Needless to say: I do not own the awesome Mortal Instruments. (Incidently, I wish I did, because the I would know what happens to Will and Tessa. lol =P)
Chapter One: Lightwood Industries
Clary clutched her bag nervously, as she paused outside the office building. This was her last chance, her last hope. Well, for today at least. But Clary wanted to go back and rest for a weekend, knowing that she had a job on Monday.
Clary sighed, there was no point standing outside the building and getting wound up over something she knew that she might not be able to change. Clay swallowed, and stepped through the entrance.
She entered a large black tiled foyer, with comfy red sofas to sit on, a water dispenser, and a blonde, serious-looking receptionist, who looked to be typing seriously away. The reception desk looked straight onto the entrance, and there was a corridor leading off in each direction.
"Hello, welcome to Lightwood Industries, my name is Kaelie, how may I help you?" The blonde woman spouted efficiently out.
"My name Is Clary Fray, I have an appointment-"
"With Miss Lightwood? I'll just let her know that you have arrived, if you would just like to take a seat, and I'll inform her directly." She motioned to the comfy red sofa and I went to diligently sit down. There was today's newspaper on the coffee table, several in fact, the observer, the times, the daily mail. Then there was the TV guide, and several random magazines - well they seemed random until Clary noticed that they all had articles about Lightwood Industries in them. Even a sports magazine!
Clary was too nervous to read though, and she tried to calm herself by imagining drawing the model on the sports magazine. He was beautiful, with gorgeous golden hair, and flickering golden eyes. His gaze was calm and yet watchful, his stance relaxed and yet deceptively alert – as though ready to spring at any moment. If Clary had to say what she though he was, she would have said he was a guardian angel. She sighed again, calmer now, having half drawn him in her mind.
"Miss…Fray?" Clary jumped when she heard a young voice that wasn't Kaelie's call out to her. She stood up and turned to see a young woman almost the same age as her, stepped forwards to greet her. She was tall, and slenderly built with long black hair and blue piercing eyes. Yes she was young, but there was no doubt that you didn't mess with her.
"Hi, I'm Isabelle Lightwood." She didn't hold out a hand, but watched Clary carefully, waiting for her to make the next move.
"Hello, Miss Lightwood, I'm Clarissa Fray." She nodded expectantly, and when Clary held out her hand she looked at it a moment before shaking.
"If you would like to follow me, then we could get started…" Clary nodded enthusiastically, and picked up her bag before walking with Isabelle. Or rather walking a step behind Isabelle.
Isabelle took the scenic route.
Lightwood Industries were a mystery to the common person, they had arisen out of the ashes about four years ago, and had taken on all kinds of work; estate, catering…yachts. The business had grown to a fair size, over a very short space of time, and not much was said about the driving force of the company, and well Clary didn't really pay that much attention.
There didn't seem to be much to say as Clary passed several rooms, with indoor windows so that you could watch the workers work. So clary decided to apologise for her earliness.
"Oh don't worry, it's almost refreshing to see someone turn up early. Not that everyone is not punctual here, they are incredibly, its just most of the candidates, were…well apparently this office building is difficult to find." She shrugged, as if it puzzled her slightly and lead Clary into a large another section. This reception was slightly smaller, lead off to four rooms, and had three reception desks, one of which was empty. Isabelle motioned for Clary to wait, and went into the middle office. She came out shortly carrying a folder and walked out of the small reception area. She took Clary to an open plan office and the sat down in a corner of the room away from the busy noisy, workers.
Isabelle sat back crossing her legs, and putting the folder down.
Clary sat upright waiting for the interview to start, unable to act relaxed enough to sit back like Isabelle.
"I'll be honest with you Miss Fray, I think I have found the right candidate for the position I want to fill, its just because I want to give everyone a fair chance, that I haven't cancelled any appointments. You are my last. But, saying that, don't be put off, because you may surprise me…" Clary stomach sank with dread. She wasn't well qualified compared to some administrative assistants.
"Well, Miss Lightwood," Gawd it felt like some old film, where this girl was Miss Isabelle the evil Miss chiefly, "I will be perfectly honest, I have nothing outstanding on my CV, and no special qualifications either, so rather than waste your time I'd rather be on my way." Isablle looked taken aback, but nodded slowly.
"Very well Miss Fray, you can show yourself out." Clary stood and picked up her bag, before nodding respectfully –that took her off guard- and leaving the Miss Isabelle Lightwood to it.
Okay, the building wasn't that big, but Clary had somehow managed to misplace the quickest way out of the building. No, she was adamant that she wasn't lost, just, meandering.
Which is directly related to how she ended up in a library…still somehow in the office building. Clary felt that she had drifted into another place, another dimension. But despite how awesome that would be, Clary seriously doubted that the Northern Lights was based on that particular real-life phenomenon.
"Ow!" Clary heard the sound of a yelp and several large resounding thuds. Forgetting that she wasn't supposed to be there, she ran round a bookcase towards the noise. Sprawled out on the floor was a figure covered in books.
"Hello? Hello can you hear me? My name is Clary and I am a first aider!" Quickly Clary checked that there was no more books tottering on the edge of the shelves, and after ensuring it was safe she waded through the books, picking them up and moving them into rough piles so to clear a space to get to the figure still sprawled out on the floor.
"I'm fine!" A muffled voice called. "Just leave now and mention this to no-one!" Clary frowned. Even she knew you had to report minor incidents in the accident book. Besides he (she could tell by the voice) still hadn't gotten up yet, so he could still be hurt and not know it yet.
"If you can hear me, I'm just coming to check that you're alright." The man snarled and sat up showering books Clary's way, his back to her. "I can hear you and I said-"He had turned to glare at Clary and stopped mid-sentence.
"Who are you?" He said his eyebrows puckering in confusion. Clary had stopped where she was, focusing hard on trying to remember where she had seen him before…she recognised him but couldn't think where from.
"Are you the new admin assistant?" He said when Clary didn't speak, and instead of answering she went over to him and visually began to check he was alright. There was a small cut on his upper arm, but apart from that he appeared to have suffered no serious damage.
"I'm nobody in particular."
"Nobody?" He repeated sounding dazed. Clary quickly checked him over for signs of shock, but couldn't be entirely sure.
"Yes, well I don't work here, and I was looking to get out, but…I heard you shout…" She finished lamely, not actually knowing what to say. She hung her head. She was embarrassed, frustrated and jobless. What the hell was she doing with some golden-haired stranger – as she looked into his eyes it suddenly clicked. He was the man from the sports magazine, that's where she had seen him from!
"I'm sorry; I just heard you shout and came to see if you needed help." His frown had gone to be replaced with a stoic un-expressionless look, and Clary felt very worried. She feared this look more than his dazed one earlier.
"You heard it from outside?" His tone was not pleasant but rather accusing. Clary felt was tired, and stressed, and being jobless, going back home again rejected was almost too much for her.
"Well, no I was inside-" Clary wetted her lips, to distracted to notice his eyes dilate and him swallow before looking straight back at her, a even more angry tilt to his mouth.
"When you don't work here?" Are you a delivery person?"
"No. I –"
"Then how did you get past reception?" He spat out angrily. Clary grew angry, unbearably angry and upset with the world, he wouldn't even let her finish!
The tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them. Horrified, Clary suddenly found her feet and they in turn found the way out.
Slowly, before she reached reception Clary stemmed her tears and released her hair from the clip that held it back. It sprang down and hid most of her face. She left without saying goodbye to Kaelie.