Hey awesome and lovely reviewers, thanks for waiting for Chapter Six. Hopefully it meets your expectations :)
CHAPTER SIX: How To Survive The Aftermath of An Accidental Kiss
"YOU KISSED HIM?"
Clary almost spat out her sandwich and looked up at Magnus' face.
"Keep your voice down" she said, looking around for eavesdropping customers, although she had waited until there was a lull.
"I think it's great' beamed Magnus, 'your first kiss at the very old, old age of 17".
"It's not great' said Clary, scowling, 'it's the worst thing EVER".
"How's it not great?' said Magnus, 'I thought you liked Simon".
Clary looked at her feet and Magnus watched her. Slowly she muttered
"It...wasn't Simon...it was Jace Wayland".
Magnus' eyes widened and Clary almost felt like crying.
"WHAT THE HECK?' said Magnus, 'it's like a freaking paradox. Is it possible you could sue for crimes against humanity?"
"They don't count accidental kissing' said Clary, burying her head in her arms, 'I've already checked".
"Having a kiss with someone you hate most in the world, it will surely traumatise you for the rest of your life" said Camille, suddenly resting on the counter.
"I've told you a million times before' said Magnus, 'don't suddenly appear. It scares people".
Camille ignored him looking straight at Clary and said
"Your first kiss was stolen...by someone you hate. And it was in front of the man you love most".
Clary's face dropped, remembering breaking away from the kiss and seeing Simon's impassive expression. Camille saw her face and cackled with amusement. Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"This has happen to you before, hasn't it?"
"SHUT UP" roared Jace, as Alec and Sebastian laughed. As they continued, he said
"There's no way I would like her".
Sebastian looked towards Alec and spoke as if Jace wasn't there.
"Don't you think he wanted to kiss her in the first place?"
Jace slammed his fists down on the kitchen counter and said
"Don't mess around. It wasn't even like that".
"Oh' said Sebastian, 'so the reason you managed to fall on top of her and plant your lips onto hers was purely an act of friendship. God Jace, you have really turned into such a nice guy".
"Obviously being hit in the head by fist knocked some sense into him" said Alec, a smile quirking at his lips.
Jace glared at him and Sebastian mused
"It's weird that both of you fell and your lips met. It's not a freaking erotic novel".
Jace said
"Well, are you saying I wanted to kiss that poor girl then?"
Sebastian said
"For someone with as much experience as you claim to have, you seem awfully touchy about it. Was that your first kiss?"
Alec suddenly looked avidly interested and Jace said
"It was NOT my first kiss".
"But from what I know' said Sebastian, leaning back, sweeping his hair out of his eyes, 'it's your first kiss".
"Alec's never kissed someone before' said Jace, 'why don't you interrogate him instead?"
Sebastian said
"Alec has never claimed to have been in a relationship before. It's all part of his mysterious air. Plus, you have much better reactions. Alec just sits there and takes it".
Alec went faintly pink and opened his mouth, perhaps to tell Sebastian exactly why he had never kissed someone before but then thought better of it. Jace shoved his fingers through his hair and said
"You are completely wrong".
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing' said Sebastian, 'just a bad thing for you. The almighty Jace Wayland, attractive, wealthy and completely cool...has never kissed a girl before...and his first one was with his worst enemy".
"She isn't my worst enemy' said Jace, 'she's too..."
"Poor?" said Alec.
Jace said
"Don't be such a snob, Lightwood".
"Touchy, touchy' said Sebastian, 'this isn't something you would normally do".
"You guys don't know everything about me" said Jace and Sebastian's eyes gleamed. He leant forward and said
"Then when did you do it?"
"What?"
Sebastian spoke slowly
"If yesterday wasn't your first kiss, when was it?"
Jace growled
"Well let me see".
He squinted and Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"Well it was obviously marked and highlighted in the calender".
Jace said suddenly
"Three years ago?"
Sebastian looked at Alec and said
"I knew he had never kissed a girl".
"I have too. I've just never committed myself to a relationship" said Jace.
Sebastian said
"So what about Simon?"
"What about Simon?' said Jace sullenly, 'I'm not going to forgive him".
"Just forgive him" said Alec, to his hair.
"If he apologises' said Jace, 'then I'll forgive him".
"We can't do anything, if you are lonely without Simon".
"I don't care if Simon's here or not".
Alec shrugged at Sebastian and Jace ignored them both.
"Don't drag it on like this" said Isabelle, sitting on the lounge by the pool. Simon looked up and she said
"You have to reconcile with Jace".
Simon looked back down at his Ipod and said
"Recently he has been too reckless".
"Maybe that's the case" began Isabelle but he cut over and said
"But I snapped when he was speaking rudely to you. I can't forgive him for that".
Isabelle gazed out towards the vast and sparkling city, its lights beaming out towards them and said
"When Jace and Clary kissed, weren't you kind of mad at Jace?"
Simon couldn't help himself laughing and said
"What?"
Isabelle said
"I know you are attracted to that girl. She has strength and honesty, independence and courage".
