Clary

I'm lifted from my slanting position, and Jace is smiling broadly. The rest of our friends walk into the school ahead of us. I begin to follow them when Jace tugs me back.

"You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," he whispers to me. I blush scarlet and smile at him.

"Thank you. You are the most handsome boy on the face of the earth," I reply. He slides an arm across my shoulders and leads us through the front doors. Looks of lust and hate are thrown at both of us as we walk through the halls.

Jace drops me off at my locker, and gives me a kiss on the cheek before heading to his own. Immediately, I'm pounced on by Izzy.

"Did you check the school site?!" she practically screams.

"No, I just got to my locker," I explain. She shoves her phone into my hands and I observe the screen. It's the poll for homecoming queen.

"Iz, you know I don't care about-" she shushes me and holds the phone right in front of my eyes.

"YOU'RE IN THE LEAD FOR QUEEN!" she squeals. My eyes widen, and I grab the phone.

"Oh my gosh," I mutter. I'm winning by a hundred votes over Kaelie. That is unheard of.

"Why?" I ask.

"After your little smooch, and your new look, everyone started voting for you," she tells me.

"So makeup, a skirt, and Jace's lips gave me the lead," I say sourly.

"Yeah, but who cares?" she replies. I don't say anything, but the whole ordeal makes me annoyed. These people don't know the first thing about me, yet when I start to act and look like them, I'm voted for. Izzy scurries off to her locker, and I slam mine shut.

I trudge to first period, and am about to walk through the door when I feel an arm sling over my shoulders. I instinctively lean into the embrace, assuming it was Jace, Jon, or Simon, but when an unfamiliar scent invades my senses, I recoil from the body.

I look up to see Sebastian. He somehow easily turns his annoyed scowl into a soft, almost boyish grin. If I didn't only see a serpent offering the forbidden fruit when I look at him, I may have gone weak at the knees.

"What the hell do you want?" I ask in an almost bored tone. Que the mental fist bump!

"I just wanted to congratulate you. You're a shoe-in for homecoming queen," he smiles, leaning casually against the locker. It's an easy enough conversation, but his eyes dance with predatory fire, and I know I must tread carefully, regardless of the fact that the hallway is still milling with students.

"Thank you, I have to get to class," I curtly reply. I slip around him, and when his fingers close around my wrist, I immediately twist out of his grasp and stumble into my homeroom. Curse these heels!

I feel a pair of hands steady me. I look up and sigh in relief when I see Simon.

"Rough morning?" he asks confused as he walks to the desk he occupied before I arrived.

"Yep," I reply, collapsing into the seat beside him. He looks like he wants to ask about it, but as he watched me rub my temples, he remains quiet. We talk for a few minutes about anime and the new magna he got last weekend.

Soon, we're on our way to class.

Jace P.O.V

I'm sweating bullets, my hands are shaking, and my mouth feels dry.

"Iz, I don't think I can do this," I say, turning to my raven haired partner in crime, who is perched on one of the office chairs, waiting for the final part of my plan to take action.

"Yes you can. You can't back out now!" she begins, waving her hands in the air, clearly exasperated by my hesitance. She calms herself and sighs. She takes my shoulders in her hands, and forces me to look into her intense brown eyes.

"Jace. Clary will love it. You love her, don't you?" she asks. This takes whatever breath I had left away. I never thought about it, but now that I think about it, I do. I really love Clary. I nod firmly.

"So, you should do this for her," Iz states simply, releasing my shoulders, but she nudges me over to the intercom system. I take the receiver in my hand, and take a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

Clary P.O.V

I'm walking with Jon and Simon, looking for Izzy so we can go to lunch. I'm walking past the main office when we hear someone come over the intercom.

"Finally," I hear Simon mutter. Before I can ask what he's talking about, I hear a familiar voice.

"Hello, student body and staff, this is Jace Wayland, captain of the soccer and football teams her at Idris High. I have a special question for a very special girl," I see him talking into the receiver through the glass of the main office. Iz is sitting nearby, bouncing in her 6" heels.

"Clary Fray, will you go to homecoming with me?" his eyes find mine through the glass. Everyone in the halls hold their breath, awaiting my response. I just walk through the door of the main office. Jace watches me as I approach him. I grab the front of his shirt and pull his face to mine. His lips slam into mine, and his arms immediately link around my waist. We hear cheers coming from the hall, and our friends, but the kiss is cut short by a booming voice.

"CLARRISA ADELE!" Crap. I pull away from Jace.

"Hi, dad,"