Chapter 6

Jace POV

I didn't know what to do. I was shocked that Clary told me something this personal and I knew it was hard for her. I heard it in her voice and felt it whenever she shifted her body or gripped my shirt into her tiny fists. But I had no idea how to handle this situation with a girl not really crying but still breaking down in my arms, without someone noticing.

How was it even possible for her brother to be charged with the miscarriage of their mother? I didn't understand how that was even legal! I wanted to ask her so badly, I wanted to know the whole story, but we all know I wouldn't.

“Okay your five minutes are up!”, Sharon shouted.

Clary sighed again and I felt her breath on my skin. Goosebumps erupted and I tried to fight back a shiver. I just hoped Clary didn't notice the effect she had on me, but I think her mind was somewhere else and not really here with me.
I couldn't even believe Clary told me this story in all of five minutes, it felt like she took way longer! And I'm sure I at least needed another five minutes to comprehend everything she just told me, I still couldn't wrap my head around half of the things she just told me!

“So”, Clary said. “Me again, I guess.”

She laughed lightly, but without humor and hugged me a little tighter, like she thought I would disappear every minute. To tell her I would stay right here, I hold her tighter against me and if my eyes didn't betray me completely, she smiled a little at my action.

“I think I'll tell you something more pleasant now”, Clary announced lightly. “Let me think.”

She began drawing on my chest with her index finger, without even knowing, I think. Not that I was complaining! Clary took a while but after a few seconds (twenty or so) she came up with something and giggled. Her giggle brought a smile to my face. I loved it to hear her giggle, it sounded so pure and melodic. It was a cute giggling, a sound were you just couldn't help but smile.

“Okay, I've got something”, she giggled. “My uncle Lou lives in a small town, and I mean a really really small town, there are living between two or three hundred people, so everybody knows everybody. During summer vacation I always went to him and spent a few weeks with him. He was and is the funniest person I know! Once – I think I was seven – there was a storm, you know rain, wind, thunder, lighting, everything. It was loud and I was scared of all the noise. My uncle and I went to the supermarket because we got out of anything to eat. While we were going through the supermarket, something happened outside and all the lights went out. I got scared and clung to my uncles leg. He crouched down beside me and smiled. He held a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet, then he stood back up and shouted: 'Everyone who has a full cart can leave without paying!'”

Clary giggled and I chuckled. Her uncle seemed pretty cool to do something like that and I was glad Clary had her smile back.

“Almost instantly another laughing voice shouted back 'Shut up, Loui' from the other side of the market. All the others laughed alongside me and my uncle. He crouched back down and smiled at me, saying 'Damn we got caught, cutie'. I- I was speechless, that my uncle could do something like that, and the owner would just laugh at his joke. I thought he would get in trouble and we would get kicked out or something, but no. The owner even came and gave me an ice for free, joking around with my uncle while I ate it.”

She laughed again and I chuckled. It was acute story and I was happy she shared it with me.

“Hey!”, Sharon interrupted us – again!

What the hell was wrong with this woman? Why did she always came to us at the worst times?!

“You need to switch”, she told us in a stern voice. “You already told a story to him, now it's his turn, no exceptions.”

“We already switched”, Clary replied right away.

“No, I saw you talking before”, Sharon said, shaking her head.

“I asked a question”, Clary answered shrugging.

She didn't even look up, she kept her face hidden on my neck, still drawing patterns on my chest. And even if I talked, I couldn't have formed a word while she did this to me.

“I don't believe you”, Sharon snapped.

“I don't care”, Clary said bored and nuzzled her nose more into my neck and I sighed involuntarily, happy that Clary liked being this close to me.

“But -”

And before Sharon could end her sentence, I actually growled at her. My glare could have killed her on the spot and my growl obviously frightened her. She paled on the spot and looked at me with wide eyes, like I was some kind of animal. I couldn't care less what she thought of me, I just wanted her to leave.

“I think you should leave”, Clary giggled.

-o-o-o- Staying Silent -o-o-o-

“Wasn't that great?”, Isabelle gushed.

The cuddle party was over and we all decided – Isabelle and Magnus decided – we should all go grab a coffee. So now we were sitting in a booth at a small diner. We all had something to drink in front of us and a small cake in the middle of the table, we all had a fork and ate it together.

