Shadowhunter High (Discontinued)

1 - First day

"Clary wait! Don't forget this!" Jocelyn shouted after her daughter down the corridor. Clary always seemed to live in a world of her own - not really paying attention to the real world passing her by.

"Oh! Thanks mom" she replied, grabbing her sketchbook from her mother before turning and leaving the apartment. It was the first day back at school after summer, but Clary was already used to waking up early. Her mom - Jocelyn - had recently remarried, and Clary was the maid of honor, so she had to be up ridiculously early most mornings to help plan the ceremony and the reception.

Not that she minded, though. She loved seeing her mom so happy and full of life on the big day. Especially after the previous years of misery following her divorce from Valentine - Clary's father. The sheer joy that Luke Garroway brought Jocelyn was always enough to bring a smile to Clary's face, regardless of her mood prior. Clary had begged her mother to let her change her name to Clary Garroway after the wedding, but her mother refused. "It would be unfair to your father", she'd told her. So she was, and always would be Clary Morgenstern.

Stepping carelessly down the stairs leading away from her apartment, she met eyes with Simon, and grinned as he flashed her a goofy smile. "Ready to go back to hell?" he smirked.

Clary had known Simon Lewis for as long as she could remember. Wherever she went, he followed. They were undeniably partners in crime. She remembered one time in 5th grade when they'd been grounded  for staying up all night watching scary movies and sneaking downstairs to steal what they'd called a 'midnight feast' (which, in reality, was only a packet of crisps and some soda). Now, as sophomores in high school, they were just as immature yet loving towards each other as they had been all those years ago.

"As long as you're there to face it with me" she grinned, before grabbing his hand and heading off down the street.

***

Alec Lightwood sighed as his sister, Isabelle, dusted off his sweater and tutted disapprovingly. "Alec, it's our first day at a new school. You need to make a good first impression! I'm begging you, please change out of this old thing."

Izzy had always had a somewhat untouchable aura around her - both physically and mentally. Since she was old enough to choose her own clothes, she'd had the attitude that she must always look flawless - the kind of flawless in which she looked as if she could kill someone and they would apologize to her. The downside to this, however, was that she always wanted Alec to look his best as well.

"Izzy it's just school. I hardly think a sweater is going to determine the rest of the year for me."

"It has a hole in it! Alec please, at least try to look presentable."

"Iz, let the man wear what he wants. It's not like he'll outshine me, anyway," said a voice coming down from the stairs. Looking past his sister, Alec saw Jace strolling towards them. He was wearing his favorite leather jacket as he sat down in the chair next to Alec. Jace was Alec and Izzy's adopted brother, although he was more like a best friend to Alec. He could still clearly remember the day that his mother and father had come home, holding the hand of a blonde 10 year old with a devilish smirk. Alec, who was 12 at the time, had understood that Jace's parents had died in a car accident, and so was confused as to why the boy in front of him didn't seem sad at all. He now knew that Jace's way of protecting himself was through arrogance and pride. 

Maryse and Robert Lightwood had only planned to look after Jace until the social worker found him a new family, but by the time Jace was 12 they'd decided that it was best that he stayed with people whom his parents knew well and trusted, so they adopted him. The news that Jace would become Alec's new brother should have been exciting, but he hated it. He'd only recently understood that his feelings towards Jace were different to how he viewed his other friends, so to hear the word 'brother' associated with Jace Herondale made his stomach churn.

"Whatever, I'd rather give help where it's appreciated. I'm going to help mom drag Max out of bed." Izzy sighed, snapping Alec out of his reverie. With a swish of her hair she spun around on her heels and walked out of the room towards Max's bedroom.

"A thank you would be nice," Jace smirked, grabbing a slice of toast from Alec's plate.

"Oh. Right. Thanks." he murmured. Alec had since learned not to let his feelings for Jace get in the way of their friendship, but thinking about it too deeply still got to him. He didn't feel as strongly for Jace anymore, but he still felt butterflies rise up in his stomach whenever he saw the other boy's dark golden eyes glint in the light.

"Nervous about today?" Jace asked, clearly not noticing Alec's change in tone, "At least you've only got a year before you never have to see a school again. Iz and I still have 3 years to go - that's at least 5 opportunities for mom and dad to decide to move again."

Alec's birthday was only 2 weeks away, and his siblings loved the idea of having an adult brother. Not that it made any difference to him - he still had a whole year left of being treated like a child in school before he was free. 

"A year is still a long time" Alec said, before getting up from his chair and heading to his room to get his bag. 

***

The school was just as Clary had left it before summer, despite promises to refurbish the classrooms and make the outside look a little less like a prison. The flat concrete lead up to the old doors, as the nervous chatter of freshmen could be heard from the field around the side of the building.

"That was us, last year" Simon said, glancing over at a boy nervously checking his map of the school trying to figure out where he was supposed to be.

"And now, tragically, we know this building inside out," she replied, with exaggerated sadness.

"Soon we'll escape and let the world know of our horrific battle against gym teachers and Mr Smith's evil glare" Simon enthused, stretching his arms out for dramatic effect - a little too excitedly - as he smacked someone in the face.

"Can you watch what you're doing?" A girl said impatiently, glaring at Simon with a look of disgust - not disgust at him, but disgust at the fact someone hit her face.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you - I mean, it wasn't really hit, more of a stroke - I didn't mean to stroke you - wait that sounds wrong - I-"

"He's an idiot and he didn't mean it" Clary, stepped in, moving next to Simon to face the girl. She had silky black hair which slid just past her shoulders, and pursed red lips as she glanced from Simon to Clary. She was the kind of girl who Simon would endlessly drool over, while she forgot who he was seconds after meeting him. Sure enough, she glanced across to see Simon staring at her with a look of awe. She dug her elbow into his side.

"I'm Clary," she smiled at the girl, "and this-" she gestured towards Simon, who smiled sheepishly, "-is Simon."

"Hm. I'm Isabelle," the girl said, as if considering whether to be mad at Simon or not. Clary had to admit, she was beautiful, and seemed so confident in herself. Clary couldn't help feeling jealous. "I just moved here to New York from France  - I actually lived here when I was younger, but my family move around a lot."

"Oh, are you by yourself? We could show you to your classroom, if you want" Clary offered, slightly reluctantly. The look Simon was giving Isabelle made Clary feel a wave of second-hand embarrassment.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I'm actually just waiting for my brothers - one of them is a sophomore too, so we'll stick together," she smiled, a little more friendly now than before. 

Clary was about to reply when she heard to bell go. Isabelle flashed them another smile and waved her perfectly manicured hand at them before turning away and striding towards to doors confidently - as if she already knew the school as well as Clary did.

"She was a lot nicer than I though she'd be," Clary admitted, "I really need to stop letting jealousy get the better of me."

Simon's expression jolted back to life as he turned to Clary, "You're Clary Morgenstern. You never need to be jealous because you're already perfect," he enthused, as his cheeks started to turn pink.

Clary smiled sweetly as she reached out her hand for Simon to grab. He did so, and they walked together towards the school, being gently pushed forwards by the herd of zombie-looking students all headed in the same direction.

It was the start of a year which would change everything, for better or for worse.