I just want to take some time out at the beginning of this chapter to say thank you. The reviews I've been receiving have really blown me away and I'm thankful for each and every one of you who takes your time to let me know what you think!
We sat in silence after out latest encounter, both of us deep in thought.
"I think I want to go back." I said, turning to face Jace. Whatever he'd thought I was going to say first, this clearly wasn't it.
"What? Bowling? Do you really think that's a good idea?" Jace asked, concerned. I nodded.
"Well, I don't want Sebastian to think that he can just turn up somewhere and make me flee. Plus do you really want to leave him alone with Isabelle and Jon? Could you imagine if he became friends with Jon or friendly with Isabelle? I really think we should go back." Jace was thinking about it.
"And how do we explain your miraculous recovery?"
"I'll just say that we went for a walk and the fresh air made me feel better." I said, blushing. Jace sighed.
"Fine. We'll go back." He sighed, as we made our way back into the front. "Any funny business from him though and I don't think I'll be able to hold back."
"Try for my sake. Don't lower yourself to his level."
We pulled back up at the bowling alley, five minutes later.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jace asked me before we got out of the car.
"100% sure. I'm fine honestly." I said, even though my heart was fluttering in my chest. I had to do this and I would rather do it surrounded by friends. I wasn't going to let him chase me away from activities like this. As we walked through the door, I held my head as high as I could. The shouts and laughter coming from the group was off-putting but I was glad to see that Simon was staying far away from Sebastian and trying to make sure Isabelle did the same. Jon was the first one to catch sight of us, bounding in our direction.
"Is something wrong?" Jon asked when he reached us.
"I got some fresh air and I feel a bit better, so I thought I'd come back."
"Great! We were just about to start a new game. We could play teams?" Jon suggested as he led us back over to the group.
"Whatever you want, mate." Jace said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Do you mind if I sit this one out? I think I hurt my hand with that last throw." Simon said, holding his hand in his lap. Isabelle was at his side laughing.
"Is it not just because I beat you?" She smiled and Simon's ears went slightly red.
"Okay so how about me, Jordan and Isabelle on one team, Jace, Sebastian and Clary on the other." I knew why Jon had picked these teams. He'd made sure he had chosen himself a good team, whilst making sure he could still compete with Jace. Once everyone had agreed to it, Jon set himself away updating the machine. Jace was stood at my side, his arms folded across his chest. Sebastian was looking at the lane, away from us, but I could see the smile on his face from where I was stood.
"Right, we're all set up. Ladies first?" Jon smiled to Isabelle who was quick to get to her feet. As Isabelle was taking her shot, I started picking out a suitable ball. I selected a small black one, the only one that my fingers seemed to fit into. My jacket was restricting though, shrugging it from my shoulders, I walked over to where Simon was sat to ask him to keep an eye on it for me.
"Si, would you mind keep an eye on my jacket for me please?" I asked, pulling my tank top up a bit further.
"Yeah, not a problem." Simon smiled as he grabbed my hand, pulling me to sit next to him. "Are you alright? I had no idea Isabelle had invited them, we can go if you like?" Simon whispered, his eyes unmoving from Sebastian. I shook my head, resting my hand on Simon's arm.
"I'm fine honestly. I'm not going to let him chase me away. Once he realises he can't control my life, he should back off." Simon looked anxiously at me.
"You will tell me if you change your mind, won't you?"
"Of course I will Si. Thanks." I smiled, getting back to my feet, my bowling ball in my hand. I was quick to throw the ball, well aware of everyone's eyes on me. Out of sheer luck, I matched Isabelle's score.
The game went by with little interaction with Sebastian, the end result going to Jon's team by one point. Jace wasn't having it.
"Rematch. Me and you. Right now." Jace was saying to Jon, who was easily persuaded into a rematch.
"Put me in as well!" Isabelle piped up, not wanting to be left out. I shook my head when asked if I wanted to play again.
"Hey Clary, do you want to get check out the arcade machines?" Simon asked, handing me my jacket back.
"Sure, let's go see if we can finally crack that claw machine." I smiled, putting my jacket back on,
"I can't see it happening."
"You sure you're going to be able to play arcade machines with that poorly hand?" I asked, concealing a smile.
"Shut up Clary." Simon grinned, shoving my shoulder as we reached the claw machine. "Hang about, I'll go get some change."
"Mind if we tag along?" Jordan was stood behind me, Sebastian beside him. "We didn't fancy taking part in Jace and Jon's pissing contest." I shrugged. It didn't bother me if they wanted to come to the arcade. The arcade wasn't really about 'group' activity.
"That Jace is a bit abrasive isn't he?" Sebastian said, and I didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. Simon's face twitched when he came back. His eyes unable to leave Sebastian. I hoped that when we started messing around with the claw machine, that Sebastian and Jordan would get bored and move onto another machine. Unfortunately, they took up the one next to us. Simon and I took turns, trying to catch dinosaur plushies. It didn't take long to forget that they were there.
"Hold my jacket Si! This is getting serious." I joked, stripping out of my jacket and cracking my fingers. I placed my hands delicately on the stick, moving the claw towards a purple brontosaurus at the back. The claw grabbed it around the base of its neck, raising it slowly up into the air. I held my breath, Simon by my side holding my arm. The closer the claw got to the drop, the more the brontosaurus was slipping. It was going to be close. Mere centimetres from the drop, the brontosaurus fell from the claw and I put my head in my hands. "Simon! Did you see how close that was?"
"Come on, scoot over. Let me show you how it's done." Simon joked, handing me my jacket back as he took up place at the machine.
"You two seem to really enjoy your claw machines." Jordan commented, standing back as Sebastian was taking his turn.
