Chapter Two.
This chapter goes back one month, and gives you an insight into why Jace and Clary called it quits. It shows you all the things that made them drift apart and at the very end, it goes back to present time when they're at Magnus' party.
Also, for each chapter I will list a playlist of songs that kind of inspired the plot and were running through my head whilst I was writing.
My Love-Sia
Breathe Me-Sia
The Veronicas-Untouched
Crowded House – Don't Dream It's Over
With or Without You – U2
When you're a kid and someone asks if you want to play a game, the answer is nearly always yes. Why? Because games are fun, games are entertaining. But throw your feelings and heart into the mixture and things turn complicated.
ONE MONTH EARLIER
The clock ticked eleven and just on time Maryse and Rob headed off to bed. Alec was spending the night out, Max had fallen asleep at the kitchen table at dinner- time and Izzy had gone to bed at nine, claiming 'beauty sleep is hard to come by these days'. I slipped out of my bed and tiptoed to my door and across the hallway to Jace's room. I let myself in, and although the bathroom light was on, the room was empty. I turned to close the door and when I turned back around, a boy with a mass of golden hair and tawny eyes with a body that made me weak at the knees was leaning against the bathroom door, wearing just jeans and quite clearly about to go in the shower as he was shirtless. "Clary" his lips caressed my name, making it sound strangely like velvet. My eyes trailed down his perfect body and I tried to raise an eyebrow. Noticing this, Jace raised his own, smirked and in two quick steps was standing over me. "I probably shouldn't stay long, we have an early start in the morning, not to mention I think I overdid it today in training and-
Then he was kissing me. His lips crushed against mine and he ran his strong capable hands down my sides. He moved them up my shirt on my lower back and held on to my skin. He pulled me closer against him, trying to almost mold us together. He then made a trail from my mouth to my neck and sucked gently. I sighed and noticing this he moved us towards the bed.
"Jace.." I said.
"Just say stop Clary and I will"
"I don't want you to stop just yet"
And he started again. His body on top of mine crushing against me but holding himself up at the same time so not to hurt me. His hands were digging into my back and it was painful yet we still weren't close enough. I wanted this and he wanted this but "not tonight Jace."
It was him that sighed this time and he pulled himself off me. He walked away from the bed and into the bathroom, making sure to close the door behind him. The water started to fall from the shower-head and I sat on the bed for ten minutes, my head spinning, until I managed to find my way in the dark back to my room and waited on sleep to catch me. An odd feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
THREE WEEKS EARLIER
"Isabelle? Clary" Maryse shouted down the hallway. Two heads popped out from their doorways, one fiery red, the other lusciously black. "Yeah?"
"I wouldn't ask but Alecs out and Jace said he'd be home hours ago, could you two run down to Takis and get dinner?"
And that was how the girls found themselves walking briskly down a New York street. The pair chatted easily nowadays, they'd become closer after the battle on Valentines ship, but Izzy could sense something was up. "Clary, just come out and say it will you? What's the matter?" Dark eyes met green and Clary shrugged, "Just stuff with Jace".
"Ah I see. Boy troubles. It always seems to be the way huh?"
"He's been acting really weird lately, I was wondering if, well you know, if he was uh bored of us, because we haven't… you know."
Clary knew Isabelle would be honest, but right now she needn't be. Clary was sure she already knew the answer.
"Clary-you know what Jace is like, he's so stuck in his old ways. You're the longest girl he's ever been with."
Clary nodded once and the pair continued on in silence. A million different scenarios running through her head.
They passed the park and a pretty brunette stalked out the gate, filling the Manhattan air with her equally pretty laughter. Boys turned to watch her go by and Clary rolled her eyes and glanced back to the ground. "Oh my gosh-
Izzy broke off. Clary glanced up at Izzy, Izzy was already looking down at her with eyes full of pity, nodding her head towards the pretty brunette. Then the image registered with Clary. The brunette who was now crossing the street had a boy hanging off her arm. Not just any boy though. From a distance Clary could see the golden hair and black attire that seemed to have won over another girl.
TWO WEEKS EARLIER
"Magnus this new jacket is simply fabulous, you have to tell me where you bought it!" The High Warlock of Brooklyn smirked and shook his head at Isabelle Lightwood saying "My dear, this was a one off from Donnatella, an old friend of mine. You have no chance in hell of getting this." Jace piped up "Ooh Maggie, please get me one of them too. They're simply amazing" his voice dripping with sarcasm. Clary elbowed him in the side and gave him a look. Things had been tense lately, when Clary brought up the brunette girl to Jace a week ago, he simply said they 'go way back. Brittney is an old friend of mine'. Isabelle simply glared back and continued rummaging through his closet in another room. Alec, Jace, Izzy and Clary had all gone over to Magnus' to plan the party he was hosting in two weeks time. "Alec, would you mind taking Jace down to the alleyway, there was a demon lurking there a couple of days ago. I sent it on it's way but the smell still lingers, just in case…" The two Shadowhunter boys got up of the leather couch and pulled out their weapons of choice, prepared. "Clary, red heads are stereotyped as fun, vivacious and full of life. Since you are none of those today I must ask, what is wrong?"
