It was cold and dark. The only source of light was the dimly lit candle to her left. A face. A terrifying face in front of her whispered her name, "Clarissa Morgenstern". Then she awoke.

"Are you sure it's not just a nightmare, Clary?" Izzy, Clarys best friend, said.

"No, I'm sure it was a nightmare, but I've been having the same nightmare for two weeks now Izzy." Clary replied.

"Okay okay. Maybe your nervous about something. It can't be something serious, Clare. Don't worry."

Clary knew that Izzy was usually right, but something told her that for once, she was wrong. It can't just be coincidental that clary has been having the same nightmare for two weeks now.

"Sure. I'm sure you're right, Iz." Clary replied as she walked to her art class.

Art was Clarys favourite subject in school. Saying Clary was good at art was a definite understatement. Clary was a natural. She even had her own sketchbook, which she considered a diary. No words, just art describing how her day went.

"Okay class, take your seats. NO TALKING. I'm Miss Podlinski for those of you who are not familiar with me, and I'm your new art teacher. So please, take your seats next to the opposite gender."

Clary sat down at the back of the classroom, next to the window. She always sat here in every classroom. Thankfully, nobody would want to sit there at the back with her. Nobody ever did. She was a loner. Had very little friends and didn't want any more. She liked her privacy and her space. It's also the reason she liked school so much. None of her friends were in her classes, therefore she had no one to speak to her. It was the perfect escape from life. Sounds lame of course, but to Clary it was perfect.

She opened up her sketchbook, not listening to a word Miss Podlinski said.

"...and he is a new student here. So please, be nice and NO TALKING! Okay Jace, you may have a seat next to-" Miss Podlinski looked around the classroom, until she found the perfect spot.

"-Clary." She finished.

Clarys head immediately rose. He was golden. Literally, golden. What was his name? Jake? Jack? Tom? Ugh- how much she wished she listened. Then something weird happened. He started walking towards her.

'Why would he come to me? Is he gonna spit on me or something?' Clary thought, waiting for some act of bullying from the new kid. However, it never came.

"Hey, you must be Clary. Nice name." He said smiling and looking straight into her eyes.

'He's trying to trick you! Don't let him!' Clarys mind spoke again.

"Yes. And you are?" She said as confidently as she could. He looked at her strange.

"Um- Jace. Jace Wayland." His eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay, Clary?" He asked concernedly.

'Why is he concerned?'

"What's it to you? Back off new kid." She replied harshly and turned her full attention to the front of the class. He opened his mouth to speak, but left the topic alone.

CLARY POV

"So I'll be choosing your partners," Miss Podlinski gave us a project to work on. Normally, an art assignment was really fun to me, unfortunately we had to work in pairs.

"Sarah, you can be with Luke," Miss Podlinski started naming people and paired them up. I wasn't listening to who she paired up, until I heard my name.

"Clary, you'll be with Kaelie-"

Kill me now!

"No! I will not work with that piece of trash! Assign me a new partner Miss P, or I'll make sure you regret it!" Kaelie yelled. I'm pretty sure that England heard it. But hey, I wasn't complaining. I hate her too.

"Kaelie, you'll be working with Clary and that's final. Also, don't yell at me on the day your parents are having a meeting with me. I can easily have you suspended." Miss Podlinski raged, but tried to act calm.

She really could get Kaelie suspended. 3 months ago, Miss P and Principle O'Doherty accidentally bumped into each other and happened to kiss. Don't ask how, it just happened. Ever since then, they've had some weird romantic, awkward relationship. Anything Miss P wants, she gets now.

Kaelie shrieked and stormed out of the classroom. Finally she left. Bitch.

"I'll deal with that later," Miss P mumbled and turned to the rest of the class. "Well, that's who you're assigned with. Make your week count guys, I'm not giving you extra time. Alright-"

The bell rung.

"- class dismissed."

JACE POV

I'm not going to deny that I was hoping I'd get partnered up with Clary, because I did. I don't -ever- truly like a girl, but she was different. I spoke to her for what- 5 minutes? And already I liked her. Her eyes are beautiful. They shine like emeralds.

