Clary was starting to think she was cursed. Twice now, she'd found herself in a position where her friend had confessed romantic feelings for her. Either the universe was trying to tell her to stop being friends with guys, or she was giving off some very mixed signals. Of course, the two events had been quite different, not only in her reaction, but also in her understanding of what real love was.
When Simon had confessed to her how he felt back in high school, Clary hadn't thought twice about it. She'd simply kissed him, thinking the way she loved him was the same way he loved her. It wasn't until she'd fallen for Jace that Clary had realized how different the two forms of love really were. Jace could make her crazy, make her do things and want things she'd never have thought possible. He made her whole body hum with energy, and made her smile just by looking at her. Jace had taught her the difference between platonic love and fireworks.
When Brett told her how he felt, Clary had known with perfect clarity she didn't feel the same. Also, she and Brett hadn't been friends for as long as she and Simon, not that that made it suck any less when she lost her new friend the same way she'd almost lost her old one.
"Have you seen my nail file?" Clary called to the house at large from her current location in the bathroom. Her mind had been wondering while she searched every drawer.
"Why would I know where your nail file is?" Jace's voice reached her ears. Clary looked up to see her boyfriend standing in the bathroom doorway.
"I don't know," Clary said. "Maybe you took it."
"And why on earth would I do that?" Jace grinned.
"Oh, I don't know," Clary smiled. "To file your nails."
"A master detective if ever there was one," Jace told her, smirking.
"Does this mean you did take my nail file?" Clary asked, turning to narrow her eyes at the gorgeous blonde man before her.
"And what are you gonna do to me if I did?" Jace said, raising his eyebrow.
"Well if you don't give it back, I'm going to be late for class," Clary explained.
"Or here's a radical thought," Jace smirked. "You could go to class with a hangnail." He opened his mouth in mock horror, his eyes wide, but Clary just rolled her eyes. Giving up on getting an answer to her question, Clary tried to push past Jace and out of the room.
"Oh, and who said you were allowed to leave?" Jace asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her there.
"My professor," Clary giggled. "Who probably wants me to show up."
"Well in that case," Jace said. "I think you'll have to pay the toll."
"The toll?"
"Yes," Jace smirked. "The lady shall not pass... without a kiss."
"Oh, is that so," Clary smiled, before leaning in and kissing him. Jace's arms wrapped around her more securely as he half lifted her off the ground, kissing her deeply. Jace lifted her, turning them so that when the kiss ended, Clary was on the other side of the door. Leaning up, she kissed him again very quickly before turning and skipping to the door.
Clary's good mood followed her all the way to class until she entered the lecture hall. It was then that she suddenly remembered what class this was. This was the class she shared with Brett. Mentally preparing, Clary reminded herself that no matter what, she had Jace and even Simon. It would suck, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if she lost Brett as a friend.
Clary sat in her usual seat and saw Brett take the one beside her like he always did. Clary was more than a little surprised that he'd sat so close to her. Did this mean he was going to be her friend, or was he trying to prove he was better than Jace? With her mind focused on the awkward situation, Clary had a hard time paying attention to the lecturer. She took notes, and was pretty sure by the end, she had a general idea of what was going on, but she could have done better.
"Clary," Brett's voice made her turn. Class was over, and students were packing up to leave.
"Hey," Clary said, smiling. Then she promptly stopped smiling, worried it would give him the wrong idea. The classroom was emptying around them, and Clary didn't know whether she should leave now or stay and see if Brett was gonna say anything else.
"I-" Brett started. "Well I'm-" He took a deep breath, then looked her right in the eyes as he added, "I'm sorry, Clary."
Clary wasn't sure what to say so she remained silent.
"I shouldn't have expected anything from you," Brett said. "I didn't respect your choices, and I've been acting like a jerk, so I'm sorry."
"Thank you," Clary said softly, still a little stunned.
"Anyway," Brett said. "We can still be friends. I mean if, if that's what you want?"
"I'd like that," Clary smiled at him.
"Okay," Brett said, letting out a breath he probably hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I'll see you later then?"
"For sure," Clary replied. Packing up her books, Clary headed to her next class feeling considerably lighter than she had previously.
It was much easier to focus in her next class, and Clary was still in a good mood by the time she returned home that night. When Clary walked through her front door, her smiled turned into a glare as she saw the kitchen. Dishes stacked precariously near the sink, boxes of half eaten crackers mixed in with them, and the garbage piling up around the bin. Summer was over; enough was enough.
"Jordan, Simon, Jace!" Clary yelled through the house. "Kitchen now!"
"They aren't home." It was Jace's voice. Clary turned and saw him walking towards her.
"Well, when they get home we are all going to have a roommate meeting," she stated firmly.
"Oh yeah," Jace smiled, pulling her into his arms. "About what?" Clary felt all her frustration at the messy kitchen melt away as she closed her eyes and leaned into Jace.
