Contrast [ A One Direction AU ]

chapter four: clary

chapter four

• Clarisse •

I glance at my watch for the fourth time in 45 minutes, then look up from the make-shift bar to glance around the dark, pounding dance floor. I hadn't seen Bella since she drunkenly mumbled something about going to the bathroom and rejected my help. Biting my lip, I chastised myself for worrying. The line for the bathroom was horrendously long; I had experienced that first hand earlier that night. She was probably just waiting in line, and knowing Bella, striking up a colourful conversation with the girls waiting in line with her.

Still, I couldn't stop the gnawing feeling from emerging in my stomach. I pushed it down determinedly, and finished off my glass of Coke. I put it down on the counter, and signalled the bartender to get me a new one.

Oh, how delightful it would be to just go home.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hi, excuse me," I say (more like yell), tapping a tall guy on the shoulder. He stumbles and turns drunkenly, looking at me through glazed eyes. "Yeah, hi, um, have you seen a girl about my height? Blond-ish hair? Incredibly drunk?"

He shakes his head, although whether it was in confusion or just to tell me no, I'm not so sure. I sigh, and smile slightly at him. "Thanks."

I'm about to turn and go the other way but he grabs my wrist and spins me back to face him.

"You're preeeetty. Wanna go s-somewhereee?" he slurs, smiling lazily at me. I cringe on the inside, but on the outside I give him a small, forced smile.

"Thanks, but no thanks big guy," I say, pulling my wrist out of his grip and patting him awkwardly on the shoulder. "Have a good night."

I quickly stride away from him, before he can try and pull me back again. I shudder involuntarily, and take in a deep breath. I hated when guys tried to flirt and hit on me; it was so fake and superficial. They didn't like me, they just liked what they saw.

I looked desperately around the uncomfortably warm room. There had been absolutely no sign of Bella since she disappeared off to the bathroom, and that had been nearly two and a half hours ago. Guilt panged through me for neglecting to look after her, especially when she was so spectacularly drunk. I had asked about three fourths of the party whether they had seen her, and all I got was a bunch of negative replies.

Chewing hard on my lip, I decided to look for Alicia. Maybe she'd have some incling as to where Bella had disappeared to. It was her party after all.

I finally find Alicia in the mass of people, passionately (aka disgustingly) making out with Jared in a corridor near the bathrooms. I stand there awkwardly for a second before clearing my throat. The two of them continue sucking each other's faces like the world was ending in five minutes. Slightly grossed out, I cleared my throat again, louder this time, and when that didn't work, I just said, "Alicia."

They finally separated their faces from each other's, and Alicia looked blearily at me. "Oh, hey Clary." she said casually, as if I hadn't just witnessed what was possibly one of the wettest make-out sessions in history.

"Hey." I say, smiling nervously before saying, "you haven't seen Bella around, have you?"

"Bella?" Alicia frowned, her eyebrows furrowing. "Uh, no I don't th-"

"I have!" chimed in Jared drunkenly, his American accent ringing out clear and strong as his hands wrapped around Alicia's waist. "I saw her."

"Where?" I asked, the relief palpable in my voice.

"Uh," he said, scrunching his eyebrows as he searched through his drink-muddled brain. "I think I saw her walking out of here man."

"What." I said incredulously. "What do you mean, out?"