Tessa woke up the next morning with a dizzy head, hair like a rat's nest and a tired face. She slid out of bed, the world spinning before it righted itself and Tessa walked to her bathroom, washing her face with cold water to wake herself out.
She eyed her reflection and sighed. She was too pale. Her grey eyes seemed to have no blue today, and they had the colour of a storm cloud. Tessa brushed her teeth and spat out the froth, gargling water in her mouth as sheran through the list of things she had to do today. Wear some pink for anti-bullying day, go to school, finish the history project due on Monday and drive Will, Jem and Cecily back to the Herondale Manor to start a "study group" for AP English Literature.
Jem was another friend in Tessa's little group. Except Cecily, Will and Jem were popular in school. When they were around, nobody noticed Tessa. Only the blue-eyed, black-haired and beautiful Herondales and the handsome and sensitive Jem. But it was alright. Even if her friends weren't there, no one would have noticed Tessa. She was invisible. The only time people noticed her was when Jessamine, the school's most annoying girl and unfortunately, most popular, teased her.
It seemed like an alright day, though the study group usually involved bickering between the Herondale twins, Will and Cecily, Jem trying to stop them from fighting and do work while Tessa did the real work. They had to do a group project for AP English Literature, and they got to choose a book to study on. The themes, the characters and so on. Pretty straightforward – though Will made it hard to get any work done.
Tessa pinched her cheeks to give some colour to seemingly lifeless skin. While she did so, she guided a comb through her light brown hair, untangling the knots as best as she could. Snap. One of the comb's teeth snapped off. Tessa sighed before picking the shard from the comb off the ground and into the trash can. It wasn't the first time that a comb broke because of Tessa's hair. Giving up, she decided to tie her hair into a low ponytail.
Stepping out of her bathroom feeling much fresher, Tessa double-checked that her blinds were closed before stepping out of her pajamas. Once before, Tessa had forgotten to shut her blinds before changing for school and unfortunately – Will caught sight of her naked back. Of course, Tessa had screamed, through something at Will's window to get him to look away.
Tessa put a white tank top on, the neckline very high and almost touching her neck. Tessa was a very modest person and she refused to let any cleavage show – unlike Jessamine of course. She put a gray cardigan over it, covering her white arms and she buttoned it up quickly, almost like a routine.
"Hey!" she heard someone shout. Tessa opened her blinds and peered out her window. Will was standing there and surprisingly bare-chested, with his arms crossed. Tessa blushed at his revealed chest, tearing her eyes away from his stomach that was nothing but abs and muscle. Then, suddenly, Will was pushed aside by a sixteen year old girl in pajamas.
"Tessa!" Cecily shouted. Tessa raised an eyebrow and opened her window. "I have the most important question to ask you."
Tessa nodded for her to continue. "Pink vest with a pink beanie, or pink shoes with pink earrings."
"Are you kidding me?" Will said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "You woke me up early to see Tessa just because of you don't know what outfit to choose?"
"I told you we should just switch rooms," Cecily said, rolling her eyes.
Will was silent as he looked up at Tessa. Even several feet away, Tessa could see the blues of his eyes clear. "Whatever," Will said, before walking away in nothing but boxers.
"So?" Cecily asked.
"Shoes and earrings. I didn't even know you owned pink," Tessa said, rolling her eyes.
Cecily laughed. "I didn't. I stole these from you."
"Hey! Wait. I owned pink?" Tessa asked.
"Back of your closet, right corner," Cecily replied. Tessa stiffened. Those were the things her mom bought her. "What's wrong?" Cecily asked.
"Nothing," Tessa said. "Skirt or jeans?" Tessa asked Cecily.
"Skirt! Let those guys see your legs!" Cecily smirked. Will suddenly appeared.
"I heard see and legs. Who?" Will asked.
"Tessa," Cecily laughed.
Will raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you owned clothes that would let people see more than an inch of your skin."
"Hey! I'm just… conservative. Whatever. I gotta go change. Wait for me in Will's car," Tessa said, and closed her window and blinds. She shucked off her pajama pants and a plaid skirt, coloured with white and gray. Tessa sighed. She never wore real colours again… after her mother died…
The skirt only went to about mid-thigh and she blushed. No way she was wearing so little. She shimmied into a pair of tights and eyed herself in the mirror.
