You guys are all so incredible, I love how much you guys are getting into the story! And I just want to assure you not too worry too much about Kaelie, because I know some of you are. Won't keep you long in an authors note, so enjoy the chapter!
The night had not at all gone the way Jace had wanted it too. Not that he had any particular purpose for the night, he just wanted things to get easier between the two of them. They were making progress as well, until Kaelie had shown up. Any other girl, the night could have been salvaged. Admittedly it wouldn't have gone well if any girl came over and joined in with them, but it wasn't like they were on a date, and Kaelie had made herself right at home without really giving them an option. But with her...Jace swore under his breath as he turned off the engine of his car and got out. It took him a while to realize that Clary wasn't coming back. He had allowed her longer than usual in the bathroom, knowing that she would need some time to gather her thoughts. But then after ten minutes, he noticed she had taken her bag. Twenty minutes later, he made his excuses with Kaelie and left, but not before she had slipped him her number and said that they needed to get together for a proper catch up.
From the way she was looking at him, she was thinking about a catch up without clothes.
Before making his hasty retreat, he had forgot to make mention to Clary and ask Kaelie if she had kept in touch with anyone from school. He didn't want to outright ask about Clary and risk her asking further questions, but he had gotten his answer when Kaelie had said that apart from one or two friends, him and Clary were the first people she had seen in years.
"Clary?" He rapped his knuckles lightly on her closed door. "Clary, you awake?" There was no answer inside and he sighed, stubbing the toe of his leather shoes into the ground. He paused before pushing open the door and stepping inside. The room was dark, her curtains were pulled shut and he could just make out her shape underneath the blankets. Jace pursed his lips together and ran his fingers through his hair as he stared down at her. She was rolled away from her him, her body facing the window, her steady breathing lifting the duvet. He took in a deep breath before turning around and leaving the room.
Clary was glad when she heard the door shut softly, and swiped at the tears that wet her cheeks.
Jace picked Clary up the next afternoon just after five to take her to the gym with him. She was glad that he hadn't forgotten that she wanted to go, but the painful silence that stretched out in the car almost made her want to do a dive roll from the car. They showered in their respective rooms once they got home, and when Clary came downstairs, she saw Jace had beaten her there; starting on dinner.
"Did you want to cut up the vegetables?" Jace asked without turning around. Clary walked into the kitchen, ducking around him to where there was an onion, carrot and capsicum sitting on a chopping board next to the knife block. She found a peeler in the drawer and started on the veges, peeling and then slicing them. The frying pan spat oil as Jace threw in the diced chicken, and soon the spicy aroma of some kind of sauce filled the kitchen and Clary heard her stomach rumble embarrassingly loud. For a moment, she thought only she had heard it, but then there was a light chuckle behind her. "You not eaten today?" He asked her off handedly, his back still to her as he tossed the chicken. She was glad that he had broken the silence.
"I had a sandwich on my lunch break, but nothing since then," Clary replied as she finished up the vegetables and putting the knife in the sink. She picked up the chopping board and came over to Jace. He stepped aside for her and she tipped the vegetables in. "And it just smells really good," she added with a slight smile.
"Glad you approve," he gave her a small smile. "I can finish up here if you wanna go watch TV."
"Are you sure?" She asked, fiddling with the hem of her shirt, feeling slightly awkward and out of place, similar to how she had felt a few weeks ago, when she had first arrived.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Jace assured her, barely looking at her as he went back to the stove.
"Okay," she murmured, walking to the lounge. She settled in the lounge while Jace finished off dinner, bringing over the chicken stir fry on a bed of rice. They were silent, again, as they ate dinner and watched TV, although it wasn't as awkward in the car, given they had something else to pay attention to. Jace finished first, putting his plate down on the coffee table and leaning back on the couch. Clary could feel his eyes flicking over to her intermittently, but she avoided his gaze. When she finished she put her plate on top of Jace's and made a move to get up, to take the dishes to the kitchen.
"Stop for a sec, Cherry," Jace said softly, reaching out and circling his hand around her wrist. Clary froze, then took in a deep breath. Every time she heard that nickname, it dredged up so many emotions she had been fighting to bury, but that were becoming harder and harder to do so the more time she spent with him. He was quiet for moment and it gave her a minute to gather her thoughts. She continued to straighten up, pulling her wrist away from him, but she left the dishes on the table, turning to face him, giving him time to talk.
