Hey, wonderful very patient and beautiful viewers. So, I've been really busy and I apologize for the late update, but nonetheless, it is here. Oh yeah, this chapter is dedicated to ClaryElena who was the only reviewer that correctly guessed my Blessthefall reference, which was "Shut up and eat your pancakes." To everyone that didn't get it, I highly suggest that you watch the music video for Hey Baby, Here's That Song You Wanted song insert name. I promise it won't disappoint. Anyway, here you go.
"Who are you?"
The boy stared at me for awhile before his lips formed a wide smile, showing off his sparkly whit teeth. I didn't think it was a pretty smile lie Jace's or Alec's. It reminded me of a wolf cornering its prey. "Sebastian."
"I'm Clary." I told him, my hands growing sweatier with each passing second.
"I know." He told me coldly and turned around to leave. "We need to hurry or your friends will worry why you're late for kickball."
I felt my heart stop briefly at the realization of what he had just told me. "How did you know that?"
"It's my job to know everything that happens to you, Clarissa." Sebastian brushed the accusation off as if his stalking me were no big deal. I looked at his clothes and realized he was wearing a white uniform like Hodge and the other staff. Maybe he was a doctor
"What does Hodge want with me?" I questioned nervously as I followed behind him at a much slower pace. The white of his clothing clashed terribly with his dark features.
"You just need to answer some questions." He barked, agitation clear in his voice.
"About what?" I pried further, partly curious and partly wanting to annoy him further.
He spun around swiftly mid step, causing me to yelp a little and jump back. Despite my obvious despair, I pulled my shoulders back and tired to stand a little taller in hopes of looking intimidating. "Do you always ask this many questions?"
"I thought it was your job to know everything about me." I remarked smarty, feeling as if Jace's words had flown right out of my mouth.
His eyes bored into mine once again, making me feel naked and helpless, until he finally spoke again. "We're here."
"Hello, Clarissa dear! How have you been?" Hodge greeted me cheerily and motioned for me to sit in a swivel chair across from his. It was plush and comfy and I started spinning myself lightly before getting dizzy. It reminded me of Luke's at the book store.
"I've been better." I replied as I shot daggers at Sebastian. I wish he had left after dropping me off. I didn't like the way his hungry eyes gazed at me.
"Thank you for coming. We just need to record your progress since you've arrived. We find this best calculates how well our methods work." Hodge made a quick professional transformation, which made me laugh to myself. He was so cute, acting like Einstein in his lab coat and thick rimmed glasses.
"Alright. Ask away." I beamed at him, having already forgotten I was in a bad mood.
"Straight to the point, I see. I knew you were my type of girl." Hodge winked playfully at me, to which I tried to return. "How has your stay been?"
It thought of how eventful the past few days had been and realized how fortunate I was to be here. "Wonderful so far."
"Do you feel comfortable in your new environment?"
"Yes." My new bed was really comfy and none of the rooms were overly cold.
"Do you feel safe?"
My eyes betrayed me as they found Sebastian, who was surprisingly quite by the door. "Sometimes."
"How are you sleeping at night?"
"Pretty normal." I still wasn't getting very much sleep, but mommy said I was nocturnal like the owls outside our summer house.
"Do you still wake up screaming?"
Memories of tears, sweat, and darkness swept over me, causing me to fidget nervously. "Not yet."
"Do you still feel like someone is watching you?"
I was staring at my shoes now, but I didn't have to look up to answer. "Yes."
"Do you know who?"
"You." I told him truthfully and I heard Sebastian choke down a snort from somewhere above me.
"We are simply trying to help you, Clarissa." Hodge reassured me, fixing his companion with a glare. "Do you feel like someone else is watching you?"
My eyes were squeezed shut, afraid if I opened them, that the monsters would be in here, too. I didn't want them to hurt me or Hodge Podge. I would be okay if they scared Sebastian. "Yes."
"Are they the monsters from before?"
"Yes, and there are new ones." I could feel the shapeless beasts flowing around me, chilling my skin. They whispered scary words in my ears and cackled darkly.
"Would you consider yourself well acquainted with the other patients?" The distraction was welcomed as I instead thought of everyone I had met in the past few days.
"I have lots of new friends." I finally met Hodge Podge's stare with warm eyes.
"And these friends are?" He encouraged me as he quickly jotted down information.
"Max, Izzy, Simon, Alec, Magnus, Mia, Jordan and Jace." I listed them off on my fingers, smiling more with each passing name. I think I was becoming popular. The kids at school would be so jealous.
"What is your relationship with Jace?" He asked in a serious tone. I noticed Sebastian grinning like an idiot behind him.
