Jace tried in vain to keep Clary out of his head for the next few weeks. It didn't take him long to decide a one night stand with her was a bad plan. He doubted very much that could get her out of his head. If he knew what it felt like to touch her face it would only make the fantasies worse, let alone to know what it was like to be inside her. No, that was not an option if he wanted to get over this silly crush.
What Jace needed was something else to focus on, or rather someone else. He decided making Alec hate him less would be an adequate distraction. Sebastian didn't approve of this plan however.
"You are only stuck with Alec as a roommate for the rest of this year," Sebastian reminded him. "Just wait it out. I mean we are halfway through the first semester anyway. As second years we can get a place together, off campus."
"Yeah, but this is going to distract me from Clary," Jace explained.
"Not using her name would help too you know," Sebastian said before he took a shot. They were sitting together at a bar. Jace was nursing his drink, but that had been Sebastian's third one.
"I can't make myself forget her name," Jace explained.
"You haven't tried."
Jace didn't want to try, but he wasn't about to admit that to Sebastian. Jace had spent the last few days getting into the habit of switching his thoughts to sports or classes when his mind wondered to Clary. This had been his new plan when all else failed to remove her from his thoughts.
"See," Sebastian said correctly interpreting his friend's silence. "Have you even had a woman since you started obsessing over this red head?"
There had been that brunette the night before Alec lied to him. Jace still hadn't said a thing to Alec about that because he knew he was overreacting. It had been a little white lie after all and one probably meant to spare Jace's feelings, which Jace should be able to see as Alec being nice, but somehow he could only focus on Alec's preference for lying above spending time with Jace. Back in high school Jace hadn't know Alec well, but he did remember Alec's reputation for being a horrible liar.
"A few," Jace said, shrugging. "But Alec doesn't like it when I bring women to our dorm room."
"So?" Sebastian scoffed. Jace gave him a look. "No seriously why do you care?" Jace thought about that for a second… why did he care? He had initially thought it was just a desire to make new friends in general, but if that was the case surely Jace would have given up on Alec by now and tried to befriend someone else. He wanted Alec specifically to be his friend, not just some random student and he had no idea why.
"I don't know," Jace whined.
"You got it bad buddy," Sebastian consoled, wrapping an arm around Jace's shoulder. "But I have the cure." Before Jace could protest Sebastian was already off his bar stool and walking away. Jace sighed. He was fairly sure what Sebastian had in mind since it was Sebastian's cure for everything. Jace finished his drink in one swallow, sure he was going to need it. The bartender refilled it and Jace finished that one too. Moments later Sebastian returned with a woman on each arm.
"This is the friend I was telling you about," Sebastian said to the woman on his left.
"Hello there," the dark skinned african woman said. Jace knew this one was for him since Sebastian never slept with women of colour. This tended to limit Sebastian's options so he always selected someone from the group he didn't want as Jace's companion. That was one of the reasons Jace's interest in Clary surprised him. Jace stopped that thought in its tracks and started mentally listing his unfinished homework assignments.
The woman on Sebastian's other side was strawberry blonde. The red tint to her hair made Jace instantly think of Clary and her pale skin also reminded him of Clary's complete with freckles. Jace shook his head to clear it and starting picturing his favourite exercise equipment. He had barely spoken to this girl, what the hell was wrong with him!
"Are you alright?" the african woman asked. Jace made himself focus on her. She was sexy, with full lips and short braided black hair. Her shirt was yellow and orange with graphic accents of black forming a pattern. The bright colours contrasted beautifully with her skin. It was a halter top so her arms were bare and the neckline low. She was much more his type than the silly red head, exotic and hot.
"My friend has a bad case of not being over his ex," Sebastian explained. "She cheated on him you know."
"That's horrible," the strawberry blonde said in a voice that reminded Jace of a Barbie. Jace didn't understand why Sebastian was so attracted to woman like this. There was no intelligence in her eyes, no fire. Where was the fun in that?
"He needs some comforting," Sebastian said winking at the african woman then he turned to the strawberry blonde. "Come on darling. I think there is a bathroom stall with our name on it." The woman giggled and followed him.
"My friend lied," Jace said as soon as Sebastian was out of sight. "I am not hung up on my ex."
