Jace's POV
I stalked into the house and saw Maia and Jordan playing some stupid video game. Who plays video games on vacation when you can be outside enjoying the sun and the lake? I had just gotten back from my run when I noticed Clary's car was gone. Simon and Izzy took it sometimes, but the fact that Maia and Jordan were back and Clary wasn't readily seen made me suspicious. I cut through the kitchen and went to my room. I sent Simon a quick text and changed into swim trunks. I got an almost immediate text back. I wasn't thrilled to find out he and Izzy were out to dinner with Clary. She had been gone all day. I just knew she was avoiding me. I stalked back out and into the living room.
"Hey Jace." Jordan called out as I walked into the living room, barely diverting his eyes from the screen.
"Hey. Heard you went horseback riding today. Didn't know you road?" Jordan was nodding.
"Sure. I'm a country boy Jace. I ride a lot. Maia's getting pretty good too. Me and Bat use to go riding a lot before he moved out this way for school. I was psyched when he called this morning." I tried not to show my shock at the mention of Bat, but the deep breath I took while I was counting to ten drew too much attention and Maia paused the game and looked over at me.
"You didn't know Bat went?" She said in a measured tone.
"Nope…Not a big deal." I tried to shrug it off as I left the room towards the kitchen.
"It's not like that Jace." Jordan was calling behind me, but I was already in the kitchen.
"Just leave it alone." Maia spat. I heard the game again. I had a large glass of water and tried to calm myself down. There was no reason to go crazy. I didn't have all the facts. I heard the front door open and looked up to see Alec and Magnus walking in. The game in the living room paused again.
"Hey." Alec jerked his chin to me and then tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows.
"You alright man?" He started to walk towards the kitchen, and next thing I know I've got Maia, Jordan, Alec, and Magnus all in the damn kitchen gawking at me like a science experiment.
"Fine." I growled through clenched teeth. Can't people figure out when to just leave somebody alone?
"You're not all bent out of shape about Eric are you?" I could see Jordan and Maia out of my peripheral vision both shaking their heads slightly at Alec with big eyes. I looked over at them with a disgusted look and back at Alec.
"What about Eric?" I asked in an aggravated tone. Alec rubbed his hands over his face and Magnus patted Alec's back with a manic smile.
"Nice one Boo." Magnus said quietly but plenty loud enough for everybody to hear as he walked towards the cupboards and pulled out a glass.
"Um…" Alec hesitated.
"Just. Spit. It. Out." I enunciated every word.
"Clary went out to dinner with Izzy, Simon and Eric. I thought you knew. Its nothing-"
"SON OF A BITCH!" I shouted as I hurled my glass across the room where it shattered into pieces. I stalked out of the kitchen and out of the cottage with everybody calling after me. First Bat, now Eric. What the hell?
Around 7:30 I saw Izzy and Simon return in Clary's car, without her. I stalked back into the house. They were both in the kitchen. Izzy was making what looked like a batch of Margaritas. I stalked into the kitchen and stopped, arms crossed, scowl on my face.
"Where the hell is she now? Still out with Eric? Failed to mention that didn't you Simon? Just like you failed to mention she was with Bat earlier?" Simon rolled his eyes.
"I'll keep you informed where she is Jace, but if you want to know the specifics you should ask her. It's really not my place to tell you every detail. If you wanted to know who she was with I'd tell you. I told you she was playing tennis with Will yesterday because you asked, you didn't ask today." I glared at him. I couldn't really get that pissed at Simon. He was helping me out, kind of. I took a deep breath and schooled my expression.
"Ok. From now on just assume I would like to be informed as to who she is with as well as where she is." Izzy rolled her eyes.
"God Jace it doesn't matter. You're completely overreacting." I glared at her.
"I'll be the judge as to whether I'm overreacting or not. So where is she now?" Izzy laughed and shook her head.
"She's-" Simon started, but Izzy threw her hand over his mouth.
