Song(s) Mentioned:
Gary Allen - Watching Airplanes
Isabelle
After we got home from the beach, I showered and got ready for Todd's going-away barbeque party; throwing on a pair of hot pink shorts and a light blue tank top. Clary and I decided we wanted to give him a memorable last day with us before he went back north for a few months. She suggested the beach and I suggested this little get together. We loved both ideas, so after we talked to my father about coming over and grilling for us and he agreed, we decided to do both. Now I'm just hoping he likes it.
"Do you think we have enough music?" I ask as I'm playing with the sound system my dad brought outside for us. I look over my shoulder at Clary.
"We should. It's only for a few hours after all. Remember, he has to be at the airport before six o'clock and it's already.." She looks at her phone while straddling a lounge chair. "2:27. So that doesn't leave much time."
"You two go see who's ready to eat." My dad, Robert, says interrupting our conversation.
"Are the ribs finally done?" I asks in a deep, creepy voice as turn to look at him.
"Yeah, so is the corn-on-the-cob." He says standing in front of the grill, tongs in hand.
"Good cause I'm starving." I inform him.
"Me too!" Clary says and stands up.
"You may want to let your mother know, so she can get everything she's been fixing set out." He twist the upper half of his body so he can see us with a smile on his face. "And hurry along what she's still working on."
Clary and I snicker, and we walk to the door. She reaches out, sliding the door open, and we step inside. My mom, Maryse, is standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot.
"Robert says grubs done." Clary tells her.
"Oh good." She glances back at us. "You girls get the styrofoam plates and plastic silverware out, while I finish up the baked beans."
We do as she says, Clary going to the drawer we keep the party utensils in and grabbing a box out, and I grab the plates out of the cabinet under the island.
"Won't we need knifes?" I asks with a raised eyebrow.
Clary looks at me and scoffs. "It's ribs, you eat them with your hands. This isn't a fancy restaurant."
My mom laughs, shaking her head. "Okay you two the beans are done, now one of you go and get the other sides out of the fridge."
I start to open the refrigerator door. "I wish Max wasn't at summer camp, he'd love this." I say to nobody specific.
"Me too." My mom and Clary say simultaneously.
I begin pulling out big bowls of potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw. I set them on the island so I can steady them before I take them outside.
"Now Clary, you get to let the boys know that the foods done. They're in the basement playing video games." My mom tells her.
I look up from the bowls to Clary. She looks at me with a devilish look and grins, which just makes it look even more evil and I smile back. I grab the bowls, smile, and start walking towards the door. I take a step out and wonder...
What is she about to do?
Jace
After leaving the beach, I went home, showered, threw on some blue jean shorts and a different white tank top. As I went to get in my truck, Alec showed up. He told me I was being lazy cause I wasn't going to just walk the six blocks to his house and then told me to get in. I rode to his house with him and helped carry in the beer, he had just came back from getting. Once we had it all packed in the cooler and covered with ice, he said he was going to take a shower.
When I walked in through the back door, Maryse was in the kitchen cooking something that smelled good. She gave me a hug and told me that Jon and Todd were in the basement already, and that I should go join them. About twenty minutes later Alec came down, and we've all been in here ever since.
"Die fucker, die!" Jon yells at the television that they're playing Doom on.
"Shoot him!" Todd yells.
"Look out there's-" Alec begins just as ice cold water is getting sprayed at us.
We all start yelling, and jump up. I turn around and Clary is standing about mid-way up the steps with a water gun in hand, still pointing it at us, laughing. She's wearing a pair of short, blue jean cut-offs and a white tank top. Damn she looks good! I say to myself.
"That wasn't funny, Clary!" Jon yells at the same time Todd says, "Not cool!"
She shrugs still laughing. "FOOD'S DONE! COME AND GET IT!" She yells as if we're far away from her.
"We're standing right here, no need to yell." Alec says.
"For that matter was any of that really necessary?" Jon asks in disbelief.
She stops laughing abruptly and looks serious, putting her left hand on her hip with her right hand still holding the water gun. "Yes. It. Was. Now get up here and fix your plates."
"What, you aren't going to make them for us?" I ask jokingly.
She looks over at me in surprise. "Do your hands work?"
"Yeah." I say, my eyebrows raised.
"Well then. God gave you two hands for you to use, so use them." She says. Then she rolls her eyes at me, turns and walks away.
Alec, Jon, and Todd all chuckle as she shuts the door.
"You got told." Jon tells me.
"Actually I think we all did, she just directed it at Jace cause he opened his mouth." Alec chimes in with a small chuckle starting once he said my name.
"Has she always been so sassy?" Todd asks curiously.
"Always." The three of us say simultaneously, without even looking at each other.
