I LIIIIIIIIIIVE!
I am going to apologize for two things before you go on to read this very late chapter. One, I am so, so, so, very sorry for going AWOL on you guys. Apparently my freshman teachers think that all we have time do is homework and more homework. Two, I want to apologize in advance for the sucky chapter you are about to read. This is one of those chapters I just had to sit down and write so I could get to the good stuff.
Disclaimer: Blah blah I'm not the owner. Boo.
(Song by Keane)
I'm running out of clever things to say. So just read.
AL
"Alright, get your ass up. I have given you a full 24 hours to sulk but it is time, my dear brother, to face the world and rejoin the living!" That was the first thing I heard the morning one day after the terrible incident at the club. I had known Izzy wouldn't leave me alone for much longer.
"Just let me die here," I mumbled from under the covers. She seemed to disagree with my brilliant idea because suddenly my sheets were pulled from me and I was blinded by the open curtains that she must have pulled back as well. "Izzy!" I sat up, angry that I couldn't hide anymore.
"Shutup," she answered swiftly as she walked to my closet and started pulling random pieces of clothes out. "You are going to get up, take a shower, put on some clothes, and get out of this goddamn room because you have no reason to be holed up in here!"
I made a face that she didn't even see. "I have every reason to be holed up in here!" I flopped back down on the very inviting mattress but not before grabbing the blankets she had so graciously taken away, and curling into a ball under them.
I heard her pad across the carpet over to me and then, much gentler than the last time, she removed the covers enough so that she could see my face. "No, you don't." She turned back to my closet with a small smile; as though she knew something I didn't. But that seemed to be the case most of the time.
"What?" I asked simply, sitting back up.
"What do you mean?" she replied trying to sound innocent. I rolled my eyes.
"You know something. Why is it you always know something?" I said the last part more to myself than to her.
She faced me and smiled smugly. "Well, you're right. But," she said before I could even open my mouth to ask her something, "I am not going to tell you anything until you shower and put on clean clothes. Max is at a friend's house, Jace left for God-knows-where 30 minutes ago, and mom and dad went out for breakfast so it's just you and me right now." She placed the clothes she'd been collecting – supposedly for me – at the foot of my bed. "Meet me downstairs when you're presentable."
She grinned before leaving so I had to assume that the 'something' she knew was a good something. I had no choice but to play by her rules and go shower so I could see what the hell it was.
~HSS~
When I sat down across from Izzy fifteen minutes later at the dining table we rarely used, she slid a plate of pancakes over to me. She could tell I was grateful because I accepted them without protest since I hadn't really eaten anything the previous day except for a granola bar I'd had stuffed in my duffel. But I did stop to make sure of something. "You didn't make these, right?"
She huffed, "No. Mom made them before she left with dad. And she made me promise to get you to eat some."
"Okay," I surrendered, starting on one.
She leaned forward afterwards, smirking the slightest bit. "So, you wanna hear my latest moment of amazing sisterlyness?"
"Yes, I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"Be quiet. Yesterday while you were attempting to become one with your bed, I was at work on a brilliant plan that I also happened to have achieved." She paused as though she expected some sort of praise. I simply stared at her.
She sighed. "C'mon Alec, be a little more enthusiastic. I have scored big time for you."
"Okay, I would be if you would just tell me," I said raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes. "I talked to mom and told her that I thought you needed some time away from everything and everyone so I convinced her that we should all go to dad's next business thing in Hawaii together. All of us except you, that is."
She sat back looking very proud.
When I said nothing, she started up again. "Don't you see? With all of us gone you'll have tons of time to spend with Magnus and you won't have to make up excuses!"
I knew she had the best intentions, but I didn't see how this helped me. "Izzy, do you not remember what happened the other night? Magnus probably thinks I'm a freak now so all you did was make it so I'll be completely by myself for the next few weeks!" I felt bad for saying exactly what I was thinking, but I couldn't picture another way to express this to her.
I wasn't sure how she would respond but I definitely hadn't seen her groaning at me. "God you're an idiot," she mumbled into her hands.
"What?"
"Magnus likes you, ya dimwad! What happened probably left him feeling the same way as you!" She stopped to calm herself and I blinked since I really had no clue how to respond.
"Just trust me when I say that you don't need to worry about his feelings for you." She stood up, making to walk away. "And if by the end of the week he hasn't called you, then you need to call him. Because what you guys could have is too good to risk not knowing."
~HSS~
By the time I finished breakfast, Isabelle had left for dance class and I was alone again. I knew she'd said not to be worried and that I should stop sulking about what happened – and the tiniest part of me agreed with her – but it was way harder than she made it out to be. So I decided I would wait that week she'd mentioned earlier, with my phone attached to my hip. If he didn't call, then…I'd worry about that later. But I thought it best to stay in the house today. I was still kinda moody and since the place was empty, I wouldn't bring anyone else down to my sucky emotional level.
I popped in a the first DVD I happened to see laying around the living room and curled up against the side of our plush leather couch, wanting to forget everything – the other night, all the terrible things I'd seen, the numerous problems I faced, but mostly I wanted to forget the fact that I was Alexander Lightwood. It seemed that if I were someone else, life would be a heck of a lot simpler.
Just when I had started to really accomplish my 'forgetting' by dozing off, my phone rang loudly; belting out Magnus' I Don't Care. Groggily, I pulled my phone from my pocket – with a bit of a struggle – and answered without even looking at the I.D.
"Hello?" I asked, eyes still closed with that almost asleep haze.
