I deeply apologise for the delay in this chapter! I hope you can all forgive me!
It took all of the concentration I had to try and free Isabelle from the Modrock. She hadn't layered it very well making it quite a task to cut through. Once I'd managed to get it off, I sent Jace a text as I was putting the scissors back in the utility drawer.
Clary: So much for texting me first!
I decided upon keeping it light. I didn't want to launch straight in with accusations.
"Who you messaging?" Isabelle smiled, stretching her hand out.
"Uh – Simon. I thought we could make a night of it? Watch some movies maybe?" I thought on my feet and just so happened to come up with a pretty fantastic idea. Isabelle looked thrilled.
"Ooh! I hope he'll say yes." I knew he would say yes. It was Simon, any chance at being sociable he seized with both hands. Now I had to text him.
Clary: Hi Si! Fancy a movie night with me and Iz? Text back quickly or we might start without you.
The text message had barely left my phone when I received a reply.
Simon: Are you crazy? Of course I'm game. Be over in 10. Start without me and I'll start taking names.
"He's on his way." I muttered to Isabelle, still well aware that Jace hadn't replied yet. I cast it from my mind, he wasn't the quickest when it came to replying anyway.
"Did I hear something about movies?" Jon had appeared in the doorway, his eyes pleading.
"Uh – if you want too?" I shrugged, looking at Isabelle.
"I was meant to be going to the gym with Jace but he's bailed so I thought movies sounded like a good alternative." Jon ruffled my hair, grabbing a glass and pouring himself a drink. Isabelle rolled her eyes.
"Don't talk to me about the manwhore." She grumbled. Her words stung, I didn't want to think about this. Jon looked at her confused before she said "Lana.". Jon laughed.
"She's like a stalker that one. Jace just can't seem to shake her. You sure she didn't break into your house?" Jon laughed and I looked to Isabelle.
"I've been in all day. The only way she could have gotten in is with him but nice try defending him."
Jon was about to reply when there was a knock at the door, it could only be Simon with a knock like that. I went to answer it as Jon led Isabelle towards the living room. Simon's face fell slightly when I opened the door.
"What's wrong?" He asked, looking me over. I shook my head, smiling.
"Nothing's wrong – what do you mean?" I asked, leading him into the house.
"I can't put my finger on it, just have a feeling something's not right." He shrugged, patting me on the shoulder.
"I hope you brought some movies with you. You know what my family's taste is like…" I muttered before we walked through the door. He swung his backpack off, unveiling his many wonders.
"You know me Clary. I always come prepared." He winked before heading into the living room. I chanced another look at my phone but Jace hadn't replied yet. Putting it back in my pocket, I tried to cast any doubts from my mind as I headed into the living room after Simon.
Jace's POV
There was a knock on the door two minutes after I'd closed it. I opened the door, half expecting to see Clary standing there, much to my disappointment it was Lana.
"Lana, now really isn't –"
"It is the time Jace. Isabelle isn't talking to me anymore, you aren't talking to me anymore. What did I do wrong?" She barged past my arm into the house.
"Lana, Isabelle is going to want to talk to you even less if you're standing in her house screaming." I said, gesturing upstairs. Lana looked like a mad woman, what had brought this on?
"I don't care anymore!" She practically shouted and I was well aware of the potential reactions this could cause. I tried not to shush her or patronise her for fear of her making more of a scene.
"Look, let's go talk about this. Clearly you have something on your mind and I'm willing to listen, okay?" I tried to appease her and she looked to settle down. I gestured for her to walk up the stairs and was thankful when we made it to my room without a hitch. Lana walked straight over to my bed, sitting herself down on it and getting comfortable. I almost saw a trace of a smile on her face. Was this what she had wanted all along? I placed myself at my desk, resting against it casually. Now that Lana was in my room, she seemed to have suddenly quietened down and I got a chance to have a good look at her. She was wearing the same clothes as that 'other' time she had been around here. "So, what is it you were wanting to talk about?" I prompted her in a hope to get her out of here as quickly as I could.
"Us Jace. I want to talk about us." She was looking at me with her head tilted and I was glad I'd chosen to keep my distance.
"Lana, I don't mean to sound patronising but I don't think there is an 'us', I'm sorry but that's just the way it is. I don't want to hurt your feelings but I don't want to lead you on either." I shrugged, I'd explained it to her in a reasonable manner, and clearly she didn't think so. Lana's face was a picture, frozen like stone.
"I don't believe that." She muttered, playing with the corner of my bedsheets.
"I'm telling you that though Lana. So you're going to have to believe it." She didn't seem to be listening to anything I was saying. She'd clearly come here with only one outcome in her head.
"That's not fair Jace. I gave you everything." She was raising her voice again. I was distracted when the door behind me was opened. Isabelle was standing there. Her face fell and she looked livid before turning on her heel and leaving. By the time I got out onto the hallway, she was down the stairs and out of the front door. I walked back into my bedroom and Lana was smiling lightly. Probably another part of her plan that had went well. Now that Isabelle had seen us together, Lana seemed to be getting herself ready to leave.
"I'll see you at school Jace." She said as she made her way to the door. I held the door, before she got to it.
"What game are you playing?" I asked, eyebrows raised. She smiled coyly.
"No games. I've told you what I want, and I always get what I want. See you later!" She chirped before slipping under my arm and out along the hallway.
