Thank you for reading! I'm really feeling this story at the moment. Got loads of ideas! Hope you're enjoying reading as much as I am writing.
Just to address a couple of things I have seen floating around in reviews – I'm not 100% sure how this is going to end up yet. I'm sure there will be some Clace at some point but I'm just letting the story come out as it may.
Jordan pulled up to a little café about five minutes away from Jace's house. He parked his bike outside before helping me climb off. There was no one in the café so Jordan and I headed straight for a booth. Jordan picked out something full of meat while I opted for pancakes. We had a good chat over breakfast that mainly consisted of talking about the party, Aline and school. Jordan was careful not to pry too much into the Jon business. Once we were finished and I finally convinced Jordan to let me pay my share, he was good enough to drop me off at Simon's. I knocked lightly on Simon's door, his mother answered. Her face was like thunder but when she saw me she toned it down a little.
"Oh Clarissa, how lovely to see you. How are you, how's your mum? Is your brother okay?" She questioned me at length as she let me into the house. I followed her through into the living room, there was no sign of Simon.
"Everyone's as well as we can be." I smiled and she smiled back at me, understandingly. "I'm actually here for Simon. I heard something a little unsettling and thought I'd come and see if he was alright?" Her face turned sharp once more as her eyes flickered briefly to the ceiling.
"Horrible business. He's grounded Clary. Indefinitely. You wouldn't believe me if I told you. How he even ended up at that party, I do not know."
"I invited him and I was with him Mrs Lewis. He didn't do anything wrong. I was with him for most of the night. You know Simon, he wouldn't do anything he shouldn't be doing." She seemed to sum up what I was saying and let me go and see Simon in his room. Progress at least. He looked horrible. I sat myself on the edge of his bed, and patted his legs. "Feeling rough are we?"
"You could say that. I don't know what's hit me more, the alcohol or mum's tongue lashing. How was the party?" Simon sat himself up so that his back was propped against the headboard.
"Well, you didn't miss much. Although I had to tell Jordan about Jon." I informed Simon about everything that had went on from Jordan hearing me on the phone to Aline saying Jon had assaulted her. Simon looked blown away and questioned me at length. I was going to ask Simon if he wanted to go out tonight but he nipped it in the bud by telling me that he needed to keep in his mum's good books and that meant making dinner for her later. After having a chat about trivial stuff, I left his house and had a slow walk back to my own. I was extra cautious to make sure no one was hanging around before I let myself in. I must have walked around the house two or three times before I actually entered. I wasn't quite ready for another drama with Aline. Once I determined that the coast was clear, I quickly let myself in and shut the door behind me, locking it.
"Who's there?" Jon shouted from his bedroom, sounding quite panicked.
"Don't worry, just me." I called back, and I was sure I heard him breathe a sigh of relief. I put the keys next to the door and kicked off my shoes before I went into his bedroom.
"How was the party?" I told him all about it, minus the stuff with Aline. I couldn't tell him that I'd told Jordan or that Aline had been making up lies. Not yet. He wasn't in the right state of mind. I didn't want to worry him about it or make him feel on edge. It just didn't feel like the right time to tell him.
When I woke up for school the next morning, I really couldn't be bothered. I sluggishly climbed out of bed and spent a lot longer in the bathroom than I should have. I dressed myself in a pair of light jeans and a plain white t-shirt. As though Aline had had an effect on me, I left out of the back door – just to be safe. I must have been in a daydream walking to school as by the time I got there, Jace and Sebastian were already in form. I sat myself down at the table in silence, resting my head on my hands, I was ready to go home already. Sebastian immediately zeroed in on me, something baying on his mind.
"So – are you and Jordan an item then?" He asked out of nowhere. Lily couldn't believe the drama that was unfolding in front of her.
"No, we're friends." I was not getting into this with Sebastian. Not here and not now. Sebastian nodded at me before turning back to his conversation with Jace. I thought I'd made it out of form class unscathed until I received a message from Lily in the group chat.
Lily: Right. Now that that party is out of the way we can actually get down to some studying. Where are we meeting? I have so many ideas and we need to get them down otherwise we're not going to finish this project. I'll ask again – where are we meeting?
Jace: Not at my house, not this time.
Clary: Not at my house.
Sebastian: Not mine either.
Lily: Ugh well we can't study at mine! Java Jones it is then, since you leave me no other option.
Jace: In public?
Lily: Get over it Jace. We'll all meet there after school. Immediately after school.
Jace: Okay boss.
Sebastian: Fine.
Clary: See you there.
I arrived at Java Jones first. The place was practically empty so I seized a booth with plenty of room, just opposite the bar. Jace was the first one into the café. He was dressed in sportswear, his hair windswept back from his face. He quickly spotted me and swaggered over to the table.
"We need to stop meeting like this." He joked, sliding into the opposite side of the booth. I was just about to respond when I heard my name called.
"Clary!" It was my mum. She was stood at the till, waving at me energetically. Jace turned around to look at her and I couldn't tell whose face fell further between the three of us. Jace's face quickly turned to a look of amusement as though he'd cracked something. My mum made her way over to the table, hopefully to try and resolve matters. Jace was looking at me very carefully. "Jace! I didn't know you two knew each other."
