Distractions - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

There was a pep in her step as she walked through the Institute, headphones resting comfortably on her head and the familiar song echoing through her ears. All around her, Shadowhunters stared as the purple haired girl bounded through the Institute, a bubble of happiness and contentedness in the serious and sorrow-filled atmosphere. Several even gaped upon hearing that she was singing. No one quite understood what she was saying, however.
"J'me dis souvent, j'ai pas trop le choix. À quoi bon chercher si c'est comme ça. Un jour, j'ai trop, un jour j'ai pas, un jour de trop, un jour j'sais pas," she sang, the French words spilling from between her lips smoothly.
She walked into the kitchen, her focus solely on getting to the container of raspberries in the fridge. "Un jour de plus et je m'oublie, moi. Ce refrain qui m'emmène, insouciante, je me rappelle. Un instant, j'oublie ma peine. À chacun de mes pas, moi je compte les heures. On se retrouvera dans la joie et sans peur. Je poserai mes pas dans un monde où les gens me répondent; J'entends le chant des colombes."
She flinched back in surprise as a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. She whirled, ready to hit something, but relaxed when it was only Jace. He mimed taking out an earbud and she complied, pausing her music.
"Yeah?"
"You speak French?" he asked, words colored with shock.
She shrugged. "Yeah, learned in school and kept up with it so that I could communicate with some friends in France better."
Jace glanced around, hesitating. He lowered his voice as he said, "Can we talk? In private or in French or something?"
Everest blinked. Jace didn't usually talk to her about things that required being in private or talking in a language other than English. "Yeah, what is it?" she asked, switching to French after a moment.
"Everything." Jace sighed, also switching to French. "Not only did I find out that I kissed my sister, my dad's a murderer, and my other sister is a walking disaster, but my mom just died."
Everest refrained from scoffing out of respect for the serious tone Jace had. "One, I am not a walking disaster. Two, I don't know what you want me to do. My dad's the same murderer as yours is and our moms are the same dead one. I—" Everest hesitated, "—I don't understand what you want me to do, Jace."
Jace sighed, eyelids lowering until they were half closed. "I don't know either, Everest. That's why I wanted to talk. We—you, me, and Clary—can't just keep going on ignoring it all and hoping it goes away, that's not how that works. We need to figure out what we're going to do and move past all of this awkwardness."
This time, Everest did scoff. "Please, the only awkwardness there is between the three of us is between you and Clary. There's nothing awkward about our relationship, or my relationship with Clary."
Jace shrugged. "Still, I can tell that the awkwardness between Clary and I is getting to you. You won't even be in the same room as the two of us for more than an hour."
"Not true."
He raised an eyebrow. "You've literally run from the kitchen before because Clary and I walked in at the same time."
Everest shrugged. "Maybe," she said dismissively. She glanced at him with a look tinged with disbelief and minor mocking. "You do know that figuring out what to do with the fact that we're all siblings would mean talking to Clary without making up an excuse to leave, right?"
"You know that us all talking would mean talking to Clary and I without making an excuse to leave, right?" he parroted. Everest stuck her tongue out.
"Shush Mr. I-Can't-Communicate."
"Says you, Ms. I-Can't-Function."
They both glared at each other mockingly for several moments until their gazes met and they both collapsed in laughter. In their laughter, Everest's headphones became unplugged and her music started again.
"Je ne suis qu'une imbécile allongée sur le dos. J'me refais le film, le début était beau. Puis, je t'imagine jouer sur ton piano. Une mélodie expire dans un écho. J'ai tout gâché, je sais, Je sais, j'ai tout gâché," sang Clara Luciani.
Everest started to sing along. "Je ne peux pas oublier ton cul et le grain de beauté perdu. Sur ton pouce et la peau de ton dos. Le reste, je te le laisse mais je retiens en laisse. Le souvenir ému de ton corps nu."
Jace laughed harder when Everest danced around the kitchen, finally getting her raspberries and popping one in her mouth every few moments. As the song came to an end, Jace was literally rolling on the floor in laughter and Everest was on top of the counter, an exaggerated sorrowful look on her face as she pointed at an empty spot of the kitchen. Just then, Izzy walked in, phone held in just the perfect spot to record them. One hand was covering her mouth and her eyes were glossy. She removed her hand and loud laughter bubbled from between her lips.
"You two are gold," she laughed. "I can't wait to send this to the group chat."
"What group chat?" Jace asked, cautiously as he stood up.
Izzy smirked. "Check your phones."
Jace unlocked his phone since Everest's was across the kitchen. He paled upon opening his messages and all but threw his phone at Everest. Everest understood why immediately.
Izzy had created a group chat with Clary, Alec, Magnus, Simon, Jace, Everest, and herself. And what was worse was that the first and only thing to be sent in it was a video of Jace and Everest singing in French while Jace rolled on the ground laughing and Everest danced on the counters. Everest dreaded seeing the reactions of their friends.
Everest and Jace shared a forlorn look. They were screwed.
Translations:
Le chant des colombes (The Chirping of the Doves) by Amel Bent
J'me dis souvent, j'ai pas trop le choix. À quoi bon chercher si c'est comme ça. Un jour, j'ai trop, un jour j'ai pas, un jour de trop, un jour j'sais pas. Un jour de plus et je m'oublie, moi. Ce refrain qui m'emmène, insouciante, je me rappelle. Un instant, j'oublie ma peine. À chacun de mes pas, moi je compte les heures. On se retrouvera dans la joie et sans peur. Je poserai mes pas dans un monde où les gens me répondent; J'entends le chant des colombes
I often tell myself, I don't have much choice. What is the point of looking if it's like that. One day I have too much, one day I don't. One day too long, one day I don't know. One more day and I forget myself. This chorus that takes me, carefree, I remember. For a moment, I forget my pain. With each of my steps, I count the hours. We will find ourselves in joy and without fear. I'll take my steps in a world where people answer me. I hear the song of the doves
Le reste (What Remains) by Clara Luciani
Je ne suis qu'une imbécile allongée sur le dos. J'me refais le film, le début était beau. Puis, je t'imagine jouer sur ton piano. Une mélodie expire dans un écho. J'ai tout gâché, je sais, Je sais, j'ai tout gâché. Je ne peux pas oublier ton cul et le grain de beauté perdu. Sur ton pouce et la peau de ton dos. Le reste, je te le laisse mais je retiens en laisse. Le souvenir ému de ton corps nu
I'm just a fool lying on my back. I'm remaking the film, the beginning was beautiful. Then I imagine you playing on your piano. A melody expires in an echo. I messed it up, I know. I know I messed it up. I can't forget your ass and the lost mole. On your thumb and the skin on your back. The rest, I leave it to you but I keep it on a leash. The emotional memory of your naked body