Two weeks later…
Since the whole Valentine incident, I have been staying at Jonathans… with the occasional sleepovers at Jace's house, which Jonathan wasn't too happy about. Jonathan made it very clear that he wanted to keep a sharp eye on me. He drove me to school, drove me to work, and even came to all of my performances at the café.
Speaking of which, I had to work today as well. Jonathan picks up his leather jacket off of the chair and yells from the kitchen, "Clary, let's go! I would really hate for you to get fired just because you lack efficiency!" I groan from the art room in the back of the apartment and finish screwing the lid on one of my pastel paint tubes. I pick up my guitar that was sitting outside of the door and walking into the living room, brushing my hand along the cool brick wall as I walk along the hallway.
"You know, the more you yell at me to speed up my process, the more inclined I will feel to take my time." He smirks at me and I give him my signature smile. I have also noticed that I smile a lot more now that I live with my brother. We walk out of the door and start towards the stairs. I would of loved to take the elevator but apparently, some of the other genius' in this apartment building thought that it would be a great idea to light a little fire inside of it, so it has been out of order for a while. We walk down to the street and I hop into the passenger's side of the truck as Jonathan fires it up. The drive is filled with me begging Jonathan to perform at the café today. The only time that he has ever played at Java was when I was singing with him; even so he has only played about two or three times with me.
"Jonathan, please! I won't ask for anything else as long as I live! And it's not like you are going to embarrass yourself, the crowd at Java is very forgiving for any hearing damage and you are great!" He shoots me a wicked scowl when I imply that he would bring the crowd hearing damage and I laugh quietly until he says, "I will try this ONE time, but ONLY one time!" I let out a small screech that makes both of us wince a little. "Jonathan, have I ever told you that you are absolutely the most amazing brother I have ever had?" He laughs a little and says, "Well I would hope that I am the ONLY brother you have ever had; and you could stand to say it more." I grin at him before turning my attention back out the window. I look at all of the people walking and talking into their phones about work and drama and I long to be among them. My life has been a living hell up until about two weeks ago. I can only ever imagine gossiping about boys and watching the Notebook with Isabelle, and waking up to Jace by my side every morning and not have to worry about my brother or his mother catching us, or even spending an afternoon with Simon as he rants on about magna and comic books.
I am pushed out of my thoughts when we pull up to café. Everything seems to be busy as usual. People on their phones, reading their romance novels, memorizing poetry, or writing a short story on the adventure that they wish they could have. I smile at their innocence though I know nothing about them, just their names.
The boys are all here and I greet them with brief 'hellos' and 'heys.' I get set up in the front of the platform and turn on the microphone, but I don't sit down like I normally would. "Ehem, sorry to disturb you all but I would like to do something a little different today." I look back at the boys and see their mask of confusion. I just grin and continue, "This first song will not be performed by me, but by my charming brother, Jonathan." There is some applause that goes through the room and I smile a little. I look to my left and see Jonathan with a slight blush on his face. I motion for him to come up on stage and he does.
"U-Uh, so what do you want me to sing?" he asks the crowd awkwardly. From somewhere in the back of the crowd someone yells, "CRUISE GEORGIA LINE!" I laugh and Jonathan raises an eyebrow, making the crowd laugh a bit over their coffee and tea. "Okay, can someone tell me a good song to play?" The crowd is silent for a moment so I speak up from the back and say, "Jonathan, sing 'Can We Really Party Today by. Jonathan Wilson." He smiles back at me and nods his head. I hand him a mandolin and he begins playing it, and soon I chime in with my guitar, which signals the others to start playing as well.
Follow me down to the divine lakes
With the canopy over head
Lavender pick and dry
Keep the pillow for your head at night
Chase the wolf to the ragged river den
Where the stormy weather stays outside
The beaver still chops the pine
Everybody has a lovely timeBut hey
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
Shouldn't we get started todayBut can you swing me back to North Carolina
Let me show you where the red tail flies
The north river slowly winds
Honey suckles on the vine
Follow me down into South Louisiana
Let me show you where the music lies
Swamp music dream dancing wine
Never keep it all insideWait
Wait
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
Shouldn't we get started today
Wait
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
Can we really party today
With all that's going onWith all that's going onCan we really party today
With all that's going onCan we really party today
With all that's going onCan we really party today
With all that's going onCan we really party today
With all that's going onCan we really party today
With all that's going on
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
Can we really party today
With all that's going on
He finishes and everyone stands up and claps, including me. I can see the true smile spread on his lips and pride myself on pushing him so he would actually do it. He looks back at me with that same smile and asks, "Another?" I laugh at his change in mood and nod my head. He turns back to the audience and asks, "Shall I sing one more?" There is a chorus of yes' and Jonathan laughs. He turns back to me and says, "Demon Host, you know that one?" I give him a look that says, 'do I live under a rock' and reply to him in a voice that drips with sarcasm, "You have got to be kidding me, of COURSE I know Timber Timbre." He gives a smile and motions with his hand for me to start.
