Hey guys, thanks for all your continued support whilst I have been on hiatus. I took a break from exams and studying yesterday, so I thought I would write another chapter. Hopefully you enjoy this next instalment:) Now back to study Politics and IT (sigh).
Chapter Twelve: The Here and The Now
Clary felt the knife, cold against the cheek, the sharp blade sticking into her skin. It pricked her skin, a tiny cut forming on her face and a drop of blood rolled down her cheek. The rest of the room was silent, Jace was staring at Cecilia, his face expressionless. Clary could hear Cecilia breathing heavily, her nails digging into Clary's shoulder. She winced slightly and Jace saw.
He took a step down into the cafeteria, his eyes narrowing. Cecilia unconsciously took a step back, dragging Clary with her. Jace said
"Who do you think I am?"
Both of them stared at him before he turned to Clary.
"Clarissa' he said, 'close your eyes".
"Huh?" said Clary, staring back at him.
"Just close them" he said vehemently and Clary, not knowing what else to do, shut them. Jace then turned back to Cecilia, who was studying him. Then she jerked her head at her bodyguards, who were standing there, arms folded. They saw the command and started walking towards Jace. Jace watched as they approached, the first one reaching him and punching him in the face. His fist slammed into Jace's nose, the soft cartilage breaking and Jace stumbled backwards, his face throbbing.
Clary opened her eyes, when she heard the impact and turned her head. Cecilia didn't seem to notice and said
"Well, well. You are more obedient than I thought".
The bodyguards then started hitting Jace over and over, bruising him, breaking him, hitting every part of his body and Clary was screaming.
"STOP IT".
Jace wasn't reacting at all, he was just letting them hit him and Clary couldn't take her eyes away from him.
"STOP IT" she yelled at Cecilia, who was watching the proceedings, a mad gleam in her eyes. Jace was punched in the face again and he dropped to the floor, dizzy and disorientated.
"You are always prancing around like some king' said Cecilia, before her voice grew loud and angry, 'how does it feel to get punched around the cafeteria NOW".
Jace slowly looked up, pushing himself to a kneeling position, never breaking his gaze from Cecilia. Cecilia leered and said
"Does it hurt? If it hurts, then why don't you fight back?"
She looked at Clary, the knife still against her face and said
"Who CARES what happens to HER face? She was always ugly anyway".
She laughed, a high-pitched artificial laugh and Jace just spat blood out onto the floor, wiping his mouth. Then he said
"These punches..don't hurt at all".
A very ugly expression formed on Cecilia's face, one with rage and hatred spreading across it. She bared her teeth and hissed
"DO IT".
Suddenly one of her bodyguards was holding Jace's arms and the other two were standing in front of him, hitting him over and over. Clary felt a little part of her dying inside, every time he was hit. He wasn't DOING anything. Why, why was he letting himself be killed by a deranged psychopath? Cecilia was yelling as well, with encouragement, yelling at them to hurt him, to break him and then suddenly, one of the bodyguards, picked him up and threw him onto the table. He hit the table, an ominous cracking rippled across the room before sliding off it and onto the floor. And then Clary had had enough.
She smashed her head backwards and she hit Cecilia hard in the face, the back of her head throbbing. Cecilia screeched in pain and she immediately let go of Clary, her hands flying to her face, as blood dripped down her face. The knife clattered to the floor and Clary kicked it, the metal whizzing across the floor and disappearing behind a table. Clary was already running, her hand tied behind her back but as she got to Jace, she leapt up onto the table. One of the bodyguards turned around but she was already jumping. Her knee collided with their face, the impact so hard that she knocked them unconscious.
Then they were both falling and she smacked down onto the floor, her vision blurring momentarily as she struggle to regain consciousness. Then somebody roared and there was yelling. Then someone...Jace, was there, pulling her up and shouting something in her ear.
"Clary" he was saying before she faded out.
"CLARY".
His voice pushed through her groggy brain and she opened her eyes. Jace was kneeling in front of her body, swaying slightly, as he faced the bodyguards and an irate Cecilia. Clary sat up slowly, her arms bruised beyond belief and still tied together.
"This is so sweet' said Cecilia, 'both protecting each other. Both so in love. You might not admit it, Clary but you have fallen for the devil himself. Would you still like him if you knew everything about him? You can convince yourself that he has changed. He can convince himself he has changed. BUT YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, JACE WAYLAND".
Her words rang throughout the cafeteria and she motioned for the bodyguards to stop their advance. A smile was forming on her face. She said
"Yes, now there's an idea. How about a little reunion? We can discuss old times, Jace. Recall old memories".
