Herondale High

Chapter 21- A Shot At Forgiveness

Magnus's P.O.V.

It's been a week since Josette told me she had decided to forgive me and true to her word she has been working to get Alec and me together. I told her what happened at the party and she called me an absolute idiot. She actually got so mad at me she started yelling in French. It reminded me of when I met her in Paris. She has this uncanny ability to speak in a perfect French accent and yet have an American accent when speaking English. When we met, she told me she played this game with the people in France, she would speak in English and wait for them to say something rude in French and then make them feel bad. It was things like that that had drawn me to her in the first place, nothing is ever dull when she is around. 

After she was finished yelling at me she told me that I should have talked to Alec immediately the next day. I told her that he should've apologized to me because I didn't make him do anything he didn't want to do. She told me I had been plying him with drinks all night long and I obviously knew that he was in the closet because I thought he had a thing for Jace and then I didn't stop him when he drunkenly kissed me. The way she put the events made it seem like I was the villain making me feel guilty. She spent the rest of that week getting so close to Alec rumors had started that they were seeing each other.

This morning, Josie's second Saturday at the academy, she knocked on my door. "Ok, I've convinced Alec to meet with you, to hang out as friends."

"I thought the point of this was to get us together, you know as a couple."

She rolls her eyes drawing my attention to her make-up free face that looks better than most people after putting on make-up for 20 minutes. I start to think about Paris again when she speaks snapping me back to the present. "That's the endgame yes but first he has to be willing to be your friend. Remember you really hurt him by not talking to him after what happened so go and apologize and I'm sure he'll follow suit. Now get ready you're meeting him at the Starbucks around the corner in half an hour." She glances at my pajama pants and lack of a shirt before adding, "And maybe put on something a little more flattering. You seriously need to get rid of those pants." She turns and saunters away leaving me helpless but to watch. 

I get into the shower and instead of think of Alec who I've been unable to get off my mind for months, I think of Josie. We were so close in Paris and I know that I really hurt her when I left. I really did intend to keep in touch but when I found out my dad intended to send me to the academy I felt guilty. She never told me why she needed to talk to me so badly so I assumed it was just her being dramatic. As I look in my closet for an outfit to wear I can't help the memory that flashes up.

Josette is sitting up in my bed with nothing but a sheet covering her. "You seriously need to get new clothes."

"What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Well, nothing right now." I turn towards her and see the lust in her eyes. "In fact, I think this is your best outfit yet."

"Funny I could swear you only think that because I'm naked."

She shrugs. "Whatever, I have to get going." I frown. "What I have to meet Zach you knew that." I feel something almost like jealousy. Josie has so many friends that are guys but Zach is the one I worry about the most. He's so obviously in love with her but I shake these thoughts out. Josette isn't really mine. She doesn't belong to anyone. All I'll ever be is a distraction from her problems and I accept that because just like Zach I'd rather have a piece of her than nothing at all.

I shake my head bringing myself back to the present. It doesn't matter what happened between Jo and me back in Europe because we are in America now and I need to focus on getting Alexander back.

I walk into Starbucks and order a latte before looking for Alec. I spot his perfect posture and black hair and walk over. "Hello, Alexander."

"Hey, Magnus." He looks at me and blushes. He seems nervous. "I kind of thought you never wanted to talk to me again after the party."

"Alexander I wanted to apologize I should have stopped you when you kissed me I knew you weren't ready."

"Magnus you can't take responsibility for my mistakes. I shouldn't have kissed you and I shouldn't have said what happened between us was a mistake. The truth is that I'm not ready for this because if I admit what I feel then I can't take it back and I don't want to lose my friends."

"Alexander, if they are truly your friends it won't matter who you like they will love you no matter what." I meant this to comfort Alec but instead, it seems to make him angry.

"You don't get it. It's hard for some people to understand they need some time to process everything and I don't want to lose them while they do." I realize who he means and that makes me angry.

"You mean Jace. Jace won't understand and God forbid you lose Jace. It's not like he's an asshole or anything like that."

"God maybe it was better when we weren't talking. I thought you might understand but obviously, you don't."

"What I don't understand is why you so busy being in love with someone who will never feel the same about you and completely over-looking someone who has no problem with it."

"You have no problem with it because you have nothing to lose!" He yells causing people to look at us he lowers his voice and adds "I should've never tried to make you understand. I could lose everything football, my friends, everything. So no Magnus it has nothing to do with how I feel for Jace and by the way, I'm not in love with my best friend thanks for asking. I figured that out when I kissed you and realized that kissing Jace would just make me feel weird and uncomfortable not all hot and bothered. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go." He snatches his backpack off the counter and storms out of the coffee shop while I'm left standing there pondering what I've just learned. Alec likes me too but I did exactly what Jo told me not to do and now I've probably ruined everything with Alec for good. Great.