Chapter One: Clarrisa "Clary" Fray

'When one walks on a sidewalk alone at night, the first thing they do is worry. Will I get hurt? Will someone take me away? Will I get lost? When they reach their destination just fine, they think, Hey, I knew I'd be fine! When will people figure out that an over-active imagination will scare them silly?'

I crossed out the last sentence.

'The imagination can do crazy things to your mind.'

I wasn't content with the ending, but it'd have to do. It's not like the teacher would fail me if I didn't write it exactly how she imagined it. Sighing, I signed my name at the bottom and shoved it into my backpack. Ring! Ring! I see my cell phone light up and vibrate like crazy. Seeing Mom in the Caller ID, I hit answer. "Hello?"
"Darling where are you?"
"Up in my room, doing homework. Please leave me alone."
"I'm sorry dear. A mother can worry, can't she?"

I hang up. My mother is a little psycho. She'll let me go out on dates until 3 in the morning, but when I'm in my room studying, she'll think I'm getting abducted by aliens or stolen by some man. Rolling my eyes at my mom's concerns, I then get up to look presentable for wherever in the bathroom.

I take a quick shower, scrubbing my hair until my scalp feels numb; brush my teeth, until my electronic toothbrush loses it's battery, and my breath is minty fresh; dry and brush through my hair, until it feels like it's all but pulled out of its roots; and put on fresh clothes. I study myself in the mirror, looking at the things I want to change. If I was taller, I could pull the jeans off. If I was bustier, I could pull the tank top off better. If I had brown hair instead of red, I could pull off the necklace my ex-boyfriend got me for my 14th birthday.

My ex... I spend some time thinking about him, then shake my head to rid him of my mind. I'll find myself daydreaming about him and then realizing that thinking of my ex meant that I miss him. If it's true or not, I will never admit to myself that I miss him. I don't know why we broke up, or how, but he's an ex, and I will treat him like one.

I slip on the first jacket I see, knowing that anything will match the jeans, and find that it's a yellow, flowery, young-looking jacket. If I wore that anywhere, I'd be stared at all day. Not in that OMG WHAT A CUTE JACKET! way, but that I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE WORE THAT IN PUBLIC! way. Yanking it off, I grab my red hoodie, thinking that it'd go nicely with everything else. I was right. Right when I was wondering to take my cell phone with me or not, Jace, the ex I was thinking about earlier, flashed in the Caller ID. Nah, I can survive without it today. I walked away from it, down the stairs and out the door.

"Jace called me again." One of my best friends, Isabella (also known as Izzy), looked down at me and smiled. (I am barely 5 foot 1, so I have to look up at everyone.) "Jace is on a mission, Clary," Izzy said with a funny look, "Why would he be calling you?" I shrugged, not knowing how to answer that. "Why did you two break up, anyway? You were great together. He really liked you- most likely loved, actually." I shift from one leg to the other, then start playing with my hair. "Um, Izzy, can we sit down somewhere?" I ask nervously. She sighed, sat down in a chair a few feet away from her, then motioned for me to sit down. "Now, answer my question, Clary!"

I averted my eyes. What was I supposed to say? Yes, I know he loved me. No. That makes sense, I kinda loved him back. Maybe something more innocent sounding. Him? Love me? Wow... While I was thinking about my response, I barely noticed the rest of the Lightwoods entering the room.

The Lightwoods all had amazing black hair and stunning blue eyes. They were all fairly tall (taller than me, anyway), and were all still suffering from the loss of their youngest- Max. "Hello, Alec, Mrs. Lightwood, Mr. Lightwood," I say respectfully. Isabella smirked, "Sure, address all of the Lightwoods but me." I give her a Shut up look, and she rolls her eyes. Jace entered the library where everyone was. "That elevator needs to be fixed," he grumbled. I tried to hide my face, but my flaming red hair was a complete giveaway, compared to all the other black-haired people in the room. "Clary? Why are you here?" I try to appear snobby when I say, "I like everyone here; I'm not here just because of you," but I just end up sounding like a jerk.

Focusing his attention directly on me, he moves toward me. I stand up, but then, deciding that I look stupid doing that and nothing will happen between us, I awkwardly sit back down again. "Clary, can you please leave? I have, er, Shadowhunter business to discuss." Rolling my eyes, I remind him that I am a Shadowhunter. "Well, you don't know the ropes. When we were dating, I tried to train you, but you were impossible."

