Just Roommates
Chapter Six: Watch It
Chapter Songs
Dog Days Are Over ~ Florence and The Machine
Helena Beat ~ Foster The People
A-Punk ~ Vampire Weekend
...
"Have you learned your lesson on giving underage children caffeine?" Jace walked to the right of me as we were waiting for the others to finish using the restroom. Max was currently running wild through the hallway, almost knocking down everyone who entered the restaurant.
I scowled at Jace, but then went running to Max who was playing with what looked like a valuable vase.
"Max, Max! Please will you calm down?" I almost begged as I looked into his wide eyes.
"No I'm having fun!" Max cheered.
"Please, for me?"
Max giggled and went running to the other side of the room, to Jace.
"I'm so fast! I bet I can run a mile in two seconds" Max beamed at Jace.
"You've proved that with all your running, but how about you save your energy and-" Jace picked up Max and placed him on his shoulders,"stay right here"
Max let out a fit of giggles.
"I'm taller than you Jace! I'm so tall! A giraffe isn't even taller than me!" Max said crazily.
"Aren't I Clary?" Max asked for confirmation.
"Yes you are" I had to crane my neck to look up to him.
The others came out of the bathroom and we went out the door.
"Do you guys want frozen yogurt?" Izzy turned to Jon, Jace, and I.
"FROZEN YOGURT!" Max screamed.
"I think sugar is the last thing you need" I whispered up to Max who responded by sticking his tongue out.
"You know mom doesn't like you having too much sugar and you're going to that birthday tomorrow where there'll be cake" Izzy rose her eyebrows as Max sighed in defeat.
"No it's fine, I have to get back and finish up my art project anyway" as Jon and Jace whined.
"Okay then I guess this is goodbye" Izzy walked us to the car along with Alec and Magnus.
We all had our own round of good byes, including Alec trying to untangle Max from Jace's shoulders.
I started the car and headed back home.
After a few miles I caught two blondies looking at me with questioning glares.
"What?" I said to both of them in the mirror.
"You can drive- well?" Jon asked.
"I knew I forgot to do something" I mentally cursed myself.
"My baby's safe" Jace put a hand over his heart with his prescuice little car in mind.
"Not if I have a say in it" I muttered.
Jace's eyes widened as he let out a gasp.
I rolled my eyes as I continued the ride home.
When I entered the door I went straight to my room and gathered up my paints.
I wanted everything to be perfect, not one touch of paint out side of its line.
I wanted the shades of the leaves to reflect the bright day and the tree to show the truth of its age behind its bark.
I had lost myself in the painting, making every little detail perfect to the point, so when I heard a knock on my door I nearly flinched, almost ruining my painting.
"Dinner" Jon sang out as he knocked on my door.
"Busy!" I muttered as I continued with the small touches.
"I said I was busy" I told as I heard the door open.
"Yes, but you wouldn't want to offend your big brother by not eating the delicious dinner he prepared for you!" Jon countered.
"Hey you can't take all the credit" Jace entered the room, scanning the walls up and down.
"You." I pointed to Jace, "Out of my room, before you ruin it with all your Jace germs"
Jace leaned against the door frame, smirking at me "Jace germs?"
"Ugh, I probably can't even touch the food if you made it." I continued, "So it's best if I just stay in my room and finish my work"
"Wow Clare, this is- it's beautiful" Jon examined the painting.
"Not bad Morgenstern" Jace walked behind the chair I was sitting in.
"What did I say about being in my room?" I glared and Jace just shrugged.
"Come on let's eat dinner" Jon started to walk towards the door.
"What's for dinner?" I asked.
"Steak and salad" Jon said as I made a lighter shade of green with a drop more of white paint.
"Well would you look at that, too bad I'm a vegetarian or else I would totally-"
"Clary, you had half a burger- with extra bacon and chicken nachos for lunch" Jon stated.
Curse my animal like appetite. Why couldn't have I just ordered a salad? Salads are unsatisfying- well unless it has meat.
"I'm starting now, a whole new cleanse" I painted lighter blades of grass.
"You work too hard, you could use a break" Jace looked down from the painting.