"What do you mean?" My eyebrows drew together in confusion and I wished I could lift just one like everybody else.
"Are you two fucking?" Sebastian interjected, despite Hodgey's look of disapproval.
I remembered the kids on the back of the bus would curse all the time and say bad things. I didn't like to sit by them, but one day one of them told me all about the gross word. Why would people want to do that? Boys were disgusting. "Ew, no. Jace is just my friend."
"Then why was he in your room the other night?" He persisted, his wolf snout pulling back into a vicious grin.
"Sebastian." Hodge Podge interrupted, clearly as upset by his behavior as I was.
"It's okay, Hodge Podge. I wasn't feeling very well and he was making sure I was alright." I considered telling them the truth, that Mia had attacked me, but thought better of it. I didn't trust them or want Mia to get in trouble. "Anymore questions?"
"Do you feel threatened by any of the staff or your fellow peers?" Hodge Podge returned to his role of question master and Sebastian was silent once again.
"No." I refused to give Sebastian the satisfaction of knowing the truth.
"None?" Hodge pressed further, his pen still for once.
"Should I?" I questioned back, wondering if he would actually answer me.
"Why were you admitted?" He changed the topic. The unease in my stomach grew rapidly.
"The doctors told Mommy I'm schizophrenic like Grandma and they could make me all better." I informed him, stumbling over the big words, even thought he knew the answer. He wanted to know if I would lie.
"What did you do that made the doctors think you were schizophrenic?"
Memories from that night jerked across my vision, filling me with sadness and terror. "I don't want to talk about it yet."
"Alright, that is fine." He dropped it. "Do you regret your actions?"
"Every day." I whispered, tears swelling in my eyes.
"Do you wish to one day make a full recovery from your illness?"
"Yes." I bit back the argument that I wasn't sick, because Mommy told me it would make me stay longer.
"Do you want to go home?"
"More than anything." I choked out, a single tear rolling down my cheek.
"Do you think you are crazy?"
"I'm not crazy." My voice was so low that I wondered if I had spoken at all, but Sebastian's face reassured me I had.
"That's all for now Clarissa. Thank you for cooperating." Hodge shook my hand as we all stood up.
"Oh, and remember, we're always watching." Sebastian told me. I recoiled from his touch as he opened the door and tried to usher me out.
"Sebastian will lead you back to your room." Hodge smiled, but I slid out of the room and walked down the hallway as fast as possible.
"Thanks, but I think I've got it." I just wanted to escape.
As I sped towards my room, I felt tears streaming down my face and my body was overtaken by violent shaking.
I felt myself smash into something hard, stopping me in my tracks like a hundred foot brick wall. When I looked up through blurred vision, I immediately recognized the golden boy standing before me.
"Red, are you okay?" He asked softly, his words full of concern as he gently touched my shoulders and looked me over.
"Jace." I smiled at him breathlessly, He was the only person I wanted to see right now.
I jumped onto him, wrapping my arms around his long neck and burying my head in his chest as my legs wound around his torso. He froze momentarily before enveloping me in a tight hug and petting my hair soothingly. It reminded me of my mother and I felt myself relaxing further against him. "Are you okay?"
I shook my head wordlessly and balled his shirt between my fingers. I felt him shifting beneath me as he began walking down the hall, presumably to my room, but I honestly could care less where we arrived as long as we were far away from him. "What happened?"
His hands were warm and comforting on my back as he rubbed slow circular patterns with one hand and held me firmly in place with the other. He didn't push me to answer right away and I stalled by tracing the scars on his neck. I wondered how he had gotten them, but now wasn't a good time to ask.
I finally felt my heart beats returning to normal and I wiped my damp face on my sleeve. "He scares me."
"Who?" I knew Jace was trying to let me go at my own pace, but I was also well aware of the impatience laced in his inquires.
"Sebastian." I whispered, afraid of even saying his name out loud. He said he was everywhere.
Jace stopped in his tracks and forcefully grabbed my chin to gaze into my eyes. My heart was once again racing at the heated turn of events, but for some reason I knew Jace wouldn't take out his anger on me. "What did that rat bastard do to you?"
"He kept staring at me like he wanted to eat me and he kept saying mean things." I didn't blink as I confessed his actions to Jace, my voice dull and monotone.
"Like what?" Jace urged me to be more specific, but I felt my tear stained cheeks grow damp again.
"I don't remember." My words caught in my throat and I hid my face in his neck, embarrassed by my weakness. "He scares me."
