backstroke and they murmur for a bit. I stop watching the redhead and swim to the deep end. Plunging underwater, I hold my breath.

When I come up again, they're gone.

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Thanks to Rachel104 xxx