(3rd person)

Tessa had spent the past few weeks studiously ignoring Will, to the point that she actually started humming under breath whenever Will got too close. It was another one of these days, the ones where Tessa would find any excuse not to be in the same room as Will, and they were eating dinner- Henry, Charlotte, Jessamine, Jem, and Will, sitting around the table awkwardly…

Tick, tock.

The grandfather clock ticked loudly in one corner of the dining room.

Tick, tock, tick, tock…

"So, how was everyone's day?" attempted Charlotte, her features sculpted into a winning smile.

"Peachy," said Jem lightly, ladling more peas onto his plate.

Tessa shifted slightly in her chair and offered a small smile. "I spent most of my day in the library," she said. As usual.

Out of all the people at the table, the question seemed to spark the most interest in Henry. He responded enthusiastically, "Oh, you wouldn't believe what I have been working on today! I think I can actually access visions of the future, and with a little magic, I think it might actually work! If we could just kidnap a faerie, briefly, of course, and borrow a little pixie dust…"

"Henry," Charlotte sighed. "You can't kidnap a faerie. It's against the Accords, remember?"

A confused expression crossed Henry's face. "But I'm not going to hurt them, or anything. I'll just borrow them for a little bit." Henry was met with blank expressions all around the table. He coughed awkwardly. "Anyways, I added an accelerator to that Dream Receptor, and then engraved a time rune into the side. You remember that Dream Receptor, don't you? Well, yes, I modified the accelerator and then…"

Everyone had basically tuned Henry out at this point. It was good to let Henry have his daily rant.

Tick, tock, tick.

Jessamine admired her reflection in the back of a spoon.

Will deigned not to say anything at all.

There were several more lack-luster attempts at conversation, most of which crashed and died pathetically.

Plates were emptied soon enough, and there was that awkward moment when everyone was waiting to see who would leave the table first. Luckily, Jessamine spared them all by leaving the table first in a hurry. She cast a contemptuous glance over her shoulder as she walked out. Tessa was the next to leave. She pushed her chair in and left briskly, making sure not to make eye contact with Will. Only seconds after Tessa left, Will swore vigorously, for no apparent reason, and then ran outside to catch Tessa.

"Tessa!" called Will as he ran to catch up with her. Unsurprisingly, there was no response. When he had gotten even with her, "Tessa," he said again. Once again there was no response. He moved to block her path. She tried to step around him, but was unsuccessful because he stepped to the side to block her. She soon realized that she wasn't going to be able to get by him.

"Excuse me," she said, and made as if to walk by him (unsuccessfully).

"Tessa…" Will said, as if choking on the words. "I'm…" There was a pause as Will tried to force the words out. "…Sorry. I'm sorry."

"For what?" asked Tessa, knowing perfectly well what he was sorry for—she was looking for a good apology.

"For what I said on the roof. I didn't mean it. Can we be… be friends?"

"Friends?" she repeated blankly. "I… Why did you say it?" she asked.

"Why does it matter? Just forget about it. Pretend it never happened."

She looked amazed. "How on Earth am supposed to forget about it? It did happen."

She looked like she was considering just walking away, and avoiding this conversation altogether. But then she steeled her resolve and asked again, firmer this time, "Why did you say it?"

"Because…" he said, with an expression reminiscent of drowning man, and several possible explanations sprang to mind. Ones like 'I was scared,' or 'I love you,' 'It was a reflex,' were closer to the truth, but he panicked and chose one of the safer options. "I was drunk…" off of your beauty, he finished in his mind.

Before this, Tessa had looked apprehensive or mad at best. Now she looked concerned for his sanity.

"…Drunk? You were perfectly sober."

Will realized that this wasn't the best theory for why he had said those things, and tried to recover. "No, what I meant was that… I was drunk off of… agitation?" Phew. That was close.

"You were agitated that I was staying," said Tessa flatly.

"No! No, I was… um, well, agitated about other stuff."

"Like…?" asked Tessa, not quite believing him.

"You know, my toe nails, and other personal hygiene issues. Not that I have issues! I… uh, was agitated, about that…"

Your toe nails? thought Tessa. "Ok, Will. We both know you're lying. Why did you say it?"

Now Will was in real trouble. What to say, what to say? He was about to tell why, for real this time, when he found he couldn't. He felt like he was falling deep dark hole, which he couldn't get out of. Before he was scared, but now he was terrified, which was saying something. Will was never terrified in a battle, but this scared him witless. Because he was so scared, he said the first thing that came to mind. "I was angry."

"Oh, now I see, you were angry that I was staying," Tessa said, and although her voice was carefully controlled it betrayed a hint of hurt.