"Have you seen the kitchen?" Clary asked.
Jace turned to face the kitchen doorway, and then back to her, looking confused. "We are literally standing in the kitchen," he said.
"And how does it look to you?" she asked. Jace shrugged. Clary prayed to whatever housekeeping gods she could think of, before taking a deep breath. "I am not washing all of those."
"Ok-ay," Jace said slowly. He had the strangest look on his face, like he was trying to read her mind and having no luck.
"I'm not kidding," Clary said. "I know I was unemployed over the summer, so I didn't mind, but we are all in school now, and it's time to pick up the slack boys." Jace continued to look dumbfounded, so Clary continued. "Dishes," she sighed. "You need to help with the dishes."
"I've done the dishes," Jace replied.
"Oh yeah, when?" Clary challenged.
"Ummm," he started looking sheepish.
"I'm making a chart," Clary said firmly. "Everyone is going to do the dishes in turns."
"Yes ma'am," Jace smiled, leaning down to kiss her.
"Good," Clary said. "Glad we sorted that out."
"Oh yes, because we are dealing with some serious relationship breaking stuff here," Jace sniggered. "Dishes. I mean it could get intense."
Clary giggled. "You never know," she said. "Wars have been fought over less."
"No one breaks up over dishes," Jace explained.
"You never know," Clary chuckled. "If they get much worse, the mess might come alive and eat us all."
"Ha ha," Jace said sarcastically. "Let me rephrase. No one should break up over something as silly as dishes. It seems like a really stupid reason to me."
"But kids isn't," Clary whispered, suddenly beyond sober as she closed her eyes and burying her face in his chest. Ever since their conversation last August, Clary had been a little on edge, worried kids were more important to Jace than he let on. Jace rarely brought it up though, and she'd learned from past experience that she needed to confront him directly about these types of things. Live and learn and all that.
She felt his finger gently under her chin encouraging her to look at him. Clary opened her eyes and gazed into those golden ones she loved so much.
"Seems a little silly to me," Jace began. "To leave the one person who made me want something, in order to get that something."
"What are you saying?" Clary asked.
"I'm saying that before you, kids were the farthest thing from my thoughts," Jace explained. "Farther even than being in a real relationship. One great afternoon playing with my cousin's daughter doesn't change that."
Some small tension in her chest Clary hadn't even realized was there relaxed, and Clary took a very deep breath in, feeling the relief of it.
"Besides, Lucie was quite the handful when I was over there yesterday," Jace added. "Kids look like a lot of work to me."
"They are," Clary laughed, her heart light. "But you like hanging out with Will right? You've been there a lot lately."
"I have," Jace smiled, stroking the side of her face and tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear.
"That's good," Clary smiled. His gentle touch against her skin was very distracting. Clary couldn't help but close her eyes, just taking the moment. Jace's fingers slowly ran along her cheek, down her neck, and across her back. The tips of them slowly trailed down her body. There wasn't anything sexual about this contact, but rather emotional, almost meditative.
"It's amazing how many physical aspects of a relationship I didn't even know existed, before you," Jace whispered as his fingers found their way under her shirt to trail gently over her collarbone. "There are so many more ways to touch a person, more intimate than sex."
"Happy to teach you something," Clary grinned, opening her eyes to look up at him.
"You've taught me so many things Clary Fairchild," Jace whispered. Then he was kissing her, and Clary melted into his touch, enjoyed the ease of her thoughts now that she'd talked to Jace about kids again.
She found herself in his arms, as they continued kissing, Clary's legs wrapped around his waist as he walked into their bedroom. Clary was feeling rather zen as she fell gently on her back on the bed. It wasn't until she moved, that she felt something sharp under her.
"Ouch," Clary grumbled, reaching to find what it was that she'd fallen on. Seconds later, she held the item up to Jace, her eyebrows furrowed. "Didn't take my nail file, huh?"
"It was the cat," Jace sniggered.
"We don't have a cat," Clary countered.
"It was one of Alec's cats," Jace replied.
"Oh so Chairmen Meow just walked all the way over from Malec's place to move my nail file from the bathroom to the bed?"
"Yep," Jace nodded grinning from ear to ear. "That's exactly what happened, only it was The Great Catsby."
Clary reached up to inspect her boyfriend's nails. "And the cat filed your nails while he was at it?" she remarked on Jace's well groomed hands.
"I'm telling you, that cat is diabolical," Jace said with such a straight face. Clary had to give him credit, since she was laughing too hard to make herself glare at him. Still chuckling, Clary shoved Jace off and sat up, taking her nail file with her, with the intention of returning to it's proper place.
