"Do we really have to go?"
"Yes, for the thousandth time, Clary, we do."
"But do I have to go to Mr. Blackthorns class?", I whine, not expecting an answer.
Simon looks at me with amusement out of the corner of his eye. "You´re being overdramatic, Clare. It´s not that bad. You only have to survive one hour with him. I think you´ll live."
Pah. I scowl at him. I´m not so sure of that.
It´s Monday morning. Simon just picked me up at my house on his way to school, the place I really, really don´t want to go to today. Normally, the fact that it´s Monday would have already put me in a bad mood, but extenuating circumstances have tripled my aversion for this day.
Last week, we got our new timetables, and naturally, I had the worst of luck. My first period is English. Not that I mind the particular subject that much. Actually, English is actually one of the more bearable subjects.
Well, until now.
My first period of the whole week from now on until the end of the schoolyear is going to be with the one person who can always be counted on to put a grimace on my face.
Jace Herondale.
Ugh
It sucks. Every week will be off to the worst start ever because of that annoying jackass. If I know one thing, it´s that Jace never lets an opportunity slip to darken my mood. He even goes out of his way to create them. Always has.
I´ve known him all my life. My mom and his parents have been friends since they were kids, so whenever they decide to have a dinner party, I have to see him. This only happens about every other night times. You might think we´d be friends, because we know each other so well.
Oh, no. Being friends would be great and all, except Jace is the kind of person I could never be friends with. He is exactly the horrible self-assured captain-of-the-football-team type, only ten times as arrogant. And as annoying. Over the years, I´ve just learned to tolerate him. A little.
Enter the great, awful, cruel event of last week. Because really, what a way to drag a girl through hell.
So unfair.
I´m being forced to sit next to him for an hour almost every day for the next three months because of this huge project. And worse, I have to work with him after school. Like, a lot.
I used to think of this as something to look forward to, as a coming light in my 10th year of school. It´s the notorious project where you have to completely invest yourself in another person. You have to try to get to know every aspect of them, and understand them completely. It´s seen as beneficial for your ability to emphasize, or something. You have to write a biography about them, and it´ll make up half your grade.
I was actually looking forward to this, can you believe that? ´Cause I was expecting to get to know someone I didn't really know anything about. It seemed nice. Leave it to Mr. Blackthorn to pair me up with this ugly troll.
Well, ugly on the inside.
I turn towards my best friend. "But Si, I already know everything there is to know about Jace. How could a daily-Jace-interview be in any way relevant to my education?", I say as Simon turns in to the school parking lot.
"I´ll bet you don't know everything about Jace. I dare you to find out something you didn't already know." He smirks.
Fun fact; I can´t turn down a bet. It´s a fatal flaw.
"You´re on.", I say grudgingly, in goodbye. I turn around and stalk off to English.
As I approach the classroom, I try to convince myself this isn't going to be that bad. Surely Jace will control his annoyingness a little bit. He probably wants to get a good grade for this project, right? He´ll want us to get along.
But, of course, all my efforts are wasted when I enter. Jace is already sitting at a table of his choice. Our table, from now on, at the very back of the classroom. He always sits at the back of the classroom, so he can chat with his annoying friends about annoying things tossing his annoying hair around without the teacher noticing. If that´s the way he thinks this is going to be, he´s got another thing coming.
He grins at me as I walk to our table. "Why so grim, Shorty? This must be a dream come true. Three months of one on one time with moi."
I groan. The torture is already starting.
"Stop calling me Shorty, Jace. Call me by my name." I demand as I sit down next to him.
His grin widens, amusement shining in his golden eyes. "Well, I could, of course. But where´s the fun in that, Fire?"
That is one I haven't heard before. I try to raise an eyebrow, but just end up raising both. I never can figure out how people do that.
"Fire?", I ask him, annoyed.
"Yeah, cause your hair´s like fire. If you don't like that one either, I could keep going. I spent yesterday coming up with nicknames, as preparation for our project. I got Shorty, Fire, Red, Midget, because you´re so small, obviously. Oh, and Haystack! Remember that time on the farm with Jon and you totally—"
He drones on. He must really have no life. ´I spent yesterday coming up with nicknames for you´. Jeez. Stalker much?
