Sebastian was walking towards me, the embodiment of casual. He was wearing a tight fitting black t-shirt and light jeans. I wasn't sure how he was going to play this. Was he going to play it cool and admit he knew me? Or was he going to play it cautiously?
"Nice to meet you." Sebastian smiled, as he placed the supplies down at the table before sliding into his seat. Jordan hadn't noticed the atmosphere, he was too busy looking around the room. Sebastian never took his eyes from me, so I looked elsewhere.
"I think we're meant to just start jotting down ideas." He commented after looking at other tables. Jordan grabbed a piece of paper from Sebastian's gathered supplies, drawing out a mind-map. "Are we going to take it in turns?" Jordan asked, tapping the pencil against the desk.
"Why don't we just have a chat about it? Then write down the decent ideas?" Sebastian said, and Jordan agreed with him. "How about sculp-"Sebastian started, a gleam in his eye but I cut him off.
"What are you best at, Jordan?" I asked, resting on my elbows, trying to block Sebastian out. Jordan laughed, pushing his hair back from his face.
"That's a bit of a vague question but in terms of art, my talents lie in mixed medium art. I like chaos."
"Well I'll try my hand at anything, I'm pretty easy going. Unless you have any objections?" I turned to face Sebastian.
"I like portraits, thanks for asking. I suppose we could do some sort of mixed medium portraiture?" He asked Jordan.
"If that's alright with you Clary? Do you think your partner will have any objections?" Jordan was looking directly at me, Sebastian was fidgeting at his side.
"I'm sure she'll be fine with it."
Jordan and Sebastian did most of the mind-mapping over the next hour as I doodled my own little ideas on a piece of paper. Thankfully when the bell rang for break, we were informed that only the school students were entitled to it and that the college students would stay and work on the projects, I darted from my seat and into the corridor to gather myself. I was halfway through penning a message to Jace about Sebastian when I remembered the situation and erased it.
"Clary!" Simon's head bobbed over the top of the crowd as he made his way over to me. "What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost." I pulled Simon over towards the lockers.
"Sebastian is in there." I muttered under my breath. Simon immediately turned around, looking around wildly. I turned him back to face me. "In the classroom."
"What?! Why?!" Simon looked flabbergasted.
"Some sort of project the school is running. Do not say anything though!"
"But Clary-"
"Simon!"
"Fine. Has he spoken to you?"
"Well – he's in my group."
"What?!"
"You can't say anything to Isabelle, because she's in my group too."
"Clary, you can't expect me to –"
"Please Simon." He looked at me, sighing.
"Fine. But if anything happens Clary, I swear –"
"I know, I know. It won't, I promise." Simon pulled me towards him in a side-hug. "I'll meet you here after class okay?" I nodded before walking back towards the classroom. Jordan and Sebastian had set up an image board on the table, sticking pieces of paper too it. "Anything I can help with?" I asked, putting my bag back down on the seat.
"Uh – will you check if there's any chalks over there? I've got an idea I want to jot down." Jordan asked and I headed towards the supply cupboard at the opposite end of the room. As I was sifting through chalks and charcoals, I nearly dropped them on the floor when someone came up behind me.
"Funny how these things work out, isn't it?" Sebastian said from behind me, feigning an interest in some pencils on the shelf next to me.
"Funny isn't the word I would use." I moved myself as far away from him as I could manage without it looking suspicious.
"Well whatever you want to call it, I would get used to it. I for one am definitely looking forward to seeing you for the next year, Clary. What is it they say – a lot can happen in a year?" Chalks in hand, I scooted past Sebastian, walking back to the table with haste. Jordan was cutting out some of my doodles when I got there, sticking them around the edge of the image board.
"These are really good Clary, I'm sure we can fit them into the idea somewhere. What I'm imagining in my head is sort of a portrait of Seb's, filled with intricate linework of yours, with the media of my work. It's just where your partner fits into that ratio." Jordan was muttering to himself as he looked over the image board.
"Isabelle could probably help me with the linework. It's really not that hard to do."
"Hey. Don't beat yourself down, you're really talented." Jordan flashed me another smile as he unboxed the chalk. Sebastian shot him a look as he came back to the table with modrock in his hands.
"I thought we weren't doing sculpture?" I questioned. Sebastian shrugged in response.
"I wanted to try out an idea. Is that alright with you?" Now it was my turn to shrug.
"Do what you like." I muttered before Sebastian walked back towards the sink to get some water.
"Do you guys have a problem or something? I'm sensing a bit of tension?" Jordan asked, still focussed on his work.
"I just think he's got a bit of a bad attitude." I answered but Jordan laughed.
"Honestly Clary, Seb is one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet. He's chill. Give him a chance and you'll find out."
"Hmm, I guess he just reminds me of someone that's all."
The rest of the class went by without a hitch as Sebastian kept himself to himself. I started to ready myself about five minutes before the end of class, just so that I could get out before Sebastian had a chance to trail after me. When the bell rang, I quickly said my goodbyes before heading out in the corridor. Thankfully, Simon was already waiting for me and we got out of there as quickly as possible, heading straight to my house. My phone vibrated twice in my pocket, I checked it as I put my bag down in the kitchen.
