"And he looked lonely enough that she said, 'If you like, you could be my friend'."
Sarah J. Maas
Jace hated art. He hated how the crayons broke when he held them too hard. He hated the bleed of the markers and having to sharpen colored pencils. He especially hated the fact that Clary was so good at it. He liked recess much better. He liked playing tag with the other kids and being the fastest one out of all of them to their dismay. Clary liked being inside. She told him she liked learning and drawing and he gave her an ugly face, shaking his head in disagreement. They were complete opposites but they still made their friendship work.
"Guess what?" She asked him, pinching him roughly on his upper arm.
He yelped and watched her grin, a happy grin. "My biwthday is tomowow!"
"It is?" He scratched the back of his neck and after a moment clapped his hands together. "How old are ya?"
She scrunched her eyebrows in thought and tapped her fingers against her green shirt. "Umm...six!" Her eyes were so wide and leafy Jace had to smack himself lightly on the leg to stop looking.
"Ha, I'm older." He boasted, his lips curling. She scowled and stomped her foot.
"Oldew doesn't mattew." She retorted and darted away from him to Raphael who was scribbling something on a notebook. Jace felt angry. Why did Clary always want Raphael next to her? Why not him?
Maia caught his arm suddenly and dragged him towards the monkey bars, chattering about how she could hang from the slide without her feet. He didn't say anything but he really did not care about it.
[XX]
"Leave me alone! You stupid jewk!" Jace sat up from his bed in confusion, blinking in the darkness. Was that Clary? He let out a short breath and stepped out of his bed, small feet touching the wooden floor. He tugged open the door and glanced out the lighted hall.
He didn't see anything. He must have dreamt about it. Pursing his lips, Jace slowly turned the knob and before he could bounce back on his mattress, he saw Clary run to him, her hair in a frenzy.
"Jace!"
"Clary. It's night time right now. Mrs. Seelie is gonna get mad at ya. Go back to bed."
"But-"
"You can't play now." He was tired. He just wanted to shut his eyelids and return to slumber.
She bit her bottom lip, her expression worried. "Jace. I need to stay hewe."
He tilted his head. "Why?"
"They'we laughing at me. And Raphael's doow is locked."
Jace was getting frustrated. He didn't know what was going on. "Who?"
"Twavis and his frwends. They'we making fun of my haiw and now they'we chasing me. Please." She pleaded, tightly wrapping her arms together.
He moved aside for her and she rushed in, locks of red twirling behind her. He flicked on his lamp. "Why don't you tell Mrs. Seelie?"
"Because..." She faltered, swinging her feet.
"Because what?"
"They said that if I tell they'll just keep doing it. I don't wanna tell. I don't wanna." She repeated, shrugging her shoulders.
Jace rubbed his eyes. "It's okay. I'll tell her."
She didn't seem to hear him and pressed her face to his pillows. She pulled on his blankets and settled to the right side. His cheeks flushed. He was going to sleep next to a girl. He fisted his hand at the thought. "Come on, Jace." She said, her voice sleepy and drained. He broke away from his train of thought and hurried to her, slowly bringing his legs to the cushions. His chest was making noises all over again. He didn't want Clary to hear them.
Jace lied on the edge of the sheets, staring at the other direction. He tried to sleep but this time he couldn't. Then he felt Clary's arms on his waist and he released a quiet shriek of surprise. "Night, Jace." She whispered and the sounds that his torso was making were getting out of control. He found himself getting warm after several minutes.
Even though he knew for certain that she was asleep, he still managed to mumble, "Night Clary."