Death she must have been your will
A bone beneath the reaper's veil
With your voice my belly sunk
And I began to feel so drunk
Candle candle on my clock
Oh lord I must have heard you knock me out of bed
As the flames licked my head and my lungs filled up black in their tiny little shack
It was real and I repent
All those messages you sent clear as day, but in the night
Oh I couldn't get it right
Here is a church and here is a steeple
Open the doors there are the people
And all their little hearts at ease
For another week's disease
And eagle eagle towel and scream
I never once left in between
I was on the fence and I never wanted your two cents
Down my throat in the pit, with my head upon the spit
Oh reverend please can I chew your ear? I have become what I most fear
And I know there's no such thing as ghosts but I have seen the demon host
The song is over fairly quickly compared to the last and there is another chorus of cheers. "Okay, well I have to turn this back over to my lovely sister." There are some complaints and I give a sarcastic/shocked look to the crowd and I hear a couple of laughs as I take my seat on the bar stool. I play many songs and earn cheers from the people. At the end of the day I am emotionally exhausted as I pick up my pay check. I walk outside and see Jonathan pull up outside of the café. I get in the car and he informs me that he will have to work a double shift tonight and he didn't want me to be alone so he was taking me over to Jace's house.
The car ride there is full of conversation, mostly about this new girl that my brother seems to take a liking to. He says that he sees her at work all the time even though she doesn't work there. I inform him that he may have a stalker but all he says is, "I think I'm okay with that." I laugh and ask him, "Well then in that case, why don't you ask her out?" He lets a sideways line play on his lips and he says, "Now just isn't really the time, don't you think?" I look out the window again and nod and say, "I suppose not." He seems to notice my sudden drop in enthusiasm so he moves one hand off the steering wheel and puts it on my leg, right above my knee and says, "You shouldn't beat yourself up over this. It's not, in any way, your fault. You know that right?" I look back over at him and see that he holds sweet sincerity in his eyes so I give him a weak smile and say, "I understand." He seems only slightly convinced as he leans back over to his side of the vehicle and continues to drive me over to Jace's house.
He drops me off and as soon as I am about to knock on the door, Izzy opens up and grabs my arm and pulls me inside while exclaiming things way too loudly and quickly. I don't understand what she is saying so I stop her and ask, "Izzy, what the hell are you trying to say?" She looks at me with excitement gleaming in her eyes and she says slower, "I invited Simon over and I want tonight to be our first time so… I need you to stay in Jace's room tonight. I mean, you know that I LOVE you right? I really just haven't been able to move past holding hands in public and kissing behind the menu stage and he is S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N.!" I laugh at her eagerness to get Simon to sleep with her but before I can reply, I hear a deep, silky voice coming from the railings on the second floor.
"Iz, I don't think you are going to have to worry about Clary leaving my sight tonight" he says with a growl in the back of his throat. I give him a knowing smirk. Lately, whenever I see Jace, we can't seem to keep our hands off of each other. Isabelle gives him a look of disgust and he snaps back at her, "Oh like you will be doing any better tonight, and with Lewis? Really?" At the same time, Izzy and I yell at Jace, "HEY!" He laughs and starts making his way down the stairs while I ask him, "Could you try to be the least bit congenial around him?" He retorts back, "Even if I knew what that word meant, I still would deny it." I just roll my eyes as he wraps his arms around my waist and places his chin in my neck and begins to slowly kiss and nibble the back of my ear. I let out a small giggle and can feel his smirk on my skin as Isabelle yells out, "PDA!" I roll my eyes and lightly push Jace away from me and ask Iz, "Where are your parents anyway Izzy?" "Oh them, they went out to some convention concerning their company in Moscow, so they won't be back for at least another month if not longer." I nod in understanding and we hear the door bell ring.
Izzy jumps up, as if startled, and begins to push Jace and me upstairs as quickly as she can. Once we are safely inside Jace's room, I hear Iz open the front door and welcome Simon in. I hear a lot of giggling and I just roll my eyes as I move away from the door. Jace begins to talk on about something Alec said and I just zone out, staring at a spot on the floor, lost in thought. Then I begin to wonder, what are we going to do when Valentine comes back? What if he catches me again? What if he catches Jonathan or Jace? Then my thoughts wonder to Jace. Why does he like me? I am pathetic and I can't even defend myself from my own father. I act as though I need a bodyguard at all times. I am useless to him. He could do so much better.