"Can't" I painted the darker blades of grass.
"You leave us no choice" Jon looked over to Jace.
They both walked over to my chair.
"Fine! Fine! Just let me clean off my brushes"
I walked to the table where the food was set up and took my seat.
"So how was your day Clary?" Jon announced.
"You were literally with me the whole day" I shook my head.
"Just trying to make conversation" Jon said.
"Shouldn't you guys be eating dinners with your girlfriends?" I asked.
Both of them started coughing as I rose my eyebrows.
"We don't have girlfriends" Jon muttered.
"It's frown upon on the soccer team, it doesn't let you focus properly" Jace announced.
"Did you just call a girlfriend a it?" I was on the verge of laughter.
"Girlfriend or not, we still get around" Jace changed the subject.
"Eww, eww stop" I covered my ears, "You guys are such man whores"
"I don't think I get around that much to be a whore" Jon exclaimed.
"Oh, I'm so proud for you Jonathan, my big brother" I rolled my eyes as I heard Jace let out a laugh.
"I don't think that's something to be proud of" Jace laughed.
"It's better than being a slag like you" I retorted.
"He doesn't get around that much lately, too focused on sports" Jon stated.
Jace shrugged, "All the love I need comes from sports"
I rolled my eyes and stabbed my fork into spinach.
"What about you and your boy toys?" Jace asked changing the subject.
"You know the usual" It was now my turn to shrug.
"Ooh Jon, I think your sister had a boyfriend" Jace smirked like a school girl.
"Of course I have! I'm not a nun" I rolled my eyes.
"Clarissa Adele Morgenstern! Who was this young man or men?" My brother looked stern- haha Morg-en-stern.
"None of your business, so tell me, what are the guys like at NYU?" I asked.
They both raised a brow.
"You know, if I go there"
"Well in that case, you won't find anyone as stunning as me so you shouldn't get your hopes up" Jace smirked.
"Jon" I looked to my brother for information since Jace was clearly going to be biased.
"None good enough for you" So was Jon apparently.
"Ugh I'll just ask Izzy" I cut into my steak.
I ate my food in a hurry, trying to get back to my painting.
I rushed back to my work and worked through out the night.
I startled when I had heard a knock at my door. I woke up in the chair I had been painting in, with my head on the desk- which wasn't the most comfortable of positions. I had paint all over my clothes and in my hair. That's going to be fun taking out.
"Clary, wakey-wakey! You don't want to be late for art school" I turned to the patronizing voice.
"What time is it?" I asked Jace ignoring his last statement.
"Just past seven fifty" he replied.
"What!? Why didn't Jon wake me up earlier!? Why did you wake me up!?" I shot up from my desk pulling out clothes to wear in a haste.
"I didn't think it would hurt you waking up to a pretty face, maybe you would be in a better mood" Jace offered, "And normally you wake on your own"
"So where's Jon?" I asked pulling my hair into a bun trying to hide the paint flakes.
"He went to practice early to help the others" Jace shrugged.
"Ugh great, now I'm going to have to get a cab" I half muttered to myself.
"No need, I'll drive you" Jace crossed his arms across his chest, which was very… muscled.
"What's the catch?" I eyed him carefully.
"No catch" he shrugged.
I continued to eye him.
"I would get hopping, only a few minutes on the clock" Jace nodded.
"Crap" I started unbuckling the jeans I fell asleep in. I quickly stopped in my tracks as I could feel golden orbs eyeing me.
"Out" I threw a pillow at him as he chuckled out the door.
With the door closed I changed into new clothes and slip on sneakers.
I raced to the bathroom, trying to scrape off the red paint flakes on my cheek.
"Crap!" I looked at my phone which now read eight fifteen.
"Come on, vominos" I told Jace picking up his keys.
I locked up once he got out the door and ran to his car.
"Jace I know you can walk faster than this!" I explained as he made his way to the car.
"Keys" he announced.
I tossed them his way, not having enough energy in me to fight him on this.
I got in the car and realized I was an idiot. A complete and utter idiot.
"Pass me your keys" I told Jace as I hopped out the car and grabbed the keys from his hand.
