Heyaa pretties. So I am doing this challenge wherein my friend gave me some random line and I need to make a story by using it as the starting sentence. Also a fair warning that my friend is kinda a nerd and this line could be from a show or movie. Well let's get on with it. This will be a one-shot. Clace. POVs will be changing. Its in the order Jace, Clary, Jace.
The Beauty of this World
'This world is cruel and I expect very little from it.'
That has always been Jace's line of thoughts. Until he met her.
It wasn't that Jace was cold hearted or twisted or broken. But he believed that people of this world, if described by just one word, are selfish. They pretend to be there for you, they pretend to care, they play make believe that they are helping you but the truth is, there isn't a thought in their heads that's not about themselves.
People are cold.
Hypocrites. All of them.
So Jace doesn't bother with them. It is better than to get hurt.
Jace knew pain first-hand when his parents died. He was 10. When he was taken in by his parents' friends, he didn't open up to them. Couldn't. Because now he knew the pain. He didn't want to go through losing someone again. To love is to destroy.
That day, he lost his parents. But he also lost the sentiment called trust in people. He couldn't trust anyone after he saw those ugly masks of the people. At the funeral, everyone came to him and apologized. Jace didn't understand why. His parents were gone. They wouldn't come back if they apologize. They asked if they could help him in any way, but how could they? It was just a pretence. They talked of helping him but they had talked about him and his parents behind their backs too many times and Jace knew that. So Jace didn't trust anyone.
So there he was, minding his own business, walking to Java Jones, a popular café around where he lived. It provided good coffee, much better than Izzy's. He entered the café and saw a long line in front of the counter. He sighed. Of course, it was the time right before the working hours start. He went and stood in the line, right behind a petite girl with frizzy red hair. She was typing on her phone in almost panic.
When her turn came, she ordered a black coffee. Jace was surprised because not many people prefer black. She then whispered something to the girl taking order and the girl nodded. Her order came and Jace noticed that there were not one but two cups of coffee. She turned to him. Jace expected her to walk past him but she stopped in front of him. "Hey mister. This is for you." She said, holding out one of the cups. "Um thank you?" Jace more asked than said, confused. "You might think I am a creep or something but please hear me out." She let out a nervous chuckle and pointed to a seat, indicating she wanted to sit down.
Jace didn't know what to do. He hadn't been in such a situation before. What the hell was even going on? He nodded and sat down on the booth awkwardly. Don't go down the wrong lane of thoughts, Jace was a ladies man. And this girl was also probably trying to hit on him. But it didn't really seem like that by her manner of talking. He couldn't figure her out just by looking like he did to all other girls. Except Izzy maybe.
"So," she drawled, "I have been following this movement of random acts of kindness and I just wanted to help a stranger today. That's all there is to it. I swear I am not a creep or a stalker." Bullshit. Jace thought. Kindness? To a stranger. Just crap talk. "How do I know you are saying the truth?" he asked skeptically. "Well there is obviously no poison in there. You can have it, it is just a passing act. And I hope you carry on this idea forward," she said.
"No." Jace denied outright. He picked up the coffee and turned to leave. "Thanks but no thanks." What a day, he thought.
.o0o._
Clary had always been a free bird. She wanted to try all sorts of things, just to see the beauty of the world. Her mother didn't like her attitude and scolded her sometimes but she didn't care. No one could dampen her bright spirits.
Recently, she had started following this movement where she helped anyone and everyone, and it was really nice to see people smile because of her. Today's task was to offer coffee to the person behind you in the counter line. She was really nervous and had been texting Simon all morning.
But to say that this was a bad experience was an understatement. Sure, the site mentioned that some people might not take your kind actions the right way, but this was way beyond that. The guy was too rude. Relax Clary, she told herself. Everyone has their own circumstances. Or they are just jerks, an inner voice whispered. She let out a groan. This wasn't working. Helpless in the current situation, she went home.
A few days later, something happened. Well what else, she met Mr. Rude. She was in the public library, trying to find the book she needed when she bumped into a pillar. A pillar of a person to be exact. "I am so sor-" she turned to look at the person and stopped mid sentence. It was blondie from the café. "Well if it isn't Mr. Rude." She said. He ignored her and kept walking. "Hey mister! What's up with you ignoring me? Hey! So cold man, I am about to freeze." He kept walking without turning and Clary followed him, talking to him on the way. "It seems you haven't seen the 'beauty' yet. Do you even know the K of kindness? Would you like to make a bet? I can change your view of this world in one day." "Would you stop following me? What the hell is even random acts of kindness? Bullshit. No one is ready to help other people," Blondie seemed irritated.
