A.N. Salutations. This is my first multi-chaptered Mortal Instruments story. I was inspired by ImagineAsain101's story, A Cinderella Story. Go check it out!

Disclaimer: Despite the fact that I should be given the rights to the Mortal Instruments as a gift for my all-around-number-one-obsessive-fan-ish-ness, Cassandra Clare still doesn't see things my way.

"And today, Jace broke it off with another girl. This one was bad, though: it was Aline Pennhallow. You remember when I told you about her, right?"

I was sitting on my best friend's bed-well, my best girl friend-Isabelle Lightwood. She was filling me in on all the latest gossip from ALHS-Angel Lake High School.

I couldn't get it myself because I was homeschooled. My mom and her boyfriend, Luke, taught me at home.

"I still can't believe it! He's just so ridiculous!" She was ranting about none other than Jace Lightwood, the heartthrob of ALHS.

"I just can't believe I'm related to him!"

This was not new news to me. The Lightwood family had adopted Jace when he was little. The Lightwood house was like a second home to me, so, naturally, I saw Jace all the time. It usually consisted of me yelling at him to get a room while he continued to stick his tongue down that month's girlfriend's throat.

Occasionally, he would smirk at me and give a sarcastic comment, like, "Jealous, Gingerbread?" or "I didn't know we were in the presence of children. Oh, never mind. It's just you, Strawberry."

All in all, I should probably dislike him. Maybe, if I wanted to be dramatic about it, even hate him.

But, I didn't.

In fact-although I would never tell anyone this-I had a crush on him. I mean, I wasn't obsessed with him, but-.

"And I heard that he wants to go out with you, Clary."

I spluttered. "Wha-what? Really?" I must have had a grin forming on my face, because Isabelle began cackling and shouting "I knew it!"

I realized to late that I'd been tricked: I could feel the blood rush to my face, and I was sure that I looked like a tomato.

I managed to speak. "Izzy, keep it down! He does live here, you know."

She grinned. "So you're not gonna try to deny it?"

I sighed. "No."

Izzy then started gushing. "Oh my God, Clary! We totally have to give you a makeover! I don't know why you like him, but hey. If my BFF wants the guy, I'm always up to help! I have a dress that would have him begging for you! And maybe some-"

I interrupted her. "Izzy. Relax," I said with a smile. "Can we please not talk about it? Finish telling me what happened."

Izzy eventually calmed down enough to tell me the rest if the story.

"Well, Jace said a bunch of mean things, then he was just like, 'It's over', and he was walking away, and Aline started screaming at him to come back. And when he didn't, she said he'd be sorry, and that she'd get revenge." Izzy grinned at me. "Crazy girl, huh?"

I nodded. Definitely crazy.

I rubbed my eyes, pulling myself into a sitting position. Looking at the clock to my right, I saw that it was nine thirty.

Wait. Nine thirty?

My face morphed into a mask of horror. I was supposed to meet Isabelle at the mall in half-an-hour!

I jumped out of bed and ran to my closet. Without looking, I pulled out a tee shirt and a pair of jeans. I rushed to out them on. And-of course-my hair decided that it was "National Frizzy Day" today.

By the time I had tamed my red locks, it was time to go. I ran down the stairs, grabbed a Pop-Tart from the cabinet, stuffed my feet into my Converse, and dashed out the door.

Lucky for me, I could reach the mall in five minutes if I sprint. Seeing as it was nine fifty seven, I was gonna have to book it if I wanted to be anywhere near on time.

I was nearing the second corner, and I could tell I was going to have to stop to catch my breath.

I was about ten feet away from the corner, hands on my knees and looking at the ground, when I heard a roar. Looking to my left, I saw a big red van racing down the road. I traced it's path with my eyes, looking to see if it would hit anything.

Nothing, nothing, noth-wait. There was someone crossing! I could barely make it out, but I could see that it was a boy, about my age. It looked like he had blonde hair, and he was-smirking?

It all snapped into place. The boy, oblivious to the danger, was Jace.

So I did the only thing I could-ran as fast as I could, grabbed Jace and pushed us both out of the way.

When we landed, I could hear Jace's skull hit the paved sidewalk.

