Chapter Twelve:
A couple days later Clary and Jocelyn sat in the principals office along with Aline and her mom to discuss the outside punishments that Aline wants to give Clary. Her nose was in fact broken and Aline and her mother wanted Clary to pay for her nose job. When Aline brought that up Clary couldn't help but laugh, which caused her to be even more mad.
"She should be expelled." Aline's mom said after a minute of silence.
"We can't expel her Mrs. Penhallow." The principal said.
"She broke my daughters nose!" She yelled and Clary didn't want to hear anymore.
"She deserved it!" Clary yelled and everyone looked at her.
"My daughter did nothing to deserve it." She said and Clary scoffed.
"What made up story did she tell you that lead to the punch?" Clary asked and Aline sunk in her chair.
"She was just talking to her friend Isabelle and you got jealous and punched her." Mrs. Penhallow said.
"Not even close." Clary said. "Your daughter spread a malicious rumor about Isabelle at the beginning of the school year that just so happened to be true, because your daughter took her personal journal and read it." Clary started. "It broke Isabelle. All her friends would laugh at her, and she practically hit rock bottom, until my best friend Simon befriended her."
"Aline." Her mother started but Clary wasn't finished.
"That's not even the worst of it." Clary said and Mrs. Penhallow looked at her. "Two weeks ago the Lightwood's lost their youngest in a drunk driving accident. Isabelle was driving and they were hit by a guy in a truck. He was heavily under the influence, and he didn't make it." Clary said and Mrs. Penhallow looked like she was about to cry. "When Isabelle decided to come back to school Aline stood in the middle of the cafeteria and called the eldest Lightwood a faggot, called Jace, who is their other brother, a charity case, and she called Isabelle a slut and a murderer." Clary stood up. "Isabelle was in complete shock, and Jace looked like he wanted to hit her but he would never hit a girl, so I stepped up and put your daughter in her place. If anything Isabelle is the victim here."
"Aline, is all of that true?" The principal asked but she said nothing.
"You can ask anyone, the whole cafeteria heard her. I'm telling you the truth, I wouldn't lie about that. She was attacking my friends, and my boyfriend, and I wasn't going to let her get away with it. I'm sorry I broke the school policy but she was being awful." Clary said.
"Aline, I'm giving you one last chance to tell me the truth other wise I'll bring this case up to the board and they will decide your punishment." The principal said and Aline finally looked up and nodded. "Aline Penhallow, you are suspended until further notice." He said and Mrs. Penhallow grabbed Aline by the arm and walked her out of the office. "I'm very sorry Clarissa for being so rash when it came to your punishment."
"I understand. I broke the rules and I expected to be punished accordingly, but I wasn't letting her get away without some type of punishment as well." Clary said and the principal nodded.
"You may return to school tomorrow, and I'll let the teachers know that you are in no way to be punished for the work you've missed."
"I've still been doing my work. Jace, the adoptive brother, is my boyfriend and he's been gathering it and bringing it to me after school all week." Clary said and the principal smiled.
"Thank you for coming in today." He said and Jocelyn and Clary smiled and walked out. To both of their surprises the Lightwood's and Simon were all standing outside of his office.
"What are you all doing here?" Clary asked and Jace walked over and gave her a sweet kiss.
"We were going to be your back up in case things went sideways." Izzy said and Clary laughed. Izzy walked over and gave Clary a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for what you did."
"It was no big deal Iz. You know I would do it all over again if I had too." Clary said and Izzy smiled.
"So, what happened? Aline and her mom booked it out of here like they were being chased." Jace said and Clary laughed.
"Aline has been suspended until further notice. I can come back to school tomorrow, and I don't have to pay for her nose job." Clary said and everyone looked pleased.
"How about we all go out for lunch?" Maryse said and everyone smiled. "I think we all deserve a nice lunch after what happened this past week."
"I think that sounds like a perfect idea." Jocelyn said and everyone grabbed their bags and left the school.