"Change out of that wet suit before you make another mess and clean up that mess you made earlier." Izzy was pointing to the shattered glass on the floor. She smiled a fake sweet smile.
"Maia called. I know everything that goes on in this house Jace. Don't you forget it? Then and only then we might tell you." Izzy winked. There was no arguing with Izzy when she was like this. I wanted something from her and I was going to have to play nice to get it. I stalked back to my room and quickly changed into dry clothes. I got the damn broom and some paper towel and cleaned up my mess. Usually somebody would have cleaned this up for me, this sucked. Izzy and Simon just sat at the table playing some stupid game and drinking Margaritas.
"Done." I sauntered over to them. Izzy handed me a Margarita.
"Have one." It was pretty hot outside and I did like an occasional frozen Margarita. Unlike Izzy's cooking, she was pretty good at mixing drinks. I rolled my eyes, but sat down and took the Margarita from her. It was good. It was also pretty strong, so it was sure to take my edge off, which was probably Izzy's goal.
"Ok, I'm drinking the stupid drink. Where is she?" Izzy smirked.
"She went out to a pool hall with Aline." Aline? Since when did Clary hang out with Aline?
"Aline? Just Aline?" Izzy's face scrunched up.
"Let me see, Jem, Jessie, Aline, Sebastian, and Ray." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
"Sebastian? Really? Great. Did Will go? And who the hell is Ray?" I've kind of grown to like Will. I'd somehow feel better if he went. Izzy looked over at Simon and continued.
"No, Will didn't go…Ray's some guy Clary's known for a while, but-" That's all I needed to hear. I jumped up from my chair knocking it to the ground as I got up.
"I'm out of here." I bee lined to my room with Izzy shouting after me. I stayed in my room for the rest of the night. I was pretty pissed. Tennis with Will yesterday, horseback riding with Bat in the morning, dinner with Eric, then the club with Jem and Ray. Not sure what the pairing is there. She sure was keeping herself busy wasn't she? Not to even count Sebastian, she was suppose to be staying away from him. Though if Aline was there, I guess Clary was still within our deal. I wasn't sure how the hell he was in this damn group though. I hated that she was with him, but based on tennis yesterday, I was hopeful he had diverted his attentions to Jem's sister, Jessie. What the hell was Clary doing? Was she just avoiding me, trying to piss me off, or was she actually interested in these guys? I was going out of my mind. I just needed some time to cool off. Then I was going to seriously have a talk with her when she got back. Unfortunately I ended up falling asleep and when I woke-up it was after 10:00.
I grabbed the peach rose I had gotten Clary earlier from the vase on my bureau and I walked out of my room. The whole place was dark, except for the nightlights in the hallway. The cottage was so quiet, I couldn't tell if everybody was gone, or asleep. I crept down the hall to Clary's room and peeked in. She was lying on her bed. The blankets were pulled down to her knees and she was wearing a silky light blue camisole and shorts set. It had ridden up some and I could just see a couple inches of her midriff. Normally I would be focusing on how hot she looked, but I was too happy just to see her. She was gone all day and it was driving me crazy. I took a deep breath. I felt like it was first time all damn day I could breathe easy. I snuck into her room, leaving the door open so there was light. I added the rose to the other two in the little vase on her bureau. I had been picking one everyday day since we went riding together. Sunday night I went back when I was looking for her, I left that rose in her room during that first night. Monday I went to get a second rose after I left her at Panera Bread with Will, but I held on to it, I wanted to leave it for her while she was sleeping, but then she slept in my room, so it wasn't until morning when Izzy told me she was gone, that I put the rose in her room. I don't know if she saw it in my bedroom last night, she was kind of out of it, and she didn't say anything about it. Today I went to get the third rose after I was told she went horseback riding. I was hoping I'd run into Clary on the trails, but I never did, there are lots of trails out there. I gazed down at her sleeping face. Several curls were falling forward, so ever so gently pushed them back behind her ear. She didn't look peaceful. She was still, but she looked unsettled. Not like last night, last night she looked peaceful as she slept. I gently kissed her forehead, and as I pulled away I could see her lips had curled up ever so slightly. I smiled.
