Unsure of whether he would even check his phone, I sent him a message.
Clary: I need to ask you a favour. Privately if possible.
I received about 3 texts from Sebastian, all of which I ignored, before I got a text back from Jace.
Jace: I'll ask Iz and Simon if they mind going home with Jon. Alec is staying at the rink to meet Magnus.
I bit my lip nervously. I'd only meant for him to come and quickly have a word with me in the café, not to spend the entire drive home just the two of us. No wonder Isabelle thought something was going on.
Clary: Okay, I'm just in the café.
I turned away from the ice, not wanting to witness Jace rearranging the cars. He replied within minutes.
Jace: It's arranged. You owe me one. I'll come up when we're done. Unless you fancy skating again?
Clary: Funny. See you in a bit.
Jace came up to the café a lot sooner than I expected. I looked onto the ice to see everyone was still there.
"You didn't have to come straight up you know, I don't mind waiting." I said. He just shook his head.
"It's alright, I was getting pretty bored of kicking their arses anyway." He smirked. "You coming then?" I grabbed my phone from the table, following him from the café. "Do you need me to hold your hand going down the stairs or can you manage?" He smiled, as we descended to the ground floor.
"Somehow I think I'll be alright." I mocked, just as the words had escaped my mouth, I tripped on the bottom step but managed to regain my footing. Jace couldn't help himself, bursting into laughter.
"You really are a marvel, Clary."
"Shut it. Where's the car?" It was raining outside and Jace had parked in what could only be described as the furthest space from the rink. Pulling my hat down as much as I could, I followed Jace to the car, running across the car park. I was out of breath once I got inside. Pulling my soaked hat from my head, I placed it in my lap. I turned to look at Jace who hadn't put the keys in yet, he was sitting stifling a laugh.
"What? What are you laughing at now?" I asked, chucking my wet hat at him. He caught it easily, his laugh finally escaping. He gestured to my top and I looked down confused. The rain had drenched my shirt, making it sheer, my bra completely visible underneath. I gasped, pulling my jacket off before putting it on backwards. "I hate you." I grumbled, shooting him a glance.
"No you don't, otherwise you wouldn't have asked for my help. Speaking of which?" He put the keys in the car, but didn't start it up. Now that I was here, nerves got the best of me and I really didn't want to talk about it.
"Who's Magnus?" I asked, recalling an earlier conversation. Jace shook his head.
"Alec's boyfriend. Is this about Sebastian?" It felt weird hearing Jace say his name. I nodded my head.
"You drive. I'll talk." I said. Immediately Jace started up the engine, buckling himself in before glancing to see if I had. I didn't start talking until we were out of the car park.
"He messaged me today and I read it, by accident." I started.
"Didn't you block his number?"
"Yes, but he always just messages from a new number. I don't know how."
"Did you reply?"
"No, but I read them which is bad enough. One of them in particular is bugging me."
"What did it say?"
I found it easier to just read the message aloud to Jace. It took him a while to respond. He seemed to be taking it in.
"So, he's in New York?"
"Apparently, at the Art Institute."
"He's older than you then?" Jace asked, as if surprised.
"Yes."
"So what did you need advice with?" Jace got to the point. I suddenly felt sick again.
"It's difficult to word." Jace waited patiently. "I don't know whether to go and see him or not." Jace scoffed immediately. "Hear me out! I'm thinking that if I went to see him, he might leave me alone. If I can just explain to him that I don't want to see him or hear from him anymore. Maybe he just needs closure?" Jace was shaking his head, his hands tightly grasping the steering wheel.
"Are you kidding Clary? Seriously, is this a joke?" Jace shot me a look, a serious look.
"It might help."
"No Clary. It won't help. If you go back, he'll find a way to get you to give him another chance. The fact that he even has you considering meeting up with him, is proof enough of that. If he's a volatile as you told me he is, then nothing good can come of it. Do you want to die, Clary?"
"What, Jace? No." I bumbled confused.
"That's the end game Clary of being with a person like that."
"Jace, I was going to meet him in a public place. Just to tell him to leave me alone, that was all."
"Until he charms you into another drink, or going for a walk or seeing him again. It's a slippery slope Clary and not one people get off to often."
"I can't keep going through the texts and the calls, something has got to give."
"So you're just wanting to throw yourself in at the deep end and put your life in danger for good measure, Sounds like a sound plan." Jace's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, I couldn't help but notice we were going slightly faster.
"It's alright, it doesn't matter." I said, pulling my hands up into the jacket sleeves. He wasn't dropping the subject as easily as I first anticipated.
"It does matter Clary. Of course it matters." Jace growled, turning into a side street. He parked the car up at first opportunity, unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face me. "Going to see this Sebastian is an important decision Clary. It's not something you can just decide on a whim, it's not something you can decide on the fly." I nodded, listening. "The most important question you have to answer is, does he scare you? Enough so, that you're scared for your life?" The tears came fast and heavy, until I was sobbing in the car without a care. Call it genuine fear or embarrassment, I wasn't sure anymore.
