I am ashamed to say it took me daaays to finish this and here I am, 1:39 AM, alive and awake so please bear with me. Anywaaays, happy readin :))
Clary Fray woke up with a smile.
She waltzed into the kitchen unusually happy and bright. Picking up a muffin, she bid her mom and Luke goodbye.
For her, walking at the streets of New York felt surreal at this particular day. All things bright and beautiful, paper hearts float by. The scent of roses is being brought by the breeze, along with something else..love. Yes, love. Love is in the air. It fought the smog and all the smoke away. And although the pollution is barely tolerable, Clary was not affected at all. In her mind, Pharell Williams is on repeat. Happy, keeps going on and on.
She approached a building, abandoned and deserted to a mundane's eye. But through the glamour, you'll see a magnificent mansion standing on its place, otherwise known as the Institute.
Humming, she went to the direction of the kitchen, were arguing noises are inaudibly heard.
Suddenly, her green eyes became glassy and ominous. A frown replaced the bright smile. The floating paper hearts broke apart to pieces, the traffic air is more prominent. Pharell Williams was gone and thunderclaps took place. The sun hid under the clouds, it started to rain.
Quiet words came from her mouth. "No decorations.."
Three heads whipped to her direction. Each bore a look of surprise and confusion.
"Morning!" The dark-haired girl spoke first. Her greeting was followed by a boy who looked like her. After which, they continued what they were doing.
"Crap, it's raining!" The blonde boy shoved breakfast into his mouth. "I have to go. Got some Clave meeting. I'll see you tonight! Love you, bye." He gave her a quick peck and hurriedly made his exit.
"What just happened?" She sank on a chair.
"A natural water-cycle called rain." Alec said without looking up from his cereal.
"And, a kiss-up Shadowhunter who acts as the Clave's prodigy pet." Isabelle piped up.
"What is wrong with you, people?" She sprang up. "It's Valentine's day!"
"Tsk, Clary. You technically just killed the man. Now you wanna celeberate his birthday?"
"I think she meant Heart's day, Iz."
"I knooow, I don't live in a rock." She bobbed her head. "I've always wanted to do that punchline."
"Well apparently, my boyfriend does."
She crunched her cereal. "About the rock part..maybe? The joke? He'll think it's a tad bit corny."
Clary looked at her incredulously. "What?" Isabelle continued munching. "Anyways, we're not really fond of the V-day thing. Blame the namesake's parents.
Clary groaned. "Alec! We're buddies now right? Help me on this!" She took his spoon away.
"Sorry, Clary. A diaper-wearing baby shouldn't shoot arrows around. It creeps me out."
*plop* The spoon was dunked back unceremoniously, splashing Alec with milk.
"I can't believe you two!"
"Well don't." Isabelle dumped her bowl at the sink. "I have to go to pick my outfit for tonight. Simon's taking me to the carnival."
"You are such a hypocrite! I thought you don't do Valentine's?!" Clary threw her hands up in the air.
"That's for unfortunate people like you who have Shadowhunters as boyfriends, unlike me." She shrugged. "Now, since I'm feeling generous today and you did me a favor by spilling milk on my brother.."
"No kidding." Alec rolled his eyes.
"This hypocrite is letting you in as a third-wheeler with me and Simon if you help me find the perfect dress." She finished with a wide grin.
Clary's face connected with her palm. This is going to be a long day.
...
"CRAP IT'S RAINING! Can't you believe that, Simon?! That's all I got today!" Clary's red curls bounced up and down as she spoke.
Simon flinched. "Well, it did rain didn't it?" He glanced back longingly at the restrooms. He was cornered by Clary after Isabelle left to do some 'business', translation: a half an hour make-up retouch.
He almost flinched again when Clary's head whipped to his direction. "Hey which side are you on?!"
"Er..yours obviously!" He took a long slurp of milkshake . "Please proceed."
