Hi again! This chapter is a bit of a filler, where the characters are settling in to their new school. Exciting things will happen in chapter 3, I promise. Here goes nothing...
Clary POV
Clary was walking the hall alongside Izzy, Jace and Alec.
"So where are we going first?" Clary asked.
"A large gym area to have hand to hand combat tracing with Mr. Hodge." Alec said. Clary sighed internally. She knew that in the short half an hour she'd known him, she knew him well enough to know he'd probably memorised the schedule for the whole week.
Izzy sighed. "What are you now, a walking textbook or a schedule?"
Jace laughed lightly. '"Izzy do you even know what a textbook is?" Clary said.
"I know enough." she retorted.
"Sure, sure."
They reached the gym. One side was crowded with various equipment, most of which she'd never seen before. Luke had a much smaller gym in his basement that would probably be twice as effective. The other had nothing on it except a black foamy material on the floor.
An oldish man covered in wrinkled runes jumped from behind us, wearing a fancy black suit. Clary resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow, her newfound ability.
"I'm Hodge." he said, and patted a bird on his shoulder. "Obviously this is your first lesson at this wonderful new school," he smiled,"and I'll be testing your basic abilities." A murmur went through the crowd of shadowhunters and downworlders.
"After that you'll be sorted into classes based on your abilities. Also, you will receive a list of rules at dinner time, some of the most important being : warlocks are not to use their magic unless requested by a staff member..." Clary yawned, and put her hair in a quick pony tail. "Now to start!" Hodge finished.
He read several pairings off a sheet of paper, until he came to our names.
"Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane. Isabelle Lightwood and Simon Lewis. Clarissa Fray and Jace Herondale."
Clary scowled. Sure, Jace was attractive. But he was also a stuck up, egotistic twerp.
"Excited?" Jace said from beside her, rubbing his hands together.
'"Not particularly." Clary replied. Jace smiled as if in pain.
"Now get started!" Hodge yelled.
"I'll try not to hurt you." Jace said.
Clary snickered. "Okay then. You might as well just let me win."
His eyebrows shot up. Yes, she knew that he was the best Shadowhunter their age. Izzy had told that. But she also knew that Luke was Valentine's parabatai, and that he was the best fighter of his time. So she just hoped her unexpected and newfound confidence would get through the fight.
"Okay then." he smirked. He didn't believe her. He looked at her in the eyes, letting her get absorbed in his golden eyes with flecks of warm brown and—
When he launched himself at her, she was more than ready. She flipped over him easily, and landed silently.
"You'll have to do better than that to win, pretty boy." she said. Jace was surprised. That better teach him. He stalked towards her, like a cat hunting a mouse. At the last moment he sprung, aiming a punch to her stomach. She used her forearm to use his own momentum against him, like Luke had taught her. He should have snapped backwards onto his bum, but instead he had anticipated her move and landed gracefully to the corner. He was good. Probably better than her. But she wouldn't let him think that.
Finally he had Clary pinned under his leg. The entire group of students had been watching for the last ten minutes. Their fight was interesting, he knew, the two best fighters up against each other. Hodge was counting.
"One. Two-" and Clary flipped up, and somehow pinned him to the ground. Jace looked slightly dazed.
"Three! May I present the winner, Clary Fray." Hodge yelled, holding her hand in the air. He had difficulty doing this however, because she was so short.
Clary could feel herself blush. She groaned internally. Really? Must she blush at everything? There were girls around screaming things like " girl power!".
"Oh my god Clary!" Izzy looked down at me. "That's the first time that any shadowhunters has ever beat Jace in a fight!"
"Wait what?!" Clary said.
"You're amazing!"
She looked back to smirk at Jace, but he wasn't there. She watched as he walked away, a look of pure anger and hurt on his face.
Later, Clary had finally escaped from the hands of girls and boys alike, and went to her room to shower. She could literally feel the sweat dripping down her face and back. She didn't even bother grabbing clothes and just hopped straight in the shower, and scrubbed herself clean with her favourite flowery soap.
When she got out she wrapped a towel around herself, and another around her wet hair like a turban. She walked back into the room to find Izzy organising her clothes in the closet.
"Oh my god." Clary said involuntarily.
"What?" Izzy said, not turning around from the clothes.
"You have a lot of clothes."
