I Hate You (IN EDITING)

Chapter 12

Isabelle sat on a barstool, her legs crossed, one atop the other, as she tapped impatiently on the counter. "Alec, I don't know what to do," she said, running a hand through her waterfall of hair. "Sebastian is interested in her, and I think she's interested in him, too. And after what Jace pulled today, I just-I don't know what to do."

Alec didn't answer for several beats, which seemed like an eternity passing. "I know you wanted this to happen, Iz," Alec soothed. "But things don't always work out like you want them to." Isabelle looked up at him, her eyes worried, as she brushed the hair away from her face, only to have it fall back to the same spot moments later. "I just want to see her happy," Isabelle felt tears threatening to spill over the floodgates. "She's never been happy-not truly, genuinely happy, not since her dad and Jonathan died."

Alec pulled her into him, and her arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly. She pulled away from him a moment later, looking as composed as ever, and if you hadn't seen, you wouldn't have known she was only seconds from crying a minute earlier. "Where is Clary?" Isabelle asked, standing up from the barstool. Alec shrugged. "I saw her go outside earlier, she was holding her sketch book," he offered. Isabelle began walking to the front door, Alec in tow. "I'm going to see if she wants to order something to eat."

Isabelle opened the front door, and felt all the colour drain from her face. She looked incredulously at the sight unfolding before her. "Why are you just standing there?" Alec asked, slightly annoyed, as he pushed Isabelle to the side, so he could stand beside her. His face drained of all colour, as he saw the same thing that had his sister standing dumbfounded on the landing.

Isabelle was animated, a second later, jumping up and down, squealing in excitement. "I knew it!" She shouted excitedly. "I knew it would happen!" She hugged her brother tightly, as Clary and Jace sprang apart, looking around. Clary caught the excited gleam in Isabelle's eyes, and her face turned redder than her hair. Isabelle was down the steps in less than two seconds. "I called it! I so called it!" She squealed excitedly. Magnus came rushing out of the house, to stand beside a still-frozen Alec. "What?" Magnus asked, looking around wildly. His eyes came to a rest on Clary and Jace; she was as red a fire truck, while he was rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Isabelle!" Clary shouted finally. "Shut up already!"

But that didn't stop Isabelle from jumping around in glee. Magnus was down the stairs in less time than Isabelle had been, and he grabbed Clary by the shoulders, bending down lightly to look her in the eyes. "Clarissa," he said slowly. "Please tell me you didn't kiss Satan Jr. over there," he motioned with his head to Jace, who Isabelle was dancing around. Clary remained silent, looking anywhere but Magnus' green-gold eyes. "You did," Magnus said, and he almost gagged. "Oh my," he said, his expression turning to one of worry. He looked desperately to Isabelle, and then Alec, who was slowly beginning to re-animate. "I think she's sick," he put his hand to Clary's forehead.

Clary swatted Magnus' hand away, and scowled at him, crossing her arms over her chest. " I am not sick," she spat, somewhat angrily. "It's worse than I thought," Magnus said, grabbing her face in both hands, and moving from side to side, looking into her eyes at different angles. "I think she's possessed!" Magnus shouted, as Isabelle started calming down.

Isabelle skipped over happily, and swatted Magnus' hands away from Clary. "She is not possessed," Isabelle said. "You just don't want to admit that you lost the bet," Isabelle put her hands on her hips, giving Magnus a superior look. Clary's eyes shot up. "Bet?" She demanded, looking between Magnus and Isabelle for an answer. "You bet on me?" Clary fumed. Alec was walking down the stairs slowly, as if trying to let everything soak in.

Isabelle had stopped jumping around, and was taking a few steps away from Clary, who was still red-but from anger rather than embarrassment. Magnus stood his ground, though, and looked down at Clary. "We did," he said simply. Clary looked at him expectantly. "I said that you wouldn't end up dating Satan's off-spring by the end of the summer," Magnus explained. "While Miss jumpy over there said you would." He nodded his head in the direction of Isabelle, who was bouncing on her heels slightly.