Here's chapter 7. I hope you guys like it =) I can't believe it turned out so long...

LizzyLuvYou: No need to apologize. No harm, no foul =)

Near the end of November, Institute provided a five day holiday as a respite from classes. For many students, this was great because they could go home, even if they lived on the Continent. For people like Tessa, they were stuck with an empty Institute. Victoria was flying back to Paris, while Gideon and Gabriel were going to their London manor. Jem's parents lived in London, so he was going home too. Sophie's family lived in Yorkshire, so she was taking the train from King's Cross the afternoon classes ended. Mark and Thomas's families lived on the Continent in Spain and Germany respectively. Tessa was sitting on her bed, her arms crossed under her chest while she watched Tori pack a duffel bag.

"Tori, what am I going to do for five days? I don't have enough homework to do or books to read to fill up the time." Tori looked up from the shoes she was holding in her hands. "Listen, I know you'll figure something out. And it's not like you'll be all alone. Cecy and Will are staying back too." Tessa knew this. Although the family resided in London, the Herondale parents were out of town on business, so the twins were stuck at school. Cecy would be good company, but Will...

It's not that Tessa particularly hated him, she was sort of perpetually annoyed by him. The afternoon in the library had been a rare moment, with Will returning to his churlish self afterwards. But she had found him a little more bearable than before Club Pandemonium, so it was a good sign that things were progressing.

Tessa sighed and hugged her legs to her chest. "I guess you're right." Tori nodded and opened her wardrobe. A thousand items of clothing fell out, covering Tori from head to toe. The sight was so comical that Tessa couldn't help but laugh.

The holiday went by better than expected. Cecy and Will took Tessa out to see more of London each day. It was freezing, but Tessa enjoyed her time out. They usually didn't get back until late, but she didn't mind it. Neither did the Herondales, for that matter. Their parents were usually busy or away, and they were glad that they had someone else besides each other to keep them company over the break.

On the last night, Tessa was in her room, sitting on her bed and reading. Cecy was spending the night with a friend who was staying in another dorm, so Tessa was looking forward to the solitude. Then, she heard a loud knock on her door. She went to open it and found Will in the corridor. He pushed his way past her and into the room. Tessa scowled and closed the door. Sure, you can come in, Will. He took a cursory glance at her sweatpants and t-shirt before he said "Tess, we're going out."

"What?"

"You heard me"

"Do we have to?"

"Yes, now get dressed" he said, throwing open her wardrobe. He looked into it, and then closed the door, walking over to Victoria's wardrobe instead. He rummaged through it and pulled out a black skirt, a black top, black boots and a cobalt blue jacket. He tossed the clothes to her. "Here, put these on. You have ten minutes, go." Tessa stared at him.

"Where are we going?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Hold on. You come barging into my room, disturbing my peace of mind, demanding that I get dressed so you can take me somewhere, and you won't even tell me where that somewhere is?"

He made an impatient noise. "Just get dressed. I'll tell you later."

She threw her hands up in frustration and stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

She put on the outfit, and stared at herself in the mirror. The skirt was extremely short and the boots only hit her lower calf, so Tessa's pale legs were on full display. The top had spaghetti straps and ended a bit below Tessa's chest, leaving a strip of bare skin visible between the skirt and top. The jacket was leather and had long sleeves, but ended just below Tessa's chest. Provocative. That's what this whole outfit is. She sighed; her parents would've killed her if they saw her outfit. She wasn't even sure why she was agreeing to go with Will. Whatever.It's the last night before everyone comes back. I might as well enjoy myself. She left her hair loose around her shoulders and stepped out of the bathroom.

Will was sitting on her bed, flipping through the book she had been reading, Looking for Alaska. He looked up when he heard her coming and leaned back on his hands, whistling lowly. "This outfit is perfect for where we're going." She scowled at him again, and slipped her phone into the jacket pocket. He stood up from the bed, and gestured towards the door. "Let's get going, we don't want to miss the fun."

At the main entrance, Will hailed a cab for them, and they settled into the worn black upholstery. Tessa's legs were freezing; the weather forecast had indicated snow sometime soon. She was bouncing them up and down, her knees pressed together, to keep them warm. Will noticed and laughed. He shrugged off the medium blue zip-up hoodie he was wearing, and handed it to her. "Here, cover your legs with this. It'll keep you warm." She took the hoodie quietly and covered her legs with them. This was better. She turned to look at him. Will was dressed simply in a white v-neck t-shirt and long dark jeans. "Why are you dressed so warmly? And can you please tell me now where on earth we're going?" Before Will could open his mouth, the cab stopped. "Alright, we're here" said the driver. That'll be 20 euros."

