"I'm oxygen and he's dying to breathe."

Tahereh Mafi

She snatched her shoe laces upwards and tied them before stomping to her mother's room. "Mom, I'm goin' over a friend's house. Don't wait up!" Clary barely caught a glimpse of her and quickly grabbed her bag, patting at her hair to make sure she looked fine. Smiling a little at the thought of seeing him, she ran down the steps of the apartment and into the open. She had something for him today. Her excitement was only the beginning.

Though it was not snowing, it was still very cold and she hoped that Jace was warm, especially being in that alley. There were a few older kids throwing snowballs at one another, their laughs loud and obnoxious. Simon had texted her but she didn't bother to reply. He probably wanted to hang out. Or talk about his newest love interest, Isabelle Lightwood who happens to be his pen pal at school. Clary rolled her eyes. He hadn't even met her. Squeezing her coat closer to her freezing body, she took a sharp left turn into a small area where a street lamp was lit. Her lips curved upwards when she saw his body slouched against the wall.

She rummaged in her bag and caught the blue scarf in her hands. Clary dangled it in his face. His eyes met hers and he scoffed in obvious discomfort. "What are you doing?" A cigarette was between his fingers.

"It's a scarf Jace. I worked all night to make it. Here." She thrusted it out to him but he didn't grab it. She frowned and dumped her bag next to his feet before sitting beside him. Only their shoulders touched. He tugged at his lighter and lit the the object in his hand. The smell of nicotine filled her nostrils and she scowled.

"Come on. Try it. I worked all night on it." She pleaded with him, lifting the material upwards. Sure, she wasn't the best at making scarves but this one actually looked okay. Maybe not the two holes on the bottom but the rest was fine. He glanced at her wearily, his face emotionless. As usual.

"No."

"What? Why?" Clary protested, rising to her knees.

"I don't wanna it. That's it. Let it alone." She bit at her bottom lip in disappointment and sat back against the wall. She decided to finish her homework. Might as well. She unzipped her backpack pocket and pulled out her tattered and worn out notebook. Licking her finger quickly, she thumbed through the pages trying to find the mathematics sheet her teacher had handed out. She made a sound of joy when she touched the wrinkled paper with doodles drawn on it.

Jace bent down a little and she peered at him in confusion. "What?"

He pointed. "Who is he?"

Her eyebrows knit and she looked closer and saw what he was staring at. A picture of Simon and her at homecoming. He had kissed her cheek. It wasn't weird though. They were best friends. Wasn't it obvious to him?

"That's Simon. My best friend."

Jace nodded his head slowly, registering the words though it took some time. His hair unfurled and began to spread recklessly atop his head. He stayed silent after that, blowing out breaths of tobacco. She studied him occasionally but gave up when he didn't even seem to notice her. She might as well leave. He had kissed her. Why didn't he feel any different? She felt butterflies when she sat close to him. Her cheeks flushed even when he gave her soft glares. Did he feel anything at all? Was she just a one time thing? That made her sad.

"I'm gonna-" And before she could excuse herself to leave dejectedly, she heard two voices coming towards them. Whirling her head, she met the eyes of Raphael, a grin on his face. It wasn't directed to her. There was a girl next to him too. She was pretty with brown skin and braided hair. Her clothes were something else. Something Clary would never dare put on or be faced with a wooden spoon holding mother. But it looked amazing on her.

Before she could even react, Jace's hand shot out and tightened on her wrist. She yelped in surprise as he rose to his feet. She thought he was going to fight with the guy again. No way. Then Raphael gave Jace a handshake and Maia gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Something stirred inside of her at the gesture of affection. "I'm Maia." The girl said abruptly and held out her slender hand. Clary's lips were open wide and Jace had to push her forward to that she would shake her hand.

"Oh, I'm Clary."

Raphael still had a smile on his face. He was attractive. Really attractive but no where near Jace. She almost kicked her foot out at the thought but held it in. "Sorry. We never really met at...the right time." There was amusement in his tone and he held out his left hand. His right hand was tucked in his pocket. She swallowed.

"Okay." Was all she said. And she shook his hand.

They stood around Jace, Maia talking on the phone and looking to be in a heated argument and Raphael passing something into Jace's lap. She barely saw what it was. She didn't even want to know. She wanted to leave. She stood upright and grabbed her satchel and the rejected blue scarf with her. Maybe Simon would like it. She shrugged and trudged down the alleyway. She didn't want to come back but it was getting difficult not to think about him. He was in everything she thought of. Everything she drew. Everything she wrote.

"Wait!" Jace. Her mouth parted. He was running towards her and then he stopped when there were inches between their faces. God, she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to smack her forehead in irritation. Focus. He reached closer and her eyelids hovered shut on reflex. Then...nothing. She blinked her green eyes open and saw that he had her scarf around his shoulders. Her cheeks burned. He must have seen her! She wanted to bury herself alive. If she bolted now, maybe he wouldn't talk to her. A small smile was on his face.

He leaned forward and said, "I was going to kiss you. I just wanted the scarf first." And he pecked her temple and walked back to his friends.

Her knees melted.