Chapter 8

Here we go guys! I know a lot of you are kind of mad at Jace right now but it will come full circle eventually. I was going for a 'hot mess' and that's the reaction I was expecting. A lot of you have also asked about who the guy on the other end of the messages is, if you haven't put it together yet, you'll know pretty soon.

If you haven't yet, there's a new story up, Life Unexpected, go check it out and drop a review or a favorite/follow. I just want to thank everyone for enjoying my writing as much as I love writing it, it makes the work that much more worth it.

I left you guys with a cliff hanger, but I am prepare to update again if you guys leave a review!

Characters belong to Cassie Clare.

Clary POV

The forty-five-minute-long hot shower worked wonders for the nerves. I couldn't help but think that all this shit is one sick joke. Is it supposed to be this way? Like, ha ha, jokes on me – I'm going to wake up from this nightmare one morning and everything is supposed to be the way I want it to be.

I lay down on Alec's bed and stare at the ceiling. All I have left is hope. Hope that this mess will turn out okay in the end – that I'll be okay in the end. That day can come any day now, even though I know it won't.

Every time I ask myself how shit got so messed up, it makes me want to hit something. In the end, it's not even my fault, but it's still my problem. I just wish I could be more like Izzy sometimes; maybe then I would have been over this thing a long time ago.

"Clary," I head from the door, successfully scaring the shit out of me. Alec came around and shut the door behind him, putting his hands up noticing he scared me. "Just me."

I threw a pillow at him and watched it pathetically hit the floor.

"Did you find Izzy?" I asked. He looked a little worried for a moment and I gave him a look.

"She's not here," he said quietly.

"What do you mean she's not here?" I asked a little more forcefully this time.

"Jordan saw her leave with some guy," he answered with a slight scowl and scrunched nose.

"I can't go back without her, she drove," I said getting mildly frustrated.

"Just hang out here," he said offering his bedroom to me. "I'll track her down when the sun comes up and you'll be back before class."

I rolled my eyes and wanted to deny the request but I didn't have much of a choice.

"The party is fading out anyways, it's getting really late," he reasoned again. "Jace isn't downstairs anymore so maybe he left too." He finished with a shrug of his shoulders and a sorry look on his face.

"It's not your fault, Alec," I said more grateful for his help this time. "Thank you."

He sat down beside me and stayed quiet for another minute.

"I know it's not my fault, Clare," he said letting the tips of his mouth curve slightly. "But it is Jace's. As much as I don't agree with his lifestyle, he's still family." I know exactly what he means, even if I wish it wasn't reality. "You've done so much for Izzy and I and our family – you're like family too."

I never actually thought I was helping them any. It's always been them helping me out of worrying, or pulling me out a pity party, or making sure I use proper hygiene. They've been my rock, and I needed that – but it's nice to know they needed me too.

"I'm on your side," he kept going. "I'm on Jace's too, although not as often, but sometimes he makes good choices," he paused so he could let out a short laugh. I couldn't help but smile too. Alec just cares – he just cares about people in general, and that's incredible of him.

"Magnus is lucky to have you," I said smiling a real smile.

The way they fit together couldn't be more different and scandalous, but it's perfect in every way. Magnus with his big personality and sparkling aura – Alec with his quiet personality with a personality so genuine it hurts. It just works.

"You'll be happy one day too, Clarebear," he said happily.

The words rang through my thoughts. I will be happy one day, and it'll be perfect too.

Just then, there was a knock on the door followed by Magnus coming in.

"You good?" he asked taking in the scene before him.

"Just talking," I said so Alec could properly greet his boyfriend.

"I can't get ahold of Izzy," he said more focused this time. "And Jace is out too. The house is almost empty so we'll have the place to ourselves."

I let out a breath and Alec smiled back at him.

"Thanks for clearing the party out," Alec said with a look of gratefulness.

"Don't thank me yet," Magnus said with a gross expression. "You haven't seen that mess down there yet. Your parents will flip shit if they come home to that."

"I'll take care of it," Alec says looking more to me than Magnus.

"We'll take care of it," Magnus said again, looking to me. "It should only take a couple of hours. Get some sleep, if Izzy comes home early we'll come and get you."

"No," I said standing up. "I feel a lot better, I want to help clean up."

They exchanged a worried glance but I rolled my eyes stubbornly.

"It's not like Jace is downstairs, I'll be fine, I can help clean up," I said again.

They nodded this time and Magnus got the door for us.

He was right, this place was trashed.


It was after three in the morning by the time we got to bed. It's a good thing I did help because I was the only one that could reach behind the couches and furniture to pick up forgotten bottles and cups. It would've taken them all day to move the furniture and put everything back if they did it themselves.

Magnus gave an exaggerated yawn and put his last bag of trash in the larger can. Alec followed suit so I stretched my arms and yawned myself. It only took three and a half hours but everything looks normal now, no lingering alcohol smell, no footprints on the floor, no trash hidden between the cushions of the couches.

Magnus announced that he and Alec were going to sleep. I took Izzy's room and made sure to close the door behind me. It only took a moment before my head hit the pillows and I was out for the night.


"What do you mean, 'you woke up all the way across town'?" I heard Alec yell from the hallway. I rubbed my eyes and let them adjust to the light.

"I don't know! I had to take two busses to get home, I didn't even recognize the place," I heard Izzy this time.

"It's not healthy to hook up with guys you don't know," I heard Alec scold again.

I cracked her door open and took in the pair in front of me. Alec has his fingers pinching the brim of his nose and Izzy looks like she rocked the walk of shame this morning; bed head, smeared makeup, no shoes, and everything. I huffed out a giggle and made my way down stairs. They can argue but I'm getting coffee.

The coffee was already warm so maybe Izzy already turned it on. I got myself a cup and sat down at the bar. I sipped on my cup and went through FaceBook, I went through Instagram, and I put my phone down.

The sun was shining a bright yellow through the kitchen windows that lit the room perfectly.

I noticed my phone buzzing to the tone that indicates I have a text.

jpack: you feel like breakfast?

Me: Sure

jpack: Really?

Me: I'm still in town till this afternoon, why not

You'll be happy one day. But it won't come any faster if I don't do anything about it.

jpack: Meet me at the diner across from Pandemonium?

Me: I know the one

jpack: An hour?

Me: I'll see you in an hour

I put my cup in the sink and went back upstairs.

"Izzy, I need your help," I said interrupting their argument about one-night stands.

She didn't even hear me. I didn't feel like getting into it with them so I went to the second-best option.

"Magnus, I need help," I said going into Alec's room.

He was already awake but playing on his phone.

"Anything fun?" he asked sitting up.

"I'm meeting the guy from Tinder for breakfast before we leave," I said slowly, his expression getting more and more devious. "I need help picking something out."

"You came to the right place," he said standing up and pushing me to Izzy's room in one swift motion. He might be slightly too excited for this.


It's been thirty minutes and Magnus has tried to put me in every single slutty tee shirt that Izzy had with her. I've denied every single one of them.

"It's just breakfast Mags," I argued.

"It's the rest of your life," he argued back.

"You're impossible," I grunted.

"You're going to thank me later," he tried again.


Another ten minutes later, and I ended up in cream colored jean shorts and a short sleeve sweater. Sweat and sassy, just right. I grabbed my flip flops and Magnus braided my hair back. I put on foundation, a thin line of eyeliner, and some mascara before evaluating myself in the mirror.

Izzy approved with a grin and they were pushing me out the door.