I'm so glad you're all looking forward to the updates! SO onwards we delve!

"Ugh Iz! This dress is just going to flip up at any moment, I swear to God!" I shouted above the rush of the city around me. I groped at the hem of the summery dress that seemed to catch every breeze and tried to keep the imminent panty show at bay. Izzy just rolled her eyes.

"It's just a bit of leg Clary. Geez, it's not like you're naked or anything,"Izzy said, adjusting her shoulder bag. I swatted her arm and muttered my disapproval. It was October and the girl had made me wear the thinnest cotton dress in my wardrobe. I wrapped the shawl around me tighter, revelling in the warmth it brought to my torso; my legs were a different story.

"Besides," she continued, "you know as much as I do how my parent's love outdoing everyone else. They'd freak if you rocked up in your frayed shorts and a shirt you bought at some concert. I can see my mum's lips twisting at the mere sight of your shoes already."

I smirked. Despite the natural make up colours and the flowery patterned dress Iz had forced on me, I'd gotten out of the apartment wearing Vans. Appropriate price tag for the party at least.

This fine Sunday afternoon, Isabelle's parents were holding a garden party, as per the invitation title which we had received a week ago. Iz had rolled her eyes when I stuck it under a magnet on the fridge, happy about the fact that I was declaring a tradition of putting all our event invitations or tickets on the fridge. As the party was mostly for the Lightwoods to mingle with their business partners out of work and to put on the facade of a family front, only family friends were invited along to entertain the younger ones aka yours truly. Actually I lie; my step-dad was invited as well however his was both a family friend and a client of L & H Law.

So all in all, this was going to be the fanciest garden party you'd ever attend. I mean, I liked being included in the crowd of high-end people that represented the big money who dominated New York but sometimes being poor is a blessing. I enjoyed just living life off what I earned and the struggles have made me who I am today. I had cut myself from my own flesh and blood to so this, but I wasn't interested in blood money to pay my bills.

Izzy and I took the subway uptown and then a taxi to her parent's house out of the city. Sure they had a place in the city centre which was an old, restored church, but they left the rush for this place on the weekends.

House wasn't exactly the appropriate word to describe the place. More like manor really. As the taxi dropped us off at the front steps at the end of their long driveway, I admired the architecture I had come to know as a second home over the years. The white stone manor stood on at least 20 acres of land which was always perfectly green no matter the season. Isabelle rummaged around in her bag for her key to the oak double doors that stood under the Tuscany themed alcove. She gave a sigh, pulling them out and slipped the key into the lock. I checked my watch; it had taken longer to get here than previously thought so we had turned up half an hour late. Izzy opened one half of the doors and we moved inside to the lounge.

The inside of their house never ceased to amaze me. All the furniture was matched perfectly and the high ceilings complete with crystal chandeliers making the rooms feel bigger than they were. Through the glass panels along the back wall we could see that the party was in full swing. People milled around on the patio and spilled out onto the grass, where marquees were set up with small tables covered in white cloths beneath them.

"Come on, time to socialise with the well-mannered and pompous asses," Isabelle said, taking me by the wrist and leading me though the grand room.

I took in the attire of the women around me as we walked through the crowd in search of the senior Lightwoods. I really should have worn nicer shoes; laces weren't in fashion here.

"There they are," Iz muttered. "Mum, Dad!" she called out over the chatter around us as we made our way through the crowd. Eventually we stood in front of a very handsome couple who were in conversation with a stout but solidly built gentleman, his greying hair putting him in his mid-forties. The woman who made up the couple with the other man put her hands on her hips and gave Izzy a stern look.

Introducing Mayrse and Robert Lightwood. They could make you quake in your shoes with a single look but Mayrse could be one of the loveliest mothers when the time demanded it. Robert was more of a tough-love figure and I had never actually seen him lose his serious facial expression with the exception in the presence of the other Lightwood child, Max. Mayrse's long black hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she wore pencil skirt and sleeveless blue top; Robert had opted for his usual suit minus the tie.

"Isabelle, where have you been? You expected here half an hour ago!" Mayrse said, her lips puckering.

Izzy sighed. "Sorry Mum, traffic was horrendous getting out of the city. You know how it is sometimes."

The displeased pucker faded and she waved the issue away, giving her daughter a brief hug and peck on the cheek. "Regardless I'm glad you made it. You too, Clarissa. It's always a pleasure having you here."

Mayrse swooped down and greeted me in the same manner as Iz. "Thank you for the invitation, Mayrse. Robert," I said, extending my hand to shake his.

"Lovely to see you again, Clarissa. How is the apartment?" He said, formally.

"Absolutely fantastic. Couldn't have asked for anything more!" I exclaimed, "Thank you again; It wouldn't have happened without you."

He smiled. "It was no trouble at all." Robert turned back to the middle aged man still standing beside us.

"Hodge, this is my daughter Isabelle and her best friend Clarissa Fray-Morgernstern. Isabelle, Clarissa- this is Hodge Starkweather. You may have met him before; he's been in the company for years."

The air hissed through my teeth. The Lightwoods always insisted on the use of my full name and I hated it as much as I loved them, but I shook Mr Starkweather's hand regardless after Izzy.

"Morgernstern? You wouldn't happen to know-"He said, but I cut him off swiftly.

"Unfortunately I do know him but I don't like digging into old news, sir," I said nicely but with enough finality that he dropped the issue.

I noticed somebody watching our exchange from their place at one of the tables on the lawn. I smiled, murmuring my apologies to Mr Starkweather as I walked towards the figure. He laughed as I broke into a jog and stood, catching me as I flew into his arms.

