Colliding Hearts #Wattys2017

Chapter 23- Twin Trouble

He quickly nodded, agreeing for the sake of him not being able to sleep that night. Jace chuckled at the couple before glancing to Alec and his eyes softened at the look on the serious man. His eyes were soft and seemed to glisten with a love that had never been there. His lips twitched as he fought a smile and his entire demeanor was relaxed as he stared solely at Emerson.

Clary and Emerson continued ignoring the others in the room as they carried on pinching each other's cheeks. Neither girl seemed ready to give up; both began to wonder why the other wouldn't let go. For Clary she didn't want to let go because she was worried this would be the first and last time Emerson would ever actively be around her.

For Emerson she didn't want to let go because it seemed with each passing day she was looking for more reasons to hold on and reassure herself that she wasn't sleeping. She was surprised to find that being close to Clary gave almost the same effect as being near Alec or even Jace and Luke gave her. It was the feeling that she wasn't dreaming and she wasn't alone, despite what she first thought.

However their cheeks were starting to hurt as well as their arms  and with one final look they silently agreed to let go at the same time. Sitting back the girls rubbed their own cheeks and Clary grinned seeing Emerson giving a somewhat happy smile at her. Emerson quickly stood startling everyone but Alec and Jace, were getting more and more use to her sudden and random actions.

Emerson paused as she debated on if she should ask Clary to come with her, she had gotten hungry on her way to the room and had decided that afterwards she would go back to the Chinese restaurant to eat. Luke couldn't go with her seeing as he was still at work and she didn't want to ask Jace or the others. Nodding her head Emerson offered Clary a hand, taking the oldest twin by surprise. Slowly Clary placed her hand in Emerson's and the girl pulled her up effortlessly.

"We'll be back." Emerson said in a simple tone as she dragged the shocked girl behind her. She paused in front of Jace and Alec.

"Food," was all she said as she carried on walking, pulling Clary behind her.

~~~~~

"You really do have a terrible sense of direction." Clary stated as she stood in the middle of the side walk, her arms crossed and her eyes watching Emerson turn in place looking at the tall buildings that surrounded them.

They had stopped to get their bags and had left the Institute almost forty minutes ago. Clary was surprised that Alec and Jace hadn't come looking for them but, then again she doubted they could find them because Emerson had led them to a part not even Clary knew.

"I told you before, you just weren't listening." Emerson said as she turned to face Clary who lifted her eyebrow in question.

"Why don't we just google it?" Clary questioned as she pulled her phone from her side bag. Emerson huffed and shook her head before walking past Clary, her hand latching onto the girls arm and tugging her behind.

"No good, I don't remember the name of the restaurant." Emerson said in a sheepish tone as she looked back at Clary. Clary huffed and shoved her phone back into her bag and wondered how she seemed to be so forgetful.

"How about we re-trace our footsteps and just go back home and order in." Clary said as she pulled her arm from Emerson and offered the annoyed girl a warm smile.

"Do you remember how we got here?" Emerson asked.

She mulled over Clary's suggestion, she decided it would be good enough, however she couldn't recall how they got wherever it was they were at in the first place. Clary paused as her eyes widened at Emerson's question, all this time Clary didn't understand Emerson getting lost so easily and here she was, just as lost.