I begin to grow angry at myself for not being so tough or pretty or curvy. I can feel the deep scowl planted in my face and I snap out of my thoughts when Jace ask me, "Clary, what's wrong?" I shake my head and look up at him as innocently as possible and say, "Nothing is wrong, just lost in thought, that's all." He narrows his eyes at me and says, "What were you thinking about?" I have to think of a lie quickly so say, "A project that we have due next week… or do you not remember?" He tilts his head to one side and says, "Clary, I'm not stupid. I know that we don't have any projects due and I know you well enough by now to sense that something is bothering you." I just shake my head.
He sits down next to me and says, "I am not letting you leave this spot until you tell me… which means no loving tonight until you tell me and we talk about it." I look at him like a child looks at a stranger and say, "You would think that I'm stupid." "It doesn't matter what I think, I respect you enough to handle your idiotic tendencies." I swat his shoulder and he smirks and says, "Okay, so tell me what's on your mind."
I take a deep breath and say, "Jace… look at you. You are gorgeous, strong, not too dull, funny, and though you have a pretty big ego, you care for people," he smiles until I say, "You can do so much better than me." he takes my wrists and kisses me roughly and says, "There is no one better than you my love." He tries to kiss me again but I turn my head down and say, "Jace, I'm not blind or dumb. But what I am is short, too skinny, beaten, scarred, and I am pathetic. I can't even stick up for myself against my own father. It's hard enough having to fear the one person who is supposed to love you unconditionally, but what hurts the most is trying to hide it from you." I look back up at him and see him studying my face intently. Everything is quiet until he says, "How you could ever think those things about yourself, I will never understand. And I think I can think of one thing that hurts more than that." I raise my eyebrows and he says, "Being the one that it is hidden from." I am about to say something else to him when he takes my face in his hands and kisses me sweetly, but soon that sweet kiss becomes rough and wild.
We start taking each other's clothes off and well…
I wake up the next morning in Jace's arms he is also starting to wake up and I look over at the clock to see that it is only 5:30 A.M. I look up at Jace and ask, "Why am I up this early?" He smirks down at me and says, "Well if I recall, we did crash a little earlier than usual." I smile up at him at the memory and begin to get up from my warm spot next to Jace. He grabs my arms at first in an attempt to make me stay down but I refuse. I look over and see that an outfit was put together for me on Jace's vanity, I am guessing form Izzy. I sigh and begin to change. The outfit she got me is a cropped tank top that ends half way to my belly button and a long, flowy skirt with a very intricate design. The tank is ivory and the skirt is pure white. You would thing that they would go together but they fit quite nicely. I put on a long necklace over it all that looks like a large, golden compass and some brown flip flops. Jace just sat there and watched me change with a devilish smile on his lips and once I was done, he approached me and wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed along my neck.
"Your turn…" I say once his lips reach my ear again. He moans and starts putting on a pair of dark jeans and a black V-neck shirt that brought out his tan and enhanced his jaw line. He starts walking towards me again and I think he is going to make a move until he pulls out my guitar case. My mouth goes into the shape of an 'O' and he smirks some more. I grab the guitar case and go out to the small patio outside of Jace's room. I sit down on the marble floor and dig the guitar out of its case. Jace sits down across from me on the floor with one leg stretched out and the other bent so that he can rest his arm on it. "Alright sir, what song doth thou wish me to performeth?" I ask in a very bad British accent. He smiles a bit and then looks down at the floor before looking back up and saying, "One of yours." I think for a moment and realize a perfect song to go along with the perfect sunrise. It is a song that my mom used to sing to me called, 'family.'
Can you fix this? It's a broken heart. Let your love cover me, We stood outside in the summer rain, Let your love cover me, The child who played with the moon and stars, Let your love cover me,
It was fine, but it just fell apart.
It was mine, but now I give it to you,
Cause you can fix it, you know what to do.
Like a pair of angel wings,
You are my family,
You are my family.
Different people with a common pain.
A simple box in that hard red clay,
Where we left him to always remain.
Like a pair of angel wings,
You are my family,
You are my family.
Waves a snatch of hay in a common barn,
In the lonely house of Adam's fall
Lies a child, it's just a child that's all, crying
Like a pair of angel wings,
You are my family,
You are my family.
I look out at the sunrise and I hear Jace say, "Very beautiful, dear." I am about to say something to him as well until I feel a sharp pain go through my neck but that is suddenly followed by extreme drowsiness. I look over before I pass out and see that Jace has also been hit by some sort of needle in his neck and is passed out on the floor. The last thing I can recall are two foreign voices talking about me and my father before I black out completely.
A/N: Uh oh! Okay so I will try to update every night until Friday, or I will try Friday morning but other than that I should only get a few more updates in before you all have to wait another week. Sorry guys credits…
Song- Can We Really Party Today, by. Jonathan Wilson
Demon Host, by. Timber Timbre
Family, by. Dar Williams
I will probably be using a lot more Dar Williams songs just because… I love her. Anyway, thank you all for reading. REVIEW!