"Isabelle, why do I have to wear this?" Clary asked, pulling up the top of the midnight blue strapless dress she had on. "I really don't have the cleavage for it!"

"It looks fine." Isabelle said. "Jace will love it."

Clary sighed in frustration but secretly agreed as she eyed her waistline in the mirror.

"Come over here for makeup." Isabelle commanded from the vanity. Clary acquiesced, sitting in front of the lit mirror and wrinkling her nose at her reflection.

"Don't do that, you'll look like a harpy." Isabelle said, hitting Clary on the nose with a tube of mascara.

"They have those?" Clary asked.

"No, it was a figure of speech." Isabelle replied.

Clary sighed and allowed Isabelle to apply her makeup.

"So... What's so cool about this party of Magnus'?" Clary asked after a moment, trying to focus her jitters into conversation.

"Ah, nothing." Isabelle said coyly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clary asked. She reached out and picked an eyeshadow, handing it over. Isabelle took it and dipped her brush into it, attacking Clary's eyelids with blue shimmery shadow.

"Nothing," Isabelle said. "Look in the mirror."

Clary did, appraising herself in the glass. Her eyes looked dark and smoky with full lashes and her cheekbones stood out more with the addition of the blue glitter.

"I look older."

"Good. Jace might not have his hands full tonight...Or maybe he will."

"What's that-ow!-supposed to mean?" Clary asked, yelping as Isabelle attacked her mess of red curls.

"Nothing, Clary. What do you want done with your hair?"

"Down. Jace likes it down."

Isabelle huffed in disappointment and continued yanking the brush.

A knock sounded at the door, and Simon poked his head in.

"Everybody decent?"

"Yeah, Clary looks more than decent I'll say." Isabelle said.

"Wow," Simon said, shuffling closer and taking his glasses off so he could clean them. "You both look great."

Isabelle smiled proudly; Clary blushed.

"Where's Jace?" Isabelle asked, working on a snarl in Clary's hair.

"I, uh, don't know." Simon replied, cleaning his glasses quickly on his dress shirt. "Haven't seen him."

"Oh," Isabelle said carefully, focusing on picking apart a knot. "Well, I'm sure he'll show up."

Clary engaged herself in rearranging Isabelle's eyeshadow by color to hide her disappointment. Jace had been avoiding her all day and she'd been hoping that her and Jace could spend time together at the party.

Uncomfortably, Clary thought back on the reason Jace was avoiding her.

Clary hummed nervously, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. Around her, the greenhouse was eerily silent, almost like it was waiting to aid her in her mission.

She had told Jace to meet her in the greenhouse at five till midnight. It was their anniversary and she had something for him. She was almost sure that he hadn't gotten her anything, but that wasn't important. She just wanted to do something for him.

Clary sensed Jace before she saw him; he was leaning against the door frame, just watching her silently.

"Happy anniversary." Clary said, smiling shyly. She held up an apple with a candle stuck in it. Jace laughed and walked towards her, taking the candle.

"You remembered." He said, smirking.

"Well... Yeah. Didn't you?" Clary replied. Jace looked at his feet for a moment.

"Truthfully, no. Clary, I-"

"It's fine." Clary cut him off, sounding much sharper than she meant to. "Take this." She shoved the small wrapped package at him. Jace looked at her weirdly, but continued to open it with his long fingers.

"Nice wrapping paper." He said honestly, opening it along the tape lines so the paper didn't rip. She'd drawn little realistic pictures all over the paper; fruit, vines, flowers, there was even a tree inscribed with the Angelic rune.

Clary gave him a tight smile and worked to repair the wounded feeling washing over her. She hadn't been expecting anything at all... but the fact that neat, organized, thoughtful Jace had forgotten their anniversary stung just a little.

Jace unwrapped a small velvet box and hesitated.

"This isn't a ring... is it?"

"Ha-ha." Clary replied, trying not to sound mean.

Jace opened the box, eyes widening as he saw what was inside.

"Clary, how did you...?" He asked.

"I ordered them." She replied. "Simon knew a guy at a shop down on fourteenth that did them for cheap."

Inside the box were a pair of cufflinks engraved with the Angelic rune.

"Thank you, Clary." Jace said, cupping the back of her head and pulling her in for a kiss.

Midnight began to chime, the bells reverberating around the greenhouse.

"You don't want to miss this, do you?" Clary mumbled against Jace's lips. He reluctantly pulled away and set his gift down on a nearby bench. Clary took his hand and led him further in.

Slowly, the midnight flowers began to bloom, illuminating the dark greenhouse with their glow. Jace slid his arms around Clary from behind and tucked her head under his chin.

All too soon, the beautiful flowers began to close, leaving Clary with a completely anticlimactic feeling in her stomach. She turned and hugged Jace, then began to move toward the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Jace asked, retrieving his present and the paper.

"Well, the flowers are done... I'm kind of tired, I ran around all day trying to get this together in time."

"Oh." Was all Jace said. "I'll walk you down then."

They walked down to Clary's room in silence, Jace just looking at his gift and Clary feeling like she might cry.

"Are you sure you're not upset about me forgetting?" Jace asked when they reached her door. "I promise I'll make it up to you, Clary."

"It's fine." Clary replied, forcing a genuine smile and standing up on her tiptoes to peck his lips before disappearing into her room.

Jace stood in the hall, staring after her with his narrowed golden gaze. He felt awful.

Clary knew that Jace could see through her like glass. He wasn't fooled by a smile and a kiss. He was mad at her for lying and was avoiding her until she cooled off.

After all, it wasn't like it was her birthday or anything...

Clary resisted the urge to curl up in a ball and cry. She didn't expect much for her birthday, but maybe a birthday wish from her best friend might be nice.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. Simon opened the door, revealing Alec.

"Come on, we're going to be late." He said, coming in and jamming his hands in his pockets.

"Where's Jace?" Isabelle asked, quickly brushing the rest of Clary's hair.

"He's puking his guts out upstairs; told us to have fun and that Clary is Simon's responsibility and Simon is mine."

Clary felt a pang of worry.

"Maybe I should-" She started.

"No, we're going to the party." Isabelle said, frowning as she picked Clary up by the elbow and steered her over to Alex and Simon.

"Want to help me with my tie?" Simon asked cutely. He was wearing all black like the rest of them, complete with a blue skinny tie. Clary sighed and redid the knot.

"Hey. Don't worry, Jace will be fine. We'll leave early." Simon said, pulling her in for a hug and kissing the top of her head.

"Okay." Clary replied, forcing a smile. Simon offered her his arm and she took it, feeling unhappier by the moment.