I saved the picture where your hair was braided.
The Lumineers
x
The months after Eric was taken were difficult. Other kids were normal, loud and still able to play normally. It was different for Sebastian, Clary, Raphael, Maia, and himself. They were quieter and when they talked, it was only when they absolutely needed to. Jace hadn't known Eric for long, but realizing just how close they were to being taken away at random was terrifying.
The worst part of everything was Clary's behavior. After Sebastian had told them Eric was gone, she had cried hysterically, burying her face in Jace's shirt. Normally, Jace would've pulled away because his parents had always taught him of proper hygiene, but he let her scream and sob. He patted her hair awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
x
At one point in the long period following Eric's departure, Clary could pronounce her r's. She didn't celebrate as he had expected her to do. Instead she shrugged and kept coloring in her sketchbook. She was constantly in her room. Even though he wanted to visit her, he knew that Raphael was there.
x
They were having a bible lesson. Sitting in groups, they held small bibles that displayed long passages Jace didn't feel like reading. Raphael and Clary were beside him. He tried catching Clary's gaze, but she had her head down on the wooden surface of the table. Mrs. Seelie was walking around, quieting smiling at them as the pastor in the front of the classroom spoke.
Jace rolled his eyes. He had hated church when his mother and father had forced him to go on Sundays and he hated it now. He watched curiously as Clary sat up and rubbed her eyes. She raised her hand. The pastor froze mid-sentence. He sent a gentle beam in her direction. "Yes?"
"If God is real, why do we have to stay here?"
A few kids gasped. Raphael pinched Clary with a worried expression on his face. Jace surprised her by snickering. For the first time in awhile, she grinned, as if relieved he was on her side.
x
Unfortunately, the pastor's cheeks reddened. Jace was almost frightened from the intensity of his eyes on them. With a restricted tone, he told the class to flip to a certain page where he would undoubtedly answer Clary's blunt question. Before Jace could relish in Clary's changed attitude, Mrs. Seelie appeared and swept her away. He huffed in irritation and squeezed the bible in his palms like a toy.
x
That night he couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, throwing his blanket around wildly. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. He was hungry, but there was no way the kitchen was open now, no matter how much the lunch ladies gushed about him. He jumped off of his bed and threw on his slippers.
He hoped Raphael wouldn't ruin this for him.
x
He was in front of her door in the middle of the night. He hesitated. He was nervous that she was either sleeping or that she wouldn't want him near her. Jace knocked the door softly, deathly afraid that somehow someone would rat him out to Mrs. Seelie.
Thankfully, the door slid open. He caught a flash of red before he was dragged inside and the door closed harshly. He gasped at what was set up in the room. On what was supposed to be Clary's bed was a fort made of sheets and blankets. Inside the fort, he saw snacks and books and colored pencils.
Clary yawned and glanced at him. "What's wrong?"
Jace shook his head. "I just can't sleep."
She nodded and pointed to her bed. "We can hang out in there. Raph couldn't sneak out." He was inwardly pleased at hearing that and climbed inside the fragile structure.
x
Their heads touched and Clary's hair smelled like cherries. She moved a flashlight around and tossed him a brownie. His stomach growled at the sight and he asked, "Where'd you get this stuff?"
She peered up at him, the flashlight illuminating her green eyes in the dark. "Seb gets me food when he can. And I stoled the light from Mrs. Seelie's desk."
He sent her an impressed look. "I can't believe you did that."
x
Before he knew it, his eyelids were getting heavy. They had already disassembled the fort and were just lying on Clary's bed. Clary was whispering to him quietly about a myth she had read about. Something called a basilisk. Apparently, it could kill a person with a single glance.
Jace shivered and she giggled into his shoulder, rumbling his body. "Are you scared?"
He scoffed. "No way. That's just a story."
Her lips quirked upwards, but all she did was shrug. "You don't have to believe me..." She faltered, a brief moment of silence passing, before she abruptly dug her fingers into his sides. He yelped and and couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of his chest.
Squirming and trying to get away, he mumbled, out of breath, "Cl-Clary!"
She stopped when he managed to remind her that everyone else was sleeping and they might get in trouble. Cracking her knuckles, she uttered, "My hands are tired now." She turned off the flashlight. "Let's go to sleep."
x
It was recess time.
Clary and Raphael were waiting for him outside and he was anxious to leave, but he had to turn in a late worksheet to Mrs. Seelie. He scribbled his name sloppily on the top of the paper and rushed down the hall to her office.
He didn't bother knocking and simply turned the door knob. The moment he opened the door, he met vivid blue eyes. He stumbled and looked around, confused. Stepping fully inside the room now, he found a boy around his age with black hair and skin as white as snow. He was sitting on a chair, his arms crossed over his chest. Next to him was a girl who looked a little older. She was playing on a Nintendo, her fingers moving rapidly on the device.
The woman that was speaking closed her mouth and met Jace's face. He looked away quickly. Mrs. Seelie saved him the trouble and took his worksheet from behind her desk. "You may go to recess now, Jace." He ran away as fast as he possibly could.
x
He wanted to tell someone about them, but he knew he couldn't.
He wanted to tell Clary, but what could she say? What could anyone say?
Something about the boy's blue orbs made him uneasy. He shook the feeling away.
x
[a/n]: I know that it has been awhile since I've last updated this story and you guys are anxious for the kids to grow up. I get it. I cannot possibly wait to write about Jace and Clary when they're teens and adults. You've got to have patience. Bear with me. I promise it'll be worth it.
Other than that, if I get enough reviews on this story, I will update it regularly. Thanks. xx.