Simon looked at her and she turned back to him.
"Make her important in your life. Now you can finally live life your own way without hesitation".
Simon looked down, his face still before he said
"Well done".
"What?" said Isabelle, looking at him with confusion.
"You know how I feel and yet..you use words to just play around with me".
"Simon?" said Isabelle, her face falling.
Simon stood up and yelled
"What does it mean to live without hesitation? I don't know what that means".
He pushed the chair backwards and left, the rain which had started pouring down, soaking him instantly. Isabelle stood up and yelled
"SIMON?"
Magnus held out his phone and said
"You should call him".
Clary gazed at it dubiously and said
"Really?"
"You should' said Magnus, 'if only to tell him that he and Isabelle make the perfect couple".
Clary raised an eyebrow before slowly bringing the digits on screen. She brought out a piece of paper with Simon's number, that Isabelle had given her yesterday and winked at her. She looked up at Magnus once more and he said
"You really don't want me to call him for you, do you?"
She quickly typed in the number and waited. Magnus watched her and checked that Camille wasn't around to give her opinion on this supposedly disastrous thing to do. The phone seemed to ring for an age before there was muffled static and suddenly Clary heard
"SIMON".
There was sounds of running footsteps and Clary squinted. Had he accidentally bumped answer?
"Hello?" she said but there was no answer. She was about to hit end then she heard a quiet
"Simon, wait".
The running stopped and she heard Isabelle say again
"You know, I am going back to France soon".
She heard a quick intake of breath but she doubted Isabelle would have heard. She should have hung up but she couldn't help herself from listening.
"You have to learn to stand on your own two feet. That's why I have decided to go back to France. For the sake of my dream of becoming a lawyer, I am throwing away my father's company. I've decided not to be a president but someone who can fights for justice. I don't want to be a commodity anymore. I want to be a human being. So I have to start my own life, without my family, friends or even society telling me what to do. And you should be doing that to".
Clary clutched the phone waiting for Simon's answer but he just stood in silence until finally Clary hung up. She looked over at Magnus who had been watching her and pushed away her tears.
"Well' she said, turning away from him, 'that went well".
"Okay' said Jocelyn, reading from a magazine, 'who is Australia's Prime Minister?"
Clary sat eating, without really tasting as her mother tested Jonathan for his exam. Luke considered this and said
"Rolf Harris?"
Jocelyn gave him a oh-come-on look and he shrugged
"I don't need to know who Australia's Prime Minister is? I just need to know who my boss is and that's enough authority for me".
Jonathan squinted and said
"I know they had a female Prime Minister recently but I think they had an election. John Howard?"
"You are both wrong' said Jocelyn, 'it's Tony Abbott".
"Who has a very strong mandate in the House of Representatives' said Jonathan, 'of 90 people".
"Correct' said Jocelyn, 'well done".
"Why is it that you know the most explicit detail like that and not the easiest thing of his name?" asked Luke.
Jonathan shrugged and Jocelyn continued
"Who is...?"
Clary stood up suddenly and said
"I'm done eating".
Everyone looked up and Luke said
"Aren't you going to having another serving?"
"I'm full" said Clary and walked out.
At Jonathan's stare, Luke said
"Well it is a crescent moon tonight. Females go a bit funny at that time".
Jocelyn, who otherwise would have told him exactly where to put his crescent moon theory, was looking after Clary. She then leant forward and said
"Do you think she's in love?"
"Huh?" said Luke and Jonathan together.
"Ever since that day' said Jocelyn, 'ever since the party she has been acting weird. She switches between smiling and anger, dreamy looks and murderous looks, sometimes she doesn't eat and sometimes she hums".
Luke considered this and Jonathan said
"Perhaps, she fell in love with some financial group heir?"
Jocelyn and Luke looked at each other and Luke said
"Maybe she's worried about the differences in social status?"
Jocelyn lost her shocked look and said
"If you think our daughter is that materialistic, I advise you spend the night on the couch".
Luke decided to stay out of the conversation altogether and Jocelyn said to Jonathan
"She could seriously be in love with a heir".
Jonathan nodded and Luke suddenly came back into the conversation with a
"This could mean we have really hit the jackpot".
Jocelyn said
"Alright that's it. You are on the couch tonight".
As Luke protested, Jonathan said
"Sometimes dad, you have no sense of romance".
Clary arrived at school and for the first time, didn't look wildly around for Cecilia. She still had been unable to find her after three weeks. She had tried calling her several times but each time it went to message bank. None of the other students shed any light and she would be damned if she had to ask Jace. So it was a great surprise when suddenly a limo pulled up, a driver got out and opened the door and Cecilia peered out and said
"Clary?"
"Cecilia?" said Clary and Cecilia motioned for her to get into the limo. Clary said
"Aren't you coming to school?"
"I've quit" said Cecilia, softly and that was all she said until they were driving around the block.
"Why?" said Clary when they were driving around Central Park. Cecilia, wearing an elegant Gucci suit said
"I'm not sure I want to go back to school".
