*All the characters from The Mortal Instruments belong to Cassandra Clare and her incredible mind. Nothing will ever be owned by the author of this story. ;)*

Songs:

This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race- Fall Out Boy

Amsterdam- Coldplay

Mientes Tan Bien- Sin Bandera

Us- Regina Spektor


~Chapter Ten~

FOLLOWING WEEK: THURSDAY

A heavy sigh broke through the perfect lips of Jace Wayland. He looked back inconspicuously and saw them still following him. So, maybe he did not like walking alone―Alec was not with him because he had Forensics while Jace had Astronomy―but having the school's skanks following ten feet behind him was just pathetic. Well, at least for him. Any other guy would be happy as hell, but Jace saw it as stupid. Those girls had better stuff to do than just follow him, didn't they?

He returned his gaze back to the backs of heads of most of the student body. They were all so different. Different colors, styles, length―

Suddenly, a burst of copper was visible from the side of his eye. He smirked as he saw the curls bouncing hurriedly. He was thinking of stopping her, just to piss her off. But that didn't happen because she stopped herself, and then ran faster, with new determination taking over her usually carefree face.

Jace frowned and followed with his eyes the short girl. Suddenly, she turned a brunette around and started asking her something exasperated. Jace was close enough to hear the ending of the sentence.

"―so different around me." Jace was facing their profiles. Aline's was slightly annoyed and Clary's was proud and tall, even if that was hard to achieve with her height.

"Really, Clary? You come to talk crap about me treating you badly? Please!" Aline talked loud enough to grab the attention of a few while crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at the other girl. Clary looks truly confused.

Clary changed her face to stoic. It was obvious she wouldn't take all that bullshit just because.

"Aline, whatever you think I did, I'm pretty sure you've got it wrong. You are the one being the Grade A―" Was she really going to say it? Jace was waiting when she just finished with a triumphant, "―Bolshevik." Clary grinned as she saw Aline's face contort into misunderstanding. Jace chuckled. A few people had already gathered around, wishing for a cat fight.

Aline shook her head. "You and your stupid profanity rule. Look, bitch," anybody else wouldn't have noticed Clary's small hands clenching, but Jace did, "I don't have time for your stupid games. You just fucking want to be like me!" Clary was glaring and when Aline finished she snorted.

"Really? Why would I want to be like you? All my life I believed that you were a better person than those skanks over there," she pointed a little to the right of Jace, where the skanks were watching, some shrieking outraged, "but it's obvious you are just as bad." A full crowd was around them, watching eagerly. Jace would have gone up and broken the verbal fight, but Clary would never forgive him. The tardy bell was heard from afar. But no one seemed to care as no one moved from their spot.

"Look who's talking! You are the one that took my boyfriend!" Aline screamed. Clary, horror scattered on her face, stepped back. Her horror quickly faded into rage as her cheeks flooded with blood.

"Are you sick or what? You're boyfriend was Jonathan! My brother! How the hell could you say something like that!" She was screaming, fury in every single syllable.

Aline shrugged indifferently, which just seemed to make Clary the more angry. "Who was talking about Jonathan?" She began glaring at Clary again. "I mean Jace, you whore!" Clary's and Jace's reaction was the same that could only be described in one word; puzzlement.

Clary looked up at the sky, and then cracked a smile, letting out a short chuckle. Jace had to admit that the sound was incredible if it weren't for the flame in her eyes. "Jace? What does he have to do in any of this?" She lifted her hands in a, "hello..?" gesture.

Aline's eyes blazed. "You were jealous at the movies! You saw us together and you just wanted to take him away from me! Can't you find your own men, Clary?" Jace didn't remember a time where he asked Aline to be his girlfriend…

Clary's eyes widened. "Jace? You think I was jealous of Jace?" Clary sighed, defeated. Jace frowned. What did that mean? "I'll admit," she said in a small voice, "I was jealous." Gasps were heard from all around the girls and Aline was smiling smugly. Jace didn't know what to think. "But I wasn't jealous of you and Jace. I couldn't have cared less." She picked her gaze from the floor to Aline's. "I was jealous of your capability of being happy." Her voice grew and started shaking.

