Hold Me Down

chapter 38

"Can you take the casserole out of the oven?" Clary asks me. She is flustered, rushing in and out of the kitchen to make sure everything is perfect before Jace and Jem come over.

"Of course." I take the oven mitts out of the cabinet and slip them on before going to the oven.

"Clary, breathe. It's just dinner."

"Yeah but it's the first time he's meeting you guys together," Clary says while setting up the table.

"I've met him before."

"That's different. This is more.. formal? Like he'll really get to know you. And he hasn't met Jem yet."

"That's true," I relent. "Still, it's not like you're meeting his mother. It's just the four of us hanging out."

"Is Jem even coming? I texted him and he hasn't responded yet!" Clary says exasperatedly. I can tell she's nervous. She rearranges the flowers in the vase at the center of the table, tapping her foot while doing so.

"He'll be here," I reassure her. "And Clary, I can promise you that Jace does not care about the damn flowers."

She drops her hands. "Sorry. I just wanted everything to be perfect."

I smile at her. "Everything is fine as it is." I am removing the steaming pan out of the oven when the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it," Clary tells me. A moment later, Jem appears in our kitchen.

"Hi Jem!" I untie my apron and take off my kitchen mitts to give him a hug.

"It's great to see you guys." He turns his kind eyes to Clary. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"Should be coming soon," Clary tells him. Her phone lights up. Her eyes flit to the screen. "Oh he's outside. Sit down! I'll be right back."

Chuckling to myself, Jem and I take our seats directly across from each other. I hear the voices at the front door grow louder. I turn around to see Clary dragging Jace by the hand into the kitchen.

"Hi Tessa!" he flashes me a smile.

"Hello Jace."

"And you must be Jem," he turns to my friend with an extended hand. They shake hands.

"That is me," he laughs.

"Can we eat now?" I groan.

They all nod in agreement and begin loading our plates. Jace has taken the seat next to me, Clary sitting across from him from Jem's side of the table.

Throughout the dinner, I notice Jace and Clary giggling at each other and making faces at each other from across the table. I once dropped my napkin, and leaned down to see them kicking at each other's ankles.

I look away, embarrassed. It kind of felt like I was third wheeling. The two were in their own world, never taking their eyes off of each other.

I catch Jem's eye, shooting him a grateful look. He pretends like he's gagging at the two of them. I accidentally let out a laugh and kick him under the table.

"What's so funny?" Jace asks. It's the first time since the dinner started that he's acknowledged anyone but Clary.

"Nothing," I say quickly.

I see Jem hide his smile by pretending he's wiping his mouth with a napkin.

After we clear the plates, we decide to watch a movie. We lower the lights and make popcorn. Jem and I take the couch while Jace and Clary sit on a mound of blankets on the floor. I tuck my feet in and wrap myself in a warm quilt while we watch the movie.