"Look at me, Red." This time he didn't force me to glance up, but rather let me slowly do it myself. When I did meet his stare, my breath whooshed out in surprise. His eyes were shining with sincerity and I almost wondered if he was going to cry, too, but of course he wouldn't. He was Jace. It must have been the lighting. "I would never let anyone hurt you, especially that pathetic bastard, okay?"
I nodded in understanding. "Ever?"
"Ever." He reassured before squeezing me one last time and letting me carefully slide to the ground.
"Thanks, Jace." He didn't say anything as I cautiously intertwined his hand with mine, glad to have discovered such a genuine friend so soon.
"Come on, the others are waiting on us." Jace didn't pull away as I initially thought he would and began dragging us down the hall again.
Before he could turn the corner, I planted my feet in the ground and he came to a sudden stop, jerking my arm lightly. His eyebrows danced around questioning and if I were in a better mood, I probably would have laughed at the small yellow caterpillars wiggling around. "Do I have to go outside?"
"No, I suppose not." Jace smiled at me and took a step closer, tucking my messy bangs behind my ear. "Is there something else you had in mind?"
"I want to go to the art room." He sounded surprised by my answer, but he just blinked and nodded his head.
"Okay. It's just down the hall." Jace spun on his heels and we passed a few more doors until I spotted the only one I could distinguish. Paint had dried around the doorknob and I had a growing hunch that it had been from me the other day.
I dropped his hand giddily and skipped into the room, already feeling more at home. When I stopped spinning around, I turned to see Jace awkwardly standing in the doorway, half out as if he were going to leave. "Where are you going?"
"To play kickball." He spoke in monotone, not giving away any emotions and completely driving me crazy. I hated when he acted like this. His eyes were distant and his face was smoothed of any indications to his actual mood.
"Oh." I murmured, feeling an overwhelming sadness wash over me. I turned around, already grabbing a sketchpad and charcoals to hide my disappointment. The last thing I needed was for Jace to make fun of me.
It was quiet for a long time and if I wasn't completely tuned into his presence, I would have thought he already left. Then as I was organizing the utensils according to darkness, I felt his breath wash over me as his lips almost grazed my ear. "Did you want me to stay?"
I turned around, grinning brilliantly up at him and nodding. "But you can hang out with your friends if you want."
"I'd much rather be here." Jace revealed with a flirtatious wink before sitting at the table and I felt my stomach twist into a knot and I became terrified it would stay like that forever.
I sat directly across from him, letting our legs tangle together slightly as I finished organizing the pencils. It was a ritual I had before beginning my next project. We were silent for once as he watched my hands busily working away. Finally his deep, smooth voice interrupted my thoughts. "Your work is beautiful."
"You've never even seen it before." I told him with a roll of my eyes, even though the idea of Jace liking something I did made me want to smile big.
"That's not true." He insisted and when I eyeballed him in confusion, he finally elaborated. "The three pieces above your bed."
I realized he wasn't lying and I stopped sorting long enough to smile genuinely up at him from under my lashes. "Thank you."
"Have you done anything else?" He rocked back in his seat slowly to cross his boots on the edge of the table and I glared at the filthy mud that was caked on their soles. Why were his shoes wet?
"Yes, but you'll make fun of me if I show you." I admitted and avoided eye contact as I turned the sketchbook to a fresh page.
"I promise I won't. Please?" Jace begged convincingly as he grabbed my left hand and started playing with it distractingly.
"Alright." I sighed loudly to show him my reluctancy and I pulled out my painting, praying he didn't laugh or think I was a stalker. Last time that happened, the neighbors across the street had moved and Mommy was very upset.
I held it up with fake bravado and hid my face behind it, afraid to see his reaction. "Are those mine?"
I realized his voice wasn't laced with anger or mockery and I felt a wide smile pull at my lips before lowering the canvas a bit to reveal myself. "I painted it the morning after I got here. I saw them every time I blinked and decided to take advantage of the situation."
"Would you draw me? The real me, not just my eyes." Jace raised one perfectly arched eyebrow and I completely melted, unable to say no.
"If you want." Rather than saying anything else, Jace nonchalantly stood up and started peeling off his clothes layer by layer. My eyes nearly bulged out of my face and I felt my jaw drop before my cheeks grew scorching hot. He continued to strip until I finally exclaimed, "What are you doing?"
"Taking off my clothes." Jace stated as if it were the most obvious, casual thing in the entire world. He was already down to his boxers and his fingers remained hooked around the band as he finally smirked at me.
"What? Why on earth would you do that?" I shouted, covering my bright cheeks with my hands and peeking through my fingers, unable to help myself. His body was muscular and tan, his slim frame oddly making me want to lick him. I had no clue where that thought came from and I wanted to gag and hide in a hole, while simultaneously never letting him out of my sight.
