Sleeping Beauty: A Malec Fairytale #2

The Golden Earring (5)

Isabelle had gotten back to the gym when she noticed her reflection in the glass door. She was missing one of her gold earrings. She was screwed. They were a gift from her boyfriend Simon who had saved up to buy them for her. She cursed as she turned back around and scoured the hallway she had walked through. She asked a few people she ran into about her missing earring but they said that they hadn't seen it. She kept looking along the sides of the walls to see if maybe someone had kicked it or moved it out of the way. She couldn't find it. She decided to head back to the parking lot to check near Alec's car.

    She kept her eyes looking down on the ground, looking on the walkway and in the grass near the path. Nothing. She looked, up checking both ways before starting to cross the lot to Alec's car when she froze. Alec was talking to a taller boy who she couldn't make out from where she was standing. She knew that she shouldn't pry in her brother's life, but he had been so secretive lately and she was worried. Maybe he was on drugs and this was his supplier! He definitely wasn't but that's what she told herself to give her permission to snoop. She tried to get closer to Alec without him or the other boy noticing her. She ducked behind a car a few spaces away from them. They seemed to be in an serious conversation because they didn't notice her in the slightest. From this close she realized he was talking to Magnus Bane. She didn't know him very well, but Clary did. They had all gone to his cat's birthday party a few months ago (which is a weird thing to say, but it was actually a lot of fun).

She picked up on their conversation a little better now. Alec had his hands in his pockets and was leaning against his car and the other boy was standing a few inches in front of him. Magnus turned his head a bit, and Isabelle knelt behind the car. From here, she was only able to hear them.

"What if it all goes horribly wrong?" Alec sounding panicky and worried.

    "You can always go to my place. It's always open for you, Alexander."

What did he mean, always open? And 'Alexander'? Only their parents call him that and he always preferred 'Alec'.

    "Maybe I'll wait till you get back? How long are you gone for again?"

Where was Magnus going?

    "A week. You don't have to wait for me, you do it whenever it feels right to you. If it's after the game, so be it. If it's when I'm back then I'm here." Magnus said reassuringly. She heard Alec sighed.

Isabelle didn't understand what they were talking about. What does he have to wait for?

    "Okay."

    "Okay?"

    "Yeah."

    "Good. I don't like seeing you cry, sweetpea."

    "Sweetpea? No? How about, love muffin?"

What with the awful nicknames? 'Love muffin'?

    "How are they getting worse?!" Alec laughed.

    "I think I'll stick to darling for now. But one day I will find the perfect nickname for you... honey?"

    "No."

    "Okay, I'll keep at it." It had gone silent, and Isabelle got a bit worried. She stood up and looked over the roof of the car. Magnus was bent over, kissing her brother, who had his hand on Magnus's face. She covered her mouth, hoping it would stop her from making any sounds and dropped back down.

"You text or call me if you need something." Izzy could hear Magnus's steps walking away and after a few seconds she heard Alec leave. She sat on the floor, her back against a stranger's car. She had always thought it, but she never knew for sure. Now she knew where Alec was and now she knew why Alec kept it secret. Isabelle knew that Alec loved his family more than anything and if they didn't accept him, Isabelle knew how he would take it. It would break him.