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Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding The Mortal Instruments series.

-Jace-

I'm in Java Jones, walking up to the counter, but nobody is there. Nobody behind the counter, nobody by the coffee makers, nobody sitting at the tables, just me. I'm sure that I'm dreaming, since the coffee shop is always crowded with teenagers and senior citizens alike looking for their coffee. And yet, I can actually smell the coffee. Can you smell in dreams? Because I never have, and I swear it's as if somebody just put a fresh pot of coffee on, when the coffee grounds' scent is the strongest.

Then I see movement in my peripheral, a flash of red, and I whip my head around to see a figure just turn the corner.

"Hey!" I yell after them, but don't get an answer.

I try to follow her, was it even a girl? But I can't. My feet refuse to move as if they are glued to the ground right in front of the counter. The smell of coffee gets stronger, to the point that it's completely overwhelming, and then I see movement again, only this time when I turn to face the person, I see more than just red, I see…

"JACE!" I can hear pounding on my door, "Jace Lightwood you better be up! I will not be late on the first day of senior year!" And then the knocking continues.

I chuckle to myself as I listen to my adopted sister, Isabelle, add some threats while insistently knocking, one including a bucket of ice water being poured all over me if I don't emerge from my room within the next five minutes. Or worse, she'll make me eat the eggs she had made for breakfast. I'm pretty sure I'd die from food poisoning. I would not put either of those threats past her, so I give in, and roll out of bed and drag myself to the door.

I open it two inches, seeing dark, very angry eyes, surrounded by raven black hair staring back at me. "I'm up, happy?" I ask.

"Ecstatic," she mutters as she crosses her arms and turns to walk down the hall. "Hurry up, because mom wants a photo before we leave," she shouts over her shoulder.

I roll my eyes as I close the door, trying to remember the dream I was having before Izzy woke me up. I remember Java Jones, and the coffee, and the red… but who was the stranger? I was so close to seeing them when my darling sister started the racket outside my bedroom door.

I sigh, giving up, knowing I will get nowhere dwelling on it now, and go to my drawer to grab some clothes for the grand first day of senior year. Everything is neat and organized, just the way I like it as I grab a white button down from my shirt drawer and a pair of khakis. I change in my bathroom that's connected to my bedroom and then walk towards my door, knowing Izzy probably is preparing that bucket of ice right now.

I glance at myself in the mirror as I walk by, and I have to admit, I look good, not that I ever had to worry about that. I always look good; it's part of my charm. My blonde hair has that natural messy look that girls die for. Plus, I'm Jace Lightwood. It's a general understanding that I practically look like a god. Trust me, I've been told on more than one occasion.

One more check around the room to make sure everything's in place and out of my room I go. Even though Izzy is the one freaking out about being late, I don't want to be either. I am never late. And this is going to be THE year. My year. I can't have it starting off on the wrong foot.

I walk down to the kitchen area and hear voices drifting from within. Strolling inside, I see Izzy standing by the counter while my adopted mother, Maryse, and our little brother, Max, sit at the kitchen table discreetly avoiding the eggs Izzy made and opting for cereal.

"Finally!" Izzy exclaims as she grabs her bag and makes her way to the door.

"What, I don't get to eat those lovely eggs of yours?" I ask with sarcasm. She glares at me and grabs a granola bar off the counter, throwing it in my direction. I just dodge it from smacking me in the head.

"Eat on the way. If we don't leave in ten minutes, we won't get there on time; this is not a time to joke." She's right. We live a good thirty minutes away from the school, and we'll be lucky to get into the city on time as it is.

Once again though, I roll my eyes at her, and take a look at what she is wearing. Anybody else would get a snide comment, but we all gave up a while ago on saying anything about the way Izzy dressed. It's just who she is. High heeled, low cut, skin tight stuff is, well, Isabelle Lightwood.

I walk over to ruffle up Max's hair as he tries to avoid it. He laughs when he fails to avoid me messing his hair, and Maryse looks at me disapprovingly, even though she's trying to hold back a smile.

