Measure Of Love

Chapter 5: The Party pt2

"Can't wait to meet your boyfriend." Britt said with a smile, looking like she still expected Clary to take out her phone and go 'Oh, no! He can't make it after all. Oh, well.'

"Yeah, he's great." Clary said, glancing at the door. It probably made it seem more real and she was hoping Jace would actually show up. She wouldn't be too surprised if he decided to ditch her. If he could just drag his ass here and act nice, she would be grateful. No, then he just wouldn't owe her anymore. That's it. With a little bit of gratefulness since acting nice was so goddamn hard to him. "Oh, there he is!" She said then and walked over to Jace who walked to her with a smile. She hugged him. "Please, act nice."

"Don't I always?" He asked and she laughed as she pulled back, keeping her hands on his shoulders and his around her waist.

"Now they think you're funny too."

"Aren't I? I mean that was obviously a joke." He said and she nodded.

"Obviously."

"They're coming over." He whispered under his breath and she almost turned to look but stopped herself. Jace leaned down to kiss her cheek and stepped back to look at her, smiling. "You look amazing."

Clary wished her whole face wasn't completely red though it probably was. "Thank you. So do you." He really did. He usually always did which was very annoying but the tux.. Well, it worked on him.

"Well, hi." Britt said as they reached them and Clary turned around.

"Oh, hey." She said. "Um, this is.. Jace."

"Hey." He said and wrapped his arm around Clary's waist who first tensed but then moved closer to him with a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you." Keira said cheerfully. "We just met Clary a while ago, she seems so sweet."

Jace nodded. "Yeah, she is." He turned to Clary. "Real sunshine." She returned his fake smile and elbowed him, hard enough for him to definitely feel it but not too noticably.

"Aw!" Britt just said.

"So, uh.. We're gonna go get some air." Clary just said with a smile and dragged Jace with her. "Bye guys!"

"Bye!" They yelled as they walked into different directions.

Clary sighed. "Thanks."

"Now we're even, no problem." He just said and let go of her. "And probably just had enough of each other to last the whole summer."

"Or our lives." Clary mumbled.

"I'll actually go get some fresh air." Jace said.

"I'm gonna go get a drink." Clary replied. She walked over to one of the tables and took a champagne glass, drinking it while standing close to the wall so she wasn't in anyone's way. Everyone seemed to be having fun. Except her. She stood there, looking around until suddenly the girls were at her again.

"Clary! Everything okay?" Keira asked. "You look upset."

Just leave me alone! Jeez! She thought but just smiled.

"Oh, no. I'm great." She said quickly.

"You sure?" Keira asked and she nodded.

"Yep."

"Where's Jace?" Britt asked.

"Uh.. Yeah, he went out." Clary said. "I just.. Was looking for my friend."

"Well, here I am." A voice said and Clary turned to see Marcus who offered his hand. "You wanna dance?"

"Um.. Sure." Clary said and put her half empty glass away, taking his hand.

"Be careful." Keira said to him with a teasing tone. "Jace might think you're trying to steal his girl."

Clary faked a laugh and pulled Marcus with her to the dancefloor. "So, you just wanna dance with me?"

"You seemed a little crowded over there." He replied with a smile as he put his hand on her waist and she raised hers to his shoulder.

"Well.. Thanks." She said with a small smile.

"So, who's Jace?" He asked and she laughed.

"No one you should really be worried about."

"Really? Didn't sound like it." He replied and Clary looked down briefly before meeting his eyes with a grin.

"They think Jace is my boyfriend."

"Who is he really?" Marcus asked and she sighed.

"A.. I can't say a friend. We can't really stand each other. So.. A guy I know who just pretended to be my boyfriend." She admitted with a laugh. "I know, idiotic. Keep it to yourself."

He laughed. "That's hilarious."

"No, it was stupid." She said. "But it worked."

"You can't stand each other but he helped you?" Marcus asked and Clary shrugged.

"He owed me one."

"What? You guys play each other's partners when you get bored?" He asked and she laughed.

"Yeah, not exactly." She replied. "So.. You having fun here?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Not really. Now I am." He said grinning. "You?"

"I would give the same answer." She replied with a smile. "Maybe my mom introducing me to guys isn't always so horrible."

He laughed. "Yeah.. I could tell you kinda ran away."

"Nothing personal." She told him. "Just.. Trying to get my mom off my back."

"I know the feeling." He replied.

"Um.. You want my number?" She asked then. "Or.. Give me your number?" She laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to do this."

He smiled. "If we could exchange numbers that would be great."

She grinned. "Yes. Okay, cool." Suddenly she met Jace's gaze over Marcus' shoulder. He was on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall like she had a while ago and for her surprise talking to Valentine. For even a bigger surprise he looked down once she looked at him.

Marcus turned to look what she was looking at. "That's your dad, right?"

"Yep." Clary replied.

"Who's with him?" He asked and she laughed.

"Jace."

"Oh, Herondale." Marcus said then. "He's Stephen's son, right?"

"Yeah." Clary said and he nodded.

"Yeah, the Herondales are business partners of your parents, right?" He asked. "I heard your families have been quite tight."

She laughed and nodded. "Yeah, well, we have."

"So, why can't you stand Jace?" He asked and she sighed.

"It's a long story." She explained. "You would fall asleep before I got half way through it."

"Were you.. Somehow together?" Marcus asked and Clary laughed more loudly than she probably should've.

"No, no, no." She said. "It was nothing like that. We haven't really gotten along since I was 13 or something. I mean we were like.. Best friends. But that was probably the worst idea to begin with anyway. And.. Now I'm going on with the deadly boring story."

He laughed. "It's fine. I like listening to you talk."

She smiled. "Why?"

"I don't know, you seem interesting. That pretty much makes you interesting to listen to." He said with a grin and she shook her head.

"If you think I'm interesting.. Well, you're gonna get so disappointed." She said with laugh.

"I doubt that." He replied smiling.

AN: Yaay, I'm hoping I'll be able to update often like this. Anyway.. Enjoy.

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