Chapter Twenty-five: Practice
Chapter Songs
Diet Mountain Dew~ Lana Del Rey
King Of The Beach ~Wavves
Cough Syrup ~ Young The Giant
Big Jet Plain ~ Angus & Julia Stone
…...…...
Clary Pov
I was with Izzy, helping her get ready for Max's birthday party, and there was a lot to do.
Everybody was here, Magnus, Maya, Jordan, Jace, Simon, and well Alec of course.
I was in the kitchen making punch and what not.
Izzy was preparing the food.
"Maybe you want to keep your hands off the food, Izz" Alec came in.
"Whatever" Izzy scowled, "it's prepackaged anyway" Izzy muttered as I let out a giggle.
"Any-who, do you know where the rest of the balloons are? We ran out" Alec asked Izzy.
"Check the garage, did you get the cake yet?" Izzy asked.
"Jace went to pick it up"
"Tell him if he's late-"
"That I won't have my male body parts anymore, I know" Jace walked in with the cake.
"Good we can check that off the list, go help Simon and Magnus with the decorations" Izzy demanded.
Jace set the cake down, then winked at me as he left the room, and automatically felt my cheeks heat.
Now that's new.
"So where in the garage exactly?" Alec questioned.
"Top shelf…"
I tuned her chatter out.
I was thinking about Jace, figures.
I don't know, I'm just not sure what we are or what we'll become, it's just one question running in the back of my head, that's been tearing away at my skull.
Does it mean anything to him?
I keep thinking this, I always want to ask him, but what if it doesn't mean anything to him and he goes running away, what would our friendship be?
"So, you and Jace?" Izzy's question cut off my thoughts.
"What about Jace and I?"
"Anything going on between you two?" She asked suspiciously.
"I don't know what you're talking about"
"Sure you do, piggy back rides, extended hugs, that look very sexual by the way, and ice cream sharing."
"So you were spying on us the other day?" I asked without needing to hear the answer.
"Besides that doesn't prove anything. So what he gave me a piggy back ride? We shared ice cream?" I asked.
"You gave each other an extended hug"
"We've been doing that stuff for years" I replied agitatedly.
"Your hugs never looked like that" she countered.
"One hug doesn't prove anything" I stated.
"What about you guys making out in the janitor's closet?" She turned to me a bit angrily.
"Where did you hear that?" I said as I could feel my heart beating a hundred beats faster, and I could feel chills starting at the base of my neck.
"I've heard rumors"
"Well maybe you shouldn't listen to those rumors, because you of all people know that most rumors are just a bunch of lies of people who get bored" I defended.
"You're right, I'm sorry. I shouldn't assume, but you could tell me anything you know? Bet aside." She sighed, "I'm going to help finish up the banners"
I could feel the slightest relief that washed over my body, but that was quickly replaced by guilt.
Izzy was one of my best friends and even though the bet was placed, I should still talk to her because what was happening between Jace and I was new to me.
After I placed all the plates of food on the right tables, I went out side to start to blow up the jumper.
Which looks so much easier than it is. If I had a dollar for every time something came undone, well I would be rich.
After a good fifteen minutes, I was still unable to fill the darn thing.
"Looks like some one can use a hand" Simon called from the door.
"How could you tell?" I laughed.
"Special powers" he winked.
"Though I doubt your physical abilities will help at all, but two hands are better than one" I paused, "Well technically four hands"
"Would you rather me call out Jace? I bet you would" he smirked.
"What in the world are you blabbing about?" I questioned.
"I've seen the way you look at him" he raised his eyebrows, "and I definitely see the way he looks at you"
I rolled my eyes, "You're delusional"
We both grabbed a side of the bouncy house and we got the process started.
We were setting the bouncer up a few feet away from the gigantic pool, that fit with the gigantic back yard.
We had gotten it blown up completely after about ten minutes, and I'm not gonna lie, our work wasn't too shabby.
"So you guys finally got it up and running? After what? Two hours?" Jace exaggerated.
"Ha-ha, I would like to see you put that thing together with no directions" I demanded.
"Oh, as much as I would love to, we are all on water balloon duty" Jace announced.
