Serendipity- Chapter 4

I can't believe I waited all this time

To figure out what's missing

I can't believe that this is happening

To me this won't keep happening to me

-Parasites by Sleeping with Sirens

XxSPxX

As I step into the open apartment, the first thought that passes through my head is Why is everything so clean in here? I can see that this is also my best friend's first thought because she's throughly examining his whole living space, flipping over books, digging into sofas, peeking under pillows.

I poke her in the side, a reprimanding gesture meaning 'Isabelle, what the hell are you doing?' She just shrugs at me and continues the stalkerish pursuit.

Jace returns from the kitchen with two glasses of water, just as Iz drops the final black throw pillow on the white sofa. She shoots him an innocent smile, like she wasn't just invading his personal space. Yeah, okay, smooth, Isabelle.

"Hey," he smiles at the both of us. "I brought you guys drinks, just in case you got thirsty. I hope water's okay."

"Totally fine," Isabelle assures him, a little over-eager to please him for my sake. Rolling my eyes at her, I throw a quick grin in Jace's direction before gingerly taking the glass out of his hands.

For the brief moment that our hands touched, there was a tiny spark of... something. It was there, undeniably, because as soon as it passed between us, Jace's head snapped up and molten gold eyes met mine.

"Thanks," I mumble quickly, taking a quick sip and turning around to face the giant floor to ceiling windows. "You're apartment is so nice. I've never seen anything like it. Well, apart from in magazines and commercials."

A smug look grows on his face.

"Thanks," he grins. "I don't mean to brag but I designed it myself. Of course, though, with some help from my sister, but it was mostly me."

"You have a sister?" Isabelle's eyes grow wide and she glances at me, obviously excited for some reason that I can't place. "That's great. You should introduce her to us sometime. How old is she?"

"She's only two years younger than I am. So she's 17 which is about you guys' age, right? She needs more friends anyways. All she does is sit up alone in her room all day. You guys'll be good for her."

Isabelle claps happily after taking a seat on the only single-seated chair there so that I'd be forced to sit next to Jace. All I do is give her a look and she smirks knowingly at me, staring at me like, 'I know what I'm doing, just trust me, okay?"

Jace takes the seat right next to me and that's when I realize that golden boy is actually a living, breathing sun. His huge arm right next to me is giving off enough warmth to give heat to a small country. I take a deep breath through my nose and, unconsciously, a strong, musky, masculine smell hits my nose. Oh my God, is that his cologne? Because, if it is, I might just have an aneurysm.

"Her name's Tessa," Jace continues on talking to Isabelle. "She's a little reclusive so it might take some coaxing to get her out of her shell. If that's okay with you, that is?"

"Totally! Right, Clary?" Isabelle directs her attention to me and just stares.

"Clary?" A large hand gently descends onto my shoulder and the heat is transferred all throughout my body. I instantly relax though I don't have it in me to reply to him. "Are you okay? Clare?"

At that nickname, my attention springs back to life. His face is laced with worry and his golden eyes pierce through me. Breathlessly, I nod at him, smiling sweetly.

"I'm fine, Jace," I wave off his wary look. "I just get lost in my own head sometimes, isn't that right, Izzy?"

My best friend is busy texting God knows who when I say her name and she looks up at me, confused. My eyes shoot her a look saying, 'Just go along with it. Please.'

"Yeah!" Isabelle grins a little too brightly. "She does it all the time."

We keep on with your idle chatter until our jaws hurt from yawning and laughing. When Jace looks out the window, he looks surprised that it's already pitch black outside.

"We should probably get going now," I admit, another yawn following up the sentence. "Thanks for having us, though."

Jace just looks skeptical and deep in thought, obviously contemplating something.

"How did you guys get here?"

"We walked."

At this, Jace shakes his head and grabs his coat. "Come on, I'm driving you guys home. I don't like the thought of me leaving you guys to walk home in the dark. It doesn't sit well with me. Don't object, just grab your stuff."

My dark-haired friend and I share a glance before shrugging and following Jace out the door, our coats in our hands. As we approach the elevator, my stomach sinks when I spot the person across the hall from us. My face is lacking any type of color and Izzy notices this immediately.

"Clary, what's wrong?" She shakes my shoulder, impatiently. I gesture to the end of the hall and her already wide eyes widen even more. Jace is about to press the elevator button when he realizes that we've stopped.

"What's up?" He frowns.

"Is that Jon?" Iz whispers in my ear. I nod, my brows furrowed. "Dude, if he sees us here with Jace, he's gonna tell your parents."

"And you know what that means," I whisper back. "We've got to go, quick."

"Wait, Clare, who's he with?"

I squint my eyes to try and get a better view of the girl who has her back to us.

"Is that Aline?" A gasp escapes my mouth as I poke Iz's arm.

"Yeah, okay, that's our cue to depart," she pulls both Jace and I's arms into the elevator just as it opens.

"What's going on guys?" He looks nervously between the both of us.

"Sorry, we just saw Clary's brother," Isabelle apologizes sincerely. "With one of our friends so we're slightly shocked here, don't mind us."

"What's his name?"

"Jonathan." The reply is murmured as I run a hand through my hair.

"Silverish hair, green eyes?" He confirms.

"Yeah," I look up surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Oh, him and I are friends. He's around here all the time."

Groaning, I rub a hand across my face.

Thanks, Jon, for making my life ten times easier, you fucking parasite.

AN: So I wrote the ending of this chapter like yes and then I remembered the song Parasites by Sleeping with Sirens and I was like this is amazing omg this fits the chapter so well so here you go.

Sorry for that long run on sentence. I just finished writing this chapter and I realized how great this song is with this chapter and OMG I AM GOOD AT THIS.

Alright I'm weird.

And I really love how that with only 3 chapters I got 11 reviews. I love you guys so much, thank you.

I didn't even get to watch Insurgent with my friend on Tuesday so I have to flipping watch it at home, alone in my room, huddled up in a blanket, holding a bowl of popcorn, and drinking tons of hot chocolate.

Not that I'm complaining.

LOVE YOU GUYS SO MACH,

-fucj