None of us move, and I'm still looking at the door, for a few more minutes. Someone nudges my right side and I look over to see Alec. He gestures with his head towards the door, and starts heading that way himself. I follow him up the stairs, as the other two fall in behind us. We all walk through the kitchen and outside, where I see Clary with a plate in one hand and a rib in the other bringing it to her mouth as she talks to Izzy. She's still perfect! I say to myself. And then I wonder...
How can I win her back?
Clary
As I leave the basement and head through the kitchen, I can't help but feel like I've been set up. I didn't know Jace was here. I wasn't expecting him to be here for the barbeque at all. I'm usually so good at avoiding him when he's in, and this time I just can't seem to catch a break.
I get outside and see Izzy making herself a plate. I walk over and start making mine as well.
"Did you know Jace is here?" I ask as I grab a rib with my fingers.
"Alec said something about him coming but I didn't know he was here." She says honestly.
I glance up at her and she's looking at the food spread out across the table. "You couldn't tell me?"
"I didn't think it was important after the way you two acted at the beach. Besides this party is for Todd not him." She says coolly.
"What happened at the beach was a fluke, and it can't happen again." I say as I start walking away from the table.
I walk off the patio into the grass. I feel a tap on my shoulder so I turn. It's Izzy with her plate, and she's looking at me sadly.
"It's only for a few hours." She says.
"A few hours to many if you ask me." I say simply.
"Listen. It's a party, we have beer and I'm sure Jon brought something stronger. If he didn't we can go to your house or the store and get something that is. So you're gonna get drunk, and you're gonna have fun. Okay?" She says smoothly, with raised eyebrows.
"What about going to see Todd off at the airport?" I ask as I bring a rib to my mouth, then take a bite.
"I can drive or we can ride with someone else." She says matter-of-factly.
I sigh. "Okay, fine. You win." I say dramatically, giving into her idea. Getting drunk does sound pretty damn good with everything that's happened and Jace being here.
"Good." She says with a nod of her head and a smile.
"By the way when did Jace and Todd become such good buddies?" I ask.
She shrugs. "I don't know but they have been hanging out together a lot, haven't they?"
I shake my head yes. Then we turn and start walking to the big table.
"HOOTIE-WHO!" We can hear from the other side of the fence.
I smile looking over to her and she looks at me with a smile. "Magnus!" We shout, in unison.
We look to the gate and in walks Magnus, his hair spiked, wearing blue jean shorts, a purple tank top, and sparkles all over him.
"Biscuit! Pudding! Oh how I've missed you." He says as he walks up to us.
"We've missed you too, Mag-Pie." I say with a small laugh, while trying not to choke on the bite of rib I took just before he walked in.
"Yeah it took you long enough. I thought you were getting off early today." Izzy pulls out her phone. "It's already after three, that's not early."
He raises his arms in defense. "Hey I'm still here before the time I was actually suppose to get off, okay? Besides I had to run home and change."
"Yeah okay." I point towards the table with my elbow since I'm fixing to take another bite. "Foods that way. Go eat."
"Yes mom." He says dramatically, and spins on his heels.
The three of us now walk to the table and I see Jace, Todd, Alec, and Jon all talking. Jace looks up at me, winks, and I roll my eyes at him, which only causes him to smile. Of course. I tell myself. I turn my face away and sit down next to Izzy, trying to use her as my shield. As we sit and eat in silence, I think to myself...
I need a drink!
Alec
After everybody got done eating and the girls started playing music, I started to clean up some. Magnus came over, and helped. Now me, Jace, and Jon are all sitting in lounge chairs with drinks in our hands, me with a beer and the two of them with Red Solo Cups. We're watching Magnus with Clary, and Izzy with Todd, two-step to 'Gary Allen's - Watching Airplanes' cause Izzy insisted, saying it was fitting. I honestly don't see it, but hey whatever floats her boat.
"Hey have you noticed how much my sister's been drinking tonight?" Jon asks.
I look over the empty lounge chair, where Magnus was sitting, on my right to see Jon. "She hasn't been drinking that much. I've only seen her with a couple of beers."
"She's had more than that." He says confidentially. He looks me straight in the eyes. "Her and Izzy have been over to the house a few times."
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything." I say.
Jon leans up, looks over my shoulder, and gestures with his chin. I turn and see he's gesturing at Jace, who's still watching the four dance in the yard. I look back at him.
"What do you think about that one?" He asks raising an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" I ask confused, my eyebrows furrowed together.
"He's had five mixed drinks. You know just enough Coke to make it change colors." He pauses. "I wonder what's up."
I shrug. "I don't know, honestly. You should have seen them at the beach before you got there." I shake my head. "It was as if nothing has changed, it was like old times."
"Hmm." He says and looks back at the 'entertainment' so I do the same.