"We don't even have water balloons-" I got interrupted when Izzy marched out with a tub of plastic balloons, and my mouth automatically dropped open.
"There is no way we can fill all those up by three!" I started.
"Don't be a downer! Besides, Max is turning ten, this needs to be the best the birthday yet" Izzy sauntered.
"Let's get started, Jace and Clary, over to that hose, Simon come over to this one with me" Izzy called out as she handed one of the tubs of unfilled plastic balloons to Jace.
We both headed to the hose Izzy assigned us to, and started a whole new process.
After a few minutes we developed a system, because it took Jace too long to tie the balloons, so he filled the balloons and I tied them, and I swear the tips of my fingers were ready to fall off and run far away.
We continued this system until I felt a cold spray of water on my face.
I looked up to a smirking Jace.
"You didn't"
"Oh, but I'm pretty sure I did" Jace smirked a bit more.
Jace had the hose in hand, and he was ready to shoot again.
"Jace, don-" I got interrupted by the full blast of the hose.
I wiped the water from my eyes, and took control of the hose to spray at Jace.
It went on like that, as we shared laughs, until Jace pushed me into the pool.
"What if I had my phone in my pocket!?" I resurfaced from the water.
"Did you?" He asked.
I reached my hand up for help out, but when our hands wrapped around each other's, I took a strong hold then pulled him in to push him into the pool.
We both fell back into the water, then we both swam for air.
He smiled when we got to the top, "Nice red, now I'm going to give you five seconds to swim away"
He mouths the words as he counted down and I started swimming away.
I didn't make it far as I was pulled under water from my hips.
I turned under water to pull Jace down with me, I pulled him by the torso as we both laughed under water, making little bubbles from the air that was released.
It was just us under the water, no one telling us what we were or what we should be, no pressure of the eyes from every body else, it was me and him.
And we were about to drown.
We both swam to the top taking a deep breath.
"We are on a strict time frame! There is no time for fun! Keep filling balloons!" Izzy demanded.
"Izzy, I think we have enough balloons to last Max 'til his ninetieth birthday" Simon exclaimed.
"Fine, Clary grab clothes from my closet and Jace get clothes from Alec"
Jace and I scrambled out of the pool towards the door.
When I opened Izzy's closet I really wished I brought spare clothes, because most of Izzy's inventory was dresses and skirts that either looked too tight or too short, and her jeans weren't even a question, I would have to roll them up about fifty times.
I tried on this strapless floral dress, because that looked like the best fit.
The dress was beautiful, it fit me just right! It must've been one of Izzy's old dresses or a short dress on her.
After I dried off my hair, and fixed it up a bit I headed down stairs where everything seemed about ready, and every thing was so beautiful.
Outside it was beached themed and it was gorgeous.
"Clary!" Izzy called out, "Thank god, okay so our face painter canceled last minute, is there any way-"
"I would love to" I smiled.
She looked me up and down, "That's one of my favorite dresses, and I hate to say this but I think it looks better on you. But if you tell anyone I said that, I'll burn that dress and you along with it" she winked.
"So everything's setup? And all the little kids would be coming?" I asked.
"Yep" she nodded.
When the clock struck three, kids were everywhere.
My eyes were burning with butterflies, due to all the little kids who wanted butterflies painted on their tiny little faces.
Others wanted to be painted like a tiger, elephant, dog, any animal really, one kid asked me for an ant eater, I didn't really know what to do with that so I suggested a bird.
Max sat in the chair in front of me.
"Do you like the party?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's super cool!" he said excitedly.
"I'm glad you like it, so what can I get you Mr. Birthday Boy?"
"Spider Man"
"Nice choice" I winked.
When I was finished Max gave me a big hug then went skipping along to his friends.
"I want something charming, oh I have it, what about a painting of me on me" Jace smirked.
"How modest" I rolled my eyes.
"How about I paint a frog?" I smiled.
He retracted from the paint brush I brought to his face, "No frogs"
"No frogs? What about a cat?" I paused, "What was I thinking!? You would look great painted as a duck" I brought the brush closer to his face and he almost fell out of the seat from scooting back so much.
"I'm kidding Jace, come here" I smiled.