Deciding that since it was anti-bullying day, she put on pink-hooped earrings and changed her black hair-tie for a pink one. Grabbing her textbooks and bag, she rushed out the door without eating breakfast and called a quick goodbye to Nate. Stuffing her feet into dark pink ankle boots, she ran out the door.
Will and Cecily were already in his blue convertible, Cecily in the back seat. Tessa slid into the car, shutting the door behind her. Will was about to turn on the engine when… "Wait!" Tessa shouted.
Startled, Will dropped his keys. "What?" he asked.
"I forgot Vathek!" Tessa shouted, bursting open the car door and running back to her house. She heard Will sigh behind her.
"Oh, my forgetful Tess," she heard Will sigh before she ran in back the door and taking the steps two at a time. She smiled inwardly as she rushed through her bedroom door. Tess was Will's nickname for her. No one else called her that except for him. Checking her phone in her pocket it was already 8:07 – and she was suppose to get to school by 8:15. Vathek was actually Will's, and he had lent it to her. Tessa was just about done, and she was at the part where Vathek met Nouronihar, a beautiful girl that he wanted. Vathek was a man who wanted knowledge – and would do anything to be powerful.
She flipped to her page the moment she jumped into Will's car. Will changed the dial on his radio and G.O.L.D. radio came streaming out of his speakers. Tessa froze, dropping the book in her lap.
"What?" Will asked.
"Nothing."
A familiar perky voice streamed through. It was the voice of Emily, one of the radio show hosts at G.O.L.D. "This is G.O.L.D. radio, coming live from London! Let's start the morning off with a new song by Cher Lloyd! Don't forget, guys. Lucie Manette is coming back on Thursday, 4:00PM to 8:00PM so just be patient! She's coming back, don't worry!" Emily's voice faded away as Cher Lloyd started to sing Want You Back.
"Lucie Manette is pretty popular, huh?" Will said, smiling as he drove. "I'm surprised someone knows so much about the classics…" Will's voice drifted off, fading away.
"Yeah," Tessa said softly, before focusing her mind on Vathek. She couldn't handle her ironic double life.
Cecily looked like she was trying hard not to laugh. Tessa glared at the rear view mirror, hoping Cecily caught her frosty stare. Will turned onto a busy street, leaving the quiet neighbourhood that they lived in.
That's when he stomped his foot on the gas pedal. Tessa almost screamed as he weaved his way in and out through the cars. Many honked at him as he narrowly dodged a passing taxi. "Will go slower!" Tessa shouted, clutching onto her seat for dear life. Cecily looked like she was having fun as she rolled down the windows.
"I'm already going slow!" Will yelled over the wind.
"You're going seventy miles on a forty-five mile limit road!" Tessa screamed. Will charged through a red light. Will laughed as Tessa screamed. "Slow down!"
And Will stomped on the brakes as the tires screeched to a stop right in front of the school. Tessa could smell burnt rubber. "William Herondale!" Tessa shrieked.
Will only smirked before coolly getting out of the car and passing his keys to a dorky-looking kid with enormous glasses, sporting a pink bow tie with a short-sleeved button up shirt.
"Thanks Perry," Will said, winking at the nerdy kid. "Park it near the school and make sure my baby doesn't get a scratch."
"It's Percy…" Percy said.
"Alright," Will said, dismissing it. Then Tessa realized… Will was wearing a pink bracelet.
"You're… you're wearing pink," Tessa said, shocked.
"The entire school population is wearing pink, Tessa," Will said, rolling his eyes. Tessa scanned the student body and realized they all had something pink on them. Tessa's face broke out into a grin. She forgot about berating Will for treating Percy so horribly.
Cecily winked at Tessa. "Look what you can do," Cecily whispered, before strutting off.
"Why are you so happy?" Will asked. Tessa merely shook her head as they walked in together, braving the bustling crowd of hormonal teenagers.
The students parted like the Red Sea for Will, which he smirked at, but Tessa got left farther and farther behind, having to shove her way through the students. Will finally looked behind, seeing Tessa duck under the arms of two football players high fiving. Tessa's messenger bag was slung on her right shoulder but clutched by her left hand as if someone was going to steal something. Vathek was clutched tightly on her right.
Will sighed, moving back and placing a friendly arm around Tessa. But Tessa didn't want Will to touch her. He had no idea what he was making her feel, but Will's arm stayed tight around her shoulders. The students parted for the famous William Herondale, though they still didn't notice Tessa.
