Do you Remember me?

Chapter 23

Clary sat in the car, gnawing at her bottom lip nervously as she contemplated her rather tricky dilemma.

Jace had explained his situation; that Aline was cheating on him... with another woman, and how there was no way he could repair things with her, which came as a shock to Clary.

Her stomach was in a tight knot as they continued the drive home, wind lapping at her hair gently.

The cold night air didn't seem to soothe anything, and when her thoughts landed on the kiss she'd shared with Jace, her stomach exploded in butterflies.

Her cheeks warmed involuntarily, and she focused her gaze elsewhere other than on the boy in particular, who kept glancing at her worriedly every few seconds.

Clary hoped he hadn't noticed her blush. Her cheeks had been increasingly getting redder and redder as her thoughts grew wilder and out of control.

Her pulse was racing, and she tried desperately to calm it as they pulled into the drive.

Jace parked the car in the garage, opening his mouth to say something but Clary was already getting out of the car.

She couldn't handle talking to him yet, she didn't know what she would even say to him... right now, all she wanted to do was sleep.

She opened the front door, slipping inside quietly. She jumped as the main lights flickered on, revealing Isabelle standing by the light switch, glaring at her.

"Iz?" Clary asked, squinting her eyes against the light. "What are you doing-"

"You were going to marry Jace." Isabelle said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest as she continued to glare at her.

Clary's eyes widened as she stared at Isabelle, dread filling her stomach like a tsunami wave. "W-What?" Clary asked, trying to play dumb.

Isabelle's eyes hardened. "Don't even try lie to me, Clary. Tessa told me everything. I know about the room upstairs and I plan to know-"

She was cut off by the sound of Jace opening the front door, taking in the scene before him with careful eyes.

"Hey, Izzy." He started slowly. "What are you doing up?"

Isabelle's eyes widened, before they switched between the two of them. Clary's cheeks were aflame, watching the realisation dawn on Isabelle.

She closed her eyes momentarily, hoping the ground would just swallow her up whole- take her anywhere else than this situation.

"What were you guys doing together?" She asked quietly, but there wasn't any harshness in her eyes anymore. 

Clary's eyes widened, gawking at her like a gaping fish.

She wasn't mad?

"Iz, you need to understand- Aline cheated on me and-" Jace started but Isabelle held up a hand, stopping him.

Her gaze slid to Clary, she pressed her lips together tightly before sighed through her nose. "Meet me upstairs, my room." She said shortly, and left.

Clary gulped, watching her as she went upstairs. She tried calm her breathing, taking deep breaths in and out.

What was Isabelle going to say to her? How would she respond?

She released one final breath, mentally preparing herself.

You can do it, Clary. Breathe.

She began her march towards the stairs, taking long strides until a hand wrapped around her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

She turned around, giving Jace a confused look.