Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments series.
Clary fumbled with the lock to her locker as she did everyday, trying to brush past the constant thumping in her head and the thick sunglasses covering her eyes didn't help her vision but it dimmed out the rest of the natural light and for that she was grateful.
She leaned her head tiredly as the lock failed to open again, she thumped her head against the locker a few times for good measures. It didn't help with the locker situation but it helped her divert her focus from the pain inside her brain to the pain in her forehead.
Why won't this stupid lock cooperate?
Clary had given up on anyone trying to help her, Izzy had almost passed out when she tried to focus, obviously as hungover as she was and the situation with Jace... Well she will not be touching that subject with a ten foot pole right now.
"Fuck it, I don't need books that much" Clary said with finality as she leaned back, she looked over her side and saw Izzy who was still leaning her back against the adjoined lockers, her head tipped back and Clary suspected her eyes were closed behind the sunglasses, halfway asleep by now.
"Izzy" Clary started, when she didn't respond, she started shaking her lightly, careful not to startle her "Iz? Isabelle?"
A masculine hand came crashing against the lockers, right next to Isabelle's head, making them rattle loudly under his strength and both girls shrieked back, Clary in complete shock and Isabelle following as she almost fell over.
They both turned and saw Alec smirking at her, "What the hell?" Is shrieked.
"Good morning to you too" Alec said throwing her a provocative wink and turned around to go on in the directions he was going in.
Clary stared agape after Alec as Isabelle muttered "Piece of shit".
Clary could have sworn Alec wasn't the joking-around type before, at least not in front of her. It was so weird, it was like lately she had been seeing him become more open. Maybe he was always like that and she was only now noticing?
"Let's get to class before I sleep on the floor" Isabelle said, "So I can sleep there, I mean".
The two started walking and Clary chuckled "Well, I figured it wasn't because of Mr. Starkweather's very enthralling history class".
"Oh that's right, we have history now" Isabelle said with excitement.
"Yes, same as we have everyday at this same hour, for two months now at least" Clary said with dry sarcasm.
If Izzy had caught her sarcasm, she didn't mention it. "This is perfect, it will knock me to sleep straight out".
"Glad you are focusing on achieving your daydreams" Clary said with a chuckle as the two walked in and sat down in their usual spots at the back. "It's always important".
"Glad your hangover hasn't effected your wit" Izzy said with the same tone Clary used, "I never get enough of it".
"Does anyone?" Clary joked with a self satisfied grin, she heard Izzy mutter something incoherent as she rested her head on the desk, facing the wall and she shrugged.
Clary looked back towards the class and just then Jace walked in, his eyes immediately found hers in the sea of students and for a moment their gazes locked, hanging on to each other, hers stuck behind the sunglasses. Her insides jolted with energy and a heat bubbled its way from her stomach to the tips of her limps. Her cheeks must be flushed red, she knew. She wondered if he felt the same way she did, if she had this effect on him as he did her.
She wondered as well what he was thinking when he looked at her with such intensity. She imagined it would be the same as what she thought of. When will this end? When can I talk to you again? When can things go back to normal?
Clary knew deep inside herself the answer to the later would be never. It can't go back to how it used to be, she can't let Jace fall for her as she was falling for him. It's not fair to him and if he can't accept being friends then maybe they shouldn't be anything at all.
Her mind went back to the night at the cemetery and how he had held her hand when he was so drunk and asked her to be there because he needed her. She couldn't help it, she knew better and she went anyways, because it was Jace. It will always be Jace.
It was all gone too soon when he pulled away and his eyes searched the room for a seat, any seat. Clary knew, any seat other than the one next to her, but there weren't.
She saw him hesitant at the door and as if she could read his mind, she knew he was contemplating whether or not to just leave the class altogether, but at that moment Mr Starkweather entered and his shot was gone.
His shoulders slumped as he walked to the back of the class, and sat in the seat next to Clary without sparing her a glance. And Clary didn't know if to blame him or not, or what to do, in fact. This was the first time he had sat with her since their "spat", drunk graveyard moment aside. What does she do? Does she say 'Good Morning'? Does she mention that night? Does she just accept the awkward silence? Does he remember it? Does he want to remember it?
