Sorry for the wait! It's been a busy couple weeks for me! Hope all is well with you guys! Enjoy this chapter! I'm hoping to have another one posted sometime this weekend! Xoxo my lovely readers!

SIMONs POV

"Five-oh!" Jon shouts after cutting off the music. Like roaches, everyone scatters about to the nearest exits.

"Where's Magnus?" I ask Jon.

"Dunno, where's Iz?" He asks frantically.

"Probably with Sebast-"

"No, he was leaving with kaelie and Mel before I came back in. She has to be looking for clary! Find her and get her to my house," he tells me more than asks me. He looks scared, and I can't help but feel really bad for the guy.

"I have to take Magnus home too."

"I'll take care of Magz. Find Iz! PLEASE!"

"Okay."

I scan the crowd from where I stood, with no luck, so I head out to the back yard, then race around to the front; still no sign of her. As I'm about to start freaking out, my phone begins to ring with a number I don't recognize.

"Hello?"

"Simon-its Izzy. I went to CLARYs car when Jon started shouting about the cops and it's gone. I ran into Magz and he said to call you. Would you mind giving me a lift to clary's?" As hurt as I am, I can't find it in me to say no; plus I told jon I would. "Where are you?"

...

We rode in silence only after confirming with Magnus that he for sure had a ride home. The only time we spoke was when Izzy was giving me the few directions to Clary's.

I pull up to the house on the corner of their court with my headlights off, as directed. From the where I was parked I could see the tail end of Clary's car parked in her driveway.

"Have fun?" I ask sounding a little more sharp than I should.

"Tons," she replies sarcastically.

"I looked for you after you took off, but you were 'occupied'"

"Was I?"

"You don't like me that way do you?"

"I-"

"You didn't have to put on an act and lead me on, letting me think I even stood a chance, when in reality you were pining for Sebastian."

"I wasn't-"

"Have you always been so selfish?" Okay maybe I'm taking it too far, but I'm hurt, and can't stop rambling. "Just because you're beautiful, doesn't make it okay to use people as if they don't mat-"

I'm interrupted as she grasps my face, and touches her lips to my own. And my god are they soft, and full and perfect.

"I do like you Si," she whispers. Too stunned to respond, I only nod as she gets out and makes her way to Clary's car.

JACEs POV

"Oooof," I hear a thump right after her voice, and open my eyes to see clary crawl up to the front seat.

"Well, well, well, look who-"

"Don't you dare attempt to antagonize me, imbecile," she grunts making me laugh.

"Leave it to you to attempt a snarky reply with big words while your shitfaced."

"What can I say, you bring out my inner serial killer."

"Sharp tongue, and a keen mind, how ever did I get so lucky?"

"Why are you nice to me?"

"Would you believe me if I said that maybe I care?"

"Ha! No you don't."

"Sure I do."

"Why?"

"Because if I didn't, I'd actually have to start taking out girls that like me."

"As if you'd ever be able to find one," she snorts, which causes me to laugh.

"You see that right there? Who needs love and affection, when I have got blind hatred staring down, or in your case, up at me?" We laugh together at our silly bantering until we finally fall silent, me enjoying her company, while she's probably thinking up ways to murder me. I don't want to ruin the peacefulness, but I have to ask the question that has been pestering me since earlier this evening. "Why do you let him get to you?"

"Who?"

"Verlac."

"I hate him."

"I see that. It's obviously mutual, and a big deal; big enough for you to mainline tequila. You didn't seem like the type for that normally."

"What, you don't think I'm cool and laid back now?"

"No. I think you're far above that, any of that."

"Well, you know what they tend to say..."

"And what would that be?" I give her a few seconds to answer before turning towards her and noticing she fell asleep. "Hey," I whisper, tapping her nose. Her eyes flutter open and she gives me a soft smile, and I can't help but think about how I want to wake up to that for the rest of my life. She's beautiful, and in the most alluring way I could have never imagined a girl being.

"Where were you before you came here?" She whispers.

"Busy."

"Were you doing time in rykers?"

"Maybe," I challenge as I think over the idiotic rumors that have been generously shared amongst our student body.

"Liar."

"Why'd you ask then?"

"Why'd you lie?"

"Touché."

"You know, you act like such a vile and indecent person to some, but you're not even as close to any of that as I perceived you to be."

"And you're not as, no, wait...you are actually as vicious as I expected you to be. But captivating nonetheless."

She searches my face, looking for any hint of a lie in my last sentence. Our eyes meet and I suddenly feel a rush a feelings pulse through me that I can't decipher. She begins to lean forward, slowly, but steadily, as do I. And as bad as I want to, as much as I want to press my lips to hers, as badly as I want to taste her, I can't, because i know it's wrong. Her mind is still hazy, and the tequila is still very much on her breath, she may not even remember this, or even want it; she's drunk still.

