Roommates & Soulmates

Chapters 4-6

Chapter Four: Clary's Gaze

A tall beautiful women stood on Magnus's doorway with a graceful stance and long blonde hair like spun silver.

"What do you want Camille?" Magnus asked her. Clary could hear the anger in her friend's voice but also the pain. Clary hated Camille for what she had done to Magnus.

"I came to return this," Camille's smooth, silky voice replied.

"Thanks," Magnus said sarcastically. "But I'd rather have the last year of my life back." Despite his words Clary saw Magnus hold out his hand and take what it was she offered. Then Magnus slammed the door in her face.

"I'm proud of you!" Clary exclaimed as Magnus returned to sit with them. Despite the show of strength Magnus looked very drained. "I would have done more than slam the door on her though." Clary waited but Magnus didn't speak. "I might have kicked her. If you want I could track her down and kick her for you." Magnus laughed humorlessly then seconds later tears started to fall from his eyes. Clary was up out of her chair and hugging her friend before anyone else could blink.

"I wish I didn't care!" Magnus cried. "She cheated on me for months! Why can't I not care?"

"You are a caring person," Tessa said softly. "That isn't a bad thing."

"Yes it is," Magnus said. "It means I am always the one getting hurt." He pulled away from Clary and sat up with a sudden look of determination. "That's it! I am done dating."

"What about the boy you liked at the party?" Tessa asked.

"You mean the one with a girlfriend," Magnus said, waving his hand as if to dismiss the idea. "Oh yeah holding out hope for that one!" He scoffed. "Besides it would end the same why they all do, which is badly." Clary hated to see her friend just give up like this. She reached out to him but didn't know what she could do to help.

"Magnus," Clary said kindly. "You just need something to take your mind off that cheating bitch."

"I can't keep doing this," Magnus sighed.

Now Clary really didn't know what to say so she pulled Magnus into a hug and let him cry on her shoulder. Tessa joined in the hug but Magnus didn't stop crying. He clung to them both until the tears eventually subsided.

Clary watched Magnus for the rest of the evening. He never let go of the necklace Camille had returned to him. Clary wanted to snatch the offending object from Magnus hands as if that could remove the horrid women from his heart as well.

Magnus didn't join in the conversation, but Clary tried to keep one going anyway with only minimal success. She had just decided to stay the night on her best friend's couch to make sure Magnus was okay when Tessa pulled her aside.

"Clary," Tessa said softly when they stood together down the hall and out of earshot. "I know what you are thinking."

"How--"

"I know you want to help," Tessa said. "But I will be here and I don't think he means what he said. Why don't you come back over tomorrow?"

"I don't know," Clary said. "I have never seen him like this before."

"You weren't here the day he found out about Camille and Ralf," Tessa reminded her and though Clary knew Tessa hadn't meant it like that, to Clary it felt like a slap in the face. Clary had been at home with her parents preparing for university while Magnus had his heart torn apart, again. She still felt bad for being so far away while her friend was hurting.

"You know I would have been here if I could," Clary said.

"I know," Tessa said. "I didn't mean to imply otherwise, I just meant you don't have to camp out on our couch to be there for your friend."