A/N:I didn't expect so many people to get involved like this! I had to delete a couple anonymous reviews. :( I hate doing that. But really, please try to keep an open mind about everything. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to the LGBT community with this story at all! I hope this isn't being taken the wrong way.

But anyway, here's the new chapter. Enjoy. :)

Chapter 30

(Isabelle POV)

I closed my eyes as I pictured hordes of demons before me. I launched into a flip and swung my whip around to beat them back, keeping all the demons at a distance I was comfortable with and bringing down as many as I could.

Suddenly, I heard faint applause.

Snapping out of my fantasy of sorts, I turned around and saw that Clary was the one clapping. I was moderately out-of-breath (I'd been training for a while), but I managed to say, "Afternoon, Clary. Enjoying the show?"

She smiled, though I could detect that something was off in her eyes. "Of course. I wish I could be that badass."

I smoothed back my ponytail, an appreciative grin flitting across my face. "Thanks for the compliment, Clare-bear. Now what do you want?"

"Was I being that obvious?" Clary came over to where I was standing and leaned against a wall, crossing her arms.

I nodded. "A little bit." The only time that she ever flattered me was when she wanted something. What can I say? Sometimes, flattery does get you places.

"Okay." Clary paused for a moment. "I guess that what I want is advice."

"Is it Jace?" If he had been a jackass again, there would be hell to pay courtesy of Isabelle Lightwood.

She smiled ruefully. "No, actually. Well, sort of. It's complicated. Basically, Jace and I slept together and then broke up again, and that made me lonely so I spent the day with Evangeline. And…"

"And what?" I asked skeptically.

Clary's expression turned miserable, and she covered her face. "Evangeline and I kissed a couple times," she mumbled.

I was thrown. Never would I have expected that turn of events. Clary and Evangeline? Huh. "Oh. Okay, then."

"And Izzy, I'm so confused. I really… enjoyed it. It felt like Evangeline and I had a connection, and she's just so sweet. Is something wrong with me? I've never felt this way before."

I went over to her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Nothing's wrong with you, Clary. You're young. These things happen! We've even kissed before, remember? And you just broke up with Jace. Of course you're feeling emotionally bereft lately."

Clary started looking frustrated. "But it was more than kissing. I'm… I'm really attracted to Evangeline, and I don't know why."

"I can assure you that, even if you're attracted to Evangeline, nothing's wrong. Maybe you're just not as straight as you thought you were. Relax, Clary."

"But… Then there's Jace—I'm still in love with him, Izzy! And then Simon. Oh, God…" Clary covered her face again, turning red. "I don't know what to do. Everything's turned into such a fucking mess. What should I do?"

"Just play everything by ear. The right decisions will probably come naturally in due time." Then I hugged her, feeling very sympathetic. I could only imagine what she was going through. Clary was right, it was a mess. "It's going to be alright, Clary. Give it time."

Not even an hour after Clary left, Evangeline showed up in my room. I was brushing my hair and sitting at my vanity table when I saw her reflected in my doorframe. "Hey, Evangeline. Do you need anything?" I asked, spinning around to face her.

Just like Clary, Evangeline looked weary and troubled. "Can we talk?" she sighed.

"Yeah, sure. Sit down." As soon as Evangeline had taken a seat on my bed, I decided to cut to the chase. "Does this have to do with you and Clary kissing, by any chance?" Evangeline's jaw dropped and she started saying something, but I kept speaking. "Clary and I talked earlier."

"Oh." My cousin's normally pale cheeks had now turned an impressive shade of crimson. How cute, I thought faintly, she blushes just like Alec. "I suppose it partially has to do with that, yes."

"I'm going to tell you exactly what I told Clary, alright?" Looking into her eyes, I plowed on confidently. "You and Clary kissing isn't that big of a deal. The two of you have been going through a lot lately, and these things do happen. Okay?"

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "I don't entirely know how to word this, but… I think I might be attracted to Clary. But it's confusing, because I'm also drawn to Jace and I'm sort of dating Simon. Jace and I decided to just be friends, but the other day, when the three of us were at a coffee shop together, I realized that I'm still very attracted to him, and Simon. And now Clary."

Holy shit. I stop monitoring my friends for three days and all of this happens?! "Well, that is pretty confusing. But you know what else I told Clary? That it'll all work out eventually. It will, Evangeline. Even if the four of you realize you're all better off alone. You don't have to make a decision, anyway, at least not now. Just let everything work out on its own. Trust me."

As soon as Evangeline and I were done talking, I decided to track down Jace. It had been a few days since I'd yelled at him, anyway, and I was dying to get his side of the story. I was still shocked that all of that had happened under my nose.

I knocked on his door, and said, "Jace? Are you in there?"

"Yeah. Come in," I heard him say.

So I did enter into his stark, boring bedroom that was such a far cry from mine. How could anyone live without décor? "Hey. How have you been lately?" Before he could answer, I continued, "And how are you involved in the tangled web of relationship drama?"

Jace was lying in bed atop his covers, reading, but put the book down as I waited for an answer. "Ah, that. Where should I start?"

"Well, I already know about your breakup with Clary." I flipped my hair, as it was getting in my face. "How are you handling it?"

"Not very well, actually. I know it's for the best, but… That doesn't make it any easier."

"I understand," I told him. A thought started nagging at me, and I had to bring it up. "By any chance, are you and Simon romantically involved in any way?"

Jace blinked. "Why, did he tell you about us making out yesterday?"

OH MY GOD. I felt abruptly overwhelmed, and wondered when all of this started happening around me. And here I was in the center, everyone's favorite confidante. "No, he didn't, actually. How was it?"

A smirk worked its way across his face. "It was very interesting. Here's proof." Then he stuck his tongue out at me, and I could have sworn that I saw two darker red spots, like sores or something… "I can tell from your expression that you're surprised, to say the least."

"Are those… bite marks on your tongue? Like from Simon's fangs?"

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p'. "Who would have known, right?"

A wave of dizziness overtook me, and I put a hand against my forehead to steady myself. "And let me guess, you're still in love with Clary but attracted to Evangeline and Simon."

"Sounds about accurate to me. You know, I never would have guessed that all of this would happen," he said in contemplation, crossing his arms behind his head and looking up at the ceiling. He was being so… nonchalant. It was shocking, to say the least. Was this a coping mechanism?

"Neither would I," I intoned honestly. "Maybe the four of you should just all be together in a quartet or something."

"Like polyamory?" Jace sat up abruptly, looking intently at me. "Isabelle, you may be onto something." Then he jumped to his feet, bounding over to me and planting a big kiss on my forehead. "You're a genius," he said, sprinting out of the room and leaving me alone.

And I was left wondering, What the fuck just happened?

A/N: What an idea! :D What do you think of it? xoxo