"Oh but you are hung up on someone," the woman said knowingly. "I can tell."
"Oh great," Jace complained as he turned back to face the bar and ordered another drink. "I am that obvious then?"
"Kinda, yeah," she said.
"What's your name?" Jace asked.
"Trinity," she said.
"I'm Jace. Nice to meet you, Trinity," Jace said. "Please ignore everything my friend said."
"Oh I never believed a single word of his," Trinity smiled. "I have been watching you from across the room for the last half hour. Then your friend came up to me and offered to introduce me, though he went about doing it by lying."
"Oh," Jace said. He didn't know what to say to this. She had scoped him out. This was not a situation he was accustomed to. The role reversal was quite strange.
"You are gorgeous, you know that right?" Trinity asked.
"So?" Jace replied.
"I just can't understand why you are sulking," Trinity explained. "Surely you could get any girl you wanted without much effort."
"She has a boyfriend," Jace explained. Though realistically this wasn't Jace's biggest problem with Clary it was the simplest.
"Ah I see. Well in that case…" Trinity placed her hand on his thigh and Jace just barely stopped himself from jumping at the unexpected touch.
"Really?" Jace asked, exasperated. "After all that, knowing I am sulking over someone else and everything else, you are still hitting on me?"
"Nothing is sexier than a love stuck handsome man who can't get his girl," Trinity whispered into his ear. Jace was rather stunned by this statement.
"I don't know anything about woman," Jace whispered. It was a sudden realization, but Jace knew it to be true. Despite how close he had been with so many women he had never really known them. He was always out looking for someone who he wanted, thinking he had to charm her into returning that desire, but here Trinity was wanting him despite his total lack of wooing her first.
"With a friend like that I don't doubt it," Trinity said. "You are nothing like him though."
"You don't know me," Jace said. "Why would you say that?"
"You asked me for my name," Trinity said ticking off points on her fingers. "You haven't belittled my intelligence or made a racist comment about my skin colour. I've heard your friend do both at least twice tonight. You care about someone you can't have and it's making you miserable while I doubt your so-called friend cares about anything apart from himself."
Jace could understand what she said, but he didn't share her beliefs. Before Cla… Jace stopped himself before her whole name entered his thoughts. Jace hadn't bothered to learn a woman's name previously. It wouldn't have occurred to him. Sure Jace wasn't as outwardly rude as Sebastian, but that didn't really mean much.
"When we were kids," Jace said absently. "People used to mistake us for twins."
"I am not surprised," Trinity said. Jace laid his head down on the bar. He was a little drunk, a lot miserable and he was starting to enjoy Trinity's company. "You have known him for a long time huh."
"All my life," Jace said.
"Then you need new friends," Trinity concluded.
"I suck at making new friends," Jace whined. "My roommate hates me."
"Do you know why?"
"I may have hit on his sister a lot in high school."
"Did you ever sleep with his sister?"
"No," Jace said.
"Then it's something else," Trinity said.
"I snore," Jace said. "And I keep bringing woman over to our dorm. He doesn't seem to like this."
"Ah," Trinity said. "I bet that is more what it's about. Is your friend single? Maybe he is jealous cause he can't meet woman like you can. You could set him up with someone."
"He's single but setting him up with a woman wouldn't get me any roommate points," Jace laughed. "He's gay."
"Do you know any decent men then?" Trinity laughed.
"Nope," Jace said.
"That's it for my wise advice I'm afraid," Trinity said. "But my offer is still open if you want to come back to my place."
"Why do you want me?" Jace asked. He was genuinely curious. Jace had never felt less desirable than he did in his moment and yet...
"Didn't I already explain this to you," she laughed then leaned in and kissed him. Jace was used to being the one to initiate a first kiss. There was something relaxing about being pursued rather than being the aggressor.
Jace stood up and wrapped his arms around her. She was warm and friendly and he didn't want to be sad anymore. Her hands found their way under his shirt as their kiss deepened. She seemed to be fixated on his arms. She ran her fingers over his biceps repeatedly.
"How far away is your place?" Jace whispered into her ear. She leaned back with a grin on her face. For a moment Jace thought she was going to kiss him again but then she grabbed his hand and led him out of the bar.