When I entered the apartment I ran to my room and picked up my not-completely-dry painting and my art bag.
"Go! Go! Go!" I shoved the keys into Jace's hand as he started laughing.
I didn't realize- until now that he was dressed in all soccer gear, and cleats on top of his long soccer socks. He was wearing navy shorts and a grey shirt that hugged his built frame.
He looked quite well- artistically speaking.
"So where's this place?" Jace looked at me as he turned on a semi-familiar street.
"Um, let me look at my phone" I scrambled in my bag for my phone, after a minute it was hopeless.
I let out an internal scream.
"Here" Jace handed his phone to me, and I could tell he was trying to fight the urge to laugh.
"Thanks" I muttered as I typed in the address.
"Make a left here" I told Jace.
"Right"
"Straight" I directed Jace to the school with out any wrong turns.
"Thank you, bye" I was about to open the door.
"No problem, it's a pleasure to be bossed around by you" Jace said sarcastically.
"You're the one that offered me the ride" I shrugged.
"You're going to be late" Jace smiled as he pushed me out the car.
"Bye" I smirked.
"Pick you up after" Jace winked and drove off and I ran to the front door.
"Ms. Morgenstern, late again" Mrs. Penhallow announced.
"Sorry" I muttered as I made it to my seat.
Mrs. Penhallow continued with the lesson.
"So how did yours turn out?" Maya asked me.
I set the painting on the easel in front of me, and then I heard a gasp from Maya. I then aloud myself to absorb the painting in front of me. The light and dark pastel colors against the light blue sky, the tree, being the darkest color there, drew your eyes to it. I was quite proud of this painting.
"That's beautiful Clary" Maya told me.
I looked over at hers, which actually showed a lot of effort. You could see the detail of the tree and the grass surrounding it. Some people were riding a swing or chasing each other around the tree, it really effects how a tree gives life.
"Yours is so creative Maya!"
"Thanks"
Mrs. Penhallow was taking rounds around the class room to inspect who did and didn't do the assignment, she also made little comments here and there.
When she got to Maya she said only nice things, but when she got to me she made humming sounds.
"While this is rather beautiful, I'm afraid you didn't follow the directions" She looked over my shoulder.
"What do you mean I didn't follow the directions?" I tried to keep my voice calm as I turned to her, but it was pretty hard.
I spent countless hours on this stupid thing! I lost hours of sleep, which was very important to me. And all this for nothing. Nuh-uh. No sur-ee.
"I simply instructed the class to paint how the tree affects the life around it" she said simply.
"And I did, maybe not human life but life indeed. I painted how the birds breathe in the oxygen of the tree to chirp all day long and sing in the wind." I stated.
"Well it seems everyone else understood the assignment, seeing as they didn't only paint animals" Mrs. Penhallow ignored my argument.
Mrs. Penhallow made her way to the front of the room, getting ready to teach the class.
"For what it's worth, your painting can beat up all our paintings combined" Maya nudged my shoulder.
I gave her a slight smile, but I still couldn't help how much I want to place my knuckles right across the old hag's cheek.
I sketched on the piece of paper I had in front of me, giving no care to the lesson being given.
Once I got out of "class", I walked down the stairs digging in my bag for my phone, which I swear had to of jumped out of my bag and ran away.
I distinctly saw Maya jump into her car, but she started to drive away before I could start walking.
I heard to swift honks calling for my attention.
My head snapped to the noise and to Jace's car.
I walked to his car but when I reached for the handle and he drove up a little so it was out of reach. I saw him smile on the other side of the window. I went to reach for the door again but he drove up a little, yet again.
"Ha-ha Jace, very funny now open the door" I rolled my eyes.
I reached out again but he drove forward.
I sighed heavily, definitely not in the mode for his little shenanigans.
"Fine I'm walking home" I started walking the other way and I heard him call out.
"Wait, here" He stopped in front of me.
I reached for the handle quickly but not quick enough.
I saw Jace shaking with laughter inside the car.
"Ugh!" I puffed and took long strides in the opposite direction of his car.
"Clary! Wait, I was kidding come on!" Jace called after me, but I kept walking.
