Disclaimer: The characters of Mortal Instruments are owned by Cassandra Clare.
"Good morning mom," Clary leaned in to peck her mother on the cheek. She smiled weakly at Clary in return before looking through the newspaper, flipping through the pages of job adverts.
"Mom, don't stress. I'm sure you'll find a job and if we're not having enough income; I'm reluctant to say, but I'll start working." Clary sighed.
"No Clary! Don't. You should focus on your school work; I want you to have a great career when you're older and not to end up like me." Jocelyn exclaimed, looking up with troubled green eyes.
"Mom, just focus on the Wedding, it's going to be wonderful. The best day of your life," Clary smiled at her, and in return she got a real smile back.
"Now, don't stress and we are going to go to that fitting on Wednesday with the Lightwoods alright? And we are going to have a great time looking beautiful." Clary said reassuringly placing her small rounded fingers on top her mom's long slender ones.
"Okay Sweetie."
Alec wiped his brow with his hand before chugged down the water inside his drink bottle.
The sun- warm water spilled inside his mouth, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve before screwing the lid back on with ease.
Jace jogged over across the field, his blonde curls plastered to his forehead in sweat. Alec snuck a look at him, admitting to himself he understood why Clary had fallen for him, but he knew better; and there was still that guy who had given him his number...
"Hey," Jace's long fingers placing on Alec's shoulders, his mouth pulled up in a smirk; but his eyes dark and questioning.
"Hey..." Alec said back, caution rising in his voice. He picked up his gear and walked towards the changing rooms, Jace walking beside him.
"Just Wondering if you we're dating Fray?" Alec smiled inwardly at himself, he could see Jace was jealous of Clary; but his features remained calm except for an eyebrow raise.
"No; why, are you interested?"
"Are you?"
"Don't answer my question with a question," Alec snapped, frowning. Jace grinned at him before jogging towards Sebastian and slapping him on the back, and talking with him heartily.
Alec shook his head towards the ground, and the only word that came in mind was: asshole.
"What are you going to wear tomorrow? I need to come over tomorrow morning so we can get your make up done and pick out the cutest outfit so everyone's eyes will be on you. Oh, My God, talking about cute outfits, there's this great shop that's having a big sale and it is ridiculous. Oh! And there was this cute guy there and I totally think he was interested; he wasn't as cute as Simon though... Is Simon in our homeroom? So what are you going to wear tomorrow?" Izzy rambled at Clary who was lying on her bedroom floor.
"I don't get why it's such a big deal. We're only starting school." Clary moaned, dropping her head in annoyance.
"Were starting school, first day? Cute boys? Outfits? Do you comprendo? " Izzy said into Clary's ear.
Clary wriggled away from her, and sat up to face Isabelle poking out her tongue at her, Izzy slapped her hand on her heart in mock disbelief.
"Fine, fine" Clary flicking her hand at her, "But I will have veto power." Clary exclaimed loudly, crossing her arms across her chest.
Isabelle stifled a laugh before attacking Clary with a pillow, smothering her before the two began a full on pillow fight during midday.
A small cough and a knock broke through the girly shrieks and laughter. Isabelle and Clary faced to see who was standing at the door.
Alec stood at the door, his body standing straight and awkward.
"Sorry, I must've walked in on something." He said slowly eyeing the girls back and forth.
"It's okay. Come in Alec." Clary sighed, patting down her hair.
"Okay... Well," He coughed.
"I just came back from footy and Jace asked me if I was dating you." An awkward silence followed his sentence before Izzy started to choke with laughter.
Clary flushed bright red, but not because she liked Alec more than a friend, but because it meant Jace was jealous of Clary.
Her lips perked into a smile.
"Oh no, - Oh no," Izzy complained at her, catching her breathe from the laughing fit. "We've spent a whole holiday so that you would not fall for Jace."
"Why though?" Clary asked as Alec came and sat down beside her. "I thought the whole point of this plan in the first place was to make Jace jealous."
