Chapter 2

Jace POV

Beep ... Beep ... Beep ...

I groaned and put a pillow over my head. Damn, why did school have to start so fucking early?! The annoying sound of my alarm clock didn't stop and I still could hear it through the material of my pillow. Finally the damn thing reached a level, where I was so annoyed about the sound, that I just grabbed the fucking thing and threw it across my room. It smashed in to a few pieces on my floor and finally shut up.

Finally, I thought and tried to get back to sleep. But no such luck, because my dear sister – please note sarcasm here – came barking in to my room.

“Oh no, you don't”, she fumed. “You mister are getting up right this instant. I have to meet Simon before school starts.”

As if this interests me, Isabelle!

“And I'm pretty sure a certain red-head will be with Simon, too”, Isabelle said in a singing voice.

This certainly sparked my interest, but I couldn't let Isabelle know this. She knew already too much about my liking – No, what the hell?! I didn't even know Clary, I met her once! Once for fuck's sake! So why did my heart started beating faster with just the mentioning of her hair color? Not even hers, just the mentioning of a 'certain red-head'. Damn you, Isabelle!

To stop Isabelle from complaining, I rolled over and looked at my sister, signaling her I was up and about to stand up, but first she had to leave my room.

“Great”, she chirped, when she met my eyes and flew out of my room again.

Hell, this girl would be the death of me one day.

After I had a quick shower and dressed myself, I went down to the kitchen. Alec and Isabelle were already there. Alec eating some cereals and Isabelle munching on an apple. My bowl of cereal was already there and I just had to pure milk in to it.

I nodded at Alec in thanks and he just returned the gesture.

“Oh, come one guys, can't you eat a little faster?”, Isabelle whined.

What? I've been here for what? Three seconds? I haven't even eaten yet! What was so important with Rat-boy anyway? I glared at Isabelle and she grumbled something under her breath. I needed food and I was going to get, whether she liked it or not.

I took my time eating my cereals and Isabelle looked like she was ready to explode every second now. Alec chuckled, but didn't comment on the whole deal. When I couldn't tease Izzy anymore, we made our way to the car. While driving I thought way too much, I missed on Stop-sign and a red light, but I actually couldn't care less right now. Nobody noticed so who cares?

When we came to the parking lot, there was already a huge crowd around our usual spot. I internally groaned. Honestly, I didn't get it, why did they need to wait for our arrival and bombard us with questions how our summer vacation has been. Do that in class or just don't do it at all, because: I WON'T ANSWER!

“Oh fun, Jace's fan girls”, Isabelle mumbled annoyed.

You're not the only one annoyed, Isabelle, I thought.

I have no idea why, but all the girls at school wanted to be with me, wanted to be my girlfriend and 'fix' me somehow. I didn't need to be 'fixed' and none of these girls could ever be 'the one' who could actually be it. Still, they tried, a lot! Sometimes it just annoyed me, but I had to admit, that I used my silence a few times to get girls. I wasn't proud of it, but I still did it and I could live with my mistakes.

“If I miss Simon because of your slutty fans I swear I'm gonna bitch slap one of them!”, Izzy growled from the backseat, before she stormed out of the car.

Alec and I followed suit, but we were bombarded with girls, Izzy pushed her way through them, Alec and I weren't that lucky.

“Hey Alec”, Lindsay greeted Alec.

She smiled up at him and batted her lashes, but Alec struggled. He tried to pry her hands off of his shirt, but it looked like her grip was too tight on him. Poor brother ...

“Jace”, Aline said in a low voice.

She tried to sound seductive, but failed miserably. She sounded like the was sick or smoked a lot. It didn't sound sexy, it sounded like she was trying to sound like a man.

Aline trailed on finger up my stomach, over my chest, towards my throat, but I grabbed her hand on my chest and pushed it away.

She frowned slightly, but I didn't care. I didn't want her to touch me, I didn't want anyone of those girls to touch me!

“Let's go”, Alec pressed in my ear urgently and pushed me alongside the car away.

“Don follow us!”, Alec shouted frustrated at the girls, when they started to actually follow us.

Wow, stalker much?, I thought. When I looked at Alec, he looked a bit green. What the hell did Lindsay say too him. I grabbed his arm and looked at him. He knew I wanted answers, he could read me as good as that, but he avoided my eyes, knowing I couldn't ask in any other way.

I rolled my eyes and punched his arm, so he would look at me.

“Ouch, damn Jace!”, Alec shouted, rubbing the spot on his arm.

I didn't really care, I wanted to know what happened that made him look so green and disgusted.

“Later”, Alec grumbled and walked away from me.

I didn't follow him, I knew he would talk to me, when he was ready. Sighing I went to my first class, it was too late to search for Isabelle now and I actually didn't even knew where she was meeting with rat-face. So instead I went to my first class and hoped to see Clary at lunch. But fate didn't think so and I ran straight into her.

When I turned the next corner, I collided with her. I was shocked to see her. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. Her hair was in a high ponytail and she wore little make-up. She looked stunning.

