(There is more coming, I'm still writing the other chapters. So once they are done, i will be uploading them to here. Enjoy!)
Chapter one.
The city was huge compared to the cities I had lived in in Australia. Moving to New York was something I didn't want to do but Maryse Lightwood was more than happy to have me as there wasn't a space for me in the many Australian institute.
When I had left Australia, the weather had been warm but when I had stepped off the plane and the institute driver had been there to pick me up, he had warned me to maybe slip a jumper on. I had taken the advice and slipped one on and I had been happy I did. The cold air outside was bitter. I pulled my bags behind me as the driver led me to the car. Once at the car, he took my bags and put them in the back as I got in the car.
Half an hour later the car pulled up out the front of an old church. But I knew better. I knew it was the New York institute. I pulled my bags out of the back of the car and thanked the driver before he drove away. I stood on the sidewalk and looked up at the church. The sky above was grey with clouds. My eyes moved to the door of the church as a young man with black hair, a blue scarf and his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans was moving down the stairs. I watched him as he looked up and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Can I help you?" he asked after a moment. He looked me up and down.
"Um, I guess so." I replied and a slight smile came upon his face.
"And I know exactly who you are. Miss Ella Johnson." The young man said and came towards me. He took one of my bags from me and slung it over his shoulder before walking back up the stairs of the church and disappeared inside. I followed him after a moment. The boy hadn't disappeared after all. He stood at the back of the church at open doors to what looked like an old elevator. He stepped inside and waited for me before closing the doors and hitting a button.
"What gave me away?" I asked the young man. He smiled slightly again.
"Your accent, that Australian accent was so easy to pick up on." He said as the elevator came to sudden stop, jerking me forward. It didn't make him budge though. He pulled the doors open and walked out. "I'm Alec. Alec Lightwood." He said as he led me down a long hallway. I nodded, not sure what to say.
Alec opened up the doors to a huge room with a desk off to the side. The room was full of books and there was a huge wood fire off to the right of the desk. It was warm in this room. A few big cushioned chairs were neatly place in front of the fire. It seemed nice enough. A woman with black hair that was pulled into a bun sat behind the desk, she was reading something. She looked up when Alec cleared his throat.
"Mum, our visitor is here." He said and sat my bag down. She looked at me with kind eyes and smiled.
"Ella, we were wondering when you would arrive." She said, rising from her seat and walking towards me. She held her hand out for me to shake it. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Maryse Lightwood."
I shook her hand and nodded. "Hello."
Maryse looked at her son. "Could you take Ella's bags up to her new room? Also, Jace called and he wants you to meet him. He's with Clary." Alec nodded and picked up Ella's bags before walking off, muttering something about why couldn't Jace just of texted him. Maryse looked back at Ella. "Welcome to New York and the Institute. How do you like it so far?"
"It's cold." I told the woman. She smiled slightly. I noticed that she and Alec had the same smile.
"Yes, I forgot to mention that. You'll adjust soon though." I nodded in agreement.
Maryse showed me around the place, showing me each main room. The library was my favourite room though. SO MANY BOOKS! My older brother had taught me how to read. My room was a plain room, but Maryse had assured me that with a little bit of time, she was sure that I could make it my own. She told me about Isabelle, her daughter and Max, who was in Idris with his father. Maryse also spoke of Jace, the boy she had raised since he had come to the institute of a young age. She also told me of a red headed girl who went by the name of Clary. Maryse explained that she was going through some tough things and that she was still learning about the Shadowhunter world even though she was a teenager.
I found myself in the library later that night before dinner. I found it hard to decide which book I wanted to read but when I had stumbled upon a copy of Anne of Green Gables I had known which book I would read first. The book had been the first book that I had ever read fully through. My brother had been so proud of me. I settled down in front of the fire and opened the book.
I didn't know how much time had pasted when the library doors had been pushed opened and a girl a tall, slim girl with long black hair had come into the room. Her eyes had darted around the room before finally resting on me. She made her way over to me before taking a seat up in front of me. The girl wore a red dress with heels. Her dark eyes looked me up and down and her red lips were slightly parted. She was beautiful.
"I thought I would come and introduce myself. Mum said I would be likely to find you in here. I'm Isabelle Lightwood." She said after a moment and I saw her eyes fall on the book that I was holding my hands. "Anne of Green Gables; that's a good book. Mum had made me read it when I was younger."
I smiled slightly and nodded. "It's the first novel I properly ever read. I'm Ella."
Isabelle looked at me for a long moment and then nodded. "Have you met the others yet? Oh, wait. Alec said he met you already; surprised him on the sidewalk. He told me he knew who you were as soon as you opened your mouth. I understand now. I agree with him, that Australian accent is quite… different. It's nice though." She smiled a little and stood up. "Oh, and dinner is ready." Isabelle left the room without another room leaving behind the smell of her perfume that smelt like strawberries and roses. I sat the book down and followed after Isabelle to the dining room where dinner would be served.
Chapter two .