"When I saw you smiling and laughing with Jace, all I could think was, 'why can't I be happy like that?' Yes. I smile and laugh, but there is always pain underneath. You looked genuinely happy. I suppose I should be glad you are moving on but―"

"Moving on?" Aline interrupted, rather rudely. She snorted. "Please, Clary. That's pathetic! I moved on a week after the accident. Jonathan was just an episode in my life. Before him, I was just Aline. When I went out with him, I became The Aline!" She grinned. "You see? It's all about status, sweetie." Jace couldn't believe what had just come out of Aline's mouth. She was cruel bitch, and Clary didn't deserve to be talked like that.

Jace needed to break this.

o.8.o

Clary let the meaning of that sink in. Everything Aline had lived with Jonathan was a game for her. It was just a game…

You see? It's all about status, sweetie.

Blood rose to her cheeks as she felt fire welling in her stomach. Before she knew what she was about to do, she walked up to Aline―almost six inches taller―and connected her open hand with her cheek. A loud "snap!" was heard as Aline stood there motionless. Suddenly, her tongue went lose as she felt tears blurring her vision.

"You are the biggest slut in the world!" Yelled Clary. Aline's face was shocked and she tried to hit Clary back. Before she could advance on Clary, Isabelle grabbed her hand.

"Try opening that pretty mouth of yours again and I swear tomorrow you won't be able to feel it at all." Isabelle threatened as she saw Aline try to get out of her grasp.

Clary felt skinny arms restraining her. She tried to break free, but it was obvious the girl holding her was stronger. That didn't stop her mouth, though.

"I have a new respect for Kalie and her groupies over there!" Clary yelled. "They at least make it obvious that they don't want anything serious! But you? You acted like Mother Teresa when you are not even half the woman Kalie is! And yo―" The knot in her throat got the better of her. She started sobbing. She felt a change in arms, from the skinny to strong, bold arms. Warm arms.

She leaned her head against the chest of the person and felt the vibrations of him speaking.

"Forgive me, Clary." He whispered to her before he yelled at Aline. "Do you realize you just downgraded yourself from sweet girl to a fucking whore? You just can't go around fucking around with people's lives! You should be considerate instead of selfish. You won't get anywhere with that smartass mouth of yours." Clary felt Jace dragging her out of the circle of spectators as she soaked his shirt once again.

"And just for the record; we were never an item." He made sure to put as much emphasis in the word "never" as possible. "Thank God for that. And, you know what? I would pick Clary over you any day! She's better in so many ways that you could never compete against her." Clary was sure Jace knew he was being a dipstick, but she supposed that Aline deserved it. Jace scooped her up and started walking away from where Clary's fourth period class was, but she just couldn't find it in her to care.

"Where are you taking her?" Clary could hear Isabelle asking over her sobs.

"To her house. I'll be back by fifth period. I'm taking the car, okay?" Clary supposed Isabelle nodded since there was just silence and then the sound of heels clacking away from them.

Clary could feel each step Jace took. Firm, hard, but relaxed at the same time. The rhythm was almost rocking her, but the sobs just wouldn't let her fall into the black abyss of sleep.

She felt him trying to get something into his pocket. She wanted to ask him to put her down, but when she opened her mouth, no sound would come out.

He opened the passenger door and laid her down carefully; keeping her head from hitting the hood of the car, getting a blanket from the backseat and draping it over her. Grabbing the seatbelt, he hooked it in its place. Then he closed the door carefully and practically ran to the driver's side. Clary started wiping away the tears from her eyes for her to be able to see.

As Jace closed the door to his side, Clary looked up and saw him looking down at her. Worry, distress, anger―they were all visible in the lines of his forehead and in the pupils or his yellow eyes. He smiled at her and reached up to wipe some of her tears off her cheeks. Clary closed her eyes, brought her hands up, and laced her fingers with his. She opened her eyes to see him looking at her with such intensity; all anger and worry gone.

