Please read my Author's Note at the end of this chapter :)
Her paint covered apron gave me the jealously I needed to not sound nervous. "Oh no thank you, the secretary drew me a map." I started walking away, but she didn't get the message and matched my pace.
"Isabelle can sometimes be scatterbrained. Can I make sure she at least is telling you the right place to go?" the blonde asked me sweetly. I handed the piece of paper reluctantly over to her. While she had her head bent looking at the paper I rolled my eyes in spite of her. "At the next left, take a right and it's the third door on the left."
I was a little shocked and my little faith in Isabelle went down to micro size. Maybe she just wanted me to look like a lost puppy roaming around in the hallways. "oh..um thank you?" I tried to say as she started walking back to wherever she came from. I took a right at the next passage and walked past a few more students on the way. Most of them were out in the courtyard finishing up homework and studying before their first class. For a private school this place seemed to be more chill than the one I attended. Though having a courtyard in Vermont may not have been the greatest idea.
When I made it to the third door, which was the last one down this hallway, I suddenly got the feeling that I wasn't where I was supposed to be. There was no sign on the door that indicated what room it was or anything at all. But when has that ever stopped me before. I knocked timidly on the door, but no one answered. After a minute I decided I better just open the door.
What a bad idea that was.
In what seemed like a greenhouse classroom were two non-students (at least I assumed so) getting it on right on the desk. Their clothes were hanging in random plants around the room. I was really uncomfortable, but I mean who would be comfortable in that situation.
I made a noise that I couldn't really describe and closed the door behind me. Whoever they were, they must be deaf if they didn't even notice me. Also stupid for not locking the door. I'm getting the idea that the woman who gave me these directions was lying, and that Isabelle is actually the only person that hasn't screwed with me today.
I got the map back out and returned to my starting point outside of the main office. I followed the path and got to a different door labeled "IT Office".
World 1, Fray 0
I knocked on the door, and a muffled voice told me to enter.
When I opened the door it was exactly how I would expect an IT office to look like. Cords were everywhere and there were random headphones placed in the oddest places. There were two desktop computers and then small piles of laptops available to students for their schoolwork. It must be nice to be able to just come in here and borrow a laptop; my school never had those privileges. I have looked into schools that have a 1:1 program so that every student has to have a laptop. It's interesting because I can bet those students are listening only half of the time while the other half is spent talking to their friends on Skype and other pointless games. Blocking systems can only do so much; kids will always find something to do that bends the rules.
"Hello, are you Ms. Fray?" a man, that looked exactly like a masculine Isabelle except for his deep blue eyes, asked me.
"Oh you can call me Clary, I'm sure I will need your help a lot. I've never worked a Mac before. None of this comes naturally to me," I said with humor in my voice.
His mouth twitched but he didn't smile, he didn't seem like the type to smile just because. His white button up shirt was rolled past his elbows and I so badly wanted to pull them down to make it look better, but that would be weird.
"You can call me Alec. Once you use our laptops for presentations and lecturing, you'll most likely want to buy a Mac just because they really are convenient. I used to be a PC person until I went to college for this stuff. I still have a PC, but when it comes to students and teachers, Macs are the easiest to handle. Let me see your computer so I can put the compatible software onto it," he explained.
"Duly noted, but my whole life is on this baby, so please be careful," I begged as I put my bag onto his desk and pulled out my PC. After I got the computer I thought splattered paint would look cool on the cover and it hasn't faded in the last two years. It was the one thing in the world that could describe me.
"I will, in the meantime you can grab one of the white Macbooks from the pile over there," Alec pointed across the room. I walked over to the laptops and grabbed the first one; it had a sticker labeled "Loaner #00034". I brought it back to his desk and he motioned for me to sit down as he opened my PC. I had previously gone through everything on my laptop (not that I have anything bad on it, jeez) and deleted everything embarrassing.
"Oh you graduated from Burr and Burton Academy?" Alec looked shocked. He must have seen my desktop picture of Simon and me at graduation.
"Yes…is it familiar to you?" I asked secretly hoping that it wasn't.
"Actually I graduated from there myself, as did my siblings. Well my sister and Jace, my little brother Max is currently enrolled there," he explained, but as soon as I heard Jace again I understood. The ring I saw on Isabelle's finger earlier clarified it all.
Why do people need to get married so young, I mean live a little. Branch out before you make any long-term commitments to someone, that's just the right way to do things. Experiencing the world could change you in ways no one could imagine; you could be a completely different person than the one you are now. I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for my father's persistence. He wants me to graduate and then he'll allow me to take a year before I take a job anywhere. I had thought that once I turned eighteen that I would have a say in my own life, but he didn't want me to take out any student loans. So here I am respecting all of his commands like a dog.
"How did all of you get a job at the same school?" I asked and kept my rudeness to a minimum.
"My father owns this school, not that he has much to do with it. He wanted us to stick together until we got married. Kind of like one last hurrah, though it won't last more than this year because of my siblings," Alec said sadly.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't pry. I ought to get going anyways, what is the login for this loaner?" I changed the subject quickly and got up from my seat. I gathered my bag and put the loaned laptop into it.
"Guest for username and Guest for password," he smiled in amusement like I was an idiot.
"Right, right. Probably should have known that. I'll see you soon, I have no doubt," I said while I retreated from the room clumsily almost tripping over my own feet. The bell rang and I watched as students went to their classes. The school was creepier when there was no one in the hallways. The emptiness of it all made me want to shiver despite the heavy coat I was wearing.
I made my way back to the main office where Isabelle was on the phone with someone. "–is Jeff feeling any better? Oh that's terrible, I'll make sure his teachers know that he won't be here today. Thank you Mrs. O'Dell, have a blessed day!" Isabelle groaned as she hung up the phone. When she saw me her face automatically changed, "Did you find it?"
"Yes I did thank you. Can I ask who is the art teacher here?" I said as subtle as possible.
"Oh that's Kaelie. She didn't give you too much trouble did she? She doesn't like new meat very much, in fact she doesn't like anyone very much." Isabelle giggled at something I had no idea about.
I decided to keep what I had seen to myself and remember to keep out watch for Kaelie. I didn't want to make any enemies my first week here, let alone my first day. "What should I do now, boss?" I asked jokingly to her.
"Well there's a substitute in for Mr. Lightwood and Mr. Bane is stuck in meetings until lunch. You might as well have not come in today Clary, I'm sorry for the inconvenience," she looked guilty.
"Oh no really it's fine Mrs. Lightwood. I'll just come back tomorrow and start over," I said happily.
"Oh, Clary please call me Isabelle, that makes me sound so old!"
I laughed at her discomfort and waved as I left the building. My phone was buzzing and I checked my recent text message from Simon.
So when's lunch?
AUTHOR'S NOTE PLEASE READ: Okay guys seriously, this story is a fun project for me. I have no idea where this is going. TELL ME any cute ideas you have for this story by Reviewing/PMing me PLEASE:)
Also if you're interested in a more Shadowhunter fic, my other story The Circle is set in Idris (like the real one, not something named that).