Thank you for all of your lovely reviews! Sorry for the long wait after that cliffhanger! Anyway, onwards!
Chapter Playlist:
Parachute-Ingrid Michaelson
All of Me-Michael Buble
All I Do Is Dream Of You-Michael Buble
Dance Terms:
Grand Plié (Grah-nd Plee-AY)- a bending of the knees over the toes.
Développé (Dah-vel-uh-PAY)- means to develop. A movement where one leg is slowly unfolded and extended into the air.
Arabesque (air-ah-besk)- the dancer leans foreward standing on one straight leg with the other one straight out.
Jace followed Clary's line of vision and froze too. Clary closed her eyes slowly and exhaled shakily.
"Oh God, Clary. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I didn't think-"
"It's alright," Clary said, but her voice cracked and she bit her lip to stop the tears.
Jace pulled the keys out and unbuckled his seatbelt. "I'll come in with you. It's not your fault."
Clary just nodded and got out of the car. She climbed the porch steps slowly, not wanting to face her mother. Jace followed close behind her, one hand resting on flat of her back.
Clary slowly looked up to meet the gaze of her mother, nothing but the screen door separating them.
Jocelyn unlatched the screen door with a flick of her hand and it creaked open eerily. Clary stepped inside, still pulling Jace behind her.
Luke was sitting on the living room couch already, and Jocelyn took a seat next to him. Clary and Jace sunk down into the opposite couch.
"Clarissa Adele Fray," Jocelyn started, "I cannot even believe your behavior right now." she ran a hand through her long auburn hair.
Clary remained silent, biting her tongue to keep from crying. She would not cry.
"I let you have a bit of freedom, and you go and abuse your privileges like they are nothing. Nothing. Both your father and I are extremely disappointed in you. I, personally, am more than disappointed in you. I am furious." her voice started to become shrill. "I mean, how could you, Clary? Have you lost your mind? Do you really think sneaking out out of the house two nights in a row with a boy is going to earn my trust? And not to mention the fact of your safety. If you had gotten in a car accident, or gotten kidnapped, or-"
"Mrs. Fray, sorry to interrupt, but I take full responsibility. It was completely my idea, both times, in fact, and I was the one who lost track of time," Jace explained.
"But Clary is also a seventeen year old who is smart enough to make her own decisions."
Clary sat up and blinked. "Can we please not talk about me like I'm not here?"
Jocelyn turned her eyes to Clary and glared. "You would be wise to not show me attitude right now, young lady."
Clary pursed her lips in annoyance but sank back against the couch once again.
Jocelyn sighed. "I mean, honestly, I don't know what to say. We've been over this. And quite frankly, I'm appaled. It's just so unlike you. We raised you as a responsible, trustworthy young girl, and now, ever since you met him," she spat the word with malice and flicked her gaze to Jace, "you've turned into a rebellious little brat who doesn't appreciate anything we do for you."
"Mom!" Clary shouted, suddenly defensive. "I'm not a rebellious brat!"
"We'll one thing is for sure, you will not be seeing him again for a while," Jocelyn stated with a note of finality in her tone.
There was a best of stunned silence before both Jace and Clary erupted at the same time.
"MOM!"
"Mrs. Fray, please..."
"You can't do that!"
"SILENCE!" Luke yelled. Clary and Jace both stopped abruptly. Clary had never seen Luke get angry like this before. He was usually extremely calm amd even-tempered. Luke exhaled. "I think that what's best for everyone right now is for Clary to get back on track with dance before she focuses on a relationship. After a few weeks, we'll re-evaluate the situation. Okay?"
"But-"
"No buts, Clary," Luke warned.
"Now I think that it's time for you to go to bed and for Jace to go home. I'll call Maryse in the morning."
Jace turned to Clary and clutched her face in his hands. "Bye, Clary," he whispered, and pressed his lips to hers in a delicate kiss. But Clary wound her fingers in his hair, pressing him to her, wanting more if this was the last time she would be able to see him in weeks. Jace responded, but soon after, they heard Jocelyn clear her throat. They pulled away slowly, their foreheads still touching.