"Not that many. And by the way, yours are over there." She pointed to the end of the closet, where lay a couple of pairs of jeans, some plain t shirts, underclothes and the beautiful silver dress that Luke gave her as a birthday present.
"Hang on a second. You unpacked my bag?" Clary said.
"Maybe?" Izzy replied sheepishly.
"Ugh, whatever. It's not like there was much in there anyway."
"And hey, you're not going to see Jace with jeans and a tee."
"Okay number one. Why not? And two. How did you know that I was going to talk to Jace?"
"Because you beat him, and you know that that's the first time he's ever been beaten, and you feel bad and unworthy."
"Wow. You could be a phycolagist."
"I guess. I'd probably just make my customers want to kill themselve though." she added. " No, Izzy you wouldn't." But Clary couldn't suppress her laughter.
"So what do you want me to wear instead then?"
"Well your jeans of course." she rolled her eyes at me confused look. Hadn't she just refused that idea 20 seconds ago?
"You don't want to make it look like your trying too hard, but still beautiful."
Izzy moved around and began work on Clary's hair. "Again, number one, are you like trying to hook Jace and I up? And two, is my hair that bad?"
"Don't worry dear, you look beautiful just the way you are, you just need a little more-" she clicked her fingers in her old lady impression.
"Riiight. But I think I'll just stick to simple. I'm not sure he'll be happy to see me. He'll probably kill me."
Izzy frowned. "Yeah you're right." And she left Clary to her own devices. She still hadn't told me whether she was trying to hook Jace up with her.
She sighed, and closing the bathroom door behind her, she pulled on her jeans, flowey blue shirt and white cardigan, paired with her white sneakers and a messy bun.
Jace POV
Jace was busy staring into space when Clary arrived. How had he known where his room was? Ugh, probably that bloody Simon kid. Jace had to be paired with the geekiest, most awkward vampire ever.
She looked pretty with no makeup on, and he knew she'd put absolutely no effort into her outfit. No doubt Izzy probably tried to convince her. She was already trying to hook them up, he could tell. But right now he hated Clary. How dare she be better than him? He had been the best his age for the last 10 years. He didn't want that to change. And suddenly this random carroty chic walks in from nowhere and beats him. With style. And she was immune to his charms. Well almost.
"Jace?" He liked the way she said his name. Nobody had ever said his name like that before. Devoid of idiotic admiration, but still caring.
He didn't answer. He was going to make her break down in front of him, then finally forgive her. Wait, forgive her?
"Jace look, I know you're frustrated-" an under statement "-that I beat you. I bet you've been the best your whole life, always the golden child and excetra, and suddenly I turn up and ruin your reputation."
"Damn right." he muttered.
Clary looked unfazed. How could she do that?
"And there's nothing I can do to stop that. I can't help that I beat you once-" she stressed this "-at my second best skill. So I wouldn't be surprised if we go into weaponry or strategy tomorrow and you knock me flat on my face. Hell, I bet you'd beat me at maths and English and science. We still have to do those by the way." she added. The corner of his lip twitched. How had she changed his mood so quickly?
"I do maths to save my life." he said finally.
Clary smiled. "Me neither."
"Well I guess we can fail maths together."
"Oh dont worry, I won't be failing. I'll just ask- never mind." she said quickly. "I'll see you at dinner." And she left.
Jace was confused. How had she changed his mood so quickly? He'd gone from hating her to making jokes. What? I guess I'll see her at dinner.
Simon POV
Simon had listened to every word of Clary and Jace's conversation. Every single word. And he heard when Clary say that no, she wouldn't fail maths because she could just ask- and walked away. She always asked him. Simon. And now he'd been replaced with that show off pretty boy. No doubt that's why he was upset that a girl had beaten him. Ugh. And now Clary would fall in love with Jace, and Simon would be forgotten. He groaned. Looked like he just had to bite the bullet and stop this himself.
Alec POV
Alec was feeling dazed. He was lying the his bed in the room he shared with this sparkly Asian kid called Magnus Bane. They'd been fighting together, while the rest of the hall had been watching Clary and Jace's fight.
He wasn't sure how to feel about Clary winning. No shadowhunters had ever beaten Jace before, much less a girl. Alec decided that she was good for him, a girl that beat him in fights, was immune to his charms, and had a dead parent, like him.