Then, some girls covered with makeup from head to toe waved at Will. They looked like clowns but Will waved to them anyways, winking. One girl squealed and they finally caught sight of Tessa. They hissed at her, at Will's arm around her.
Tessa shifted, uncomfortable with the attention. Finally reaching her locker, she almost ran out of Will's grip and put in her lock combination before opening it with a rush – as if the plague was after her.
"Why the rush?"
Tessa turned to her left, where James Carstairs stood, a twinkle of amusement in his brown eyes. His brown eyes were flecked with gold, and were very attractive. People often said that though Will may be hotter, with his chiseled features and deep blue eyes, James Carstairs was beautiful, like a work of art.
"Oh, Jem. You should have seen those clown girls," Tessa shuddered. "They were freaking hissing at me. They were freaking snakes! You should have seen them. Clown snakes!"
Jem laughed as he opened his own locker, right next to Tessa's. "That's not very nice, Tessa," Jem said, though he was still laughing. Tessa grumbled as she put her bag in her locker and taking out her Calculus things out.
Tessa groaned. "I completely forgot to do my Calculus homework last night!" Tessa face palmed herself. Jem looked slightly concerned.
"We still have time before the bell rings… I can help you," Jem said.
"Don't help her, Jem. It's her own fault," Will laughed. He was again, cold. Tessa hated his cold side. Sometimes he could be so nice… and others… "Too busy playing with Cecy. I have no idea what the heck she does on Thursday nights."
"So you know what I do on other nights? You stalker," Tessa glared before opening her Calculus textbook. Tessa slid to the ground, careful to keep her legs together so no one saw up her skirt. She had a sheet of lined paper already tucked in her textbook and Tessa saw that she only had one of the ten proofs done. She sighed before setting off to work, grabbing a pencil from her bag.
Jem sat down beside her before pointing, "That's not the right answer ." Tessa groaned and madly erased her mistake with the back of her pencil.
"I have five minutes to finish freaking nine proofs. And Mr. I'm-Too-Good-For-You," she said, glaring at Will who looked down on Jem and Tessa, "Is completely useless!"
Jem took the Calculus textbook from her gently, taking her pencil and paper with him. Tessa looked at him, eyebrow raised. Then Jem's hand whizzed across the paper as his eyes narrowed with focus. The bell rang then. Tessa groaned.
"Done!" Jem said, handing everything back to her. Tessa stared at the paper, almost dumbfounded.
"I'm so glad I have a genius for a friend," she said finally, hugging Jem quickly before running to Calculus. "Thanks Jem! You're a life saver!" she yelled back at him before disappearing into her class.
Calculus passed by slowly and every ticking second felt like forever. It didn't help that her teacher, Miss Tress, spoke in nothing but a monotone. Tessa sat in the back of the class, trying to keep her eyes open as she listened to the teacher. Half of the class already was asleep, snoring in their textbooks and the other half had their phones underneath the table. But of course. Miss Tress didn't see a thing. Miss Tress was as blind as a bat and was a year away from retirement.
Ring. The bell finally rang and Tessa hurried to scurry out the door, excited for the next class. It was the only other class, besides English Literature, that Tessa truly enjoyed. It was also the only other class, once again excluding English Literature, that Jem, Tessa, Will and Cecily were in together.
Mrs. Finn was standing at the SMART board, waiting for her students to settle in their seats. Tessa dropped into her seat at the very back of the class, waiting for Cecily to come sit next to her. But to her surprise, Jem sat next to her, claiming the spot first. Cecily glared at Jem.
"You can't make me sit with… him!" Cecily cried, pointing at her twin. Will scoffed.
"Really feeling the love, Cecy," Will said as he sat in the table next to Jem. Cecily grumbled as she slid into the seat next to Will.
Mrs. Finn clapped her hands at the front of the class. "Well, you know the drill. Your history project on World War II is due on Monday! Remember. I don't want some boring stupid presentation on how the Germans totally sucked and got owned by the good guys," Mrs. Finn rolled her eyes as she spoke. Laughter rang in the room at Mrs. Finn's use of 'sucked.' A small smile played on Tessa's lips. "Be creative! Make a story, or make it into some sort of fun creative presentation. I don't want a boring essay, alright?"