Will paid the man and the two of them stepped out. Tessa stared at the sight in front of her. The cab had dropped them off on a street that ran along the Thames. There was an abandoned dock on her left, and what looked like the entrance to a subway on her right, except it was dirty and empty. "I thought you said you were taking me out, not drowning me in the Thames" she said sarcastically. Will grinned at her, slipping his jacket back on. "Come on", he said, gesturing to the subway entrance. "Haven't you learned to not judge a book by its cover?" They slipped down a set of steps, and Will pushed open a door at the bottom. Tessa's jaw dropped when she saw the scene. "Welcome to the London Underground" said Will.

It was an abandoned subway station that had been turned into the largest public venue Tessa had ever seen. The music was blaring from all corners of the station, but the weird thing was, there was different music everywhere. She heard a drum going in one corner, while someone was playing hip-hop on a stereo in the center. The tunnel was awash in lights that were strung on the walls and ceiling. The walls were covered in graffiti, but it didn't look out of place. It made the scene look beautiful. Will and Tessa had stepped onto a low platform that overlooked the station. They went down a small set of steps, and made their way into the crush of people, Tessa holding Will's hand with great force. He led her down the station, expertly weaving his way through the people. Tessa noticed that she and Will were on the younger side of the crowd; everyone else looked to be in their early 20s. They were finally stopped when a girl came out of nowhere and flung her arms around Will's neck.

"Well if it isn't William Herondale! You haven't been here in weeks, I was wondering when you were going to show up!" she cried with a very heavy English accent. Tessa had let go of Will's hand, and observed this girl. She looked to be about 20, with straight black hair that rested on her shoulders. She was about Tessa's height, and was dressed in black boots, a short white skirt and pink bandeau with a beige crop top over it. Will laughed and hugged her back. "Hey Moira, it's good to see you too. School's been keeping me on my toes. Anyways, I brought a friend with me today" he said, gesturing to Tessa. Moira looked at her and grinned. Tessa, who was still feeling awkward in the scene, held her hand out to Moira. "Hello, I'm Tessa Gray." Moira took her by shoulders and looked at her from head to toe. "So you're the famous Ms. Gray that I've heard all about. Well it looks like I'm going to have to steal you from Will for a bit". Tessa eyes widened as Will reassured her. "Moira's harmless Tessa, you'll be fine. I'll catch up with you in a bit." He turned, and started to talk to some boys at a table behind him.

Moira pulled Tessa to a small table that was stocked with beer, and handed her one. "Go on, drink it. One won't hurt you." Tessa sighed and took the bottle. When in Rome... she thought, clinking the bottom of her bottle with Moira's and then taking a sip. The two girls leaned against the wall, and they began to chat. Tessa, who had spent a lot of time surrounded by the generally white population of Institute, was interested in finding out more about Moira, who had some Hispanic background. Tessa was used to seeing people of different races and ethnicities; she had Grown up in New York. There were few at Institute, like Arjun Singhania in the room across from her, and Sophia Chang at the other end of the hall. But her time in London had been pretty sheltered, and she was glad she got to see a different side of it.

But there was one thing that was bothering Tessa at the back of mind. "Moira, when you greeted me earlier, you seemed to know me, even though I'd never met you." She laughed, grabbing another drink. "Will Herondale. I love that boy to the last hair on his head. Will has been coming to the Underground for several years now, and we met when he was just a thirteen year old kid. People normally don't hear about this place until they're older. And we usually get East End folks. You and Will are probably the only teenagers here. Will was the most sullen boy, often quoting literature and talking about the most awful things in his life. He only came alive when he danced. It seems like the rich have their share of problems too."

Moira continued. "But something changed in him recently.I couldn't figure out what, but then he mentioned you to me, and I swear I don't think I've ever seen him grin like that. He went on and on, talking about the books you love, the outfit you wore that day. I finally texted him this afternoon, telling him that I haven't seen him in a while, and that I wanted to meet you. He agreed to come, and it looks like the boy has good taste." At that moment, Moira was dragged away by another friend, and she shouted over her shoulder that she'd be back in an instant.

Tessa leaned forward, her hands on her knees, absorbing this new information. Will Herondale spoke about her? That couldn't be right. All he'd done since the day he'd met her was be sarcastic. Sure, she thought he was handsome, but she never actually thought anything would come out of it.