"Luke! I miss you already!" I say into his shoulder. He chuckles and puts me down on the ground, ruffling my hair.

"It's good to see you kiddo. It's hard cooking for myself 7 days a week without you there," Luke says, taking a sip of his beer and putting it back down on the table.

Luke was tall with grey streaks running through his unkempt floppy brown hair; to be honest, when scrubbed up like today, he could totally be Hugh Jackman's doppelganger. Maybe. I had lived with him ever since my mother, Jocelyn, had parted ways with my father, and I had stayed there ever since even after she moved on. My family was kind of messed up and I'll leave it at that.

"How's living away from the greatest person ever? I hope Isabelle isn't subjecting you to her cooking," he said, glancing up at Izzy where she stood still talking to her parents.

"No! I set that ground rule when we moved in; either I cook or it's take out, no exceptions," I laughed. By now, it should be blatantly obvious that Izzy, however gorgeous, wasn't as stunning at cooking anything other than toast. Actually, she may have an extraordinary talent for burning that too.

"That's good. I worry for you sometimes though. Living in Manhattan with practically no one..." Luke said with a grimace.

I held up a hand. "Luke I'm fine, honestly. I'm nearly 21 and it's about I find my own way through the world. Iz and I have the boys living just a few blocks away if something falls behind the fridge and we need someone to move it, don't you worry!"

"I just wish you'd accept my offer to help out a little more. I hate to see you not saving any money."

I sighed. This was an argument we had been having ever since the lease had been signed. "Luke, I like being poor and living off what I earn from day to day. It'll be better for me in the long run. You already pay half my rent, that's enough. My job covers the rest and any bills that pop up and groceries and stuff. Just chill. I'll tell you if I need help."

He looked at me, half-smiling. "You're so much like her sometimes, it's crazy."

I hugged him tightly, knowing he was thinking about my mother. "Just let me worry about things Luke. You just look after yourself and the bookstore. And if you end up opening that store in Manhattan, I'll run the cafe for you."

Luke snorted. "Who wants a cafe adjoined to a bookstore? It's so much of a liability."

I shrugged, still holding him around his waist. "Indie hipsters like me who enjoy reading, drinking coffee and people watching of course." Luke rolled his eyes and I slapped him on the arm, pulling back at last. He frowned, looking over my head. "Looks like I'm getting the Lightwood summons. I'll be back soon Clare."

I smiled and waved him off, taking his spot at the table under the marquee. It was such nice weather out here; the sky was such a bright blue and the greens and whites were such a pretty contrast. I sighed and sunk back in the chair, crossing my legs and decided to people watch for a while. It's my thing you know just to relax and take a step back from it all. During the time, I plucked a champagne flute filled with a sweet smelling, pink liquid from a nearby table with stand of cakes and sandwiches as well.

I was perfectly content all in all until I heard his voice.

"Sup Clare Bear?" Jace dropped into the seat opposite me and I tried so hard to get up and leave then but patience bested me. I turned my head towards him and scowled.

"Your nicknames never cease to amuse me, Jace."

He grinned. "Well I'm glad you find them funny as they will continue for an unseen period of time."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, by that period of time you mean when you spontaneously combust from sarcasm overdose."

"You're one to talk, Pippi," he said, leaning back and putting his legs up on the chair between us. Despite the smirk on his face, he could be the perfect picture of ease in his white shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms and dark jeans.

"Of all the people the Lightwoods could have chose to start a business with, it just had to be your family, didn't it?" I muttered. I took a sip of the drink in my hand, shuddering at the excess of sugar to my system.

"You would have known me from high school regardless, Fray. We did spend 3 years there together," he said.

"Three years of which I've pushed from my memory from the mere horror," I snapped, "You weren't the nicest until you knew me out of school, may I remind you."

"You brought that on yourself by denying the opportunity to know me sooner. I do recall a freshman-year-Isabelle offering to bring you over to her brother's table. It's not my fault you wanted to stick you the geek and freak crowd."

"How dare you, Herondale," I growled, "This is exactly why I didn't want to sit with you for all because of the egotistical and prejudiced bullshit that comes out of your mouth. I would have slapped you the first day!"

Jace shrugged again putting his hands behind his head. "At least it's the truth. At 14 with no one to sit with and just had spaghetti bolognaise dumped on her by the head cheerleader for standing your ground and taking the last low-fat sandwich at the cafeteria, you could have done with a social upgrade. Well, it could have given you a couple years of more notice unlike your life now where people only noticed you when you grew into your nose and your boobs grew out."

I snapped. I stood up and threw my drink in his face. "Fuck you, Jace." I placed the empty glass back on the table and went to walk away when he opened his mouth again, blinking in surprise at the onslaught of pink lemonade.

"Geez Ranga, when did you start liking pink things? I liked it better when you drank brown beverages. At least it would have stained my shirt a more manlier colour!"

I flipped him the bird and stalked off. One more moment in that jerk's presence and I think I may have punched him and bruised his glorious cheekbones and that I couldn't live with.

If any subject was one I hated, and I mean it that harshly, it was high school. It was a living nightmare for me at times and for exactly the reason Jace said: the Bolognaise incident. I learned from that day on neither to mess with the senior girls' dieting habits nor to refuse handing anything that even looked healthy over to them. I also learned that I would be mocked about it for years after and not move up in the social hierarchy any time soon. Sure if they knew who I was related to, I might have scraped in a legacy status but I wanted nothing of that life and I paid for it dearly.

I was still paying clearly.

Life sucked.

Life sucked real hard.

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Until next time, my lovelies!

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