CLARY POV

"Clary where are you?!" Sebastian Verlac's voice boomed on the other end of the phone.

"I'm going out with the girls, not that it's any of your business anymore." Clary bit back. She had her phone plugged into Maia's car playing her music for the girls when he had called. He was now on speaker for all of her friends to hear his psycho shit through the stereo.

"Clary tell me where you are right now before I call your father and have him make you come home!" He yelled, his anger rising.

"Maybe you should go bother Kaelie Whitewillow." Clary sang back to him, a smirk on her face. She gulped from her bottle of Jose Cuervo with intent, the liquid burning her throat and making her gag soundlessly.

"Clar-"

"Goodbye, asshole." Clary said, hitting the button on her phone to end the call. Sebastian had cheated on her two days ago with some whore on the South Beach dance team and Clary had found out this morning from her best friend Simon, who played cornerback for North Catholic's football team. He had overheard Sebastian bragging about it in the locker room before their morning practice.

"Good shit, Clare!" Isabelle whooped as the music began to pound through the speakers again of Maia's brand new Lexus. "Now let's go get fucked up!"

The five girls in the car yelled enthusiastically as they sped off to some address Isabelle had gotten from one of her boy toys at East Valley, claiming there was a huge South Beach High party tonight. When she told Clary, Clary had insisted they all go, get blackout drunk, and hope that Kaelie Whitewillow would be there so Clary could beat her ass. Clary knew her father would be pissed once he learned of Clary and Sebastian's breakup, so she decided to hold off telling him until absolutely necessary. She just hoped Sebastian wouldn't take matters into his own hands and tell Valentine himself. Clary's father would undoubtedly take Sebastian's side and encourage her to make amends with him.

Valentine Morgenstern only cared about two things: winning and football. And when it came to Clary's now ex-boyfriend Sebastian Verlac, he could have both.

Clary's brother had graduated high school last year to go play for Texas A&M. So, now that Valentine didn't have Jonathan around to flaunt to all of his friends, he had taken to Sebastian, who was one of the best wide receivers in the whole state of Florida.

Clary's freshman year, it seemed only natural for her to date the extremely good-looking, starting sophomore wide receiver. Clary had been given the spot as North Catholic's head flyer and her brother Jonathan, who was a junior at the time, had said 'It only makes sense for you two to be together.'

And the rest was history. Clary and Sebastian had been North Catholic's it-couple for three years. They always won homecoming court for their respective classes (last weeks homecoming game being no exception.) The school's athletic director even had banners made of all of the sports teams to display for the road on the football stadium and Clary and Sebastian were pictured in the front of their teams, standing next to each other. It was excessive, but her father always footed the bill, and the school never complained.

Clary could hear the music from the party as soon as the girls turned into the expensively housed neighborhood. Cars lined the street that Maia turned on and Clary wondered aloud to her friends how the neighbors hadn't called the cops for the noise complaint. Her question was answered when the girls arrived at large house at the end of the cul de sac. The brick mailbox the Maia conveniently got a parking spot right next to said HERONDALE in large black letters. The Herondale's were an extremely well-respected family in Tallahassee. Celine Herondale was one of the well put together mothers who put on the junior league ball every year and she was always involved in the local charity events that the upper class society hosted. Not only was their son Jace the star quarterback of South Beach's football team, but Stephen, his father, was the head coach. Of course their neighbors wouldn't mind if Jace was throwing a rager. They all probably adored him and South Beach's dominating game against West Orchard was all the more reason for a party.

Clary gulped down more of her fifth as she and her friends stepped out of the car, following the music into the house that was littered with drunk teens pouring in and out of the large, lavishly designed stone structure. Clary knew she could get in some real trouble being here. Not only was Jace Herondale Sebastian's least favorite person on the planet, but he was also her father's. Jace had rivaled against her brother Jonathan for years. Clary could remember Jon's senior year when some scouts came to see Jonathan play against South Beach, and at the end of the game, had approached Jace—who was only a junior at the time—instead of Jonathan with college offers. Valentine already didn't like the family very much considering his football rivalry with Stephen back in the day, and this only added to his hatred. Clary also imagined her father was jealous of Stephen. Clary's mother had left the three of them many years ago and Valentine had always loved the flaunt their money: so Clary imagined he was jealous that Stephen had a wife to flaunt their families wealth.