Moira came back, her face alive with energy, She took Tessa by the hand and dragged her towards the center of the station. "Come on Tessa, you've got to see this." The girls stood in the middle of a ring of people, watching a boy and girl dance away to a drum that someone was beating on the side. Tessa watched in awe as the boy flipped the girl over his head, and she landed neatly in a split behind him. They were ducking around each other, stepping towards and away from each other in a graceful motion. Tessa joined the others around her in clapping to the beat of the music, a smile plastered on her face. After the girl gracefully made her way out of the circle, Moira stepped into it, twirling into the arms of the dark-skinned man that was dancing in the center. Tessa watched with her mouth open as Moira did things with her arms and legs that she didn't think was possible. One second, she would be tightly wrapped around the boy, and in the next he'd be sliding through her legs. And then Tessa noticed Will on the other side, watching not only the dancing, but Tessa as well.

Tessa nodded her head to him in greeting. He smirked and nodded towards the dance floor. He wants me to step into the circle. He must be completely out of his mind. She shook her head no. He folded his hands under his armpits, imitating a flapping chicken. He set his arms down before anyone noticed, but that was all Tessa needed. There is no way I'm going to let him call me a chicken. She started to take her jacket off, and as Moira made her way out of the center, Tessa tossed her jacket into the crowd and spun into the center.

Oh crap. Now what do I do? Tessa decided not to think so hard, and let her body flow with the drum beat. She loved to dance, and Nate had even taught her a bit of hip-hop when they were younger. Tessa used these skills to twist and turn her body. She moved forward slightly with each step, moving her arm from side to side in a sweeping gesture. She stopped after four steps and began to pivot around in place, gesturing with an arm for someone to come in and join her. The dark skinned man was back, and Tessa stepped towards him, and then leaped away gracefully when he mirrored her move. After several steps, Tessa hopped backwards lightly until her back collided with another body. It was another man, who looked like he came from the Middle East. He was also the bearer of the hand drum that was playing the beat. He wrapped an arm around her waist, both of the them moving back to the center in sync. She pushed him away gently, tracing her hands down the sides of her torso as she moved. She set her arms out and twisted her hips until the man had backed out, and someone else was holding her up from behind. He had blond hair and was wearing a fedora. He swung Tessa around in a circle by holding her from behind. He set her upright and twirled her into and then out of the circle of his arm. Tessa turned to face him and then did a little side step with his feet. She set his hat onto her head, and momentarily wrapped her leg around his. He spun her out of his embrace, and she kept spinning until she landed in the arms of...

Will. Will Herondale. He was in the circle now. Tessa slipped out his arms and the two of them circled each other once before Will took the hat off Tessa's head. She paused, staring at him while he flipped the hat over in his hands and through his legs. He came around Tessa and traced the edge of her body with the brim of the hat. Enough with the hat already. She took it firmly from his grasp and spun her way to the opposite end of the inner circle, tossing the hat into the crowd. She turned to face the center again, and found Will sliding along the floor and going right under her legs. He stood up behind her and spun her around him. Tessa put her fingers on Will's chest and used them to back him to the other end of the circle. Then they started to spin back, Will leading the way. He stopped Tessa when she reached him and pressed her back to his chest. He had a hand on her arm, and they swung their hips in perfect sync.

And they continued like that, chasing each other with arm sweeping, back bends, side steps and spins. At last, the beat ended, and Tessa and Will were on the floor, backs pressed against each other's as the applause started, slowly rising to a deafening volume. Will rose to his feet, and pulled Tessa to hers'. They made their way to Moira, who was holding Tessa's jacket. She handed it to her, looking impressed. "For a teenager who goes to Institute, you do know how to dance." Tessa shrugged the jacket on, grinning out of giddiness. "My brother taught me when I was living in New York." Moira nodded and looked at Will, who still had his hand clasped in Tessa's. His face was flushed, and the sweat on the back of his neck was causing his hair to curl. "I've got to run," said Moira, "but it was nice meeting you Tessa. And Will, I want to see you again soon. Make sure to bring Tessa with you." She gave Tessa a hug and then turned to Will. She whispered something in his ear, causing him redden further before he said something back. She gave him a hug, waved and left.

Will turned to Tessa."We should go too.I wanted to take you to one more place before we go back to Institute." Tessa nodded and let Will lead her out of the Underground. Once they had surfaced, Tessa took in a deep breath of fresh air. It was a clear night, with the moon and stars shining above. The Thames was glittering, awash in light. It took her a moment to realize that it was snowing.