"Shh, come here." Jace muttered, pulling my head towards his chest. I buried my face into his shirt, as he rubbed my back reassuringly. His hand grazed ever so slightly across the bare skin of my back and I flinched away immediately, pulling back. Jace looked confused. "What's the matter? What did I do?" I shook my head, rubbing my eyes on my jacket.
"Do you want me to take you home?" Jace asked.
"Not yet." I whispered. I couldn't have my parents seeing me like this.
"I'm sorry if I came on too strong. My only intention was to help."
"I know. It's just hard." Part of me in my head was still saying that I should meet Sebastian, just to get everything out in the air. "I still don't know what I should do." Jace looked frustrated but tried his best to neutralise his face. His hands sought out mine, holding them tightly.
"If I tell you something you must promise that it goes no further than between us. It seems only fair since you told me about Sebastian, okay?"
"Okay." I mumbled, my hands feeling strange in his.
"I'm sure you're already aware that I'm adopted. My surname is completely different to that of the family that adopted me, it's a dead giveaway. What not many people know are the circumstances surrounding my adoption. It's public record that my mother is dead, anyone could find that out. My mother had a relationship with a man, very similar to that of your relationship with this Sebastian. He killed her Clary. She died frightened and-"Jace had to take a moment to regain himself, his grip of my hands tightening briefly. "She died in pain Clary. She was on a life support machine for 3 weeks before she went. I don't want you to end up like my mother Clary. Nobody deserves to have to live or die like that. Nobody." I reached forward, pulling Jace into a cuddle. It was a hard story to have to listen to and probably a harder one to tell but what he said was right. I couldn't go back. I just couldn't.
"I won't meet him." I said into Jace's shoulder.
"You promise?" He asked, his hands on my shoulder, pushing me away from him so that he could see my face.
"I promise." I said earnestly. I pulled out my phone, blocking the newest of the numbers on my phone. "See, done?" I showed him my phone and he smiled, before pulling out his own.
"I'm just texting Jon to let him know we got caught up in traffic, he'll wonder what's happened if he gets home before we do." Jace said, tapping away. I put my own phone back in my pocket, removing my jacket, my t-shirt having finally dried out. "You should dress like that more often Clary, it suits you." Jace commented as he was starting up the car. I looked to see if he was trying to wind me up again but his eyes were firmly focussed on the road. "Seatbelt on please, your brother would never forgive me if I accidentally sent you flying through the windshield." I obliged, crossing my legs.
"Thanks for helping me out Jace. You didn't have too, we've only known each other about a week." I commented, watching other cars fly past.
"It's alright Clary, I feel like I've known you much longer. You forget that I've been best friends with your brother for countless years, he did talk about you sometimes you know." There was a smile playing on his lips.
"What did he say?" I groaned. Jace maintained his silence, smiling still. "Tell me!"
"I think I've told you enough for one day." He laughed as I pouted.
"Not fair."
As we were driving, I spotted a milkshake bar. My stomach rumbled in response.
"Hungry?" Jace asked, I nodded.
"Starved." Jace sighed, pulling into the car park.
"This is only because you've had a rough day though!"
"Yeah, yeah. You're just a big softie really aren't you?" I smirked, clambering out of the car. Jace imitated being sick.
"You go ahead and order. I'll have a chocolate milkshake. I need to ring your brother to tell him what's going on. I doubt I'll get signal inside." Jace beckoned me on. I shrugged, walking into the diner and picking a table in the corner.
Jace's POV
I watched her walk in and take a seat before walking back over to where the car was. Standing behind it, I opened my phone, pulling up the number that I'd taken down from Clary's. I didn't like lying to her but this was for her own good. Calling the dial button, I waited for a response.
Just as I was about to lose hope, the dial tone stopped, a voice coming through.
"Clary?!" Was this how this dickhead answered every phonecall?
"Guess again." I bit back.
"Uh – Sorry who is this?"
"That's irrelevant. Stay away from Clary." I threatened.
"Ahh you're the one I spoke to on Clary's phone the other day! Who the hell are you?"
"I've already said that's irrelevant. Do you not understand how ears work? Just like you don't understand that you shouldn't hit women."
"Right! Who the fuck are you?!" I laughed at him down the phone.
"Someone you don't want to meet, believe me."
"Oh yeah, what you gonna do mate?"
"Don't call me mate. I'd never associate myself with a scumbag like you. If I find out that you've come anywhere near Clary, I'll break off each of your fingers individually and forcefeed them to you."
"And I'm the violent one?"
"There's a big difference – I don't beat on innocent women who I supposedly love. Then again, are domestic abusers really capable of love? You'll have to let me know." I could hear him losing his temper on the other end of the phone, something being hurtled across the room by the sounds of things.
"Watch your fucking back." He growled before hanging up. I shook my head laughing. Part of me had expected him to back off at the thought of being confronted. I hadn't quite achieved my goal but I would stay true to my word. If he came near Clary, he'd live to regret it.
Thank you again for all the positive reviews! I am really enjoying this story at the moment and I hope you all are too! All my love, until the next time. ~Sapph