"What?" She asked, trying to keep her voice non-confrontational.
"About last night—"
"Not too keen to talk about last night, Jace," Clary sighed, picking up the dishes and walking to the kitchen, attempting to end the conversation. Jace was on his feet and following her quickly, though.
"Clary, I haven't seen her since I was eighteen," Jace told her, his voice rising. "It was sheer, dumb luck that we ran into her last night."
"Yeah, I do get that, Jace," Clary slammed down the dishes on the bench and then winced as she realized she had just given away how angry she was given how hard she had put down the plates. She turned and squinted up at him. "I didn't think that you went out of your way to make things even more uncomfortable between us than they are already. I don't think that little of you."
"Then why are you pissed at me?"
"I'm not...I'm not pissed off, Jace," Clary said, attempting to sound genuine. Clearly she had failed by the way Jace quirked his eyebrow. She took in a deep breath and tried that again. "I'm not pissed."
"Then what are you?" Jace shot back.
"I'm...Upset!" Clary snapped. "As if seeing you for the first time in almost five years isn't enough isn't hard enough to cope with right now, I have to see that whore again?" Her eyes were on blazing, pink spots lighting up her cheeks as she glared at him. If they weren't having such an intense conversation, Jace would be turned on. It was the most fire he had seen in her eyes and as much passion he had heard in her voice since she had arrived in his house. As it was, he couldn't help but see the exact girl that he had fallen for back in high school, rather than the scared, timid girl that she had conformed to. And that made him happier than he had been in months, despite her yelling.
"Clary," Jace began, trying to keep his voice even. "Everything that happened with her...It was all wrong. Everything that happened with us? It was all just wrong! Fuck, I swear everything just went so fucking wrong," his voice trailed off and he shoved his hands into his pockets. "That night went in the completely opposite direction than what I wanted!"
"Well that makes two of us," Clary growled, stalking past him toward the stairs.
"Don't walk away from this, Clary!" Jace shouted as he bounded up the stairs after her. "We live together, it was going to come up eventually!"
"No, actually," she hissed, spinning around to face him when she reached her door. "I was happy to avoid this conversation completely. There's nothing left for me with you, just like there's nothing for you with me. We're not even friends. I appreciate you taking me in, but we don't mean anything to each other anymore!"
"What the fuck are you on about?" Jace exploded and he saw her jump slightly. "Loosing you was and still is the biggest regret of my life! I know you can't actually think you don't mean anything to me! You're smarter than that Clary!"
"I've tried for a long time not to think about anything related to you, because every time I do, all I see is you in that room with that blonde bitch on her hands and knees in front of you!" Clary cried out.
"Clary—" Jace put out his hand but she stepped back from him. "Look, this isn't going to solve anything. We need to talk about this—about that night. About what happened."
"Don't, Jace," she muttered. Jace could see the pain in her eyes and he took in a deep shaky breath to stop from shouting back at her. He saw her eyes fill with tears and skimming over his face, and he reached out with one hand to try and touch her arm again. She flinched away from him, stepping further into her room and putting a hand on the door. "I said don't, Jace," her voice was laced with venom. His face closed up at her stance and he gritted his teeth.
"You know, it's not just you, Clary," he began, his eyes narrow. She turned her angry eyes to look up at him. "
"What isn't?" She bit out at him.
"That same night, the night you saw me with Kaelie? I saw you with Sebastian's tongue down your throat," he growled through clenched teeth. Clary's eyes widened suddenly but he was already backing out of her room, putting his hands out in front of him, between them, to show that he wasn't interested in continuing the conversation. "You're not the only one with shitty memories."
Since updating last time, two things that have made my life all happy are; Sam Smith! Went to his concert last week (as you would know if I'm friends with you on Facebook). He was absolutely incredible, he had such an insane voice live. And he had the cutest smile; the kind that makes you want to pinch his cheeks when he does it. Haha. And the other thing is that I've seen the new Avengers movie! Whoop whoop! Seen twice in the first weekend it came out because me and my man are a little obsessed wth Marvel. The only thing I would change is the whole romance between Natasha and Bruce. Just no. It's awkward as hell. I am a total BlackHawke supporter, or even BlackCap. I think Jeremy Renner is gorgeous, and would be all for them being together in the movies.
