I know I'm a little late posting this chapter, I'm sorry, but I've been sick and very busy. One of my best friends moved, so I've been spending some extra time with her, and then we went on a family vacation. Again, I'm sorry!

thedarkwhiteangel: Thank you! Yes, I feel bad for him too, though it will be more Jessa later on in this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, unfortunately.

Chapter 11

I woke up on Christmas morning by someone knocking on my door and yelling, "Wake up, Tessa! It's almost ten!"

I sat up and blinked.

"Tessa!" Will yelled, louder this time. "If you don't wake up right now I'll get a bucket with cold water!"

I stood up and opened the door. "My God, Will, I'm up, relax."

Will smiled at me. "Merry Christmas, Tessa", he said and kissed me. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, until we were interrupted by Charlotte calling, "Breakfast!"

Will pulled away, sighing, eyes glimmering. "You should really get dressed", he said, grinned, and walked away.

I hurried to dress, and met everyone else in the kitchen a few minutes later.

Henry smiled at me. "Merry Christmas", he said.

Charlotte spun around, and smiled when she saw me. "Oh, merry Christmas, Tessa", she said and gave me a quick hug.

Jem smiled, too, but it was cold and distant, and my heart started aching. "Merry Christmas", he said, avoiding my gaze.

I sighed inwardly, but tried to ignore it. I wouldn't let my complicated feelings toward Jem ruin Christmas for me. "Merry Christmas", I said and smiled back.

Will arrived to the kitchen about then, and everyone sat down for breakfast. The breakfast was spent small talking a little, and then everyone were off doing different things before the big party later.

I decided I might as well check to see if Nate was home.

I wasn't sure whether I should knock or not, but remembered that I lived there, too, so I just tried the handle. It was unlocked, so I hoped Nate was home.

"Nate?" I called, and waited for his response. At first, I didn't get an answer, and thought that maybe he had a hangover, or something, and was still in bed, but then I saw him coming down the stairs, and smile when he saw me.

"Merry Christmas, Tessie", he said and hugged me. "I didn't know you'd stop by. You should've told me, I could've made breakfast or something."

I couldn't help but smile. He definitely didn't have a hangover, those always made him cranky and irritable. "I didn't know myself until two minutes ago, and I've had breakfast already", I told him.

"Oh", said Nate. "Well, now that you're here, I have to make you something." I opened my mouth to object, but he interrupted me. "It's Christmas, Tessa", he said, his eyes begging me. "You're allowed to eat more than usual."

I started smiling again. "Okay, if you insist", I said.

"I do", Nate said and smiled back.

And for a second, it was just like every Christmas before.

"So, what are you doing for Christmas, sis?"

I blinked. "Oh, uh, well, I'm going to a party with Will tonight, but nothing much otherwise. You?"

"Nothing", he said.

XXX

A few hours before the party, Sophie came, and we got ready for it together.

"So, are you nervous about tonight?" I asked Sophie while doing her make-up.

She bit her lip nervously. "Yes", she said. "Very. I mean, I think it will be like our first date, or something."

I smiled. "Well, from what I've heard about this party, it should be a really big first date then."

"Oh, yes", said Sophie. "It's what everyone talks about before Christmas break. It's only a selective few who comes, at least from school, but it's said to be the greatest party of the year. I believe many wish to go."

"Yeah, so it seems. Do you know if Clary's coming? She said she might, but I haven't heard anything …"

"I guess we'll see at the party", said Sophie. "But I really hope she does. It would be nice to know someone except for you."

"Well, I only know you", I said.

"And Will", said Sophie. "And Jem – what happened between you two, anyway? I thought you guys were friends?"

I finished Sophie's make-up and continued to her hair. "I don't know", I said with a sigh. "We were friends – at least he said so, but then he just … stopped talking to me. He doesn't ignore me or anything, but … I don't know."

Sophie met my suddenly wet eyes in the mirror. "Do you miss him? As a friend, I mean?"

I blinked away the tears. "Yes", I said. "He was a great friend while it lasted, but I don't think I really … appreciated it until it was too late." I brushed her hair carefully.

"I'm sure it will be fine", said Sophie.

"Yeah, sure", I said, and concentrated on her hair.

Sophie noticed me feeling uncomfortable, and changed the topic. "Anyway, so how's things going with Will? You two seem very … happy." She seemed to have a hard time saying 'happy', for some reason.

"Uh, yeah", I said. "It's really great. I mean, we're totally in love, and everything, and he's very romantic, actually."

Sophie's eyes widened a little. "Oh. Wow. Well, congratulations."

"You seem hesitant?" I said.

Sophie shook her head slightly. "No, it's just … well, Will and I haven't exactly been the best of friends. I just didn't know he could be … nice, I guess, but maybe he just needed meet someone … well, someone like you. He seems nicer now, at least."

"Right. Well, I didn't know him before he met me, so I'll just trust your word on that. He really was that terrible?" Somehow, that didn't really fit up with the picture I had of him. Sure, when Sophie had told me all about the Shadowhunters on my first day, it did seem he was a player, and that he wasn't very nice, but if I thought about it, he had never been bad to me. Not really. Not even in the beginning.

"Yes", Sophie said, and I finished her hair. "He really was …" She lost her train of thought as she looked over herself in the mirror. "Wow", she said. "How did you do that?"

I laughed at her shock. "You are really pretty, Sophie", I said, and meant it. "It didn't take much, really."

"Thank you, Tessa. That is really nice of you."

We traded places, and Sophie started doing my make-up. "Okay, now you have to tell me about Gideon", I said.

