I just want to quickly thank you all for the sweet reviews, especially Noverael. I wish you could have seen the huge smile on my face when I read your reviews. They absolutely made my day. :)
Also, sorry for the shortness. I don't like to put more than one main idea in a chapter.
"Hey, Alec! Get your ass over here!"
Alec turned to see Jace flagging him down, the guys around him smirking. Smiling slightly, Alec began to make his way over to the table. He hadn't seen Jace since earlier that morning, in Demonology. Alec had to skip gym on account of the fact he was taking a test pretty much all day. They forced you to take it to decide whether or not you needed extra help from some of the peer tutors. Alec had been sure of pretty much all his answers except for the ones about Shadowhunter literature. He hadn't known that Edgar Allan Poe was a Shadowhunter, nor did he know that Lewis Carroll had been one. Since he knew he failed that part of the test, he wondered who his tutor would be.
Alec was almost to the table when he was cut off by a guy he recognized from gym. He'd been quite impressed by the boy's looks then, and even more so now that he was in his school uniform.
The guy smiled, extending his hand. "Hey, Alec. It's nice to meet you. I'm Ben Galloway."
Alec shook his hand, all the while discreetly checking him out. He had fluffy, light brown hair and dark brown eyes, and the only way Alec could describe him was 'pretty'. Alec definitely found him attractive.
"It's nice to meet you too. You're in my gym class, aren't you?"
Ben smiled. "Yeah. You're a fantastic archer, by the way."
Alec flushed, smiling dumbly. By the Angel, was he really acting this way just because a guy was cute? And flattering him? ... Well, yeah. Who wouldn't? "Oh, thank you."
"I mean it. You're great," Ben assured him with a smile before putting his hand on Alec's shoulder for a moment. "Well, I guess I'll see you around."
Alec grinned, feeling a bit lightheaded. "Yeah. Sure thing."
Ben grinned back. I hope so, he thought.
X.X.X.X
During this exchange, Jace was scowling and staring down Alec and Ben. Justin, his next door neighbor in Asher, chuckled.
"Look at him, guys. He's positively oozing green."
There were chuckles of agreement from Matt and Craig, who were sitting across the table from Jace.
"I didn't know you swayed that way, Jace," Matt said, cocking an eyebrow. Jace quickly snapped out of his jealous glare, but not before Alec had locked eyes with him. While Alec had looked flustered, then curious when he noticed Jace's intense gaze, Jace had been wondering what the hell was wrong with him. The thing he felt couldn't be jealousy. There was absolutely no way. He'd known Alec for, what, a day? And he was straight. He shouldn't feel anything towards Alec but slight friendship. Because they had only known each other for a day.
"Please. You know I'd fuck your sister if you let me," Jace snapped, and Justin clucked his tongue. Jace knew what that meant. It meant he was about to say something asshole-ish. But before he could, Alec appeared, sitting down next to Jace.
"Hey," he said, smiling. Jace frowned at him. In the back of his mind, he very much wished that smile was for him.
"What were you doing talking to Bennett Galloway?"
Alec's smile faltered. Jace grew mad at himself for feeling guilty. But still, he felt wrong somehow for taking the smile away. Like he'd kicked a puppy or something. "I was just… he started talking to me. Why? What's wrong with him?"
Jace's frown deepened. "Apart from the fact that he's a pretentious douche bag?"
"And he was raised by pretentious douche bags who named their son Bennett Julius Galloway?" Matt added, frowning.
"He's in Doyle," Craig said slowly, sighing. He had always been the peacemaker in the group, and hated confrontation. He took a lot of shit for it from Jace and Justin, but it didn't really matter. As long as no one killed anyone else. Which, knowing his housemates, was a strong possibility. Especially when it came to Bennett Galloway.
"Which is, of course, bad news," Justin finished for them, and there was a murmur of agreement from everyone at the table.
Alec frowned. "Oh…"
"Not to say," Justin added quickly, watching Jace carefully, "that you were interested in him. We just wanted to warn you beforehand."
Alec turned scarlet, his eyes flashing over to Ben. Jace frowned and looked down at his hands. Everyone else at the table took note of this, glancing at each other.
Ben turned around, feeling Alec's eyes on him, and he smiled. Alec flushed and looked away, setting his attention back on the people at the table.
"Why on Earth would I be interested in him?" Alec asked, feigning surprise. "I've only just met him."
Funny, Jace though bitterly. I was wondering the same thing about you.
X.X.X.X
Later that night, Jace walked into his room to find Alec sprawled out on his bed, asleep. A book was laying open on his chest.
Jace slid it from his roommate's grasp, looking at the cover. How To Win Friends and Influence People. Jace snickered, looking down at Alec. The worried and nervous lines of his face were smoothed out with sleep and he looked so… sweet. His hair was ruffled and his breathing slow and even. It had a calming effect on Jace.
"Oh, Alec," Jace murmured with a sigh, setting the book on Alec's bedside table.
Not daring to say his thoughts out loud, he instead kept them in his brain as he got prepared for bed.
All you have to do is flash a smile and those gorgeous eyes, and suddenly I belong to you.