AN: Been a while since I posted something new, and here it finally is. While camping back in August, this story came to me when I heard this song, and I knew it had to be worked into a story somehow. Now here it is.
Summary: Some loves are meant to be. Meanwhile, others are doomed. Sebastian and Clary's relationship journey was always flawed, making it bound to explode into chaos. It finally happened when she finds him cheating. Then being the broken singer that she is, she finds herself drunk on margaritas singing in at a karaoke bar alone. Until someone else picks up the mic (AU/AH/OCC/ONESHOT/Rated M/ANGST)
Disclaimer: I do not have a beta, so ignore spelling and grammar. I will do a better edit tonight, but I am exhausted. I also do not own the song "The moment I knew" by Taylor Swift that is mentioned. However, this story is based around the song "You're so Vain" by Carly Simon. So I do recommend you look up the song by Carly Simon since it is the song Clary sings.
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Note that italics are song lyrics
Enjoy!
"You're so Vain" (2.0K)
The straw spins around and around as I watch the ice spin around, and as I bring the straw to my lips, the ice continues to spin as the tart taste hits my tongue.
Definitely not the best margarita.
The only reason I am drinking it is cheap, with it being happy hour.
I snack on my nachos that don't quite have a good cheese to chip ratio, but it'll get the job done so I can continue to drink away my worries.
He told me my dreams were useless and that I was too stubborn to give up and face reality. He couldn't handle my long hours and was tired of nights where'd I come home at 3 am, only for me to leave at 6.
He claimed I was pulling away from him and becoming a shell of myself, even though I felt I was finally getting somewhere with my life.
After years of not pursuing my dreams, I have spent my nights in a recording studio trying to get my record together, something I can be proud of. All my thoughts have been expressed to Sebastian on how good I feel about this album. It was something I had started writing back in high school when I lost my father, and it was how I dealt with my grief and expressed who I was as I grew up.
When I met Sebastian that same year, I began to transition my style from grief to focusing on love. Leading my songwriting to follow that pattern.
Throughout my teen years and into becoming an adult, this was how I expressed myself until I started my job as a teacher and had to put my dreams on hold.
And now he wants to hold me back.
Those dreams only recently began when my mom got sick, the women who taught me to follow my dreams, the same women who taught me how to write.
From that moment on, I have been working on my album, managed to get a producer on my side who happens to be an old friend from high school. After work, I always drive to the studio until a Tuesday, around 3 months after I started this journey. Sebastian and I have a big fight at 6 pm the one night I didn't go to the studio.
This big fight resulted in me leaving for the studio for a few hours until I realized that I was a bit immature. He just wants to spend time with me.
It is then I text him and tell him I'm coming home.
A few minutes later, as the car is already down the street, I glance at the time and realize it's midnight which explains why he doesn't replay. He is usually asleep by 11 pm anyway.
I drove home that night and park my beaten-up Honda in the driveway and make my way to the door humming my new song on the way.
I push the door open and throw my keys into the dish, causing a rattle to echo throughout the house. I pull my snickers off and toss my bag onto the hook before making my way up the stairs.
As I climb the stairs, I expect silence, but instead of the sounds of the floor creaking. I hear music playing.
Then as I get to the top, I hear noises I never want to hear.
Moans.
I hesitate by the door and slowly grasp the knob and slowly turn it, careful not to make a sound.
The door creaks open, and I see Sebastian with his back against our headboard and a dark-haired girl riding him. I stand there in disbelief, unsure of what I am doing.
Do I scream? Do I leave?
Suddenly the choice was taken from me as he flips her onto her back and brings her up onto all fours before diving into her.
It is then he looks forward and shook expresses his face as he sees me.
I turn away.
I rush the stairs as he calls my name, and I want nothing to do with him.
I grab my wallet and somehow get shoes on and walk out of my former house with the images stuck in my mind.
I walked for who knows how long and ended up at this bar, where I am next in time to sing.
The booze has given me the courage to find my own song, something I had just written on several napkins while eating my sad nachos. Usually, karaoke places don't allow for original songs, but I think they took my raccoon eyes as I sign that I need this.
I typed the lyrics into the machine and asked if they had a guitar handy. After much hesitation, they allowed me to borrow it.
Only because they pitied me.
I slurp up the rest of my margarita before my name is called, and I carefully make my way to the stage without falling down since that would give away how drunk I am.
The host hands me a mic, and I tap it softly to ensure it's working, and I softly address the audience of quite a few people, considering it is 2am.
They give smiles, and I take a breath and put the mic in the stand as I grab the guitar before starting the lyrics to 'The Moment I knew" by Taylor Swift, the song I hope to hook people in with before performing my own soon.
When these lyrics, I could imagine singing to Sebastian with anger in my voice.
As soon as I finish that one, I move onto the original one I just wrote.
