I'm back with another chapter! Sorry I couldn't get a chapter up yesterday: with Christmas and family I just didn't have enough time to post it. Speaking of which, how were all your Christmases? I hope they went well and were filled with family, food, fun, and presents!

This chapter is pretty short, so I'm going to try to post another short chapter tomorrow. My schedule is looking pretty busy then, too, so no promises.

Edit 7/12: I tried to make Clary needing a ride in a car in NY more reasonable... I guess it's not super demonstrative of life in New York, but it works better for the story lol

Once again, I do not own TMI. :(

"All right, I'm done." Izzy closes her sketchpad with a sigh, and slouches down in her chair.

Once the boys had come home, the apartment had become infinitely louder. It had been impossible to focus, but three long breaks and four hours later, we were both finally finished. I look outside. It's already dark, and the rain hasn't let up. The clock to my left reads 8:30 pm.

I just can't wait to walk home in this weather.

"What did you end up drawing?" I ask, turning back to Izzy.

"I guess you'll see when we present in class," she smirks.

"That's so not fair!"

"Life's not fair."

I huff, rolling my eyes but smiling nonetheless. "I guess you'll just have to wait to see mine, too, then."

She laughs. "I guess that's reasonable." We sit in silence for a moment. "You know," Izzy says. "It's dark, and the weather's nasty. I know Jace has a few friends over, which will be annoying, but if you want to stay overnight, you can."

I think about saying yes. I've never spent the night at someone else's house before; it could be fun. But then again, if I were to sleep here, I'd need to change, which would show off my bruises and scars to anybody who was looking. And what if my shirt rode up while I slept? And I'd need to take off my makeup, which would expose the bruises on my face to anybody who looked at me. No, it's too much of a risk. "I really should get home. Thanks for the offer, though."

Sliding my sketchpad into my backpack, I stand and make my way toward the door. "See you tomorrow."

"Wait," Izzy calls. "You're just going to walk?"

"Yeah, why?"

She gawks. "It's pouring. And dark. And you want to walk through the streets of Brooklyn, alone, with no coat? Sure, that sounds like a great idea."

"Well I don't have a car. The metro's out. Cabs are excessively pricey. And my parents aren't coming to get me."

She sighs. "You're impossible. Wait here, I'll get my mom to drive you." She scurries off, mumbling about how stupid I am and how unfair it is that she doesn't have her license yet.

I contemplate leaving and just walking home by myself. But then again, what's the harm in getting a ride? We live in an apartment now, not an unkempt, thin-walled house. Nobody will be able to tell that we're anything other than a perfect family.

When Izzy comes back down the steps a few minutes later, I instantly regret my decision to accept a ride. Following behind her like a chained puppy is Jace, whining about how he wants to spend time with his friends, not drive some "fiery-haired little girl" back to her house because she's "too young to do things for herself." I scowl.

"Sorry," Izzy says. "Mom has a headache, so Jace'll have to drive you. I'd have Alec do it, but somebody pinned his parking tickets on somebody else, so Alec's license is suspended."

Jace smirks. "That was pretty great. Although I'm starting to regret it right about now."

I roll my eyes. "It's okay, I'll walk. Wouldn't want to inconvenience you." I turn to open the door, but a strong hand pushes it closed. How did Jace reach the door so quickly?

"Don't be stupid. I'll drive you. I was just giving Izzy a hard time 'cause she obviously didn't plan this out."

I sigh. What's the worst that could happen? "Fine."

Jace grabs his keys from a drawer and leads me down to the car.

After I give him my address, the first few minutes of the car ride are spent in such an awkward, deadly silence that I jump in surprise when Jace asks, "So what were you and Iz working on all day?"

I'm so shocked by his question that I can't even think up a snarky response. "We were doing a project for art class."

"You like art?" There's no judgment, no mockery in his voice: just simple curiosity. I don't trust it.

"What's it to you?"

"I was just wondering; trying to make conversation." I don't respond. "I'll bet you're good. You looked really into it when I came in." He noticed that? "Of course," he adds cockily when I still don't answer. "I'll bet you aren't quite as good as I am."

I look over at him. "You're an artist?"

"You don't believe me? Some of my drawings are probably in the backseat. If you can reach them, you can look at them."

I try not to – I really don't want to care about this player's artistic abilities – but my curiosity gets the best of me. I reach back, grab the first paper my hand hits, and bring it up to look at it.

I'm thoroughly disappointed.

"A stick figure? Smiling next to a box house?" I flip the paper over only to see the word MAX scrawled in a child's handwriting. "Drawn by a, what, seven year old?"

"That's Max's?" he exclaims, grabbing the paper from my hands. He sneaks a look at it. "Man, I thought I was getting better." He hands the paper back. "I guess he's starting to outdo me."

I can't help it: I laugh.

"Well, Miss I'm-so-good-at-art, I'm not so sure your drawings are any better than mine." He humphs.

"Oh, I assure you, they are."

"I'm waiting for my proof." He looks over at me and smiles. A real smile, not one of his cocky smirks. It's refreshing. It makes his eyes light up so beautifully…

"I guess you'll just have to keep waiting, then," I retort, shaking that thought from my mind. The car stops as we approach my building, and I dart out of the car. "See ya."

Before Jace can respond, I slam the door and sprint inside, out of the rain. When I get up to my floor, I look out the window. Jace's silver Mercedes remains in the same place I left it. I watch it sit on the curb for a minute or two before slowly pulling out into traffic.

So what do you think of Jace when he's away from his friends? Also, who do you guys want to see more of in the story? If you have any suggestions/comments/ideas leave a review or PM me :D