"What are you talking ABOUT?" Jace said angrily, struggling to his feet, and Cecilia laughed.
"Don't you remember?" and she smacked him in the face, hard and brutal. Jace fell to the floor, painfully. Clary stared at him as he started crawling to his feet again.
"NO, Jace' she said, 'don't".
"I'm not...going...to...let...some...crazy...bitch...hurt you" he said, slowly, still trying to raise himself up. Cecilia's eyes widened and said
"WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE HER?"
Jace stared back at her, his face bruised and bloodied, his clothes torn, scratches and cuts all over his body and he looked calmly at her. Clary fidgeted with her roped hands, pulling her thumb out, Cecilia stood there, somehow deflating. She said again, softer this time
"Why does it have to be her? Even though I returned looking so beautiful..."
She swallowed and pushed her hair out of her eyes, wiping mascara off her cheeks.
"You treated me like dirt. When I used to come to Idris, I was ugly. I didn't fit into your standards of BEAUTY. You made me feel like CRAP every time I tried to talk to you, made fun of me, told me I was worthless. You said even if I had plastic surgery, I could never escape my ugliness. I promised myself that if I ever became beautiful...I would make you fall in love with me. Make you pay for how YOU treated ME".
She laughed, throwing her head back.
"I proved you wrong though, Wayland' she said softly, 'you didn't recognise me at all. Your friends didn't even recognised me, flirting with me like I was some sort of prize. But then this little, puny, ugly commoner just waltzes in and manages to changes you, makes you softer, nicer, less arrogant... After I became so beautiful...I still couldn't have you".
Everybody was silent, just watching Cecilia, her back hunched. Then she turned around and faced Jace.
"Why don't YOU like me? Tell ME I am BEAUTIFUL."
She was full on sobbing now, tears streaking down her face and just staring at Jace, like he could provide the answers to the question she had been seeking her entire life. Jace was almost trembling, with pain or sorrow, Clary didn't know. Then he turned towards her and whispered
"Clary".
His arms gave out and he fell to the floor. Cecilia screamed and picked up a cafeteria chair.
"WHY WON'T YOU LOOK AT ME?"
She lifted it up high and brought it down towards Jace. Clary reacted, her reflexes quicker than ever. She ripped her hands away from the binds, having finally undone them and grabbed hold of the chair, pulling it away from Jace. The metal banged into her knuckles, but she pushed Cecilia away, the chair in both of their grips. She and Cecilia stared at each other, for what seemed like eternity, the chair still dangerously close to Jace. Clary saw Cecilia, a frightened, angry, immature, hateful little girl and Cecilia seemed to realise this.
She lowered her arms, as if all the fight had left her. As if she had realised what she had done. The mad light left her eyes and she suddenly look like a small child. The chair clattered to the floor and Cecilia stared around the room, at the mess. Then she whispered
"I've had it".
She turned slowly and walked out of the cafeteria. The bodyguards looked at each other before leaving the room with her. Clary turned around, aching all over and saw Jace, his eyes closed, lying on the ground, covered in blood.
"JACE" she yelled and skidded over to him. He didn't move or react. She grabbed hold of his arm and felt around for his pulse. It was still beating and she shook him.
"JACE' she yelled, 'are you okay?"
After a long minute, he muttered
"Of course...I'm not okay".
Clary couldn't help laughing a little and she helped him, as he struggled to a sitting position. She almost broke into tears then, seeing him hurt like this.
"Why?' she said, 'why did you do it?"
He said, through the blood,
"If I had lifted one finger...I wouldn't have been able to protect you".
Clary stared at him, all his defences gone, all his feelings laid bare and she still had to ask.
"Is it true? What Cecilia said? Do you...did you say she was worthless...because she wasn't beautiful?"
Jace looked her in the eyes, desperation and unhappiness mingled through them. He said haltingly
"I was always...taught...beauty...and...power...and wealth...were the only important things..in..life".
He looked down
"And then I met you".
Clary's head was whirling, her thoughts flying, unable to work out what she thought was right. But then she found herself saying
"Why did...you...come?"
Jace looked over at her, still swaying slightly and said
"Isn't it obvious...I love you".
Clary felt her eyes visibly widened and she found she couldn't say anything. Jace watched her reaction before crawling closer to her. He said
"I love you, Clarissa Fray".