The tears were still running, but for some reason, seeing Jace looking at her like that made her smile. She was rewarded with like looked like his eyes brightening. He bent down and kissed her forehead. Then his hands left her face to start the car.

He started driving, and Clary was hugging the blanket Jace had provided for dear life. She was looking out the window, thinking of all the days Jonathan would keep her up just to talk about how awesome Aline was. But everything had been false. What was worse was that nobody suspected that maybe she was lying to them all along.

"Is Luke home? I don't want to leave you alone." Jace said, snapping her out of her reverie.

"No. He left yesterday for Washington DC." Her voice was harsh after crying so much. "New shipment of books in his favorite bookstore." Clary smiled thinking of Luke, on his truck, with a big smile, looking forward to purchasing books for his bookstore. Jace chuckled.

"Well, looks like I have babysitting duty now, huh?" He grinned.

"Darn it," murmured Clary loud enough for Jace to hear. He turned to look at her, but she was grinning.

o.8.o

Jace waited for Clary to fish her keys out of her backpack. He didn't know what he would do here, but he was sure as hell not leaving Clary alone.

"Finally!" She breathed out as she put the key in its designated hole. She opened the door and threw her bag on the floor. Jace followed suit.

"So, who takes care of the bookstore while Luke is gone?" He asked to make conversation.

"Jerry. He is an employee of Luke's." Clary started walking inside the house and Jace had nothing else but to follow her.

Jace, himself, had never been inside the house. The walls were decorated with intricate drawings. He wondered if it was Clary who had drawn them. He still had that drawing that she had made back at his house. He saw Clary walking towards the kitchen. He followed; of course she would be hungry.

When he entered the tiled room, though, he found out that she was going out the other entryway; towards the dining table. He frowned, but continued nonetheless. Just when he passed, the arch did he see where Clary was going.

On the other side of the dining table and in front of a grand window was a beautiful black piano. He moved towards it slowly, looking at the fine wood that covered the ivory keys. He wondered in what condition they would be. Was the piano in tune?

A scraping sound brought him back as he saw Clary sliding one of the dining table chairs towards the piano. He thought she would sit down next to it, but then she stood on the chair and got on top of the piano.

"Clary… That is not a bed. I believe you're bed is in your room. And even if the piano was comfortable, I think the coach would be much better, don't you think?" He asked as she laid back on the wood of the piano. She ignored his comment.

"When I was little, I used to think, 'if I just lie like this and let the vibrations hit my lungs and open my mouth, the notes will come out my mouth.'" She smiled, remembering.

She stared blankly at the ceiling while Jace discreetly sat on the stool of the piano. He opened it carefully, as if to not break it. He saw that not a particle of dust had touched the keys. He looked back at the redhead on top of the piano that had apparently not noticed anything, a smile still lingering on her lips.

Slowly, he brought his fingers down on the keys, testing. He checked for the piano to be in tune, and thankfully it was. He saw Clary tense at the feel of the notes. Maybe not a lot of people come and just take over her piano? he thought.

He stopped as he racked his brain for a song. Almost, out of their own accord, his fingers started moving lazily on the keys, playing one of his many favorite songs.

Come on. Oh, my star is fading.
I swerve out of control.
If I, if I only waited,
I'd not be stuck here in this hole.

Jace saw Clary's shoulders relax against the music. Her hand was moving to the beat of the song, and maybe it was just him, but it looked as if she were mumbling the words along with him.

Come here. Oh, my star is fading.
And I swerve out of control.
I swear I waited, and waited.
I have to get out of this hole.

The verse was one of Jace's favorite parts of this particular song. But what made it even more special at that moment was that a sweet soprano voice joined his deep tenor.

But time is on your side, is on your side now.
Not pushing you down, and all around.
It's no cause for concern.