God I sound like a girl. Jeez, man up!

Anyway, I got partnered up with some girl named Megan. She's a little weird, but funny nonetheless. Let's hope she's not crazy.

*DING DONG*

"Come in!" I shouted.

"Hey, I'm not sure you remember, but I'm Megan." Megan spoke. Of course I remember her, we'd spoke like an hour ago.

"Uh, yeah. Obviously, I'm Jace. Do you want to get started?"

"Sure. What are we even doing the project on?"

"We have to draw each other the way we see each other." I replied.

Megan nodded her head, and sat down.

"Let's get started!"

CLARY POV

"Let's just get something clear, okay? I'm. Not. Your. Friend. This is a project and that's all it is. Be grateful I'm even here." Kaelie moaned. God she is so annoying. For all I care, she can jump off a cliff. I can do the project myself!

"Hmm." I replied and got out my sketchbook. Kaelie looked at my sketchbook, then at me.

"Wanna explain what that is?" She said.

"Uh- it's a s-k-e-t-c-h book." I replied, a little frustrated.

"Yes I know, Clary! God! I meant the bruises on your arm," she looked concerned, and then laughed.

"Omg! You totally did it!" She yelled.

"W-what?" I asked confused.

"You. Had. Sex!" She kept laughing maniacally.

"What?! No I didn't! Kaelie mind your own damn business!" I yelled angrily. Who was she to assume things like that?!

"Clary, you have bruises on your arms! Let me guess," she paused and walked around me, to whisper in my ear.

"You have bruises on your thighs like fingerprints..."

"Kaelie go to hell!"

"Seriously, your such a slut! I mean, I portray the slutty character- but your a real slut." She said.

"Kaelie I swear, shut up!"

"Okay okay," she tried to calm herself down.

"I get it, it's a private matter-" she started laughing again.

"Get. Out!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. She was such a bitch!

She just turned on her heels and walked out, giggling. Damn it.

It's 7pm and Valentine should be home soon. I went downstairs to cook dinner. What did my father say he wanted? Lamb? Pork? Damn it, clary! Pay attention next time- he could kill you. He would kill you. I decided to cook both just for certainty.

I just finished cooking and I heard the car door slam.

"CLARISSA! Where the hell is my beef?!" Shit. No, no, no, NO! BEEF! Crap!

I walked out of the kitchen to meet my fathers vicious glare.

Shit. He's in a reallyyy bad mood today.

"I- I didn't." I barely whispered.

"What the hell didn't you do, Clarissa?!" His eyes were black.

"Make b-beef. I m-made lamb and pork-" SLAP. He hit me right across the face. Shit, that hurt.

"You FUCKING WHAT?!" He raged.

"I'm so so so sorry, father. I didn't- I didn't-"

"You are not my daughter! Stop thinking that!" And with that, his hand raised and shortly after, I fell unconscious. Damn.

I woke up in my bed. My father sat beside me, stroking my hair.

"Morning sweetheart," he whispered.

"Your staying home today. Your very bruised. What happened, Clary?" He asked politely and concernedly.

I sighed. It happened again.

Shortly after my mothers disappearance, father became extremely ill but the hospital didn't know what he had. His memory would be gone as soon as he fell asleep. Everything he did in the past 12 hours, would be forgotten. He didn't even know that he beat me. I looked into his eyes, tears swelling in my own.

"I fell dad. Down the stairs and hit the bookshelf. No reason to be concerned," his eyes were so comforting.

"I'm okay."

JACE POV

I woke up with an arm wrapped around me. What the hell?! I turned to meet Megan's face-

What the hell happened yesterday?!

This is not something I intended to write- but I'm on an airplane right now, flying back to England and well… I'm bored :) so I decided to write some random stuff lmao. However, I'm actually pretty inspired right now and have a lot of ideas for this story. So if you happened to like it: let me know and I can post the other chapters that I wrote lmao:)

~Mai~