"Oh" she whispered, letting go of Will's hand and stretching her arms, twirling slowly in place. Will turned in surprise when he felt Tessa let go of his hand. He stared at her, watching her capture the snowflakes in her arms. He held a hand out to her. "Ms. Theresa Gray, would you care to dance with me?" She shifted her gaze down to him and set her arms by her side. "But there's no music here." "Nonsense. I've been told my voice is quite melodious." Tessa curtsied and then took his hand." Then yes, William Herondale, I would be honored to dance with you" she said, mimicking his tone. He set one hand on her waist and clasped the other with her hand. Tessa set her free hand on his chest. He began to sing at the top of his lungs.

"When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie that's amorrrreeeeeee. When the world seems to shine, like you've had too much wine ,that's amorrrreeeeeee." Tessa threw her head back and laughed. The song was ridiculous, but it seemed right coming from Will. He plowed on. "When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool, that's amore. When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet, you're in love." He whispered the last words, slowing both of them down. He stopped and then took her face in his hands. Tessa stared at him with big, gray eyes. He stroked her cheek bones with his fingers before he brought his lips down onto her hers.

The kiss exploded in Tessa's mouth. Will was being careful,she could sense it in his lips. But she didn't want careful. She had come out for some adventure. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling one hand into his black locks. He groaned and moved one his hands down to her waist, drawing her closer. He set the other into her flowing hair, knotting it in his fingers. His hand moved from her waist and down her back, gripping the exposed skin of the underside of her thigh and drawing her leg up until only her toes were skimming the ground. Tessa gasped at the intimacy of the gesture. Her own fingers were gripping his hair with a lot of force, bringing her head close to Will's. He pried her mouth open with his, letting his tongue explore her mouth. He tasted like cheap beer, but Tessa didn't care. If anyone would've walked out of the Underground at that moment, they would've seen Tessa and Will, framed against the night, kissing each other as if their lives depended on it.

They finally came up for air, after what seemed like ages. Will was staring at her, his face in awe. "Wow" he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. Tessa gave him a teasing smile. "Just wow?" "Better than wow. That was the most beautiful-" He was cut off short when Tessa pressed her fingers to his lips, causing him to be silent. "Shhh. We may live and breath words, but this moment doesn't need any." And they stood there for a moment, staring at each other's eyes.

Finally Will took her hand. "Alright, we still have one place we have to go to. Come on." Tessa followed him to the street, grasping his hand tightly. He hailed a cab, and after a short ride, Tessa got out to find herself staring up at the London Eye. She raised an eyebrow at Will. "I've already been here Will." He just grinned, holding her hand still. "I know, but that was during the day. You need to see London at night to truly appreciate it. Let's get some ice-cream first, I'm famished." Tessa's stomach growled as if to respond to his comment. She nodded and they both bought cones from a nearby vendor.

They got in line for the ferris wheel and were quickly placed in a cabin. Many people didn't come to the London Eye this late in the middle winter, so Tessa and Will were blessed with a cabin all to themselves. They sat side by side on a bench near the edge, licking their ice cream and watching as they slowly rose to tower above London. The city was beautiful, shaped by lit up buildings. The Strand was teeming with life, and the Thames was decorated with several boats, slowly moving along.

"And I behold London, a human awful wonder of God." said Will, looking at the view. I know this. William Blake. It was mentioned in European Lit. Tessa turned to him as he continued on. "When Blake wrote this, it was during a time when London was an industrial hub, crowded with people and covered with the dirt and smog from the factories. But I don't think he would've said that if he saw London now."

Will turned to face her. He smiled at her from under his locks. "By the way, you ice-cream on the corner of your mouth." "Oops" said Tessa, as she brought a hand up to wipe it away. Will grasped her raised hand slowly, and gently set it by her side. "Allow me" he said, leaning in to kiss the sweet treat off of her. Desire overcame common sense to Tessa at that moment, and she turned in her seat, setting her hands on Will's chest as he kissed her. They may have come for a view London, but they missed most of it as the Eye slowly turned into the clouds.

Tessa was in her bed, lying awake in a sleeveless satin nightgown. She had the blankets pulled up to her chest, and stared at the moonlit patch on her rug. She couldn't believe that her first kiss had been with Will Herondale. She hadn't thought much about what her first kiss would be like, but she knew that she had wanted it to mean something. And it had.

She started to drift off, exhausted from the perfect night. It was a great first kiss she thought. It couldn't have happened any better. She fell asleep, a smile on her face, with dreams filled with beer, ice-cream, water, winter and most importantly, Will.