Disclaimer: No, I am in no means Cassandra Clare, and never will be. I don't own any of the characters or the shadowhunter chronicles, I only own the plot of this story.

Chapter Nine

"Omg! You have got to be kidding me! No, seriously? Oh my god!" Jessamine's voice, which had become sounding irritatingly shrill, sounded through the remarkably thin walls separating the bedrooms.

All of the other girls were in Clary and Tessa's room, trying to drown out Jessamine's blabbering by blasting loud music, which also served as a fine purpose to stop her from eavesdropping, however unlikely.

"Oh, why can't she find another place to gossip with her friends? You know, rather than deafening our poor ears?" Cecily complained, smashing a pillow over her ears.

"Cecy, I don't think that that will help. And what's so important that she's squealing about on the top of her lungs?" Tessa said, forever the peacekeeper.

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Jace and Aline broke up because Aline was in love with Helen. So no news there" she said nonchalantly.

Clary spluttered. "Wait, what? Helen Blackthorn? I thought those two hated each other" she remarked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Cecily stretched out her legs on Clary's bed.

"Nah, just for show. Jace knew about it, he was covering for her. Aline didn't know that he knew, but I s'pose she just decided to make a move after all these years" she said, boredom leaking from her voice as she examined her fingernails.

"Huh" Clary said thoughtfully. Isabelle nudged her with her toe from the other bed, a huge, smug smile glazed over her features.

"You don't have to hide anything from us, Clare. We know that you-" she was cut off by the door slamming open, and in its place stood an extremely irritated Jace, hair ruffled and eyes tired.

"You're being too loud" he snapped, yawning. Isabelle stood up, shaking out her long black locks.

"It's three o'clock Jace. As in, the afternoon" she said, preparing to close the door on him.

"So? Beauty this brilliant needs its beauty sleep" he replied obnoxiously.

"Just go away. We all know you only came to flirt with Clary" Cecily said, not looking up from her nails. Clary turned a colour that could only be described as magenta.

"Guilty as charged. But keep it down, will you?" Jace replied, sending a flirtatious wink to the red headed girl, who buried her face in the pillow.

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah. Oh, and we're going to go see a movie later. Are you coming?" she asked blithely.

"Oh, that City of Bones one, right? Eh sure" he said, before walking out the room dramatically.

"Hey, about the movie" Isabelle started abruptly. The other girls turned to her. "I- I don't think I should go. I've been thinking about it, and I think I want to find um, well the father" she said, and for one the first time in a long while, the three girls saw Isabelle Lightwood flustered.

Clary smiled widely. "Good on you, Izzy" she said. Choruses of agreement were voiced throughout the room.

"Yeah, I just think it would be easier with someone else on board" she mumbled. Tessa checked her phone, eyes widening.

"I better go now. I don't want to be late to meet Nate. See you at five?" she asked, grabbing her purse as she stood up.

Cecily scrambled to her feet. "Yes, we'll see you, but are you one hundred percent sure that you don't want any of us to come with you? You know, for moral support?" she asked.

Tessa shook her head. "No, I think I best be going alone. Bye guys" she said, before striding out of the room.

She closed the door of the church-like orphanage that was her home behind her, slowly walking to the institute's SUV.

Jessamine was seated in the back seat, texting somebody. "Tessa" she said, not glancing up from her phone.

"Jessie" she replied swiftly.

"So where are you going?" Jessamine said non descriptively.

"Coffee with my brother. You?" Tessa said, tilting her head.
"Out with some friends. Maybe I'll grab a coffee on the way" Jessamine shrugged delicately. Tessa stared at the pretty blonde, wondering why on earth she was being so nice to her.

Usually, the pair couldn't stand each other.
Cyril opened the driver's seat, glancing back at the two girls. "Where to?" he asked, hitting the gas as he backed out the driveway.

"Uh, the coffee house on Blackwell street, thanks Cyril" Tessa said.

They drove off in silence, until they pulled up at the familiar shop. "Wait for me, I'll be back in a bit" Jessamine said, before stalking off into the shop, Tessa at her heels.

"I'll get one for you. What're you having?" Jessamine asked impatiently. Tessa mumbled her response, before sitting down in a booth in the corner of the warm, homely building.

Tessa watched Jessamine get the coffees, before bumping into a tall, blond boy. The pair seemed to be chatting, or moreover flirting.

Irritated, Tessa stood up and walked over to Jessamine, giving her a pointed look.

Jessamine handed her the coffee and rolled her bright brown eyes at her. "Oh Tessa, don't be so impatient. It isn't attractive on anyone, much less you" Jessamine said disdainfully, passing her a coffee.

Tessa narrowed her eyes. "Well don't go flirting with every male person who you meet" she snapped.

"Oh please, the second you met Will, you became putty in his hands. He's going to dump you, you know. He always does" Jessie remarked skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm sorry to interrupt this little conversation, but are you Tessa Gray?" the boy asked, before Tessa could open her mouth to retort.

Tessa turned, looking him up and down, and her mouth parted.

"Nate?"

Hello, my lovely readers. I'm going on holiday for two weeks, so I decided to make put this one up early. I've written most of the chapter ten, and so if I have time I'll put that up, but I'm leaving tomorrow morning so I don't think I will be able to. Thank you guys so much for reviewing, or even just taking the time to favourite. And 4.5 k views already? Thank you so so much xx.