He tried to continue thinking about the Clary and Jace situation, but something else punched it out of his mind. Or someone. That kid, Magnus Bane.
Clary POV
When Clary finally walked into the dining hall, everybody was already there. She walked towards she group in the middle as if in a spotlight, where she went they watched. She hurried into her seat next to Jace and sank low into the chair. She could hear him laughing quietly.
"Shut up." she muttered, but not really meaning it. The sound of his laugh was nice, and she felt better knowing he was happy with her now.
"So Clary, I was thinking..." she looked up at Izzy twirling a strand of spaghetti around her fork absently. "I think we should have a party!"
Clary's eyes widened. "Again?" She said, groaning. I'll just have to get it over with, she thought. "Okay first things first." Clary fixed Izzy with a stern look and set her hands down on the table.
"I'm quite sure we're not allowed to make a party."
"Who cares about rules?" Jace interrupted.
"Only people who want to get through this with a clean record. And also Izzy, don't expect me to join in."
"Why not?" she asked incredulously.
"I hate parties."
"Have you ever even been to one."
"Well, no."
Alec smiled slightly. "Well you don't know what it's like then." he said.
"But out of all the books I've read and movies I've watched they seem stupid. I do not want to be drunk, and I absolutely do not want to be participating in a one night stand, or jumping off a bridge, or murdering somebody or-" she was interrupted by Jace and Izzy, who were laughing loudly. Alec seemed to be the only one who understood.
"Oh my god." Jace said, thumping his fist on the table. "You're hilarious Clary."
It was the first time he'd said her name.
"Okay." Izzy said, finally recovering. "If you come with me I won't let you get drunk. Or participate in any of those risky activities."
"And there's no way Hodge would let any liquor get inside these school grounds." said Jace.
Clary sighed in relief. But then- "I'll have to wear a dress!" she remembered.
This set them off again, Alec included.
"What wrong with dresses?" Izzy said.
"They're small and short and-".Jace started laughing again. Clary began to blush. Ugh. How could she convince them not to make her go to the party?
"Izzy has a hell of a lot of clothes. I'm sure you'll be able to find a gown from the 18th century with ample petticoats to fit." Alec said.
"Fine then."
Jace and Izzy smiled.
"So we'll have it on Friday night, and Clary, you and I need to go back to our rooms after lunch-." Izzy said, taking her hand.
"It'll be 1:30 pm."
"We need to get ready."
Clarys eyebrows shot up. 'There is no way it'll take a whole-"
"When you're with Izzy it will." Jace said.
"I'll just pull on a dress and I'm ready."
"What about hair and makeup? Shaving your legs?"
"We also have class!"
"We can skip class."
Clary turned away to Alec, who was watching with amusement. "Alec help!" she begged.
Alec smirked. Clary could see him thinking something along the lines of: /no way am I helping this chic./
"Okay then. I refuse to skip class. But I'll come to the party if you let me pick my own clothes."
"Hmm." said Izzy."But I see what you're doing."
Clary looked at her quizzically, while thinking, damn it I've been caught!
"Yeah nice try." said Jace.
"Not helping Jace. And I still don't understand what I did."
"You said clothes. You must mean dress, right?"
'"Yes Isabelle." Clary replied, defeated.
"Hmm."
Clary rolled her eyes. Could she ever get through these people? Luke didn't tell her that they were this, well... smart and kind of decieving.
"Wondering about the true nature of a shadowhunters?" said Jace.
"Do you have like, mind reading powers or something?"
"Yes actually. It's quite rare, but I have it."
"Wait what? And I don't know this because..."
"I've known you existed for all but-" he checked his watch "-five hours."
"Huh. Luke never told me about mind reading powers..."
"He probably didn't want you avoiding everybody in an attempt to keep your thoughts privacy." Alec said sincerely. Damn, they must be real.
"Fine then. Tell me what I'm thinking now."
"You're thinking about the way my hair and eyes are so golden..." he kept on talking nonsense. She wasn't even looking at him.
No, she was actually thinking about whether there were any other rare powers she didn't know of. Ha. Gotcha! Of course there was no such thing as mind reading powers. She had studied to be a Shadowhunter for the last 3 years.
She was about to bring out her rare and sassy self to prove Jace wrong, but then she had another idea.
"How did you know?" she said, interrupting him.
