A/N: I'm just going to establish now that I love Izzy and I love writing her character. Now that that's out of the way...
Chapter 10
(Isabelle POV)
I had a bone to pick with someone, someone who deserved it and had cheated on one of my best friends in the world with one of my new friends who also happened to be a relative. I was, to put it lightly, pissed.
"JACE LIGHTWOOD," I boomed impressively outside his bedroom door, knocking on it repeatedly in an ostentatious fashion. I didn't care that I was being annoying. The little bitch deserved it. "OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR OR ELSE."
Suddenly, the door opened a crack to reveal the blond head and impassive face of my adoptive brother. Usually I was happy to see him, but this time I just felt an oily wave of revulsion slide over me. "Yes?" he asked, trying to play it cool.
"Get out of my way right now if you know what's good for you," I commanded, arms crossed in my no-nonsense pose. No one could oppose me when I got commanding, including Jace.
Reluctantly, he slid back into his bedroom, saying, "Very well, then," and keeping the door propped open for me. I stomped in behind him, ready to blow a gasket.
Once he was seated on his bed like a little boy sent to his room for bad behavior, I started telling him off. "What the fuck did you think you were doing, you—"
He interrupted me, holding up a hand. "If you're here to tell me what a jackass I am, you can leave. I know that already." I was about to give him a piece of my mind for interrupting me, but he suddenly looked so sad that the words died in my throat. "It's the only thing I can think about right now. What a fucking moron I am, and how much I always hurt the people I love. I know that what I did was wrong, Iz, but I couldn't help myself."
"Then why did you?" I questioned, feeling it was about time for me to chime in. "And I know this isn't the first time you've cheated on Clary. What is it, five times? Do you know what you do to her, Jace? And now you've roped Evangeline into this too, and she's a nice girl. I can't believe you sometimes!"
Jace stared at me then, misery evident in his luminous gold eyes that I had once found attractive (okay, I was, like, thirteen when I had a crush on him). "It isn't five," he said quietly. "It's three, including this."
"Like that makes a hell of a difference," I scoffed, flipping my hair over my right shoulder because it was getting into my face. "You're still a serial cheater and a certified jackass, Jace."
"What can I say?" he said dejectedly, raking a hand through his golden curls. "I'm a weak and pathetic man, Izzy. I have no control sometimes."
"No, Jace," I said, "you're not a man. You're an immature boy who can't keep his sex drive in check. Do you know how many people you'll end up hurting in the long run?"
I let him think about it for a few poignant seconds, and then he surprised me by talking, as if to himself. His voice was as low as it always was, but it shook with dark emotion. "I just wanted her to be mine. But then we got to talking and I realized that she's a great girl on her own. It's like we've known each other for years. And I feel especially awful because deep down, I want to get to know her more. But I also want to stay with Clary, because I love her." He turned to me and I saw that he had tears in his eyes. "What do I do?"
"Well, Jace, let me begin by telling you what it's like to be in Clary's position. When I found out that Simon cheated on me with Maia that one night, I was devastated. It was like he had thrown me away, as if I was a used Kleenex or something. And then he told me it was because he was still in love with Clary. Do you know how that made me feel?"
"Terrible, probably," he mumbled. "I understand that I've hurt Clary deeply, but I still want to be with her. I've made up my mind. Evangeline doesn't know the history I've had with Clary, and you can't just throw that away. I really love that ginger." He smiled wearily, a tear sliding down his cheek.
"Then pray to God that she'll take you back," I said. "I'll talk to you more about this later." And with that, I left and felt mildly satisfied. It would take more than one conversation to change him, but it seemed that he was well on the "Road to Recovery".
(Jace POV)
After I talked to Isabelle, I felt a variety of emotions. I was really upset because of what I'd done, but I was happy because I realized that I wanted to stay with Clary. Thinking about Evangeline made me second-guess it, though, so I tried not to dwell too much on her.
I would go to Clary and beg for forgiveness. I'd do something really romantic, like a candlelit dinner and a night of loving passion. And better than that, I'd try to change, really. I thought, Clary will be so happy. I'll dedicate myself to her and her only, forever. Maybe I'd even buy a ring and propose to her. As messy as this situation was, it helped me realize how much Clary really meant to me.
But Evangeline… Part of me still pined after her, with her delicate beauty and palpable innocence. She was probably better off without me. And besides, I was going to go back to Clary and maybe even marry her…
It was then that I realized I'd gotten a reply text message from my girlfriend. I was excited. She was probably going to tell me that she forgave me, right?
Wrong. "I really don't give a damn anymore if you say that you love me, Jace. We're through, for real. I mean it."
Overcome with rage and grief, I chucked my phone at the window (which shattered) and threw myself onto my bed, trying to contain the tears and failing.
And I never cried, not since I was a little boy. You fucking jackass. You ruined everything.
A/N: There goes Jace, making me cry again while writing. ;_; Is it normal for stories to affect their authors this much? xoxo