"First order of business," Eli whispered as we cautiously started to tiptoe down the stairs. "Never break out through a door, ever."
"Can I ask why?"
"Because windows are so much more exciting."
I huffed, ducking out of someone's view as we rounded a corner. "How do you even know where we're going? There are three many rooms in this place. And you do know that all of these windows are stained glass? They belong to a church— they don't open."
Eli didn't respond as he dragged me into a room that looked like an office. The hairs on my neck immediately started raising. "Eli, wher–"
"This is Robert Lightwood's office."
I immediately tried to run the other way, but he grabbed the end of my jacket and pulled me back. "Why the fuck are we in here?"
"Because," He shrugged and pointed at the two windows behind the desk. "Look."
"Are those windows not in every office?"
Eli gave me a look, asking if I was dumb. "Well of course they are. But I think breaking into Robert Lightwood's office makes things much more fun."
"Wha– we didn't even break in! The door was unlocked."
The green eyed boy considered my words for a moment, only to shrug in the end and grab my wrist, pulling me towards one of the windows. I was about to tell him that he was insane for the 100th time, but a voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Is someone in here? You're not allowed in the offices."
I didn't recognize the voice, but that didn't stop my eyes from going wide and pushing past Eli to unlock the windows. In an instant, it was pushed open and I was crawling through it, practically dragging Eli with me. I pulled it shut with a snap before immediately grabbing Eli's wrist and sprinting across the field, and behind one of the trees.
"Holy shit."
I spun around to look at Eli, my eyes wide in alarm. "What? What is i–"
"We totally just snuck you out of the church and entered very dangerous territory where the either of us could now be killed at any second."
The smile he had on his face while saying that made him seem like he belonged in an institute, but I couldn't help but grin back. "What badasses we are."
Elias rolled his eyes at me, but still kept the smile on his face. "Okay, this is your trip. Where to now?"
"I came for a distraction." I said, thinking back to the only reason I said I would go. "Where can I get one of those?"
Elias's green orbs gleamed with mischief in the moonlight. "Pandemonium it is."
✗ ✗ ✗
When Elias said we were going clubbing, I definitely had second thoughts, but 5 glasses of whatever he was serving me later, every concern that I had for the consequences of not being alert while outside the church, faded away.
It had started drizzling by the time Eli and I left. We left early– 11 something– because he didn't want to be out too late when something could happen to us. The last thing I wanted to do was leave, but I went along anyway.
"That was fun." I sighed through giggles as we rounded the block to where we could now see the church.
"How many glasses did you have?" Eli raised an eyebrow, putting an arm around me for support.
"Uh... 2? Maybe 5? I don't kn–"
"Shh."
I rolled my eyes. "Eli, wha are you going o–"
A hand immediately covered my mouth and for a split second– the thought left as fast as it came– I thought is was him. This was New York after all. Out of all the places Henric had to send me, it was where he... he broke me.
"Shut up." Elias whispered in my ear. "I thought I heard something."
I wanted to tell him that of course he would hear something in the streets of New York, it was New York, but then I realised that the silence that followed his statement wasn't normal. It was too quiet, the type of quiet that made my hairs stand on end.
And then it started pouring rain.
I couldn't help but smile even though his hand was covering my mouth. For as long as I could remember, I'd always loved the rain. Elias seemed to notice my change in mood because he suddenly let go of me and whispered, "I'll race you back to the church."
I turned to see a challenging glint in his eyes. Ha! He actually thought he was going to beat me. "Very well."
I didn't even have a chance to get into a running position before he yelled "Go!" and took off. I mentally cursed him and sprinted after him, not finding it very hard to catch up with him. From the corner of my eye, I could see his smirk drop when I passed him.
We both had unsteady breaths by the time we reached the institute, me finishing first.
"I did not–" He took a deep breath of air, "– think you were that fast."
I shrugged, standing up straight from my crouched position. "Not many people do."
He was about to head back to the window, but I suddenly pulled him back when I heard the faint noise of music starting to float through the air. Eli raised an eyebrow at me but I just smiled and spun around like a five year old.
"Oh come on, Elias." I looked up at him through my heavy lashes. "It's pouring rain and there's music playing. We have to do something cliché!"
He only grinned and grabbed my hand. "Then let's do the most cliché thing possible and dance."
I laughed as he twirled me around, but the whole time there was a tiny pinch in my heart, and it didn't take a genius to know what it was. Elias and I would never be anything more than friends– no matter what we said or did, everything would always be platonic.
No words could describe how much I wanted Jace to be the one twirling me around in the rain with the two of us laughing.
Push those feelings aside, Thea. Don't let that twat ruin your night. He hurt you, or do you not remember?
I did remember. And right now I didn't want to. Right now, I didn't even want to remember that Jace Wayland existed. So I pushed those thoughts aside and laughed with Elias as we danced in the pouring rain outside the beautiful institute.
"Not gonna lie, twirling you around while it was pouring outside was a lot more fun than I thought it would be." Elias chuckled as we climbed back through the window. Our clothes started dripping on the floor immediately.
I shot him a look. "Well of course it was fun. You were with me. Everything is fun when your with me."
Eli only rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm gonna run up to the Greenhouse to get an herb so we can make soup and not get sick. Wanna come?"
I nodded, eagerly. I'd always wanted to go to the very talked about Greenhouse. Everyone said it was beautiful.
"Cool. Follow me, Miss Westchester."
On the way up there, Elias told me a bunch of random, stupid jokes that had me laughing to no end.
But the second the doors to the Greenhouse were pushed open, I sobered up.
Because there, by the beautiful, glowing flowers, were Jace and Clary. And then, without even realizing they had company, Jace kissed her.