Questions burned a hole in her brain as she thought it over, she even leaned towards him, opting for a 'Good Morning' but stopped herself ultimately. She sighed internally as she pretended to adjust her seat and leaned back.
Awkward silence it is, then.
Walking into Math Class she almost ran into Kaelie who was waiting at the door, blocking the entrance. Clary thanked the angels that at least she wouldn't have to deal with Kaelie today, because of the peace treaty of sorts that they had with Seelie. At least there would be no drama from her because Clary could not deal with another-
"Listen here Clary Fray" Kaelie said harshly in a cold tone.
Oh bloody hell.
"What's up Kaelie?" Clary asked, her tone sounding bored but otherwise her expression hidden behind the thick sunglasses she was wearing to shield her poor eyes from the evil sun. The beating in her head hadn't stopped and she had fallen asleep in History class. She knew that the girls weren't doing well either. They had too much to drink last night and Clary was not in the mood for Kaelie.
Kaelie glared at her, "Just because Seelie doesn't want us fighting, doesn't mean we are gonna be braiding each other's hairs anytime soon".
Well she wouldn't want that either, the horror, the nightmare. She shuddered as she asked dryly "So I shouldn't expect any sleepover invitations anytime soon?"
"No" Kaelie snarled, probably missing her sarcasm or maybe it just annoyed her further.
"So what? You are gonna be the same bitch but you're too much of a coward to let Seelie know about it?" Clary asked, unsure.
"Exactly" Kaelie said, not taking offense to the terms Clary called her. Clary groaned at the thought of more drama, but then a sudden thought crept into her mind, Although if she started hanging out with Seelie more...
"Kaelie" Clary started in a neutral tone, "Why don't you like me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Kaelie asked with a roll of her eyes, "You stole Jace from me".
"I didn't steal Jace, by the angel" Clary groaned annoyed as she rubbed her temple, "If I stole him then why would I not be with him right now?"
Clary was annoyed beyond belief right now, Jace had started this jealousy game in Kaelie and she has not gotten over it. But in all fairness if she really wanted to steal Jace from Kaelie she would have been in a damn relationship with Jace, which she isn't because she can't, because she has more things to worry about than teenage hormonal drama.
Her life for example.
His life as well.
"Because he probably got bored with you and dumped you" Kaelie snarled, smirking, looking proud of herself for that one.
Don't say it, Clary. Be the bigger person. "Oh you mean like he did with you?" Clary said smiling innocently. You goddamn had to say it, didn't you?
"You bitch" Kaelie growled and before Clary knew it, Kaelie's fist was in the air aiming at her with incredible speed. Clary dodged it quickly then took hold of her arms and twisted it behind Kaelie's back. Even beyond hung over, Clary could still get the upper hand on her.
Did she just try to punch me?
"You know, props for the element of surprise, I did not expect that but you could work on your form better. I'll give it a B-" Clary said teasingly but honestly.
"What is the meaning of this?"
They both turned around sharply at the sound of their math teacher present, the shock momentarily loosening Clary's hold on Kaelie and Kaelie used that moment to release herself and slip away. Clary noticed they had gathered a crowd now and many students were looking at her.
"Of course it is you, Miss Fray, why is it always you?" the teacher said annoyed and Clary's jaw almost dropped. This wasn't her fault.
"But I didn't-"
"She was going to punch me, I wasn't doing anything to her" Kaelie said, her tone sounded desperate and helpless and Clary's head whipped to the side sharply to look at Kaelie with wide eyes that she could not see.
"That's not true, Mrs. Dorothea-"
"Madam. It is Madam, how many times do I have to say it" Madam Dorothea interrupted as she made a gesture of frustration, slamming the back of her hand on the palm of the other as she over enunciated each word slowly and angrily.
"Madam Dorothea, she is lying, I didn't do anything" Clary argued.
"She is calling me a liar too" Kaelie muttered, her tone breathless and sounding like she was on the verge of crying.
"Silence, that is enough" Madam Dorothea said, "Now Clary when I came in here, I saw you holding Kaelie's arm behind her back. And so I will send you to the principal's office".
"What? But that's not-"
"Discussion is over" Madam Dorothea said as she passed by Clary's side and went to her class.