She didn't even look up, when we collided, she just went down and grabbed her books from the floor. I got to my knees, too, wanting to help her.

“I'm sorry”, she mumbled, still not looking up.

Why wasn't she looking up at me? I grabbed the last of her books, we both stood up and I held her books out to her. Finally she looked up at me. When she recognized me, she smiled.

“Jace”, she said monotone. “Hey. Thank you and sorry again. I wasn't looking where I was going.”

I shook my head and smiled at her. She didn't smile back, I didn't know what to think of that and furrowed my eyebrows. What was wrong with her? Has something happened to her or was it because of me?

“Well, see you”, she rushed out and went to step around me.

I didn't want to let her go just now, I wanted to know if this was because of me or something or someone else. Her eyes went wide and she looked a little shocked up at me. She frowned and glanced at my hand, but I didn't loose my grip.

“Yes?”, she asked.

I just looked at her, hoping she would again read me like before. Maybe, if I just looked long enough at her, I could figure her out. Clary sighed and looked at the ground.

“I'm okay, honestly. Just late for class.”

I raise my left eyebrow. She giggled lightly.

“How can you be so annoying without even saying a word?”, she asked more herself than me and I smirked at her.

“You think that was a compliment?”, she laughed.

I shrugged and she giggled even more. And in exact this moment I decided I loved to hear her giggle. It should become a ring tone, I know I would buy it.

“Seriously, I'm late for class. Can you let go of me, like now?”

She smiled slightly, but I wasn't sure if she was really okay or just telling me she was okay. Again I looked at her and tried to read her expression.

“I'll tell you later”, she sighed.

Smiling a small smile, I nodded and let go of her. Later … It probably wasn't meant as one, but I took this as a promise. A promise form her to see her later. With a huge smile on my face I went to my first class.

I knew I was behaving like a creep, but I couldn't help myself. This girl … This girl was infuriating, she was beautiful and she could read me like no other, without even really knowing me.

-o-o-o- Staying Silent -o-o-o-

Clary POV

“Seriously, why do I need to know this stuff?”, Simon whined.

“What do I know?”, I laughed. “Just learn it and then forget it for the rest of your life. That's what I do.”

Simon groaned and shook his head frustrated. I could understand him there, but still, there was nothing we could do about it. I couldn't tell my teachers 'I will never need this stuff, so why should I learn it?'. They won't care and I will just get a bad grade. So why bother?

“Stop wailing like a baby about it”, I said to him and rolled my eyes.

“Hey, best friend over here, a little sympathy would be nice.”

“Sympa – what?”, I asked.

“Not funny, Fray!”, Simon grumbled and I couldn't help but giggle.

We walked to the cafeteria and Simon muttered under his breath how he hated school and should just quit and then this all would be over. But I knew he would never go through with this, so I let him grumble for a while. When we entered the cafeteria and waited in line, Isabelle came and went to hug Simon first, then me and then kiss Simon on the cheek.

“Hey handsome”, she smiled up at him.

“Hey beautiful”, he smiled right back at her.

“And hey awesome”, I laughed and pointed at myself.

They both looked at me quizzically, before laughing along with me. When they looked at each other, you actually had to look away. Their looks were so intimate, that it felt like spying on them, at least for me.

Simon met Isabelle a few weeks ago. After he first laid eyes on her he came straight to me and told me he met his future wife. At first I just laughed at him, but he looked so serious, that I stopped and he told me about Izzy. Just a few days later they became a couple and another week later he introduced Isabelle to me. I liked her, she was funny and caring and seemed to really like Simon. Isabelle had the looks to get every boy she wanted, but she told me it was exactly the other way around. Because she looked this great, the boys only wanted one thing from her – or more from her body – and she just wanted a boy to want her for herself. She was loyal to Simon and liked him a lot. They were cute together and I was happy for Simon that he found an amazing girl like Isabelle.

“So”, Simon asked. “Can we sit with you? You know, us being the newbies.”

“Newbies, Simon, really?”, I asked and raised my eyebrows.

He glared playfully at me and slung an arm around Isabelle shoulder.

“So?”, he asked her and kissed her before she could answer. “God, I love doing that!”

Izzy giggled and nodded.

“Come on.”

She dragged Simon with her and I followed like a lost puppy. Simon was the only one I know in this hellhole, except maybe Izzy, but she wasn't in any of my classes, so she didn't count.

Isabelle went to a table at first where all the popular ones sat I think. At least it was the fullest table and there were the sport jocks and cheerleaders with their uniforms, so I thought it had to be that table.

But when Simon cringed, Isabelle went to another table, which was empty and Simon visibly relaxed. We sat down, Simon next to Izzy and I sat opposite him. They both fell into a conversation, while I ate my sandwich and thought about the new school.

I was so lost in thought I didn't realize that Isabelle and Simon stopped talking and frowned at me.

“What?”, I asked. “Have I something on my face?”

“No”, Simon said slowly.

