( Clary's POV)
I woke with a start. My breathing was heavy. I had woke up from another nightmare. I couldn't really remember it, but I remember the screams that I heard. They were my mothers. I'm sure of it.
Sleepily brushing away my mane of ginger curls, I squinted at the clock. 5 am. That means I have enough time to do all my chores before my dad wakes up. I hop into the shower, letting the water wake me up. As I look down at my body I relive the pain I felt last night. Gently, I wash the dried blood off of my newest wounds. Bruises cover my entire body, only excluding my face and arms. I'm only granted this small mercy because they don't want to get caught.
I hate them. My dad and brother. I'm ashamed to call them family. They've abused me since my mother left. I'm sure they abused her too, why else would she leave me with these monsters? I still remember that first night.
*Flashback*
I heard the door creak as it opened. I was up in my room and it was way past midnight, so I went down to check everything was ok. When I reached the living room, I saw my dad. He was swaying slightly, which was how I knew he was drunk.
"Dad? Are you ok?"
"Ah, Clarissa, just the useless brat I wanted to see. Come and see your father now." My throat tightened when he called me a useless brat. He would never say things like that.
I shakily stepped forward. He grabbed my arm in a swift motion. I looked in to his pitiless black eyes.
"Dad?"
"SHUT UP! IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT YOUR MOTHER LEFT!" He roared at me, punching me in the stomach. That was when the tears came. That first punch was followed with numerous other blows. I think I blacked out somewhere near 40.
*Back To Present*
My breath caught in my throat just thinking about it. Since then he had got Jonathan involved too. Jon saw it as some sort of game. He made me sick. I haven't gone by Clarissa Morgenstern since that day. It's Clary Fray now. The awkward 16 year old with big green eyes and childish freckles. I'm a flat-chested midget who is abused at home. No wonder I've never had a boyfriend.
I stare at myself in the mirror. Tugging at the frizz of hair attached to my head, I wonder what it's like to be pretty. I'm ugly, I know that. My father and Jon have told me that it is a fact. After a while I believed them.
I sigh heavily before scrambling into some black jeans and an emerald green top. I put makeup on any scars that peak out of my outfit, then the tiniest bit on my face. I settle on wrestling my hair into a messy bun.
Running downstairs, I begin my chores. I finish cleaning the house at about 7, then grab an apple, scribble a note to say I've left for school and quickly scramble out the door.
Waiting outside is my best friend Izzy. She's drop dead gorgeous, and one of my only friends. We giggle and gossip as we begin the walk to hell. I mean school.
Ugh, the first day of school. I just moved school because the bullying got too bad at Alicante High. I had met Izzy and my other best friend, Simon, at Java Jones over the summer. I don't know what I would do without them. Right now, though, I just hope they can help me get through school.