The smell of roast dinner hit me before I even opened the doors to the dining room. I hadn't smelt something this good since I was a young child. I opened the doors and noticed that everyone was already seated around the long wooden dining table. Alec, with his black hair was seated beside Isabelle who was laughing at something he had just said. Across the table from them was an older male with blonde hair and very good looking, and beside him sat a skinny, red head. I knew these two, going off the description that Maryse had given me earlier, to be Jace and Clary. I took a seat up beside Alec who was more than happy to sit beside me. I felt the weight of looks on me and looked up to see that Jace and Clary were looking at me with confused eyes. Clary gave me a soft, warm smile as they both looked away when Maryse entered the room, taking a seat at the head of the table between Isabelle and Clary.
"Ella, have you introduced yourself?" Maryse asked me. Jace raised an eyebrow.
"So you're the blond that Alec was talking about earlier!" he exclaimed. "Welcome to family, Blondie."
I wasn't sure what to say so I just muttered a "Thanks." Clary shot a look at Jace before she softened her look at me.
"I'm Clary. You'll probably see me around here a lot. I have training here regularly and stuff." She said. Clary seemed nice. I liked her. I could see her and I being friends.
Dinner was delicious! I was so full though, I hadn't eaten like that since before my parents had disappeared. I thanked Maryse and offered to help clean up. She had told me there was no use that the cook would clean it up. I had wanted to go back to the library to collect that book I had been reading before dinner, but I didn't. I went straight to my room, exhausted from the day even though I had done hardly anything.
I unzipped my suitcases and put my clothes away in the cupboards and drawers. I made my bed and then went into the bathroom that was attached to my room to have a shower and put my pyjama's on for the night. Finally I slipped into bed, pulling the covers over me and switching the light off before closing my eyes and falling asleep.
I was running down a long deserted road, running for my life. I looked behind me and saw black shadows following me, catching up to me fast. I ran even faster. In the distance, I could hear screams and cries. My parents, it had to be. I fell to the ground because I tripped over something, something large at that. I looked at what I tripped over and I see that it's my brother, my older brother's dead body lying on the ground of the road. His mouth and eyes wide open, his green eyes staring up at me. I scream and try to stand back up but the shadows are closing in on me. The screams and cries from the distance get louder….and louder….and louder…..
I wake, sitting upright in my new bed. My heart is pounding against my chest, like it is trying to escape. I look around the room, squinting into the darkness before turning on a light. I could still hear the screams. I frown, pulling the sheets away and standing up. I open my door slowly, peering out into the dimly lit hallway. The screams are of a female. They aren't of panic though; they are more like as if someone has jumped out behind something and scared you. I listen for a moment before I hear the hushed voice.
"You idiot, you scared me!" I hear a female voice say and a male voice chuckled in return. I guessed it was just Jace and Clary, so I closed my door and made my way back to my bed. I took a sip of water that sat on my bedside table and then turned the light off and sliding back down into bed and closing my eyes.
I woke up to a bright light in my eyes. I must have left my light on last night after I got up. I rolled over and turned it off. I lay in bed for a while, staring at the ceiling. I don't know how long I laid there before I rolled out of bed. I ran my hands through my long blond hair as I walked to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my teeth before stripping down to my underwear and going back into my room to find some clothes for the day ahead.
Five minutes later I stepped out of my bedroom and was halfway down the hallway when I felt something soft and warm rub up against my leg. I stepped back, startled and looked down. At my feet stood an old looking cat with strange eyes. It looked at me before it meowed once. It wasn't quiet either, it was very loud.
"I see you've met Church." A voice said from behind me. I turned my head suddenly and saw that Isabelle was standing behind me. She was dressed in grey trackie pants and a black shirt. Her long hair was back in a bun. She came closer to me and Church ran off in another direction. "He has never liked me, I don't know why. Maybe I tortured him when I was younger." She smirked slightly. I nodded and looked down at my hands. I felt a weird feeling in my stomach. Was I nervous? How could I be nervous around Isabelle? I barely even knew her. She noticed and changed the subject.
"Have you been down for breakfast yet? I'm sure there will be something you can grab down there." The beautiful girl asked me and I shook my head. "Come on then. I'm just heading down there myself." Isabelle continued down the hallway and followed after her, keeping up with her. Halfway down another corridor, a door opened to the left of Isabelle and I. Isabelle didn't seem to even look but I did. Alec stood at the door, with just pyjama pants on and his black hair all over the place.
"Good morning." He yawned and ran a hand through his hair. Isabelle glanced at her brother.
"Oh please. Put some clothes on. Magnus might get jealous." Isabelle said to him. Alec looked at his sister before turning back into his room, pushing the door closed behind him.
"Magnus? Who is that?" I asked curiously. The name sounded familiar but I couldn't for the death of me remember who he was.
"A warlock. We're going to see him later today actually." Isabelle said as she kept on walking.
"Oh. Is he a friend of Alec's?" I asked.
"You could say that. You could also say he is his 'friend'." She turned and winked at me. I understood now. Alec was gay. I nodded silently as Isabelle opened the doors to the dining room. Her mother, Maryse, sat at the head of the table reading some papers and drinking a cup of coffee. She looked up and smiled a little.
"Good morning, girls." She said as we took a seat at the table.
"Good morning." I mumbled as I became distracted from the food that was sitting on the table. It wasn't much, but I hadn't had bacon and eggs since before my brother had last cooked them for me. That had been some years ago. The smell of bacon warmed me up inside and leaned forward pulling some onto my plate. I took a piece a toast, already buttered and one fried egg.