A/N: Alright, guys, I know it's been a long time since I posted the prologue, which I think had been a bit long for a prologue. Anyway hopefully the fact that this chapter is fairly long will make up for the absence and continued absence since papers, finals, and presentations are coming up for me. I actually should be working on a 7-8 page paper due at four tomorrow, but instead I'm procrastinating and updating the story. I'm not procrastinating too bad since I do have the entire paper written and have had several drafts finished, I'm just still not quite happy with parts of the paper yet. But regardless, I don't know when my next update will be since the rest of April and early May are the last class days signaling major work days, then in Mid to late May I will be on vacation to Florida, and by the time June comes around I will be starting my first summer class followed by next summer class in July. Ah, summer school sessions, what joy. I might possibly have time to work on the story in Florida, but it's not a guarantee. But let's get on with the story.

*SPOILER WARNING FOR CLOCKWORK PRINCE IN THIS CHAPTER* It's NOT ANY MAJOR SPOILERS, don't worry if you haven't read the book yet. It's just that one character introduced in the beginning of Clockwork Prince will be mentioned briefly in this chapter.

Chapter 1

The Days of Anew

The morning was silent as usual when Tessa woke up. The Tale of Two Cities rested upon her, open about midway through the book. Tessa picked it up, closed it, and set it on the night stand.

Her room was still pretty bare as she unpacked very little, not that there was much to unpack anyway. The most type of possessions she had were her books.

She looked out the window to see that it was still fairly dark outside and then to her clock to see that it was only a little after five in the morning. She had a couple of hours to shower, dress, and eat before Aunt Harriet drove her to school.

The first day of high school in a new small town where she knew no one. Her stomach started to tighten at the thought.

She desperately wished she was back in New York City. True, the public high school there would have many more students than the entire population of this small town and for one Tessa hated crowds. But at least in the high school there she would have a chance at least for recognizing some of her previous classmates and she knew for certain that she could recognize Nate's friends in a heartbeat. But New York was also the state she was born and grew up in and knew her way around. She knew which subway station to take to get to which destination and at what time. She had even started going by herself without her Aunt Harriet for almost a year now. And she could give one heck of a whistle for a cab.

Against the wall behind her bed she heard rustling and new that Nate had come back home sometime during the night when she had fallen asleep. Relief filled her. As much as she couldn't stand the actions of her brother she still felt glad when he was in the house alive, unharmed. The relief, however, did not last long.

There was more rustling, then a loud noise as if something had fallen, and a string of curses from an all too familiar voice. Tessa froze in the middle of the room. She hears shushing coming from the inside of the room and then there were footsteps coming from downstairs towards the staircase.

The tight clench on her heart loosened as Tessa heard the familiar clack of Aunt Harriet's shoes from downstairs. She could hear her Aunt Harriet take a few steps on the staircase as if coming up to investigate before deciding to retreat back down the stairs and disappear.

There was chuckling from the other room. "Told you she wouldn't come up here. She doesn't have the balls. Now, where did you put the rest of the stash?" There was more shuffling, louder now.

Tessa heard the haziness in Nate's voice and knew what exactly was going on in the next room. It was the first day of school, but Tessa knew that Nate would not be making his appearance there for today and maybe that was for the best. But suddenly those couple of hours away before school start felt like an entirety for her. She never wanted to go to school so badly in her life.

Will sat at the table in the Starbucks drinking his coffee, black and dark. His mother wouldn't be too thrilled if she knew her fourteen year old son was drinking coffee. She always lectured how addictive it was and complained how bitter it tasted even though she herself had one cup a day (with extra milk poured in). For the most past though, Will stayed away from coffee. But today was the first day of school, the first day of high school and Will had a feeling he would be needing the extra caffeine.

"Do you know your classes?" Jem asked stirring his own drink from across the table. He was stirring his tea (as he also didn't believe in coffee) and shifted through his papers.

Papers with listing of classes, room numbers, and teachers' names, Will saw.

Overachiever.

"Nope," Will replied as Jem glanced up. He took a long sip of his drink while Jem studied him.

When Will set the cup back down Jem asked, "Are you going to look at the list before we go to school?" Will shrugged. Jem narrowed his gaze. "Did you even bring the list with you?"