'Why not?' said Clary, 'I thought you were semi-enjoying yourself".
Cecilia didn't speak for a while and when Clary looked at her, she saw tears streaming down her face.
"Cecilia?' she said, 'what's wrong?"
Cecilia couldn't speak for several minutes, gulping and sniffling as she cried and Clary just patted her on the back until finally she said
"I received a white notice".
Clary thought she had misheard and said
"What?" rather stupidly.
"The Shadowhunters...issued me a white notice".
"Why didn't you tell me?' said Clary loudly, 'I could have done something, I could have made them take it away , I could have..."
"Done what?' said Cecilia, smiling a little through her tears, 'I may be a coward, Clary but I am not stupid. I have seen what they do to people who annoy them, saw what they did to you. I am not strong like you Clary. I wouldn't have been able to last. The second I saw it, I went straight home and started home-schooling. And I have been storing up courage to come and tell you, so please don't make it harder for me".
Clary said
"But...why don't you go back to Britain or somewhere else where you can have a normal school life?"
Something flashed through Cecilia's eyes before it was gone. Then she said
"I have decided to stay a while. There are a couple of things I need to sort out first".
Clary looked down at her hands, feeling so pathetic for not seeing exactly what was bothering Cecilia. Why else did someone just leave? She said
"So have they bothered you?"
Cecilia shrugged and said
"A few online bullies but I have learnt to shut down my computer. I am learning what it is like to be poor and without means. Anyway it pretty much stopped about two weeks ago".
Clary decided not to comment on that and Cecilia said
"Don't think it was you who got me the white notice. It wasn't the association factor or anything like that".
Clary's heart sunk, before Cecilia had mentioned it, she hadn't thought about it. But why else would Cecilia have received a white notice.
"Cecilia' she said, ' I am truly sorry".
"DON'T BE' said Cecilia loudly, before suddenly changing the subject, 'is it true you kissed Jace at the party?"
Clary was so shocked by the sudden conversation change that she said
"The kiss was an accident".
Cecilia looked out the window and said
"Indeed".
Clary looked at her, confusedly and still annoyed at herself. She said
"About the white notice..."
"Enough Clary' said Cecilia, slightly coldly, 'I have had enough of this. I want to go home" she said to the driver.
Clary fiddled with her skirt, knowing Cecilia was still mad deep down. She said
"I will always be on your side, no matter what happens".
The limo pulled into street behind the school and Clary said
"If you feel lonely, please contact me anytime".
Cecilia smiled at that and said
"I will, Clary".
Clary stepped out and Cecilia waved before the door shut and the limo took off. Cecilia stared behind her until she could no longer see Clary and said
"We aren't going home' she said, 'there's something I have to do first".
Clary turned around and started walking towards the school, hurrying as her clock told her she was ten minutes late. Suddenly another limo pulled in front of her and Clary had to stop herself from falling over.
"HEY' she said, 'YOU JERK".
The window came down and she realised it was Jace Wayland. He tried to look surprise and said
"Oh, it's you?"
"Huh?" she said, edging her way around the limo, so she could run around the block to school.
"What a coincidence?" said Jace and Clary said
"Stopping there is an inconvenience to pedestrians"
Jace got out and Clary took a step backwards. He leant against the door and said
"What are you doing skipping class?"
"I wasn't' said Clary, 'until you made me late. Anyway what about you?"
He looked away smirking and said
"I prefer to keep some mystery about my life. Especially since you have already broken down one barrier that most of the public never will".
Clary realised he was referring to the kiss and said
"I didn't do it on purpose".
Jace shrugged and said
"Because I am a gentleman, I won't deny that. Now hop in and I will take you to school".
"WHAT?' said Clary, 'are you stupid? I don't understand you at all".
Jace rolled his eyes and grabbed her wrist.
"Come on" he said and she immediately pulled away, darting around the limo and took off running around the block.
"Hey' said Jace, 'wait up" and ran after her.
She ran down the street, passed all the pedestrians who watched with mild amusement as Jace chased after her. She became vaguely aware of a car zooming down the street and rounding the corner, several seconds before she did. It pulled into the parking spot and Clary raced past the person, who got out of it. Jace yelled
"Hey, stop".
Then he yelled out in pain and Clary half turned around to see the person, who had stepped out the car, had punched him in the face. He stumbled to the ground and looked up his nose bleeding. He tried to get up and the woman kicked him away, with her expensive boots. Then she turned, her sunglasses gleaming and headed towards Clary. Clary slowly raised her fists and got ready for the blow from the strange woman. Then Jace said
"That freaking hurt, sister dear".
Clary looked from him to the woman and said
"Sister?"
The woman took off her glasses and said
"Aline, at your service".
She was another of the most beautiful women Clary had ever seen. In fact she was the woman from the photograph that she had seen in Jace's house. Jace got to his feet and said
"Clary, this is my sister Aline. Aline, this is Clary...a friend".