Green eyes gave him a suspicious glare. "As I was saying..all I wanted was a simple greeting! A pancake that says I love you!" Her small fists pounded the table. "Come on! THIS IS MY FIRST NON-SINGLE VALENTINE'S DAY! I can't even sleep yesterday, thinking about sappy heart stuff and THE COLOR PINK, SIMON, PINK!"
"But all he did was comment some dumb thing about the weather! Who the hell cares if its raining!" Her small hands raked through her fiery hair.
"Then your girlfriend decided to be an angel today and offered me to go third-wheeling! Which was soo great cause, I don't have spend my night dateless and alone and instead, I get to drown on Izzy's dresses and be the one to wait on lines for tickets so you guys could have more time to eat each other's faces off!"
"Hey you chose Iz's outfit pretty well! And isn't helping couples really nice? You give out love, Clary." He nodded his head solemnly.
Fries were chucked in his direction. "Focus, Simon!"
"You know what?" Clary suddenly sat up from her slumped position.
"I don't."
"I shouldn't let him do this!"
"Damn right you shouldn't!"
"He can't ruin my Valentine's!"
"No way, he can't!"
"I'm gonna march into that Clave meeting!"
"Yes, you go girl!"
"And I'll scream at him to go home and make me my pancake!"
"Yes, you will!"
"Yeah!"
"YEAH!"
Thunder erupted from the skies.
"Wait, I can't do that!" A horrified look crossed her face.
"Then why suggest it on the first place?" He gave her a dumb look.
"You weren't supposed to encourage me!" She slumped back to her chair.
"Hey guyths!" Isabelle returned and sat on her seat..which is Simon's lap, causing Clary to fake-gag and lie her head face-down on the table. "What did I miss?"
Simon laughed. "Clary's amazing plan to get her pancakes."
"Shut it, Simon." A muffled voice replied.
"Well that's disappointing." Isabelle flicked her hair. "You know what else is, Si?"
"What?"
"We're a little behind schedule."
"Gee, wonder whose fault is that." Clary muttered
"I'm afraid we have to cancel that theater thing you like if we are to get tickets for the ferris-wheel, Hon."
"Uhg, another one of those loong lines!"
"Okay, since when did you two start braving the really bad ticketing management and fatty guy's suffocating b.o.? Oh that's right, never. Wonder, who did all the work earlier." Clary raised her head to find two eyes looking expectantly at her.
"Now you're just being selfish! Just give the poor dateless girl a break already!"
"Pweease Claaaary!"
"It's Disney-themed!"
"Hey I like Disney too!"
"Are you really depriving a young couple happiness?" Isabelle put her hand over her heart.
"Agreed." Simon nodded. "How could you be so cruel, Clary."
"Boo-hoo." She scowled. "Just give me the money!"
"Yaaay!" Isabelle clapped. "You're a lifesaver!"
"Yeah, yeah." She stood up. "But don't expect me to give back the change."
"Chao!"
"See yah laytur!"
They watched as she stomped away.
"Sorry it took me so long." Isabelle fished out two ferris-wheel tickets. "I can't sweet-talk those grouchy mothers upfront."
"Poor Clary. She doesn't know what's coming.
"Yeah, the stinking b.o. is legit by the way. But it's for her own good." She shrugged.
"Now let's get that Disney-themed alone time." He breathed on her neck while she giggled.
...
"Unbelievable! What do you mean you don't have any tickets left?!" Clary screamed at Fatty Guy.
"Sorry girl. We ran out."
"Now listen here, pal. I'm having the worst day and—" She was interrupted by someone tugging her jacket. "Not now kid, I'm dealing with the corrupted fat guy."
"As I was saying—"
"Excuse me, miss. I lost my mummy."
"Just go play with the kid, little girlie! You don't have even a date to go there with!"
"Why you! You just your name changed to Asshole Guy now, jerk!"
"Yeah whatever. Ticket booth is already closed, now scram!"
After kicking at the already closed booth, Clary turned to the blonde kid beside her. "Sorry about that. The b.o. of the guy really made me nuts. But you're kind of weird to ask help from a screaming redhead girl of all people."