"I believe not," Will said as he turned his eyes toward the window. He could still see Jem from the corner of his eye shaking his head but already reaching for his bag. Will's lips curved up slightly as he added, "But I believe I need not worry about that." He turned just as Jem set folded pieces of paper on the table between them. Will picked up the sheet and briefly glanced over the list all the while saying, "I know I can always count on you James."

Jem only replied, "I really worry what would you do without Amelie and me, Will." Before Will could respond Jem looked at his watch. "Ten minutes before the first bell rings and it will take about six minutes at least to get over to the school." Jem stood, pulling a few dollars bills from his pocket and placing it on the table, and waited. Will downed the rest of the coffee in two gulps, a record for him, stood up, paid for the rest, and started heading for the door with Jem.

As Will looked down at the schedule in his hands he started to wonder what he would do without Jem or Amelie in his life.

After a quick briefing with the assistant in the principal's office Tessa held her school schedule tightly in her hands while Aunt Harriet gave her a few parting words and left. Nate, to neither of their surprise, showed up for breakfast that morning. Aunt Harriet still played it off to the principal saying he wasn't feeling well and would possibly coming by the school later in the day. Tessa didn't need a heart detector to tell that her aunt was lying, but the principal didn't think too much of it and handed Aunt Harriet his schedule in case he was unable to make it for the day.

The second bell rang as Tessa stood in the front hallway. The people in the hall were starting to lessen as they found their ways to the classroom and with a sigh Tessa looked at her schedule in her hand and then the map. It was just her luck to have her first be in the classroom the furthest in the school. With a quick re-glance at the room number Tessa dashed down the hall in search of her first class, hoping not to be too late.

The day went steadily by as she entered the fourth class of the day, one right after lunch. To Tessa's relief no one paid her much attention and none of the teacher's had made an announcement about her new revival or even worse ask her to say a few things about herself. It was the one thing she had been dreading the most being put on the spotlight and most of the novels she read where the character made her first arrival in a new school there would be a big deal made. But here, for this small town, it appeared the rules were different where no one gave much mind to the new student.

Reaching the door of her science class she could see that not too many people were inside, it was pretty bare. There was still about eight minutes left before class so that wasn't much of a surprise. Tessa took her seat near the back, not wanting to bring much attention on herself and waited as the clock ticked by and students slowly started filling the classroom.

Tessa looked around the class and saw that every other seat was taken except the one next to her. She was the only one in the class who didn't have someone sitting next to her. And as she took in all the smiling faces that were talking rapidly to their tablemates she tried not to feel left out, this was what she wanted to be unnoticed yet she didn't want to be completely ignored.

After eyeing the class Mr. Ross looked at the clock and then down at his watch and shook his head. He was about ready to speak when someone burst into the room.

Tessa stared at the slightly disheveled, out-of-breath girl with long, flowing blonde hair cascading down to her waist. She was standing in the doorway of the classroom clutching papers in her hand while her back-pack (which looked suspiciously empty) hung loosely over one shoulder. She had a heart-shaped face, startling chocolate brown eyes, and curves that any girl in the classroom would kill for. Of course those curves were only enhanced with the cheerleading outfit she wore with—what seemed to Tessa—an incredibly short skirt.

The teacher turned his eyes over to the girl and looking over the rim of his glasses gave her a very annoyed look. "Pushing it already, Ms. Lovelace, don't you think?"

The girl simply threw her hair back over her shoulder while giving a hearty laugh to the teacher. "Oh, Mr. Ross, you wouldn't believe how demanding the cheer association can be," the girl replied throwing her hands in the air and smiling. "It's a very time-consuming field, cheerleading." She handed over the papers in her hand to the teacher as he looked through them.

"Uh, huh," Mr. Ross replied still not looking all too happy. "Go ahead and take your seat Ms. Lovelace," he told her as he set the papers down on his desk. The girl flashed him an award-winning smile before gliding down the aisle to sit next to Tessa. "Alright, class, I hope you picked the right seats for today because for the rest of the year the person sitting with you will be your lab partner for the rest of the year. So, I'll give you exactly two minutes to introduce yourselves and become acquainted with each other after that I will give you your first assignment." He went over and sat down at his desk and the room instantly erupted into conversation.

