Beyond The Fence

Chapter 13:

"What are you doing here?" Clary asked the figure standing before her, trying her very best to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

"That, lady, is the question I should be asking you," Jason replied as he pushed his way through her to enter the room.

By the time Clary registered what Jason had meant, he was already around surveying the room. Clary felt the heat rise to her pallid cheeks and crossed her fingers, hoping the sudden rosiness in her skin wouldn't be too obvious. Mentally slapping herself at her inappropriate, ill-timed thoughts, she cleared her throat to speak.

"We all share a room. It's not what you think it is."

"I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

"Why is there a need to share a room, when this house has so many others, open and inviting?"

Clary felt a shiver run down her spine. What answer could she possibly give to that?

"You see, those rooms are for business-like purposes. As you may very well know, this is a president's house you're standing in, not some guest house ready to provide accommodation to whoever seeks it."

"Still, I find it quite hard to believe why Austin would ever be willing to share a room with...creatures like him," Jason said, pointing his finger towards the peacefully asleep Nelson, eyeing him as if he were a four-legged monster.

"That is my brother you are referring to," Clary rebutted, setting her lips into a thin line. It was taking every ounce of her energy to avoid punching Jason in the face.

"I am aware of that. Now, where in God's name is Austin?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think I can put my statement into simpler words, Mikayla. Where- is- Austin?"

"Why in the world would I know where he is? I thought he was spending time with you."

"Well, do you see him with me, then?"

"Then why don't you just call him and ask him of his whereabouts?"
*****

For the next five minutes or so, Clary tried not to eavesdrop on the conversation Jason was having with his friend. She twirled and twisted the thread sticking out from the sleeve of the worn out clothes she was wearing.

"Well?" she asked him, as soon as he was done talking over the phone. The concern in her voice took her by surprise. What did she care about Austin?

Jason, however, didn't seem to notice that. Or perhaps he did, but it was only natural to be concerned about your cousin, wasn't it?

"Oh it's nothing," he raised his hand in the air, dismissively. "Austin just forgot to tell me that I don't have to pick him up from his house."

"So he is perfectly safe, right?"

Nodding in response, Jason made his way towards the room's exit. It was hard to understand what gripped her mind at that point; maybe the fact that she was going to spend the rest of her night being bored, or maybe it was the burning desire to know what the outside world was like that tugged at her thoughts, that Clary ran to the closed door, at a pace faster than Jason, blocking his way out of the room.

"What is it?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Are you going to where Austin is at?"

"Yes, why does that even concern you?"

"Because I wish to accompany you."

Jason's eyebrows shot up in bewilderment, "I beg your pardon?"

"I want to come with you. It's a friend's gathering, right? I'm his cousin so I do count as a friend."

"Yeah, I am not so sure about that."

"But you said you enjoyed my company. Surely, you still enjoy it?" Clary pressed on, her eyes pleading.

"I never denied that but are you sure that Austin wouldn't mind having you around?"

"I'm his cousin. Why would he? In fact, I think he would appreciate that I'm getting to settle into his district."

"Very well then, Mikayla. You might want to put a coat on, it's chilly out there."

                                                                                          *****

Author's note: Thank you so much for reading!

What are your thoughts on this chapter? Do you think Austin would appreciate Clary going out and about the district? And what about Jason? What do you think of him?

Share your opinions in the comments below! If you have any suggestions, don't be shy to let me know.

Also, I now have an update schdule! As you might have noticed, the updates have been quite irregular till now. But from now onwards, I'll be updating on most Wednesdays and all Fridays!

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