DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'The Mortal Instruments' series by Cassandra Clare or any of the characters used.

Trying to Hide

CHAPTER 2: Interrogations

"Clary? Clary?!" Clary could hear Isabelle talking but was too deep in thought to pay any attention.

"CLARY!" said Isabelle angrily while waving her hands in front of Clary's face in the hope she would catch her attention.

"Yes, Izzy?" slurred Clary.

"Don't you 'Yes, Izzy' me! I've been trying to catch your attention for the past five minutes!" If Clary thought that Jace was pissed at her that day at the Lightwoods then she didn't know how she was supposed to describe Isabelle's current mood.

"Sorry Izzy, didn't get much sleep last night. Had to study for that pointless history test that Mr Garroway decided to give us." This was half of the truth. Yes she was up half the night studying, but the five cups of coffee she had that morning made up for that. It had been three months since the event at Isabelles but Clary still couldn't get it out of her head. Jace may not remember it all but she remembered every little detail. It was almost as if as soon as she saw his eyes that she fell into a trance. That's what she blamed the event on anyway because there was no way in hell would she ever consider that she actually liked him.

"As if you even needed to study for that test. You would've gotten an A without opening a book."

That was one of the things that made Clary stand out from the popular crowd. She actually used her brain to her advantage. Quite often Clary would stay home from the parties just so that she could study. She was a straight A student in every subject. Simon was smart too but he never considered himself popular. He just hangs around them because he and Clary have been friends since they were five years old. Also Clary has always suspected that he has a little bit of a crush on Izzy.

"Oh well it's done now," Clary said. Right now Clary and Isabelle were sitting at the tables outside their school building whilst eating their daily salads.

"Clary..." Izzy was about to say something but sort of drifted off.

"Yes..." Clary imitated her.

"Why does Jace keep looking over here?" It took all Clary's strength not to turn around and look to see if he actually was.

"He's just being the creep that he is," Clary mumbled.

"C'mon I know you don't like him but he's still my brother and he's not a creep," Izzy said in a serious tone.

"Whatever you say," Clary grumbled. "Can we change topic please?" Clary really did not want to talk about Jace any more than she had to. She didn't understand everyone's obsession with him. Yes he is ridiculously good looking but he is as obnoxious as can be.

"Something happened between you two didn't it?' Isabelle inquired in a suspicious tone.

"No, why would you say that?" Clary tried her hardest not to let the colour rush to her face which would just make her look all the more guilty.

"Because when I bring up Jace you usually go on a rant on how much you hate him. It's almost as if insulting Jace is a sport to you. Yet today you just want to change subject. Spill it!"

"Nothing happened. I never go near Jace how could anything actually happen between us?" Clary answered. Somehow Clary guessed that Isabelle didn't quite believe her. Next thing the bell rang to tell them it was time to go to class. Clary never thought being saved by the bell would actually happen to her.

"Well guess we better go. Don't want to get detention do you?" Clary questioned.

"Pfft! I've already got detention anyway," Isabelle replied while Clary and herself were making their way to French class.

"What did you do this time?" Clary inquired. Isabelle got detention from time to time. Most of the time was for being late for class or not having homework done.

"All I'm saying is I did a bit of experimenting in science. That's all." Izzy replied suspiciously.

"Oh God Izzy what on earth did you do?!" Somehow this did not surprise Clary.

"You won't tell me about what happened with you and Jace so I'm not going to tell you what happened in science," with that Isabelle skipped on ahead of Clary and went into the classroom and took her seat. When Clary took hers a couple desks away, she looked over at Isabelle and Isabelle was looking straight back at her with a great big cheesy smile spread the whole way across her face.

That day at school Clary stayed behind after nearly everyone had left. She had an art project to work on that was worth fifty percent of her final grade. Art was Clary's greatest passion. She loved it so much because it helped her escape away from her own world. If she was painting a landscape she would pretend she was there and just looking all around her whether it was the Sahara desert or the Scottish Highlands. When she was painting portraits of other people she loved to make up things that could be in their minds. It helped her escape from her own mind, which she loved.

For this project Clary was painting the landscape she loved most. Her home from when she was a young girl. Clary, her mom and Luke used to live in the countryside until Luke got a promotion and they had to move to the city. Clary loved the city but the countryside would always be in her heart. Nights she would dream that she was still there and what life would have been like if she had stayed there.

"That's pretty good," a voice interrupted Clary's thoughts. Clary craned her neck and saw Jace leaning against the doorway. She rolled her eyes and turned to face her painting again.

"Nice to know my presence is appreciated Fray," Jace said with a chuckle. He stared to make his way over to where Clary was sitting. Clary could feel him getting closer and closer to her.

"Why are you here Jace?" Clary said while she continued her painting and didn't even bother to look at him.

"Because I'm a good person," Jace said with a smile on his face because he knew this was going to confuse Clary.

"How does you interrupting me painting make you a good person?" Clary just couldn't wait to hear some ridiculous retort from Jace to answer her question.

"Because my sister called me to say she couldn't pick you up and asked me if I could do it and because I've got such a big heart I agreed to do it." This was certainly not the smart retort from Jace that Clary expected.

"I don't live that far away. I figured you be the type to just say that I could walk home," Clary was in a bit of shock and forgot to be grateful for what Jace did for her.

"You have clearly been too entranced in your painting to even just take a look out your window."

At this Clary took a glance out of the art room's window. It was pouring rain, which was quite unusual.

"Guess I was. I didn't even hear the rain, never mind see it." Clary was still looking out the window when Jace replied.

"You're not going home anyway. Izzy told me to bring you to our house because she wants you there."

Clary just nodded her head in reply. There was silence between them until Jace broke it.

" You must really love painting to stay in this stupid building any longer than you have to."

"Yeah I do. I always have and always will I guess." Clary was beginning to pack up her stuff now.

"Why?" Jace questioned.

"Why do you care?" Clary retorted.

"Just intrigued I supposed," right now Jace was just staring at Clary.

Clary was about to say that intrigued was a big word to come from Jace but figured it might be a bit too harsh.

"It takes me to a different place. No stress, no worries, no school and best of all no fear." Clary didn't expect to reveal that to Jace. She never told anyone things like this.

"What are you afraid of?" Jace said quietly.

"Failing exams," this wasn't Clary's real fear but she wasn't going to tell Jace what it was.

"Ha good one Fray. As if you of all people need to worry about that," Jace said and started to laugh.

Clary couldn't help it but let a little laugh out too.

"You're not going to tell me what your real fear is are you?" Jace said with a bit of disappointment.

"Nope," Clary replied while popping the 'p'. She sounded kind of childish doing that but she didn't care.

"Guess we better get going then before Izzy calls and accuses me of murdering you or something," Jace said with a smile starting to spread across his face.

"I guess so because even I wouldn't want to see you rot in jail." A smile appeared on Clary's face too. This was the first time in forever that Clary had actually smiled at or with Jace.

"Nice to know Fray."