WARNING: This story contains coarse language, abuse, cutting, and I'm not really sure what else yet. If that could trigger a reaction or you can't handle it, then please don't read.

I wish I owned the Mortal Instruments, but I do not, seeing as I am not Cassandra Clare.

"Okay, so if this is the main entrance, then where's the office?"Clary wondered aloud. She had been looking for more than twenty minutes, and she hadn't seen any sign of an office. Just then, a boy- scrawny, with curly black hair and round glasses- ran around the corner too fast and crashed into her, causing her to cringe away from him. Looking up, she realized how ridiculous she must seem, cowering in fear just because he ran into her on accident.

The boy ran over to her instantly. "Oh my god! I am so sorry- I didn't mean to run into you. Are you okay? Do you need to go tho the nurse? I'm Simon by the way, but you probably don't care to know that. I should really stop taking. My big mouth always gets me into trouble. I really am sorry!"

"Simon, right? You don't need to worry about it. I'm fine. You didn't hurt me, it was just a natural reaction. I used to have trouble with the kids at my old school. I'm just used to ducking, that's all." she lied easily. "And I hate to have to ask you this, but do you know where the office is? It's my first day and I still need to pick up my schedule."

Simon looked immensely relieved that I wasn't mad at him. "Yeah, I do. Come on, I'll show you." He started walking down the hallway, then stopped when he realized she wasn't following him. "Hey! You coming or not?"

Clary blinked rapidly, shaking herself out of her thoughts. "Yeah, sorry. I'm just kinda out of it today."

Simon shook his head. "Well, at least you're new. Even the people that have been here the whole year still have trouble finding the main office, 'cause it's on the second floor on the other side of the hall, as where most schools have it right at the main entrance."

Clary smiled sheepishly. "Oh... But... Wait a minute! That doesn't make any sense!"

"Yeah, it's pretty weird. I think they did that just to confuse new students." he replied humorously.

"Yeah? Well if that's the case, it's working." Clary muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Simon to hear.

He laughed at her. "Glad someone understands how I feel." Clary looked at him questioningly. "I was new last year." Simon explained. "I should probably warn you, the kids here are gonna give you so much shit just because you're new, or you're short, or maybe even because you have red hair. They'll find stupid reasons like that to put you down, but they only do it because they're worried you're going to damage their reputations. Just remember that you're welcome to sit with me and my friends at lunch, unless you don't want to that is, and if that's the case, I totally understand, I wouldn't want to hang out with me either. I just thought-"

"Simon!" She cut him off mid-sentence. "I would love to hang out with you guys! It just can't be after school."

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

"My dad's really strict about that." she said. Technically I'm not lying... she told herself. I don't need to feel bad about it.

"Wow... I can't imagine having parents that strict. Mine let me do whatever I want." Simon said it as if he couldn't believe that someone would be that strict. "So, what do your parents do for a living?"

Clary looked down, suddenly finding her toes to be very interesting. "I never knew my mom. She could have died giving birth to me for all I know and my dad's an accountant. What about yours?" You're not really lying, Clary, she reminded herself. You're just bending the truth a little, that's all.

"Nothing interesting. My mom is a real-estate agent and my dad died when I was young. I don't remember him at all."

"Oh... I would say I'm sorry about your dad but I know how annoying that gets. Let's change the subject. Um... Wanna play would you rather?" Clary grinned mischievously.

"Sure. Should I be worried?" Simon looked slightly unnerved.

"Not really. The rules are simple: we take turns asking totally out-there questions, and both of us have to answer. You have to say 'would you rather this or that?' and you have to answer with only one of the choices. You can't say neither or both, and you can't skip the question. If something doesn't apply to you, you just answer as if it does. Got it?" She continued to grin, and it was really starting to creep Simon out.

"I think so. You can start with the questions." he said, not quite sure what he had gotten himself into.

Clary clapped her hands gleefully. "Yay! I'll start off with the easier questions, I guess. Would you rather have no one show up to your wedding or your funeral?"

Simon looked shocked. "That's an easy question? I'd hate to see a hard one. And I would rather no one show up to my wedding, I think, because it would hurt more to know that no one cared enough about me that when I died they didn't even bother showing up to my funeral. You?"

Clary answered instantly. "I think I would rather have no one show up to my funeral because I hate making people sad, and they probably wouldn't care anyways. The only way someone would go to my funeral is if they were being paid to or they had some major problem with me and they wanted to curse my grave. Either way, I'd prefer to avoid that situation. Your turn for a question!"

Simon glanced over at her, surprised that the question hadn't affected her at all. Wow... he thought to himself. It doesn't bother her at all? She must really believe it. Shaking himself out of his thoughts he asked the first question that came to his mind. "Would you rather brutally murder your entire family or be part of the human centipede?" He could have slapped himself. Like she would actually know what that is!

Surprisingly, she answered right away. "Horror movie fan, huh? Finally, someone that speaks my language. And brutally murder my entire family. Sometimes I want to do that anyways. Well except for my brother, but I don't think it would affect anything too much. How about you?"

Simon grinned, glad she had understood what he had been talking about. "Same. Your turn."

Clary thought for a moment. "If you had a daughter, would you rather her have no friends or be a total slut?"

What kind of questions are these? Simon wondered. "No friends. As bad as that would be, it would still be better than her being on the bitch-squad." Clary busted out laughing, then winced slightly.

"Same, and for the same reason. I usually only refer to the cheerleaders as the bitch-squad though."

Simon grinned. "Yeah, I guess that would make more sense. Hey, this is the office. I can wait for you and show you to your next class if you want." He said it like a question.

Clary gave him a grateful smile. "Yes, please do. I can get lost anywhere, and chances are I wouldn't be able to find any of my classes. I should only be a minute in here." She turned and slipped through the office doors. Walking up to the secretary, she said, "My name is Clarissa Fray. I'm here to pick up my schedule."

The secretary smiled sweetly. "Of course dear. It's right here. Let me know if you need anything. I'll send your teacher a notice so she knows you're going to be there. Have a nice day, dear."

Clary winced at the pet name, but faked a convincing smile. "Thank you! I'll be sure to do that but I doubt it'll be necessary. Have a nice day!" she said in the nicest tone she could muster, then spun on her heel and hurried out the door to where Simon was waiting for her. She opened her schedule. "I don't even know what floor any of these are on, much less how to find the room numbers!" she cried out, frustrated.

Simon shook his head. "Here, let me see." He scanned over it quickly, then started walking. Clary had to run to catch up. "Okay, so you have English with Mr. Starkweather first, that's on the first floor, then you have History with Ms. Fairchild-" Simon cut off the rest of his sentence because Clary had suddenly turned pale. "Clary? You okay?" She only nodded in response. Slightly worried, Simon continued. "As I was saying, Ms. Fairchild is the room directly across from Mr. Starkweather's. Then you have lunch, so I'll come find you and show you the cafeteria, and we can discuss the rest of your schedule then. Okay?" Clary nodded slowly, like she was trying to memorize the information. "This is your classroom. I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

Clary finally answered verbally. "Okay. Bye, Simon!" She watched as he ran back up the stairs, then turned back to the classroom door.

Here goes nothing...