Chapter three

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For future reference, after this week, I'll probably be updating every Saturday, but since I'm on break right now, I'll update every day (until Sunday).

clary pov

It's been five weeks since the first day of school. I'm okay I guess.

The bullying has gotten worse, since jace has stopped being reserved about joining in on the harassment. I guess whatever sort of truce happened in the coffee shop has definitely ended.

Right now I'm at home.

Looking out the window.

Sketching the trees, how the leafs stick to them like tiny butterfly wings, so fragile to the touch.

I love art. I love feeling what you've made, remembering how it felt amazing and like you had power over what happens to you. Even if it slips through your fingers when you put down the pencil.

I stare at my eyes in the glass reflection. My face looks like a porcelain dolls', smooth white skin, dark red hair. The only thing that separates me is my bright green eyes.

My alarm clock pulls me out of my haze. I woke up at five and couldn't fall back to sleep again.

The alarm reminds me that it is 7 and I have to get to school soon. It reminds me of getting tortured, of slowly walking to the bathroom to clear my face of blood, breathing.

In. Out. In. Out.

I get up from my window seat and pick out a pair of galaxy leggings and a black sweater with TRXYE in white letters. I apply some eyeliner, put on my combat boots and go downstairs with my backpack. It's really heavy today. Mr. Ardu made me redo my whole english essay because it didn't "reach him on a different level" or whatever that means. I thought junior classes would be fun. That's what I heard from Simons older sister, Becca.

I say a quick hi to my mom, having need to get to school early to turn in my stupid english project. I hop on my bike and speed off.

The ride to school lasts way shorter than I want it to. I walk up to the school and grasp the door and pull it open. The school isn't inhabited by kids right now, only teacher, because I mean really, who wants to come to school early? Except for maybe Simon. I'm about to open my locker when I hear footsteps. I look around, and the one and only Jace Wayland is walking towards me. I go back to looking in my locker. I haven't been doing well at keeping my emotions in check lately. No, I don't break down crying, but I sort of talk back to Sebastian's group. Whoops.

Jace gets closer.

"Hey umm Clary?" He murmurs.

"what?" I reply, a little snappily. Whatever. I'm fed up right now.

"Uh well I wanted to say I'm sorry for what's happening to you." He says softly.

My expression softens for a millisecond. And then I realize something.

"This sounds a hell of a lot like what you said at the coffee shop. If you were really sorry, you would stop. So take that fake apology and shove it up your ass." With that I stalked off towards the English room.

After I drop off my essay, I sit in the art room attempting to paint. I'm not that great at it. It's too messy for me. But I like it. It gives me more colors to express myself than sketching does. Even if I suck.

By the time kids start to come into school, I have a blob of weird colors. Red, surrounded by green, black and gold. Gross. I sigh, and put it in the corner, leaving the room to find my friends. I see Isabelle, and walk up to her. We've become good friends these past weeks. I can tell that she really does love Simon. I don't think she has said it yet, but I can tell by how she looks at him.

"Hey Clary! What's cooking?" She greets me.

"Hopefully nothing you made, Iz." I say. Everybody knows that Izzy can't cook, no matter how hard she tries. "No I swear I can! I've taken a lesson!

I'm getting really good and-" she cuts off as her expression brightens. I turn around to see Simon walking up to us.

I excuse myself, laughing, as they embrace. I headed to my first class.

The rest of the periods till lunch go slowly and smoothly, I have all of them with Maia, Jordan and Iz, and with Simon the one right before lunch.

When we finally get out of that one, we go to Simons locker that he shares with Izzy to get to their lunches. When we are walking up to mine, talking about how much we hate the geometry teacher, Mrs. Nun, I hear a squeal. I hurt squeal. I quickly walk down the hall and turn the corner to see Sebastian, Jonathon and Jace kicking and yelling at a young kid with their cronies. A few years ago, the high school merged with the middle school and the elementary school, so while I am a junior, I do meet some younger kids. I recognize this one. I tutored him for a while after his dad left. He's in 3rd grade. I was disgusted. I ran up to the crowd that had surrounded the scene and broke through it. I got on my knees, pulling the boy, Max, into my arms, shielding him from the kicks. I asked if he was okay, and he just whimpered. I looked up and saw that my friends had followed. I picked up max lightly, putting him behind Simon. Then I faced those bastards.

"I have taken being harassed by you for so long," my voice was calm, "but this is disgusting. Beat me up. Punch me. Call me names. I don't care. But you torture a child?" My voice is raising now. "This is unforgivable. And if it's a sin to not 'love thy neighbor', well then. I'll see you in hell."

Sebastian looked like he was going to explode. I noted with a smile that jace looked shocked.

I stalked off, and my friends followed. Then, to my surprise, most of the crowd followed, leaving only popular kids in their wake. I turned to Max, assessing the damage. Split lip, couple of bruises. I prayed that he wouldn't have a concussion. I held his hand, accompanying him to the nurse. He hugged me, and I said I would take him to my house to watch movies this afternoon.

After I left the nurse, I saw jace leaning on a locker. He took a few steps to me, hoping to say something to me I suppose. An empty apology, most likely. I don't stay to find out. I breeze right past him.

I DONT OWN ANY TMI CHARACTERS

-Sophie