He hid his surprise quickly. "I told you, I have powers. Rare powers, mind you-"
"Does anybody else have them?"
"No, I think I'm the only shadowhunter here who has them."
"You sure?"
"Quite sure."
"Because I don't think I told you that I told you I have telekinesis powers."
Alec and Izzy weren't paying attention, put suddenly looked and raised their eyebrows.
"Really?"
Jace was looking at me with a glint of amusement in his eyes, and a slight smile on his lips. It was true, she thought. He looked golden, with warm gold eyes with flecks of warm brown, and soft looking gold hair. Without looking, she knew that he had amazing muscles underneath his shirt, she had felt them hurl her against the wall during the fight earlier. Realising she had been staring, she quickly masked her blush with a "What?" and an incredulous glare. "Look I know it's hard to believe when you think you're big scary shadowhunters and know everything. But it happens."
"Why." Alec said flatly.
"I don't know alright!"
There was a silence. Then they all burst into a fit of laughter, to the stares of the entire hall.
Simon POV
Simon sighed. It wasn't working. With the whole jealousy thing with Maia. He watched as the group of shadowhunters in the middle of the hall burst into laughter, and seemed to be having a great time. Clary looked so happy. Especially when she was looking at that dickhead, Jace Herondale.
He turned back to Maia.
"Have a problem?" Maia was staring at him, and followed his gaze to Jace and Clary.
"Oh. Wait, lemme guess. You were friends with her. You kinda have a thing for her. Then she sits with Herondale. And now you hate him."
Simon opened his mouth to retort, but realised she was right. He glanced down at his hands. "Yeah..." he said.
"I can only imagine. And come on, lighten up. She'll eventually realise how pig headed he is and leave him."
"But then she'll fall in love with someone else, and go off and get married and have kids and-" he couldn't go on.
"Come on, she won't forget you. I'm sure of it." Maia said, placing her hand on his.
"You're right. She won't. But she'll see my as a friend, forever. Never anything more."
Jace POV
"Weaponry! The most..." Jace zoned out as soon as the Weaponry teacher started talking, and instead took the time to glance at Alec. He was surprised to see Alec nervously glancing at some sort of pitiful cat like glitter ball in the centre of the room. Instead of punching him out of it, however, Jace chose to turn away, towards Izzy. It had been far too long that Alec had had a crush on him, and far too long that he'd stayed in the closet. Although Jace was hurt that Alec couldn't tell his parabatai something like that, he understood it too. Oh, the glittery warlock could be good for him.
"Jace!" Izzy hissed under her breath.
"What." He said.
"Remember my advice?"
"Yes, Isabelle."
Izzy glared at him, muttered "Fine then.", and turned away. He turned towards the teacher again, who was allocating partners. Hopefully I'm with Clary.
"...Clary Fray and Simon Lewis..." he heard, and watched as Clary walked over to Simon awkwardly. They turned away and walked off to the dagger throwing section, leaving Jace with Jordan. They had been friends last year, but Jace had left that particular group of popular people when he realised what idiots they were. Jordan in particular, who had bitten his girlfriend, Maia.
Simon and Clary embraced, and began talking. They grabbed their daggers, still laughing, and turned towards the targets. There were two types, one with rings, and one being the outline of a person. Simon's dagger flew through the air with inhuman speed, but hit an inch away from the bulls eye. Clary didn't seem surprised, meaning they must have practised together a lot.
Jace felt his heart twitch a little, and instead turned to Jordan, who was standing beside him awkwardly. "Hey, man." Jordan said.
"Uh...hey." Jace replied.
"C'mon, we're up for swordplay." They ambled over to a rack filled with different blades, and a large space of the black foamy floor, outlined with white duct tape. Jace twirled his sword around his finger, and took a fighting stance. Again, his attention was stolen by Clary. She was standing at the furthest distance from one of the targets as possible, standing side on, with the dagger poised in her hand dangerously. Her bright green eyes were determined, her tongue poking out a little in concentration.
Suddenly the blade flew out of her hand and was embedded right in the centre of the target with a thud. She looked up and caught his eye. She was still smirking, but it fell off her face and she blushed, quickly looking away.
"Jace. You ready?" Jordan was looking between him, Simon and Clary, raising an eyebrow. "Really? She's not your usual type."
To which Jace replied, "That's the problem."
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!
