[a/n]: yes, let me start yet another clace fanfic, not like i already have to multi-chaps up. anywho, on the bright side, this fanfic actually has a limit of chapters: 10. so i won't drag this one out to 30 or 40 chapters, yeah?

[disclaimer]: I don't own the mortal instruments but i wish i did.

Dream the College Scene
"A girl doesn't need anyone who doesn't need her." -Marilyn Monroe

"Congratulations, Class of 2008!"

Graduation hats flew into the air, along with a variety of pale or tan, skinny or chubby, lean or muscular outstretched arms as the seniors of the local high school cheered in happiness and excitement over the fact that they'd just graduated. Parents of the overzealous kids (basically adults now) were crying, tears streaming down their faces as they shot the final high school pictures of their young adults, trying to capture the last precious moments before their children were shipped of to whatever college had accepted them.

Clarissa Adele Fray's situation was no different. Jocelyn, her mother, Valentine, her father, Jonathan, her brother, and her uncle, Luke and his sister, Amatis, were all standing with the Lightwood family, tearful but joyful faces hidden behind a camera as the light went off, taking a picture of the redheaded graduate. Clary quickly broke away from the majority of the class, walking over to her family.

"I graduated!" she cheered, as if it wasn't already obvious.

Jocelyn and Valentine's faces broke out into grins, and even Jonathan couldn't hold back a proud smile. They enveloped Clary in a four-way hug, everyone thinking about how rare these family moments were. Half the time, Clary and Jonathan couldn't stop arguing long enough to have a civil conversation, much less a mushy moment with the family. But everyone pushed these thoughts back; Clary would be leaving for college in California in less then six hours, and they didn't need to spend time dwelling over past feuds.

"Hey, where's our hug?" Luke Garroway teased, and Clary was the first to break away and give him a huge bear-hug. Amatis was next, her small face bright with happiness.

"You did it!" she said, engulfing Clary in another hug. Clary rolled her eyes but smiled all the while; she loved Amatis like she loved her own mother.

"I can't believe you're going across the United States," Valentine said, dabbing lightly at his eyes with a handkerchief. "Why couldn't you pick a closer college, like NYU?"

Clary laughed lightly. "Because Dad, California has an amazing journalism field, and I really want to go into writing. It'll be great in the long run; I promise!"

"Clarissa!"

Said girl whirled around, smiling hugely at her best friend. Isabelle Lightwood was walking towards Clary as fast as she could, which was pretty fast considering the fact she was in stilettos. Clary met her halfway and hugged her best friend. How she would make it through college without her best friend was beyond her; she could already feel the tears coming, and she sniffed.

"Oh, Clarissa, don't cry now!" Isabelle playfully stuck out her bottom lip. "It's no biggie, really. All it is is me going to Washington, and you California! It's not like I'm staying in New York; at least we'll be in the same timezone!"

Clary laughed through her emotions, tilting her head back to keep the tears from falling. "I'm just going to miss you! I won't have anyone at San Francisco University who will wake up me up in the mornings by bribing me with Starbucks or anyone who will bluntly tell me I look like shit!"

Isabelle laughed, hugging Clary again. "Oh, Clarissa, it'll be okay." Isabelle never called Clary by her nickname. "There are all kinds of people in college who will tell you when you look like you came out of a dog's behind, and your roommate will eventually get sick and tired of hearing your stupid alarm go off so she'l wake you up just as forcefully!" Isabelle waved it off like she was batting a fly away. "It'll be fine; don't stress!"

Clary rolled her eyes but smile. Why waste her last six hours with her friends and family being emotionally distressed because she wouldn't have her best friend with her during college? It wasn't worth it.

"Come on; let's go get Alec. You know our families, they're dying to get pictures before we leave." Isabelle hooked her arm with Clary's for what felt like the final time. "And besides, don't be so down about it. We still have to go home and help each other pack."

Clary grinned. At least she would have a couple more hours with her best friend before they parted ways.

"College is so difficult to pack for," Isabelle complained, throwing all her clothes haphazardly into her suitcases. Clary laughed as she placed all of Isabelle's inanimate objects in large suitcases (for the plane); pictures from the time they went to Florida, family portraits Maryse insisted the Lightwood family do, Isabelle's large collection of books, and a bunch of other little things.

"I told you we should have packed yesterday," Clary said again, for what felt like the fiftieth time. It was Isabelle's idea to wait until the day of their graduation to pack. Clary glanced at the time; four fifty-two. She was getting a little anxious; her plane was schedule to board at six-thirty, and they still had half of Isabelle's room to pack, plus the thirty minute drive to get there, and all the security regulations.

"Clarissa, I see you checking the time," Isabelle said, zipping her final suitcase shut. She rolled it off the bed and onto the floor, next to three other suitcases that contained an assortment of clothes, makeup, jewelry, and shoes. "You'll board your plane on time; just relax. All we have to do is put my computer into a box, pack up my bedding and my rug, and get everything out to the car."

Sometimes, Isabelle's carefree attitude bothered Clary.

It took ten minutes for the girls (plus Alec- he came out to help after getting tired of all the grunting and groaning in the hallway) to get everything out to the car. Both families came outside, once again, to see the girls off. Clary had separate hugs with each of her family members, getting different comments each time ("Stay safe!"-"Do not get pregnant during college, I'll kill the boy responsible, and I will beat you ass. Love you though!"-"Please don't be that one annoying freshman.").