In the sixteen measures that contained no lyrics, Clary turned around, so that her belly was now touching the wood. Her elbows were resting on the wood as well, one hand supporting her face as she looked at him.

"Didn't know you could play." She stated.

"Didn't know you knew the song." He countered.

"Did I ever mention I'm a big fan of Coldplay?" She asked and he just shook his head as he looked down at his hands working the piano.

Come on. Oh, my star is fading.
And I see no chance of release.
And I know I'm dead on the surface,
But I'm screaming underneath.

And she joined him again, and when Jace looked up to her, he saw her bobbing her head to the sides, curls flying everywhere. Her eyes closed.

And time is on your side, is on your side now.
Not pushing you down, and all around.
No, it's no cause for concern.

Clary's eyes flew open at that moment and Jace got lost in the gold flecks that appeared around her green eyes. They seemed to be shining. Jace couldn't look anywhere else. It was as if her eyes were hypnotic. Her eyes looked, to Jace, curious, and if he wasn't mistaken, they had a hint of amusement to them. He raised an eyebrow and began singing the last stanzas.

Stuck on the end of this ball and chain,
And I'm on my way back down again.
Stood on a bridge, tied to the noose,
Sick to the stomach.

Clary began to get on the mood, because Jace saw how her hands began banging the piano to how the guitar was supposed to go. Her head was bobbing more than it was before. The only thing that hadn't changed was that her eyes were still connected to Jace's. He noticed how her freckles seemed to cover her nose in an adorable way. Jace looked down again to his hands, and started playing with a little more force hitting the keys.

You can say what you mean,
But it won't change a thing.
I'm sick of the secrets.

Stood on the edge,
Tied to the noose,
But she came along and she cut me loose.

Confident on his fingers, he looked up to Clary, a new intensity in his eyes. He noticed that he had caught Clary by surprise, since she gasped and her head stopped moving completely and looked at his eyes with equal intensity. Just then did he notice how close their faces were to each other but if Clary noticed, she didn't do anything. He took a deep breath and sang what was left.

You came along and you cut me loose.
You came along and you cut me loose.

His hands stopped moving completely. Clary was still looking at him, no emotion visible. Jace noticed a small curl at the corner of her eye and, without thinking about what he was doing, he moved it and tucked it behind her ear. He felt her shiver at his touch, and if it had been any other girl, he would've smirked, but he had felt the shock as well. His hand lingered on her jaw as he tried to remove the still fresh tear marks on her face with his thumb.

Jace brought his other hand to cup her right cheek. He glanced from one of her doll-eyes to the other as they were doing the same to his. While he saw how the golden flecks in her eyes grew, he felt drawn to her. Drawn to her beauty, her warmth. Drawn to her slightly-opened dark pink lips. Her eyes began to shut…

It was nothing like the last time. If anything it was ten times better, for it wasn't interrupted by embarrassing sounds. Jace could feel how soft her lips were and the warmth in her breaths as it hit his cheek. Suddenly, Jace felt like it wasn't enough. He needed more and without pondering if he should or not, he asked for entrance as he bit her bottom lip.

She gasped, and he took that as a yes. The only thing that Jace could think was that if Maryse's banana pie was heaven, then this was Olympus! She tasted of lemons and chocolates. Rare combination, but the taste intoxicated Jace and he wanted more. He knew she felt the same way by how her hands were tugging on his hair towards her.

He got up slowly from the bench without breaking the kiss. Clary, supported by her hands around Jace's neck, brought her knees in front of her so that she was sitting on the piano. Jace moved one of his hands to the back of her neck and the other to the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. Her legs were on either side of him.

She began caressing his scalp with her nails and he let out an involuntary groan. He felt her smile against his lips and then she broke away.

Jace opened his eyes to see her breathing heavy, and only then did he notice that he was having a hard time getting air into his lungs. Her cheeks where flushed and a half-smile graced her lips. Jace smiled back and kissed the top of her nose; keeping her enclosed as his two hands were on either side of her thighs.

