Hello again!

So I've decided that my update day will now be Monday. I can work on it throughout the week and then check it over on the weekend, then post!

Again, thanks to all of you followers and favouriters and reviewers :) I love you! xx

Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instrument series, all rights belong to the ever fabulous Cassandra Clare.

Chapter Five

A week had passed since my date with Jace. It was… okay. I definitely wasn't his biggest fan in the beginning but he grew on me. He seemed like an okay person once he got over himself.

The end of the date didn't go as smoothly. I was pretty shaken up and wasn't very into conversation as much as I should've. I couldn't even think straight after I saw him.

I didn't know what the hell was going on. I stopped in my tracks and stared at him. He looked beautiful, his white-blonde hair was sticking slightly to his forehead and his hands were tucked neatly into his jean pockets. But his face was anything but handsome. It was contorted in pain, his mouth a scrunched up line. He seemed to be shaking. At the time, I had thought it was because of the ice in the rink, but looking back on it, it now made more sense as if he were shaking in anger. Jace had brought me back to reality. I quickly glanced back at Sebastian and he was gone.

But I still didn't understand whether it was my messed up imagination, or if he was actually standing off to the sidelines, watching mine and Jace's date. The thought made me shudder. No way he had actually followed me here, right?

Needless to say, I couldn't think straight after that encounter.

I had agreed to another date, too. Thinking about it now makes me wonder if I was that out of it, to agree to another date with Jace. I wanted to call and cancel, but, Simon, being the little rat that he is, told Izzy again. She hid my phone and I couldn't find it for three days. She finally gave it back to me, saying that if I tried something with Jace I would die a thousand painful deaths. If anyone else had told me that, I would've laughed in their face. But the gleam in her eye and the way her mouth was set made me think better of it and take her seriously. Simon commended my smart decision.

"I really didn't want to help Izzy bury your body," he had told me seriously. I had raised my eyebrows at him, asking if he was actually being serious. He had nodded gravely and said, "You wouldn't believe the lies I've told to Jordan to get him off her trail."

That had effectively shut me up for the week. The date was set for a week from today, a Friday. It was making me jittery.

"Stop bouncing your leg, Clary," Jordan scolded now, giving me the stink eye. He was holding his plate off the table and I noticed Simon's cutlery was clattering about. I kept on forgetting that it was noticeable that my leg was bouncing here, the table at home was much higher and sturdier.

"Sorry," I mumbled, ceasing my leg movements. But I couldn't sit still. I started bouncing it again. Jordan glared at me. I stopped again and tucked my feet underneath the chair.

"So what are you guys doing tonight?" Jordan asked.

I stayed quiet, so Simon answered first. "Izzy and I are going to Pandemonium tonight."

I glanced at Jordan. He was scowling a bit. Jealous, maybe?

"Cool," he said, forcing a smile. "What about you?" he turned to me.

"Oh, um," I looked down at my fork. "Probably working on some of my art. I've barely gotten one canvas done."

Jordan and Simon nodded. I had been lazy for this whole week, lounging around in my room in sweatpants and baggy shirts. I had been telling them I didn't feel good, so I kept up my image with being in bed a lot. I had actually been keeping my distance from the outdoors, petrified I would run into Sebastian once I was alone. He looked so real, and so angry, like he was going to tear me apart with his teeth.

"Are you okay?" Simon asked. "You just paled."

"What?" I looked up at his curious brown eyes. "No, I'm fine." I mustered up a smile and hoped that would do the trick. All he did was push up his glasses and sit back in his chair, crossing his legs and his arms.

"Is anyone going to ask if I'm doing anything tonight?" Jordan asked, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

"Sorry Jord, are you doing anything tonight?" Simon complied, asking Jordan the question.

"Nope," he smiled.

I was having a massive artist's block. I tried doing those exercises where you listen to music and don't look at what you're painting, all of that. And nothing. I needed to sell some of my paintings so I could freaking keep up with rent. Either that or I would have to get a job, and I do not want to get a job.

So paint, Clary! My mind screams at me. But all I can think about is Sebastian's cold, hard eyes and his lips pressed together so tight that they were turning white. The way his body was quaking with fury, the way he was glaring at Jace from across the ice. Everything was too vivid and clear for me to think.

I grabbed my sketchbook by reflex and began sketching. I started with Jace, his face relaxed into an easy grin. I drew the back of my red hair. I drew the background, the ice rink. Then, without thinking, I watched my hand scribble something into the background, behind the glass that circled the rink. I shaded in his clothes, all dark, and left his hair white. I twisted his mouth into a rabid growl and his eyes into bottomless pits. Before I could feel myself getting tugged into them, I slammed the book shut and tossed it onto my bed.

Now I could finally paint.