"Alec? It's Magnus."
I shot up, fully awake. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuck!
"Uh, hi. Why… why are you calling me?" I mentally smacked myself. I made it sound like I didn't want him calling me which was the exact opposite of how I felt!
He sounded just about as nervous as I was which was frankly unnerving. "I wanted to apologize for the other night. It was stupid for me to – I mean, I shouldn't of-,"
"Wait a minute. Why are you apologizing? I should be the one asking for your forgiveness!" I just wouldn't shutup today, would I?
"What are you talking about?"
"What are you talking about?" It was silent as we both tried to figure out why the other was so apologetic. It was Magnus who found his voice first.
"I'm saying sorry for coming onto you so strong without knowing if you would be okay with it. You don't have a reason to be sorry for anything other than being so damn adorable." We were both feeling a bit incredulous but he still found a way to joke around. I smiled because I could almost feel his smirk.
"But I just… left. Abruptly and rudely," I managed to say.
He sighed. "Alright. Let's just start over and forget that we were both idiots; even though you didn't actually do anything idiotic. I want to see you. Soon."
Every intelligent thought in my head was gone and seemed to be replaced with a very visible blush. W-what?! "…Okay."
"Okay." I bet he was smiling as he answered smugly. "How's tonight for you? Maybe at that little coffee house on Grand? 11:00? We can even try out that thing where we give some coffee girl a heart attack?"
It took me a moment to get my bearing but I was finally able to breath out an answer. "Yeah. I'd like that."
"Alright then. I'll see you tonight, angel." And he was gone, leaving me happier than I'd felt in ages.
~HSS~
Ever since Magnus had hung up the phone, I'd been anxious; jittery even. I had to leave the house two hours early just to shake off the nerves. But now, a few minutes before eleven, as I stood across the street from the coffee shop we were to meet at, I still felt skittish.
Magnus sat in front of the little café on a bench, absentmindedly humming the tune to one of my songs. I watched him for a moment, as I began to worry about how I might screw things up. He hadn't noticed me yet, thank God, so I was frozen to the sidewalk as I went over scenario after scenario in my head.
I say something stupid. I trip and fall on my face. I spill coffee everywhere. He figures out I'm not worth his time. I-
Then he noticed me and I snapped back to reality. He stood up gracefully, as he does everything, and smiled widely as he waited for me to come over. It felt like bubbles started popping in my chest when he looked at me the way he did; like he genuinely cared that I'd come. It was nice but also very alarming. And I crossed the street feeling that way not knowing that I'd be feeling that way the entire night.
"Hi," I breathed when I finally got to him.
"Hello, blue eyes," he grinned and held out his hand. I took it gingerly and he pulled me inside.
After an interesting process of getting our coffees (where Magnus surprised me by ordering for me and actually getting it right without asking), completely stunning two coffee girls, and giving them autographs upon request, we found a table in the corner where we could have a smidgen of privacy.
I laughed when we'd both sat down. "I've never seen anyone that surprised!"
He chuckled as well. "And when we walked in their faces both just-," he made a face that represented the two girls' shock perfectly and I couldn't have held back the giggles.
"What?" I asked when I got ahold of my breath and I saw him watching me.
"Just…" he started, leaning over the table and lifting up my chin. His eyes were a soft green when as they stared into mine. "…you should laugh more. You look breathtaking when you do."
I pulled away out of instinct – and because I thought my heart was gonna jump out of my chest – and I immediately started blabbering like I sometimes do when I get nervous. "I-I don't know why you always say th-things like that." I blushed like a moron.
He chuckled and kept trying to catch my eye. "Because they're true." I peeked up at him and tucked a stray piece of my unruly black hair behind my ear. I smiled back at his face that showed no sign of disloyalty.
"So," he said when we started in on our coffee, "Isabelle called me today." I almost choked.
"Sh-she did, did she?"
"Mmmhm," he grinned. "She informed me that your family would be leaving you unattended for a while. Starting tomorrow."
I looked down at my cup, stirring the black liquid just to have something to do with my hands. "Yeah. They thought I needed some time to … myself."
"Well that is certainly not the impression your sister gave me. In fact, she asked me to keep you company." This time I choked for real. Izzy, you are so dead when I get home!
"I am so sorry," I whispered through my hands.
"Oh, darling, don't be like that," he smiled, "All this sort of works out perfectly for what I wanted to ask you."
I took a mental step back. "You wanted to ask me something?"
He nodded. "I was planning to take a trip, of sorts, and I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me." He placed his head on his hands and looked at me expectantly. I could swear he found my flabbergasted reaction humorous.
"W-what do you m-mean exactly?"
"I mean you and I would travel somewhere not so close to here because going would just be… boring. And, my dear, it will get you out of the house."
My mouth opened and closed like a gaping fish and my wide eyes blinked. "Is that a yes?" he asked smugly.
I nodded and he grinned. "Excellent."
"Where is it you were planning on going to?" I asked after a moment of looking for my voice.
"Anywhere," he shrugged. "The only preference I have is how we get there."
"How do you wanna get there?"
"Let's just say that we're not going on just a trip. We're going on a road trip."
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of
Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know
Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
So why don't we go
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere Only We Know - By Alec Lightwood
So, anybody else excited for this?
Please review so I know people are still actually reading this '~'. Oh, and thanks to everybody who reviewed last time (especially mychemicalbitchbot who reviewed like a few weeks ago and made me see I needed to write this goddamn thing), and to everyone who has stuck with me throught my very long time away...
~Brina-Bot~