As I watch Clary and Magnus, I can't help but trying to figure out a way to get her and Jace back together. How can I do it subtly? I ask myself. When the song ends, Magnus and Todd walk over and sit down, as the girls walk towards the sound system playing with somebody's IPod.
Magnus leans over grabs his drink and kisses my cheek. "Remember what I said last night Alexander, you have to think about both of them and not yourself. Just because you want them back together doesn't mean they both feel that way, regardless of how they feel." He whispers in my ear.
I turn to look at him. "I know but I also know both of them."
He sits back in his seat and opens his mouth like he's about to say something.
"Well Simon isn't gonna make it." Izzy yells across the yard, cutting him off before he could even start.
"Why's that?" Magnus yells back to her.
"He can't get off work. He says his boss is being a jerk." Izzy says in a mock tone.
"Well that sucks!" Todd yells. "Tell him he's just gonna have to Snap Chat with me over the summer."
She shrugs a shoulder and turns back to the system. We all sit quietly as she and Clary pick out another song. The whole time I keep thinking of Jace and Clary. I've only got until tomorrow and possibly the day after to figure out how to get them two back together before Jace leaves, and I wonder...
How am I going to do this?
Clary
"It's time for Todd to head to the airport." Alec says coming up from behind Izzy.
Todd looks at us sadly. "I'll see you guys when I get back."
"Why does it sound like you're saying good-bye already?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips. Whoa, I feel a little wobbly.
"Cause I am." He says simply. "I don't want a big, sappy, airport goodbye."
"But that's what we had planned." Izzy says as stomps her foot.
Todd laughs. "No you guys stay and keep having fun. I'll text or call once my plane lands."
"Well you're no fun Mister." I say, and I can feel I'm a little above buzzed.
"Awh come on, bring it in." He says and stretches his arms out for us.
Izzy and me walk, or maybe wobble, into his arms and hug him as he hugs us back. We hold on to him for a few minutes.
"Why do you have to live so far away?" Izzy asks sadly.
"That's just how the cookie crumbled. But hey we've got Snap Chat and all those other cool ways to keep in touch for the few months I'm gone, it'll be like I never left."
"Well don't forget I want to see an updated picture of your man candy." Izzy says with a chuckle.
"I remember." He says as he let's us go. He looks at me. "Clary, while I'm gone.." he glances behind me. "Try to open up a little."
I look at him completely confused, and stare. What the hell does he mean? Open up a little?
He smiles and says good-bye. I watch him as he walks around us, and starts telling everybody else bye. When he gets to Jace, Todd gives him a 'bro hug' and I can see him saying something in Jace's ear. Okay this is seriously weird. Just last night they were beating the crap out of each other, then today it's like they're best friends. What is it with them two? I ask myself.
After Todd leaves, Jace looks back at me and smiles. He looks like he has a good buzz going too. Then a realization hits me...exactly how much I've really, really missed Jace. I can't take no more of this, I have to go home. Seeing his face, his smile, just seeing him is to painful. I start walking to the gate as quickly as I can. I hear Izzy ask where I'm going and I just throw my hand up in a wave and keep going. I just need to get home, I just need to get away from Jace and where he is, so that I don't see him anymore or I don't know what I'll do.
I get to the door in the garage, that leads inside of my house and just as I take a step through it, somebody grabs my arm. I wonder...
Who the fuck?
Jace
Clary shot out of the backyard like a bat out of hell, so I figured she must be upset about Todd leaving and followed her. Just as she's about to walk through her door I grab her, if I didn't she probably wouldn't have answered when I knocked. She spins around, which causes my arm to wrap around her body - my hand still around her arm. She starts to fall so I pull her into me. Now I can feel her breath against my skin, just below my collar bone, and her chest rising and falling against me as she breaths. I want to lean down and kiss her but just as I start to she pulls away taking a couple steps back.
"Jace." She says and looks up into my eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"The way you left worried me, so I came to check on you." I say as I stick my hands in my pockets. "Are you alright?"
She looks down at the ground, now I know she's not okay. "I'm fine. Thanks for coming over to check but you should just go back over and have fun."
"What if I don't want to?" I ask. I really don't, I want to stay here with her.
She gives a small laugh still looking at the ground. "Well, you shouldn't want to be here. So.."
"What if I said I did, and that I just wanted to talk to you? You know it has been a long time since we talked." I say quietly.
She raises her head back up. "Talk about what?"
"Everything. I'd just like to catch-up with you." I say with a shrug, my hands still in my pockets.
"Just talk and catching up?" She asks skeptically, with an eyebrow raised.
I chuckle. "Yeah. Is that alright?"
"I guess so. Come on." She says and starts walking out the back door of the garage into the backyard.
Once we're in the backyard she turns to me. "Do you want to sit on the bench swing or the ground?"