Izzy got annoyed and stepped in. "Um, Jace? She did a great job defeating Lilith! And you tried to kill her in there, so shut up." "Satrina," Alec mumbled. Everyone looked at him with confusion on their faces. "She was originally known as Satrina. Lilith, I mean," he adds on, face turning a bright red.

Riiiiight. Awkward silence. "Well, more demons have decided to ruin the town, so I got rid of them. When I figured they were all gone, they tripled. TRIPLED! I think Valentine has something to with it," Jace said, breaking the silence. I replied, "Jace? Valentine is gone, dead, perished, breathless, lifeless-" "I know!" he yells. I look around the room. Everyone is staring at us two. There is silence; everyone is waiting for me to reply. Pressured and suddenly stressed by all the attention, I run away. I run until I can't run anymore. Out of the Institute, out into the streets, passing Luke's, er, Dad's house, and I end up at the Daylighters' place, wherever that was again.

Simon walks out casually, looking greater than ever. "Clary? What are you doing here?" I shake my head. "The pressure! The stares! It was all too-" I stop, realizing that I probably sound like I became schizophrenic or mental. Simon has a concerned look on his face, when I decide that it's best to just shut up. After a moment of silence, I calm down. "Was that silence awkward to you?" Simon asked, unsure look on his face. I just shake my head. "Me either," he smiles. I look at him, in his perfectly torn jeans, his gray T-shirt, and his worn out sneakers. His hair was messy, but it looked hot. I had the sudden feeling that I wanted to date him again.

I can't, though. He's dating Isabella. Interrupting my train of thought, he says, "Will you please tell me what on earth is going on with you?" I shake my head, slower this time, as to say, I don't know, and I have no intention on figuring it out, either. Simon shakes his own head back at me, when Isabella comes out. "Do all your conversations consist of never-ending head shaking?" We turn to look at her, wondering just how long she's been watching us. As if she read our minds, she answered, "I saw the whole thing. I'm sorry, but I followed Clary to see what's up." It seems like she's speaking only to Simon, the way she says my name like I'm not here.

"No, I don't expect you two to say anything. I just want to talk to you, not expecting anything in return. Just mindless babbling." I could hear the subtle hint of sarcasm in her voice, but apparently Simon didn't. "Isabella-" I say, trying to stop her, but she's in over her head already. "No, not one single word at all! Not even a sound!" "Isa-" "This isn't too sexy for you to see, is it Simon? I'm sooo sorry you have to see me this way!" I get annoyed, so I yell, "ISABELLA! STOP!" She looks at me. "You're in a cranky mood. Let's go back and see what Jace and Alec are saying about that monster situation. Draw an invisible rune on yourself if you want, but you're going back with me." I wonder if she left out her parents on purpose.

Before Simon could ask about the situation, the two girls disappear, moving at high speeds back to the Institute. We both walk in, rudely interrupting the conversation taking place. Jace looks at me for about two seconds, the way he used to when we were dating, then quickly went hard-eyed and started to continue on with the conversation, when Isabella stops him. "Briefly run through what you two talked about, one of you." Alec decided to tell them all. "Well, we were talking about ways to kill it, until we remembered that every one that you kill turns into three more problems. We can injure it, but that won't stop it entirely. We figured that Valentine created these things," he spat on the word things, "before he died, just to give us Shadowhunters more trouble to deal with, while his allies, or something, go along with a bigger plan they've planned." Isabella blinked cartoon-ish-ly. That was a lot to take in for her, I guess.

I step in, "What if this is all a joke, though? What if there is no master plan? Valentine already did his worst. Even if this is true, what is the plan?" Maryse, the Lightwood mother, sighed. "You all are crazy. It's a Sunday. Let's just relax and hope for the best." That was one thing we could all agree on. Everyone started crowding to the doorway, when Jace grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. "What do you-" I start, when he interrupts me with a big "Shhhh." I take a deep breath and whisper, "What do you want, Jace?" He waited until everyone was out of the room. "You." I gasp, not knowing how to answer that. "Why?" I finally manage to spit out.

"I don't want to just relax. I want to go searching for more demons. I need to figure all this out, and soon. Izzy would laugh at me, Alec would decline, the parents, who knows what the hell they'll do..." He starts rambling off when I kiss him. I don't know why, but I do. When I pull back, he's speechless. Good, maybe I can finally talk. "Look, I really don't want to go on a mission, but I'll do it because I do not want to go to school tomorrow." My mom made me promise to start school again, and not just live a full Shadowhunter life. Jace was still silent. "Um, if this mission is a joke, I'll hate you forever," I add, just to fill the silence. Then I realize how stupid I sounded and mentally facepalmed.