I grimaced, but before I could call an ambulance, the truck raced past us-crushing my foot under it's tire. I yelped, and suddenly, the world went black.

I blinked my eyes open. At least, I thought I blinked. I still couldn't see anything.

I gave up trying to see, and instead, I focused on everything else. The first thing I noticed was a horrible, throbbing pain in my left foot. The next thing I noticed was the fact that my hands were tied together.

The last thing I noticed was that I was moving, probably in some kind of car. And that every time we hit a bump, the pain in my foot intensified as it shot up my leg.

That's when I started panicking.

'What if I'm being kidnapped? Never mind-I am being kidnapped. But now what? I can't move. Even if I could, I don't think I would be able to stand.'

After a few minutes of this and more, I realized that this wasn't the answer. I had to think logically.

I remembered being late for the mall. Then I saw Jace. And then-the truck! That's why my foot hurts. And, probably, where I am.

The question is, who's truck is it?

Immediately, my mind started screaming. A rapist's. A killer's. A psycho's. All three combined.'

And yet, I wondered why any one of those wouldn't stop for Jace. Some horrible accident that would've been.

"But," the rational part of brain argued, "What if wasn't meant to be an accident? What if whoever was driving knew it was Jace?"

My eyes widened. It made sense, if I filled it in.

The driver of this car was none other than-

"Aline," I whispered.

It made sense. Izzy and I both thought she was crazy, but evil enough to try to kill Jace?

Apparently, because when the car stopped, the doors were opened by none other than Ms. Penhallow.

"Have a fun trip?" She sneered.

I glared at her, as a string of curses bubbled up inside me.

Apparently, though, the question had been rhetorical, because she climbed into the van next to me and leaned in, whispering, "We need to talk."

I laid in bed, my green eyes wide. It had been horrifying to see Aline the way I had. It still seemed so insane, and yet like it was happening all over again right now.

"We need to talk."

I began to get nervous. "What about?"

She grinned predatorily. "Why, darling Jace, of course."

How did she know? Was I really that obvious? Izzy has guessed, but she was like my sister.

"Look," I said, "I'm-"

Aline gave me a scalding look. "Shut up."

After a short pause, she continued. "Now, I don't know if you've heard, but that kid you knocked over was Jace Lightwood, a.k.a. Mr.-I'm-too-good-for-you. Yeah, well, he's a player. And, he played with me."

She paused. "So you thought you were playing hero in a random accident?"

I must've looked indignant because she huffed and said "Whatever".

"Anyways, what you interrupted was revenge at it's finest. And now, you've gotten on my bad side. Since I'm in a good mood," she said, "I won't set out for you like Jace. But you'd better be thankful," she snarled.

She looked thoughtful. "There was another one like Jace. His name was Will. He hurt me, too. And then he got a new girlfriend-this Tessa chic. So I started some rumors. Vicious ones."

She looked proud to say it.

"Eventually, Tessa figured out it was me. She came up, got in my face. The next day, she wasn't in school. A week after, she transferred." The look on her face was disgusting.

"We wouldn't want that to happen to you, would we?" She asked me, sickly sweet.

I shook my head 'no'.

"Good. Then don't say a word to anyone about this. Tell people that you dropped a bag on your foot-I dont care. Don't ever say a word to Jace about this. And if you ever get in the way of my revenge for Jace again, you'll be sorry."

A little while later, she kicked me out back at the corner where we started.

I'd limped home, lied to my mom, and then there I was, staring at my ceiling.

Isabelle, suffice to say, had been really angry. She had texted me, and I quote, "WHAT, IN THE NAME OF ALL THE ANGELS, WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR SHOPPING DAY?! I swear, if it wasn't a life or death situation, I'm going to kill you, Clary."

I had, just a few minutes ago, sent her the simply reply of, "It was."

Followed by Izzy's, "?".

And my final reply, "Tell you tomorrow. Night, Iz."

"Night, Clary."

A.N. So, I stopped it here. I'm thinking that the Clace portion of this story will be finished in the next chapter or two. Thanks to foolishmundanes, ByTheAngel99, and DivergentNephil for helping me figure out my jumbled ideas. (They are great authors...check 'em out!"

How do you like it so far? I want your opinions, guys, so please review!

-Fox