"Funny – I was thinking the same thing." Jace said slowly, unsure what was going on but clearly thriving on the tension. My mum didn't bat an eyelid and I was just praying she could remember the conversation we'd had a few days passed. Don't drop me in it. Please don't drop me in it.
"Me and Clary's mum are really good friends." She smiled at me. "Clary and Jon knew each other when they were really little, I had no idea you'd moved back into town! You should pop around for a coffee one time Clary – bring your mum. Catch you kids later." I couldn't believe how well my Mum had sold it. Who knew she was such a good liar? Jace span to look at me as soon as Mum had left.
"I thought you said you didn't know Jon?" He questioned.
"I don't." I tried to act along. "I knew him when we were little, I don't know him now." I shrugged.
"You seemed quite shocked when she came over here." Jace probed further.
"I was surprised actually." I said. "Surprised that she remembered me and surprised that I still look the same as when I was tiny." Jace laughed and I was praying that I'd closed the book on this.
"It's got to be the hair." He joked. "Ah buggar, I should have asked her about Jon really shouldn't I? Or how she was feeling?" Jace thought out loud. "Anyway – do you want something to drink? God knows how long we'll be waiting for those two – I'm starting to think they're having an affair or something." He teased.
"I'll come with you." I smiled, grabbing my purse from my bag and following him to the till.
"You know, any other girl would just let me pay for it." Jace said as we read the board.
"Hmm, but then that means I owe you, and I don't really do owing people." I smiled, deciding on a frappe. Jace pouted, following me to the cashier. The barista handed me my frappe first and told Jace that he would give him a shout when his was ready. Jace looked over to the doorway as someone entered but it wasn't who we were waiting for.
"She sends you a message saying 'immediately' and then takes a millennium." Jace ranted as I sipped my frappe. "You wouldn't think we had lives. Someone else needs to take charge of these study sessions because Lily is just about doing my wick's end in."
"I didn't realise men suffered from PMS." I said in a blasé fashion. Jace shot me a look before squeezing my cup, frappe quickly filling my mouth and making me cough. Jace's hand patted me on the back firmly until I stopped coughing. "Unnecessary!" I protested once I'd caught my breath.
"You insulted my masculinity. It was by all means necessary." Jace laughed as the barista called him to the counter. Just as he hopped out of the booth, Lily entered looking relatively flustered. She stomped over to the booth just as Jace sat himself back down. Throwing her bags under the table, she huffed into her seat, muttering under her breath.
"I can't believe him. I cannot believe him." She was tittering to herself.
"Is he not coming?" I asked, chewing my straw.
"Oh he's coming alright." Lily got to her feet and approached the bar, she turned to look at us sharply. "He's just not coming alone." As though summoned by her words, the door opened, Sebastian leading Aline through. I rolled my eyes and became extremely interested in my drink. I was glad that Lily thought the same as I did, even if it was just because Aline was ruining her study group plans. Sebastian went to the bar as Aline squeezed herself in next to Jace forcing him further along the couch in my direction. Lily squeezed back in on the other side making it impossible for me to move any further in any direction.
"Don't you have your own group, Aline?" Lily was quick to the punch as she unpacked her bag. Aline rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner.
"Very mouthy aren't we?" Aline had smug smile on her face. "I'd watch your tone if I was you." Lily was surprising me, not taking any of Aline's jibes.
"You're a bully Aline and you have zero purpose being here." Sebastian had come back to the table and was sliding the drinks onto the table as he looked at everyone.
"What's going on then?" He asked, as he moved in next to Aline.
"We're just talking about how much of a crush Lily has on you, Seb." Aline giggled wildly as Lily's face fell. As quick as the Flash, she grabbed her stuff and ran out of the cafe, embarrassed. Aline was killing herself laughing, Sebastian laughed nervously as Jace and I just sat back.
"That was cruel." I said honestly, Aline now zeroing on me.
"You know what's cruel Clairey? Is it?"
"Clary." I clarified.
"Mocking someone who had just been assaulted." Back to this again.
"Still sticking with that story?"
"The truth!" She grumped. Sebastian and Jace were just sat in the middle, clearly uncomfortable.
"I can see that we aren't going to get anywhere with this project today." I concluded, grabbing my bag, getting ready to leave.
"Clary, wait." Jace said quietly but I'd already made up my mind. I left without saying goodbye.
Jace's POV
"Clary, wait." I said but her face had hardened. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she stomped from the café without another word. I turned to face Aline who was looking very pleased with herself.
"Was there really any point in all that?" I asked her, sipping my coffee which had cooled adequately. She flicked her hair over her shoulder.
"I didn't do anything wrong Jace, she just has a problem with me because she's up to something with Jon and she knows how involved we were." Aline said. Sebastian was messing around with the cream atop his hot chocolate. I almost told them about seeing Jon's Mum but decided that informing her of any connection between Jon and Clary would just cause more issues. I quickly finished my drink off, before getting to my feet also.
"Where are you going?" Sebastian asked, confused.
"Well, there's no point in me third wheeling if we're not actually doing any work. Enjoy." I said, heading out of the door and to my car across the road. Just as I was about to pull away, Aline left the café and sauntered down the street. What was she playing at?
Thank you for reading!
All of my love,
Until the next time!
~Sapph