"Umm, okay?" Clary questioned. She hoped that someone would tell her that this was a sick joke. No one did. Instead Clary found herself standing alongside her family. She was pulled towards the door by an invisible force. Or maybe that was her growing curiosity as to who her family thought was so perfect for her. Or perhaps beyond perfect. More her soulmate then anyone she could have chosen for herself.
Or that was at least what she hoped for.
The door opened to reveal a voice. This voice turned out to belong to the one and only person that had been a part of her previously thought most mortifying moment. But this moment had just taken the top of the list.
"Oh, if it isn't the girl that has forgotten how to breathe." The man that her parents thought would be perfect for her mocked. "How is that going for you?"
"You have got to be kidding me!" Clary huffed as she closed the door behind him and what looked to be his parents.
"Nope. Sweetheart, this must be your lucky day."
"More like my worst nightmare. Perhaps it is yours?"
Before either could say anything that would further in this argument they were interrupted.
"Clarissa, have you and Jonathon meet?" Clary's mother questioned. The use of her whole name allowing her to know that her mother wasn't at all pleased with her behaviour.
So, this narcissistic asshole had a name. "Well not exactly-" Before she could finish her statement, the mad man spoke again.
"I was minding my own business when Clarissa here, forgot who to breathe. I, being the hero that I am, naturally helped this damsel in distress."
"Jonathon Christopher Herondale, is that any way to speak about your future wife?" It was his mother's turn to scold. "Now let's start over, shall we? Good. Jace meet Clary, your fiancé and Clary this is yours, Jace."
Izzy smiled sweetly at her mother, but her eyes said otherwise. Her eyes seemed to scream. They screamed everything that she didn't think appropriate to say at that time. There will be a time when she would say everything that she is feeling. Just not at this moment.
An awkwardly lanky man sat across from her, or across from where she was supposed to be sitting. While Izzy processed the information that her life had been precariously planned for her, and the shock from her face was masked, her family took their seats.
Her chair scrapped menacingly against the floor, causing those around her to flinch. Although Izzy's fake smile still sat fixed to her lips, this small action gave those who knew her an indication to how she really felt. Whilst for those who didn't, this action was easily taken to be an accident.
"Isabelle," Her full name came from her mother, thus serving as a reminder to her earlier warning. "I would like to formally introduce you to your fiancé Simon. Simon as you would already know this is your fiancé Isabelle"
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Isabelle." Simon hit a nerve that he was unaware of. Her full name from someone she barely knew wasn't at the top of her list of things to hear, normally. But especially not tonight. And not from the fiancé she didn't want.
"Please call me Izzy, since we are to be married and all." Her voice dripped in thinly vile venom. "And the pleasure is all mine."
There was one thing that Izzy was sure of in that moment. Okay there was two. Izzy knew for certain that her parents truly hated her, and that in this moment she needed to rant to someone. There was only one person that Izzy could be sure that she could trust anymore. Clary.
She need to talk it all over. She needed to find an opportunity, to at least try to contact Clary. And she had an idea as to how.
"Simon, I guess we need to exchange numbers." Although Izzy meant for this to be a statement, it came off as more of a question. "You know, so we could hangout sometime. Get to know each other before the," She had to take a breath to prepare herself to finish her justification. "Wedding."
"Sure." Simon answered uncertain.
But Izzy didn't really care what Simon though or felt. She had her opportunity to send out her SOS message. And she was taking it. Isabelle grabbed her phone and quickly typed "NEED TO C U ASAP."
After clicking send, Izzy handed her phone to Simon. But before he could bunch in his digits, Clary replied. "WHEN AND WHERE?"
"Umm, Izzy, your kind of, ahh have a text message." Simon said, trying not to invade his newly encountered fiancé's privacy.
"Thank you for letting me know." Izzy replied as she all but snatched the phone back form Simon.
"TOMORROW, TAKI'S. SAY ELEVEN?" Izzy offered, before looking back at those around the table.
"Isabelle Sophia Lightwood! Are you really texting at the table?" Maryse scolded, clearly embarrassed by her daughter's actions.
"Yeah. Sorry mum." Izzy apologised, knowing that this was the only way she would be able to partake in what she had organised. "It was Clary, she would like to know if I could go to lunch with her tomorrow." She thought for a moment before adding, "It sounded really urgent." As she knew that her mother has a soft spot for her best friend.
Maryse looked across the table towards Simon's parents before answering. "Sure, you can go, but only if you take Simon with you."
"But, Mum…" Isabelle tried to argue.
"Isabelle, I don't care for your excuses. Clary must meet Simon eventually anyway."
"Fine, I guess." Izzy said in realisation, before turning back towards Simon. "Simon, are you able to meet me at Taki's at eleven tomorrow?"
"I think that I just might be able to do that." Simon answered, not wanting to upset Izzy any further, but at the same time he was a little frightened of Maryse at this point.
The next day at eleven, Clary walked into Taki's with Jace following close behind much to her dislike. Her mother, Jocelyn had also decided to punish her for her phone use, in the same manner as Maryse.
"Oh, hurry up Jace we are already late." Clary urged.
"By like a minute." Jace scoffed.
"Still. Look there she is." Clary wanted to argue more, but stopped when she spotted her best friend. Her worry had taken over the urge to argue.
No sooner than had Clary spotted Izzy, her best friend also saw her.
"Clary, finally. I missed you." Izzy said whilst embracing her best friend.
"Iz, you saw me just yesterday." Clary laughed.
"Oh, but so much has happened since then." Izzy stated. But before she could explain anything else, she remembered that she had other company. "Hence, this is my fiancé," She rolled her eyes, just a simple gesture that told Clary how unimpressed she really was. "Simon Lewis."
Clary looked beyond her best friend to see a scrawny man that was fidgeting under her gaze. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else. Simon was that what Izzy had called him? He straightened his glasses as if trying to make himself seem more presentable.
"Hi Simon." Clary greeted, before turning back to her best friend. "I would offer my congratulations but I can see that this is the furthest thing from what you want," She took a deep breath, before taking Izzy into her embrace once more. "I'm sorry, honey this really sucks."
Maybe it was all the woman starring at Jace like he was a hunk of meat ready to be devoured, or the tortured look that was painted on her best friend's face. Yes, that was it. She decided. There was no reason to feel like she had to stake her claim. Wait, what claim did she have anyway? If she was questioned, that was what she would say. How could she explain something that she didn't understand herself? She was only doing this for Izzy. That was the only thing that made sense. The way that the eyes averted instantaneously was just an unexpected bonus.
Clary took Jace's hand, intertwining their finger to make the lie that she was about to tell convincing. "Iz, there is someone I want to introduce to you," Clary looked towards Jace hoping, no urging that he hide his confusion and played along with her plan. "This is my fiancé Jace. Jace this is my best friend Izzy."
Jace pleasantly surprised Clary. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He then turned his attention towards the girl in front of him. "It is a pleasure to meet you Izzy. I am sorry to hear about your situation." He turned his attention back to Clary that was still under his arm. "Babe, this just goes to show how lucky we are." He then turned towards the table that Simon was sitting at. "Shall, we?" Jace asked.
Clary was left wondering what Jace was thinking. She was the one who started their fake love story. But she was also shocked that he even went along with what she was trying to do. Jace had no connection to either Izzy or Simon. Jace also didn't seem to like Clary at all. He didn't owe her anything either, so what was he up to?