Jace followed her down the brightly lit street and around the corner onto a well-maintained street lined with trees and nicely manicured lawns. Jace hadn't been aware of such a neighbourhood so close to campus. She stopped in front of a brick tudor apartment building and punched in a code. When they were in the elevator she pressed the button for the third floor. The elevator opened into a neat but plain hallway; she turned the corner and unlocked the first door on Jace's right. He followed her in.
Trinity had a beautiful apartment. The hardwood floors gleamed under the subtle, recessed lights. An overstuffed couch upholstered in a rich, blue microsuede was the main focus of her living room. The couch pointed to a television and Jace noticed a large painting of a simple white pitcher holding a bunch of sunflowers hanging on the wall. It added a level of cheeriness to the room. It was a lovely place to live and Jace idly wondered what she did for a living and why she would be hanging out at a college bar. His preoccupied thoughts were forgotten when she started removing his clothes. For once in his life Jace let her lead. She wasn't shy and quickly communicated with him what she wanted and where she wanted it. It was a relief to not be in charge and Jace enjoyed the ride.
Afterward, they lay naked together in her bed, which they had only just managed to make it to. The living room had seen much of their foreplay, but beds were always more comfortable and Jace loved her bed. The mattress was perfect, not too soft and not too firm. It had soft crisp sheets and a heavy comforter with a red and gold pattern. Jace's eyes were closed as he enjoyed the feeling of Trinity stroking his face. For one perfect moment during Jace's high he had completely forgotten about Clary and he was trying to hang on to that as his pulse returned to normal.
"You should go to a sleep clinic," Trinity remarked casually after a few minutes.
"Huh?" Jace asked opening his eyes.
"For your roommate," Trinity said, as she moved her hand from his face to stroke his hair. "So you don't snore anymore. Maybe that will make him hate you less."
"We just had sex," Jace said staring up at her perplexed. "And you are petting me."
"Your point?" Trinity said raising her eyebrow.
"You are giving me advice," Jace said slowly. "About my roommate." He paused then just said it. "Don't you want to talk about feelings and where is this going and all that crap?"
"Your hair is very soft," Trinity said. "I promise this," she stroked his hair pointedly to emphasis what she was referring to, "is purely me being selfish."
"Well," Jace said closing his eyes and relaxing back into her soft sheets. "You being selfish feels wonderful."
"What's her name," Trinity asked again, pulling Jace out of the blissful bubble of his empty mind.
"Clary," Jace whispered. It was late and Jace was tired. Trinity was still stroking his hair and before Jace knew it he fell asleep in Trinity's arms. He dreamed of red hair, freckles and frumpy shoulder bags.
Beta read by Holly0114, description help as well.
So I finally was good and waited until morning to upload. Every time I have uploaded late at night while half awake I have forgotten sometime important like a shout out or a sneak peek. Sigh. So what do you think of Trinity? She kinda just showed up when I wrote this but do you want to see more of her? I find I rather like her. I think she is the first original character in this story... I don't usually write original characters for fanfics so I would love to hear what you think!
And you might have noticed I changed my summary to say I update twice a week. Sigh. I noticed that I was only updating twice a week so I changed it rather then have people expect chapters more often. I had great intentions to upload this story more often like I did with my last story "Innocence Corrupts" which I updated daily for two months but alas I can't seem to do that with this story. :( It probably has something to do with the interwoven plot lines and trying to add more description since I find description very time consuming to write. Maybe this is a good thing since people have told me I update too fast.
Sneak Peek Chapter 10:
Magnus heard that of so familiar laughter from across the room. He couldn't stop himself from turning to look. Ralf was making her laugh and not just laugh but laugh the same way Magnus used to make her laugh. His homework forgotten Magnus wallowed, gazing at her radiant smile he let himself miss her. He usually tried so hard not to but for the moment he was feeling too sorry for himself to put in the effort.
"Magnus." Alec's voice. Magnus turned away from Camille slowly, reluctantly as if moving through molasses. "She isn't worth it Magnus."
"I know," Magnus whispered. "I can't help it."
"Do you want to get out of here?" Alec asked.
"More than anything!" Magnus sighed.
