Chapter 5

I sat in my room. I was too old to be grounded but with the guilt trips that had been flying my way over the last week, I preferred to just sequester myself. A self-imposed grounding. Didn't really matter much, it's not like I was allowed a social life. Not like Jace, who had probably moved on and started telling the next girl how special she was.

I was stupid to care; I should be enjoying it for what it was, a fun time with a hot guy but while I remember the kisses, each toe-curling detail, what I'll never forget was the look in his beautiful golden eyes right before I stepped through the portal.

He stood there silently, his arms folded behind his back like he was a soldier at attention. I suppose that is exactly what he was. My mom and Luke were thanking Isabelle for contacting them and I took the opportunity to look at Jace. His eyes met mine and they looked regretful; or was it remorseful? He took a step forward and as he opened his mouth to say something, Luke came between us and took my arm.

"Come on, Clary. It's time to go home."

I ducked my head back so I could see him again. He was looking down but it was like he felt me and he looked up again. He looked broken and I wondered if maybe he was telling the truth. There was a book in his eyes and I didn't have time to read it before I was pulled into the portal.

Of course now I knew. It had been a week and I hadn't heard a thing from him. I had read He's Just Not That Into You, I knew that if a guy wanted to call, he'd call. It wasn't really worth the effort anyway. New York was a long way from Australia.

A knock came at my door. "Clary," mom called. "You have a visitor."

My heart beat frantically, I jumped up off my bed. I grabbed my brush, pulling it through my knotty hair, and then threw on some deodorant. If Jace was here, I didn't really want to look like I hadn't bathed in three days, even though that was the truth.

I scurried down the stairs, nearly missing the last one and falling but righting myself at the last moment. Pushing past an amused looking Luke, I stopped dead when I saw him standing at my front door.

"Aaron?" I said trying to disguise my disappointment.

"Hi, Clary." He looked nervously from me to Luke and then back.

"Let's go outside," I suggested and he nodded gratefully.

He opened the door and I tucked my hands in my pockets as I walked by him and out into the yard. The front lawn was small and was decorated with a few large rocks. I sat down on one of them and Aaron on the one next to me.

"I heard you went and fought," he started.

"Yeah… I'm sorry I missed the movie."

He laughed. "I think you had a good enough reason. Impending doom and all."

I laughed back. Aaron really was a nice guy. I looked at him and he was still as good looking as he was before. But his curly hair wasn't blonde, and it was short. His arms were strong but they weren't littered with the scars of hundreds of runes. And his eyes. Still smiling and kind but brown and dull compared to the self-assured golden ones that Jace sported.

I sighed.

"What's wrong? We can do it another time."

I smiled at him. "Thank you, I just don't think so right now."

His brow furrowed and he nodded his head. "But maybe later?"

I bit my lip, wondering how I could explain what one kiss from another guy did to me. How I would never be able to settle for anything less that the spark I felt when I was with him. That it didn't matter he was so far away because he was still all I could think about.

"It's okay. I'm patient," Aaron said. "I'll try my luck again another time." He stood up and gave me a sweet smile. "I'll see you in class, Clary."

"Bye, Aaron."

The next week I was an unstoppable force. Combat class was a breeze, after taking a demon down, there wasn't another person in my class that could even lower me to the mat. I trained hard with the weapons and was becoming quite the expert with a whip. Although I preferred a bow and arrow.

On Friday, the teacher called the class together to make an announcement. Apparently her name was Miss Hollowatty, and she was leaving, transferring. But learning her name and her upcoming transfer was not the shocking news. That came after.

"This will be your new teacher." With a wave of her hand all eyes went where mine were already locked.

A cocky grin spread across his lips. "I'm Jace. I'll be your new teacher."

The blonde girl next to me sighed. "Isn't he cute?" She took a step forward and I darted my foot out and she fell to the ground.

The commotion caught the attention of everyone else and Jace finally looked over at me. The sun hit his yellow locks and made them look like they were glowing. His eyes met mine and the smile on his face spread and I couldn't help but mirror it.

"Class dismissed," he stated, taking a step toward me but had to stop with the rest of the class making an exit.

I stayed still while people pushed past me, eager to get home for the day. When we were the only two left in the combat yard we finally closed the distance between us.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, unsure if I should assume anything.

"I'm your new teacher," he answered coyly.

"Aren't you too young to be a teacher?"

He stepped in, slipped an arm around my back and pulled me tight to his front. A surprised sound escaped my lips right before my body started to burn.

"I thought you knew by know just how impressive I am."

"Hmmm," I answered. "I think I can be taught."

His mouth came down on mine and all pretenses were gone. He had missed me just as much as I had missed him. I felt it in the way his lips moved against mine, the way his hand squeezed a little tighter on my waist to hold me closer and the way he wouldn't let go even when we needed to stop for breath.

"Do you believe me yet?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

"If I say yes will you stop kissing me?"

"Not on your life, Red," he said laughing and coming in kiss me again.

The End