“Yeah, sweetheart, it was”, Simon said and kissed Izzy's temple.

I think he just said it to please her, I didn't really believe he liked it all that well. Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoyed myself probably way too much, but Simon had the girl, that wanted to cuddle with him beside him and Isabelle kept on glaring, snapping or snarling at the girl. Simon tried to keep her at bay, but I knew she complained the whole hour and that couldn't be pleasant!

“Not”, Alec grumbled.

Apparently he didn't like it either, but I couldn't understand why. I mean he cuddled with Magnus, his boyfriend. I mean, he was supposed to like that, right? Well, maybe he just wasn't the cuddle-type of boyfriend?

“C'mon, they weren't that bad”, Magnus replied and took a bit of the cake.

“They were!”

“Alec, they didn't mean it like that, they're just not used to -”
“Magnus. Stop”, Alec glared.

“Sorry”, Clary butted in. “Who are 'they'?”

Thank you!, I thought. Finally someone asked what got Alec in such a mood.

“Molly and Sarah”, Alec grumbled.

“The two old ladies who helped Sharon?”, Izzy asked. “What was with them? They seemed sweet.”

Actually they did, I agreed. At least they didn't disturb Clary and me like Sharon always did! But in all honesty, they were colorful, nice and always smiling.

“They were”, Magnus said a little too nicely.

He talked really calm, like he was trying to keep a wild animal calm. And I knew from experience, when you talked to Alec like that, he exploded!

“They just weren't used to two guys cuddling”, Magnus explained.

“Weren't used?”, Alec growled. “At first they kept glaring in our direction, then they snarled, then they looked disgusted in our direction, pointed their fingers and whispered God knows what. One of them stepped on your hand and one kicked me 'by accident' in the shin! Twice! Yes Magnus, these two fucking sweet old ladies didn't fucking mean it, because -!”

“Alec!”, Izzy shouted to interrupt her brother. “Enough.”

Alec's breathing was uneven and his glare fixed on Magnus, but now his eyes softened up and he looked around. All the other customers looked at us and began whispering, pointing their fingers.

“What? You don't have Pay TV at home and need to eavesdrop?”, Clary shouted.

Instantly everybody looked down in shame and most of the women blushed.

“Yeah, that's what I thought”, Clary said.

The other customers began talking among themselves again, just our table stayed quiet, all of us waiting for Magnus or Alec to speak up.

“I'm sorry”, Magnus said and shook his head.

He looked bad, really bad and sad and devastated and just kind of … broken. Magnus stood up, still shaking his head and went out of the diner. He didn't look back and just began walking away. Nobody dared to utter a single word. We all just sat there, avoided each others eyes and hoped someone would break the tension. To my surprise, Clary eventually did.

“Alec”, she said and my brother looked up into her piercing green eyes. “I know you for two days, but I like you and I'm saying this because I like you: Fix this or I swear I'll hurt you.”

“Clary”, Simon snapped.

“Shut up”, she said and glared at Simon.

Clary too, stood up and walked out of the diner. But she stopped at the entrance and looked back at Alec.

“You coming?”, she asked and I could swear she looked straight at me.

“I'll stay”, Simon answered.

Clary smirked.

“I wasn't talking to you.”

She did mean me? I think my eyes bugged out if their sockets. Me feet wanted to run to her and disappear into the night with her, but I couldn't leave my brother here for a girl I just met. I looked at Alec, asking him if he needed me or if it was okay if I left.

“No Jace!”, Izzy snapped, before Alec could answer me. “You're not leaving with this girl you just met, you are staying with your family! She just made a scene -”

“Izzy!”, Alec barked. “She just defended one of her best friends, she did exactly what I would have done in her position! She is protecting the ones she loves and she is right!”
Alec stood up and jogged over to Clary, he kissed her on the forehead and asked her something in a whisper I couldn't make out. She smiled slightly and answered something equally quiet back. Alec ran out of the door and ran the way Magnus had left a while ago.

Now that he was away, I stood up and grabbed my jacket from the back of my chair, preparing to leave.

“Jace”, Izzy snapped again.

I gave her a “what the fuck now?”-look. She just glared at me and pointed at my seat with her finger.