"So," I clear my throat. "I'll see you at school Monday?" I watch her face morph from anger, to betrayed, to completely emotionless, which scares me more than the first two. Just when she is about to say something, Issy taps on her window and we both get out, clary obviously fuming. I see the fury in her eyes as she tries to remain stoic, all the while slamming the car door and storming away.

"I take it your guys night didn't end up well?" Izzy asked making her way towards me as I hand her the keys.

"It was rather interesting. Jonathan coming ?"

"He didn't bring me."

"Sebastian then?"

"Simon."

"Ahhh," I ponder what she say and before she turns to leave I say something that I'm not sure I'll regret. "Be sure to let him down easy?" She gives me a disbelieving look, but I continue before she can reply. "He's in pretty deep for you, and well, seeing as Sebastian is obviously more your type-"

"First off, you don't know me, secondly, you have no idea what my type even is, and last, but not least, don't you dare talk to me about letting someone down easy," she had somehow ended up chest to chest with me, her finger mere inches from my face as she continues in a sharp whisper, "especially when your only going after my best friend to help me get out of this cocoon my brother and Jon have so conveniently locked me in." I look at her, shocked that she even brought it up, but we both turned to the sounds of puking in the bushes on the far side of the driveway. I knew she knew. Hell she gave Simon intel, but hearing her admit it out loud, well, it made us all seem pretty awful.

"In which you don't seem to be objecting to now, are you?" I shouldn't have said it, because an immense look of guilt crossed her features as she twisted the keys in her hands, and stared down at them.

"Don't hurt her okay? I know you two literally just became somewhat friends today. I know you barely know each other, but I can tell she fancies your company no matter how annoyed she acts. It's just, well, please try not to hurt her."

What the hell am I supposed to say to that? I'm at a complete loss for words, because no matter how we all look at it, this whole situation is just wrong. I simply nod to her not knowing what else I could even do.

"You, uh, you want some help with her?" I offer feeling useless.

"No, it's only a quarter to ten. We'll just relax In My backyard until close to midnight. I already let Jon and Alec know where we'd be in case they showed up here. Plus, my mom works nights, so clary can sober up somewhat there."

I nod again and head towards the direction of my house. It's literally around the corner, in a court catty corner from theirs. I go over the nights events, and begin to scold myself internally for making that last moment with Clary so awkward. she's going to be so pissed with me, and I'm going to have to do whatever I can to ease the situation. Because if I'm being honest, with or without Sebastian's money, I have not only become intrigued by the feisty redhead, but I found that I actually do care about her and I want to get to know her on a whole Other level.

"You're home early," my thoughts are interrupted as I enter the foyer, removing my jacket and shoes.

"Eh, the night remained uneventful," I reply following the voice into the living room. "Want to watch a movie grandma?"

"That would be lovely, dear," she smiles sweetly at me as I lean down to hug her. I choose one of her favored Shirley temple movies and go to make us some popcorn. I hear her humming to the movie's opening introduction and smile to myself.

My grandparents were all I had left after my parents passed away when I was seven. They always came to stay weekends and holidays with us while we lived in Connecticut. At the time of my parents death, my grandmother was battling breast cancer and my grandpa was still grieving over his lost son, so the only thing they felt could be done was send me to a boarding school for boys. That, and it was in my parents request in their last will and testament. I was a quiet kid and kept to myself most of the time. The teachers were caring and I went to stay with my grandparents during holiday breaks. After my grandma was cancer free, they offered to let me come home and attend a regular school since I was 14 and would have been starting high school soon. I declined because I actually enjoyed and liked it there. During my sophomore year, my grandfather became ill and without question, I came to stay and help care for him. He'd been diagnosed with lung cancer-the man never smoked a day in his life-and got lung cancer of all things! I finished the last months of sophomore year online, and did homeschooling my junior year. When he passed away last spring, my grandma and I were all each other had left. And I try to be there for her as much as possible, but what can I say-I was so angry at the world over my grandpas death, that I took up smoking and drinking to numb my pain. My grandma acts like she doesn't notice my trouble making behavior, and just enjoys any moment she can with me. Over the summer is when I earned my supposed 'bad boy rep'. The things people come up with, I couldn't believe how creative the rumors were. I mean my everyday attire doesn't help, grandpas leather jacket from his younger days, and my favored combat boots from school. Also the fact that I avoid preppy wanna be's like the plague; well that just added fuel to their fire. FIRE, The thought reminds me of Clary's red hair and flaming hot temper.

"Have you made any new friends Jace?" Grandma asks as I walk back into the living room. "You're coming to the end of your first semester and I have yet to meet anyone. Surely there's at least one friend?"

"Not really grandma. I'm just trying to get by. Public schools different than what I'm used to," I admit to her. She gives me a sympathetic look as I put the popcorn on the end table within her reach and take a seat on the couch next to her. We watch the movie in silence, but my thoughts are still on Clary, hoping by Monday that she's not still too pissed, or hopefully at least willing to forgive me. I sort of want to ask my grandma for advice, but the only thing she will even get out my question is the fact that I'm asking about a girl. Just got to wait and see I guess.