"Jace." She breathed in a very sleepy tone. I couldn't tell how awake she was. I was hoping I hadn't just awoke her. Her face became expressionless. I gently grazed the back of my hand across her cheek and she smiled again. I bent down toward her.
"Clary?" I whispered ever so quietly. She didn't respond, but the corner of her lips twitched up again. After several moments she spoke again.
"I missed you." She said in the same breathy sleepy tone. I smiled. I gently grazed the back of my hand across her cheek again and she smiled.
"I missed you too." I whispered. I never heard a sound, though I wasn't listening for it either, but I felt a sudden hand on my shoulder. I jumped slightly as I pulled my hand away from Clary's cheek. I looked behind me to see Alec. He didn't look too pleased. He was shaking his head. I glanced back at Clary, her face had become expressionless again. Alec dug his fingers into my shoulder as he led me out of Clary's room, shutting the door carefully behind us. It wasn't very comfortable, but it wasn't particularly painful either. When we were back in my room with the door shut he finally spoke.
"She talks in her sleep Jace." I guess that explains it, but wait…
"She didn't last night." Alec rolled his eyes at me. Oops, that kind of slipped out.
"I mean…" He cut me off.
"Don't bother. I know she slept in here last night Jace. Izzy told me already…Clary doesn't always talk in her sleep. That's not really how it works. She does it on occasion. More likely if something is upsetting her. Plus if you were sound asleep, would you have really heard her? Her voice is usually very quiet when she talks in her sleep, though.." He chuckled.
"-she has woken herself up with a quick shout here or there." He was shaking his head. I was sleeping really sound last night. I never woke-up when she left the room. I wouldn't have woke-up to her talking in her sleep. Not how quietly she was just talking anyway. It was kind of upsetting though, every time I found out everybody knew Clary better than I did. I wanted to know her better. I wanted to know everything about her. If she'd just let me spend any damn time with her.
"So does that mean I'm upsetting her?" Alec shook his head.
"Not exactly. I think she is upset by everything going on. I really think she's doing this to herself. She tends to create her own stress at times. She tries to ignore her problems by focusing all her attention elsewhere and then when she finally calms down and sits still it all catches up to her. Also she hates people telling her what to do, so she tends to do the opposite just to spite everyone, even if she gets hurt in the process. Jocelyn and Luke sheltered her, they never really exposed her to the world, so after the accident it was like she was seeing what the world was really like for the first time. She still acts very much like a confused teenager Jace. I know you don't exactly get girls, but you spend a lot of time around horses, think of her as a young filly. No longer a foal, but not yet a mare, stubborn and spirited, trying to be independent, but not really sure how to be. Sometime the best course of action is to hold a carrot and just sit still and wait for her to come to you. I think you're the metaphoric carrot here. If you just be patient, hopefully she'll come to you. If you try to chase her, she'll bolt. If you try to corner and confront her, she'll retaliate. I'll talk to Izzy. I'm not sure right now if it's better to just let Clary try to work this out on her own, or talk to her. Magnus and I are playing tennis with her and Will tomorrow morning-" I dropped my head back dramatically as I interrupted him.
"Are you kidding me?" He shook his head at me.
"It's not the first time she's fainted Jace, she's fine. We're going early before it heats up too much. We're meeting around 7:00. I'm sure you can come if you want." I shook my head and looked down.
"No that's alright. She's probably just trying to avoid me anyway."
"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of." His voice was very somber. I looked back up at him and he was giving me a very sympathetic face.