"Either works." I manage to say. I'm shocked that any of this is happening. Since she broke up with me we haven't spoke until last night, and that wasn't really speaking. But this is almost like old times, nearly the whole day has been, and I've missed it.
She walks to the pool shed, and comes back with a blanket. With a flick of her wrists the blanket spreads out across the ground. She sits down and motions for me to do the same. I hesitate, and pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.
She laughs quietly, shaking her head. "Are you gonna sit down or not?"
"Yeah, I just thought I was dreaming is all." I admit.
She rolls her eyes. "I can assure you this is not a dream."
I sit down on the blanket next her, leaving about a six inch space between us. "Good."
"Well, what did you want to talk about exactly?" She says pulling her knees up to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them.
"Are you okay with your friend, Todd, leaving?" I asks leaning back on my hands.
She glances at me for a split second. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Her voice full of certainty.
"I just thought that might have been why you left. You did leave quickly right after he did." I say tilting my head to the left.
She sets her chin down on her knees. "You two seemed to hit it off pretty quickly, maybe I should be asking you if you're okay."
I laugh a little. "He did turn out to be pretty cool. You always did make cool friends though."
"You did too." She says confidently.
We sit in silence for a moment, when something she said last night that was bugging me resurfaces.
"Can I ask you something?" I ask crossing my ankles together, my legs outstretched in front of me.
"Shoot." She says as she looks at me, the right side of her face against her knees now.
"Don't get mad but it's something that's been bothering me. Last night, what did you mean by whoever is keeping my bed warm this week?" I ask seriously, raising an eyebrow.
She looks straight out in front on her again, her chin back on her knees. "I don't think we should talk about that."
"Why not?" I ask curiously.
"I just don't." She says and there's a tightness to her voice.
"Clary I won't be mad, I just want to know. Did somebody tell you that?" I ask calmly, even though inside I'm screaming to know.
She hesitates. "Your buddy Sebastian actually. He's always writing me letters, he's been doing it since we split up."
"Sebastian? He's been writing you? How'd he get your address?" I ask extremely curious.
She looks at me. "I figured you gave him my address since his first few letters were asking why we split up. Jace, we really shouldn't be talking about this."
Now I hesitate. "No, it's alright. If you don't feel like answering a question just say so and I promise I'll drop it. Deal?"
She thinks for a minute before she squints her eyes at me. "Deal."
"Okay. Can I ask what his letters said?" I ask with both eyebrows raised.
She looks away and drapes her arms over her knees, her hands held together. "Well what all do you want to know?"
"All of it, if you don't mind." I say starring at her left profile.
She shrugs slightly with her arms still resting on her knees. "I guess. A lot of them were of him wanting to meet up when he came in. He'd say that he thought I deserved better than you and he'd like to try to be the guy to prove it. He is always writing about your latest 'conquest' as he calls them. I've wrote him back repeatedly, telling him that I didn't want to hear about it and that it wasn't any of my business. The last one he wrote came in last week and he said 'I think it's time you should know that I really like you, and have since the first time I met you. I'd really like to meet up with you when I come in, in two weeks so we can talk.' blah, blah, blah. I'd showed to you but I ripped it up and threw it in the trash already."
By the time she is done telling me what his letters said, I can feel my blood boiling. I stand up quickly. "That bastard! Clary none of what he said was true about me. I hav-"
"It's none of my business Jace, really. You don't have to explain yourself to me." She says interrupting me.
I kneel down in front of her so that she's looking at me and put my hands on her hands that are now on her knees. "Clary listen to me please." I beg. She looks up and our eyes meet. "All of what he said about me was a lie! I haven't been with anybody, not even a one night stand. He was always trying to set me up with girls, even before we split up, and I'd tell him and whoever no."
She looks down. "Why didn't you ever tell me about that?"
"I didn't think it was important cause nothing ever happened and cause we didn't have much time to spend together as it was." I admit.
"I suppose your right." She mutters.
I reluctantly let go of her hands, and sit back down beside her. As I sit down, she lays back on the blanket. I follow her lead and look over at her. She's looking up at the sky.
I turn my face to look up at the sky too. "So how's school?"
"Fine. I just got my associates and now I'm trying to figure out if I want to do my bachelors online or at the school."
"Why wouldn't you do it at the school?" I ask with my eyebrows furrowed together.
"If I do it online I'd have more time for everything else. Plus I can do it anywhere, at anytime so I wouldn't have to worry about missing school."
We laid there talking for hours. We watched as the sun set and the stars came out, until she fell asleep. To tired to get up, I fell asleep too. Before I succumbed to the darkness I smiled with one final thought...
Just like old times!
Hope you enjoyed!
I also want to let you all know that I'd love reading your reviews. I would like to reply to them but most of the time I'm only able to read them through my e-mail. FanFiction keeps telling me Error 3 when I try to reply.