"Well, you're the only one without a date to begin with."
A blonde boy with a sharp-edge sarcasm. Clary can only think of one person. "What's your name?"
"Jonathan Christopher."
"Figures." She sighed. "I'm just gonna call you Jace. "
She fussed up his hair. "You know what, mini Jace? You just proved my theory that almost all blonde-ish boys with killer looks and sarcasm is named Jonathan Christopher." She hung her head. "That or I'm already crazy hallucinating.
"But I like you cause you're giving me something to do while I'm hiding from my friends on a dateless..lonely..Valentine's day. Mhm..now take to where you last saw your mother.
...
The sky is already dark when the twosome strayed farther away from the carnival.
"Hey mini Jace? Unless your mother is ahm..a dangerous serial killer—which I don't have any problems with by the way, are you sure this is where you last saw her?" Clary looked around the dense forrest trees they trekked into.
"Yeah."
"Really, really sure? Cause I'd been already kidnapped once and trust me, I already know tricks."
The boy rolled his eyes. "Shush! Less talking, more walking."
"Jeez, mister. Way to live up to your namesake." She puffed. "You know, you're awfully bossy for someone asking for help."
"Ughh..I swear, you're getting on my nerves." He rolled his eyes.
"What? What's that you said?"
"There it is!" He bounded up to a pathway.
"Hey wait up..Jace?" Clary was greeted by eerie silence and a dark clearing.
"Jaaaaaacee!" Panic shot up through her chest and adrenaline pounded through her veins.
Then lights flooded the forrest and when Clary's eyesight adjusted, she saw a dainty little dinner set for two. Balloon-like objects that glow in different colors, float in the air. Violin music is played somewhere hidden. Rose petals are scattered everywhere. Everything is somewhat enchanting to Clary..like it came from a dream.
"Like it?" A familiar voice spoke beside her.
"You're not the Jace I was looking for.." She's starting to doubt if it Jonathan Christopher was really the kid's name.
Grown-up Jace shrugged. "I had Alec take him home or his mom is gonna kill me."
She giggled, picking up one of the balloons. "What are these?"
"Mhm..I took some of your paint and a couple of witchlights then a lil shopping spree for balloons."
"It's beautiful. Everything's perfect. Better than pancakes."
He chuckled. "Believe me, I tried pancakes."
They were silent for a while. Gazing into each other's eyes.
"Jace?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For all of this." She kissed him on the cheek.
It was returned by a genuine smile. "Glad to be appreciated." He tipped his imaginary hat.
Curtsying mockingly, "A very happy Valentine Morgestern day to you Mr. Wayland."
"Why, a very happy Valentine Morgestern day to you too, Miss Fray." He happily bowed back.
As if the sky is listening, rain suddenly poured.
"Crap, it's raining!" Jace looked remorsefully at his masterpiece of a setup.
Clary started laughing. "You know, my day initially started crappy because of those words." She playfully punched his shoulder. "It could be worse."
Then thunderclap boomed. Lightning struck at a tree not so far away. Static filled the air, effectively popping all the balloons.
They miraculously evaded the witchlight stones, but not-so-luckily escaped all the paint.
"Blech! Now that's crappy worse!"
"Forget about that, the clean-up is much, much more crappy worse." He groaned.
Clary started stifling giggles, then they both are. Their howls of laughter getting louder each time they tried to stop.
"THIS IS THE BEST VALENTINE MO—mmf!"
"Ah-a-ah! We have enough bad luck already!"
She bit his hand. "OW!"
"Tee-hee your lips are red."
"Well yours are all bluey."
"Great job Einstein!" She clasped his shoulders. "Wanna make em violet?"
"Hold on—"
She put their faces a tad bit close. "Just shut up and kiss me."
They stood there kissing passionately in the middle of the rain, their clothes drenched and coated with paint all over. They didn't mind. As long as they're together, Clary couldn't have wished for better.
Watcha think about my one-shots so far? I'm really fixin this habit of posting one story and not ending it up :))