Hello! How lovely to see you again!

I made a bit of boo-boo in my last chapter! You keen-eyed first couple of readers may have seen it, as I had to edit it out. Note to self – do not leave the next chapters plot points at the bottom of the previous chapter!

Hope you enjoy!

Jace's PoV

When I was thinking about coming to see Jon earlier, I had been worried that it would be awkward. Worried that we wouldn't have anything to talk about or that too much time had passed. It wasn't the case, not even in the slightest.

"Mate, I was so sorry to hear about what happened with your Dad." I told him, getting myself comfortable at the base of the bed. Jon nodded his head.

"It was horrible." Jon admitted. "I wouldn't wish it on anyone." He quickly changed the subject. "Aline been causing you many problems?" He asked, running his hands through his hair.

"Not much." I played down the fact that she had been equally attentive to Sebastian and I, and that Sebastian's willpower and morals were nowhere near as strong as mine. I could see that he was clearly bothered about her still, no matter how loathsome a person she was. "Who cares about Aline we're supposed to be talking about you?!" I joked. "Should we be expecting you back anytime soon?"

"I've tried talking to my Mum about coming back but she's been blocking me. Probably because she's just worried about me and she's scared I'll get hurt again. I spoke to uh – her - again and she said that I should try meeting with a couple of friends first to see if I'm really ready to go back to school or whether I'm just lonely."

"Well I can come around here a few times a week if you want – get you back to normal a little bit! I'm sure your Mum will come around once she sees the progress you're making! Plus I think I need it for my own sanity." I laughed.

"How's that? You been missing me?" Jon smirked.

"Definitely. No two ways about it. There's only so much I can talk about with Sebastian. Don't get me wrong, he's one of my best friends, but you can't be the Three Musketeers when one of you is missing." I shrugged. "It's just been odd and the dynamic has been thrown off."

"I'll be back before you know it." Jon laughed. "I've been coming on leaps and bounds to tell the truth. I just need to pick up my stamina with the crutches and then I'll be back amongst it all. I hope you haven't been partying too hard without me." Jon steered away from the deeper conversations.

"You know me Jon. I can't function unless I get the party monster out of my system." I teased.

"Hopefully that's the only monster you've been unleashing." We laughed long and hard. It was as though he'd never been away. It's true what they say – time is irrelevant between best friends. We just fell back together and everything was normal again.

"How long do you think it'll be before you're back on the field?" Jon shook his head.

"I don't like to think about it." He admitted, sheepishly. "I think it'll be a long time though. If it hurts to walk, imagine how much it'll hurt trying to carry the lot of you again?" I shoved him in the leg before I had a chance to think about it.

"Shit Jon! I didn't – I totally forgot." I bumbled as Jon winced, massaging his thigh deeply with his fingertips. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" I quickly added.

"Nah, it's alright." Jon smiled, his hand still kneading his leg. "I've survived worse than a shove." As our conversations went on, I remembered what Aline had said about Jon, what she had accused him of. Being his best friend, I felt it my duty to tell him – before it got back to him some other way.

"Have you actually seen Aline at all?" I questioned, Jon shrugged.

"She was outside one day, shouting on in the street. Apart from that, I haven't seen a soul." He admitted.

"Aline has been saying some horrible things about you, I just thought you'd want to hear it from me." I told him. He looked at me, eyebrows cocked. "That you've been cheating on her, that you hit her." I trailed off. Jon laughed loudly.

"I don't think I have the strength to hit anyone, let alone a girl. Also, you have to be in a relationship to cheat on someone." He smirked. I raised an eyebrow.

"Does that mean you have been seeing someone?"

"Does it look like I've been seeing anyone?" I laughed in agreement. Aline was full of it.

"Girls eh? Who'd have them?" I joked.

"Once Aline sees how busted I am, she'll leave well alone." Jon said, somewhat sullen. As much as she'd been horrible about him and as much as she'd made every possible attempt to get with his friends, there was still some sort of feeling there.

"There's plenty more fish in the sea mate. Nicer, less spiky fish."

"Aline is like the pufferfish of the fish world." Jon smirked. "Speaking of plenty of fish, how's your love life?"

"I have a date when I'm done here actually."

"With a pufferfish?"

"More like a dolphin."

"You do realise a dolphin is a mammal?" Jon joked as I pulled a face. "Plus, dolphins aren't as nice as they make themselves out to be."

"You don't like dolphins?"

"Went swimming with them once." Jon pulled a grim face. "Hated it. Don't like them. Sneaky little buggars." We argued for a little longer about all sort of animals and their personality traits before I finally caught sight of the time. I was running late already.

"I suppose I best get cracking. It's been great seeing you mate. Don't leave it so long next time, right?"

"Don't you worry about it. You'll be round here all the time now."