Will was falling deeper and deeper down the hole, and all he see was his parents' faces. "I…" The hole was pitch-black, and his parent's faces were burning brighter and brighter against his eyelids. He had to escape, and escape right now. "Nobody wanted you here," he said, in a voice that scared even him. "You're a burden, and you don't have any Shadowhunter training." Will was trapped in the hole, and he felt like someone else was talking for him. "You should just leave."

Tessa was blinking back tears. "Right then… I'll just… be in my room then," she said, and fled off down the corridor.

(Tessa's POV)

Of course, I should've known. What was I thinking when I kept asking him? Did I really want the truth? "No," said the tiny, mean little voice inside my head, "you wanted him to say he loved you."

NO! Why would I want Will to love me? It doesn't make sense because I don't love him.

"Liar, liar," chanted the voice.

Will doesn't want me here. Fine, I won't be here.

I hurried down the hallway, changing from a depressed girl stumbling around, blinded by her tears, to a strong, confident (revengeful too) lady with a purpose.

Dashing into my room, I grabbed the only possession I had that went with me everywhere. `I yanked the chain of my angel necklace too hard and the nail it was hung on popped out of the wall. Oops, was my immediate thought, but I had to school myself. This isn't my home, this isn't my home…it doesn't matter anymore. I had said the same thing to myself as I left my Aunt's house in New York.

On my way out I paused by Jem's door. He deserves to know, I told myself. But he might stop me, said my other half. While I mentally debated, laughter erupted from the room. I recognized Jem's laugh and then Will's voice in a light, almost jovial tone.

WHAT? Will looked so sad, and angry, but apparently he recovered fast. He and Jem are probably laughing at you and are relieved you're gone.

I stalked rapidly out of the door of the Institute, hoping to make a clean break…if only I could be so lucky. As I turned a corner of the street, I spied a dark-haired gentleman out of the corner of my eye. I spun rapidly and stared intently at the "gentleman". Was it Will? Chasing after me? Nope, just a gentleman looking slightly frightened at my intense gaze. I shook it off and kept moving.

Outside of a dress shop I saw a blonde lady (very fashionably dressed) and thought it was Jessamine. Wait…it was Jessamine! I desperately wanted to go to Jessamine and ask her to take me home…the Institute…not home. But she wouldn't take me back, she would try to come with me.

I felt insanely like a little child that threw a tantrum and screamed at their parents that they were going to run away, but never left. Running away was rash, but I didn't want to turn back now. I suppose that I would have ended up leaving the Institute one day anyways.

I turned around, blinking back a fountain of tears, and ran right smack into someone.

I fell rather ungracefully on my backside, and peered around, confused. People were looking around, and starting to gather the typical 'let's stare at the spectacle' circle. I had to get away before Jessamine noticed me. I stood up, gathered my skirts, with my face averted, and before anyone knew what was happening I put my hand over my face and took off. I broke through the circle and kept going, unaware of my direction.

Suddenly, I noticed the sound of footsteps behind me in rapid pursuit. I put on a burst of speed around a turn and ducked into a dark alley way. The footsteps slowed and stopped. A voice called, "Tessa! Tessa, it's me, Gabriel."

"Gabriel?" I called back confused. "As in Gabriel Lightwood?"

"Ummmm yes" he replied, "will you come out now?"

"Oh right." I stepped out, brushing off my skirts and straightening my hair.

"What are you doing in town, Tessa?"

"Oh….well," My mind scrambled frantically. Would he take me back? Or keep my secret? Should I tell him?

Seeming to sense my discomfort Gabriel asked gently, "Would you like me to walk you back to the Institute?"

"I am not living there," I replied loftily with my chin up, "it was a temporary arrangement. I am currently in the market for a new residence." I stared at him, daring him to disagree.

"Do you have somewhere to spend the night?" I stared at him blankly. "I mean," he amended, "would you like to stay at my house for a while until you can find someplace else?" Again, I just stared, blankly. "Not to pry or anything…" I hadn't really thought this far ahead. Where was I going to stay? I had no money, no friends, no relatives, and no nothing.

"Okay, then. That would be lovely Gabriel." I took his arm and tried to leave all thoughts of Will in the dark alley.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N:

HoneydukesFan: Hello, I hope you like it so far… While writing this, Flaming Potato Chip couldn't stop laughing (for some reason), so I kicked her out and put on depressing opera music to set the mood. Erm, anyways, R&R!

Flaming Potato Chips: For some reason! I was laughing hysterically at her face! And the first chapter is all emotional and intense and drama-y, but the rest will be a little more hilarious (I hope) but this was a mood setter. Hope you like. R&R (why do you wanna rest and relax…I am confused). Bye

HoneydukesFan: I can't help it that I have a weird 'concentration face'. It's just the way I roll. Also, it's 'dramatic' not 'drama-y'. Ciao!

Flaming Potato Chips: Sure….