Clary looked at him in shock. This guy. "So what do you people all over the world are doing following this concept of humanity?" She asked, trying to calm herself. "Don't you see how beautiful it is? When you help people, when they smile because of you, when they are happy because of you." He just looked at her strangely and shook his head.
"Hey wait." Clary yelled as he started walking away again. He suddenly stopped. He couldn't have stopped because I told him to, Clary thought. She walked to him and peeped over his shoulder. There was a small child standing in front of him. He seemed about 4 years old. Tears were streaming down his face. Blondie wasn't moving, just standing there staring at him. "Go on. Try talking to him." Clary whispered to him. He hesitated a bit but then knelt down in front of the child.
"Hey buddy. Why are you crying?" he asked the kid gently. When the kid started backing off, he put his hands in front of him. "Hey hey. I am not gonna hurt you. My name is Jace. I want to help you. It seems that you have been really brave. Now tell me where are your parents?" Jace. Now that was an interesting name, Clary thought.
The kid seemed to calm down. He then looked up at Clary. Jace hesitated again. "This is, she is my friend. She and I both want to help you." Clary smiled. Maybe he is not so cold as he seems to be. The way he handled the kid, it was like he knew exactly what the kid was going through. The kid answered stuttering, "Momma and Daddy. I want Momma and Daddy." Jace smiled. "Then let's go find them." The kid looked up at Jace with widened eyes and suddenly hugged him.
.o0o._
To say that Jace was shocked was an understatement. He hadn't hugged anyone since his parents. He hesitantly patted the kid's back.
"So what's your name buddy?" "Jake." The kid replied. "Alright Jake do you remember where you last saw your parents?" Jace asked and Jake replied that they had gone to the supermarket. So Jace took the kid to the supermarket and redhead from the morning followed them. They searched the entire supermarket but Jake didn't see his parents. Finally tired, they went to a café to drink something as it was too hot.
Jake didn't seem fine. It looked like he was on the verge of crying again. So Jace started telling him funny stories to make him laugh. He could feel the redhead's stare but he ignored her. When they were walking out of the café, they heard a voice calling out. "Jake where are you? Jake?" The kid immediately ran to the woman calling out his name and the son and the mother had their reunion. Jace felt satisfied and began walking away when the redhead stopped him. "See it through the end."
The mother came up to Jace and began thanking him repeatedly. "Thank you so much. I didn't know what to do when he got lost. I am so glad to know there are still people like you in this world." " Thank you brother Jace." Jake said in a cute voice. Jace flinched. He knelt down. "Be a good boy from now on, will you buddy? Always listen to your mom." Jake nodded vigorously and hugged Jace. This time Jace hugged him back.
"So how was it? Did u feel it?" The redhead asked. "Oh shut up." Jace muttered and she giggled. "Well would you like to take me up on that bet now?"
That day, they roamed all day in the city doing random things to help random people. It was fun, Jace thought. They left notes in the books of the library, saying the person reading them was lovely. They visited an orphanage that the redhead said she went to often. They laughed and played together. Jace didn't think he could feel so much joy until that day. He also learned one thing. He really liked the redhead's laugh. The strange thing was that every time she smiled, the world seemed more beautiful. When the night came, they decided to head home. "Hey, uh I didn't get your name." Jace said. The girl grinned and replied, "Clarissa Fairchild. People call me Clary." "Clary" Jace said, testing it.
"Clary," Jace paused. "You are beautiful."
Clary blushed under the moon light. Nothing could be more beautiful, he thought. He meant what he said from the depths of his heart. But what Clary didn't know was that he meant it both inside and out. Clary was a beautiful person inside, someone that didn't have that ugly mask that he hated so much. She showed her true self freely. She was just BEAUTIFUL.
They say you change ever so slightly when you meet a person. That day Clary changed Jace's world and made it a beautiful place. And maybe he changed hers too.
A/N: And they lived happily ever after. So how did you like it? I really don't know how it was, so please READ N REVIEW. Also if u haven't read my other story ' LINKED FATES' please give it a read. And yes, you people can also suggest some random lines. I can write a one shot on the ones I find interesting. Looking forward to it. Thank you for reading. And sorry if there were some grammer or spelling errors, I was just too excited to upload it.
~S