This hadn't went at all how I'd wanted it too. Isabelle had seen Lana in my room and hadn't let me explain what was even happening. I needed to have a shower. All I wanted right now was to clear my head. So much for today being a good day.
Clary's POV
We never actually got around to watching a film. By the time we had argued over everything down to the genre, year of release and supporting cast, my parents had come back. We were quickly ushered out of the living room and my Dad made it pretty clear that Mum had a headache and that he wanted the house as quiet as possible.
"I don't really want to go back to my house." Isabelle said as we headed upstairs into my room to grab my stuff.
"But, your parents are away right?" Simon asked.
"That makes it worse!" Isabelle sighed as I headed into the bathroom to change into something more comfortable.
"Not really, means we can take this movie night over there."
"But Jace is there."
"So?" Simon questioned and from the silence Isabelle seemed to be contemplating it. When I emerged from the bathroom in a pair of jogging bottoms and an oversized t-shirt, Isabelle looked strangely determined.
"Yeah! Why not? I'm not going to let him chase me away! Let's go to my house!" I felt oddly concerned. I didn't really want to go where Jace could potentially be with Lana, it was a situation I wasn't quite ready to deal with. I checked my phone. He still hadn't replied. I quickly packed a bag and readied myself to go.
I felt queasy on the walk over there. Simon and Isabelle were talking amongst themselves as I trudged along a few paces behind them. When we got to Isabelle's house, Simon and Isabelle had finally narrowed it down to two films. The house was deadly quiet when we stepped inside, I felt quite sick. Isabelle quickly led Simon over to the living room and I followed them anxiously. I tried telling myself to chill, tried to calm myself down but my heart was pounding in my chest, my stomach anxious with anticipation of what was to come.
Simon was setting the DVD up, Isabelle looking quite fidgety.
"I'm going to have to go and see if she's still here. I can't settle." Isabelle remarked eventually, hoisting herself up from her seat. I was thankful that she was going to go and check, and felt myself exhaling deeply when she left the room.
"What do you see in him?" Simon broke my concentration, and as I turned I saw him looking up at me from the floor.
"What? What do you mean?" I flustered, feeling myself already flushing crimson.
"Jace." He said simply.
"Simon – I don't know –"I started, trying to back myself out of this conversation before Isabelle got back.
"Clary, please. I know that's why you've been acting strange. It's him isn't it?" I nodded, "What do you see in him?" I shrugged.
"I don't know." Honestly I didn't know. There was something about him. It was like he had all of the good that Sebastian had, without any of the bad. There was something about him that made me trust him and believe that he wasn't going to hurt me. But then today had happened and suddenly I was second guessing myself. Simon was just about to open his mouth once more when Isabelle skirted back into the room. She threw herself down in her chair, her legs tucked underneath her.
"She's not here." She smiled happily. "Jace has probably given her what she wanted and sent her on her way." She mumbled under her breath. My stomach did an awkward somersault, resulting in me feeling extremely nauseous.
"Where's the bathroom?" I asked Isabelle, as Simon shot me a suspicious look.
"It's the furthest door at the end of the hallway upstairs, you can't miss it." Isabelle smiled, casting Simon a glance herself. No doubt they'd be discussing me once I'd left the room. I hesitantly walked up the stairs, trying not to make much too much noise. I wasn't sure if I wanted to see Jace or not. As I was on the brink of reaching the bathroom, a door opened behind me.
"Isabelle?" A voice rang out and I kept going for the door. "Clary?" His tone suddenly changed as he came up behind me. I turned to look around. He was dressed the same as he was last time, a towel draped around his waist. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Jace was smiling at me.
"I'm here with Isabelle." I said bluntly, I felt strange. Realisation seemed to dawn on his face. He knew that I was aware she had been here.
"I'll tell you what I told Isabelle, Clary. Lana came here by herself. She was outside when I got back from our date. I thought I at least owed it to her to tell her that I didn't see a future for me and her. I wouldn't go on a date like that with you Clary and then come home and do something like that." He looked at me dead in the eye, and I nodded lightly. I had to believe him, right now it was all I could do. "You have to believe me Clary."
"I do, don't worry about it." I said, smiling lightly heading into the bathroom. "You owe me one though."
"What – why?" He protested.
"For not texting me first." I raised my eyebrows, before heading into the bathroom. Jace nearly scared the life out of me. I was just about to close the bathroom door behind me, when his face appeared in the gap like something out of The Shining. I let go of the door in surprise, allowing Jace to grab a firm grip of it, pushing his way into the bathroom. I backed up against the sink as Jace looked at me with a wild look in his eye. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I had a chance to, his lips were on mine, his body pressing mine back into the sink. His hands were firmly planted on the sink behind me, as he deepened the kiss. His chest was pressed firmly against mine, our hearts beating in rhythm. I pulled back briefly.
"Simon and Isabelle are downstairs." I muttered between butterfly kisses. "They'll wonder where I am." Jace smirked devilishly against my lips.
"Let them come. I've got nothing to hide." His hands fell from the sink, resting on my hips as he tried to bring my body even closer to his. He kissed me lightly once more before stepping back. "Our debt is settled." He smirked, winked and then left the bathroom.
It took me a while to compose myself. Once I got downstairs, I could see Simon and Isabelle eyeing my suspiciously but I didn't care. I was back in that same zone that I'd been in earlier. I felt untouchable.
Thank you for taking your time to read and review this, it really does make my day. All my love, until the next time. ~Sapph