CLARY'S POV

After school, Clary headed straight to Simon's car. The rest of the day had been fairly uneventful. Clary had ended up having another class with Will and her last period with Magnus but about halfway through the period, Clary realized that Magnus actually didn't recognize her. She had snuck glances at him throughout the class and she knew that he had seen her but she also knew from the look on his face that he truly did not know who she was. Had Clary really changed that much?

Even in art class (which she had had right before lunch), things had been pretty calm but that was how things usually were. Clary had never had a problem with art before since it was her favorite class and hobby. She hadn't even cared enough to check who else was in her class when she got there. Art class was the one place where Clary never made an effort to meet and talk to people. It was the one time when she could find solitude.

When Clary reached Simon's car he was leaning against it waiting. As she approached he checked his watch.

"Wow you're right on time, I don't think that's ever happened before," Simon stated sarcastically and Clary rolled her eyes. She stopped in front of Simon and glared at him.

"Oh haha, I have terrible punctuality. Real funny," she said.

"It is funny," Simon said smiling. "It's in fact quite funny, you just can't see the hilarity because it's about you. But let me assure you, it is very funny."

Clary rolled her eyes as she began walking around the car to the passenger's side. "Whatever, but do I have a story for you. You'll never guess who I have two classes with and who else I have one class with."

"Izzy and Alec," Simon said looking past her.

"Nope, it was-"

"No, I mean." Simon waved his hand to silence her and then he pointed behind her. "Isabelle and Alec are over there." Clary turned around to see the siblings at a car in the row behind where they were parked. As she turned around though, her eye was caught by a group of guys standing at a different car a little ways away from the Lightwoods.

"And there's Jace," Clary whispered as her gaze stuck to the gold-haired boy that was standing out in the crowd. She couldn't see him well from how far away they were but Clary could tell he had clearly grown a bit, he was probably almost as tall as Alec. His hair was as blond as ever and he was wearing a letterman jacket.

Jace patted one of his friends on the back and said something before he turned around and walked away from them. He was headed in the direction of Isabelle and Alec and Clary was happy. Of course, she had expected them to stay friends though since Jace and Alec had known each other as long as Clary had known Simon. They had always been inseparable, their bond was closer than the blood they did not share.

Clary watched as Jace neared them. Isabelle had been getting into the passenger side of the car when she saw him. She looked down immediately and got into the car. Clary cocked her head at Izzy's weird reaction but then she noticed that Jace wasn't walking towards them. He was walking past them.

Everything suddenly seemed to be in slow motion as Alec caught Jace's gaze. He didn't stop walking but the two were staring at each other, that much was obvious. It was only when Clary saw Alec was actually glaring at him that the world continued at its normal pace. The raven-haired boy got into his car and slammed the door so hard Clary could hear it from where she stood. Jace continued walking until he reached a plain black motorcycle. He got on it, revved the engine, and drove away just as Alec drove off in the opposite direction.

Clary and Simon watched the entire scene play out in silence. As soon as both vehicles were out of sight they turned to each other with equally stunned expressions, neither of them having any idea about what just happened. Simon spoke first breaking the quiet.

"What the hell was that?"


ISABELLE'S POV

"They're so different!" Isabelle exclaimed as she and Alec left the parking lot of the school. She was trying to ignore the fact that they had just seen Jace. "I found out that last year Maia was the student body vice president, Jordan was on the soccer team the last two years and made varsity last year, Simon is the president of the chess club and is in a band, and Clary-"

"Is one of the fastest runners on the track team and painted a mural for the school last year." Alec finished for her and Isabelle sighed.

"Yup, not only that but I guess Maia and Jordan started dating." At that, Alec glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. "And Clary is one of the most popular girls in our grade."

"Then I suppose it shouldn't be too long before she becomes reacquainted with Jace," Alec spat out his name like it was venom.

Isabelle leaned her head against the window and watched the scenery go by. "I hope she does."

"Why?" Alec questioned harshly. "He doesn't deserve to have friends like Clary or any of them anymore. He's a jackass that chose popularity and sports over his best friends. The people who were always there for him."

Isabelle rolled her eyes and ignored the statement. "Because maybe she's what he needs to get his senses back. They were best friends once and she had as much influence over what he did as you used to have. Maybe they can regain that relationship, that trust. If anyone can bring our Jace back, it's Clary."

"Maybe she can," Alec said, "but either way I don't want him back as a friend. For all I care, that golden-haired asshat can move across the world and stay there."

"At least you didn't say 'die in a hole.'" Isabelle sighed.

"I wouldn't say that," Alec said. "Because if Jace were to die it'd be by gun and I would be the one pulling the trigger." Isabelle grimaced at that but knew it was probably true.

After Jace made the football team his freshman year his teammates had told him to drop Alec as a friend. Alec was on the track team and was pretty good looking but he wasn't popular enough so the football players didn't like him. Jace had, of course, been extremely reluctant, he had even told them no constantly, but after multiple threats to get him kicked off the team or worse the guys had finally convinced Jace to not only stop talking to Alec but to completely humiliate him in front of the entire school.

At the homecoming dance, Jace had helped Alec get homecoming king for the sole purpose of pouring a bucket of water over him. The worst part of it was that as Alec was running off stage, it was announced to the entire school that he was gay. Alec didn't care about the humiliation after that. The only thing he cared about was that Jace, his oldest and closest friend, had just revealed his biggest secret.

After a couple of weeks, everybody stopped caring about Alec's humility though and things went back to normal. Most people didn't actually care about the fact that Alec was gay and accepted him for who he was but he still ended up getting a lot of threats and really cruel comments. Magnus had stayed by Alec's side through all of it and even helped him deal with everything people were saying. It took a little while later still but the two had ended up dating and Alec hadn't been happier since. Sure, he lost his best friend but he had also gained a boyfriend.

"Do you think they're all thinking the same thing as us right now?" Isabelle asked abruptly after a long silence. She turned away from the window and looked over at her brother who was focusing on driving.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked far calmer now that they were no longer talking about Jace.

"Like are they all thinking about how different we are? Are Clary and Simon discussing how you grew almost a foot and started dating Magnus? Are Maia and Jordan talking about how my fashion sense has completely changed?" Isabelle asked looking down at herself. She was wearing black shorts and a purple crop top with heeled boots. In middle school, she had basically been as plain as Clary was with basic jeans and loose t-shirts.

Alec chuckled. "You're thinking too much. Relax, text one of your friends."

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "My only actual friends consist of you and Magnus."

"Then text Magnus."

"He's at work."

Alec sighed. "Fine, then why don't you try texting Maia or Clary? If you want our old lives back so much then take matters into your own hands now and send one of them a message."

Isabelle looked down at her phone. She opened up her contacts and scrolled slowly through. As she did her eyes glanced over Jace H., then Jorden K., then Simon L., then Clary M., and lastly Maia R.. Isabelle pressed the lock button and stared down at her own reflection in the black screen. She couldn't do it, too much time had passed and even though Alec was right, she couldn't do it.

Before you all get too mad at Jace, I have to spoil the story for y'all and say that ! JACE DID NOT OUT ALEC! It was somebody else but Alec thinks it was Jace. Let's be real, Jace isn't horrible like that. And anyone who does out someone else is a terrible human being that doesn't deserve friends.
But anyway, hope y'all liked this chapter. Comment your thoughts. Love you guys.