"You won't get that far without this" Jace said and I looked back. He had my phone dangling in his fingers.
Taking my phone and riding in the same car as Jace or getting tragically lost in the middle on New York.
I groaned and made my to Jace.
He pushed the passenger car door open from his side of the car.
I snatched my phone from his hand then crossed my arms over my chest.
"So how's my little art protege?" Jace tilted his head my way.
I continued to look straight ahead with my arms crossed.
"Clary?" Jace waved a hand in front of my face and I turned towards the window.
"Oh the 'silent treatment' trick. What are we five again?" Jace cracked a smile but I was just in a pissy mood.
"Shouldn't you be focusing more on driving?" I snapped.
After a extra few minutes of driving I got slightly confused.
I mean I know I've only done this drive a few times, and I'm not the best with directions, but I felt like we should've been home five minutes ago.
"Jace where are we going?" I asked annoyingly.
"Well I just took a break from practice to pick you up, we aren't done yet" Jace paused, "And you should be extremely thankful because coach isn't generous with breaks, you're lucky I'm a good player" Jace smiled at me.
"Well then why couldn't you've dropped me off at home?"
"Wasn't going that way" Jace shrugged.
"I swear we passed it" I exclaimed pointing backwards.
"Well I guess it's too late to turn back now"
I huffed and leaned back against the seat.
"So what's got you in your more than pissy mood today?" Jace asked smirking at me.
"Nothing" I muttered.
"Mhmm" Jace responded.
"Whatever" Jace pulled into the car park and I got out.
"So how much longer do you think you guys have?" I questioned Jace.
"I don't know, hours, minutes, days" Jace said sarcasitically.
"Ha-ha" I rolled my eyes.
"Chill Red, I doubt we have much longer"
The hell he didn't have that long I was waiting for two hours at least.
Not that I minded much at first because I had my phone but it was getting colder and colder by the second- which doesn't make sense at all. It was just a thousand degrees in the afternoon!
"So Jace tells me you're in a mood of sorts" Jon sat next to me.
"He's lying" I huffed.
"Sure, what bothering you lil sis?" Jon swung his sweaty arm around my shoulders.
"My stupid art teacher with her stupid directions" I muttered.
Jon let out a laugh, "I this what you're in a fuss about? Clary you know your art work is good, don't let her decide that you're not because that would be a bunch of balangy" Jon confessed.
"Yeah I know, but she was pushing me to draw people- and I've never been comfortable with drawing people. It's my weakest skill" I shrugged.
"You know how you strengthen a weak skill?" Jon rose an eyebrow.
"How?" I rolled my eyes.
"Practice." Jon replied smugly.
I rolled my eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time today.
"Yo Jon! Get your pasty white butt down here" One of Jon's teammates called out.
"I'm glad your teammates are just like family" I smirked.
"Whatever" Jon pushed my head and ran back to the field.
I continued scrolling through various social media sites, and What not on my phone. Not even ten minutes after Jon came I had another blond at my side.
"Can I help you?" I said with a small smile.
"Looks like some one's in a better mood" Jace noted.
"Looks like someone's still annoying" I countered, "So what's up?" I asked after he hadn't said anything for some time.
"Well it seems we're short a player since one of our players had taken a leave" Jace explained.
"And you think you I can play to the level of the best of the best soccer players?" I inquired.
"You think we're the best of the best?" Jace smiled.
"If you were the best of the best you be playing on tv or doing, I don't know actual games, so no. I was just saying that for my bennifit when I can't catch all the balls" After I made my point I heard Jace laugh a little bit.
"Shut up"
"Okay we don't need you for your skill we just want you to be there so it would be even" Jace explained.
"But it's cold" I crossed my arms.
"You can wear my practice sweater" Jace offered.
"Ew, it's probably sweaty and gross" I scrunched my nose up in distaste.
"I haven't used it today" Jace rolled his eyes.
"But then I'll have to run… and actually be active" I sighed.
"Come on, I'll buy you ice cream afterwards so you can make up the calories you've burnt" Jace bargained.
"I mean if you really want me to" I stood excitedly for ice cream.