Then he kissed her, his mouth warm against hers, wrapping his arms around her. Clary's heart was beating fast and she didn't want to break away. Then he was pulling away and said
"Ow, my lip".
"Oh' said Clary, 'are you okay?"
Jace rolled his eyes and said
"Why do you keep saying that? My mouth is full on bleeding. I'm surprised you didn't notice when you were full on sucking my face".
"What?' said Clary, with some dignity, 'I was sucking your face. I was only letting you kiss me because no boy has ever got himself beaten up for me".
She and Jace squabbled over who had initiated the kiss until Sebastian, Alec, Camille and Magnus came and drove Jace to the hospital. And she stayed by his side all night until the doctor's cleared him to leave. She went to bed smiling and feeling slightly crazy. Because at some point during the here and the now, she had opened herself up to Jace. And she had fallen in love with him as well.
"Jace was hospitalised?" said Imogen and Malachi nodded.
She sat back in her chair and turned around, looking over the Tokyo city.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME A WEEK AGO?" she said angrily.
"I only just got word' said Malachi, 'and apparently he was with Clarissa Fray when it happened".
Imogen heard this and slowly stood up, turning around to face Malachi again. She could barely speak, she was so angry. Did Jace not understand he was the heir to one of the most ludicrous fortunes in America? Did he have a death wish? Or was it this girl?
"That girl' she said venomously, 'is still clinging onto Jace?"
"Well' said Malachi, 'it's actually..."
"LEAVE ME ALONE" she roared and Malachi nodded before leaving. Imogen turned back to her work but found herself unable to concentrate. What would it take to get Clarissa Fray to leave Jace alone.
Jace watched as Clary ate her food before saying
"Feed me".
"Huh?' said Clary, 'why me? You can hold a spoon, can't you?"
Jace looked away exasperatedly and Clary continued
"Why haven't you recovered yet? Your bones aren't broken. It's been a whole week. Do you get enough calcium?".
"It's healed' said Jace gruffly, 'but it still hurts".
Sebastian and Alec watched them as they bickered and Sebastian said
"Isn't this cute. After the storm, it's smooth sailing from here".
Alec rolled his eyes and said
"Never make me serve middle aged women again. You can do it next time".
"You are still stuck on that' said Sebastian, 'we reunited our friends. Doesn't that make you feel better? And congratulations, you met the love of your life".
"Who?" said Alec quickly.
"Magnus Bane" said Sebastian, eating calmly.
Alec started coughing in shock and Clary said
"What's wrong with Magnus?"
"Alec likes him" Sebastian said.
"Oh' said Clary, 'congratulations. He likes you too".
She turned back to Jace and Alec reddened whilst still coughing.
"See' said Sebastian, 'everyone is fine with it".
"I...don't like Magnus" said Alec, sullenly.
"Who don't you like?" said Jace,
"Alec is pretending he doesn't like Magnus" said Sebastian.
"Oh' said Jace, turning back to Clary, 'he is a very bad actor. Congratulations".
"We aren't going out" said Alec.
"Oh shut up' said Sebastian, 'and finish your sandwiches. We can go visit him after school".
Alec to deflect attention off him said
"What are you going to do about Cecilia Queen?"
Jace and Clary looked up and then at each other. There was silence and finally Jace said
"She's not attending Idris anymore. I've tried calling her a couple of times..."
"Same" said Clary, 'and I visited her but she isn't home".
"So you aren't going to press charges?" asked Sebastian.
"I think' said Jace slowly, 'I should probably meet with her before I decide anything. It is my fault".
"I wouldn't' said Clary and everyone looked at her, 'what? She is a girl who thinks her only worth derives from her beauty. She doesn't need a jail term, she needs help".
The three boys looked at each other before Jace swung his arm around her grinning.
"You're awesome. That's my girl".
Clary grinned before the smile dropped off her face.
"What?" said Jace and she looked at his arm on her shoulder.
"I thought you said your arm hurt" she said.
"Oh crap' said Jace, smiling, 'she found out".
Clary hit him and he winced
"What do you mean crap she found out".
She started hitting him again and Sebastian and Alec laughed as they watched her chase him up and down their private cafeteria landing. She jumped on his back and he said
"OW, OW, OW, that hurts".
"Oh, you are not getting away that easily" she said.
"You owe your life to me" he argued and she said
"I owe my life to you?', a tone of amusement in her voice, 'oh then would you like..."
"I'm back" said a voice behind them and all four of them turned around. Clary's mouth dropped open as she looked at Simon Lewis, grinning at them all.
"I'm back" he said again.