Lunch was great. Everyone was laughing and smiling and Clary was glad to see the pure happiness from Izzy, Jace and Maryse. Things had been extremely tense and to see them so care free in this moment was exactly what everybody needed. When lunch was over Jace asked Clary if she'd go somewhere with him so he could tell her something, and since Clary was no longer suspended Jocelyn let her go without protest. They got into Jace's car and he started driving. Clary had no idea where he was taking her but she could tell he was a little nervous. They finally pulled up to the park and got out and sat on a nearby bench.
"What's going on Jace?" Clary asked after a moment.
"You know how I told you I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life?" He asked and Clary nodded. "Well, before Christmas I decided that I would apply to some music schools."
"Really?" Clary asked excitedly. "That's great Jace!"
"I figured I'm good on the piano, and I love playing it so why not try and go somewhere with it."
"Why do you sound so nervous?" Clary asked.
"I got a letter in the mail yesterday from one of them." Jace said and he pulled the envelope out of his pocket and gave it to her.
"Jace, this letter is from Juilliard." Clary said completely awestruck.
"I know." Jace said.
"Why haven't you opened it?" Clary asked.
"I wanted to open it with you." Jace said and Clary smiled at him.
"Are you ready?" Clary asked.
"Can you read it for me? I don't think I can." Jace said and Clary nodded. Clary opened the envelope and took out the paper. Immediately her eyes widened as she read Congratulations Jonathan Lightwood on your acceptance to Juilliard. Clary screamed and jumped off the bench.
"YOU MADE IT JACE!" She screamed and kept jumping up and down. "Oh my god, you got in!" Jace was still sitting on the bench in complete shock. When Clary noticed that he wasn't moving she climbed on his lap and hugged him. "I am so proud of you."
"I can't believe I got in." Jace said and Clary kissed him.
"Your amazing Jace, and they would be crazy to turn you away." Clary said and Jace wrapped his arms tighter around her waist.
"I applied because it has one of the best music programs in the country and I wouldn't have to leave New York, but I didn't think I had that great of a shot at getting in."
"Why not?" Clary asked.
"The kids that apply train their whole lives to get into this school. They practice every single day for hours, and piano is all they pretty much do." Jace explained. "I just picked it up when I was younger and it became an escape. I never did it for anything but to escape from my horrible past."
"But that's what makes you so good." Clary said. "You play with passion because you are playing your emotions. It's what makes what you play so much more passionate."
"You think I can make it there?" Jace asked and Clary smiled before pressing her lips to his.
"I think you will accomplish amazing things if you choose to go to Juilliard." Clary said and Jace smiled.
"I think that's where I want to go." Jace said and Clary smiled.
"I support you in whatever decision you make." Clary said and Jace pressed his lips to her. The future was scary for both Jace and Clary, but they knew that whatever the future held for both of them that they could get through it as long as they had each other.
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It was a Saturday and Izzy was walking around the fabric store for the next design that she was going to make. Summer was coming and she needed to make a few more dresses. She wasn't paying attention when she ran into someone in the middle of the aisle.
"Oh my god I'm so sorry." Izzy said and the woman smiled.
"It's not a problem dear." She said and Izzy smiled. "Cute outfit. Where did you get it?" The woman asked.
"I actually made it." Izzy said.
"You make your own clothes?" She asked and Izzy felt embarrassed but nodded anyway. "You're really talented. Are you going to school for fashion?"
"I haven't actually applied anywhere because I didn't know what I wanted exactly." Izzy confessed.
"But you want to be a designer?" She asked.
"That is the end goal." Izzy said.
"Well, I happen to be the director of the fashion department at Yale University, and I can see you have a lot of talent." The woman pulled out a call. "Give me a call when you decide what you want to do." Izzy took the card and the woman left. Izzy stood there for a minute completely dumbfounded as to what just happened.
After he bought all the fabric and went out to her car and just sat there. She looked at the card and did absolutely nothing else for about 10 minutes. Izzy never knew what she wanted to do in life, but making clothes was always something she enjoyed doing. The fact that she just ran into a woman who was the head of a major fashion department completely blew her mind. That doesn't normally happen, but it just did and Izzy was shocked. The first thing she wanted to do was tell Simon. She dialed his number while she pulled out of the parking lot
"What's up Iz?" Simon said on the other end of the call.