"A man can't want a picture of his naked chiseled self?" Jace defended his actions, his thumbs slowly sliding the dark material even lower, drawing more attention to his naval.
Now I was picturing him naked and I had no doubt that my face was as red as my hair, if not more. What would my mother think if she knew I was having these kinds of thoughts? "You disgust me."
"I try." Jace winked at me mischievously, causing my heart to pound even faster.
Neither of us moved as we looked each other over, wondering who would cave first. "I'm not drawing you like that."
"Fine." Jace sighed dramatically and began pulling his jeans back on before bending to pick up his shirt.
"You can leave the shirt off." I allowed, partially trying to compromise, but also not wanting him to fully cover up. Maybe Jace wouldn't be so hard to stand if he always looked like this.
"Whatever Milady wants." He let the material fall to the ground and ran a hand through his already disheveled golden locks.
""I'm not a princess." I stuck my tongue out at him childishly.
"Actually, a lady is a woman of royal blood who isn't the queen or princess." Jace informed me smartly as he picked a final position. His arms were crossed loosely behind his head, causing his muscles to contract and appear more prominent.
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and plopped down in my seat, eyeballing his frame as I began to sketch a loose outline of what I wanted to happen.
"But you're my princess." He teased me with another wink and I glared at him. The words made me feel all warm inside, but I knew he was only joking.
"If you don't stop moving, I'm not going to be able to capture your essence correctly." I claimed, hoping he would shut up for once.
"Make sure I look my absolute best. Like a Greek God or something." Jace suggested with yet another cocky smirk.
"With a side of arrogance and idiocracy?" I added, giving him a mockingly innocent smile as I began to etch in darker, thicker lines.
"Ouch, Red. You really know how to wound a man." He removed an arm to hold his heart as if I actually injured him, but I glared daggers at him threateningly and he immediately presumed his previous position.
"And you really know how to sweep a girl off her feet." I quipped as I worked to capture the shape of his head accurately.
"Is that sarcasm I hear?" Jace's mouth parted sardonically and I didn't even have to visually threaten him for it to quickly shut and his sharp features returned to a smoldering expression.
"Never." I smiled coyly and cautiously edited his chin before trying again.
I spent the next few minutes trying to perfect the lightening on his abs and chest. Jace seemed to notice I took longest to create a replica of his torso and I knew sooner or later he would make a smart remark. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Always." I agreed passively in hopes of finishing the sketch before giving into any of my many urges at the moment.
"I must say, milady, I think I'm rubbing off on you." He said his words carefully, purposely choosing each one in an attempt to get a reaction out of me.
"I told you not to call me that anymore." I growled and placed my hands on my hips defiantly. "And what do you mean?"
"You're becoming more outspoken and courageous." Jace elaborated. "I kind of like it."
"Well I'm glad you do."
After a few more minutes all I had to do were add his intricate tribal tattoos and the shading. "Are you almost finished yet?
"Mommy always said you can't rush perfection." I told him simply as I hid a minor mistake.
"I suppose you're right as usual. I mean, I am a work of perfection." Jace agreed and I mentally punched him.
"You hurt my head." I complained, despite myself. Finally I sighed contently and dropped the charcoals. "Done."
Jace happily dropped his probably aching arms and strode over to me, turning the paper carefully towards his self. I waited for his consensus as I replaced everything I had used and turned back to his skeptical face. "And here I thought I couldn't get any handsomer."
"You can't." I mumbled without even thinking and the look he gave me meant that he definitely heard it.
We locked eyes for a moment before he finally cleared his throat and passed me the sketchpad. "We should go eat."
"Okay." I complied quickly and put it back in its cubby.
"Red?" When I turned around Jace was waiting patiently by the door.
"Yeah?" I asked cheerily, suddenly excited to see the rest of my friends and apologize for ditching them. Maybe we could play kickball again tomorrow.
"You really are amazing."
"C'mon." I pulled him halfheartedly by the hand as he shut the door and I awkwardly let go as I realized I was holding it. He didn't seem to even notice and I followed him silently towards the rest of the gang.
There ya go. What do you guys think? Pretty please review and tell me, because I don't know if this story is going the way everyone wants it to and I would love critiquing or suggestions. Also, remember that REVIEWING=SNEAKPEAK. However, if your review doesn't seem sincere or only says update, you aren't getting one, because, man, are those annoying. I know, I'm too picky and ungrateful, but it happens. I'll try to update sooner this time. :)