Clary was surprised. Never did she think that she would fit in with a group of people like Jace, and Izzy, yet somehow she did. She found herself actually laughing with everyone else, unlike at school when she would hang out with simon and his friends. Then she would find herself giving fake smiles, and pretending to laugh so hard her stomach hurt when really, she didn't find their jokes or conversations interesting in the slightest. The idea that she was just in the wrong crowd of people never even crossed her mind, until Magnus was talking some sort of nonsense and everyone was laughing. She noticed that when they laughed, she laughed, but not because she was forcing herself to do so. No, she was laughing because that was what she felt like doing. She finally understood why people would stay out until ungodly hours of the night just talking to their friends on the phone, Or coming to school early and leaving later just to get those few precious moments to exchange a few jokes with their friends. Clary had always had simon, but theres only so much you can laugh about with one person everyday.
Clary, Jace, Izzy, Magnus and Alec had managed to get through the entire first mean girls movie, and half way through the second one, before Maryse had walked in and told them it was time to get ready for bed.
" Magnus, are you staying over tonight?" She asked happily.
" yep! Brought a sleeping bag and everything!" he chirped.
" Wonderful," she said smiling.
Maryse was about to leave when Izzy said,
" Mom, is it okay if we all sleep in hear tonight?"
" Sure, I think that's a great idea. It'll give Clary a chance to get used to the house before she has to sleep in it all alone." Then she left the room.
" Okay, I'm taking the couch!" Izzy shouted.
" Dibs on the duvet!" Magnus echoed in a over-exaggerated british accent.
" Alright, I'll go get the extra mattress." Jace grumbled.
"I'll come with you." Clary said quietly.
They left the room, heading towards the nearest guest room. for a mattress.
" so, do you guys do this often? Impromptu sleep overs I mean." Clary said.
" Yeah, I guess. Izzy and Alec weren't actually that close until I came along."
" why?" clary asked cautiously.
" I don't really know. I remember coming here, into this big house, and Izzy trying really hard to make me feel at home. It may not seem like it, but Izzy actually cares a lot about whether people are comfortable around her. Anyways, I guess they bonded a lot while trying to make me comfortable. They hung out with me a lot since I didn't have any friends yet, and slowly They got closer as well."
" Do you remember what it was like before you came here?" Clary asked, feeling like she was walking in a mine field.
" sadly, yes." He didn't elaborate, and Clary didn't pry.
They finally found a guest bedroom, and Jace turned to Clary, almost nervously.
"Do you want your own mattress or are you good with sharing?"
Clary thought about being in such close proximity with Jace. Half of her, the louder half, wanted nothing more that to fall asleep in his arms. To feel safe, just like that night when she'd fled from the hospital. But the other half of her couldn't shake the nervousness that always followed her when she was with Jace. After a bit of thought, she finally decided on an answer.
" One mattress is fine… as long as it's not twin sized."
Jace grinned at her, " Noted."
Clary couldn't suppress the giggle that came out of her, which turned Jace's grin into an outright smile.
Jace grabbed the mattress and carried it back to where everyone was waiting to finish the movie.
They came in just in time to witness Izzy throwing a pillow at Magnus and Alec who were making out on the duvet. When she noticed Clary and Jace, she turned to them with a look of outrage.
" I leave to go to the bathroom for three frick'n minutes, and these two are already making out!"
" Hey. The heart wants what the heart wants." Jace said placing his hands dramatically over his heart.
" That, my dear brother, was very poetic, but i'm afraid this has got to do more with whats in their pants than in their hearts." Izzy retorted in that snarky way of hers.
Alec blushed, but Magnus looked as calm as ever. Clary couldn't help but notice that neither of them were denying Izzy's words. That fact alone sent Clary into another fit of laughter that was soon accompanied by Jace and Izzy and eventually Magnus himself. Alec on the other hand, stayed quiet, but even he couldn't help the smile slowly creeping onto his face.
When the movie finally came to an end, everybody got ready to go to sleep, in their designated sleeping areas. Izzy on the couch, Magnus and Alec on the duvet, and lastly, Jace and Clary on the Mattress in the far corner of the room.
" That's a sexy look Fray." Jace said with his signature smirk displayed proudly on his face.
Clary was secretly proud of herself for not blushing, as she got under the covers of the their shared mattress. She was wearing a tight tank top with some sweat pants that Izzy had lent her.
" thanks, I was really dressing to impress tonight" she answered, the sarcasm almost dripping from her words.
Jace chuckled at that, before following her lead and getting into the make-shift bed. He wrapped his long muscular arms around her so that her back was to his chest. Again Clary felt safe. She turned her dead slightly to face him.
" Tomorrow's my birthday." She said nervously.
"Really? We better do something special then."
" no, Jace. You don't get it. Tomorrow is my birthday, and my mom doesn't even remember. I think I should go see her, but I feel like that's just going to ruin my whole day."
Jace looked her right in the eyes.
" Clary, I won't let it ruin your day. Tomorrow you re going to have the best birthday of your life. Then we're going to go visit your mom together. You and me."
Clary leaned in, and touched her lips to his.
" Okay." She whispered, then she drifted into a deep sleep, still wrapped in Jace's strong comforting arms.