My adopted mom stands, and she's almost as tall as me, and I'm easily past the 6' mark. She looks between Izzy and me and smiles, saying, "Look at my babies. They're all grown up, starting their last year of high school," through watery eyes.

Izzy and I exchange a look. "Maryse," I say, "if we have to go through what Alec went through last year, we'll be insane by graduation." Alec, my other adopted brother, graduated last year, and every event, and I mean from the first day of senior year, to the first test grade brought home, was documented and photographed. I think by the time he graduated Maryse had three full albums. Now imagine that with TWO seniors.

"Oh nonsense!" She replies. "You are only seniors once, and as your mother, it is my rightful duty to make sure it is as memorable as possible. No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

"Fine," I smirk, "as long as your camera can withstand all of this gloriousness for an entire year," I say while waving a hand in front of me. "I've been told staring at my perfection for too long can leave you blind." Izzy snorts and Max giggles.

"Oh Jace, I think we can handle it. We have for eight years, I think we're immune," she answers as she smiles at me. "Oh! And that reminds me, Alec called this morning to wish you all good luck on the first day. He said that he and Magnus finally settled into the apartment, and that they're classes will be starting in a week, so he might come back for the weekend."

I give her a genuine smile at that, because Alec just moved into an apartment near NYU to attend college near his boyfriend Magnus, and I've missed him. I will never give him the satisfaction of knowing that, but it's true. Yeah, I'm popular in school, and I've got my choice of girls lined up around the corner, but Alec is one of the few people I trust, the others being the rest of the Lightwoods. I miss him being here.

And with that, Maryse starts shuffling the three of us into the living room for the annual first day of school picture, even though we need to leave in less than ten minutes. Izzy continues grumbling that we'll be late, but knows not to try to get out of taking the picture. It never, ever works. So instead, she turns around to me with a dangerous gleam in her eyes, saying "For once, please don't do something stupid. Please Jace, I'm begging you. One nice first day of school picture. No bunny ears, no goofy faces, no closed eyes…"

I dramatically put my hand over my heart. "Now Iz, when have I ever ruined a picture? Last year I recall you being the one who's screaming with a beat red face in the picture."

She gives me an incredulous look. "That's because you pulled my hair like a preschooler right before mom snapped the photo!"

"I personally don't remember that. Do you Max?"

Ten year old Max smiles a big toothy grin and replies with a "Nope." I can always count on Max to be on my side.

Izzy just gapes at the both of us and turns towards where Maryse is getting her camera ready. "Now you know the rule," she says, "we take one picture, no matter what everybody looks like." And with that, I get a warning look from Izzy and Maryse, but an expectant one from Max. He knows what's coming. We planned it out yesterday.

"Alright, ready?" Maryse asks, positioning the camera in front of her face and starting the count.

"1-"

"2-"

"3-"

And just before Maryse snaps the photo, Max jumps onto my back and we both put bunny ears up behind Izzy, who seems oblivious to everything going on behind her. We stick our tongues out for good measure too.

Snap!

Max and I start laughing hysterically as Izzy turns around confused. "What? What did you do?" She demands as she walks over to take the camera and looks at the photo. Her face turns five shades of red as she looks away from the camera. Max and I are still laughing.

"No! That doesn't count!" She exclaims. "Mom, we need to take another!"

Maryse who hasn't said a word, but is again trying to suppress a smile, says what she says every other year, "You know the rule sweetheart."

I laugh. "Calm down Iz-"

"Oh no," she spits out while crossing her arms in front of her, "I'll get you back Jace Lightwood, I can promise you that." I see that evil gleam in her eyes that she gets when she's on a mission, and I know I'm in for it later, but right now, we really need to leave.

"Yeah, yeah," is my only reply as I grab my keys off the coffee table and head towards the front door. Izzy follows as we say our goodbyes to Maryse and Max. The joys of living a distance from school.

As I step out of the door, I know this is it. My year. My time. Jace Lightwood is here to play, and he will take no prisoners. Like every other year, I'll be the talk of the school. One last hoorah.

Alicante High, here I come.

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