While singing, I take a purse where I close my eyes, and I see Sebastian behind my eyelids, and I feel tears threaten to make an appearance. Instead, I take a breath and continue.
The song discusses the meaning of why the song was written, and in this case, I am imagining Sebastion standing before me, seeing how I wrote this song about him.
Maybe because it is.
I have control of the room where all eyes are on me, causing my hands to sweat a bit as I play my guitar, and although I am nervous, I think of how happy I am at this moment—no pressure to be something I am not.
I can be me.
However, this is when I realize I can develop the song further, and I take a chance and sing background lyrics separately.
As I continue on, the background lyrics work, but it also doesn't sound as efficient. It is then my dream comes true, and a figure appears beside me, and I almost freeze when I met by a Greek god with golden eyes staring back at me.
He nods and grabs another mic, and gives me a smile that I quickly return before continuing with the lyrics.
Then the golden god blesses me with doing the backups, where he approaches the stage by giving me a wink before singing the background lyrics that emphasize the chorus.
Then together, we finish the song, and the whole bar has gathered by the stage and is chanting for another song.
It is then our night constants of us singing together until the bar closes.
I don't trade names, and as soon as the owner tells us last call, I make my way outside and sit on the curb.
Like before, the god follows me and sits beside me, then holds out a hand and introduces himself as Jace.
I smile and return the gesture by saying, "I'm Clary."
"What happened to you that made you write that song?"
I shrug and answer with, "I seem to be in a breakup after unexpectantly walking in on my boyfriend with another woman, now here I am."
He nods, "It sucks, but at least you have a coping mechanism. You are extremely talented."
I raise an eyebrow and reply with, "you are actually one of the few people to say that to me."
"Really?" he asks with surprise clearly laced in his voice.
I nod.
"Well," he says as he grabs my hands and continues with, "You are a fantastic singer and songwriter."
My face becomes flushed, and I shrug in response.
"Don't doubt yourself. Your voice is angelic, and more people should hear it and appreciate it."
I find myself drawing a blank on how to respond, and I find myself staring into his eyes that make my insides melting.
This complete stranger makes me happier than I have ever been in my whole life.
I then take a risk that I say is worth taking and begin moving closer towards him until our noses touch. He grins and tells me he wants to kiss me, but because of the state he found me in, he wants to wait and take whatever we might have between us very slowly.
I pull myself back and grin wider than I had before.
This is the moment I knew.
"And the Grammy goes to Clary Fray for song of the year for 'You're so Vain.'"
Shock runs through me, and the audience around me roars with joy.
A pair of hands grab my hand slowly pulls me off my feet, and I look into the eyes of my golden gold and feel joyful that I can share this experience with someone who believes and loves me.
I kiss him, not caring about the cameras, and when I pull away, I smile at the camera and make my way up the stairs with my producer Magnus beside me.
He whispers in my ear that I deserve this, and for the first time in a while, I feel like I do.
I accept the Grammy from Nicole Kidman and her husband while making my way to the microphone.
"Thank you so much to the academy for the nominations I received tonight and for the reward given to me. This song means a lot to me because I wrote it after a horrible experience that made me want to give up music and become someone I wasn't. This was written in revenge, and I am happy to say that this song led to me meeting the love of my life, and for that, I cannot be more thankful. Good night."
With that, the lights dim, and I make my way backstage for a photo op.
I can't wait to get home and celebrate.
The drive home is quiet, and it is a relief after a long time.
Jace has his arm around my waist, and my face is buried in his shirt.
It isn't until Jace lifts me out of the car I realize how tired I am.
But not tired enough to sleep.
We climb the stairs of the apartment and close the doors behind us before turning on the security alarm.
I spring into action and grab him by his shoulders before jumping up and wrapping my legs around him. He notices my movements and takes the lead making sure I don't slip back down.
He then presses me against the door we just closed and starts nipping my neck, and I am suddenly wide awake as a moan escapes my lips from the assault on my neck.
I take this as my chance to slide my hands slowly up his shirt until I can lift it no more, and I whisper for him to lower me. But instead, he holds me tight and walks us over to the couch with me on my back.
He then tells me I deserve another win and then brings to lift my dress higher and sink his head behind my legs.
His tongue finds my core, and I scream with delight as my hand's knot through his hair.
Wetness pools behind my legs as I scream for more, and then he gives it to me by pulling back slightly only to angle himself to go deep inside me, hitting all my walls.
"'Yes, Jace, oh my god," I scream over and over again.
That night I get off 8 times before I pass out.
He only got off once.
Sebastian might've been vain.
But I know who I am, and I know my worth now.
Jace reminds me of that.
Never selfish.
Always loving and giving.
AN: I hope you enjoyed this story. Again, I recommend you go listen to the song on some streaming service to get the whole story.
For those who follow me, "Frosting," the 4th part in the counting series, will be posted Friday.
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