NOTE: This is an AU and OOC story. You have been warned.
DISCLAMER: Cassie Clare owns the Characters; I own the plot, story and dialogue.
Enjoy!
I woke up with someone licking my ear. I jolted up as soon as I felt it and saw a small dog looking up at me. I sighed in relief.
"Hey, boy. What brings you here?" I got Ned and ruffled its hair and then suddenly, I remembered something. I put him down and got out of bed. I was almost running down the stairs and into the dining area where I saw my dad having breakfast my Grandpa and Grandma.
"Oh, Jace. Good morning." My grandma stood up and gave me a tight hug. "Come sit. Eat breakfast." She said as she pulled me down to sit with them. The maids were setting down the food into the table.
"So, Jace. How's the company?" My grandpa ask. He is, in fact, Will Herondale. The founder and the owner of the W.H. Enterprise. My grandpa started the company when he was 20. The youngest entepreneur in his decade.
"Oh, uhm. Well..."
"Her secretary, apparently, harassed him." My dad said as he was reading the papers. I looked at him, surprised. My grandparents too.
"What?" My grandma said looking frantic. "In what way? We should get him fired!" My grandma really loves me. I was his only grandson, that's probably why.
"Her"
My grandpa looked at me. "A girl harassed you?"
The way he said it, made me feel lesser of a man than I did last night. I just nodded.
"Who was it?"
"Seelie McQueen."
"Hmmm." My grandpa said as he took a bite off of his toasted bread.
"I'll go talk to his father and make sure nothing like this will ever happen again. I can't afford my only grandson be harassed by a girl."
"Okay, grandpa, the way you said it hurt me as a man." I said acting like I was really hurt.
He just laughed at me and took another bite off his toast. We were already eating breakfast when my grandpa talked again. "So, I heard you wanted to live on your own."
I stopped eating my breakfast and looked at my dad, who was still eating and enjoying his scrambled eggs. I drank my orange juice and looked at my grandpa in the eye.
"Yes. I do."
He placed his food down his plate and wiped his mouth.
"Okay"
I was confused. "Okay, what?"
"Okay. You can live on your own."
I looked at him, with much surprise or waiting fof him to say "I was only joking. You can't." but nothing came out. He was actually smiling. I shifted my gaze to grandma and she too, was smiling then lastly, I looked at my Dad. He drank his coffee and looked at me.
"Your grandparents gave you an answer, I guess there's nothing for me to do."
"Are you guys serious?" I finally cracked a smile. Hell yeah!
"Yes. You're already of age and I think that this is a good experiment. You get to mingle with other people, especially commoners. Take it as like you're taking a practicum."
"A practicum?" I asked.
"Yes," my grandpa nodded, "a practicum."
"I want you to learn how to socialize and talk with different kinds of people and I think that this is the best way."
I grinned. A practicum or whatever. I don't care! They said yes!
"For how long?" My dad asked.
"Let's give your son a year."
There's a time limit? "Wait! Hold up. Why are you asking me for how long? Don't I get to decide when I want to come back?"
"No." My dad said, sternly
"Why?" I demand an answer! Damn it!
"Because after a year, your grandpa will be retiring, which means I will become the president and you, my son, will become the CEO of W.H. Enterprise."
"Woah. Wait, what?" My brain isn't processing right.
"You heard me. Now, you want your freedom. We give you your freedom but everything has it's limit."
I clenched my fist again but then I thought, I might as well take this opportunity. If in over a year, I'll become the CEO, might as well enjoy my freedom.
"Okay."
"Okay."
I told myself. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm... not okay.
I cried again for the nth time today. I still can't believe all my stories were gone and on top of that, my roommate for almost 5 years is now moving out to live in with her fiance, Simon.
"Aww, honey. Don't cry. It'll only make me feel guilty about moving out." She said as she comforted me. Well you should be! I thought to myself. You're leaving your bestfriend since 3rd grade after her tragic encounter last night. Be guilty for the rest of you life!
Simon came in holding a mug. It smelled like hot choco. These people really know how to shift my resentment into guilt and then forgive them as quickly as I got mad at them. I took the hot choco he made and took a sip.
"Clary, don't take this the wrong way okay but, why didn't you think of backing up the files you had on your laptop." Simon asked as he sat down at the foot of my bed.
"I didn't think this would happen to me." I sobbed.
"And this is why I was having second thoughts about moving out." Izzy looked at me and held me by my arms. "Clary, you should be more careful. You're 23 years old. You're not a child anymore. You have to look out for yourself and be more aware."
