Best Friends with Benefits

[Eight]

I tap the bump as lightly as I can
"Just you and me little one."

***

{Jace}

When Izzy gets here she's flushed like she's been running and barks orders at us to get her a large mocha as she dumps her things in the booth we're sitting in.

"Get it yourself." I laugh at her and she flips me off on her way to the bathroom, Alec only smiles.
"I'll get it." He tells me and I decide that later I'm slipping money into his jacket, arguing with Alec over a bill was pointless, he always won.

While Alec was ordering our food I sat and looked at the menu paying very close attention to the items we should have been ordering for a fourth person, but she didn't want to be here around me and god knows I was trying hard to accept that even if I didn't want to, even if it physically hurt me.

Isabelle gets back before Alec, rubbing her wet hands on her jeans
"No damn hand towels." She mutters and shuffles her way along one end of the booth.
"Nice to see you too dearest sister." I joke and she almost smiles like she's amused.
"I'd say the same Jace but I can smell you from here." She holds her nose to exaggerate her point and i smirk at her. Thankfully she's disapproving of my aftershave, rather than hinting I should shower.

"I'll have you know that nine out of ten women love my smell, better than sex apparently." She makes a face at me like she's innocent but Alec has told me stories worthy of therapy, having the room next to hers and all.

"Nine out of ten dingbats you mean." The witch whispers under her breath, I stick my tongue out at her like I used to when we were kids.
"Speaking of dingbats," Alec appears empty handed "incoming." He takes a seat next to Isabelle and his usual happy-go-lucky demeanour is back so fast it scares me, it turns out he wasn't lying though, incoming indeed.

"Hey guys!" She squeals making me want to bash my head off the table. I keep my eyes on the menu, aware that I look ridiculous seeing as I've already got Alec to order for me but I'm past caring, as long as she knows I'm still set on ignoring her.

"Hey Kaelie, you work here now?" Isabelle speaks up and I can hear the distaste in her voice, Alec, however, stays quiet.
"Tragic right?" She places Isabelle's mocha in front of her and I catch a whiff of her disgusting flowery perfume. Over the last few months I had tried working on being a better person, less judgemental, but Kaelie would always be an exception.

"Seelie hasn't been doing too well recently." Is the only explanation she gives, possibly because I'm here.
"Tragic." Alec agrees quietly and I look up to see him smiling at me. At least Alec was a loyal brother.

She slides my pancakes over the table to me and a set of cutlery wrapped in a napkin, Isabelle continues to entertain Kaelie for whatever reason. Upon closer inspection I see that instead of a fork and a knife she's given me two spoons, great.

I look up at her and her eyes shine like she's been waiting for me to open my mouth "I have two spoons instead of a knife and fork."
Alec coughs awkwardly.
"Hi Jace." She smiles like she hadn't cheated on me multiple times, sent me 30 angry voicemails after I broke up with her and scratched her name into the wood of my front door. I'd since replaced it but the neighbours had been terribly confused.

"Knife and fork." I repeat and hold the spoons out to her.
"Of course, follow me and I'll get you some." She put Alec's burger down and walks off not even giving me time to protest. With a sigh and a wary look from Alec I do as she says and follow her through the restaurant.