"Izzy said Clary seemed really happy this morning and upbeat. They had a lot of fun at breakfast. She seemed like her old self again. She looked well rested and just acted really content. As the day went on though, she faded. By the time they met up with Eric she was becoming more withdrawn. Since she got here, it's like the more she's around you the better she is, the more she distances herself from you, the more she reverts back into this melancholy state. I think you're good for her Jace, I do, I just wish she wasn't being so impossible. Get some sleep. I'll see what I can do tomorrow." I nodded. Alec left and he shut the door behind him. I crashed face down onto my bed still in my gym shorts. In a weird way Alec's speech was reassuring. At least I knew Clary was really happy this morning and well rested. That made me happy to hear. I just had to figure out what I was going to do. I couldn't let her keep avoiding me, like Alec said she was better when we were together, we both were. The more time together we spent the less she tried to push me away. I just had to figure out how to get her to spend time with me without her getting thrown and bolting.
I laid in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep, unwilling to get up and get myself ready for bed. Even with the fan blowing on me it was hot, and I knew it was a lot cooler outside by this point. I finally got enough energy to get up. It was almost 1:00. I pulled the shade open and opened the window. I laid back in bed staring at the ceiling enjoying the cool night air blowing in. A few minutes later I heard a door open in the hallway. The footsteps padded by from the left the led passed my room to the right well down the hall; another door closed. The person probably was in the bathroom. If they came from the left it could be Clary, Aline, Jordan, Maia, or Sebastian. The footsteps sounded light, almost silent besides the creaks the wood floor made. So I was inclined to rule out Jordan and Sebastian. It also sounded farther away than Aline's room. Likely Clary or Maia. I walked across my room and heard the door down the hall open. I opened my door a crack and peeked out. I opened the door further when I saw Clary. She hesitate when she saw me, she wrapped her arms around her body and approached me apprehensively, looking between me and the floor. She was still wearing the silky light blue sleep set. I wasn't sure if she was uncomfortable since she was hardly dressed, or just uncomfortable with me. I really didn't want to upset her.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to…" I started to close the door. She threw out her hand and quickly retracted it. I stopped closing the door.
"No…It's…I…Just…" She looked flustered. She took a deep breath.
"I couldn't sleep." She said with a sheepish look and looked down at the ground again. I nodded and scratched the back of my neck.
"Yeah, me neither." She was still looking at the floor. She stretched her shoulders really high and dropped them with a loud sigh.
"I should go." She muttered. I nodded.
"Ok." I started to shut the door again. I could hear her padding down the hall. Actually, I had to piss. I opened my door wide and headed to the bathroom. I never heard her door open or shut. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I opened the bathroom door and noticed Clary's door was now closed, though it had been opened before. I headed back to my room and would you believe I wasn't that surprised to find my bedroom door closed as well. I didn't leave it that way. What was Alec just saying about that little filly? I opened my bedroom door to see Clay lying in the middle of my bed on her side facing out, half under the blankets. I knew she liked my bed. I didn't say anything. I just closed the door behind me and locked it. With the window open there was plenty of moonlight streaming into the room. I walked over to the bed and laid down on my side next to her, facing her back, but a good several inches away, careful not to touch her or alarm her. As soon as I was in bed, before I was really settled she wiggled back towards me and pressed her back all the way up against my body. My breath hitched. I wasn't really expecting this. Last night I was just happy to hold her hand. I hesitate for a minute, but she didn't move. I draped my arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer to me. She slightly squished herself further into me and wrapped her arms around my arm. I kissed her hair and pulled her tighter to me and her whole body relaxed. The night air was cooling down the room nicely. The fan was blowing in my face. I could hear the faint sound of peep frogs outside, even with the fan on. I took a deep breath and breathed in the scent of Clary's grapefruit shampoo. Clary's body felt so relaxed, and I was relaxed with her here. She probably would be gone when I woke-up, but right now I was content. A couple minutes later Clary nuzzled her head further into my chest and I squeezed her tighter and kissed her hair again.
"Goodnight Jace." Her voice was very soft, just a whisper. I smiled. I mimicked her quiet gentle voice.
"Goodnight Clary." I might not have seen her all day, but this still toped last night. I closed my eyes. I could finally fall asleep.
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