"I saw Jace with another girl. When I asked him about it he just shrugged it off and acted like it was nothing. I may be blowing this out of proportion, but… I just can't help but feel like I don't know what we're doing anymore."
The flamboyant Warlock moved in closer and held Clary's hands in his own, his grip strong. "It takes a foolish boy to fall in love with someone so different to himself, and an even more foolish boy to throw it away. Clary, Jace is no fool. This is just a rough patch. It will blow over."
"I sure hope so Magnus"
It was a strangely intimate moment. Not in a romantic way, not at all, but Magnus was reassuring and his sitting so close to Clary made her feel like she wasn't alone. Her hands held in his, she felt like she had made a new friend.
Of course Jace chose this moment to walk in the door followed back Alec. He took in the scene before him and turned his cold eyes to Magnus. "There was a Brugian demon a couple of blocks away. We got rid of it."
"Thankyou Shadowhunter."
An hour later back at the institute Clary sat in her room scribbling on her note pad. Jace hadn't spoken to her the cab ride home and she felt as if tonight would be a long one. The door burst open and Jace stood there in training gear with beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. His hair looked messy and ruffled and despite everything Clary couldn't help but notice how sexy he looked.
"So" he said in a short tone.
"Yes?" she answered back cooly.
"Getting cozy with a Warlock are we now?"
"Getting cozy with pretty brunette girls are we now?"
"Clary, you don't get to bring that up, it's-
"It's what Jace? Don't be such a hypocrite, of course I can bring that up. And firstly Magnus was being a friend, much more than you've been to me lately. And secondly, hello? Magnus is gay! Him an Alec have a thing and you don't see Alec getting all worked up about it do you. Why? Because he knows that there couldn't possibly be anything more to it that what I know it was. You're all over the place these days Jace. One day we're the happy couple, the next we don't say two words. Get your act together or there won't be a 'we' or an 'us' anymore."
There she had said it. She had begun helping Jace pave the way to the end of their relationship. And with that Clary stalked out the room, leaving Jace standing there, still shocked at Clary's outburst.
ONE WEEK EARLIER
He had brought Clary flowers, apologized, told her there was nothing to the brunette, acted like nothing had happened. But Clary had changed. She felt different, and things still felt strained. One day, someone turned up at the institute door and Clary answered the knock.
A blonde girl, with bright blue eyes and style to match Izzy's stood before her, smiling brightly. "Hi! I'm looking for Izzy, is she here?"
Izzy flew out the elevator and ran towards the girl. "Valerie!
Both girls hugged and squealed and started laughing.
"Um excuse me?" Clary said, feeling left out and curious.
"Sorry Clare, this is Valerie! She's an old friend of mine."
"Hi Valerie, it's nice to meet you"
"You too! Wow you have the most adorable hair, you're so cute"
"Uh thanks" Clary hated being called cute, and the only thing she hated more than that was her hair.
Izzy and Valerie chatted away enthusiastically.
"How long are you here for?"
"Not long. Only today actually for like an hour, I'm with my parents on the way to Los Angeles. There's been demon activity all over the place lately."
"Wow really? Sounds really cool!"
"Yeah it sure is." Her eyes turned sad all of a sudden. "Is he here Izzy?"
"Yeah Val, he's here. Clary here, she's uh actually his girlfriend."
Clary stood there confused, realizing whom it was they were talking about.
"His girlfriend? Wow hun, good luck with that."
Clary finally piped up. "Goodluck with that?"
Izzy answered this time. "Um Clary, Val here is the only girlfriend Jace has ever had before, except you of course."
"Uhuh. Funny, he never mentioned you…"
"Well he wouldn't. He didn't care, he cheated on me, then he broke up with me, he wasn't very nice."
"Maybe we could talk over lunch guys?" Izzy suggested.
Val enthusiastically agreed, but Clary shook her head. She said goodbye to 'Val' and made her way inside. So Jace had a girlfriend before her. That didn't bother her, but she couldn't help but wonder how much she didn't know about him. Jace stopped by her room later that evening, but Clary had rolled over to her side, pretending she was asleep and trying desperately to cry silently.
