❤️My dear readers❤️,

Thank you to all the babes who reviewed, followed, or favorited the story! I decided to go for a longer chapter, as I haven't updated in a while. Anyways, love you all! Muah!

Thank you to my Beta Fanfiction and Chocolate for their amazing help! xx

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. Only the plot and the material itself. Please do not plagiarize.

Chapter 11:

Broken

The ride in the car was short, the only things we shared was our names and grades. The boy's name was Seb, short for Sebastian. I couldn't keep my mind off of the other golden man even while talking to him. I had a deep pit in my stomach, clawing at it. It felt like a knot, tightening with every thought about Jace. He had left no trace, no text, no phone call, nothing. All I could ask myself was, why?

I slid out of the car, and Sebastian followed with. He brought me to the door.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, no emotion lacing my voice. He sent me a small smile. He passed me a small ripped piece of paper, where seven numbers were neatly scribbled.

"It's nothing. If you ever need help, call me up." I smiled in response. "Good night, Clary." He walked back, his tall figure fading down into the darkness, and sliding into his car. He sent me a wave and a wink, and drove off silently. I walked up to my room, stripping of my clothes and sliding into pajamas. I brushed my teeth and took off my makeup in a hurry, desperate for sleep. I flopped onto my bed, watching the light of the moon dance on my bedroom walls.

Sebastian was a senior, while I was a junior. Turns out, he was the captain on the football team, explaining his surfer body. My mind drifted off to Jace at the mention of surfer bodies, and I couldn't stop it. He, also, would be trying out for the football team, or so he had told me. I itched to call him, to ask him where the hell he was. I calmed down, bringing my mind back to Sebastian. As a female teenager, I couldn't deny his looks. I mean, who would?

He had dark brown hair, and tanned skin. Obsidian eyes, and if I looked close enough, I could notice a sparkle of purple. He was tall, somewhere around six feet, I had to admit. He had acted like a gentleman, not prying when he asked why I was alone on the streets at midnight. He had even asked if I wanted anything, if I wanted to stop at a takeout restaurant. I had denied politely, of course, but I could see he was slightly disappointed.

My eyelids started to droop, my mind starting to drift away from my body. The sudden chime of my phone bolted me awake.

(415)-201-5843

12:37 Safe in bed?

My mind automatically thought it was Sebastian, so I calmed down, pushing away the thoughts of a serial killer.

12:38 Yeah. Thanks for the ride, by the way. I really appreciate it.

12:38 Anytime.

12:39 Shouldn't you be asleep?

12:39 Shouldn't you?

12:40 You woke me up XD

12:40 Sorry. Well, good night. Sleep well, Clary.

12:41 Night.

I fell asleep with warm fuzzies in my stomach. Weird, maybe, but comforting, yes.

.w.W.w.

Clary was nowhere in sight. I peered in all the hallways, trying to find that red head popping up in between crowds. It didn't. I walked to her locker. Nothing. I grabbed my things, anxious to find her in the classroom.

I walked in. All the seats are empty, except for a lone boy on his Nintendo at the last row. I needed to talk to her, to explain what had happened last night. I hadn't received any texts from her, even when I had texted her this morning. I went back out into the hall. I'm greeted with a sight that half confuses me, half makes me rage inside.

Clary, with a french braid running beautifully down her back, and a magenta mid-thigh cardigan and washed jeans. She was wearing the same Nike wedges then the other day, but she wore them to her advantage. The captain of the football team, Sebastian, I thought, was talking to her. He had a goofy grin on his face, and she was giggling and smiling. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted me. Her expression became grin, and her grip on her school books tightened.

Sebastian noticed me, following her gaze. He turned back to face her, asking her something. She shakes her head a bit, and proceeds in the direction of the classroom, towards me.

I reached out to stop her, but she sent me a dirty look. "Clary—" I started, before she interrupts me.

"Kiss my ass, Jace," she spat, strutting straight into the class. Even in our current situation, I can't help but find it a bit hot. She slumped down into a seat, preparing her things for class.

We don't interact for the rest of the three periods. She sits up at the end, and walks out before I have time to talk to her. She automatically runs off to her locker, grabbing her next books. I see Sebastian approach her, and she sends him a forced smile. I notice a tear escape her eye, and she furiously wipes it away. She puts her hands on her face, covering it.

Sebastian says something to her calmly, and slowly pries her hands away, holding them tightly in his. She mutters something angrily, and he pulls her to his chest. Jealously boils in my blood. I won't deny it, no.

She backs up, wiping at her tears frantically. She slams her locker door closed, and moves to her next class. Sebastian makes eye contact with me. His look is deadly, and he walks after her. I go to my next class, which luckily, is with neither of them.

I think over my options. I settle on my next action, and wait until the period finally ends.

.w.W.w.

Football tryouts roll around at the end of the day. I notice all the players, new ones nervous, old ones smug. I see a familiar blonde head arrive on the field, and it takes all my self control to not push him up against the fence and I ask him what the fuck he did to her.

Coach Jones claps his hands, and all the boys line up. I stand next to him, and analyze the group. I recognize faces from last season, and some frail, skinny guys. We give them pinnies for the tryout game, and I find myself facing Jace.

We line up, all crouching and ready to run. His eyes pierce into mine, and when I get the ball, I line up for the perfect shot. Some guy on our team catches it, and it's a touchdown for us.

Bring it on, Blondie.

By the end of the game, everybody's in ragged breaths, doubling over and leaning on their knees. Coach makes them line up, and with his clipboard, he recites the names of the people on our team.