“Sit. You are not leaving with someone who clearly has a lot of anger issues and needs to -”

“Izzy, that's my best friend you're talking about!”, Simon snapped right back.

“So? She's a freak!”

Isabelle glared at Clary, but she didn't even blink. Actually, she looked more amused than bothered. Smiling she looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

“Jace?”, she asked.

I nodded and rolled my eyes at my sister. In the background I could hear Isabelle and Simon argue, but that wasn't my problem. For once I was glad to be away from my family. Normally I was uncomfortable to be alone with other people, but with Clary? Not at all, I was actually glad to get some alone time with her. I didn't care that my sister was fighting with her boyfriend, and my brother with his boyfriend, and that both of them weren't the happiest persons right now. Right now was about me, for once it was about me.

“You don't have to come with me, if you don't want to”, Clary said after a while of comfortable silence.

We walked side by side on the streets of New York at night. I didn't know which way we were going, I just hoped she knew. But her sentence threw me off guard. Why wouldn't I want to go with her? I liked her, I thought she knew that!

“I mean, I don't want you to fight with your sister because of me.”

I gave her a look and rolled my eyes. Isabelle was over reacting, we both knew that. She would probably apologize for it in the morning or she would just ignore it and pretend like it never happened.
“She is ...”, Clary started.

I nudged her shoulder, warning her to be nice. We smiled at each other and Clary giggled again, God, how I loved that sound!

“Energetic?”, Clary asked laughing.

I chuckled and couldn't agree more, so I nodded along with her. Out of nowhere Clary grabbed my hand and dragged me with her. She crossed the street with me on her hand and we went into a frozen yoghurt shop. She didn't let go of my hand inside and I thanked the heavens for it! My hand began tingling, and this tingling went up my arm and through my whole body and I absolutely loved the feeling!
“You like frozen yoghurt, right?”, she asked suddenly unsure and … nervous? “Because if not we -”

I put a hand over her mouth, chuckling lightly. Raising an eyebrow, I asked her if she was finished. She blushed and looked even more gorgeous, but nodded none the less.

“Frozen yoghurt it is”, She mumbled, avoiding my eyes.

A thought struck me and I couldn't help but grin like an idiot. Was it possible that I had an effect on Clary, like she had on me? I hoped I did! Clary took my hand again and guided me to the register.

“Hey, what can I do for you?”

“Frozen yoghurt?”, Clary laughed lightly.

“Of course”, the lady smiled.

“Two small ones or one big one?”, she asked.

I hold up one finger and the lady nodded. Clary frowned because she didn't see my hand. Shaking my head I squeezed her hand and smiled down at her.

“You can choose four toppings”, the lady said.

“Strawberries?”, Clary asked me.

One of my favorites, so a definite yes. I nodded.

“Brownies?”

Again I nodded.

“Cherries?”

I shook my head. The cherries they had looked more brown than red, not good! I think I even saw one rotten cherry.

“Chocolate?”

I nodded and pointed to the white chocolate. The lady frowned a little. It didn't bother me, I was used to the looks, but Clary seemed a bit pissed that she was so openly staring at our exchange.

“You want a sauce”, the lady asked. “We have chocolate and caramel?”

“Caramel okay with you?”, Clary asked.

I shrugged, I never tried it, so why not today? The lady smiled and handed us our frozen yoghurt. We, well I smiled back and handed her the money.

“You didn't have to pay”, Clary said outside.

I shrugged and smiled at her. Call me old fashioned, but for me a guy always had to pay! I was raised like that.

“Thanks”, Clary said with a genuine smile. “But then you get the first bite.”

It was only now I realized we only had one spoon. Clary didn't seem bothered, she just smiled and hold the spoon out to me.

“Come on”, she cooed. “Open up.”

Laughing I opened my mouth and let her feed me, it was strange, but I liked it. I thought about what we must look like from the outside, what others must think of me. I asked myself if others thought we were a couple and I found myself wishing they did. I found myself wishing I could label us as a couple, wishing I could call this beautiful girl in front of me my girlfriend. The girl I was sharing a frozen yoghurt with, the girl I was feeding, and who fed me and was staring deeply into my eyes. The girl who made my breath hitch by just looking at me with her big green eyes.