Clary gulped down her anger as she looked back at Kaelie, who had the nerve to let a single tear drop from her eye. Crocodile tears. As soon as Madam Dorothea was inside, her expression turned to a smirk that Clary would have loved to slap off.
Clary decided one last blow under the belt wouldn't hurt more than it already has, "Now I see why Jace dumped your sorry manipulative ass" she said coldly, then purposefully raised her voice to make sure Madam Dorothea hear her "Maybe someday others would finally acquire the IQ needed to realize what a bitch you are, which makes me sad since it is not that high of an IQ to begin with".
Well maybe two last blows under the belt.
She turned around and headed for the principal's office without another word, having realized she said far too much already in her anger.
So much for no drama, Clare.
As she reached the principal's office, the secretary stopped her, "He is with another student, you may sit over there and wait like the other one".
Clary shrugged as she turned around and behind the wall to the Principal's office where they had seats and her eyes immediately noticed the golden head sitting down and waiting for the principal as well. The other one.
Stopping herself from making any sounds of displeasure, she headed out and sat down next to Jace because of course it is Jace. His eyes followed her as he noticed her but he refused to say anything making Clary groan internally. Too much for no drama, Clare.
Clary sat down awkwardly next to Jace at the bench outside the principal's office, waiting for her turn to talk to him after getting sent by biased Madam Dorothea after her fight with fake crying, lying, manipulative Kaelie. And it was all kinds of uncomfortable sitting next to him, the deafening silence ringing louder than any sound she had ever heard before.
This was the first time she had felt uncomfortable next to Jace. It has always felt right when he was around, but having him ignore her like this was ripping inside in a way that scared her. She felt a tightness in her lungs and the thickness of her throat almost choked her, everything inside her was saying this was wrong.
And it completely terrified her how much she wanted -needed- him.
It wasn't right, her brain screamed at her to get a grip, this is what she wanted from the start. She had to do this, even if it hurts right now, it would be better in the long run for Jace if he didn't care about her the way he does.
But the silence, him ignoring her, left a bad taste in her mouth, dragging a sort of burning sensation from her throat to her stomach. It hurt. When all she wanted to do was talk to him and ask him how he got himself into trouble and if they were going to meet up after at lunch.
But after she rejected him in such a vulnerable moment she knew it was doubtful he would ever want to talk to her again, let alone be friends again.
It was a vulnerable moment then and she knew it, her mind went back to the moment in history class a she remembered the look in his eyes when he admitted he cared about her. She knew what he meant and she knew her words would hurt him in the way that it did. It hurt her as well.
But it was all for the best, she reminded herself, because the hard truth is that friends is all they could ever be.
And if he can't be just friends with her, then maybe he shouldn't be in her life at all.
And perhaps one day, that thought won't make her as sick to her stomach as it does today, it won't leave her heart in a sinking feeling and the thickness of her throat and tightness in her lungs won't feel as heavy as they do today.
She leaned her head back, landing a nice thump on the wall behind her as she breathed out, resting her eyes closed. No matter how far she runs, her father's presence will always be there. He will always have some effect on her life.
She thought about the life she could have had in another life. A life without running, without fear or pain, a life where she wouldn't have to look over her shoulder at each turn, a life where she wouldn't have to wake up screaming at night from the nightmares, a life where she had best friends, a life where she could let herself care about someone.
A life where she could be free and she could care about someone in the way she was starting to care about Jace. A life where she was just a girl and Jace was just a guy.
She felt her eyes burning heavily under her eyelids, desperate to let out all the hurt and let herself cry and yet as always, she couldn't. She knew she would never cry, she hadn't cried since Jonathan's death, and last time before that when she was 10...
Clarissa had gathered her things for her last class as soon as the bell rang and ran to catch up to her teacher before she left, her tiny legs making it hard to catch up to her, but she had to ask her if she knows something. Simon hadn't shown up all day to class, he would have called and told her is he was sick or something. He wouldn't just miss school like this, it wasn't like him at all.
She had this bad feeling in her stomach that something was wrong. A few days ago she had told him, she had finally had the courage to come out and say it, she had never felt more terrified to that day than when she told her best friend from birth the four words that changed everything.
"My dad hits me".