"I'll hold you to that!" I threatened as I got to my feet. As I went to walk away, I caught some material around my foot. Lowering myself, I reached for it to give it to Jon. As my fingers clamped around it, I couldn't help but recognise it. I was 99.9% sure that this was the hoody that Clary had been wearing yesterday. A million questions formed in my head. I left the hoody on the floor, pretending I'd been tying my shoe before I let myself out. What kind of game was she playing? Had Aline been right all along? Had Jon lied? Why? Should I mention it on this date? Should I even go to this date? Should I play it cool and catch them out? My mind was abuzz as I subconsciously made my way to Java Jones.

Clary's PoV

I woke bright and early, getting myself ready for the day ahead. On my way out, I thanked Jordan again for letting me stay the night. I'd dressed myself in a pair of faded skinny fit jeans and top that had a nautical feel about it, with a flower sleeved bomber jacket over the top. When I got to Java Jones, I headed straight inside, sitting myself down next to the window. I looked out of the window as I waited, nervously. I wouldn't know what state I'd be seeing Jace in today. Would their conversation have spread to cover me? Would Jace be coming to meet me clued up? Why did that thought make me feel kind of good?

I caught sight of Jace around ten minutes later, walking slowly to the café. He was dressed in a pair of navy jogging bottoms and a long white vest top, a navy hoody over the top. He crossed over to the café, making his way inside. He smiled at me lightly, before heading over to my table. He placed his jacket on the chair, heading to the counter to place our order. I felt myself fidgeting as I waited for him to finish. He greeted me with a smile as he sat down.

"Did you manage this morning?" I asked, he furrowed his brow.

"What?" He questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Your plans that came up? You had to push this back?"

"Oh – yeah." He smiled, sipping his coffee. "Better than expected." I couldn't help but smile at the implication. That meant his conversation with Jon had went well. He gave me a strange look as I sipped my coffee to conceal my smile. "How has your morning been?"

"Quiet." I admitted. Was it just me or was this slightly awkward? Had Jon said something? Usually he was full of conversation and now he just seemed preoccupied. "Are you alright?" I queried as Jace stared out of the window.

"I went to see Jon this morning." He told me. "It was – hard – seeing him like that, y'know?" I nodded, letting Jace talk. "It's just so crazy to think that something so serious can happen to someone just like me…to someone so close to me. It makes you realise that you're not actually invincible. Far from it, really."

"All the more reason to live life to the full." I added. "You never know what's around the corner."

"Life certainly is full of surprises." He looked at me knowingly. The silences were awkward and I felt sick to my stomach. It was obvious something wasn't right.

"You're not acting like yourself." I threw out.

"Hmm. I suppose I'm lost in thought." He did seem to be thinking. "Wondering really…" He trailed off, not keeping eye contact. "Why lie?" He suddenly said, his eyes fixed on mine, almost staring.

"Pardon?" I asked, moving my coffee to one side.

"Everything that Aline said – I defended you. I consoled you and told you to rise above it." Jace said accusingly, his voice unfaltering. "All along you were lying to me – you've been seeing Jon this entire time. I don't know how I didn't see it before." He moved himself to his feet, making to leave.

"Jace! I can explain." I resigned myself to having to tell the truth. He shook his head at me, mistaking my explanation for admittance.

"Save it." He grumbled. "Maybe Aline was right all along." I sank back into my seat as I watched him stroll away from the window. I could forgive him his anger and I could forgive him the walking away. The implication that I was a slut? I couldn't forgive that. I pulled my phone out and sent a message to Simon.

Clary: Can I see you today?

As I was waiting for his response, I noticed a message in the group chat. It was from Lily.

Lily: I suppose we need to get back to working on this project. Library. Tomorrow after school. No excuses.

I rolled my eyes as a message from Simon pinged through.

Simon: Meet at the park in 10?

Clary: See you there.

I headed out of the café and over to the park to wait for Simon. Why hadn't I thought about this? The chances of Jace finding something of mine at home were very likely. I should have just told him. If only I'd done things differently. I sat myself at a bench, my arms pulled up into my jumper.

"I thought you had plans today?" Simon asked, sitting down.

"Not anymore." I shrugged. "Jace has made assumptions about Jon and I. He didn't give me a chance to explain."

"He thinks you're involved?" Simon questioned, I shuddered at the implication.

"Pretty much." I nodded. "It's partially my fault. I should have told him."

"It's easily solved Clary." Simon smiled. "Just get Jon to tell him." Simon shrugged, but I shook my head.

"He pretty much implied that I was a slut, Si." I retorted. "He can think what he wants. I'm done."

"Clary." Simon scolded. "Stop being so bloody stubborn."

"I'm not." I pouted. "I'm not going to go and chase him. He can think what he wants. If he thinks that I would lie about something like that to his face. Hell, if he thinks that Jon would lie about something like that to his face…he can figure it out himself."

"Is this that anger rising again…?" Simon asked, sheepishly.

"Kind of." I said. "It's something I said earlier. You never know what's around the corner. Life is for living and I'm not going to spend it with people who find it okay to call me a slut."

Thank you so much for reading!

Let me know what you think!

And as always…

All my love,

Until the next time.

~Sapph