"Unbelievable, you're like a five year old" Jace threw his arms in the air.
"Ice cream is ice cream" I started walking down the bleachers.
"Sugar and ice, what's not to like?" Jace said.
"That kinda rhymes" I noticed.
"Nothing gets past you" Jace smirked smugly.
"Well-" Jace cut me off as we started walking on the field.
"This is Clary, she'll make up for Melorin's absence" Jace announced quite loudly as he threw an arm over my shoulder.
"Be very nice to her, because she's my sister" Jon added.
"And my lover" Jace said as he nestled his head in my neck.
I turned around in Jace's grip and shoved him hard and he started cracking up.
"I am not his lover! He's an annoying prick!" I announced to the laughing group of hot hot soccer players.
Man I should really look up from my phone time to time.
"How you doin'?" I heard one of the guys shout out from the small group.
"Hey! Hey! She's my sister! When I say be nice, that means don't be pigs!" Jon said.
"We don't like pigs" Jace's arm returned to my shoulder.
"Funny you say that" I pushed his arm off my shoulder.
"Let's just start the stupid game" I muttered.
Half the team got jerseys and the other half stayed in their shirts.
Both teams started getting in positions.
"Yo Clary! What position do you want?" Alec ran up to me.
"Which position had the least amount of work?"
"Well since our team is built pretty strongly, defense is your best bet" Alec explained.
"Defense it is"
Alec was right. For most of the game I was stand to the left of the goal.
I barely Had the chance to pass the ball because the mid defense always got to it before me.
After the first quarter we were switching positions.
"Hey Alec, can I get a position where I do something" I jogged up to him.
"Are you sure you're up for it? You know you actually have to run and try" Alec rose an eyebrow.
"I think I can do it" I smiled.
"That's my sister, getting up there and showing what she's made of!" Jon wrapped me in his sweaty arms.
What's with people and wrapping their arms around me today?
After we drank water and got a two second resting period we were back on the field.
And I was a midfielder.
There was a lot of running back and forth on my part, but I never got some of the action. I wasn't quick enough.
At one point though, I was standing in the direct line of the ball- because Alec passed it to me, I did a two touch and passed it towards Jace.
And that was the high of my action.
It was crunched together, basically all the defense and the other team's forwards battling for the ball.
But they were still pretty well spaced.
I was more towards our opponents goal making sure they had an "option".
I wasn't paying much attention when the ball flew to me.
A second later I stopped it with my thigh and haphazardly dribbled it closer to the goal.
I could hear stomping cleats rushing towards me, pressuring me to move quicker.
"You got it Clary! Shoot!" I could hear Jace scream.
"Go Clary!" the rest of the team shouted.
Right as I took my shot, I felt a wall on my left side knock the air out of me and caused me to twist my body in a weird direction. I fell to the floor.
My eyes were dotted with black dots as I opened my eyes and regained my breath.
"Clary!" Suddenly Jace was at my side. "Are you alright?"
I looked up pulling myself on to my elbows. I saw dark hair and pale skin looking down at me with a shocked expression.
Yeah that wall wasn't a wall, it was an extremely fit soccer player.
I turned to my right, where Jace was. I shook my head yes.
"Are you okay Clare? Did you break anything?" Jon rushed out, soon their was a huddle around me.
"I'm fine" I rushed up to my feet, embarrassed by all the team's eyes on me. When I stood up, I almost fell right back down on my butt. If it weren't for Jace and Jon.
"Woah, slow down" Jace said.
They both lowered me back to the floor.
Jon took my ankle in his hand which I winced to. "Sorry" he muttered as he examined my ankle.
"It doesn't look broken or sprained, I think she twisted it" Jace observed.
"Fun" I said sarcastically.
Jon had lifted me up and I hooked an arm around his neck so I could hop along with him.
"Hey Sebastian" Jace called out, the guy who had been looking at me with a shocked expression turned around.
"Next time maybe you wanna be more careful" everything about Jace's voice seemed calm but the look in his eyes said other wise.
"Come on Jace, how are we going to get this one home?" Jon tilted his head towards me.
"I'm very self sustainable, I'm sure I can shake it off" I said.