Oh, the Fray family.

After what felt like an hour of promises to stay safe and promises to call everyday, Isabelle and Clary were finally in her Jeep, driving away from the street where they'd grown up all their childhood lives.

"When do your classes start?" Isabelle asked, making conversation.

"Monday, I think." That gave Clary three days to unpack, get situated, and get used to the campus. One day for each; not too bad.

"Ew, mine don't start till next Thursday!" Isabelle boasted. Clary rolled her eyes but laughed. Lucky Isabelle. The girls were quiet for a long portion of the ride, listening to the music on the radio and eyeing the traffic around the airport.

"You better call me and text me and Facetime me every day," Isabelle said, when she parked her car in the parking lot. Maryse said eventually she would have Alec and Magnus drive up to come take her car back home. It took a lot of convincing before Maryse finally gave Isabelle's consent to drive up with Clary.

"Thank god for these," Clary said, unloading her bag onto the baggage cart. She was lucky she wasn't like Isabelle; she only needed one cart, whereas Isabelle needed two and had to difficultly maneuver them through the busy parking lot. They weren't the only ones heading off to college.

"I hate airports," Isabelle grumbled, when they got inside the busy building. People were running or walking this way or that, and it was frustrating to have to look around for where to go.

"I'm Gate 37, what are you?" Clary asked, over the noise of the people in the airport.

Relief washed over Isabelle's face. "Thank God, I'm Gate 38." They began to push their carts in the directions of the gates, saying "Excuse me" and "Pardon me" to almost every person they passed. When they finally got to their gates, they went through security. It took Isabelle longer because she had more things that needed to be checked, but when they were finally through security, both girls only held their cell phones and carry-on bags; their suitcases were with the rest of the cargo.

"When does your flight board?" Isabelle ask, heading towards the nearest Starbucks and ordering a coffee. Clary asked for a coffee and a scone.

"In twenty minutes." There was an ache growing in her stomach again. She would miss Isabelle.

"Mine boards in forty minutes, which isn't that bad of a wait." Isabelle halfheartedly gave a smile; she was never good with emotions. "You'll have to text me when you get on the plane, when you get off the plane, when you get your rental car, when you get to your hotel, when you-"

Clary laughed, interrupting Isabelle's rant. "Isabelle, I got it- I'll text you until I fall asleep. You better do the same for me!"

Isabelle took a sip from her coffee. "Clarissa, you know me; I'll be that one girl automatically turning my phone on airplane mode just so I could text you." They both sat in the waiting area near their gates, drinking coffee and discussing college.

"Your orientation day is tomorrow, right?" Isabelle asked. The way she was asking questions implied that she hadn't listened to Clary ramble once about San Francisco University, but it didn't bother Clary.

"Yep. Starts at nine am and goes until five." Clary drank from her straw, thinking about how tomorrow would work. "What should I wear?"

Isabelle pondered for a minute before giving an answer. "What's the weather in San Francisco around this time, cool and breezy? I say wear skinny jeans, a San Francisco T-shirt, and matching Vans." Isabelle smiled in finality.

Clary grinned. "Perfect, sounds amazing with the weather. When's your orientation?"

"Monday." Isabelle sighed. "I'll have to go find a Washington State shirt, and some shorts. It's apparently eighty degrees around this time, I can't believe it's cool down in San Francisco. Maybe we're wrong and it's actually ninety degrees there; make sure you pack some shorts."

Clary laughed. "Of course I will." Clary smirked. "But hey, you better let me know if you find a cute boy you like. Just because we aren't in high school anymore doesn't mean we can't freak out over cute boys."

Isabelle grinned. "Okay, Clarissa, but if I found out that you have a little college fling with a guy and I don't find out, I will drive down to San Francisco and beat your ass. All out of kindness, of course."

The redhead faked a glare, then laughed again. They finished their coffees and began to discuss possible dates when they could get together. Isabelle promised that she and Clary could head back home for Thanksgiving and Christmas on the same flight and spend it with their families, and Clary promised that she would clear her schedule so both of them could fly back for New Years Eve and watch the ball drop. They were in the midst of planning weekend getaways when the call Clary was both dreading and looking forward to was made.

"Flight 472, please begin to board at Gate 37."

Clary felt her emotions acting up again as she and Isabelle stood together and embraced in a tight hug. Clary didn't want to let go; she had a feeling it would be her last hug with Isabelle for a long time.

"I'll miss skipping down the hallways and singing random songs from Broadway," Clary said, when they broke apart. Her green eyes began to tear up, and she was positive she saw Isabelle's own eyes do the same.

"I'll miss standing on chairs during lunch and acting out famous scenes from romance films," Isabelle choked out, trying to laugh through the pain of parting from her best friend. Both girls hugged one more time before Clary shouldered her carry-on bag and walked towards the gate. She handed the lady behind the podium her ticket, then stepped into the tunnel that led to her plane.

Despite the amounts of people pushing past her to get to the plane and find their seats, Clary turned around one last time to wave goodbye to her best friend.

[a/n]: in the next chapter, Clary goes to orientation, and meets someone she thought she'd gotten rid of a long time ago. bet ya can't guess who it is! :P
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