Tessa turned towards the girl sitting next to her.

"My name's Jessamine. Jessamine Lovelace," Jessamine said holding out her hand. "I guess we're going to be partners."

"Tessa Gray," Tessa replied shaking Jessamine's hand. "I guess so."

They let go of each other's hand and Jessamine tilted her head. "I don't believe I've seen you before and I know practically everyone in this town. It's not very big."

"No. It isn't," Tessa replied. "And I just moved here. I'm from New York." Jessamine's eyes widened and she straightened up quickly into a position even Aunt Harriet would have been proud of.

"Really? The Big Apple, you say?" Jessamine asked with a smile and Tessa knew then that she had made at least one friend for the day.

"Are you a sophomore?" Tessa asked Jessamine as they walked down the hallway after class let out.

"No, I'm a freshman," Jessamine replied.

Tessa narrowed her eyes as she asked, "But you're a cheerleader already?" It was the first day of school, how could she already be a part of the cheerleading team.

Jessamine nodded and chuckled. "Yeah, well, we do things different in this town. Cheerleading tryouts were held over the summer a few weeks before school started. The high-school likes to have a full cheerleading team at the very beginning of the school year," she said smugly, emphasizing every other word. "I guess it's why we're the best in the state." Her eyes were shining bright with pride as if she had something to do with it even though she had just started.

Movement down at the end of the hallway caught Jessamine's attention. She made a scoff of deration as she shook her head. "Oh, Mindy, when will you learn that blue is not your color."

Tessa looked in Jessamine's direction eyesight, but didn't see anything significant, just a throng of students pushing their way to class or standing around chatting away. And there were a lot of students wearing blue.

With a quick shake of her head Jessamine looked back over at Tessa and seemed to be appraising her as she looked at her from head to toe. Tessa started to feel uncertain of her own choice of appearance; no one usually gave her much of a glance. She was more of the girl who blended in the group with a nose in a book that no one spared a look at.

And she was fine with that. It was much better than being assessed and judged.

Before Tessa could comment a quirk in Jessamine's lips appeared before she said, "See you in class tomorrow, lab partner," and with a gracefulness Tessa didn't know was possible Jessamine turned and blended with the crowd.

She was gone in seconds. Tessa scanned through the crowd, but she could not catch a glimpse of the blonde hair swishing back and forth. In that moment Tessa envied Jessamine just a little for disappearing blending in with the crowd so easily. She felt out of place as she was jostled through the crowd.

After a short conversation with Melinda, aka "Mindy", about her poor choice in fashion styles, Jessamine headed towards her final class of the day and her most dreaded, gym class.

Granted Jessamine was an active, athletic girl, always had been. She had taken gymnastics and dance both when she was young and now she was in cheerleading. The only difference was that in this gym class it wasn't just about getting active but getting physical. It was a fight class no matter how many times they tried to spin it to her. 'Self-defense' was usually their biggest alternative word, but Jessamine knew better and she knew that the last thing she wanted to do was fight someone, much less a guy. It wasn't what she believed in, but Charlotte refused to let her get out of this one.

She walked slowly, very slowly, down the halls towards the outdoor gym on the other side of the school. She took the long way as well, which was also the deserted hallways that contained very few classrooms, mostly the rooms were for storage.

There was a sudden crash that startled Jessamine in mid-walk. She turned her head towards one of the storage rooms on the left side of the hall. A muffled but distinct voice sounded through that almost made Jessamine roll her eyes.

"No…I have to get to class…you're going to make me late…" Followed closely by several giggles.

Jessmaine didn't need to open the door nor did she need x-ray vision to know that Amelie was in there with Will.

With a smirk and a shake of her head she headed the rest of the way to gym class.

It was Spanish class one, the last class of the day for Tessa, and her most dreaded one. Tessa never had much trouble with school she excelled especially with literature class and even her history classes she could ace without trying too hard, not that she would ever brag about that. Okay, she maybe she might have the urge once and a while to gloat over Nathaniel or revel in with Aunt Harriet. Not that either would listen to her.