PRESENT TIME-DAY OF MAGNUS' PARTY
Glitter, skimpy dresses, sky-high shoes and all kinds of creatures were all present at the High Warlock of Brooklyn's party. Clary had unwillingly spent 4 hours and a half in Izzy's room getting ready for the party. She now stood in 6 inch heels with diamond studding, her fiery mane was tamed and straightened and smoky black eyes gave the illusion of a smoldering flame. Jace had cornered her in the hallway before they all left together and gripped her tightly whilst locking lips. Clary couldn't help but remember the first time they kissed and how she felt alive, and as if every cell in her body was on fire. Now, she still felt a connection, but she felt numbness to. Almost like she knew it was over.
They arrived at the party, a little breathless and excited and were welcomed into Magnus' apartment. Patterns danced around the room and drinks were being drank at a shocking rate. Clary stood still, a little awestruck. Jace gave her a quick kiss and said he would be back in a moment with drinks for them. She danced with Izzy, rocking their hips and winking at the downworlder boys who tried (and failed) to drag them away to a dark corner. Clary realized after two songs that Jace still wasn't back.
"I'll be right back Iz."
"What?" Izzy screamed over the music.
"I'll be right back!"
"Yeah I think so too"
Clary just rolled her eyes and smiled and went in search of Jace. She ran into Magnus and Magnus seemed a bit confused.
"Clary? Uh how did you get here? Weren't you just over there with Jace?"
"Um no? I was with Iz dancing… Why"
Magnus' cat eyes narrowed and he glanced down at the petite red head in front of him.
"Go find Jace will you Clary."
"Yeah… Okay? Why Magnus are you not telling me something?"
And that's when she saw it. Magnus had conjured intimate booths and set them up in his lounge room. In one, sat Jace with a leggy red headed girl, running his hands up her legs and whispering seductively in her ear. A wave of betrayal washed over Clary. This girl was drinking her drink. Kissing her boyfriend. The old Clary would have run out crying. But Clary didn't know who she was anymore, so she surprised herself when she grabbed one of the drooling downworlder boys and started dancing with him, moving her mouth over his neck and standing on her tippy toes to reach his mouth. There she had done it. They had both cheated. She didn't care though, and that's what worried her the most. What had Jace done to her?
The downworlder boy had pulled her into a corner and they started making out again. It felt good. It felt good to numb the pain caused by him. It felt good to get her own revenge back. It felt good to not feel like the boring, clingy, whiny girl sitting at home moping. They were even. But even that didn't take away the remaining pain. The boy was good, he knew all the right moves, Clary really started to get into it and then all of a sudden, the boy was being pulled off her. A brawl broke out on the dancefloor and Clary wasn't surprised to realize that it was between the boy and Jace.
"What's going on here?" Magnus boomed, sounding strangely authoritarian.
"You," motioning at Jace. "Out!"
And Clary watched with regret as Jace threw her a stony look as he stalked out of the party.
Clary Fray stumbled out of Magnus' Brooklyn apartment with her bag under her right arm and a bottle of Vodka clutched tightly in her left. She wasn't drunk, nor did she plan to be. That wasn't her style, lately though? She wasn't too sure what to think of herself anymore… She stuck her head around a corner, and saw a mass of golden hair atop a body that made her heart ache every time she saw it sitting down against a wall. She didn't know what she was doing, but her feet seemed to have a pretty good idea. Left, right, left, right, left, right. And so she stood facing down at Jace. He only then looked up to make eye contact with her. "Can I sit?" she asked.
He shrugged his shoulders and gestured to the ground beside him.
They sat in silence for a while. Clary wasn't sure how long for, but each second ticked by and it hurt more than the last. It was awkward and she hated the thought that this is what it had come down to.
"What are we doing Jace?"
Another shrug.
"Oh okay, so this is all me then?"
This time he did nothing.
More minutes passed by and Clary felt her stomach slowly dropping. After everything... After absolutely everything, the battle on Valentine's Ship, trying to find her mother, it all loomed in her memory.
She began to realize. With each tick of the clock, it was as if something was ticking over in her head, and the realization of loss hurt more than anything.
After sometime Jace said: "I didn't think it would be like this"
More silence followed. Clary was desperately trying to catch a breath because she was sitting still but her heart was beating so hard it was threatening to break out of her chest.
"So we're done then?"
She looked at Jace, hoping to high heavens he wouldn't say the words. Hoping that maybe this could work out. Hoping that what they shared between them was strong enough that –
He broke her chain of thought.
"We're done"
And with that Clary nodded once, met his eyes one more time, gathered up her things, stood up, glanced back at him and turned the corner. Her steps quickened and the sobs she had held back for so long came in waves.