“Then what is it?”, I asked.

“Nothing”, Izzy said and grabbed Simon's hand in a death grip.

Okay, what the hell?

“Excuse me guys, I need to stop this little bitch”, Isabelle growled and stood up.

She went to the table, where all the popular people sat. Among them were Alec and Jace, I realized. They seemed to be some sort of sport jocks, too, and a lot of girls were practically sitting on their laps. Isabelle stormed over to them, pushed the girls away from her brothers and glared at them, when they tried to get back to them. Both Alec and Jace seemed to sigh in relief and looked grateful at their sister. She motioned for them to follow her and pointed at Simon and me. They both followed her hand and when they saw us, they both almost ran to our table.

Isabelle shouted at the girls to stay seated, when the stood up too. The three of them came over and sat down. Jace sat next to me and Alec next to him. Alec mumbled a 'Hi' and Jace smiled at me, and nodded at Simon.

“Hey guys”, Simon greeted.

“Hey”, I said.

Alec just went on eating, Jace looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

“No in front of them”, I whispered and he nodded.

It was weird talking to Jace. I mean, he didn't answer, but he did. Couldn't exactly explain, because 'he doesn't talk' doesn't explain it, because in a away he does talk. He makes gestures, or shows it on his face or … I don't know, it was … yeah, weird.

Alec was easier to talk with, he was nice and kind, but stayed with short answers. At first it appeared rude to me but I soon found out it was just who he was.

“So Clary”, Isabelle said and I looked at her.

But she wasn't looking at me, she was smirking at Jace, and he tensed beside me. She then looked at me and smiled a warm smile.

“How do you like it here so far?”

“Uhm, good, I guess?”

“Any interesting boys?”, Izzy giggled.

“No!”, Simon answered for me. “She is too young for boys.”

“What?”, I asked. “Did you seriously just say that?”

“It's true.”

“You're a month older than me, Simon. A month!”

“31 days, Fray”, he smirked, but then he turned serious. “And I'm a boy, that's different. I have Isabelle, I mean just look at what was with Sebastian. You're not ready to date. End of story!”

Jace threw one of his fries at Simon's forehead and looked at him like 'What the hell man? That's so dumb, I can't believe you just said that'.

“Thanks”, I said to him.

He just nodded and still looked at Simon like he was the dumbest person he's ever met.

“What the hell was that for?”, Simon exclaimed.

“May I?”, I asked. “Translation: What the hell, dude? She is old enough to do what she wants and who are you to tell her what she can or cannot do. You're her fucking father, or what?”

I looked at Jace beside me.

“Am I right?”

He smirked and nodded chuckling.

“See, I'm not the only one who thinks so”, I told him with a smug smile.

Before he could reply, the bell rang and we all stood up and went our separate ways. Well actually Jace stayed at my side, still wanting to know why I was so grumpy this morning.

“You won't give up on this, huh?”, I asked him.

He just shook his head and looked at me with concerned eyes. I sighed and we walked together to my next class.

“Okay, fine. So this morning, Simon met up with Isabelle, as you probably know?” He nodded. “Well I didn't want to see all this lovely-dovely behaving, so I wanted to escape and went to class. Sebastian cornered me just before the school entrance.”

Suddenly there was a tight grip on my arm and Jace yanked me back. His eyes held a deep fire, looking murderously and ready to kill. He was angry, that much I could tell.

“Calm down”, I said. “I'm fine.”

He didn't look convinced.

“Seriously, I am. He wanted to talk to me, but I didn't want that and I fled. He shouted at me to come back, but I didn't and well, than I bumped into you.”

Jace frowned, but his eyes still held this anger, a little bit less, but still there. He seemed thinking about something really hard, and I waited for him to elaborate. He finally released my arm, scratched his jaw and then grinned a huge grin.

Jace searched in his school bag and then I saw an iPhone in his hand. He hold one finger up, telling me to wait a minute for him.

“Yeah, yeah, take your time”, I mumbled.

He smirked at me from under his lashes and kept typing something into his phone. After he finished he gave me his phone.

Does this 'Sebastian' go to this school?

“Sometimes”, I shrugged. “If he wants to.”

He took his phone back and began typing again.

Here's the deal. I'll walk you to school and I will make sure you come home after school without this douche-bag bothering you.

“No, you don't have to do that.”

He nodded furiously and gave me a stern look. I frowned. Why was he so persistent?

“Seriously Jace, this is nice, but way too much. I don't even know you.”

I shook my head and gave him his phone back. He looked a little hurt, but composed himself really fast and gave me a blank stare.

“This is really nice of you, but I can take care of myself and this really isn't any of your business. But thanks anyway.”

I gave him a last small smile and walked away from him a bit crept out. Sure, it was nice of him to offer me his help, but I didn't know him. I met him yesterday, talked a little with him and today he already demands of me to tell him what happened this morning and now this. This was too much! He began behaving like Sebastian and that honestly scared me a little, because I actually liked Jace.