"You'll probably trip and make matters worse" Jace smirked.
He had a point.
"Come help her to the car while I get our stuff" Jon said.
Jace took Jonathan's place and my arm was around his waist because he was too tall to reach his neck.
"Can you hop?" He questioned.
"Yes" we started hop/walking to the car but we weren't making much progress.
"This is crazy" Jace said and I was about to ask what he would suggest we do, but before I could even get the words out, he put an arm around the back of my knees and my back and he was all of a sudden carrying me.
"Jace!" I threw my arms around his shoulder in fear of falling. "Jace this is crazy! Put me down!" I hissed and we made our wake quickly to the parking lot.
"Well if you didn't notice we're making decent progress to the car to I prefer this method.
I sighed and rested my head on his chest because keeping my head angled in a weird way hurt.
Jace's body temperature kept me warm, since I was wearing a flimsy sweater and tights.
We got to the car when we realized we didn't have the keys. So it was just me awkwardly leaning against Jace's warm chest.
"I think I'll be able to stand, I've gotten one of these before, and within the hour I was able to walk again" I looked up to Jace.
"Well this is your third time twisting it, so you never know" Jace rose his eyebrows.
"Just let me down" I squirmed in his grip.
Suddenly the car door unlocked and Jon was carrying two duffle bags and my phone.
Jace's arm that was around my back went to the door handle and I clanged tighter to him. I saw him roll his eyes then open the door. He swiftly dropped me in the back seat, letting me take the whole three seats as I later down.
Jace made sure my feet weren't in the way of the door as he closed it. He helped Jon move the duffle bags in the back, then went off to his car.
"Not even an hour into the game and you go off and break your ankle" Jon hopped into the car.
"It's not like I meant to" I rolled my eyes, "I just fell"
"Actually that guy, Seb- or Sebastian ran into you" Jon started his way home.
"And he didn't apologize? Asshole" I muttered the last few words.
"Well I wouldn't blame that all on him, Jace might have exchanged harsh words" Jon said.
"Jace?" I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Yeah, he never liked that guy too much. He was just looking for a reason to push him" Jon said.
"My knight and shinning armor" I packed with sarcasm.
We got home not to much later, Jace came ten minutes after with food in his hand.
"Do we ever cook in this house?" I questioned curiously from the couch.
"Why? Are you offering?" Jace smirked.
"You know what, eating out its terrible" I shook my head and snuggled into the couch, my legs on top of Jon's lap.
"That's what I thought" Jace set the containers of food on the coffee table and we all dug in.
"So next week" Jon started with a hesitant tone, "I practice with Seattle United Club"
"Congrats, getting around. That's my brother!" I rose my hand to give him a high five.
He had a weak smile playing at his lips.
"What?" I asked quizzically.
"What he means to say is that he will be gone for the next week in Seattle leaving us both alone in this apartment" Jace winked at me in the last part.
"WHAT!?" I shot my head to Jonathan. "You can't leave me here with this" I motioned towards Jace, "I mean haven't you met him!? He's an ass!"
"That's not what you said last night" Jace winked at me.
"See! This is what you want to leave me with!" I exclaimed.
"Jace will do his best to behave, and I trust you to make wise decisions" Jon shrugged.
"And by that he means 'I think you're old enough not to burn the house down' and that's as far as his concern goes" Jace explained.
"No, it's that I trust Clary enough to be so disgusted by you, she won't shack up while I'm gone" Jon explained.
"Well just because I won't be shacking up with Jace doesn't mean I won't be shacking up with other people" I defended.
"Who uses shacking up any more?" Jace asked, "Hook up suffices"
"Well hook up could imply something other than... Well making out. But that isn't the point! Jon how could you? Can't I come with?" I begged.
"And miss all those art classes?" Jon rose his eyebrow because he knew I had no other choice to stay all alone with the devil himself.
Jace Herondale.
...
Guys I apologize from the bottom of my heart, to the moon and back. I'm so sorry.
I made it a long chapter!
I will try to post quickly for the next chapter!
I love you guys! Happy holidays! Happy New Year!
What's your favorite thing(s) about the holidays?
Kisses!