Breathless • Malec

ii. Alec

"You're going," Isabelle announced to Jace and I. "Whether you like it or not."

"Izzy," I pleaded. "Can't we just stay here? I don't want to go to a club."

She frowned. Isabelle had swapped her plain outfit for something a bit more interesting. She was wearing a very revealing black crop top and grey miniskirt with her signature red necklace and knee high boots. "Alec, nobody stays home the night before the first day. You have to enjoy yourself."

"I will enjoy myself!" I exclaimed as I held up a random book. "By staying home."

"Jace?" She asked him. "What about you?"

He nodded. "Just give me a minute. Isabelle shrugged and left the room. "Alec?" He said.

"Hmm?" I asked, looking up from the ground.

"Please?" He asked, giving me his signature puppy dog eyes. No human could resist those. "Just come to the club." I raised my eyebrow. "For me?"

With a sigh, I nodded in agreement. "Fine. But only because of you."

He smiled, seemingly happy with himself. "Alec?" he said again. "Do you think Clary will go? Do you think Izzy's gonna ask her?" He took off his shirt and began rummaging around in his suitcase for a new one. I couldn't help but gawk at him, even though I knew shouldn't.

Shaking my head, I began shifting through my own suitcase for an 'acceptable' outfit. I pulled out a random shirt and threw it on. "Let's just get this over with." I told him grumpily.

"Alec," Jace smiled at me. "Loosen up, have some fun." I rolled my eyes. He nudged my shoulder. "I'm sure there'll be plenty of pretty girls."

"Whatever," I mumbled. I wasn't interested in girls. But of course, Jace could never know that. Ever. It would ruin everything we've ever built up.

Jace opened the door and we walked out into the plain dorm hallway. There were drunk kids everywhere. Izzy wasn't wrong about everyone partying the night before first class. I made my way through the swarms of drunks and was able to locate Izzy's door. Jace knocked and my least favorite person at the moment answered: Clary.

"Hello," Jace smirked as he looked her up and down. Jace had guessed right; she was probably coming with us. In Izzy's clothes. Clary was wearing a tight black miniskirt and one of Izzy's crop tops.

"Hi," Clary gave him a warm smile. "Isabelle!" Clary called. "Jace is here."

Seconds later, Izzy appeared from behind Clary. "Alec," she smiled. "You're coming?"

I nodded gruffly. "Let's just go, okay?"

Izzy grabbed Clary's hand. "We're gonna have so much fun," she told Clary, to which she nodded and gulped.

"I think I'm just going to wait for Simon," she patted Izzy's arm. "I'll catch up to you guys later?" She gave us the thumbs up.

"Clary," Jace flashed her his golden smile. "Just come with us. I'm sure Simon can meet us there." He gave her a wink.

She mulled over the offer for a moment and I hoped that she would just decline going altogether. With my luck, though, nothing ever happened how I wanted it to.

"Fine," she finally agreed. "I guess I can just text him." Jace was exuberant as he walked a few steps behind Izzy and I to talk to Clary. I was fuming the whole way out of the building.

"Jealous?" Isabelle asked as she tapped my shoulder. I glared, but she gave me a knowing look. "Alec," she said. "You don't have to hide from me. I'm here for you, big brother."

"Just drop it," I whispered. I turned around to see Jace talking animatedly to Clary. She was giving him the heart eyes and I could tell he was deeply interested, too. My chest felt tight as I tried to ignore Izzy.

"If you repress these feelings, something bad is going to happen, Alec," she warned as she glanced back at Jace.

I shook my head. "This isn't a game, Isabelle," I spoke harsher than I know I should have.

"I'm not saying it is, either," she fired back. "You can't hide who you are. It's bound to come out sooner or later."

We were both silent until we reached the club.We walked in and immediately I knew that I would be the fish out of water. While I had opted for jeans and a plain tee, everyone else was decked out in some of the craziest attire that I've ever seen. I turned to make a joke to Jace about it, but he was already talking to Clary.

My face fell as I watched him wrap his arm around her shoulder. I turned away before I could see anything else and found myself face no other than Magnus Bane.

"Alec," he smiled pleasantly to me. "How are you?" His outfit had to take first place for crazy. I'm pretty sure that every inch of him was covered in glitter. He was wearing glittery, tight, green pants and a bright blue sports jacket with no shirt underneath that. He also wore a large collection of chains around his neck.

"Good," I said, my eyes darting around the room. I needed to get out of here. Fast, too.

He looked at me expectantly. "Alec?" Magnus asked. "Is that your real name?"

"No," I said hurriedly. I saw him give me a curious look. "Alexander," I sighed with a twinge of guilt. He was just trying to be polite and I was being a complete arse.

"Alexander," he said slowly, a small smile spreading across his face. "Lovely."

"Mmhm," I said, staring right at Jace and Clary who were now eating each others faces. A wave of anger surged over me. "Actually, Magnus, I'm gonna go."

"Alexander?" He called as I stormed out.

I just needed to be left alone. Obviously, no one would follow me. Isabelle was probably off seducing some random guy at the club and I already knew that Jace was busy. I shoved my face into my hands and tried desperately to not think about what a giant idiot I was. Jace was like my brother.

He saw us as nothing more and I knew that I shouldn't be surprised by it. A small part of me always hoped, though.

I heard footsteps from behind me as was a bit speechless to see Magnus staring down at me, a smile on his face.

"Need some company?"