Clary

Slap. Slap-slap. Slap. Clary could hear her shoes hitting the pavement while she ran. Her pace matching the rhythm of her current favorite song MGMT's Kids. Each morning she got up, put on her worn-down running shoes, and ran along her favored path of the park closest to her house. She still wonders if it can even be called a park anymore. The forest has long since reconquered the land as it's own. She loved the way you can walk into the forest not expecting anything but trees and ferns and then suddenly there is a concrete path weaving in and out of the trees leading you to seemingly unknown places.

Every since she turned 14 Clary ran. She's ran before but never for the pure enjoyment of it. When her father, Valentine, and her mother, Jocelyn, moved her to this new city, Clary felt trapped and vulnerable. She hated the stares she received from her new classmates; how they looked at her worn shoes and old clothes made her eyes water and her throat burn with unshed tears. So one day, she left school early and went into the forest a few miles away from her house. That was when she found the hidden path, and that was the day she figured out she loved running. Since that day 2 years ago, Clary got up at 5 in the morning and ran. She left all her fears and insecurities behind and chased away all the bad thoughts in her mind.

Now, as she was finishing up with her route, Clary heard a branch break and stopped suddenly. Looking towards the noise she thought about what she should do. Should I run away? What if He followed me? What if it isn't Him at all, what if it is someone, something, else...? With that last thought Clary's breath hitched in her throat and her heart pumped hard in her chest. Slowly she bent down and grabbed a particularly large rock, prepared for anything.

Jace

It was on a whim that Jace chose to go through the forest that day rather than walk down Main St. where all the shops were. Jace was no stranger to the walk of shame but on this particular day, he didn't want people's eyes on him while he was thinking about last night. It started out as any other Friday night, Alec and Izzy took him to a club where they didn't ID you and he got slightly tipsy and hit on people, guys, girls it didn't matter to him. But last night he saw a girl that made his mouth go dry and his knees go weak. She was 5'5, a few inches shorter than him, with long dark brown hair and lightly tanned skin and plump pink lips. She was wearing what he thought was a odd choice, a long skirt with a tank top; whereas most of the girls here where in short skirts and tight shirts. But that wasn't what caught his eye, it was her eyes. They were the most amazing eyes he's ever seen, amethyst eyes. Thinking back, he should have known that she wasn't just an ordinary girl.

Once she noticed him staring at her, she started walking towards him. He shifted nervously on his feet and licked his lips. Dammit Jace, get it together. It's just a girl, like every other girl. So what if she has gorgeous eyes and an amazing body. No reason to lose your cool. While he was silently talking himself up he saw her point to him and tilt her head to the door and walk outside. For a minute he just stood there staring after her, thinking about what just happened, then he slowly picked his way through the crowd and followed her out the door.

At first he thought she left him, then he saw her leaning against the wall of the club in the alley and watching him. He bit his lip and moved towards her. "Hi, I'm Jace." Hi, I'm Jace? Wow, real smooth man. "Hello, I'm Aislinn. I saw you staring at me. Why?" Okay okay, keep it cool. She's only talking to you; not like she has the most amazing voice you've ever heard. Not a big deal. "Oh.. I'm sorry if I freaked you out," Jace answered biting his lip. "No, not at all. Actually I was looking at you, too." As she answered she moved in front of him and ran her hand down his chest. "You were like sunshine in that club. Everyone else was shadow and darkness compared to you." Aislinn slowly moved closer and bit his lip. Jace moaned softly and put his hands on her hips. "I-" was all he could manage before she kissed him roughly. He spun her around and pressed her into the wall his hands on either side of her. He kissed her back hard and they didn't stop till both broke apart, chests beating hard with their hearts both working overtime to their excitement. Aislinn grabbed his hand and started walking. "Come on, let's finish this at my place," she said. All Jace could do was follow her.

That morning Jace left her apartment feeling tired and overused and loving it. He had never felt so alive before. Having sex with Aislinn was nothing like he'd ever experienced. While he took the shortcut through the forest to his house he thought about her: how she felt under his hands and that sound she made when he hit the right spot. Jace shook his head clearing his thoughts. She was just a one-night stand. Nothing to obsess over. I won't ever see her again... But even with his mind telling him not to think about her it didn't help. He could still smell her on his clothes and feel her on his skin.

He was almost to the weird concrete path when he heard footsteps. Jace stopped and looked around wondering who it could be when he saw Clary Fray running down the path. Her breathing was fast and her wild red hair stuck to her forehead and neck slick with sweat. What is that weird girl from school doing all the way over here? Jace never really talked to her. He only knew her from some classes they both take together but he's heard of the rumors people spread about her. How she was a whore, how she was celibate, poor, obscenely rich but wore old clothes ironically. How she had a drunken dad and no mom, and how she was in the hospital for a couple of weeks but no on knew why. Weirdly enough though, no one really knew her story and she's been at his school for 2 years. It was that moment when he accidentally stepped on a twig and he silently cursed his luck. He just wanted to go home take a shower and try to forget about the beautiful girl named Aislinn. He watched and she stopped and looked around fearfully and bent down to grab a rock.