However, everyone had their Achilles' heel and for Tessa that was a foreign language. Upon Aunt Harriet's request she took French when she was younger, or tried to anyway. She took the class for almost three years, but was never very successful at it. She memorized the words, the phrases, and even had the accent almost perfect, but that was the problem. All she did was memorize and repeat, she could never think in French but always have to translate her English into French or her French into English. And according to her French teacher if she could never to think in the language she would never learn to truly speak it.

But as the Scottish poet and author, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, "You cannot run away from a weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?" Already standing inside the classroom, Tessa might as well stay and fight to get through the year with a passing grade.

Quickly scanning the desks, she saw that already all the students had arrived in the class causing Tessa to feel self-consciously late. There was only one desk, near the back, next to a girl with short brunette hair in a razor sharp hairstyle with luminous dark hazel eyes peeking out. She had several earrings across her earlobes, a silver cross necklace hanging around her neck, and a dark jacket wrapped around her.

She was pretty, almost enough to compete with Jessamine's looks. Only one aspect was out of place that marred her beauty slightly. A scar as clear as morning light from across the corner of her mouth all the way to her temple.

Her head lifted up and she narrowed her eyes as if studying Tessa, but it only lasted a few seconds. Whatever it is she saw either pleased or amused her as she turned her head back down with a smirk.

Gym class had been in session for a total of four minutes before Amelie slid through the doors and sidled up to the front standing in between Thomas and Jessamine.

The coach continued to speak not noticing the newest member in the gym even though she had been half-turned to the door and could have easily seen her out of the corner of her. This didn't surprise Jessamine much though. Amelie Summers had always known how to slither unnoticed. As the coach turned her back fully to the girls, Jessamine leaned over and under her breath said, "Have a nice rendezvous in the storage closet? I didn't even think you would stoop so low Amelie."

And a half-second later the coach blew her whistle a signal for everyone to scatter with the partner they had chosen for the day.

Jessamine smiled and turned leaving Amelie wide-eyed as she walked over to the weight lifts with Thomas. She had known the boy for a long time, although that could be said about anyone in the school excluding a few such as the new girl from New York. But she remembered when he and his brother Cyril would come over to the house when they were younger with their parents who had been good friend with Henry and Charlotte. And while the two boys looked a lot alike in their bone structure and coloring, they could easily be told apart by the fact that Cyril had been well-built and robust while Thomas had been lean and scrawny.

It wasn't too much of a surprise to Jessamine when Cyril had enlisted into the army. Looking at Thomas she could still see very much of Cyril in him in the way his lips curled and his brow furrowed. He hadn't changed much since they were kids, he still looked fairly lean although Jessamine could see the faint lines of muscles and the new weather-beaten look on his face that she knew hadn't been there before Cyril's departure.

But she still couldn't forget the time when William had visited and while he couldn't bring Cyril down easily, when they were tumbling around the way little boys do, he had no trouble brining Thomas to the ground even though he had been older and taller than Will.

Not much could have changed since those days, which was why Jessamine picked him thinking he wouldn't be too hard of an opponent. Since there was no way Jessamine was going to pick one of the girls to partner up with she knew most of them well enough that the girls scratched and clawed and Jessamine was not going to let her face or clothes come into damage. Thomas, she thought, she could take. But by the end of the class she realized that more changes had occurred than she had originally thought.

"Buenos Diez, senorita," the teacher exclaimed before Tessa was able to take her seat and safely blend into the class.

Tessa froze as she stared at the teacher who was smiling at her, hands clapped together. She had thought she would make it through the day without too much of a fuss with the new student status quo and so far the teachers had been more than willing to comply by barely sparing her a second glass. This teacher Tessa realized was going to be different.

"Clase," the teacher announced addressing the other students as she came to stand next to Tessa. "Quiero que usted diga hola a nuevo estudiante."

On cue the class said, "Hola" in unison and Tessa started wondering how late she had been to this class or if she was in the wrong one.

Before Tessa had a chance to ask the teacher turned to her and said, "Puede usted por favor decrimos de donde usted es?"

Tessa stared at her teacher blankly and realized this was going to be a long class. But fortunately enough the girl with the scar threw Tessa a life vest and said, "Tell us, where are you from?"

The teacher frowned slightly at the other girl as Tessa smiled gratefully to her and stated clearly and in English, "I'm from New York City." She turned her head to the teacher and said, "I think I might be in the wrong class."

