Isabelle Lightwood was seething.

She had been so close to getting her chance to corner Meliorn. He was right there, feet ahead of her in the hall, shoulders above the rest, his green-tipped hair shining - and then suddenly people were pushing her out of the way, screaming and shoving, and she lost sight of him.

She'd stepped on someone's foot in her anger, her heel probably cutting through their shoe. But she didn't care.

She'd never hated this damned school so much for getting in her way.

In fact, as she slid into the creaking old desk of her first period class, she decided the only thing she hated more than CCHS right now were Alec and Jace. From what she'd heard, they'd been a part of the fight that broke up her magic moment. And how the hell had they managed that, anyway? She'd run ahead of them in the parking lot. How did they get out of the car and into the building AND manage to jump into a fight against that asshat, Bat before the bell rang?

And where the hell were her keys? Alec better have them. He may be an idiot, but her older brother was usually the responsible one. Although mom and dad would just love to hear that he'd been involved in a fight today. That was usually Jace's MO. He didn't even get in trouble anymore like he used to.

Isabelle was convinced he always got off lighter than he should, courtesy of being a foster kid. He'd been through enough, mom would say. Not that she or Alec knew any of the particulars - unless Jace had some heart-to-heart moment with her brother that she didn't know about. And that wasn't likely.

She scowled, tapping one nail against her cheek, wishing the next thirty-four minutes would fly by. Because she had scouting to look forward to, and only five minutes in the hall to manage it before the bell rang again.

Clary was shaken. Even though she hadn't gotten a good look at anyone involved in the fight, just the reality that there had been one, that she was attending a school now where apparently fights were a regular thing kind of freaked her out.

And from the talk going on before the teacher arrived, it had all started because a football jock wanted to pound a gay student who came to school covered in glitter.

So the poor boy hadn't actually done anything, except be different.

Clary had no idea hate crimes still happened with regularity. She didn't feel prejudiced against anyone - and would never think of hurting someone because of the way they looked. She didn't want to hurt anyone!

Did that make her a prime target, too? Being short and red-headed, and the new girl?

Was it silly to worry?

Public school was fast turning into a very scary place to be.

Jace headed out of the office first, folding his pink slip two times before sliding it into his back pocket with a snicker.

Another after-school was worth head-butting Bat. Hell, if he'd had two more minutes with the kid, he could have made some improvements to his face. Starting with snapping a few bones in his crooked nose.

Alec would be pissed. He would say he shouldn't have gotten involved - conveniently forgetting he was there first.

Somehow Alec had managed to get out of punishment of any kind. Maybe he'd worked something out with Mr. Church, staying behind to help Bat's punching bag. He was good at that part - the clean-up. A shoulder to cry on. He was always there to offer one to Jace. Only Jace didn't need it, didn't want it. And he knew Alec cringed every time he shrugged him off, but then why didn't he stop trying? Why didn't he get the message?

In other news, Bartholomew was probably facing a suspension. He'd started the fight. The whole school saw it. While he deserved a beat-down more than a week off school, it would have to do. One less jerk to pass in the hallway.

Ducking late into his class, Jace was greeted by a few whistles and a number a of shy waves from the ladies.

He grinned and took a bow, before the teacher told the class to shut it and Jace to take his seat.

Thirty minutes into the period, it sounded like the bell had gone off prematurely. Only, in addition to the shrill sound, silver lights flashed in the hallway.

And ten seconds later, it was still going off.

FIRE ALARM!

Each of the classroom doors slammed open. Teachers moved to direct the flow of students pouring into the hallway.

"SINGLE FILE OUTSIDE!" Someone tried to instruct them, but no one seemed interested in lining up. They did gravitate in the right direction, however, the student body collecting en masse outside on the green.