Jace hesitantly scooted forward in his chair, and I started the works.
"Voila" I praised.
I held up a mirror for Jace to see.
"Not bad red, not bad"
I had drawn Jace as a lion, and it didn't look half bad.
"The only problem is now I look like a little kid now, and I can't look like a little kid alone" he mused.
"Are you suggesting you paint my face? Be cause if so, that is not going to happen"
"Come on, I still remember those painting lessons you gave me"
"What? The lessons we traded when we were six, you gave me piano lessons and taught you how to draw" I laughed, "Still not going to happen"
"Please" he pulled the puppy dog face.
"Ugh, fine" I sighed.
"You won't regret it" he said as we traded places.
"Oh, but I will" I answered.
I scrunched my eye lids shut, so Jace didn't some how get paint in my eye.
"Don't do that" Jace smoothed out the corner of my eyes with his thumb, and I opened both my eyes to meet with his.
He released a small smile, "Sorry, but it'd ruin my masterpiece" he explained.
He put the cold paint to my face lightly, then he started brushing away.
"I swear, if you painted Strawberry Shortcake on my face…" I said when he was finished.
"Why didn't I do that? Or Little Red Ridding Hood?" Jace proclaimed.
He smiled and held up the mirror.
It was a flower, the same flower I taught how to draw, though it looked a little better than the squiggly lines he drew last time.
"Have you been practicing?" I smiled.
"I have, for every day of the years that've passed, just for this moment" Jace said dramatically.
I punched him in the arm.
"Time for cake!" Izzy screamed as the night sky darkened.
We did the whole rendition of happy birthday, the kids all stuffed their faces with sugary cake before we did.
Once I was done with my cake, the kids started swimming and colorful lights lit the back yard, it was strikingly beautiful.
I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and warm breath in my ear.
"Come with me, I have something to show you" Jace took my hand and we walked away to the sound of laughing children.
He walked a bit up the hills and into the semi-woods of the Lightwood's.
"Jace where are we going?" I questioned.
"It's a surprise"
After five minutes of walking Jace lightly placed his hands around my eyes before I could see anything.
"Surprise"
I opened my eyes to colorful flower of all sorts, it was beautiful.
"Jace" I turned around to Jace looking at me longingly.
He put one hand on my cheek and gave me a small, light kiss, not like our kisses before, this kiss was short, but it showed every bit of passion that we had shared, it was the starting match to a fire that was cut short as Jace pulled away slowly, with my head still tilted up. I was longing for the warmth I his lips.
"Jace?"
He got down on one knee and got a ring out of his pocket as I smiled and raised an eyebrow towards him.
"Clary Morgenstern, would you do me the extraordinary honor of being my girlfriend?" He smiled, but I can see the unknowing behind his eyes and in the small shake of his hands.
Thee Jace Herondale was nervous.
And I was the reason.
I looked down at him and grabbed his hands.
"Jace are you sure about this? I mean-"
"There's nothing I've been more sure about in my whole life time Clary. I'm in love with you, and there's nothing I've ever loved more in this world." He looked me right in the eyes, and I was caught in the same golden orb trance I keep finding myself in.
"A-Are you positive? Because we're best friends and it could be like weird-" my rambling got interrupted.
"Practice makes perfect, and there's nothing more that I would like to try than this relation ship, as long as you're with me. So what do you say, want to practice this thing out?" Jace smiled down at me.
I smiled and I nodded my head as I could feel hot, happy tears stream down my face.
He had a real big smile on his face while he placed a ring on my finger.
I laughed as I cried, "What's this?"
"It's an M for Morgenstern"
I took a good look at the ring. It was a simple ring with an M on the center and a few stars surrounding it.
I wrapped my arms around Jace's shoulders, and he picked me up into the warm hug. He squeezed his arms around me, so tight that I think I would have a bruised rib.
Then I heard a breaking of a branch, we both broke apart to see the cause of the sound.
We looked between branches to see none other than Church.
The cat.
...
Eh?
I really don't know guys, did you like it?
Unexpected?
Anypoo, Mac or Pc?
(This isn't the last chapter! Guys do you really think I would just end it like poof without saying anything!?)
Kisses.