Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All rights belong to Cassandra Clare.
We had made it all the way. We had scraped by with two wins at regional semis and finals but we couldn't at states. We had won the day before to advance us on to states in the fourth set in front of all of our friends and families but we weren't so lucky the day of states.
Waking up in our hotel rooms in Columbus and helping ourselves to our healthy breakfast before heading to the gym we felt tired but good. This was going to be our first back to back game in a couple months and we were already feeling it. The adrenaline that had kept us up last night pumping through our blood was gone and in its place was a tiredness that none of us could shake. We thought that warm ups would get us going again, but it didn't. We were slow to the ball, Clary's passes weren't up to their usual par so our tired setter, not used to having to move, suffered, and our hits were all out of bounds. Luckily we had six hours before we had to be back in the gym for warm ups.
After some power naps and a good lunch we met up in Clary's and I's room. We killed the last couple of hours going over highlights of the season and just spending time with each other. We wanted to enjoy this once in a life time opportunity together so we did. We blasted music and jumped on beds and got ready for the game. We wore our black jerseys and Clary wore her white one. This was it. Make it or break it.
Warm ups were better. Clary's passes were better and so we're Kaelie's sets. Our hits were in bounds again but we were still slower. Normally we played fast paced but the balls felt extra heavy today. Clary missed a few more balls than normal and Kaelie doubled a few times. Our hitting was better aimed, but much weaker than normal. Luckily for us, the other team played as lethargic as us. That or it was a huge fluke they made it here in the first place.
From the moment the first whistle blew it was anybody's game. For every point we scored they answered. And for every point they scored we got one back. It was like playing tug a war with the same exact people on each side. It was no longer about skill, but who gave up first.
We had both one two sets, so we were on the fifth one. The first to 15, win by two. We were up by now. Both teams playing like they did yesterday. All tiredness gone. The trophy was staring us both in the face and we both wanted it. And Clary shanked. We probably could have gotten it too, if we weren't so used to her perfect passes. One second to late we were running after it. Somebody got a hand on it and another person got it over only for it to be smacked right back, when nobody was back in position. We had lost. 15-13. And it felt even worse than the soreness.
Clary was crying. We all were. But hers were the worst. They weren't loud or obnoxious. They were silent but relentless. Nobody blamed her. It was a hard hit and she was bound to get the wrong side of the ball some time and it was partially our fault. We could have gotten it. But we didn't. So we hugged her and told her it wasn't her fault.
We shook hands proud of our accomplishments and accepted our second place medals and trophies with our heads held high. We congratulated the other team one more time and they all congratulated Clary on just how amazing she was. And she really was. By far the best person on the court and she didn't even want to play in college.
I could tell all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. So when we got back to our hotel rooms I let her. I changed out of uniform and took a shower, leaving her alone. I'm sure Jace was trying to reach her and I was very surprised to find her alone when I got out of the shower. She was no longer crying and she had her clothes out so she could change. I hugged her and she hugged me back, congratulating me on my good game before she took her shower.
Her phone was on the bedside table and two texts from Jace were unopened in her notifications. Packing my bag I tried my best to resist looking at them, because I'm sure they were super cute and I hardly ever get to see that side of him. She came back out in sweats and one of Jace's old hoodys (although it was from his freshmen year it still swallowed her) and a her wet hair in a messy bun. She quickly packed up her stuff and sat on the bed grabbing her phone. I sat next to her and peered over her shoulder to read Jace's texts. He was congratulating her on a good game and apologizing for having to leave right away because he had practice. In the second text he was offering to call her, he had let Alec drive his baby just in case she needed him. To my surprise she denied his offer and told him she loved him before turning her phone off.
Later, on the bus when I asked her why, she said she didn't feel like talking, all she wanted was to be held. If I hadn't known her as well as I did, she would have sounded bitter, but I knew she wasn't mad or upset, she was just a girl who wanted to be cuddled. Luckily for her I was without a cuddle buddy so when we got home we went straight to her room and put in Safe Haven. Her mom made us popcorn and brought us ice cream as we wallowed in self pity. She fell asleep before the movie was over, and I knew I was close to passing out myself so I let myself out and walked to my house.
Jace was sitting on the couch staring at his phone when I walked in. I could tell he was waiting for her to text him back but she probably wouldn't wake up for another 12 hours from how tired she was. He looked up when I walked in and I knew he thought she was mad at him. I explained to him that she just wanted to be cuddled with earlier, she didn't feel like talking. And now she was fast asleep, not ignoring him.
This was the Jace nobody else new existed. He was so upset with himself for not being there. I knew he would go get flowers and a sad movie from the store and spend all day making it up to her. He would kiss her and hug her and take her wherever she wanted for the day until he knew she wasn't mad at him. I knew she wasn't, but all he wanted was to love her and make sure. When it came to Clary he was without reason.