Hiding My Life (On Hold)

Chapter One

Clary's POV

"Clarissa! Get your ass to school, now! I'm not going down there because you were late again!" I groaned.

"I'm coming!" I slipped on my bomber jacket, as it was the only one that could fit over the cast on my right arm.

"Clarissa!" I grabbed my bag and ran down the stairs, being met with a slap to the face. "Get out! I'm not going into that damn school one more time!" I sighed at my mother and walked out of our tiny, crappy little brownstone.

"Bad morning?" Ryder asked and I nodded, rubbing my cheek.

"Woke up late, the bitch kept yelling and I haven't eaten, so I can't run until I've got something in me." He smiled, handing me two granola bars. "Oh. You're a lifesaver, Ry."

"I know. Get to school, call me if you need anything." I nodded and he kissed my forehead before I ran to the bus stop and got on the city bus that stops a block away from my school.

"Good morning, Clary." I smiled at Dan, the bus driver.

"Morning, Danny. How's little Annie's cold? She better?" He nodded.

"Yeah, all good. She's still getting over it, but she should be okay by the end of the week."

"That's great. I'm glad." We stopped at my stop and I smiled. "Bye, Danny."

"Bye, Clary." I walked off the bus and ate my granola bar on the walk to school. Making my way inside, I grabbed a few books from my locker and walked to my first class, Advanced English.

Sitting down in the back corner as always, Mr. Brown walked in. "Good morning, Ms. Fray."

"Morning, Mr. Brown." He smiled and started his work for this lesson as I pulled out my sketch book, sketching central park by memory. One of my favorite spots in the park.

When I finally looked up, everyone was already seated, other than the three empty chairs beside me in the back row.

Ten minutes into the class, someone knocked on the door and Mr. Brown paused his lesson to open it. "Sorry we're late, we got lost." That male british voice reminded me of someone. Who, though?

"No problem, come on in." Mr. Brown spoke, letting three people walk in, two guys and a girl. "Class, say hello to the new students." A chorus of 'Hello's' ran through the class, not me of course. "This is Jace Herondale, Izzy Lightwood and Alec Lightwood. Please, do your best to make them feel welcome. Clary, don't be mean." I smiled and continued to sketch.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Brown." He sighed.

"You can take the empty seats in the back next to Clary." They nodded and the blonde one sat beside me, the black haired guy and girl sitting to the left of him.

"Nice to meet you." Blondie, Jace, extended his hand to me I scoffed, turning back to my sketch book.

"You can take that hand and shove it up your-"

"Clary! I told you not to be mean. Talk again and you're going to the office." Mr. Brown interrupted me and I smiled.

He continued the lesson and once it was over, I headed off to my next class, Advanced Algebra. Sitting down in the back corner, people began to flood into the class, including the new students.

Blondie sat down beside me, Izzy in front of me and Alec in front of Jace. "Need something, creeper?" I asked, feeling his eyes staring at me.

"You look like someone that I used to know. Clarissa Fray?" I looked to him, studying his face.

"How do you know my name?" I asked and he smiled.

"So, you are Clarissa Fray?"

"Yes, but don't call me that. I go by Clary. How the hell do I know you?" I asked.

"You really don't remember me?" I shook my head.

"If I knew, do you think I'd still be asking you?" I snapped.

"You used to be my best friend from the time that I was six to nine. You lived with your mom, who was friends with my parents." I nodded.

"I remember now. I heard about their car accident, but I wasn't allowed to talk to you anymore. I'm sorry you lost them. But, just because I used to know you, doesn't mean we're gonna be all buddy buddy now. People know to stay away from me in this school. That includes you." I turned to my sketch book and ignored him for the rest of the class.

After a few more classes and ignoring Jace, it was lunch time and I sat outside at a wooden picnic table, eating a bowl of mixed fruits.

I looked up as Jace, Alec and Izzy sat down on the other side of my table. "Oh, what the hell do you people want?" I turned to my sketching and popped a grape into my mouth.

"What, you don't want to welcome the new kids in school?" I shook my head.

"Nope. I don't welcome the kids that already go here, why would I welcome you?" My phone began to ring and I pulled it out of my bag, smiling as I answered it. "Yes?"

"Who the hell are those people sitting with you?" I smiled and looked around, seeing Ryder to the left of us, leaning up against the school, smoking a cigarette.

"Don't know, don't care. Get your ass over here." I hung up on him and turned back to my sketch as he sat down next to me. "Let me borrow that." I reached for the cigarette in his mouth, but he pulled it away, smirking.

"And, what do I get out of sharing? Hm?" I smiled.

"A nice swat on the ass when you leave." He shrugged.

"Works for me." He handed me the cigarette and I took a long drag from it, blowing the smoke back at him.

I smiled as he took it back, taking a drag from it himself.

He leaned down to my ear and whispered, "Why are they staring at us?"

I looked up at Jace and the other two. "I smoke, he smokes, we're friends. Stare at something interesting." I turned to my sketch once again, working on the details of a tree.

"You've really changed, haven't you?" Jace asked.

"Wow, you're smarter than I thought. Did you figure that out all by yourself?" I asked sarcastically and Ryder tried his best to stifle his laughter, failing miserably. "Ry, let's go somewhere else." I packed up my stuff and we sat down underneath a tree, far away from them.

We shared the cigarette, passing it back and forth until the bell rang. I stood up and he sprayed me with perfume and put a breath mint on my tongue.

"Bye, Angel." I smiled.

"Bye, Ryder." He turned to walk away and I smacked his ass.

"Kinky." He smirked and kissed my forehead before leaving and I made my way inside the school and into my next class. History.

I took my seat in the back and sketched through the whole class. I found it funny when Mrs. Penhallow asked me if I had been paying attention and I recited the first quarter of the lesson back to her and she merely walked away, looking absolutely dumbfounded.