Nothing I did was ever good enough. It will never be good enough. I will never be good enough. I would never cry. I couldn't. He wasn't worth the tears, but neither was I. This sad, beautiful, tragic love ended my life. But, it also started a new one. I knew this would change me, so I let it. I would not be the small, helpless, girl everyone knew. No, I would be better. I would make them regret knowing me. Especially him, oh yes, I would make him suffer. But first, I needed a safe place. I need a haven.
"I only want one answer. Why?" I asked. I turned to look at him. She was still in his arms, where I should be. My green eyes meeting gold, rimmed with tears. My heart, destroyed. "Give me one good reason I should stay. Because of you, the Institute, this city, this world doesn't even feel like my home anymore." I was greeted with silence. "Exactly what I thought."
I spoke to the girl who had everything I ever wanted. "Thank you, Aline." She gave me a confused look. So did Jace. They would understand my need to thank her later. Then, I ran out of the Institute and created a portal. At the last second before I stepped into a new place, I saw Jace. I started to panic.
"Clary, STOP!" he said. But, it was too late. I smiled to the shimmering portal and stepped into my new life. I punched the portal and let it shatter against me, pieces making me bleed.
Two Years Later
Life here was great. Trust me when I say this, the California Institute is so much better than the New York one. The other nephilim that found me on the beach trained me hard. I was at the LA Institute, but I decided to leave. I heard rumors of Jace and the others looking for me, so I went to a place where someone was least likely to find me. I moved up north to the Stockton Institute where I found other shadowhunters. Of course, me being 17, I still had to go to school.
I attended Bear Creek High School with my best friend/ parabatai Rosie and her sister Kat. We were all seniors and were half way through the school year. "Clary, it's time to go," Rosie said, "You know, I really miss your bright fiery hair." She walked up to me and started to play with my hair. I looked at myself in the mirror. "I do too. But, the girl with that hair died a long time ago," I sighed.
Now, I had blood red hair with black highlights. You could say I'm known as the bad girl in this school, and a popular girl. That is all thanks to Rosie and Kat. Rosie is in the varsity softball and is team captain. Kat is on the varsity soccer and is team captain. But, most importantly, they are co-captains for the cheer leading team. Both of them are the prettiest girls in school, and they didn't even have to try. They never wore make-up either. You can pretty much say they are a package deal. Don't let their status get in the way of your opinion of them. They are the nicest girls in the world, but never, ever, ever get on their bad side because they do not take anyone's crap.
Kat walked in, looked at me and said, "Clary, I love your outfit. We taught you very well." I had on black tights, leather shorts and a green blouse, my favorite leather jacket, and my trusty combat boots. The outfit was cute, chic, and very comfortable for a fight. I tucked my seraph blades in one boot, and my stele in another. I slipped on my fingerless gloves, motorcycle helmet, and my bag, and then set off to school.
When we got to school, everyone was staring at us, as usual. You get used to it when you are as hot as us. Rosie, Kat, and I walked in to the school after we parked our motorcycles and instantly smelled something horrid.
"Demon," Kat whispered, "and by the smell of it, I'm willing to bet it's a drevak demon." Together, the three of us are the best team in the shadow world. We followed the scent and ended up in the locker room. Then they all appeared. "Ugh, you guys stink so bad! Ever heard of a shower, or perfume, a lot of it I suggest?" I asked. There were nine in all. Rosie easily decapitated two, Kat was fighting off three at the same time, and the other four were cornering me. "By the Angel, what can a poor, little girl do against four demons?" I asked innocently. Then with one move, that I have tried my whole time as a shadowhunter to perfect, all four demons were on their way back to other dimensions.
"OMG!" both Rosie and Kat exclaimed at the same time. "You finally did it! I can't wait to tell mom, dad, Nat, and Ky. They will be so excited, and you can start teaching the junior nephilim," Rosie said.
"By the Angel! There is demon blood all over my locker! Ugh, this really sucks. Clary, give me your stele." Kat demanded. I just walked past her to her locker, drew and rune that I made, and everything was cleaned up. "Let's go," I said, "We don't want to be late for class." "Show off." Kat muttered.
We had all the same periods, and we always sat near each other, in the same spots, every day, in every class. That's why it surprised me when a new guy was sitting in my seat. Everyone was silent, staring at me. The boy turned around, and I was hit with happiness. "Simon?" I asked, "By the Angel, SIMON!" I ran to him and his embrace. "Clary, is that really you? You look, um, different," he said. "Just so you know, you are sitting in my seat," I told him.
Then realization hit me. If Simon was here, than that meant- "Simon Lewis, get over here! Your girlfriend won't shut up!" a voice said. Oh crap, I thought, they are here. How did they find me? Questions kept going on in my head. This is impossible. I made a rune so they couldn't track me, and hid myself in a small city. "Simon," I turned to look at him, "Are the others here?" I asked, "Please say no." I was desperately hoping that they weren't.
"That is something I can't do," he replied.
"Clary?" a voice asked. Then I was embraced in a tight hug.
