Haiii

It's been a while so here's a long chapter for you!

For those of you who read LFF, please PM me names and best friends of them and love interests it would be a big help!

Chapter 10: Strangers

My alarm clock woke me up at 6:15, like it does every morning.

I turned it off and headed to my bathroom.

I took a fifteen minute shower, keeping my hair up so I wouldn't have to dry it then straighten it.

I dried myself then got out, back into my room. The night before I prepared what I was going to wear; a floral tank top and denim shorts that were pretty worn out. I put my underwear on and then my outfit. I put my hair in a French braid and tied it off. My make-up was simple; winged black eyeliner, concealer, foundation, some blush and light pink lipstick.

Always the same routine.

I'm an organised person. All my reading books on my shelf were in alphabetical order according to the author. I have a calendar with all of my plans on it. I tend to make plans two weeks into the future since I almost always have a full schedule, on the good days I can fit free time but hardly ever. Yep, I'm one of those girls. Life planned out to the very minute.

I wanna know what's going to happen. I don't handle surprises very well. At all.

I walked downstairs to my brothers and my little sister.

I ate breakfast, which was waffles, then went to quickly brushing my teeth.

My brothers and little sister were all in the car already.

I hopped in. "Okay, all good." I said as I buckled up.

Then Sebastian drove to my sister's elementary school.

I turned to Seraphina. "You alright?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yep."

I've always been worried about her. She's been diagnosed with stage III thyroid cancer with metastasis and she has to carry around this oxygen tank and nasal cannulas. She insisted on staying in school so that she could have this normal life of an eleven year old girl.

Jonathan parked outside the school. I walked Seraphina into her classroom. Then I crouched down and said, "If you feel any pain at all, you tell your teacher, okay? They'll call us and we'll take you to the hospital."

"Clary, I'll be fine. Like I always am." She insisted.

"Alright, alright. Just making sure you'll be okay." I hugged her and kissed her forehead. She still had her long hair since they stopped with the chemo therapy; the doctors tried this experiment with her and it worked. They haven't gotten a name for it so they just call it the 'Elixir'. "Do you have all your pills?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good. You give them to your teacher alright?"

"Okay, Clary. You can go now. You're going to be late."

"Love you. Bye." Then I returned to the car.

"All set?" Sebastian said.

I nodded. "She's got everything."

"Great." Then Sebastian drove to our school.

I walked into school and greeted my friends.

"Okay, so what's the plan for tonight?" Kaelie asked.

I turned my phone on, opened up a schedule app and replied. "Jordan Kyle's Campfire party. 5:00 to 7:30."

"Coolio." Maia said.

We walked into third period. Music. Ooo this'll be fun!

"We have our presentations today so get into your pairs." Mr. Carstairs said.

I went to go find Simon.

"Hey, Clary! Wanna go into a practice room?"

I turned and saw Simon. "Oh, yeah. Um.. Mr. Carstairs? Can we go into a practice room please?"

"Yes, yes of course."

Simon got his guitar and I sat at the piano in the music room.

After ten minutes of practice Lily knocked on the door. "Show time, Lewis, Morgenstern."

Simon took his guitar with him and I sat at the grand piano in the front of the class.

Simon began the introduction the I began the chords and sang.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face And I...

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

The entire class clapped.

"Well done Clary and Simon. A+"

"Oh my gosh. I've never had an A+ except in art!"

I hugged Simon. The song meant a lot to me and he knew it.

When the last presentation was shown, it was lunch. I walked out the classroom with Simon beside me. He has been my best friend ever since we could walk.

My brothers had a different schedule to me so we didn't get to have lunch together.

We were sat at our bench outside.

"Hahaha" I heard Kaelie laugh.

"Heyy," I said, dragging out the y as usual. "Whatcha talking about?"

"Oh, well there was this incident in one of the science rooms. They were making these stink bombs, like, ew, but then it fell onto this student called Nathaniel Gray! He stinks sooo much, Stay away! Daniel got it on video!"

Daniel showed the video to me and Simon.

"B. T. A." I said. Then my phone began to ring. "Oo, sorry guys, gotta take it."

"Oh, no probs." Jessamine said. I stood up and walked away from the table for some privacy.

"Hello?"

"Clarissa Morgenstern?"

"Yes. Who is it?"

