Author's Note:
Okay this chapter was actually the fastest for me to write because I'm starting to thicken the plot. I wasn't going to update until like 3 my time but since so many people are excited about this story, I thought I'd just send it out there (: Also, just one more thing, I've been noticing grammar errors based on my stupidity, so I just want to apologize. But anyway hope you enjoy chapter 4!
~Maddie
Buzz, buzz. Clary's phone buzzed silently as she sat on the couch waiting for Jace to pick her up. She unlocked her phone and the message popped up.
I'm out front if you're still going –J
Course I'm going, you really think I want to go to Mr. Morgenstern's class today? –C
Clary skipped down her front porch steps and climbed in the passenger seat of Jace's car.
"Really? You're going so you can miss class, not even to help a friend out?" Jace put his car in drive and Clary just laughed. It was silent on the way to park where they were holding registration. They pulled into the parking lot and Clary whistled.
"Looks like I under dressed." Clary looked over all the dresses, heels and jewelry she would never be able to afford.
"It's not big deal we can stand out together." Jace joked and unbuckled his seatbelt, stepping out of the car. "I usually just sit in a chair and try to figure out who's boobs are fake or not."
Clary chuckled crossing her arms across her sweatshirt feeling way out of place. "So were you planning on introducing me to Isabelle, or am I supposed to figure out who she is on my own."
"It would be hilarious watching you struggle considering we look nothing alike, but I won't make you suffer." Jace pointed to a very tall girl with long black hair that reached her waist. You could tell from the way she carried herself she was very confident about herself.
"She's really pretty." Clary's self esteem lowered immediately as she realized almost everyone here was like Izzy. Obviously not in looks but in confidence, it definitely wasn't the heels making them taller it was there noses stuck too far in the air. Clary started to really take in her surroundings. How they made a grass field look so pretty she would never know.
"I guess, but she's my cousin so that's kinda awkward…" Jace's voice trailed off. "Wait a second- is that?"
Clary looked around mesmerized by how beautiful they could make a park. There was a white tent with tables, obviously for signing in. There was round table after round table with center pieces that probably cost more than they should. The canopy's covering the tables from the sun looked like single white sheets but had perfectly placed vine looking thing swinging from the sides and the occasional ones hanging loose in the middle. If you looked closer you could see fake white flowers blossoming on some of the vines. Then at the end of the tables was a stage with a couple of chairs on the right side and a single microphone in the center. It was quite big and it made Clary wonder how they se this up so fast.
"I'll be right back." Jace left Clary standing and not paying attention as her best friend left.
"They're lucky the weather was decent today or else they probably count have pulled this off." Clary turned to find Jace missing. "Jace?" She searched the crowd but couldn't find his gold head anywhere. "Shit."
***page break***
"Aline?" Jace tapped the girl with the short black hair on the shoulder. She turned around with a confused expression.
"Do I know you?"
He laughed but then quickly realized she wasn't joking when she just stared at him with her eyebrows raised. "It's me, Jace. Surely you couldn't have forgotten what I look like."
Her mouth shaped into an 'o' as she put the pieces together. "Jace from Pandemonium?"
"The one and only."
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh I just know someone who's entering."
"Who, maybe I know her."
"Uh, Isabelle Lightwood."
Aline's face seemed to drop at Isabelle's name. "Isabelle?"
Jace seemed to pick up on this reaction right away. "I mean I don't know her on a personal level, I've just seen her around."
"So… you came to the registration for someone you don't really know…?"
"What? No I just-."
"You just what?"
"I-."
"God dammit Jace! There you are." A familiar voice sounded from behind Jace. When he turned around he spotted his escape plan. "Why the hell would you leave me like that?"
"I was just… getting to know your competition." Jace smiled down at Clary.
"My what?" Clary's eyes widened in confusion and disbelief.
"Oh you're entering in the pageant?" Aline smiled at Clary but before Clary could respond Jace stopped her.
"Yeah, Clary's the reason I'm here." Jace grabbed Clary's arm pulling her in a side hug holding her uncomfortably tight signaling for her not to say anything.
"It's funny; I've never seen you compete before."
"Yeah isn't that crazy?" Clary said through gritted teeth.
"I see well good luck Clary. I guess I will be seeing you later." Aline smiled and waltzed away.
Jace loosened his grip but Clary tightened it again pulling him away behind the registration tent. "What was that!?" She yelled when she knew no one was listening.
"What do you mean?" Jace looked at her totally dumbfounded and Clary whacked him on the arm. "Ow! Why'd you hit me?"
"You told her I was competing! I'm not competing, why the hell would you say that?"
"Well thanks to my brilliantly fast thinking mind, I figured out a way to get my manhood back."
"Your manhood? Really?"
"Yes my manhood! I can't just walk around and live normally knowing that a girl like that turned a guy like me down. It just throws the whole universe off balance. That is why you're going to enter this competition and convince Aline to like me. Then balance can be restored."
"You are insane! You know that? There is no way I'm competing in the Miss NYC pageant just because some stuck up, rich, beauty queen turned you down. It's one girl, get over it!"
"First it's one girl, then it's two and then before you know it all girls are like that."
"You're blowing this situation way out of proportion and bringing me in the middle of it."
"Come on Clary, we're best friends. If the positions were reversed I'd do this for you."
Clary sighed. "Well in that case… no." She sidestepped Jace and made her way to the front of the tent when she ran into what felt like a wall. "I'm so sor-." She stopped when she saw the one and only Sebastian Verlac.
"Clary? Fancy meeting you here?"
"You- you know my name?" She couldn't help but stare. Other than Jace, Sebastian was one of the hottest guys at school. Basically if you weren't into Jace you were into Sebastian, even though they were complete opposite. While Jace was so bright and golden, Sebastian was more dark and mysterious. His hair was the darkest brown she would ever see and his eyes matched his hair perfectly. He was just an inch or so shorter than Jace, but no less of a man.
"Of course, we only have like two classes together." He laughed and smiled.
"Oh, I knew that." Clary blushed and looked down at her feet.
"No offense but what are you doing here? You don't really seem like a pageant person."
"Well actually-."
"But I got to say I wouldn't mind seeing you all dolled up like that." He smirked in a way similar to Jace's.
"Oh, me? Psh, I'm all about the pageant life." She grabbed apiece of her red hair and twirled like she'd seen down in countless of movies.
"Really?"
Clary nodded. "Really."
"That's great. Can't wait to see you up on that stage." He winked and continued on his way.
"Oh my god…" Clary squealed on the inside.
"You're all about the pageant life huh?" She turned around to find Jace. "So when I ask you, you completely shut the idea down but when Verlac basically tells you to do it, you act like a giddy little girl?"
Clary groaned. "Giddy little girl? Is that really what I acted like?"
"Spot on."
"Ugh, why didn't you stop me?"
"I was having too much fun watching you." Jace smirked. "So Clary, what do you say?" He pulled a clipboard out from behind his back that he must've grabbed in the tent. She met his gaze with her own. "I'm sure Sebastian would want you to." He held it out to her.
She cursed on her breath and sighed. "I'll do it."