"It's the bane of our lives. We've never beaten it, ever." Jordan was nodding his head laughing, as Simon groaned, missing out on a t-rex he had been going for. We swapped out again, the brontosaurus in my sights. Sebastian had finished his turn and was leaning against my machine. Very off-putting. I leant forward in time with the claw, trying to snag the plushie. Again it dropped it, and I pulled back growling. Simon was back on the machine, this time aiming for my brontosaurus. "Si, I thought you wanted the T-rex?"
"I do, but you want the bronto. I'm going to get it for you." He smiled wickedly at me, over the top of his glasses. I laughed, standing just behind him, rubbing his shoulders.
"Come on Si. You can do this." I psyched him up. His claw descended, picking up its target. "It's coming Si!"
"Come on, please, come on." Simon was muttering under his breath. The next few seconds were tense, but when the claw reached the drop, the dinosaur was still attached. "We did it!" Simon shouted, turning to face me and lifting me into the air. I was laughing, my arms wrapped around Simon's neck. Simon put me down on the ground, pulling the dinosaur out of the gap and handing it to me. "That wasn't too hard now was it!?" He laughed.
"Thank you Simon." I smiled, tucking my dinosaur under my arm.
"I need some more money, I'll be two seconds." Simon smiled, disappearing off into the crowd once more. Jordan followed after him citing the same reason.
"I didn't realise you put yourself about so much Clary. No wonder you didn't want to be a one-man woman." I pulled my face, but stayed relaxed. "Jace, Simon, Jordan. The list goes on and on really, doesn't it?" I could tell where he was going with this. He was trying to get me to respond and deny it, to make himself feel better. To rid himself of insecurities. If he wanted to play games, I was more than happy to play along.
"What can I say?" I shrugged.
"Your brother is an interesting guy." Sebastian started on his next topic.
"Pretty cool guy isn't he?" I continued on, playing uninterested.
"Why did you never dress like this for me, Clary?" Sebastian went back to his old faithful, making me feel self-conscious. He was standing closer to me now. I shrugged again. Hurry up Simon. He traced his index finger down my arm from shoulder to wrist. "You should smile more Clary, you look outstanding when you smile."
"Maybe I'd smile if you left me alone." I retorted, putting my jacket back on so that less of my skin was on show.
"You don't mean that though, not really."
"Why is it that you get to decide what it is that I mean? Did I somehow give you consent to try and rape me whilst I was asleep? Or did you just decide that it's what I wanted?" I muttered, under my breath.
"Clary, Clary. You really need to drop this rape story, it didn't happen."
"It was going to Sebastian. If your mum hadn't have come home, it was going too." He was shaking his head.
"We were just messing about Clary!"
"There was no 'we' about it. You had me held down and I said no. That's not messing about."
"I'll make it up to you Clary."
"I don't want you to make it up to me, I want you to leave me alone!" I hissed.
"I don't believe you." Sebastian shrugged, as Jordan and Simon were back upon us.
"Simon was just admiring my tattoos Seb, I was just telling him about yours." Jordan said, and I shot Sebastian a look. Since when did he have tattoos? Sebastian lowered his shirt, a tattoo of a blazing eye adorning his chest right on top of his heart. I recognised it almost immediately. It was my work. He had my work tattooed on him. That made me feel strangely uncomfortable.
"It's a little memento of something I lost a while ago and my determination to get it back." Sebastian said, clearly thinking he was being ambiguous. Completely out of character, Simon launched himself at him, smashing Sebastian's back into the claw machine. Sebastian threw Simon back with ease, and Simon went to launch himself a second time. I grabbed his arm, pulling him over to where I stood, giving him a look. Jordan was looking between them, confusion on his face.
"Ugh, I think we're gonna head off." Jordan said, looking at Sebastian.
"Probably for the best. See you on Friday Clary." Sebastian smiled, barging past Simon on his way out.
"You know I'm not an angry person, but I could have killed him there Clary." Simon was muttering as we walked outside.
"It would have been a dark day if we'd beaten the claw machine and got banned from the arcade in the same day Si." I smiled, trying to lighten the situation.
"That was your sketch on his chest wasn't it? I've seen you draw it before."
"I'll just have to make a note to never draw it again."
"It's a bit creepy really isn't it?"
"That's Sebastian's thing though isn't it – Mr Creepy."
"What kind of weird person gets out a relationship and then is like 'I've got a wooooonderful idea' and then gets a tattoo of some of their ex's artwork. How long did you say you guys say you were together?"
"Not long enough for him to get a tattoo that's for sure." I laughed.
"On a serious note, do you not think it's worth telling Jon at least?" I shook my head.
"I can't. He could tell my parents."
"But Clary, you weren't here when it was just Sebastian and Jon. It was just weird. Jon would never be able to forgive himself if he made friends or was nice to this guy and then he found out about it. You really need to tell him sooner rather than later."
"I'll think about it. I will honestly." I promised. Simon had a point but part of me still didn't want Jon to find out about this. It might change things.
"I'll go check and see if they're done, it's getting quite late." Simon said, walking into the building. I hung about outside, getting some fresh air. It surprised me that it was Jace who came outside next, not Simon.
"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Jace asked immediately.
"Simon went in looking for you guys, what are you doing out here?"
"I came looking for you guys. Where's Jordan and dickhead?"
"They went home. Are you busy tomorrow?"
"Is this to talk about earlier?" Jace asked, looking back at the door anxiously.
"Yes, and something else as well." Jace was just about to ask what when the door opened and Simon and co walked out. On the walk to the car, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
Jace: Tomorrow it is. We'll talk details later.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and reviewing! All of my love, until the next time! ~Sapph