He nuzzled his head on her neck, and after regaining his breath, he whispered onto Clary's ear:

"Don't let any of what Aline said get to you. She was being a… Whatever you called her." He smiled into her neck.

"A Bolshevik." He heard her giggle. "Did you see her face? She was so puzzled! I wanted to laugh right then and there!" She paused. "That's why you apologized, huh? Because you cussed at her." She stated and he chuckled.

"Yeah. I didn't want you to take out your frustration on me later on."

"Well, if you hadn't noticed, I already took my frustration out on you. Just, you know, not yelling." They laughed. She gently grabbed his head and made him look at her. "Why that song?" He frowned. "Why did you decide to play that song out of all of the ones that there are?"

"The song talks about―"

"Jace, I know what the song's about. Almost every Coldplay song is about suicide." Jace looked at the freckles adorning her nose and then raised his gaze to her eyes.

"Yes. Amsterdam is about suicide, but at the end the person gets saved. By who? Depends. God, a friend, a lover." He sighed. "The first day I met you, you ran off. Then I found you crying. Every time I would see you, the situation was different from the last, but they still added up." He noticed how her brow furrowed in confusion. He sighed again. "You were―still are―broken. I see how you isolate yourself from everyone―well, except for Simon. You were so intriguing from day one, like a puzzle, and I wanted to figure you out." He cradled her face with his hands. "I feel alive when you are around me. You challenge me. You annoy me. You scare me. And still, I can't seem to get enough of you." A tear fell from one of her eyes and he took a hold of it before it could slide down.

"Jace." She whispered, and he relished on the way his name sounded so right on her breath. "While you got me all coded down, I still can't figure you out." She let out a breathy laugh.

He looked at her. God, she's beautiful, was the only thought in his head. Her sharp features were so contradictory to her soft demeanor. Her small round nose, covered in freckles and still rosy, was so sweet. But her lips. Oh, those lips! They shared clever words with every one of her breaths.

"One day, Clare. One day you will." He leaned down to kiss her one more time. As her lips waited anxious, they heard the lock from the front door being opened. Her breath caught and she looked towards the archway.

"He can't be back yet, can he? Ugh, darn it! How am I going to explain that I'm not at school?" She looked shocked at Jace. Suddenly he got an idea.

"We are in lunch. You forgot something. I offered a ride. I'm doing sandwiches in the kitchen. You just wait here." He kissed her forehead and went towards the kitchen as she got off the piano.

He started rummaging through the cupboards looking for bread. He could hear someone―most likely Luke―dropping boxes on the front door. Once he found the bread, he set it down and went to the refrigerator to get ham and mayonnaise. As he picked a knife and started opening the jar of mayo he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.

Jace turned to the archway, no emotion on his face, as a man came into the kitchen. The man was in his late forties with brown hair and blue eyes covered in glasses. He was Jace's same height and sported jeans and a flannel shirt. Jace almost drop the knife as recognition hit him, but he held on to it.

The man stopped short when he caught sight of Jace. He raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak but never had the chance to.

Fast-beat notes started floating softly through the space and started becoming louder at the second. Jace turned to the dining table, and without looking back to the man, he set down the knife and began walking towards the source of music.

When he walked through the arch, he found a red blur moving its hands quickly against the piano and then accompanied by a voice.

They made a statue of us,
And then put it on a mountain top.
Now tourists come and stare at us,
Blow bubbles with their gum,
Take photographs, have fun. Have fun.

Jace felt the man walk up next to him. He didn't turn around to acknowledge his presence, for his attention was focused on the small frame of the girl with the bouncing red curls. He smirked as he noticed the sly smile in her lips as she kept her face down.

But we're living in a den of thieves,
Rummaging for answers in the pages.
We're living in a den of thieves,
And it's contagious.
And it's contagious.
And it's contagious.

Clarissa Fray didn't fail to impress Jace Wayland. She was incredible at everything she did.

Oh! Ah!

Her eyes were closed and it was almost like she didn't know they were their, but the smirk on her face made him think otherwise.