"I know! I know! Stop reminding me how stupid I am!" I was too frustrated to walk out so I hid under the sheets.
I heard Izzy sigh. "Here's the deal. I'll move out until we find you a roommate. A roommate that can also help you with your financial problem."
I grunted at what she said. My wallet was in there also. Now I regret not listening to Izzy when she said that I should put my money on a bank. Seriously, Clary?! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
"My lifetime savings! Please stop it! It hurts so much to know that this is how stupid I am!"
"Well, be thankful that you're not stupid enought to put your entire money in that wallet. How much did you say the money you found in your drawer?"
"A hundred bucks."
"Okay, well. It's a good thing we already paid this month's rent. Now all we need to do is to find you a roommate with a good financial background."
I got out of the sheets and sat straight. "How do you supposed we'd find a person like that?"
"Easy." Simon said. "We'll put up a 'Wanted: Roommate' sign and we'll interview them."
"Are you guys serious?!" At that moment, I think I was about to go crazy. "Why can't Simon just live here. With us."
"Will you be able to bear the nights we'll make love? I mean, Izzy here is pretty-"
"Okay, enough. TMI"
"You need to do this, Clary. We'll find you the perfect roommate." Izzy said as she took me into a side hug.
"And who'll know, she-" he paused for a while, "or... he might help you with your story."
"Izzy, hold me down or else your fiance won't have a face anymore."
"Simon, go make yourself useful and make us fajitas."
When he got out, I turned to Izzy and just like I was expecting she knew already what I was going to say.
"Clary, you'll be okay. I know that your written works are very important to you but, you are one of the greatest writer I've ever since."
"I am the only writer you've ever seen."
Izzy sighed. "I know you're a great writer and I know you can make another great read."
"But what am I supposed to say to the editor I was about to meet?"
"Tell him, something came up. I'm sure he'll understand."
I felt tears coming up again and restrained myself from crying. "That story was about to make me from nobody to somebody. That story was about to give me money so that my brother can go back here and we'll have money to put up for his own restaurant. That story-"
"That story is gone. Clary, I know... I believe you can write something new, something much better than your old story. I know so. Have I ever been wrong?"
"Well, there was that one time with the-"
"My point is, Clary, you are a great writer who can come up with a brand new story that people will love! Just trust yourself okay?"
I wasn't sure on how I will react to that but I looked at Izzy and she gave me her sweetest most comforting smile ever.
"Things like this happen because I know that there are far greater things that are bound to come your way."
"Things like this happen because I know that there are far greater things that are bound to come your way."
My grandma said as she helped me pack my stuff. I was scheduled to fly from LA to New York to find my own apartment. A few days back, before it was even decided, I was scouting an apartment in New York, knowing and sure enough that my dad would let me go, I saw an ad on the internet that this person needs a roommate. I guess, it's worth a shot, I said to myself and called them. It was a boy who answered. Good. I don't need any girl drama where I'll be staying.
"Thanks grandma." I hugged her and and gave her a kiss on top of her head. Since my mom died of cancer, my grandma Tessie became my mom. She would always come to our house to take care of me. That's why I'll do whatever it takes to make my grandma happy.
"Honey, don't forget to tell me if you've met any fine girls, okay?"
I laughed. "Grandma, I don't think there will be any girl involve in this one year contract for my freedom."
"Well, you'll never know. Just let me know if there's any."
I just nodded so that grandma would stop talking about it. Seriously, I am not that kind of guy who would get myself a girlfriend or get married or whatever. I got no time to worry about girl problems. All I need are girls who would please me. The life of a bachelor is what I've dreamed of and I have no plans of giving that dream up.
As I got downstairs, my dad and my grandpa were already waiting for me.
"Here," my dad gave me five thousand dollars, "that's the last help you'll receive from us. At least, for this one year."
I took it and said thanks. Five thousand dollars? I honestly don't care if they only gave me 50 bucks, I'm just glad to be able to escape this Herondale lifestyle and be able to live as Just Jace.
I said my goodbyes to them and in no time, I was already inside the plane, flying to the City That Never Sleeps.
I couldn't resist you guys! Your reviews made me so happy that I just had to post the next chapter! :)
Thank you for all the good feedback to this fic and I really hope you guys will stick to it to the very end.
I will be updating 1 chapter next month. So ya'll have to wait for it.
Please Read, Review and Share!
PS: Emma has nothing to do with the Emma on TDA. I just thought that the name seemed fitted on the character.
xo daughterofposeidonhere