As she turned to leave the bathroom, Jace was there, still grinning from ear to ear. She knew she loved the boy more than made any rational sense when his kisses and caresses landed them in a steamy shower together. Getting out a while later into a foggy room, Clary put the fan on, which she definitely should have done before, rather than after their shower. Jace had again gently traced his fingers over her skin in the shower, and it had felt even better with the hot water running over them.
Wrapped in towels, they sat on the couch and avoided their homework together in the form of Netflix. The hour grew late, but neither of them wanted to get off the couch and go to bed. Clary had gotten a text from Simon many hours ago, saying he and Jordan were headed to a bar tonight, so she wasn't surprised that it was after midnight before anyone arrived home. As she heard the door open, Clary turned, expecting to see Simon and Jordan. What she actually saw nearly took her breath away. Only Jordan was back, and he wasn't alone. Even as they walked in, Jordan was lip locked with a women Clary had never seen before. She two tone dirty blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, and bootcut jeans.
"This is Paige," Jordan told them by way of introduction as the kissing couple moved past Clace on the couch. "Paige, these are my roommates, Jace and Clary."
"Nice to meet you," Paige said, pulling herself away from Jordan, just long enough to look at them before kissing Jordan again.
Clary sat stunned and staring as the pair made their way down the hall and disappeared into Jordan's bedroom. At least it was Jordan's bedroom at the moment. He and Simon tended to take turns in the actual room with a bed, camping out in the living room behind the divider wall the rest of the time.
"I thought he was in love with Maia?" Jace commented, tonelessly.
"Looks like he's moving on," Clary replied with just as little expression to her voice.
There was complete silence after that, all but the slight moans and giggles coming from Jordan's closed bedroom door. Clary couldn't help but wonder where Simon was. Had he met someone tonight too, and gone home with her instead of back here, or was Simon still at the bar and in need of a ride home? Surely Jordan wouldn't have left if Simon needed him, and it wasn't like Simon was a huge drinker or anything. Simon was organized and responsible; he'd probably brought cab money. So why did Clary had such a bad feeling?
"Jordan," Clary called down the hall as she got up to go knock on the door. "Is Simon on his way home too?"
This seemed to end whatever was happening on the other side of the door. There was silence, then Jordan pulled the door open and looked very seriously at Clary.
"Simon left the bar before me," Jordan said. "He should have beat me home. I thought he was behind the divider." Now Clary was truly worried, and by the look on Jordan's face, he was as well.
Just then, Clary's phone rang. Automatically reaching into her pocket, Clary didn't bother to check the caller ID before answering the call.
"Hello," she said numbly, while her mind tried to guess where her best friend was.
"Hello," a polite voice replied. "I'm looking for Clarissa."
"Speaking," Clary said.
"We have you here as Simon Lewis's emergency contact," the voice continued. "There's been an accident."
"What-" Clary mumbled, too frazzled to speak properly. "What happened?"
"He was hit by a car," the women said. "However the driver did manage to break at least a little before reaching him. It could have been a lot worse with all that black ice on the roads."
Clary wasn't processing her words totally. She felt numb and hollow.
"Can I see him?" Clary asked, needing confirmation that this was real.
"Yes," the women said. "Though, he hasn't woken up yet."
"I still want to see him," Clary replied stubbornly.
"Very well," the woman replied. "He's in the St Ann's Hospital, but it's late now and he isn't awake. Are you sure you don't want to wait until morning."
"Yes," Clary said firmly. "I want to see him now."
Have I managed to drag out a cliffhanger for three whole chapters or what? hehe. Also woot look at me updating more than once in a blue moon! It's like I actually wrote on my days off. ^_^
And thank you all SO much for getting me to 1001 reviews! So awesomely epic. I treasure them all. And the 340 follows is amazing as well. I would SO love to see that become an even 400 though even where it's at now is freakin crazy awesome. I really do appreciate my readers interest in this and all my stories. Means alot. I try to keep it interesting for you.
Sneak Peek Chapter 103
The lights were focused on him. They filled his vision, blocking out everything else from his view. The brightness was reflecting off something shiny and black, making things more distorted and harder to see. There was a glowing white orb high above him. It wasn't as bright as the two symmetrical lights, but it was definitely there mixed into the other chaos before him. Something fast moved around, but he couldn't figure out what exactly the quick movement meant. His own body was flailing, falling, slipping against everything. He couldn't get a grip on his surroundings. He could sense his limbs, though he knew not where they were. The dull pain in his hands and knees stung, the world coming up to greet him.
He had to get out, get away from the false reality of what he wanted. He'd gotten away, ran into the bright lights to escape, and now he was drowning in brightness, his world a haze. Then the pain in his knees and hands was nothing compared to the sudden agony in his arm. Suffering coursed through his body, consuming his every thought before the world went dark.
Darkness. Blackness. Nothing. There was nothing.
And yes I know the sneak peek wasn't much help either. ^_^ #EvilWriterIsEvil