Despite what Jace says in this chapter, I have nothing against gingers. One of my best friends is a ginger.
Disclaimer: Everything is Cassandra Clare's
Chapter 2
Clary Fray hated school. Academics came naturally for her, but social skills didn't. Not at all. She'd had one friend, Simon. But ever since he started dating that tramp Isabelle Lightwood, she'd hardly seen him. She was friendless and alone.
Which is the reason she was leaning awkwardly against the wall of the deserted foyer of Penhallow High School, waiting for the year from hell to begin.
The door of the foyer opened, letting in a blast of fresh air, its scent fading from the sweetness of summer to the crispness of fall. Clary inhaled deeply, wishing she could spend all day out in the breeze, not trapped in the suffocatingly cloying air of the school.
But the smell of the air wasn't as appealing as the person who walked in the door—a tall, muscular boy with gold hair and eyes to match. There was a sort of ethereal beauty about him, that she longed to draw, to examine further with her artist's eye.
To her surprise, he walked over to her and gave her a cocky grin. "Hey, cutie. You wanna show me where the office is?"
Clary's thoughts of his beauty vanished, to be replaced with a slight disgust. But he looked new, so she decided to help him.
"Sure."
She pushed herself off of the stone wall and turned in the direction of the office. She turned to make sure that the boy was following her.
"So," she said, trying to fill the awkward silence between them. "Are you new at Penhallow?"
"As a matter of fact, I am. I'm looking for a tour guide. And since most of the girls here seem like bimbos, I wonder if you would be interested."
Clary stopped and turned to look at him. "What makes you think I'm not a bimbo?"
"You're a ginger. They may lack souls, but they have plenty of brains, last I checked."
She put her hands on her hips, her emerald eyes flashing with anger. "Do you want me to show you where the office is? Because in case you didn't realize it, Goldilocks, I can just leave you here to wander the halls and find your own way."
He laughed softly. "See? You don't lack brains. You're already plotting ways to kill me." He reached out and tapped her temple. "What I don't understand is how anything can fit in your head. Seriously, kid, you are tiny."
"I'm not a kid. I'm a junior. And don't call me kid. Call me Clary. It's my name."
"Jace is mine."
"Well, Jace. Let's stop making fun of gingers and go to the goddamned office, shall we?"
Jace shrugged. "Whatever you want, tour guide."
"I never agreed to be your tour guide," Clary said, starting to walk again.
"No, you didn't. But I know you want to be my guide. No one can resist this godly face."
"Yeah, whatever. I'll be your guide, but just for the first week of school. After that, I'm done with you."
Even as she said it, Clary knew that even after she was done being his guide, he would never leave her alone.