Simon had freaked out when he saw her cry and he just held her the entire day as she cried, he wouldn't let her go until the last tear dried on her face. He had wanted to go to the police, but she screamed and yelled until he pinky promised her he wouldn't say anything to anyone.
He broke that promise, she knew it when the police showed up at their house to investigate or more like tell her father that someone knows his secret, like how a friend would tell his friend to watch out and stay safe. He had the cops in his pocket, Clarissa would later realize. As soon as that door closed behind the cops, Clarissa's voice echoed for everyone in the neighborhood to hear, maybe all of Manhattan as well.
But no one cared, no one would. He beat her black and blue until she couldn't feel her body shiver anymore, until her eyes couldn't see clearly anymore, until her voice had dried out.
"Clarissa, did you need anything?" her teacher asked.
"Where is Simon? Do you know why he skipped school today?" Clarissa asked.
The teacher looked uncomfortably from side to side before sighing and dropping to her level, "Clarissa, I am sorry but there was an accident. A car accident. A hit and run. Simon was in the car, his side took the worst damage".
The world suddenly stopped for Clarissa as everything around her seemed to dull out, her chest contracted as all the air was sucked out of her lungs. Her breathing felt heavy in her throat, her heart felt like it was bleeding out every time it clenched and everything around her seemed to fade into a blur.
She couldn't remember what her teacher said next or how she got home after that, but she could remember the exact moment she had closed her front door as she walked inside the house and found her father sitting there watching TV. He seemed ecstatic, jubilant even, as if he was waiting on the edge of his seat for her to get home.
She knew it instantly by that wide evil grin on his face, "You did it".
"I've done plenty of things, Clarissa so you will have to be more specific" her father said.
"You did it" were the only words, Clarissa could muster without breaking down, her voice cold and breathless, her body frozen in shock, her eyes frantic and wild.
"If you are referring to your friend's death, then yes I did it. I arranged for his car to be totaled. I have just received the good news from my friend at the hospital." her father said, almost proudly, "He's dead".
Clarissa's legs gave out from under her as her body felt too heavy, his confirmation sending her over the edge of sanity. Her eyes burned as she clutched the carpet with her hands until they turned white. She had forgot about Valentine's no crying rule and just broke down.
Everything seemed to hurt, her heart clenched with every tear that her eyes dropped, her body shaking with every sob. She felt like if she was standing on a rope her whole life, balancing on it lightly dancing from side to side as the wind blew her away, almost knocking her down with every puff but she had always stood tall, and now someone had just cut the rope from under her and she was falling now.
Simon, sweet Simon, her best friend. Ever since she could remember he was always in her life. He has always been the rock holding her, so sweet and innocent, she could never have imagined her life without him. He was in every happy moment of her life.
And he was just gone and she realized grimly "It's all my fault". The weight of it was heavy on her chest, the words burned her throat and left a sour taste in her mouth, she felt like she couldn't breathe. If she hadn't told him about her dad, he wouldn't have told the police and her dad wouldn't have known and Simon would be alive.
"It is" Valentine had said simply, "And now you are crying? For what? His worthless life? You are better than that Clarissa. I taught you to be better than that. You are a Morgenstern, goddammit ACT LIKE ONE!"
"I hate you" Clarissa had yelled out in anger, her eyes blurry from the tears in her eyes. "I hate you, you are a monster".
Valentine dropped onto one knee to reach her height, he put a finger under her chin and she flinched away from him, he grabbed her chin forcefully making her look up at him. "I am a Morgenstern" he said as if that was supposed to explain everything, "And so are you".
"I am nothing like you" Clarissa screamed out.
"You will be like me someday, you simply require discipline" Valentine said as he looked at her, "Cutting out worthless people from your life is one of the measures I have to take to insure that. You will be a Morgenstern, even if I must beat that lesson into your skull".
Everything burned inside Clarissa, the air felt too heavy in her chest and her heart burned, and she mustered up the courage and spit right into his face, "I would rather die".
Valentine stood shocked for a moment, that was the first time Clarissa had disrespected him like this. She saw the blind furry in his eyes and she knew that whatever would happen, he will make sure she would regret doing that. Her brain screamed at her to flinch back, the anger in his eyes was like nothing she had seen before, she should be scared.
