Hello! Welcome to my first serious TMI story!

Just in case you were too lazy to read the summary, it will be all human and Jace is not very Jace-like at the beginning. And all of the typical TMI ships will not be in place at the beginning. So no whining please! It will all sort out eventually, just maybe not in the way you'd expect ;)

Also, I am purposely trying to play on cliches, so sorry if it's too... well, cliche-ish. Also, I'm an Australian trying to write about an American school, so I apologise in advance to everything I get wrong :/

As a final note, please bear in mind that it will be a slow start.

Ok, without further adieu... ENJOY!

I kept my head down as I navigated my way through the crowded hallway of what was my new school. The students were like wild animals, swarming into their concrete groups and roaring with intense laughter. It seemed so different to my old school, but really, I was just on the other side of the chaos this time.

As I walked, I observed the different groups strategically. I didn't want to end up like some of the new kids I had seen at my old school. The majority of my mind knew that I wouldn't end up like that; I was athletic and I wasn't a stranger to compliments for my looks. It was just second nature for me to fit in… somewhere. But a nagging voice in the back of my mind was screaming insecurities that I didn't even know I had at me. What if I was made fun of for my lack of academic excellence? What if I was teased for the little chip on my front tooth? What if I ended up alone? All seemed rationally ridiculous, but yet terrifying at the same time.

One group exploded into laughter, making me snap my head in their direction. It was group of guys that looked particularly athletic, especially since they were all decked in letterman jackets. They all lounged against the lockers on one side of the hall. I didn't realise that I had stopped in the middle of the hall to stare at them until I noticed that they were all looking at me like I was retarded. One boy with black hair and intimidating eyes smirked and muttered something to the guys next to him, then shifting his eyes back to me. Everyone who had heard what he had said burst into a new fit of laughter. Something in my stomach clenched as a feeling that was unfamiliar to me flooded through me. I shook my head and moved on, trying my best to get away from the group as fast as I possibly could.

As I past a group of girls wearing short, pleated skirts and tops decorated with the school mascot and colours, they giggled. Fear pulsed through me, and even though I told myself that it was irrational to be afraid of cheerleaders, my blood turned cold. One of them broke away from the group and strutted straight for me.

"Hi," she said smoothly, reaching out and placing a manicured hand on my shoulder. She had dyed-red hair that was a dark as blood that lay around her shoulders in perfect waves. Her face was pretty, but it was hard to determine what she actually looked like through her make up. "Are you new here?"

I swallowed and nodded. It's not hard, I told myself, you've talked to cheerleaders before. Much prettier ones, at that. Why are you freezing up?

She smiled, flashing her straight and white teeth. "What's your name? If you want, I can show you around a bit."

"J-Jace," I stuttered, then silently cursed myself for stuttering. I must have looked like a geek.

Her smile wavered, but she recollected herself before long. "How cute. You must be scared, being your first day and all," she hooked her arm through mine suddenly; "I'm Seelie. I know it's a strange name, but don't question it, ok? C'mon; I'll give you a tour."

Just let her show you around, the voice in my mind screamed, just accept her offer! But my body didn't feel like listening. I pulled my arm out of hers and took a step back. She looked at me, absolutely baffled, and then reached for me again.

Again, I stepped away. This time, I said, "I'm sorry, but I think I'll be ok. T-thanks for the offer, though."

She cocked her head to the side. She was actually looking angry now. "I don't think you understand –" she began. Instinctively, I backed away from her. Luckily two more girls appeared.

"Seelie!" one with long, dark hair said, "Why don't we go over to Seb and the others? I think Alec has been eyeing you off all morning."

The other girl, who had naturally coppery hair and stunning green eyes, added, "I think you're just scaring him. Besides, it gives me an excuse to talk to Seb." She winked at her friend then gave me an apologetic smile.

Seelie's eye seemed to twitch. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. I wasn't sure if she was trying to pull it off as a smile or not, but if so it wasn't working. "You won't forget this, though. Bye, Jace."

When she was gone, my heart beat slowed and the tension in my shoulders relaxed. I looked over my shoulder and saw the three cheerleaders prance over to the group of jocks that I had seen before. I wondered if they were all going to laugh at me together now.

I continued walking down the hallway. I singled out a few different groups. There was a group of kids crowded around a laptop that one boy was holding, all pointing and gasping at the screen. There was a group of girls with bright blonde hair, sun-kissed skin and designer clothes clinging to their perfectly curved bodies. Being male, of course I offered them a second glance, but that was all. Maybe at my old school, one of those girls would have been my girlfriend. There was another group, a mix of boys and girls, who all wore band t-shirts and wore dark eye-liner. Yes, even the boys. Some kids stood alone, iPod blaring its music so loud that you could hear it from their headphones as you walked past. I couldn't help but wonder if I would become one of them.

My mind was sidetracked, and when one kid with glasses and curly brown hair stepped… or more like tripped… in front of me, I avoided crashing in to him by a matter of millimetres. "I'm sorry!" he shrieked, covering his head as if I was going to hit him.

"I-it's ok, man." I said and stepped around him.

I felt the kid's eyes on me as I walked away from him. Suddenly, he yelled, "Hey! You! Stop!"

I turned around, wondering what he wanted. I had wanted to fit in and make friends, but not with the nerds of the school. He raced up to me, closing the distance between us. When he reached me, he panted, "Are you new here?"

"Yeah," I answered wearily.

"Oh, cool!" he exclaimed, then held out his hand, "I'm Simon. Simon Lewis. I saw what happened back there with Seelie."

I regarded the nerd with caution. "So what?"

Simon looked shocked. "'So what?' I'll tell you what. Seelie rules this school. And you just rejected her! She's going to come after you're blood… sorry, what was your name?"

"Jace," I said, imitating his introduction from before, "Jace Herondale."

"Well, Jace Herondale, all I'm saying is you need to watch your back."

"Thanks," I said, "But I'm sure I'll be fine. See ya, Simon Lewis."

Despite the cool tone I had tried to pull off around Simon, my heart was hammering. Was she really offended from what I had done? Was I really in trouble? Maybe I had been a bit rude to Simon… if what he said was true, I was going to need all the friends I could get. In the matter of 50 meters, I had managed to make a whole group of enemies, been harassed by the most popular girl in school and had been warned by a nerd. It looked like things were going to be hugely different to my cruise of a life back in Washington.

The tides were turning. And they were turning against me.

What do you think? Let me know in a review :) I'll try and update this one Sundays, if you are wondering :)

See ya next time! :D