Chapter 1-

"Clary please the landlord will let us, he let us knock down a wall to make our flat double sized for crying out loud! For double money though." Simon mumbled that last bit knowing that I thought it was fair and that last time he brought it up we had an argument that resulted in him sleeping on the floor because I covered his bed in all the food I could find in the fridge. I smiled at the memory whilst Simon carried on with his begging,

"The only person stopping us is you Clary, don't make me beg," he already was begging I thought to myself making myself smile a second time, I'm sure if anybody walking past saw me they would think I was crazy,

"Pleaaaaaaaaase Clary pleaaaaaaaaase you are the most amazing person in the world pleaaaaaaaaase!" wow never mind me looking crazy Simon looked like a seven your old boy begging his mom for chocolate or a new football,

"No Simon we are not getting a dog and that is final who will feed it and play with it or better yet who will walk it because I know you won't, "I said it in the sternest voice I possible could but to be honest I sounded like a mouse yelling at a lion however I think the comment about walking the damn thing got through to him because he shut up and looked out at the street in front of us so he wasn't looking at me.

"We should at least go inside the shop, it's freezing out here and it's going to rain," he said, knowing he had been defeated. I looked up at the sky and realised he was right the sky was dark and the clouds were a bleak ashy colour, I didn't want to go inside I wanted to wait for our friend Jordan outside the shop where we said we'd meet him with his new girlfriend, Maia. It wasn't the real reason I wanted to wait outside even though I wouldn't admit that, even to myself, the real reason is because the slim silver bracelet that doubles as a timer was almost at zero, 5:12 seconds, 5:11 seconds, 5:10 seconds, I glance up at Simon and notice him staring at me, I shake off my trance and nod at him before turning and opening the decrepit door of the pet store, the only open shop on the street. It wasn't the most appealing of stores with its hay covered floors and bird feathers everywhere but it had one of those warm feelings that you only got when you were somewhere you felt truly comfortable such as sitting at home watching your favourite Disney film with a blanket cocooning you and a bowl of popcorn on your knee. I started to look at a shelf full of dog food to make myself look like I'm shopping and not just covering from the rain,

"Simon shouldn't you text Jordan and tell him that we've come inside," I say as quietly as I could at the start until I realised there was no one at the till and started talking normally.

"Already done Clary I'm not stupid you can't see through these windows," he says as if I have just told him a fact he already knew about his favourite video game, Dungeons and Dragons by the way.

I look down at my wrist again which is probably the hundredth time in the past 3 minutes, I know it has been 3 minutes because it was now on 2:05 I had no idea what I was going to do when I met him, what if he doesn't like me, what if I never find him, what if he doesn't actually like me, there were so many what ifs but in the end I couldn't decide what was going to happen when I met him, what happens, happens, I say to myself trying to relax my mood which was verging on frantic.

TING, TING, TING, what the hell was that, I think to myself spinning around to look at the door at a surprising speed that made my head spin. Holding onto the shelf next to me for support I see Jordan standing by the door, his chocolate coloured hair messy and his arm wrapped around a dark coloured girl with a hair colour similar to Jordans who I could only presume was Maia. She looked kind with those soft features that automatically make you want to trust someone I walked over and tried to put on my best, everything is fine because it's not like in a minute I'm going to meet the personwho I'm going to spend the rest of my life with so all I have to worry about is meting you for the first time, face. Before I even have chance to say hello and introduce myself Maia starts speaking to me,

"Hey! You must be Clary Jordan said that the best way to tell who you were would be to look for the girl with the fiery red curly hair, it's wonderful to finally meet you,"

I look down at my auburn hair which I had decided to leave down that day, she was right it was the easiest way to point me out in a crowd,

"You too I guess you must be Maia then," I didn't know why but my voice shook slightly when I spoke, looking down at my wrist I realised that now read 30 seconds, that's why, Maia noticed this and spoke up again,

"It's ok I was nervous as well but I look at my amazing boyfriend and wonder why," she looked up to Jordan saying that and he lightly kissed her on the forehead only love showing in his eyes, I wonder if that's what it'll be like for me.

"Ehem sorry to ruin the lovely reunion but this is a store and if you're going to stay in here then I suggest you buy something instead of standing in the doorway making the place look messy," said a sudden voice from behind me, I turn on my heel expecting to see an old man who runs a ratty old pet store and hates teenagers who hover around his store but instead I see a boy around my age with golden blond hair and almost matching golden eyes.