They made a statue of us.
The tourists come and stare at us.
The sculptor marvels sends his regards.
They made a statue of us.
They made a statue of us.
Our noses have begun to rust!

She finished singing the chorus, and finally her Speedy Gonzalez hands stopped moving. Jace was thinking about how such small hands could play so good!

Her green eyes landed on them. She smiled at Jace, miming his smile, and then looked at the man.

"Luke!" Her eyes widened and her smile faltered as she stood up. She walked over to Luke. Jace took a look at him. He looked awestruck, as if he had seen something impossible.

"You were playing." He stated, not asked. Clary grinned and hugged Luke.

"Yes. I was." She opened her eyes to wink at Jace. He smirked. She pulled back and turned Luke towards Jace. "Jace, this is Luke, my stepfather. Luke, this is Jace. He's a friend." Jace noticed her blush as she said the word "friend". Jace grinned. They shook hands.

"Nice meeting you, Jace." He smiled kindly, and Jace decided that he liked the man. He was exactly like the last time he had seen him, but then that meant that Clary was…

His smile faltered slightly, and then he grinned again, like nothing had happened. He looked down at Clary and, by her frown, he knew she had seen it. He looked back at Luke's grinning face.

"So, why aren't you two at school?" Luke frowned.

"We are in lunch. I forgot something for next class and Jace offered to give me a ride since I would not make it walking." Clary smiled charmingly and Jace almost believed her.

"Oh, well, I don't think you have time to do sandwiches, Jace." Luke smiled. "Why don't you two go buy something at a McDonald's or something? I'll pay." He started getting his wallet out but Jace interfered.

"No, don't worry about it." Jace said and smiled. Luke shrugged.

"Fine then. You two should get going, I believe?"

"Yes. We can't be late to Calculus!" She nodded and hugged Luke. Jace shook hands with Luke and they were off.

o.8.o

"Since when do you lie so well?" He asked mockingly as they picked there food the McDonalds.

"Since I met you." She took a sip of her orange flavor soda while smirking. He snorted.

"Of course. How could I forget?" He started driving towards the school.

As they sat in silence, Jace couldn't help but think of the last summer, when he had seen the funeral mob coming out of the building. The sad man. The short girl with black clothes. The one with piercing green eyes. How could he not see it before? It was her all along! And only when he did see Luke did he realize it.

He parked on a space a bit farther than normal. They began eating in silence. Soft music was coming out from the radio and every time commercials came on, they both would try to change the station. Then they would laugh at each other.

When they were done, Jace got out of the car, and came to the other side to open her door. She got out and grabbed his arm when he had started walking away.

"Jace, wait." She whispered. He turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think we could, uh, keep this in between us?" He frowned and she took a deep breath. "For a while only. It's just—at the moment—the last thing I want is to be the center of attention. Aline accused me of this exactly."

"The only difference is that I never liked Aline." He replied. Clary smiled and then started grinning. "What?" He asked, confused.

"You, Jace Wayland, like me?" Her grin was smug, but Jace thought it looked hot as hell.

"No. I just want you for fun." He rolled his eyes. "Of course I like you, Clary." She bit her lip, smiling. She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"If you're a good boy, maybe you'll get more than that." She said.

"Are you teasing me, Clarissa?" He raised his eyebrows. She tossed her backpack over her shoulder and started walking towards the school, leaving Jace looking after her.

"Maybe." She replied, laughing.


;D

Eh, eh? Did it satisfy your needs? xD It was in Jace's POV most of the time! This chapter was the longest I've written, AND I brought to all you EARLY! It's WEDNESDAY! I usually update Saturday, so, you should be thanking me. xD Just kidding. Tell me, guys, what you thought of this chapter? Was it too mushy? Too angsty? xD The action was for ShadowhuntingMundie, who specially asked for it, and for my BFF 07XReflectional that gave me ideas. :DD Now, I'm really happy with you guys, and to make me MORE happy, all you have to do is,

Review? ;D