But she only felt dumb bravery, she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't keep fighting him she was just a little girl. She couldn't take this. She couldn't take the fear and pain anymore. The guilt of Simon's death. And if that wrath of his would cause her death...
At least she would be free.
The first slap struck her cheek, knocking her to the side, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. Her cheek stung and her eyes burned, tears falling freely now. He picked her up by the collar of her shirt, "Then you die" he said so coldly as with one move he pushed her back against the wall.
She hit the counter with the vase on it, it broke under her weight, the vase completely shattering into pieces, the sound ringing loudly in Clarissa's ears. She felt pain in her back, and a sting, warmth crept up from where it hurt to the bottom of her spine and she realized she was bleeding out.
But she couldn't care less, she couldn't scream out, not for help and not from pain. She could only feel the pain and the tears falling from her eyes soundlessly. Thus beginning the worst night of her life. She hadn't stopped crying that night for a single moment as her father beat her left and right. And then she vowed she would never cry again.
She had broken her vow when she saw the life drained out of her brother right in front of her by her father's hand, or gun if you will.
In a way it was kind of disappointing, he did finally get his wish, Valentine. He always hated when she cried and she never did again. She roughly pulled thoughts of that night out of her head, forcefully. She can't think about that. Not when she could remember every detail of it as if it had happened recently.
She was pulled back into the present when she noticed Jace shifting slightly and leaning back to let his head rest on the wall, as was she. "Do you think we will be called inside before we are eighty?"
Clary's ears perked up as she looked at Jace from her side, shock rendering her momentarily mute. He was talking to her? Again? How? Why? She had never seen him as angry as he was earlier, she was half sure he would never speak to her again. And she wouldn't blame him.
She must have been silent for too long since she saw the corner of his mouth lift just a tad bit up, not fully grinning his mischievous grin that she had come accustomed to but just a hint of it, "You already have hearing problems, grandma?"
His teasing shocked her back to life, she pulled her sunglasses up over her head as she grinned, "Like you can see me without your glasses, grandpa".
He rolled his eyes, "How long have we been waiting in here for? Is he getting his dick sucked?"
"Jace" Clary screeched out horrified at the suggestion, her cheeks flaming red as she pulled back and away from him but her voice held a little laughter. "You are so gross".
"I mean that's the only reason I could think of" Jace said.
"That's cause that is always what you're thinking of" Clary teased.
"And what am I always thinking of?" Jace asked teasingly as he looked back at her.
Clary rolled her eyes "Dirty thoughts".
Jace grinned looking proudly, "Hell yeah I am".
"So gross" Clary repeated with laughter. She hadn't realized that the pain she felt before, in her stomach and chest, the ache and the hurt have vanished. And all with one conversation.
She was so screwed.
He sighed finally as he looked at her and Clary had to look away from the intensity in his eyes. It overwhelmed her. She needed him to stop looking at her like that. "So what does this mean?"
She heard him sigh again before he said, "It means, I'll see you in lunch and it wouldn't be awkward, I'll see you in English and we will argue over whatever book Miss Lilith gives us because you are so stubborn and argumentative".
"Pot, kettle" Clary interrupted sharply.
"And we will go back to being friends" Jace said.
"And you won't make any jokes about me liking you?"
"I can't promise you that"
"Jace" Clary whined, rolling her eyes at his teasing before a sudden seriousness crossed her and all amusement washed away from her expression, "Jace, we can't.. ever.. be like that".
"I know" Jace said shocking her.
She looked at him up in surprise, "You know?" What does that mean, he knows? Then what has all this been for his own amusement?
"For now" Jace added, "You can't be in a relationship now".
Clary shook her head "Jace you don't understand me-"
"Ever is such a strong word, don't you think?" Jace asked teasingly as he turned his whole body around so that he was facing her, "I know you feel what I feel, Clary. I'm not crazy".
"Jace" she had wished to interrupt to tell him that she was the crazy one and that would maybe be the thing to turn him off of her because the angels know she couldn't control herself, but he wouldn't let her talk.
"And I know you know this, and I know something is holding you back"
"Jace" she shook her head, needing to interrupt, he can't keep saying that. He is saying it like there is hope for them which there isn't and she needs to let him know that.
