Innocence Corrupts

More Than One Word For Love

At school on Friday Alec couldn't focus but that didn't matter. This close to the end of the year nothing he really did could stop him from graduating anyway. Alec spent all day going over every conversation he had enjoyed so far with Magnus trying to think of good conversation topics. He knew he tended to stop talking when he was nervous and a date with Mangus was definitely going to qualify.

Alec's nerves were high as he watched the clock. The school day was ending in moments. What was he going to wear? He didn't know anything about clothes but from what Magnus had been wearing when Alec saw him, he was sure Magnus did. Why had Alec not thought about clothes before now? He'd had almost a week to about this date but clothes had not crossed his mind once.

Class ended and Alec immediately got out his phone and texted his sister.

'Help! What do I wear?'

Izzy didn't answer back right away. She was probably not checking her phone the second class ended like he was. Alec took a deep breath before walking down the hall to his locker.

"Hey Alec!" Jace called as he approached.

"Hey," Alec said dumping all his books in his locker. There was no chance in hell he was studying tonight.

"What's wrong?" Jace asked.

"Nothing," Alec said too quickly.

"Liar," Jace said. "Come on tell me."

"I am just nervous," Alec said.

"You have a date tonight don't you?" Jace grinned at him.

"How did you know!"

"Oh please you have been glued to your phone ever since I saw a number inked on your arm," Jace said. "I'm not stupid."

"Oh," Alec said. "I guess I was more obvious than I thought."

"I don't think your mom knows anything," Jace said. "But otherwise yeah you are." He punched Alec gently in the shoulder still grinning.

"So," Jace continued. "Who is this mystery number writing on arm girl?" Alec mumbled incoherently.

"Come on Alec!" Jace whinned. "You want to tell me. We could double date!"

"Speaking of Clary," Alec said, ceasing the change of topic like a drowning man. "Did you meet her mom yet?"

"No," Jace said. "But Clary wants me to come over to dinner tonight. So I guess we are in the same boat."

"What boat?"

"Nervous," Jace said. He was grinning but Alec could tell Jace was actually nervous. Alec had never seen Jace nervous about a girl before. Jace had never cared about the girl's parents liking him before either.

"We covered this already," Alec said and they both closed their lockers and headed toward the exit. "Just don't be you."

"Yeah but you never told me how to do that," Jace said.

"When you think of something sarcastic to say, don't," Alec offered.

"Okay... I think I can do that."

"Oh and try for humble," Alec added, as they left the school and started walking across the grounds. "Or at least not as into yourself as usual."

"This not being me stuff sounds like a lot of work," Jace said. "Not sure how you do it."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on," Jace said. "You are so good at this stuff."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."