Thanks for all the reviews! Here's Chapter 26!

Chapter 26: Party in Chicago

"Si, I don't think this is a good idea." Clary said with a hint of fear in her voice.

Simon glared at her. "We're here already. It's already too late to come back in Indiana. You need to have fun once in a while."

Clary nodded and together they went inside the bar.

"What's your drink?" Simon asked.

"I'll have iced tea." Clary replied.

Simon sighed and ordered their drinks. "Clary, you know what? I'm going to kill your mother. What had she done to you? You're so different. It feels like I don't know you anymore." Simon said sadly.

"I know. I'm sorry." She said, smiling slightly.

"Promise me, when you finished high school you'll come back in L.A." Simon demanded.

"Of course, I promise."

"Here, hold my drink for a while. I'm going to look suitable partners for us." Simon handed her his drink and went to the dance floor. She was tempted to have a sip at Simon's drink but she resisted. She missed drinking, but she's not breaking her promise she made with Jocelyn: Don't drink while she's in Jocelyn'd custody. Well, she broke that promise once, when she got herself drunk in the attic. After that, she swore never to get drunk again.

When Simon came back a few minutes later, he's holding the hand of a girl, and a boy is following them.

"Clary, this is Frederick. He's your date tonight." Simon said and smiled. Oh no, he's the matchmaker again. Last time he looked for a suitable date for her, it turned out bad, so very bad. The guy nearly seduced her in front of the paparazzi. Clary's date was Simon's friend and he paired them together on the last minute. They were in a party and the paparazzi are trying to find their way inside the club. Two or three paparazzi got inside luckily and asked her for an interview. Clary's date, who was drunk as she was, pinned her to the wall, kissed her and started to tear her clothes off her. Simon saw it happening. He grabbed the guy and punched him. The paparazzi got a picture of them, Clary's date on the floor, unconscious, Simon, standing near my date his hands on his waist and Clary, holding her torn dress. It wasn't a pretty picture, but after that, she became more popular.

"Hi, I'm Clary." She said and offered him her hand. Frederick shook and smiled. Clary can tell that his smile is alluring. He's a dark-haired guy and his eyes the shade of brown. He's so different from Jace. Jace, her one and only true love.

"It's nice to meet you. My name's Frederick. Feel free to call me Fred." Fred said. "Hey, wanna dance?" he asked. Clary nodded and together they made their way in the dance floor.

"What's going on here?" Jocelyn said as she entered their house.

"You're daughter is missing." Victoria said.

Jocelyn looked at all the people in the house. "Clary?" she asked.

"Who else? She's your only daughter who is a runaway." Victoria pointed out.

Suddenly, someone opened the door. They all looked at the door with a scowl on their faces. "I know it's already late. But please don't ground me. It took us a while to finish our project." Dylan said.

"We thought you were Clary." Aline said.

"What's with Clary?" Dylan asked curiously.

"Well, your dear half-sister is missing. Give me your phone." Aline demanded.

"Why do you want my phone?"

"None of your business."

"It is my business. It's my phone you're going to use." Dylan snapped.

"I'm going to text Clary. I asked her something this morning and I wasn't her answer now. So hand me your phone." Aline snapped back. Dylan gave her his phone and she text Clary.

Aline: Yes or No?, This is Aline, I'm using Dylan's phone.

Clary: No. You may spread whatever gossip you want. I'm not breaking up with Jace.

Aline: Fine! You better prepare for your great humiliation tomorrow. Xoxo..

Clary: I'm not scared of you Aline.

Aline stomped her foot in frustration and handed Dylan his phone. He looked confused but he didn't ask what's going on. Clary's not scared of her? Damn her. She'll see. She'll fear me too.

"Mom, what did you do this time?" Jocelyn asked her mother.

"Nothing horrible. I just told her to clean the house." Victoria replied calmly.

"What? Mom! You shouldn't have done that. You know Clarissa, she didn't grew up cleaning the house." Jocelyn snapped.

Victoria had her eyes with at her daughter's outburst. "We had a deal, Jocelyn!"

"I know. You want her money. I want her love. You got her money and I haven't got her love. You are trying to push her away from me. You're being unfair Mom! I'll risk everything just for her to love me back." Jocelyn yelled and went to her room. She left her mother and prayed that her mother was guilty at was she's doing now. She spent fifteen years away from her daughter and this is her only chance to prove to her daughter how much she loved her. She'll risk everything, even if it means having a divorce with Luke. And leaving their kids. Wait, can she really do that just for Clarissa to love her back? No, maybe not.

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xoxo, LadyDenise