"This is Jeremiah, I work at the Ithuriel hospital." Oh, no. No. No. No. No, Please no. "Your sister, Seraphina had an attack. She's in the ICU right now."

"I'm on my way." I'm sure the school won't mind too much. I hung up, pocketed my phone then ran, wiping away my tears.

I ran towards the exit. The hospital, when running, was ten minutes away from school. Jon and Seb were still in class; I wouldn't be able to get the car keys, Simon; I have no time to see if his car will actually start so my only option is to run.

Ithuriel hospital is one of those hospitals that specialised in only cancer patients, old or young. My dad's friend, Robert Lightwood, worked there. He was a great doctor and so got a lot of money from that. Maryse, his wife, worked as a business woman, that's pretty much all I knew from that family.

I got into the hospital, absolutely breathless. I rushed to the desk.

"I'm here to see my sister. Seraphina Morgenstern."

"Right, the little girl with strawberry blond hair that was rushed in here." She looked up something on her computer. "She's in the ICU, room 6. IT's on the fourth floor."

"Okay, thank you." I was still panting.

I went to the elevator and clicked on the fourth button.

"Can you hold that, please." Someone called out.

The elevator was about to close so I put my hand to one of the doors.

A blonde guy walked through the doors. "Thanks."

"No problem. Which floor?"

"Oh, it's alright. You've already pressed it."

The elevator went lurched up and then the doors opened. I walked out and then rushed to room 6.

I almost bumped into one of the doctors.

I looked up and saw Dr. Lightwood, or rather Robert, as he as he had asked me so many times to call him. I'm often here, sometimes with either of my brothers. My parents are hardly ever here whenever Sera has to go to the A&E, maybe that's what makes her feel unsettled.

"Ahh, Clarissa. She's in there." Robert said.

"How is she?"

"She's stable. She's had a total body PET scan and she's hooked up to a BiPAP machine."

I nodded then walked in.

All colour had faded from her skin, her lips were pale and she had dark circles under her eyes. My baby sister, back in the ICU after only 2 months.

I sat at the chair beside her and took one of her hands. It was cold, under oxygenated.

"Angel, please be okay. Come on, baby, wake up."

I took my phone out and called my mom.

It rang and rang.

"This is Jocelyn Morgenstern, I can't get to my phone right now so please leave a message." Then the beep came.

I groaned then tried my dad.

Normally, I'd just wait until Sera could go back home but I'm worried. I know how to handle it, my mom taught me, Jon and Seb how to take care of Sera but this has happened three times this year. My parents were here the first two but I thought it'd be best to tell them.

My dad wouldn't pick up so I just hung up.

"C-Clary?" A raspy but female voice said.

I looked up and saw Seraphina with her eyes half open.

"Sera!" I stood up and kissed her forehead before hugging her, being as gentle as I could.

"Please don't call mom and dad."

"Okay. I– I won't."

I sat back in my chair.

"Ah, my side hurts." She said in a small voice.

"Baby, it's okay. They're just draining the liquid from your lungs. It'll be alright."

Her eyes began to close. "I'm so tired." She mumbled then fell back asleep.

I put her hands back on the bed. Then I left the room.

I called my brother, hopefully class had finished.

"Clary? Clary, where are you? Why aren't you in school?" Jon asked.

"Seraphina."

"What? What happened?"

"She was rushed into the ICU. Robert's taking care of her here." I replied.

"Oh my–"

"But she's alright. I just spoke to her."

"Clary, why–"

I hung up. I knew what he was going to say. Something about why it wasn't him that was called. I hung up because I didn't have an answer.

I got back into the elevator and went to the cafeteria.

"Coffee please, black and a ham and cheese sandwich." Not such a good combination but anxiety and stress can do that to a person.

She gave me my order then I paid.

I chose a table with two chairs and began to eat.

I was about to leave when I saw someone, that blonde guy from the elevator, walking toward me.

"Um, hi." He said.

I was surprised that he approached me since I was a stranger to him.

"Hi," I replied. Only now did I realise how amazingly good lucking he was.

"Are you okay? Earlier I saw you crying. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything in the elevator."

"Oh, I'm okay. Don't worry about it."

"I can see that you're not being entirely truthful. I'm Jace." He held out his hand.

I hesitantly shook it. "Clary."

