;0AN: So I'm spoiling you people. 2 chapters in a day. I'm magical. Sorry that the last chapter was so short. Enjoy.

I sigh, frustrated. When will this boy ever look where he's going?

"Oh, Rouge," he grins. "You're stalking me now, are you?"

"Oh my God, you are the biggest idiot that I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. I'm here to see your sister. Now, do me a favor, and go the fuck away."

I brush past him, smug.

-Jace POV-

"Oh my God, you are the biggest idiot that I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. I'm here to see your sister. Now, do me a favor, and go the fuck away." She storms past me, obviously annoyed.

I'm speechless.

Now that's not something that happens often. I always have some kind of smart or witty comment in reply to something that someone's said, no matter if it's good or bad. Not many people have ever rendered me speechless. I only met this redhead today and she's already done it.

Before I can seriously figure out what I've done, I run after her.

"Clary!"

She whips around, a look of surprise on her face, only God knows why.

-Clary POV-

"Clary!" I hear loud footsteps echo through the hallway.

He's never called me Clary before. It's always been "Tiny" or "Rouge".

"What?"

"I-I'm sorry, Clary. I can't help but be a cocky ass all the time. It's just… you make me kinda nervous. Emotions trigger my idiocy. Forgive me?" He looks sheepish.

"Of course," I smile. I'm not one to hold a grudge. "Well, uh, I got go. So… bye."

"I'll see you at school," he calls after me before I start to walk away.

I walk about 2 meters before I reach a door with a huge pink 'I' stuck to the front of it. Izzy's head is sticking out, her mouth agape.

"You know, Clary," she stares at me like I'm some kind of sorcerer. "Not many people can render my asstard of a brother speechless. You're like, magical and shit. Get in here. I'm curious about you."

Isabelle moves aside and I enter her room. It's all black and pink; two of the walls hot pink, two of them black. Her bed had a white base. It was mostly black, but the accent color was hot pink. I glance over to her vanity and my mouth drops open. The desk is covered with makeup; from foundation to blush, from eye shadow to eyeliner. It's crazy. Her mirror is surrounded with fairy lights.

"So, Clary," Izzy pats the bed beside her. I sit down, bouncing slightly. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah, I've got an older brother, Jonathan."

"Are you and him close?"

"Uh," I stall, trying not to freak her out by saying 'My brother hates me so he rapes me'. "He, uh… He and I aren't really, uh, close. I've already met Jace but how's Alec?"

"Alec is really shy, the exact opposite of Jace. He's super wise for an 18 year-old. Like, I'm serious. It's really creepy."

I laugh. "I must meet him."

"Totally. So how's the school here?"

"Alicante is an amazing school. Super expensive but really cool."

"So will I get to meet some of your friends?"

I cast my eyes down to the floor. How do I tell Izzy that I have no friends?

"I, uh, have no friends."

"Are you serious But you're so fun and likeable and… how?!"

I smile genuinely. "Thanks, Isabelle. People just think that I'm some kind of art or music freak. They just think that I'm totally secluded from the rest of the world. I'm used to it."

"I'm still trying to figure out how you, you of all people, have no friends. Maybe Alec and Jace can figure it out." She smirks when the look of panic flashes across my face. Isabelle runs over the door, opens it, and sticks her head out.

"ALEC! JACE! GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE!" Izzy flips her head back to my direction, grinning at me.

Moments later, Jace comes bursting through the door, wielding a gun. A boy with black hair and startling blue eyes, who I assume is Alec, is holding a butcher's knife in his long, thin fingers.

"What's the emergency? I heard a scream." Jace was looking around wildly.

"T-t-t-there is no emergency, now can you PUT THE DAMN GUN DOWN!" I scream, frustrated.

Jace's pretty eyes grow larger. "I'm sorry, Clary."

Alec stares at me incredulously. "Wait. What? Clary? Clarissa Morgenstern from the 5th grade?"

"Alec. Alexander Lightwood from the 7th grade?" I grin and run up at him. His arms are open and I straddle his hips.

"Oh my God, I didn't even realize that it was you!" Alec grins up at me. I glance over at Isabelle and Jace. Jace is quirking an eyebrow at us and Isabelle's eyes are narrowed in concentration.

I let out a short breathy laugh. "I know Alec from wayyyyy back in 5th grade. He was like the big brother I never had." I smile up at Alec and read his eyes. They're filled with understanding.

Alec is the only one that knows about what happens at home. It was a total accident.

I was walking through the halls, my head down. Simon had already gone to class. I was hugging my books to my chest, trying to get to class. That is, until Aline and Kaelie bump into both of my shoulders, one on each side.

"Oops," they giggle and walk away.

My sweatshirt sleeves roll up and my most recent bruises show. I curse quietly, trying to roll them down. Unfortunately, someone saw them. Fortunately, that someone was Alec Lightwood.

"Sweetie, what are those on your arm?" He asks, genuinely worried for Clary.

"It's nothing, Alec. I just… fell."

"That's a whole load of crap and you and I both know that. Clary, what's going on?"

That's when I had to tell him. I pulled him into the janitor's closet and told him everything: about my father, about Jon, about Mom.

He was so angry at the end I couldn't believe it.

"How could they do that to you? I mean, look at you, Clary. You're so small, so fragile. Your eyes just speak innocence. There's always been a deep sadness behind those eyes of yours, Clare. I can't believe I didn't see it before!" Alec was pacing the room, flustered.

I nod slightly at the question in Alec's eyes. Do they still do that stuff to you? Alec's bright blue eyes filled with rage. He forcefully pushes past Jace. By this time tears were streaming down my face. I sniff and pull my sweater sleeves down so that they covered my hands.

"Tiny?" I hear Jace's soft voice and feel a strong hand placed on my shoulder.

"I'm good, I'm good." I sniff once more. "I'm gonna go, guys. It was nice spending time with you Izzy. See you tomorrow, Dickhead."

I walk to my house, the streetlights already on. I didn't realize how long I'd spent at the Lightwoods'. Well, have to explain that one to Daddy. I sigh as I take my key out of my back pocket and unlock the door. As soon as the door swings open, I'm knocked to the ground. I see a blinding flash of white.

"Where were you?" A deep voice growls at me. He's drunk. Again.

"I was making friends with the Lightwoods-"

"You can't have friends!" Since I'm on the floor, he has the advantage and he starts kicking me in the ribs. Left side, right side, left side, right side, left side, right side…

"Now are you going to have friends, Clarissa?" My dad starts kicking my forearm with his heavy boots.

"No, Daddy," I reply breathlessly.

"What was that?" Daddy starts kicking my cheek. I don't even know how that works. All I know I that it hurts.

"No, Daddy!" I shriek. "I won't have friends."

"Good. Now, go to bed. You've got school in the morning."