"I need to tell you something. Can we meet up?" Izzy said.
"Sure, I'm actually at Java Jones right now, meet me here?"
"Perfect. Be there soon." Izzy hung up and made her way to Java Jones. When she walked in she immediately saw Simon and smiled. She made her way over to him and gave him a sweet kiss.
"What's up Iz?" Simon asked and Izzy slid the card over to him. "What's this?"
"I bumped into that woman in the fabric store today. She loved my outfit, told me I had talent, and if I figured out what I wanted to do to call her."
"That's amazing Iz." Simon said and Izzy nodded.
"I'm still in shock. I mean, that doesn't happen often, and I mean I was going to take a year off to figure out what I wanted to do but she just landed in my lap and now I'm confused."
"Well, is fashion what you want to do Iz?" Simon asked.
"Yes." Izzy answered.
"Than take her up on the offer Iz. If this is what you want, take this as a sign and run with it."
"But I don't want it to look like I'm following you to Yale." Izzy said and Simon smiled. "Yale has been your dream for as long as you can remember, and I feel like I'm intruding."
"Isabelle, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." Simon said as he took her hand. "This woman just offered you a spot in the fashion department at a great school. You were right, this doesn't happen often, and I think you should take it."
"You wouldn't mind me going to the same school as you?" Izzy asked.
"Are you kidding? I get to continue going to school with my super hot girlfriend and brag to ever nerd on that campus about you." Izzy couldn't help but laugh. "And if you're there they can't accuse me of lying. It's a win/win situation."
"So you think I should do it?" Izzy asked.
"I really do." Simon said and Izzy smiled and got up and sat on his lap.
"Than I'll call her when I get home." Izzy said and Simon smiled.
"Sounds good." Simon said as he kissed her again. "You want anything while we're here?"
"Sure." Simon picked Izzy off his lap and went over to order her coffee. Izzy watched him the whole time and couldn't stop smiling. She didn't know what she did to get such an amazing guy like Simon to be her boyfriend but she was happy that he wasn't turned off after their first meeting. She owed a lot to him, and she was excited to head off to college knowing that he would be there for her as well made her happy, but that didn't mean she wasn't scared. She started thinking about all the things that could go wrong and it was really freaking her out. When Simon returned with her coffee he could tell that she was off.
"What's wrong Iz?" He asked.
"Do you think we'll make it?" She asked hesitantly and Simon gave her a smile.
"I think we can do it Izzy."
"But what if we break up? What if you find a super smart girl and like her more than me, and than it'll be awkward if we see each other around campus, and what if we get sick of each other and fight about every little thing?" She was rambling and Simon grabbed her hand and she looked at him.
"Isabelle Lightwood, I love you. I am so completely in love with you and I don't care how many fights we get into I will never leave you. We can make it through anything together because you make me a better person. You surprised the hell out of me when you told me you had feelings for me because I didn't think someone as beautiful as you would ever feel anything for someone like me." Simon said and Izzy had tears welling up in her eyes. "I promise that going to the same college will be an adventure and it might get tough, but I think we can do it. I think we got this."
"I love you too Simon." Izzy said after a minute and she could see the light in Simon's eyes. "I don't know when I realized it, but you are the only person who has truly showed me what it feels like to matter, and feel important and I can't wait to see where this relationship goes because there isn't anyone else I'd rather be with than you." Simon pulled her up and gave her the most passionate kiss he could to let he know that he was so incredibly happy that she told him. When they pulled apart Izzy and Simon were both smiling like complete idiots but that didn't matter. They were happy, they were going to Yale together, and they were going to last a very long time. They both were sure of that.
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"Mom, you really don't have to do that." Alec said while he was walking back to Magnus's after class.
