Middle School of Bones - A Mortal Instruments Story

Chapter 1

I barely waited for my best friend, Simon, to sit down at our lunch table before I shoved the invitation in his face. 

"Becca invited me to her birthday party on Friday, and we have to go," I said. I drummed my fingers on the table as he took it from me and read it over. My nails were all colored in black with Sharpie, the outcome of the last half hour of math class. You could say I was kind of an artist.

"It starts at nine pm," Simon read. "And it's across the city." He passed the paper back and pulled a slice of plastic-wrapped pizza from his lunch box. "You know your mom's never going to let you go." 

I waved his concern away as I opened my own lunch. "We're in seventh grade now. If we're not ready to be in the city at night, when will we?" I offered Simon an apple slice from my bag before taking one for myself. "Besides everyone's going, so there's no way we're missing it." 

"What's wrong with just watching TV at your house like we do every weekend?" Simon asked. "There's a new episode of our favorite show on. It's a guaranteed good time."

I scoffed. "Simon, we are far too old for childish things like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when we could be going to a gathering with mature individuals such as ourselves." I held up the invite for emphasis. "Plus, I heard the Lightwoods are going to be there, which would totally boost our popularity if we got to talk to them."

The Lightwoods were the three siblings: Alec, Isabelle, and Max. I'd only seen them in the halls a few times, but I'd heard so many stories about them, I felt like I knew them personally. They seemed so otherworldly: tall with pale skin and black hair, and they never spoke to anyone outside of their group. They were part of the rumored "drum circle", the most secretive, exclusive club in the school. Whether that's what it actually was was unknown, at least to those at the bottom of the school's hierarchy like Simon and me. From what I knew, the drum circle met in a hidden part of the building during school hours, and none of them ever got in trouble for cutting. The only other person allowed in their club besides the siblings was a boy named Jace Wayland who was in the eighth grade. I'd never seen Jace before, but from what I'd heard, he was just as striking as the three Lightwoods with blond hair, tan skin, and golden eyes.

"How does that make it any better?" Simon asked. "I don't think the Lightwoods being at a party would make it any more fun."

I groaned. "Come on, Simon. If we don't go to this party, we'll never be invited to anything ever again in our whole lives. Please?" I stretched the last word for as long as my lungs could hold.

Simon sighed, and I knew I had won like always. All I had to do next was convince my mom. 

---

"A party, Clary?" My mom dropped her paintbrush on the ground beside her to look up at me. She was making another one of her art pieces, this time spread out on the floor of our apartment. It was large and red and looked almost like a crime scene, especially with my mom sitting in the middle of the mess with paint flecked all over her. 

"It's for one of my friends' birthdays," I explained. Mom raised an eyebrow. She knew my only friends were Simon and Luke, and Luke didn't count. "She's practically my best friend beside Simon," I continued. "Like my girl best friend. It would mean a lot to her if I go."

Mom rubbed her forehead, streaking it with paint that matched her hair. "And when is it?"

I tried not to sound too excited. "Friday night."

Mom thought for a second then shook her head and my hope shriveled up and died. "No, that doesn't work," she said. "I'm meeting with a client at the same time, and I don't want you to be out of the house if I'm not available."

I resisted the urge to cross my arms. "Mom! That's not even fair!"

"Maybe some other time," she said. "Just tell your friend Happy Birthday at school. Or text her on my phone. Isn't that what the kids do these days?"

She picked her paintbrush up again and went back to work. To her, the conversation was over. And just as I'd been so close to convincing her. I stomped out of the apartment and slammed the door behind me. I couldn't believe she could be so completely unfair. She didn't seem to care that I was the biggest freak in school or that this party might change the rest of my life. It was always what she wanted and never about me. I was twelve already, almost a teenager, and she still wouldn't let me hang out with kids my age without hovering over me. I was so sick of it.

I froze when I got to the sidewalk outside as I realized something. Mom had given me the perfect way to go to the party. She'd be gone all night, and she wouldn't know I wasn't at home if she wasn't there either. All I needed to do was find some way to get across the city, and I could have my way without her knowing.

I ran all the way to Simon's house.