The full file of humiliating-Clary-experiences that lives in his mind is open, and they continue to pour out of his cursed mouth. It may take a while until he´s satisfied with the amount of stories he reminds me of, it usually does. One of the things that make him so awful to be with, he knows of almost every embarrassing thing I´ve ever lived through, and never hesitates to bring any of it up.
I subtly look around, checking whether someone´s within hearing distance. Thankfully, no one is. ´
Yet.
Sebastian Verlac ( aka. a god amongst men, as some may call him) is coming our way.
Oh god, no. I really don't want him to hear what Jace has to say.
"Jace, please shut up." I say, trying to keep my tone casual, and failing. I´m already trying to make myself as small as possible, hoping not to get noticed.
He notices. "What are you doing, Fire?" He asks, eyeing my hunched position. My eyes stray to Sebastian involuntarily for a split second. He´s rapidly coming closer to our table, and I rapidly sense humiliation in my future. Jace notices, and follows my glance. The humor in his eyes turns to cruel amusement.
"Oh no, what do we have here? Do I sense some, let´s see, sexual longing here, Haystack?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.
"God, Jace, shut your mouth." I try to cover my face with my hand so he doesn't see the blood rising up my cheeks. Does he have to be so crude? I try to force the blush back down. It doesn't work, though. Never does.
"Ah, so that's why you haven´t fallen for me yet. It was beginning to wound my ego. But, of course, I don't have to worry. You will eventually, just after you get over that idiot." He nods at Sebastian, who´s only a few tables away now. Luckily, he spots his partner sitting in the front of the class and turns back around.
"I will not." I hiss at Jace forcefully, staring him down. "And stop talking about my ´sexual longing´, forever. It´s super disturbing, and besides, it´s just a tiny, inconsequential crush. Never to be talked about again."
Jace´s eyes light up, and I can see him imagining something. Something that would probably mean trouble for me.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
He leans his head on his hand and absently smirks at me. "I just wonder…" he whispers "what our dear Jonathan would think of this."
I gasp. "No! You can´t tell my brother! You wouldn't!" I cringe at the thought of my brother finding out. He´d flip out, his overprotective side would appear, it wouldn´t be pretty. Jace knows that, and right now he´s looking incredibly amused at the prospect.
He chuckles. "Right. But why, though, wouldn't I tell him? It would be very entertaining to see his reaction." His eyes light up suddenly. "Maybe he´d punch him! It´d be good payback for last year. Though this won´t cover it, but it´ll be a good start." He trails off, not really talking to me anymore. If I hadn´t been so preoccupied with imminent disaster, a slight part of my brain would´ve wondered what he´s talking about.
"Jace, please.", I beg. He still looks way too amused. He´s such a dickwad. "You have to find another way to find payback. Jon would totally freak! Don´t you remember the boathouse in eighth grade?"
He remembers.
I won´t go into specifics, but let´s just say this story includes a family trip to the old boathouse, me tripping over my feet, landing on Jace, Jon walking in on our clumsy position, Jon flipping his shit, and each of us being locked into our separate rooms for 10 hours by my hotheaded brother before we were able to explain.
Talk about overreacting.
His face scrunches up a little. "Don't do this to me." I plead with him. "Please, Jace." I try to conjure up my puppy eyes.
"Hm, Red. It´s very tempting." He says with a grin.
Nope. This isn´t happening. A surge of anger rises through me and I slam my hand on the table. A few people around us look up, so I make sure to keep my voice in a whisper as I threaten him. "If you tell on me, I will gather every one of childhood pictures your parents have, print them out, and plaster them all over the school. We´ll see who´s embarrassed then, mr. kiddy bangs."
He goes a bit pale. "You wouldn´t.", he breathes.
I let out a deep breath. "No, I won´t. Just like you won´t tell Jon about what you found out today."
He nods quickly, before turning around and continuing his conversation with Kaelie and Seelie. I´m not sure if either one is his girlfriend (but if the rumor mill is supposed to be believed he´s screwing them both), and their talk is already getting on my nerves.
These are going to be a long three months.