But the teacher only shook her head and to Tessa's relief pushed her towards her desk. "Nonsense. This is Spanish One, the class where we will speak nothing but Spanish, the only real way to learn."

When Tessa had reached her desk and sank down the rest of the class groaned. When the teacher turned to the board to write—what Tessa assumed was the lesson plan but couldn't tell because it was in Spanish of course—the girl next to her stuck out her hand and said in a voice not as soft as a whisper but quieter than a regular voice, "Sophie Collins."

With a slight shake of her hand Tessa replied, "Tessa Gray."

A/N: I took Spanish for about four and a half years, but I don't remember much so there may be sentences that are off such as being not in the correct grammar.

When Jem finally caught sight of Will he was running, a little out of breath, and late, very late.

But Jem was not the only one to notice Will's sudden, disheveled, appearance the teacher was also taking note.

"Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence Mr. Herondale," the teacher spoke in Will's direction with an icy glare. He emphasized Herondale as if the name was pure poison. It was only the first day of school and already Will was making not the greatest impression although this wasn't anything too new and didn't make too much of a difference in a town this small when your teachers most likely knew you well before you actually walked through the doors.

Will only grinned, completely unbothered by the teacher's demeanor, and replied with a slight lilt in his voice—mimicking the teacher's British accent—"Why it's always a pleasure of mine to give the people what they want."

The teacher seemed even angrier although Jem wasn't sure if it was from what Will had said, the accent he used as if mocking the teacher, or the fact that he did the accent perfectly. For Jem though this wasn't much of a surprise since Will—and him as well—were part British and Will had lived in England in his early childhood. He dropped the accent years ago finding it much more useful and pleasing to bring it up when it was least expected or…most wanted with the girls.

"Pick an instrument and sit down." And with that spoken the teacher turned his back on Will and walked over to a girl who was having difficulty situating her tuba properly and kept knocking it against her head.

Will grabbed the nearest instrument to him and plopped himself down next to Jem in one of the few remaining seats. In his hands was a triangle. He let out a low whistle—that did not go unnoticed by the teacher as he turned around to quickly glare at Will—and said, "This is a bigger turn out for this class than I thought."

Jem only shook his head as he adjusted a string on his violin. He was one of the few students who actually brought their own instrument. "You know Will there are people out there who appreciate music as much as myself," Jem said in a very low voice trying not to draw the attention of the teacher. "Some even more so."

With a look of disbelief Will replied, "Oh, I hardly doubt that, Jem. Now those people would be on the borderline of obsession." Will didn't bother to keep his voice all that much lower than normal. "But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised this is a required class. I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"Well, that's nice to know how little my presence means to you," Jem replied, as he brought his bow slightly across the strings of the violin making soft, subtle notes.

"Oh, you know that's not what I mean. Music is your passion, not mine. I would just prefer to be doing something else like a sport or…" Uncharacteristically of Will he seemed to be at a loss for a word as he stared at his triangle for inspiration. But whatever he saw in the reflective metal caused a wide grin to appear on his face as he added, "A poetry reading, perhaps."

Jem inwardly groaned. He hated poetry as much as Will hated any music that didn't contain lyrics he could understand. He remembered the last time Will had dragged him to a poetry session with Amelie, and that poem…it was a night he'd rather forget.

As if knowing what Jem was thinking, Will replied, "Oh come on. My last poem was not nearly that awful."

"You rhymed duck with duck three different times and the whole poem was about how malicious ducks can be." Jem shook his head as he played a specific note and then tightened one of the strings at the off sound.

Will looked at him with all the seriousness Will could muster, no trace of a grin, eyes looking straight at him as he spoke words that Jem had hear countless occasions and would probably hear for the rest of his life, "Never trust a duck." And with that said Will turned back to his instrument and hit his beater against the triangle causing a sharp ringing tone to occur. He gave a small smile as he said, "Now this isn't so hard to play."

Jem remained silent, only shaking his head at Will, before he set his bow to strings again and played a continuous melody for the rest of the class.

A/N: Okay, while I go finish my paper, review and tell me what you think of the modernized characters, the differences, similarities, ect.

Short, one sentence for a scene in one of the upcoming chapters.

"Sounds to me like you need a new friend."

Any guesses on who said it? Or comments?