"I'm sorry for everything," Jace murmured to Clary. She could feel his warm minty breath tickle her cheeks.
"It's alright," she breathed back.
Jocelyn cleared her throat again, louder this time, and they both turned to look at her. She raised her eyebrows at them and Jace took that as his cue to leave.
When he was gone, Jocelyn turned to Clary. "Your grounded for another two weeks, by the way."
Clary groaned and stomped up the stairs to her bedroom.
.
.
.
.
"Now girls, come to the center. We're going to do Adagio." Many girls in the class groaned, and Clary knew why. Adagio was slow, which meant you had to be in control. This was hard for some, but not for Clary. She loved Adagio.
"Grand Plié, développé, and….arabesque…." Clary danced the steps she had known by heart for years. Dance was now serving as a fairly good distraction from Jace.
Jace. She tried to push the thought of him out of her mind, but only halfway succeeded. But maybe now that she wasn't spending time with him, she could prepare more for her upcoming competition this weekend.
The music faded out, and the girls finished the exercise. Mrs. Morgenstern walked to the front of the studio and clapped her hands together enthusiastically.
"Alright, now I know some of you are entered in a completion this week and you are focused on that, but I just wanted to remind you that our annual recital is coming up in a few we are running it differently this year. Each one of you is going to do a solo for every class you take. If you just take ballet, then you'll just do a ballet solo. If you take ballet, jazz, and tap, then you'll do a ballet, jazz and tap solo, and so on. You'll be responsible for picking your own songs and choreographing your own solos, so do a good job!" There were audible murmurs around the studio. "Okay, class dismissed. See you tomorrow!"
Everyone filed out of the room and gathered their things. Clary took her ballet skirt off and slipped on a pair of gray sweatpants and a red sweatshirt.
"See ya Clary! Have a nice day!" She whirled around to see Aline waving innocently at her by the doors.
Clary narrowed her eyes. "Bye," she replied flatly. Why was Aline being nice to her all of the sudden? She dismissed the question easily, though and walked out to the curb. She found her mother idling by the sidewalk a short distance away. Through the window, Clary saw that she was animatedly talking on the phone. When she saw Clary approaching, she fished her keys out of her purse and started the car. Clary opened the door and set her bag by her feet just as her mother said a quick goodbye and hung up the phone.
"Hi sweetie. How was dance?"
"Fine," Clary replied shortly. "Who was that?"
"Mrs. Lightwood."
"Oh." Clary sank back in her seat and raised her eyebrows, casting a glance at her mother. She pursed her lips. "What did she have to say?"
Jocelyn sighed and shrugged. "What would you like to hear?"
"I think you know."
"What, about Jace and you? She was mortified that her son was sneaking out with you and apologized profusely. She also agreed that it was a good idea for Jace and you to take a break for a couple weeks, then you can try dating again. Oh, and she invited us over for dinner tomorrow."
Clary sat up straighter in her seat. "Really?"
Jocelyn glanced at Clary and exhaled. "I know what your thinking. This isn't a time for you to go waltzing off with Jace. This is merely her apologizing."
"But Jace will be there?"
Jocelyn narrowed her eyes. "I think so, yes."
Clary didn't say anything, just stared out the window.
"I don't hate him, you know," Jocelyn blurted.
Clary turned to her mother, her eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"Jace," she said. "I don't hate him."
"I didn't accuse you of hating him," Clary said.
"I know," Jocelyn said, clutching the steering wheel tighter. "I'm just saying, it seems like you think I hate him. I don't. I just don't trust him."
"Okay." She wasn't quite sure what to say to that.
"And, he has quite a reputation. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I don't think he's like that anymore," Clary said quietly.
"But honey, you just never know." She reached out to stroke Clary's hair, one hand still on the steering wheel. "You never know."
So there ya have it! Please tell me what you think, because I feel like my writing is getting worse...I don't know. Anyway, until next time! Review!