Clary knew her father missed Joselyn.

"Clary?" Isabelle asked again, clearly annoyed she was already tipsy. Clary had a bad habit of starting way too early and then crashing right around midnight when all of her friends were at their partying peak. She needed to learn how to pace herself.

"Yeah let's go." She slurred, linking her free hand's pinky finger with Isabelle's as she, Iz, Maia, Emma, and Tessa went to join the festivities.

Clary hadn't expected to make such an entrance: but they did. As soon as the five of them stepped into the crowded living room, all eyes were on the imposing Catholic cheerleaders, who were clearly not invited. Isabelle and Emma were two of the most headstrong people she knew, and when Clary glanced at them to see if they were uncomfortable, she wasn't surprised to see that they appeared unfazed. Tessa was a different story however, and she cowered slightly behind Maia—probably afraid that Jace Herondale's cousin Will would be here. Will and Tessa had hooked up a few weeks ago at a party Clary had thrown on the last night of summer. He was a basketball player at West Orchard and Tessa was always found smiling at her phone screen, texting Will of course. Clary remembered how Sebastian had wrinkled his nose in disgust when Clary had told him Tessa had hooked up with a Herondale. Sebastian hated the name Herondale.

Oh look, Clary thought to herself, there's one now.

He was leaning confidently against a wall as he talked to three tall blonde girls who seem infatuated with him. His own blonde curls a mess as he ran his large fingers through them. Clary couldn't help but stare just a tad bit longer than she should have. His body was all rock-solid muscle—she could see it in the way his white t-shirt threatened to tear under his chorded arms. He had a devil-may-care smirk that Clary assumed was eternally glued to his face. She remembered seeing the same smirk on his face as he taunted Sebastian last year after a game that North Catholic had lost. Jace had faked a throw and ran fifty yards for a touch down. Clary remembered not wanting to going home that night because Jonathan was so upset about not getting to talk to the scouts who had picked Jace over him. She recalled that she had planned to go to Isabelle's that night for a sleepover with the girls, but her father, who never cared about where she was, demanded that she spend the night at Sebastian's house to make him feel better about his loss so that he would be ready for next weeks play. Jonathan had tracked her phone for her father to make sure she went there instead of Izzy's.

Thinking about her family, Clary realized that she hated the way her father and brother controlled her. She hated the way Sebastian had controlled her. The alcohol rising up in her, fueling her anger, she set her face into a scowl.

And suddenly, she had an idea.

"Let's get something to drink and then dance like we don't care everyone in this room is staring at us." Isabelle said cheerfully. "Because they all are."

Everyone agreed except for Emma, who mumbled something about having to call her boyfriend, Julian. Over-protective Julian was not thrilled at all that Emma had gone out tonight and Clary had made her promise not to tell him where they were going in fear that he would tell Sebastian.

Once all the other girls had gotten their drinks and Clary had chugged her liquid courage down to the half empty mark, they began to dance amongst the crowd. Boys had been up on each of them, only for one of the girls to snake out of his grasp and continue their fun.

Suddenly, a very pleasant voice came up behind Clary.

"Excuse me." he said.

JACE POV

Jace would know that red hair anywhere.

Clary Morgenstern was the most popular high school girl in probably all of Tallahassee. She was the captain of North Catholic's cheer squad, and their head flyer (had been for 3 years running.) Every boy in all of Tallahassee was chomping at the bit for her to break up with her long since boyfriend, Sebastian Verlac, who was the senior star receiver for Catholic's football team. Total douche. Jace had hated him for 4 long years and wasn't about to stop now. Clary's dad, Valentine Morgenstern, was the biggest booster North Catholic's athletics had; when his son, Jonathan, had been a senior the previous year, he spared the team no expense. The same was true this year. Valentine Morgenstern was a successful business owner, owning half of Florida. Catholic's teams always had new uniforms, the best players from around the country (that Morgenstern had probably paid off), and the most flashy equipment to go along with the hundreds of golden trophies that littered the lobby of the preppiest school in the Southern United States.

