I took a deep breath as I watched Izzy carefully pin-up my hair in an intricate bun complete with tiny white flowers. The ticking of the clock has been incredible loud all day. In just a few short hours I was going to be Clarissa Adele Verlac. I almost pass out at the thought.
"It's normal to be nervous for the big day. Just remember you're going to be marrying the love of your life and though marriage may be hard at times, you will get through it. Love goes a long way." Izzy reassured me as she finishes my hair with a birdcage veil.
"I suppose you're right." I sigh and pick up my dress. Izzy helps me slip it on and it is just as beautiful as the day I bought it.
"Oh my," Izzy covers her mouth and I see tears in the corners of her eyes, "you look stunning." I watch the girl in the mirror. It doesn't even look like me. This girl is gorgeous while I'm just a plain Jane.
"Thank you, Iz." I smile at her and pat down the ruffles.
"Well I must go put on my dress. I'll see you in a few!" She darts out of the room after a final glance at me. I can't help but look in the mirror and admire the girl that's in it. Yet at the same time looking at myself in this dress as I prepare to walk down the aisle to Sebastian leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
"Clary you look beautiful." I turn around to see Alec learning against the doorway to my room.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be putting on your suit?" I look down and notice he's still in his plaid pajamas and worn out grey shirt.
"Mangus keeps hogging the bathroom so I'm waiting till he's done." Alec says as he closes the door behind him and walks toward me. "I need to talk to you actually."
"Is it about the glitter? I swear no one will see that photo." I laugh remembering the other night when Magnus won a bet and got to makeover Alec. Luckily I was at the house and was able to snap a photo before he scrubbed it all off.
"We said we would never talk about that moment." He glared. " I actually need to talk about Jace."
"What's there to talk about? We're friends. Nothing more." I turn back to the mirror and soften the poofs in my dress.
"I was at that bar Clary. I saw Sebastian." He spoke softly like I would break if he said those words too loudly.
"So he made a mistake. It was his bachelor party. No big deal."
"Clary you don't mean that. He's not being faithful. You need to end this before it goes to far."
He moves to hug me and I push his hands away, "No. You need to end this conversation now. Sebastian and I are getting married and that's final." I glower at him and point to the door.
He walks towards it and turns around quickly, "Clary, just make sure to do what you want. Not what you think you need to do."
As he left I finally broke. I fell to the floor beside the bed and cried. I cried for the fact Sebastian is not my knight in shining armour. I cried because Jace was right, he's not good for me. And I cried the most because the man at the end of that aisle was not the man I wanted to marry. I cried because really I don't want to marry anyone. I just want to be free.
Jace
"I tried man, she won't listen." Alec said as he ran his fingers through his hair. I tried to tie my bow tie together with no luck. My hands would not stop shaking.
"Stop. I'll do it." Alec sighed.
He started to work on my bow tie, "I don't think I can do this."
"Do what? Your not the one walking down that aisle."
I rolled my eyes, "You know what I mean. I don't think I can watch her walk down that aisle knowing Sebastian doesn't even love her."
"Jace, I'm sorry. It didn't work out and there's nothing you can do. Somehow you're going to have to move on with your life. Maybe you didn't get the dream girl. But think of it this way, not being with Clary gets you one step closer to your forever."
"You're wrong. Clary was my forever and I blew it." I sighed and sat down with my face in my hands.
"You did not blow it. You did everything you could and sometimes that isn't enough. You just have to take it one step at a time and move on." I clench my teeth together. Alec can be harsh. But he's right. Somehow I will move on from Clary. Somehow I will find happiness again.
"C'mon it's almost time to start."
"Just give me a minute." He nodded and silently left.
I waited till he left and I made my way down the hall to her room. I needed to speak with her one last time. Not to convince her not to do it. Just to make sure this is truly what she wanted.
I knocked softly on the door, "Clary?"
The door was unlocked and I walked in. She was gone. I was too late.
Clary
I know what you're thinking. What the hell are you doing, Clary? You should be at the altar. I couldn't go through with it. I left a note for Sebastian simply explaining that I couldn't marry him. He was a cheater. If I'm being honest maybe I never really loved him. Maybe I just loved the idea of him. Finally getting my knight in shining armor. I sat on a park bench by a duck pond watching the happy couples go by. People would run by and stare at the girl sitting in her wedding dress with makeup smudged down her face. I probably looked crazy to them. Maybe I am a little crazy.
After all you must be a little crazy to leave your fiancé at the altar and feel... okay. I'm actually fine right now. They're probably going insane at the church. Sebastian's family probably hates me but I don't care. At least I ended it before it went too far.
I left a note for Jace in the greenhouse. Unfortunately it does not have everything I wanted to say to him in it as I left the altar in a haste but hopefully it sheds a little light on why I left. I'm not ready to go back to him. I need a break from the drama in my life. I want to go back to Jace one day. Hopefully one day he'll put a ring on my finger. For now I just need a little time to myself. I need to go back to the carefree me. Back when I didn't have a care in the world. I think I'll start by travelling to Europe. I always wanted to go, and now I can. No one can hold me back but myself. I'm going to start my new beginning starting by getting out of this dress.
Jace
Jace,
You were right all along. Sebastian isn't right for me. I see that now. I wish I realized sooner, but then we might not have had what we did. I think I love you Jace. It's crazy isn't it? I hated you for all these years but now, I love you. Funny how things work out sometimes.
I don't want to start a relationship with you now. I need time. I'll come back soon, I swear. Hopefully I can sort out all the things in my head so we can have a clean slate. I need to leave Sebastian in the past and to properly do that I feel I need some time by myself. I hope you understand. Sebastian will be my past and hopefully you can be my future.
I'll see you soon, Clary.
I tucked the note in my pocket. I understood she needed time. I'll wait for her. I think I may need some time to clear my head as well. One day we will be together. Just not today.
3 months later
A girl walked down the street. Her red curls blew in the cold winter wind as she made her way towards the pond. There a man was waiting for her. He sat on a bench closely watching the ducks. She never understood his fear of ducks. It was just another one of his quirks. He scowled at them as they ran along the side of the pond. "Beady eyed murderers" he would mumble as they passed.
"Jace." She called out to him. He turned around and grinned.
"You came back." He stated.
"Of course I did. Your my forever, Jace."
"You know I can't be your knight in shinning armor. I have an ugly past, Clary." He frowned at the girl. She walked up to him and placed a hand on his face.
"Knights in shinning armor are over rated. A man in tin foil will do just fine for me." She grinned up at him and he lent down and kissed her gently. Still it made her lips tingle and she knew she couldn't wait to wake up to morning kisses like these for the rest of her life.
"So what now?" He asked.
"I don't know. I guess we'll just have to see what the future brings." She smiled and the two walked hand in hand towards their future. It will be a bumpy road for but they will always have each other to help them along the way.
The End
DAWWWH I'm such a sap. I'm not going to bore you guys with an excuse of why I didn't write/post this sooner.
I really am sorry and I hope this makes up for it.
Let me know if you guys would like an epilogue. I have a few ideas of what I would do for it so let me know if your interested!
A final thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, really thank you anyone who took some time and gave this story a chance. You guys are amazing.