"And you're just gonna have to get over that" Jace said, "But you need time so for now.. I'll just be your friend. Because I'm done".
"You're done?" Clary asked unclear.
"I'm done, trying to show you what you already know, you need to sort your stuff out and when you do," he leaned closer to her and she tried to move back, his scent and his gaze overwhelming her every sense, but her back hit the bench and she had no where to go, "You're gonna tell me you're ready and you're gonna kiss me", his right hand reached up to rest under her chin as his thumb stroked her lower lip.
His touch left shivers in their trail, the electricity of his skin lit a fire inside of her, as the heat from his body engulfed her. She felt the desire to kiss him at that moment, he was getting closer now, close enough so that she could breathe in the scent of his minty breath, close enough that she felt the tightness in every muscle of his body "And I'm gonna ask you what took you so long but it wouldn't matter, because you would be there".
"Jace" the sound of his name on her lips left her breathless and all she could see at that moment was Jace. Every second with him felt right and meant to be, it was strange and unexplainable, it didn't make any sense. And yet it was the only thing that made sense to her and maybe he felt that too. Maybe he knew just as she did that they were right for each other.
"There it is" Jace said sounding as dazed as she felt, with the tip of his index on his left hand removed a strand of hair from her face "There is the look in your eyes. You can't hide it Clary, I know you feel this too".
"Jace, even if I did.. we just can't.. ever.. be together like that" Clary said as it dawned on her again, everything that she was running away from.
"No. I refuse to believe that two people who feel this way about each other can't be together" Jace said, shaking his head. "So like I said, you'll just have to get over whatever it is, holding you back and until you do..."
Maybe in another life they could have been that, but not in this one, she cast her eyes away, closing them tightly. Hoping he would go, the pull to him was too strong when he was standing so close to her, telling her he feels about her the way she feels about him. She wasn't strong enough to deny it. She wasn't strong enough to push him away again.
"Mr Herondale" she heard the sound of the principal and she opened her eyes, they immediately found Jace, looking her over from her eyes to her lips, she could bet he could count every freckle she had with him being so close. The look in his eyes was so tempting, so wild and wanton, she knew hers must be too. She couldn't, she just couldn't.
Jace kept his eyes on her as he got up and walked inside the principal's office. The sound of the door slamming shut was what brought her back to life, and she blinked several times as her mind comprehended the setting around her again, the wild beating of her heart stabilizing as the flaming heat in her cheeks cooled down.
"I'm sorry" her attention was pulled to the secretary, who was adjusting her glasses, smiling at Clary, "But may I see, you look so cute together. And that boy, I mean if I were you I- uhm" she stopped herself as she cleared her throat, probably realizing how wildly inappropriate that was and she looked back at her computer screen and started typing furiously.
Clary stopped herself from kicking something. What is wrong with you? Plenty! That's the right answer: PLENTY! We just talked about this didn't we? That is twice now that she and Jace almost kissed.
And he had sorta admitted to liking her like she likes him. There goes those damn butterflies again, fluttering. She had always imagined that when a guy she likes would tell her he likes her too, that it would end in kisses and hand holding. Not this aching pain, the unease of it all. She had to repeat to herself multiple times in her head that she can't be with Jace. Ever.
Clary released several breaths as she tried to think. At least this way she knows Jace won't be trying anything now with her. He will wait until she was ready which the answer to that would be never.
She shook her head, if what Jace was saying was correct he would only act as her friend now and so she just needs to sort her stuff out and just not kiss him. Simple enough, right?
Worst Mission Impossible ever! Ugh!
She was so screwed.
Before she realized it the door was pulled open and Jace walked out laughing with the principal, "Just don't let me see you in here again, Herondale".
"I don't make promises I can't keep" Jace joked.
"Ah, you got me, now run along get out of here" the principal laughed with Jace as Clary just looked dumbfounded at the whole situation. This would never happen in America. Well this would never happen to her.
"Miss Fray, getting into fights again?" the principal asked her with an unbothered smile.
"I don't get into fights I get pulled into them and I win and people blame me for the whole thing when I do" Clary argued back.
She saw Jace snort while the principal just chuckled, "Why don't you come in and tell me all about it?"