South Beach had been Catholic's biggest rival for as long as Jace could remember. His own father, the head football coach of South Beach High School, had said that it was always better to play against the best team rather than be on it. Not only did it make you a better player in the long run, but the feeling of beating the best was the sweetest taste.

Ever since Jace had become the starting quarterback of South Beach's football team his freshman year, they had never lost a game to North Catholic, only fueling the feud between the two schools.

What Clary Morgenstern was doing here in his living room, Jace had no idea. But he was about to find out.

She was swaying to the pumping music, surrounded by the girls on her cheer squad, Alec's cousin—Isabelle Lightwood—being one of them. All of the girls had a red solo cup from Jace's kitchen in their hands save Clary. She was carrying a half empty fifth of tequila that was clearly not for share. People glanced in their direction and whispered questions of why they were at a party of their rival school, especially when North Catholic had won their own football game tonight and there was no doubt an after-party elsewhere for them to attend.

"Excuse me," Jace drawled out, coming to stand directly behind Clary Morgenstern. She whipped around with the rest of her friends. A silly smile on her face to hint at her intoxication.

"You're excused." She countered back, putting on hand on her hip and looking Jace up and down with a knowing smile.

Smirking flirtatiously now at her boldness, Jace took a minute to look her up and down as well. She was scantily clad in a black dress and red heels—her friends wearing similar attire.

"Wouldn't your daddy be ticked off if he knew you were frolicking in the living room of a South Beach football player?" Jace questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. He noticed her gaze go to his exposed biceps, causing his grin to grow as he added, "I know your boyfriend would be pissed."

"What my father doesn't know won't hurt him." Clary said, raising her clear bottle to her lips and taking a greedy slug of the imposing liquid it contained.

By now, some of Jace's friends had flanked him, clearly wanting to know why a bunch of Catholic cheerleaders were at their party. Not that they were complaining. North Catholic had the hottest girls: Clary Morgenstern, Isabelle Lightwood, Tessa Grey, Emma Carstairs, and Maia Roberts being prime examples. Jace's best friend, Alec was now standing beside him, smiling to himself, already knowing what Jace was thinking. They had been friends for years, and Alec knew his every move.

"What're you doing here Izzy?" Alec assessed his cousins clothing—or lack thereof. "I thought Catholic won tonight."

"We did, but.." Isabelle trailed off, looking at Clary.

"But what?" Alec asked.

Clary piped up, "What Isabelle was going to say was, 'but Clary got cheated on and the only after party worth going to is at her ex-boyfriend's house.'" Clary locked her gaze with Jace's and smiled, "So we crashed."

Jace raised his eyebrows at the news that Clary was now single. He had heard a rumor that Sebastian had hooked up with Kaelie Whitewillow, an easy conquest that Jace was ashamed to admit he had done before. Clary Morgenstern and Sebastian Verlac had been dating for years—every girl that wanted Sebastian hated her and every boy that wanted Clary hated him. So naturally, they had a lot of haters of the same sex.

Alec, Michael, Raphael and the few others behind him, waited a beat for Jace to speak as he stared into the mesmerizing green eyes of Clarissa Morgenstern. Daughter to his school's biggest rival's main donor. Sister to his biggest on (and off field) opponent for 3 years. Apparently now ex-girlfriend to the current starting wide receiver of North Catholic. Captain of the cheerleading squad to the school that he and all of his friends were supposed to despise.

She was off limits.

But Jace didn't care.

"The more the merrier." Jace cooed slowly, never taking his eyes from hers. She smiled slowly, her friends eyeing them suspiciously behind her.

"Glad you could have us."

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