Hey guys! So, super short filler chapter, but it was totally necessary to lead up to the big climax with the party next chapter! Eek! I'm excited, are you? I love all the TMI couples for different reasons, but Clace is my favorite. It just amazes me how their love has persevered through everything! Anywho, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own TMI

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Chapter 20:

I was sitting on my bed, my math book opened in front of me. I really should've been finished with my homework by now, but Clary was distracting me. She had called me to ask me a question about the English homework, and there we were, two hours later, still talking.

I had my phone on speaker, balanced on my knee so that I could at least try to do some work while we spoke. There was a small lapse in conversation, so I took the opportunity to breach the topic that had been on my mind all day. "Clary?" I said, putting down my pencil.

"Yes?" she sang. She was in a significantly better mood than last night or this morning.

"What finally made you decide you wanted to go to the party?"

Clary took her sweet time answering. "I don't know," she finally supplied.

I snorted. "That's a lame answer."

Silence. "Oh, Jace, my mom is calling me for dinner. I'll text you later, okay?"

I glanced at the clock. It was barely five o'clock, and Clary's family usually didn't eat until after six-thirty. Little liar. "Um, okay. Bye, shorty."

She laughed, but the sound was off. "Bye, asshat."

Not a minute after I clicked "end," there was a knock on my door. I groaned inwardly. I was never going to get this homework done.

I walked over to the door, ready to snap at Alec or Izzy, but instead found Simon standing there, his hands shoved in his pockets. I quirked an eyebrow at him. "Um, Isabelle's room is down the hall, Lewis."

He rolled his eyes, suddenly looking less nervous. "I know. I was looking for you."

I leaned against the door frame, not letting him in. "Why?"

He shifted his weight. "Well, Isabelle's birthday is coming up, and I have no idea what to get her. I was hoping you could help?"

I shook my head and began closing the door. "Ask Clary."

Simon stuck his arm through the gap in the door. "Wait!"

I opened it another inch.

"Please? Clary and I aren't exactly on good terms right now."

I threw my head back and heaved out a sigh. "Fine." I opened the door and gestured him in.

Simon eagerly stepped through the door and took in his surroundings. "This is your room?" he questioned.

"No, it's the Queen of England's. Yes, it's mine," I snapped. I walked over and plopped down on my bed.

Simon sat awkwardly in my desk chair. "It's just that it's so . . . sterile."

I ignored the disdain in his voice. "What's going on between you and Clary?" I asked instead.

He sighed. "We're having a bit of a disagreement on what is good for her. She's mad at me for trying to 'control her life.'"

I laughed. "I've been there. Just apologize profusely and don't do it again."

Simon gave me a pitying look. "That may work for you, but it may take a little bit more than that for me."

I tipped my head in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"It means that Clary likes you a whole lot more than she likes me."

To my surprise, Simon's tone wasn't at all sad or disappointed. He almost sounded . . . demeaning. Like I should've known what he was talking about. "That's nonsense. She's known you much longer than she's known me."

Simon looked like he was about to elaborate, but then he shook his head. "It's honestly not my place to talk about this. So, what do you get a girl who has everything?"

His abrupt change in topic only succeeded in making me more curious, but I wasn't going to push it. "Well, Izzy would never admit to it, but she's a hopeless romantic."

Simon's brow furrowed in thought. "So, what? I buy her a romance novel? Take her to a rom-com?"

I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh, but then I realized that he wasn't joking. "Oh, God. You're serious. How have you made it this far?"

He grinned. "I'm cute."

I put my head in my hands. "Oh, God. Okay, no. What you need to do, is give her a romantic gesture. A nice, candle-lit dinner. Flowers, a hand written card. Love notes. Whatever you do, make it sweet. If she cries, it's good. And no roses. She's romantic, but not cliché. She likes irises."

Simon looked slightly nauseous. "I'm not sure I know how to do that."

I sighed for the umpteenth time. "Look, Simon, I've never had a girlfriend before, so I'm not really the best person to go to for this. If you want better advice, go to Magnus. He's all about big gestures." It was a show of how much I pitied him that I used his first name.

He nodded and stood. "I think I'll go call him. Thank you."

I gave him a mock salute and turned back to my math book. Just before he left, Simon turned back to me. "Jace?"

"Yeah?"

"You've been a whole lot better of a friend to Clary than I have. I just wanted you to know that. You deserve her."

I blinked in surprise at his genuineness and watched as he walked out the door, shutting it behind him. I knew that he meant I deserved her as a friend, but something in his voice led me to believe that he knew how I felt about her and was telling me that I deserved her as more than a friend. But I could never deserve her that way. She was so innocent, and pure and just all around good. I was anything but that. I used girls as nothing more than a distraction. I had little to no regard for most other's feelings. I was bad in every way that Clary was good. No wonder she didn't return my feelings.

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So, like I said, SUPER short filler chapter, but don't hate me too much because it was totally necessary. The next chapter will be the big party! Yay! I promise, stuff is going to go down. After that, there will be a few chapters of falling action and resolution, then I have big plans for the epilogue, which will stretch out over five chapters. And I'll tell you know there WILL be Clace ;)

Question: What Clace milestones do you most want to see? Marriage? Kids? College? Grand-kids? If there's something you really want to see, I suggest you speak up now. Who knows? Maybe you will see it ;)

Love always,

YesIWriteForFun