"Hey, you look like that really rich woman, from Morgenstern Inc." He said.

"Jocelyn Morgenstern. She's my mom."

"Oh…" He said as realisation hit him. "So you're a super rich girl."

I rolled my eyes smugly. "Yes. I'm a super rich girl who is absolutely spoilt and my daddy owns a helicopter which I use for joy rides." I say in that bratty rich girl voice.

Jace chuckled.

"Well, what about you?" I asked.

"What do you mean? I'm not rich like you, just above average. My mom is a lawyer and my dad is a doctor. Here."

"That's not exactly what I meant. I meant why are you here, Although I have been told that I need to clarify myself more. But, I'm guessing you're here for your dad?"

"Actually, I'm here because my little brother, Will, is here. He's sick so I decided to pay him a visit like I always do when he's in the ICU."

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Well, shouldn't you?"

I chuckled. "I asked you first."

"I have lunch and my teachers allow me to come here for the hour. And you?"

"I got a call saying Seraphina was rushed here. So I ran here. That's why I was so out of breath when I was in the elevator."

"You ran? What school do you go to?" He asked, bewildered.

"Oh, St. Raziel."

"That's twenty minutes away!"

"I'm a fast runner." I said.

"Ha ha, um.. this might sound weird but… do you want to meet my brother? I'm sure he'd like you. He needs a little positivity right now."

"Oh, um… Yeah, that'd be cool, if he's not asleep right now."

"Okay, awesome."

We went into the elevator and waited until it reached the fourth floor.

I looked up at him. Then found that he was staring at me.

"Um… Jace?"

He seemed to wake up from the trance he was in. "Huh? Yeah?"

"We're here…" I said.

"Oh, right, yeah."

I smiled then stepped out of the elevator. He followed after me.

"Which room?"

"Um, 10." He walked over, knocked then opened the door.

In the room sat a little boy, with dark blonde hair and very blue eyes.

"Who's this Jace?" The small boy asked.

He was thin and frail but I could tell that when, or truthfully if, he loved to be as old as Jace, he would be a very good looking boy, much like Jace.

"Hi, I'm Clary."

"I'm Will." Then he put his thin arms around me.

"Umm…" Jace clearly didn't know whether to take Will off me or to let him hug me.

I smiled then put my arms around the small boy.

He finally pulled back. "Nice to meet you Clary."

Jace stepped forward. "Uh, Clary… He's not the type of person to shake hands. He's the…"

"Hugging type?" I finished.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't you know you didn't like hugs." Will said in this adorable small voice.

I turned to Will. He had a slight blush tainting his cheeks and his eyes cast down, looking slightly upset. "Aw, no honey. I do like hugs." I said because (1) it was true and (2) Sick children plus being upset equals bad things.

He smiled, one of those childlike that could always make you all happy inside. I smile back at him.

"So, how are you?" I asked, sitting beside him on the bed.

"I'm alright." He said, rocking back and forth with his arms wrapped around his knees.

"How old are you, Will?"

"I'm eleven."

"Oh, really? I have a little sister that's eleven."

"That's cool! Where is she? Can I meet her?"

"Yeah. When she wakes up, I'll introduce you to her."

"Awesome!"

"Well, I should go back to school. I've been away too long."

"Oh, well, why are you here when you're supposed to be in school?" He asked in an adorable curious voice.

"Um… My little sister, she's in this unit too." I said, quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."

"No, no, it's alright."

"If you're sure. Bye then."

"Bye honey." I pulled him into an embrace. He hugged back tightly.

"I hope I see you soon, Clary." Will whispered.

"Yeah. I promise you will."

I pulled away and waved goodbye.

"Let me take you back." Jace said.

"Oh, no you stay here with Will."

"Seriously, it's okay."

I thought for a moment then accepted his request.

We got into the elevator.

"Thank you. Seriously." I turned to him then found that he had leaned in and put his lips to mine.

He kissed me softly, gently, not being forceful about it unlike the guys that have kissed me in the past.

I pulled away. "Um.. Why?"

"Because I couldn't resist." He replied then crushed his lips to mine once again.

I really liked the plot to this one...

Should I turn it into a proper fanfic?

Can I get 5 or more reviews on here? Please?

Love you all ~ Liz Ashley xxx