Clary walked inside the principal's office and he shut the door after her, she sat down like she did last time, plopping annoyed on the chair on the other side of his desk as he sat in his rather comfy looking one.
"What happened?"
"Kaelie happened" Clary said.
"Again?"
"Yes again, she tried to punch me-"
"She tried to punch you?" The principal interrupted looking both shocked and confused.
"So I dodged and put her in an arm lock-"
"You put her in an arm lock?"
"And she cried 'Bad Clary' to Madam Dorothea-"
"She cried?"
"And Madam Dorothea was a biased bitch about it" Clary finished.
"Well that part I have no trouble believing" The principal muttered under his breath but Clary heard. She shook her head, This wouldn't happen in America. The principal cleared his throat, "Miss Fray, since this is your second time coming in here with a problem with the same teacher and same student in only two months, I will have to talk to your mother about this".
"If you wanted me dead, you could have just said so" Clary said dryly.
"Miss Fray-"
"Look, my mom is a single working mother, and she really doesn't have time for this, if she knew I was having problems she would start working less which we can't afford, it's really just a bad idea" Clary lied through her teeth, well technically, it wasn't a lie, since she didn't want her mother to drop everything and focus on her when it was clearly Kaelie's fault, it would just worry her without reason, but also yeah the she would kill her part too.
"Miss Fray, I hardly think-"
"Come on, we don't have to worry her for no reason, look I'll promise next time I get into a fight with Kaelie I will take it outside school territory" Clary attempted to joke but the principal just gave her a sharp look and she cleared her throat, "Or you know, I can just not get into more fights with her".
The principal sighed, "Fine, Miss Fray, but I am taking your word for it. Next time you are in here for a fight though-"
"You'll call her then" Clary smiled as she got up from her seat, "Great, thank you Mr Malachi".
Would never happen in America.
Clary headed out of the principal's office, she will just have to stop Kaelie from starting a fight with her. Easy enough, right? Mission Impossible 2. She found Jace outside waiting for her and she stopped in her place.
"Let's go, lunch is starting" Jace said.
"You waited for me?" Clary asked worried, as she walked closer to him and he rested his arm over her shoulders as they walked, "Jace it would be weird between friends if you did that".
"It would be weird for us if I didn't" Jace argued, "Relax, I told you, just friends".
"Just friends" Clary insisted. Finding the words both relieving and unbearable at the same time. Just friends. Exactly what she needed, what was right and yet so incredibly wrong.
"So what did you do?" Jace asked.
"Got into a fight with Kaelie" Clary answered.
"Physical fight?" Jace asked and Clary nodded, "Did you win?"
"Have you met me?" Clary answered simply with a teasing grin and Jace laughed.
"You really are taking it out on my fan club" Jace joked.
"It's growing, so I wouldn't worry about that" Clary said as she remembered the secretary's reaction to Jace. "And what did you do?"
"Now why would you think I did something?" Jace asked.
"Because I met you" Clary quipped back smirking, "Also you were just there, in the principal's office while I was waiting to get a lecture like ten seconds ago, do you remember that grandpa or is the Alzheimer getting to you?"
"What? I can't hear you, you will have to speak louder" Jace said, raising his voice as if he had trouble hearing, "Something about an old timer?"
"You're the old timer" Clary joked, "This way grandpa, we're going to have lunch".
"I don't want punch" Jace said, yelling again and acting confused while some people stopped to give them weird looks.
"You're about to get one right in the nose" Clary threatened teasingly.
"What are you gonna do with the hose?" Jace asked loudly again.
"Jace" Clary whined.
"Fine, I get it, I will stop now while I still have a pretty face" Jace joked.
"You have a terry place? What is that supposed to mean? You kids today with your new words, I will never understand" Clary joked and Jace looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a non amused face. "Well you don't own the joke".
"I own all jokes" Jace argued.
"All of them?" Clary questioned, faking disbelief.
"Yes, every single one" Jace said, "Only I can say them".
"Well that's fortunate" Clary muttered.
"How come?" Jace asked confused on where she was going with this.
"Because now no one can mention your face to you again" Clary said as if it was obvious, with all the fake innocence she could muster.
"You little-"
A/N: So hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks again to anyone who follows, favs or reviews, it means a lot to me. Now I will see you guys in the next chapter.