"That's true, but hasn't he treated you horribly Clare?" Clary winced at the nickname secretly.
"Yeah, but he's my –used to be best friend, I really liked what we had when he wasn't around with his mates." Clary wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging them to her chest and looking out the window.
"We'll I'm your best friend now, you know why? Because I'm looking out for you; that's why," Isabelle crawled over to Clary and gave her a tight hug.
Clary hugged her back.
"I'm not going to tell you how to follow your heart, cause God only knows why you're so stubborn and you never listen to me." Izzy snorted, rolling her eyes.
"But I'll be here for you and I'm willing to slap any backstabbing bitch or getting my revenge on any douche. Oh and so will Alec." She added, nudging him in the ribs.
Alec frowned but smiled sympathetically at Clary,
"I'm not too sure about slapping any girls but I'll be there to look out for you Clary." He nodded.
"Thanks guys, you're the best."
Clary blinked her eyes open groggily, before flashing them open and lurching herself out of her bed and looking at her alarm clock.
The clock read 7:19AM; she sighed in relief and stretched before standing up.
Her room seemed eerily quiet without Isabelle, Alec or Simon and for the first time, she noticed the change.
She walked around the room, inspecting it. An annoying Justin Bieber poster that Izzy had insisted putting up in her room so she could look at him every time she visited hung in a corner, photos of Alec and Izzy replacing and covering the photos of Jace on her wall.
Izzy's belongings scattered on her bedroom floor, makeup, clothes and magazines.
She walked into her bathroom, Izzy's lipstick stains smeared across the mirror that Jocelyn hadn't noticed yet.
Pictures of her and Izzy in wacky outfits plastered to the mirrors. She looked up at them and smiled at her reflection.
For once in her life she wasn't mourning and chasing after Jace, she was actually enjoying what life had to offer.
She leaned forward towards the mirror, her pimples just a faint red haze. Her fiery red hair reached her shoulders, and lay gently against them; her green eyes contrasting with her hair.
A cough sounded from the door, Clary spun around terrified.
Izzy stood against the doorframe, arms crossed and smirking at Clary.
"Checking yourself out there?" Clary turned bright red and pushed past Izzy; walking into her room.
"How'd you get into my house in the first place?"
"Copied your keys when you weren't looking," she shrugged indifferently; Clary stared at her with disbelief.
"Let's see what you should wear today." She started picking clothes out of Clary's closet one by one. Clary sighed, a large wave of emotions crashing down over her mind.
"Izzy, I don't know. I don't know." She shook her head.
"Don't know what?" She walked over to her, putting an arm around her.
"This." She waved her hands, gesturing to herself. "I just don't feel like me." she sniffed, and sat down on the bed. "People are always telling me to just be myself, but I don't even know who I am."
"Sure you do." Izzy argued.
"I don't. After this summer break, I don't feel like me anymore. Those girly clothes replacing my old t-shirt and jeans, makeup and curling irons; they're just not me."
"It's my fault. Look I'll make it up to you, I still get to choose your outfit today, but; I'll make it more... you."
"What's my style though, if I can't figure out who I am how can you?" Clary dropped her head into her hands.
"You're... just Clary. A fiery red head, with a stubborn attitude;" Izzy soothed, picking clothes and throwing them at Clary. "You are tom-boyish and like detail things; you're an amazing artist with great creativity running through your veins and you're beautiful. Happy?"
"Yeah," Clary paused, a long silence followed.
"Sorry about that mood swing, I'm just feeling a little insecure about myself." She sighed before dragging her clothes and a towel into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.
She took a quick shower, letting the steam soak into her skin; before climbing out.
She dried herself and tugged on green off shoulder t-shirt. She pulled on a pair of skinny distressed light blue jeans, the rips and cuts spread through the denim. She walked out of the door and twirled for Izzy.