Jace gave me a weird look. "I'm sorry if you think this is a joke..."
"No, I'm just saying if it is..." This was getting worse. "Ugh, never mind my retarded-ness. How about we start on that mission?" Jace's weird look turned into confusion, then into a huge smile. "I didn't mean now. You go home and inform whoever you want, grab whatever you need, and meet me back here in two hours." I nodded then walked out of the room.

I don't know if I'm becoming blind, but I could've sworn that Jace got hotter. I can't explain how, but he just was back there. Well, now I that I have two hours to kill, I go back to Luk- DAD'S house. I can never get used to that. "You forgot your cell phone at home," he calls to me when I walk in. I nod, even though he can't see me. I walk into my room and see my cell phone. Two new text messages. From Jace.

Jace: Hey, you there?
Jace: I just saw you. I knew you'd go home, so here I am texting you. Can't wait to see you in two hours.

He's crazy. Why would he text me that second one? I feel the urge to reply...

Clary: Hey, I'm here. Saw you, too. Small world. I don't know what I should bring. Help?

Wait a minute.

Jace: I don't know, exactly. Maybe like a knife or something? Don't think about it too much.

Um, thanks, Jace. Tell me to go home and get stuff, but he doesn't even know what I need to get.

Clary: Suuuuper helpful Jace.

We end up texting those two hours, and our conversation ends up being interesting...

Jace: Eh
Clary: Your so lucky i have unlimited
Jace: okaaayyy?
Clary: You're different...
Jace: Ha I know. Sexier? ;)
Clary: Oh shut up.
Jace: O bring food I dont know how long we'll be gone
Clary: Just manifest some
Jace: That isn't possible, Clary.
Clary: Oh shut up.
Jace: I was too embarrased to tell you this in person but i like you
Clary: yeaaahhh we're good friends...at times...
Jace: ahh shut up you know what i mean
Clary: I like you too but we can't date
Jace: Why not?
Clary: because it could interfere with our mission
Jace: how?
Jace: hello?
Clary: it's been an hour...
Jace: how wuld it interefere
Clary: fail spelling, and we'd get distracted...by...each other..
Clary: that was awkward to type
Jace: after this all dies out?
Clary: won't it triple? -.-
Jace: ha ha.
Clary: sure why not :)
Jace: Dammit, we wasted too much time! I gotta go

I would've answered, but I didn't want to send the last text. I said See ya later, in my head, instead. I read over our conversation five or six times before finding out that we are basically dating. I can't get too obsessed with that fact, though, or else whatever those demons are up to will get worse.

I walk over to the Institute and find Alec. "Hey, what's up?" I say happily. I was in an unusually happy mood. "Hey, I have nothing to do," he answered. "Go find Magnus," I kindly suggested. He shook his head. "We broke up. Ever since he mentioned that Will Herondale, I've been super depressed that he's been with other people," he explained. I made my best confused face. "You know he's dated guys before you? He's been alive for what seems forever." Alec just shook his head. "Whatever."

I walk away. Well, that was awkward. And weird. I find Jace in the library. "I've always liked this place," he mused. "I hope I'll be back when this is all over."

Hey y'all! It's me. This is the first story I've ever really written. I know that's a crap ending, and not much goes on, but I'm just getting started. I'm not sure what the initial plot is, but it's something to do with Clary and Jace's relationship and the triple monster creep demon whatever thing. Apparently, in this story, Clary's starting school again, Simon's off with the Daylighters (vampires), Isabella (Izzy) is with Simon instead of Maia, and Alec and Magnus broke up.

Jocelyn (Clary's mom) is OOC, since she never really worries about Clary that much, but I'm going to slowly ease her back into character, since she's no fun in the beginning. :p

Agh, this beginning is so slow. It's hard to reread, for me. I hope it's not too hard for you to read. Any suggestions, ANYTHING, would be sooo kind and helpful. Please review. Criticism is allowed, but don't make me cry myself to sleep or anything. :p

Ooh one last thing before I let you leave (I'm so evil.)! The texting conversation part was supposed to have some grammar and spelling errors, so don't bug me about that. BLEH. Thank you all. It was fun (kinda) writing this, then rewriting it, then figuring it all out on the dot. (On the dot... is that even the phrase I wanted to use? Does it make sense? Well it does now, okay? *is demanding at the moment*) I love you all, readers! (which will only be about 2 readers, if I'm lucky.) DON'T GIVE UP ON ME! IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING! :)
Word count: 3,009

Love, HappyDolphin