Roommates & Soulmates

Ch62: Jace's Words

"And that didn't clue you in that there is a problem," Alec's words played in his head. Jace was rather worried he'd messed up, worse even than when he'd talked to Simon about lingerie. He realized now that maybe he should have tried to talk to his roommate all along. Sure, Alec didn't know Clary much, but he was dating Clary's best friend, which Jace hadn't realized the significance of until now. Jace could have asked Magnus, but he hardly knew the guy, and quite frankly from everything Alec had told him, asking Simon was ironically a better idea than getting advice from Magnus about his sex life with Clary.

He'd known she'd been acting a little differently lately, but she wasn't distant so he hadn't been worried like before. Also all the sex was very distracting. Alec had thrown his arms up, presumably out of exasperation at Jace, which Jace felt was a little unfair. Jace could have followed him to his room and tried to continue the conversation, but he sensed that would be a bad idea. He also suspected 'talk to Clary' was really all the advice Alec had to give. So Jace texted his girlfriend.

'Hey, Clary,' Jace typed. 'Is everything okay?'

'Yeah,' Clary texted back quickly. 'Why do you ask?'

'Well Alec said we needed to talk,' Jace replied.

'Did he now?'

'Yeah,' Jace replied. 'He was rather confusing actually.'

'What else did Alec say?' Clary asked. Jace wasn't sure what he was supposed to say over text and what he wasn't. He felt sure that she knew how he felt about her, but then again, if Alec was right maybe she didn't, and telling her over text would be a bad plan, right?

'Nothing I guess,' Jace replied.

'He and Magnus gossip like old women,' Clary texted, and Jace could just imagine the annoyed affectionate tone she'd adopt saything this.

'Yeah they do,' Jace texted back. 'We still on for hanging out tomorrow after class?'

'Yep,' Clary texted back. 'Your place.'

'Or the library?' Jace suggested. It had been a while now since Clary had wanted to be seen in public with him, and Jace just couldn't figure out why. He was starting to worry she was ashamed to be seen with him, though he had to admit, his previous lifestyle kind of warranted that, he didn't like the idea of her being ashamed of him. Then he suddenly realized that the two new behaviours could be connected? Could her not wanting to see him in public, and her new interest in lingerie be linked? Maybe, but Jace couldn't figure out how.

'Your place,' Clary texted back.

'We always just go to my place,' Jace replied trying to steer the conversation to a different conclusion. 'Aren't you bored of just staying in?'

'Nope,' Clary replied. With a sigh, Jace stared down at his phone. If only he could read her mind. Her behaviour was such a mystery to him.

'How about we go out to eat?' Jace suggested. 'Sushi?'

'We could order Sushi from home,' Clary counted. He was tempted to just ask her if she was ashamed to be out with him in public, but Jace couldn't get up the nerve.

'If that's really what you want,' Jace replied, giving in like he always did.

'Yep,' came Clary's reply followed by a happy face. Jace put his phone down and stared at the pile of papers on the table. He'd been doing homework last night right? Well at least it would distract him.

A few hours later Jace had his homework done, but was in no way distracted. He went to sleep that night with the strangest feeling in his stomach. Something was off, and it had been off for a while, but to such a degree Jace hadn't realized a thing until now. He woke feeling unrested and headed to class, hoping it'd be over quickly so he could talk to Clary, but no such luck. His morning class felt so very drawn out, and Jace was sure he didn't take in a word. Alec's lecture played in his head, as Jace tried to decipher the difference between talking to Clary, and talking to Clary.