Sophie blushed. "It's really not that much to tell. We've been talking a bit at school, that's all."

I raised my eyebrows. "That's it?" I said.

"Well, no. We went on a picnic a few weeks ago."

"And?"

"And nothing. We had a really good time, but nothing happened. For all I know, he could just want to be friends. Maybe he doesn't care about me. Maybe I'm just like anyone to him."

"I don't think he'd invite 'anyone' to this, Sophie", I said. "And if he really felt that way, don't you think you'd know that by now? Or do you think he'd lie to you about that?"

"No", Sophie said. "NO, I don't think he'd lie to me, but … Why would he care about me?"

"You're not giving yourself enough credit, Sophie", I said. "You're a great person, and my best friend. As I see it, he'd be crazy not to like you."

XXX

When Sophie was finished with my hair and make-up, we both got changed into our dresses and then spent a few minutes admiring each other.

Sophie had a long, silky light blue dress. Her hair was hanging free over her shoulders in curls, and her eyes looked big and great.

I was wearing a red dress that I probably never would've even tried on if it weren't for Sophie, that looked really great on me, I had to admit that, and my hair was in a cute bun with a few locks hanging free. Sophie had done an outstanding job with making me look pretty.

"I feel like Cinderella!" I said, and Sophie laughed.

"Well, yeah, it feels kind of … weird. I don't think I've ever worn anything quite like this before."

"Me neither", I said. "Maybe we should get downstairs? I think the guests will start coming soon, and it will probably take forever and a half to walk downstairs in these heels."

"Yeah, let's go."

We both walk downstairs. A few people's already arrived –Gabriel and Gideon, Clary and Jace, Alec, Isabelle and Cecily. Will and Jem weren't there yet, so I they probably were still getting ready.

Clary saw us and left the small group, looking slightly awkward. "Hey guys!" she said excitedly. "Thank God you came! They're driving me nuts over there."

"That bad?" I said and smiled.

"Well, yes!" Clary said. "Most of them just pretend I don't exist, which is really awkward and weird, and are you sure this was a good idea?"

"Nope", I said. "It could be the worst idea ever, but I don't know since I haven't been to something like this before. We'll just have to wait and see. If it's too awkward, we can just spend the evening in a faraway corner. It could be our plan B."

Clary laughed nervously. "Okay, well …" I didn't hear what she said after that, because Will and Jem came downstairs, and Will looked absolutely stunning in suit. I already knew he looked stunning – I think a females who'd seen him knew that –, even in jeans and a shirt, but the suit fitted him perfectly. I found it hard not staring.

"Tessa? Hello? Did you hear what I just said?"

I blinked and had to force my eyes to move from Will back to my friends. "Uh, sorry?" I said, blushing.

Clary laughed. "Yeah, that was my reaction, too, when Jace picked me up. I didn't quit staring until several minutes later. It was really embarrassing."

Sophie sighed. "My friends has turned into two weird teenage girls!" she exclaimed.

Will didn't seem to be able to take his eyes off me, either, and I started giggling for no apparent reason.

"Two weird, giggling teenage girls!" said Sophie. "What's wrong with you?"

Clary smiled. "Oh, nothing, just our extremely hot boyfriends in suit."

I felt two strong arms snake around my waist, and my heart started beating quickly. "Hello, Tess", Will said, and I felt his breath tickle my neck. "You look beautiful."

I smiled at my friends, and I'm pretty sure I looked just like one of the teenage girls Sophie had just described. "You don't look so bad yourself", I said and turned around.

"I know", said Will.

I snorted. "Someone's got a great confidence", I muttered, and Will grinned.

"It's part of my charm", he said, and kissed me.

Sophie sighed heavily.

XXX

Later someone started a book quiz. Someone said a quote from an old book – no YA paranormal romance or anything – and the team who guessed the book first got a point. Will and I teamed up.

"First quote", said Henry. "I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul."

"A Tale of Two Cities", I said at the same time as Will. That one was easy; I'd read the book more times than I can count.

"Correct", said Henry. "Next quote. "My dear little daughter," said he, "you cannot be so glad to come back as my arms and my heart will be to receive you.""

"The Wide, Wide World", I said, that one was easy as well.

"Correct. "Surely a pretty woman never looks prettier than when making tea.""

This one was a little trickier, and I had to think for a moment, but Will beat me to it. "Lady Audley's Secret."

Henry sighed. "That's also correct", he said. ""If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.""

"Wuthering Heights", said Clary, clearly proud of herself to beat me to it.

Henry looked relieved. "Correct. Last quote: "I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! - When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.""

"Pride and Prejudice", I said.

"Correct", said Henry. "And I think everyone knows who won."

XXX

The day after Christmas, I went to New York to celebrate Christmas with Ally, Natalie and Luke.

I spent the time on the plane reading the book Will gave me for Christmas (he gave me that and a necklace with a tiny silver heart on it), and took a cab to Ally, where we were all meeting up before grabbing lunch at Taki's.

The taxi ride felt very long because I was keen to see my friends again. I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes. I was still a little tired after last night. It had been a great night.

Then I heard a loud crash and everything went black.

That's my first official cliffhanger! Sorry about that! So tell me, what do you think will happen in the next couple chapters?

Also, the book quiz is actually from Clockwork Princess. In the end, when Tessa goes to find Will, she says there's a competition inside (I think), and I've always wanted to know what it'd be like if they participated, so I wrote it! What did you think? Also, what did you think of the chapter?

- MHC