Roommates & Soulmates

Ch145: Jace's Disapointment

Jace had refused to see Sebastian, and he was barely speaking to his mother. If it wasn't for Jon, Jace really wasn't sure how he'd have gotten through the end of the holiday. Between the silence with his mother, and thinking of how she'd kept it from him these last few years, the days had dragged by like weeks. But now New Years was over, and Jace was going home. It was strange to think that this had once been his home. He could remember as if it were yesterday that feeling when he'd first entered his dorm room. He'd been nostalgic then about missing out on his mom's cooking. The thought made him smile despite himself. When had everything changed? It felt like it had happened all at once, but rationally he knew it had taken years. Time and life slowly moved forward to shape his world from one thing to another. So much had changed that his old world felt unrecognizable to him now. Then again, it wasn't the world that had changed, but rather him. The person he'd been was dead, replaced with the person he was now. The whole thing felt rather unreal to him, and Jace decided he'd rather not think about it.

With a sigh, he checked the clock. He still had a few hours left until it was reasonable to head towards the bus terminal. Being early was always a good idea, but being insanely early was not. He already had everything packed. There was quite literally nothing left to do but stare at the clock. Refusing to do so, Jace got up and went in search of Jon. He found his friend in the spare room finishing putting his suitcase together.

"Hey," Jace greeted him. Jon looking up and replied in kind. "Not done packing yet?"

"I'm not much for doing things when I'm suppose to," Jon laughed. "Just ask my mother."

"Procrastinations not a crime," Jace laughed. "I'm not usually so organized myself."

"Can't wait to get out of here, huh?" Jon asked in a whisper, which Jace appreciated. He didn't want his mom overhearing them, not that he actually expected her to be listening at the keyhole or anything, but still.

"What gave me away?" Jace chuckled.

"That speedy packing," Jon counted.

"Right," Jace sighed, moving to sit on the bed while Jon packed.

His mind wondered as he watched clothes and other objects being placed and positioned until it all fit, a shirt set aside for a moment while a cord was put underneath it. Jace followed the movements with his eyes, trying to keep his mind blank.

He failed. Being busy was an excellent cure for troubled thoughts, but alas there was really nothing left to do right now. His masochistic mind landed on his girlfriend far sooner than he would have liked. Then again, she hardly felt like his girlfriend these days. He couldn't quite remember what it felt like to touch her, though he did recall every inch of her in a more visual way, the feeling of her touch seemed to be fading. Missing her was like this constant ache in his chest. He'd grown used to it as the months had gone by, but now he had new worries. After so long apart, and with Clary having experienced so many new and exciting things while he'd been living the same old life, would they still know each other? Would she still be his Clary, or a new person out of his reach?

"It isn't that long left till June now," Jon tired to console him.

"Huh, what?" Jace asked, snapping out of it.

"Clary," Jon explained. "Won't be long now."

"Five months and three days," Jace stated.

"Damn," Jon replied, taken aback.

"But wait, how did you know that's what I was thinking about?" Jace asked.

"You get this look on your face when you think about her," Jon explained. "It's a far off nostalgic, slightly lonely look."