Sebastian: I didn't realise loverboy went to your school. Interesting development. Nice to see you today by the way. Can't wait for tomorrow.
It didn't surprise me that the other text was from Jace. If Sebastian had seen Jace, Jace must have seen Sebastian.
Jace: I'm pretty sure I've just seen Sebastian at the school.
I decided to play it safe. Jace didn't need to get involved in this. It was all under control.
Clary: I haven't. Maybe you're seeing things.
Leaving my phone on charge in the kitchen, I joined Simon in the living room.
"I can't believe they've let him into the school. It's crazy!"
"Keep your voice down Si." I said, even though I knew nobody was home. "It's hardly a matter of public record, the school probably just think their doing everyone a favour. I mean my old art school used to use mentoring all the time. Sebastian probably sees this whole situation as romantic." I rolled my eyes.
"Romantic how?"
"Well I told you about the first time we met didn't I? He was my mentor. This situation is very similar." I shrugged. Sebastian was a firm believer in signs, fate – all that jazz.
"I really think you should tell someone Clary…"
"No Simon, I can't. To be honest, this situation might work out in my favour. It gives me a way of actually showing him that I don't want anything to do with him."
"I hope it works like that but he sounds like a nasty piece of work-"Simon cut off as the front door opened.
"So did Isabelle mention to you why she was off today?" I asked Simon, quickly changing the subject to avoid suspicion from whoever had just entered.
"Dentist appointment, she'll be back tomorrow I think."
"That's good then. She doesn't really have much she has to catch up on. Especially not in art." I managed to say before the living room door opened. Jon walked in, eyeing Simon up.
"Clary, can I have a word?" I nodded, getting to my feet and following him out into the corridor. He shut the door behind him, and I noticed he'd also shut the kitchen door. Jace must have been with him. "I'm sorry about yesterday, Jace said he seen you waiting at Java Jones on his way to the gym yesterday. I think I've just been worried with you running off the other night."
"So – you believe me because Jace confirms it, not because you believe me in my own right?"
"Clary, don't twist it. I'm apologising."
"Apology accepted. Is that everything?" Jon frowned, his hand on his hip.
"What's the matter with you recently? You're acting strange." I shrugged.
"Adapting to life here I guess. I would just rather you took my word on things from now on." I said. "Please." I added to soften it. Jon nodded.
"I know Clary, I'm sorry. I'm just new to this full-time big brother thing."
"It's alright. I'm still getting used to the whole little sister thing." Jon smiled before walking back to the kitchen.
"Remember, any issues – I'm just across the hall."
I sunk into the sofa when I got back into the living room.
"He knows something is up." I said as Simon squeezed himself in next to me.
"Have you told him?"
"No, he might go to my parents."
"But what if Jace tells him?"
"He promised he wouldn't." Simon nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket.
"Isabelle thinks you're ignoring her, apparently she's tried ringing and texting you." I felt my pockets before remembering that I'd left my phone in the kitchen.
"Be right back." I quickly dipped into the kitchen, to find Jace sitting there by himself, once again. "Do you just like to hang out in my kitchen, by yourself? Do you not have your own kitchen?" I asked, as I made my way across the breakfast bar to where I'd left my phone.
"You've got me." Jace said sarcastically. I curled my lip as I looked for my phone. It was only then I realised that Jace had it sat before him.
"Give it back." I said, holding out my hand. He held it, just looking at me.
"You know what I find interesting?" He asked, tapping my phone against the palm of his hand. "You tell me that you're petrified of this Sebastian guy, you make such a big deal out of him contacting you…and then you add his number to your phone."
"You've been going through my phone?" I protested, grabbing for my phone back but he held it just out of reach.
"Not exactly. It came across the front who had text you…Isabelle, Isabelle, Sebastian, Isabelle." I could feel heat rushing into my face.
"It's easier for me to keep track that way." Jace pulled a face, clearly not believing me.
"I'm struggling to believe that Clary."
"You know what Jace?" I finally managed to grab my phone back. "Believe what you want. I don't have to justify myself to you, just like you don't have to justify yourself to me which was pretty evident yesterday. Do me a favour and stop going through my things." I said to him as he sat back in his chair, a smile on his face.
"Is this about that kiss Clary? I didn't realise you were still hung up." He smiled and I returned it with a scowl. It was as though he was deliberately trying to piss me off and push me away.
"You're making this leaving you alone thing a hell of a lot easier." I said, before storming out of the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind me.
Jace's POV
Regardless of what Clary said, I knew it was Sebastian I'd seen earlier at school. His face wasn't one that I was going to forget quickly. Pushing Clary away seemed to be working, it wouldn't be long before she stayed away from me altogether. I couldn't let myself be like that with her and every time she was close to me, it heightened the temptation. It was too easy to slip into it. I couldn't lose Jon as a friend, even if that meant I had to sacrifice any potential Clary and I had together. That didn't mean that I was just going to let things with Sebastian fly under the radar. I wasn't going to tell Jon, but I also wasn't going to stop keeping an eye on Sebastian.
Thank you to every single one of you who reads and reviews! You really warm my heart! All of my love, until the next time (which I don't think will be that long between you and me!). ~Sapph