Izzy chewed on her lip and eyed Clary,
"Do you like it?" Izzy asked Clary nervously.
"Yeah, suits me." Clary smiled. Isabelle smiled widely, baring her pearls.
She jumped up from her seat and pushed Clary back into the bathroom.
"Time for make-up and hair!" She squealed with glee. Clary groaned in response.
"I thought we were sticking to my style."
"Oh please," she snorted, "let me have some fun; now hold still." Clary squirmed under Izzy's flurry of mascara wands and curling irons; she coughed under the foundation powder and the smell of hairspray.
Time seemed to drag on as Izzy continued to apply makeup and fix Clary's bed hair.
"Finished! Now you can gawp at my marvellous work." Clary laughed and eyed her reflection.
Isabelle had managed to keep the make-up light and natural, and her hair bounced around in red luscious curls.
"Wow, Thanks Izzy."
"No need to thank me there's just something missing..."
Clary looked at her strangely, what was missing? Izzy stared back at her, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
She walked out the bathroom door and pulled a small gift box out of her bag. She walked back into the bathroom and stood in front of Clary.
"For you," she smiled. Clary held her breath as she lifted the lid off the box.
Inside the box a necklace lay snuggled within the red cushioning. Half a silver solid heart and lined with green diamantes, words engraved into the surface. The words read, FRIEND. She lifted it slowly; releasing the breath she was holding and cradled it inside her hands.
"Thank you so much Izzy," she breathed, Izzy pulled Clary into an embrace and secured the necklace around her neck.
Izzy picked up her own broken heart lined with purple diamantes which read BEST, and joined it with Clary's.
"Hey, Thanks for driving us Alec." Clary called, hopping out the door. Alec leaned against Robert's car and gave a brief wave.
Clary hopped around, struggling to tug her black converse on. She kicked the door frame and the shoe slid in place, Clary proceeded to pat down her clothing and hair before slinging her schoolbag around her shoulders and walking through the door.
"Bye Mom!" she called into the house before slamming the front door shut and climbing into the car.
Alec slid into his seat and started the engine, the small splutter of the engine soon turned into a purr. He drove off towards St. Xavier's the girls quietly chatting in the back.
The car ride seemed to drag on with Izzy's insane rambling.
"I can't wait to get to school! Oh my god, will I be in your homeroom! I hope so! Do you have any cute guys in your homeroom? Is Simon in any of your classes? Where do we eat lunch? Alec drive faster!" Isabelle rambled.
"Chill Iz, We're here." Alec sighed.
Clary clambered out of the car; meanwhile Izzy was just about to burst with excitement.
The trio walked up the stairs towards the school, people all around.
Clary recognized the familiar faces from sophomore year, and some unfamiliar faces.
They walked through the double doors and the smell of cafeteria food and hand sanitizer hit Clary; they were definitely back at school.
She walked past the rows of lockers, and past the clumps of people, eyes looking at the trio with curiosity.
Clary stopped by her locker and pointed to a door.
"That's the reception, go there and get your timetables and locker numbers. I'll meet you back here." Izzy and Alec shrugged and walked through the door.
Clary opened her locker and began taking books out and shoving them into her school bag.
She looked up to find a few boys eyeing her curiously, smiling and winking. She blushed and smiled politely at them before moving her gaze sideways.
A golden boy strolled casually down the hallway towards her, her heart quickened its pace and she caught her breath.
"Hey Clare."
A/N: OH HO HO. ITS A CLIFFIE. (:
and no, I am not santa claus. I just felt like saying Ho ho Ho. (:
Hope you liked this chapter. Sorry I haven't been replying to your reviews, cause the link wont let me reply them. ):
but I do read every single review and I cant believe I have 75 reviews already.
just a little shout out to Kelly95: YES. I AM KIWI. :D Can people really tell by just reading my chapters?
I encourage everyone to visit New Zealand, cause it is a beautiful country. (:
Thank you lovelies for reading and reviewing.
-Zee