Tessa grinned excitedly. She was already half-finished. She had written a poem, in the style of Tennyson – a famous poet in the Victorian era – about the Holocaust and World War II.
Tessa continued writing her poem, drowning out the distant chatter of students who weren't working at all. The loudest perhaps, being Will. Jem had moved over to Will's table to shut him up.
Then her poem, pencil and pencil case were swept to the ground, knocked over by an arm. Tessa looked up, to see the pretty face of Jessamine Lovelace, the most popular girl in school.
"What do you want, Jessamine," Tessa asked, tiredly. She noticed Jessamine was covered from head to toe in pink.
"Bookworm. I need you to do my English Literature project for me, since obviously I actually have a social life and since you don't, you have the time to do it!" Jessamine said icily. Her cheeriness sounded definitely false.
"I'm busy," Tessa said, ignoring her and picking up her things. Jessamine's manicured hands slammed on her table.
"Listen, you worm," Jessamine said, her voice dropping down to a whisper. "Do it, or I can make your life a living hell."
Tessa met Jessamine's glare with her own, tired of shying away. "What worse can you do, Jessie?" Tessa asked bitterly. "My legal guardian is my adopted brother. I'm invisible in the school. There is nothing more you can do," Tessa said menacingly. She stood up, towering over Jessamine's short height. Tessa had four inches on the popular blond as she looked down into Jessamine's eyes.
"But you… Jessie. You have so much to lose. Don't anger me," Tessa said before dropping back down and focusing on the Nazis.
Jessamine stalked away, surprised and astonished at Tessa's outburst. Tessa was one to shy away and much like a pushover.
But Tessa never forgot that day… When Jessamine betrayed her very own friendship. Since then, Jessamine stomped all over Tessa and Tessa always let her. Well it was time to get a backbone. Jessamine had ruined Tessa on that fateful day…
"Jessie… my mom…" Tessa sniffled at her locker. Jessamine had concern in her eyes, staring back at Tessa.
"I heard… I am so sorry," Jessamine said sadly. Jessamine hugged Tessa tightly, before releasing her gently. "It'll be alright."
"Jessamine!" a high-pitched voice said. Aline, the school's it girl and meanest two-faced witch you'll ever meet strutted to Jessamine, stroking Jessamine's fine blond hair. Two of her lackeys, caked with makeup, stood behind Aline and was smirking. "Aren't you eating lunch with us? What are you doing with… her?" Aline asked, shooting Tessa a dirty look.
Jessamine was looking at the ground, shuffling her feet. Tessa was surprised. Jessamine and Tessa often joked about Aline and her lackeys. About their stupidity, and their awfulness. Why would Jessie eat lunch with them? And shouldn't Jessamine be defending Tessa? All those times Jessamine was bullied by Aline… Tessa defended her – risking social death in school.
But Jessamine was silent. "Come on, Jess. Let's go," Aline said, linking an arm through Jessamine's. "You don't want to hang out with these dorks and geeks, now do you?" Aline beckoned.
"No…" Jessamine murmured.
"What were you doing with Tessa, the geek, anyways?" Aline purred.
Jessamine's eyes hardened as she suddenly shot a glare at Tessa, who's eyes were bewildered and puffy from crying from her mother. "Just seeing if she needed some makeup. She looks terrible, doesn't she? Too pale, too bony and her eyes," Jessamine shuddered.
Each word she spoke seemed to pierce Tessa's heart. Tessa faltered. "What…? Jessie?"
"Don't call me that," Jessamine spat. "Let's go, Aline."
Jessamine didn't spare her another glance as she strolled away with Aline and her lackeys.
"Tessa. Tessa?" Jem asked. Tessa was shaken out of thoughts and eyed Jem gratefully. "You alright?" he asked. Tessa nodded, packing her things away as the bell rang. She picked up her poem and realized there was a drop of water, marking a salty tear, on the edge of the paper.
I am so happy! BECAUSE i got NINE freaking reviews. SEVEN favourites. and SIX follows all in one chapter! WOOO. Maybe I'm asking for too much... but do you think i can get ten more reviews?
ANYWAYS. Thank you guys so much for reading and being amazing. P.S. Vathek is about this guy who's basically power-hungry and ends up in hell cuz he's... yeah. It's a book basically about his path to hell. (the relationship between Vathek and Will is that Will thinks he's damned as well. in TID at least. And this story too. you'll see where Ella is soon enough)