The Last Hours

24: Will (1873)

I looked around at the London Institute's ballroom. Christmas trees were everywhere, because it was Christmas time, and the Instirute was throwing its yearly party, or so I had been told. It was crowded with people, but not just people, Shadowhunters. Like me, I thought. It still took me a few seconds to process that I was a Shadowhunter, as well.

I smelled the smell of a turkey cooking, and I was painfully reminded of home. Around this time of year, my mother would be getting all the food for our Christmas dinner, and my father would have been getting the tree. Cecily, Ella, and I, would be playing in the snow, throwing snowballs at one another.

I wondered if they were okay. My parents had lost both Ella and I, and all they had was Cecily now. Cecily must hate me, I thought. I had left her, and my parents. I had to, though. I had to protect them, even though I couldn't protect Ella.

"Will." Charlotte said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You remember Gideon, Gabriel, and Tatiana Lightwood, don't you?"

She stepped aside, to reveal a boy with sandy blonde hair, and blue-green eyes. Gideon, I think his name was. Beside him stood a boy with brown hair and bright green eyes, he was Gabriel. Finally next to him was a girl brown hair and green eyes, and she was looking at me with a huge smile on her face. Dear god, not her again, I thought to myself. The girl's name was Tatiana.

"Yes, I remember." I muttered.

Charlotte then pulled me to the side for a moment.

"Will, maybe you can become friends with them. Please try and be nice?" She asked me.

"Fine, I'll try." I mumbled.

Charlotte gave me a encouraging smile, and walked away. I turned back around to the Lightwoods, and Tatiana was in front of me in an instant. Her smile was very wide.

"Hello Will, do you remember me?" Tatiana said, dazedly.

"Yes I do." I replied.

She then laughed loudly. "Oh your so cute, William."

Dear god she's mad, I thought to myself. Besides, she could not love me. If only she knew what would happen to her if she did. I then felt it again, the pain of knowing that I could never be loved.

"Oh Tatiana, leave him alone." Said Gideon.

Tatiana looked as if she were going to say something, but Gabriel stepped forward. He was eyeing me with his green eyes. Gabriel was okay, I guessed, I could see myself being friends with him.

"You left your family to join the Shadowhunters, right?" He said.

"Yes." I said without any emotion. I had been getting good at doing that.

"Why would you do that?" He asked, curiously.

"I had my reasons." I replied simply.

"Have you started your training?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, only a little while ago." I stated.

"Well, you should come to my house. You could train with Gideon and I." He said.

I just stared at him. Was he trying to be my friend? Tatiana suddenly pushed Gabriel out of the way, so she could be in front of me.

"Oh Will, you must show me around the Institute." Tatiana said.

"Oh no, I don't think--" I started.

"Come on!" She exclaimed, and grabbed my wrist.

This lead to an hour full of Tatiana gushing over me. She made me show her everywhere. The library, the training room, the weapons room. She even made me show her my bedroom.

"Your bedroom is so nice, Will." Tatiana gushed, as we stood in it.

I shrugged. "It's just like every other bedroom in the Institute."

"I know, but it's yours." Tatiana giggled.

Oh god, please kill me, I thought. After another half an hour, Tatiana said that she had to use the washroom, and she had walked away from me, something fell out of the pocket of her dress. I bent down and picked up. On the front it said "Tatiana's Diary"

Every part of me said not to read it, but I knew I had to. I hastily opened it, and stared. Page after page was written about me. There was one page where she had written that she couldn't wait to see me tonight, and there was one page dedicated just about my eyes. There was also poetry about me, which was horrible, I had to admit.

I then got an idea. It was a mean, and cold idea, but I knew I had to do it. I had to get Tatiana to hate me, or else she would die. I was doing her a favour. I walked back to the ballroom and waited until Tatiana returned from the washroom. I then got up on the stage and started to read out Tatiana's poetry about me.

"Oh sweet William.
Don't you know the million ways in which I love you." I had started.

I looked up to see Tatiana staring up at me horrified, and I felt very bad for her. Just then, I saw Gabriel Lightwood storming up to me. He yanked Tatiana's diary out of my hand.

"What do you think your doing?!" He exclaimed.

"Sharing your sisters beautiful poetry with everyone." I smirked.

"How dare you!" Gabriel snapped. "I will not have someone who is nearly a mundane--"

I wasn't sure what came over me, but when he called me nearly a mundane, something snapped inside of me. I had him flat down on the floor in a second. I heard a snap and Gabriel cried out. I got off him, and he stood up, cradling his left arm, with his right one.

"He BROKE my ARM!" He shouted, angrily.

"Will!" Charlotte exclaimed shocked, while running up to me.

"Why did you that?!" She demanded.

"He called me nearly a mundane." I protested.

"Oh Will," She said, tiredly. "What am I going to do with you?"

Soon after that Gabriel's family left, and Charlotte made say sorry just before they left. Charlotte lead me up to Gabriel, who was looking at me with rage.

"I am very sorry for breaking your arm, Gabriel Lightworm." I said, as my mouth quirked up at the corners.

Gabriel's eyes flashed with anger, and Charlotte tried to scold me, but it was too late. I was already laughing.