"Your father and I want to get to know him. We haven't seen you since the funeral and we feel like knowing your boyfriend is important." Maryse said. Alec put his key into the lock and walked into Magnus's apartment. Magnus was sitting on the couch watching TV and he looked up and Alec help up one finger to tell him to hold on.
"But mom, you really don't have to drive all the way up here for dinner." Alec said as he sat next to Magnus.
"Your father and I have nothing to do tonight. Jace is out with Clary, Isabelle is with Simon and it's lonely in this house." She said and Alec sighed.
"Alright mom, dinner tonight, 7 o'clock." Alec said.
"Wonderful. Text me the address of the restaurant." Maryse said.
"I will." Alec said and he hung up.
"Dinner date tonight darling?" Magnus said and Alec smiled.
"My parents want to get to know you." Alec said and Magnus smiled.
"That's not so bad." Magnus said and Alec laughed.
"I just don't want this dinner to go sideways." Alec said and Magnus took his hand.
"I think it will go well." Magnus said and Alec leaned over and pressed his lips to Magnus's. When he pulled apart both men smiled and settled into the couch.
A couple hours alter Alec and Magnus were on their way to the restaurant. Alec would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. He was surprised when his parents accepted his relationship with Magnus so easily, and even though Magnus told him not to question it, that's all Alec could do. He knew his parents better than anyone, and he knew that this would have really pissed them off before, and I guess losing Max was a turning point for them, but it still didn't sit right with Alec. Alec and Magnus were seated and they waited patiently for Maryse and Robert to show up and after about ten minutes Alec started getting anxious.
"Alexander, you need to calm down." Magnus said.
"I can't." Alec said and Magnus put his hand on his thigh.
"Yes you can. You're freaking out." Magnus said and Alec gave him a small smile. A few minutes later Maryse and Robert walking in and made their way over to their table. This didn't calm Alec though, if anything it made him more nervous.
"Alexander, Magnus, good to see you both again." Maryse said.
"You as well Mrs. Lightwood." Magnus said.
"Please, call me Maryse." She said and Magnus nodded. "How are you two doing?"
"Well, I think Alexander is having a hard time at this moment, but I'm doing well." Magnus said and Alec glared at him but it made Magnus smile.
"I'm fine mom." Alec finally said and Maryse nodded. "How is everything at home?"
"It's alright. Izzy got an offer from the head of the fashion department at Yale this afternoon, and Jace got into Juilliard." Maryse said.
"Shit. That's insane." Alec said and his parents laughed.
"We were stunned but they both seem really happy about their future and if they're happy, so are we."
"And their significant others?" Magnus asked.
"Simon is actually going to Yale as well. And Clary will be attending NYU." Robert said and Alec nodded.
"Seems like they all have their lives figured out." Magnus said and Maryse and Robert nodded.
"It seems like it, and I am happy they are both in serious relationships and pursuing what they really love."
"How are they going to do it?" Alec asked.
"Well, Isabelle asked if we could go apartment hunting up in Connecticut soon to find them a place to live." Maryse said and Alec nodded.
"And Jace and Clary?" Magnus asked.
"NYU and Juilliard are 20 minutes away from each other, so they want to find a place in the middle. You know Jace, he wouldn't survive being away from her. He's really relied on her since Max and I don't think them separating for college would really go over well with either of them." Maryse said and they all laughed.
"How do you think their parents are going to react?" Alec asked.
"I think Simon's mom would be happy he will have someone up there with him. According to Izzy, she wasn't thrilled that he got accepting to a school so far away. And Clary's mom she might be difficult, but I think since they are staying in the city she might warm up to the idea." Maryse explained and Alec and Magnus nodded.
The rest of the dinner went by smoothly. Maryse and Robert asked questions about Magnus's future and his childhood. They really did want to get to know him which really surprised Alec the most. He wasn't surprised the Magnus could make Maryse and Robert laugh. He could truly be charming when he wanted to be. Alec realized that he had been freaking out for nothing. Alec looked around the table at his boyfriend and his parents and realized that despite the hardships his family had to overcome in the last couple weeks really did make them appreciate life that much more, and Alec was sure going to make the rest of his life count.