"Verlac, Berrian, Hamilton, Lightwood, Bane, Kyle, Washington, Wayland," he droned on. My eyes connected to Jace's, and his grip tightened on his helmet. "You are all dismissed. Practice here, tomorrow, same time. Be there, or you're off." Everybody nods and makes their way to the locker rooms.

I put all my gear in my bag, not caring about the stares I'm collecting from Blondie. When I was about to leave, he shoved me against the lockers. His grip was tight on my collar, and he snarled.

"Whatever you do, don't hurt her," he growled. "I will kill you." He shoved me once more before disappearing into the hall.

I shrugged it off, as if it was an empty threat. Last time I checked, he had been the one who had hurt her, and I was going to forbid him from doing it again.

.w.W.w.

I found Clary in front of the school. I approached her. She was slumped on the stairs in front of main doors, her head in her hands. She looked exhausted.

"Clary. Clary, listen to me," I begged. She looked at me, tears polishing her green eyes like glass. "Clary?"

"Oh, piss off, Jace," she made out, her voice uneven, and she hiccupped. I kneeled in front of her on the steps. She hung her face in her head between her legs. Red strands of hair shielded her face from the sides.

"Berry, look at me." She sniffed, and she passed her hand over her eye, brushing away tears threatening to fall. I cupped her cheeks, bringing her head up to meet mine. Her eyes were troubled, scared, confused. They weren't the normal emerald green crystals I loved.

"What do you want?" She mumbled, her voice weak. Tears flowed onto my fingers, wetting them. It was painful to watch her cry, and my stomach dropped every time a stream flowed down her cheeks.

"Tell me what's wrong, Clary," I consoled her, rubbing away tears with my thumbs, her face still in my hands.

She backed up, her eyes widening with anger and betrayal. "What's wrong?" She said between hiccups. "You freakin' abandoned me yesterday! My mother's hurt, and I'm fucking tired! I can't fucking sleep, Jace!" She hissed. It wasn't the moment to pry.

"Shh," I shushed her, bringing her against my chest. She didn't object. She bunched up my shirt with her hands, and I felt her sob against it. It was getting dark, and I knew all the buses to her house were no longer running. I wasn't going to let her walk back home alone. Her breathing was labored, and she buried her face in my shoulder. I pat her back, smoothing her down with my hands. She relaxed, taking gulps of air between sobs.

"It's gonna be all right, Clary," she said, moving her against me. She wrapped her arms around my neck lazily, and I kissed her forehead. "Do you want me to take you home?" I whispered. She nodded weakly. I grabbed her hands, hoisting her up. She stumbled, and I caught her waist before she fell. I grabbed the back of her legs, throwing her in my arms bridal style. I knew she was a wreck, and I wasn't in the mood to feel awkward about our position.

I opened the door to my truck, laying her down gently in the seat. I closed it quietly. I drove as quietly as I could, taking the roads with the less traffic and cars to avoid noises. When we arrived at her house, I took her out gently, and she clutched my shirt, burying her face in the crook between my shoulder and neck. I tensed, not expected her to be that forward. I ventured in her bag, and got her keys.

I slid them in the hole, quietly opening the door and closing it to quiet the creaking of the wood. I climbed the stairs, familiar with the house she had had for years. I laid her down softly on her bed, and when I moved away, she let out a whimper.

"Lay down next to me," she mumbled, her eyes fluttering a bit. They were red due to her crying, and I felt an urge to hug her tight. I laid down next to her, over the covers. She turned to meet my gaze. "Why are you doing this, Jace?" Her voice was weak, almost strained.

"I'll always be here for you, nine years old or not," I whispered, being honest about. I propped my head on my elbow, and she looked me in the eyes.

"You're a nice guy, Jace. Don't let girls like me ruin you," she mumbled, closing her eyes and her breathing slowly became even. Sleeping, I presumed.

I waited a couple of minutes until I was almost a hundred percent sure she was asleep. I sat up in the bed, the mattress dipping underneath my weight. I tucked her in quietly, and made my way to the door.

Her hoarse voice stopped me. "Stay. Please." I couldn't say no to 'please'. Her voice was begging, desperate. I turned to look at her. She was standing up, her eyes strained on me. She looked like a wreck. Her eyes were puffy, her face pale. Her hair was loose, strands in every direction.

"Please, Jace," she begged again. I couldn't bear to say no, to refuse her pleas. I walked back to her. Tears started building in her eyes. The moon illuminated her face, and she looked beautiful. I grabbed her waist, pulling her flush against me. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself.

She wrapped her arms around me. "I don't want to sleep in my clothes," she mumbled. I chuckled softly. She threw her cardigan on the floor, and she turned around. She undid her jeans, and they fell at her feet. Her long legs were ghost white in the moons reflection, her creamy skin resembling it. She slipped into her bed without another word. I removed my boots quietly, and laid above the covers.

Her eyes roamed over my face, taking in every detail, it seemed. "I'm cold," she said. I saw the goosebumps on her arms, and I had a feeling I knew why she had said so. I slid under the covers. And she automatically glued her body to me. She closed her eyes and drifted off. I followed along, comforted by our embrace.

~FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED~

Before anyone questions Clary: She is a young girl, she's bullied, her mother is not here to help, and she's tired. She has the right to cry her eyeballs out, I know I would. Jace has simply been there during her childhood, so of course she will seek safety in his arms. She has the right to want him to stay the night, as it might also help her sleep. She is not weak or frail, she is simply not in the right place.

Thank you for reading, once again! Support is always appreciated! Until next time!

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