In the Hour of Silence

Chapter 1

Clary POV

I wake up panting at the memory of the Night. Tears stream down my face as I reach desperately for anything I can grab--this time it's my bluish gray fuzzy blanket. I close my eyes and try to get the nightmare out of my head. The Night happened so many years ago, but it still haunts me.

Once I've calmed myself down, I know there's absolutely no way in hell I'm going back to sleep after that. Making sure I don't wake up my foster sister Tessa, I creep out of the room and down the hall of my foster dad Luke's house and go out the front door to sit on the porch. Settling myself on the porch swing, I look at the early morning sky. It can't be any earlier than 5:00, but it also can't be later than 6:00. I've sat awake this early enough times to know that. The other three kids Luke looks after--Tessa, the nice one, Maia, the sporty one, and Jessamine, the bitchy one--all think I'm crazy for being up this early; and it doesn't help that I'm mute by choice. And, I know what you're thinking. Four girls? Let me explain Luke to you.

Luke Garroway was my parents' best friend before they died. He got his foster license after they died so he could look after me for him. After he took me in, the state added Tessa to the household. A year later Maia and Jess came too.

After a little bit of time just sitting there in silence, I get bored and use my key to get into the bookshop. Okay, maybe I should explain why I'm going into a bookshop and why I feel so comfortable going in there at 5:45 in the morning. Luke owns the bookshop and gave each of us a key. We work there throughout the week so we can have money for clothes and other stuff like that. Jessamine is always complaining about how boring it is, but Luke usually shuts her up by telling her it's better than working a crap job at McDonalds.

Anyway, I make my way over to the unfortunately limited manga section and pick up Blackbird Vol. 9. Sitting in the corner, I read the comic until I hear the door connecting the shop to the apartment opening.

Standing, I put the book back and walk over to be met with a scowling Jessamine. "Should have realized you'd be in here," she says with a scowl. "C'mon. Luke is making waffles or something." She turns on her heel and heads back into the apartment, her pale blonde hair whipping as she turns.

I sigh and follow back into the apartment. Early morning chatter fills the house as I walk in and take my usual spot at the kitchen table.

Luke, seeing me sit down, smiles. "Good morning Clary," he says as he flips a pancake."

"Hey, what period did your schedule say you have bio med in?" Tessa asks, obviously directing the question towards me. Maia signed up for chemistry this year and Jess wanted to do biology.

Whipping out my phone, I quickly text back Fourth I think. You?

"I think I have it fourth too. I guess that means we could possibly be lab partners," she replies after she reads the text.

I smile and nod at her, telling her I think that would be cool. We all were transferring schools this year from Brooklyn High to Alicante High after BHS burned down over the summer. It's actually kind of funny when you think about the school we're transferring to seeing as Alicante High used to be one of our biggest rivals.

After eating two and a half pancakes and drinking almost two pints of orange juice, Tessa and I head back to our room to get ready. I'm sick of trying to make good first impressions, so I just throw on an old, faded, Star Wars t shirt, a red and blue flannel, light wash jeggings, and some combat boots I've had for about a year now. As for my mane of red curls, I force a brush through it and just let it flow down my back.

By the time I'm finished brushing my teeth and all of that stuff, Tessa has brushed her teeth, done a light layer of makeup, and is deciding what shirt to wear. She stands in light wash skinny jeans, a navy camisole, and ankle high tan boots and is trying to decide between a light gray sheer blouse and light blue v neck. "Which should I wear?" she asks as I step into the room.

Definitely the light blue one. You need some color in that outfit I quickly respond. She slips it on and does her hair in a ponytail with two strands framing her face before pulling on a black fashion blazer. To be honest, she dresses a lot like how Diana dressed back when The Secret Circle was still on the air. I'm talking about the beginning of the show Diana, not the one from when it all went downhill. As crazy as that show got, I have to admit that I missed it.

We meet Maia and Jessamine in the living room and all head out together. We load into the Chevy Malibu Luke got us all to share--me at the wheel. The other girls talk while I listen in silence. After a little more than ten minutes, we arrive in the parking lot.

We all get out of the car and Jessamine immediately finds her way over to a crowd of boys. The rest of us head to our lockers. Tessa and Maia got lucky and have their lockers right next to each other while I am halfway across the school. I quickly get everything I need in my locker in there and grab all of my notebooks for my morning classes. One thing I like better about Alicante High is the fact that all of our textbooks are online.

Zipping up my backpack, I start walking away right before I'm hit by a flash of gold. After I'm steadied again, I turn to see a boy with golden hair, eyes, and skin running back pedaling away from me. "Sorry," he calls out, smirking slightly before he runs off towards a crowd of boys.

I roll my eyes and head off to my first class. After getting lost once, I find my way to Mr Sperstein's classroom. Luckily, there's still a few minutes until classes start for the day.

I take a seat in the second to last row and start sketching in my sketchbook. I'm not surprised when Jessamine walks into the room, but I am surprised when she sits next to me. When she glances at me I raise my eyebrows. Rolling her eyes she says, "There are zero hot guys in this class for me to sit with. Besides, you're not horrible to hang out with. But if you tell the others I said that, I will deny it."

Smiling slightly, I open my laptop, go onto Message, and type Right back at ya Lovelace.

She laughs slightly before Mr Sperstein walks in. I'm just starting to pull up my English textbook when the same boy who ran into me this morning comes in. Right after he steps in, the final bell rings.

"Cutting it close, aren't we Mr Herondale?" Mr Sperstein asks as he writes on a paper on his desk.

'Mr Herondale' smirks and says, "I'm not late, am I?"

"Just take your seat Jace."

Jace looks around and spots the one empty seat--directly next to me. I have to admit, I'm kinda nervous. He's one of the hottest guys I've ever seen and here I am wearing a faded Star Wars 'Death to the Empire' shirt and flannel with my crazy red curls everywhere. He sits down in the desk next to me, smirking slightly at me.

"Now, class, we have two new students joining us today. Will Jessamine Lovelace and Clarissa Morgenstern please come to the front of the class and tell us something about yourselves," Mr Sperstein instructs.

I look at Jessamine pleadingly and she nods in understanding. We both stand and walk to the front of the classroom. After a moment she starts to speak. "I'm Jessamine and this in my foster sister Clary. I like to shop, listen to music, and I dance. Clary here loves to read, draw, and is a bit of a nerd. If you couldn't tell that by her shirt, then I wonder what runs through your head." Some people--including me--laugh at that. "We went to Brooklyn High last year but you all know what happened to that run down place."

As she finishes, Mr Sperstein says, "Thank you Miss Lovelace, but I believe Miss Morgenstern can explain herself."

"Actually, she can't," Jess argues. "Clary hasn't spoken a word in six years. Surely you had that in your file somewhere." I smile gratefully at her and she just nods like Yeah yeah. Thank me later.

"This medical condition wasn't mentioned in her file," he says as he looks through something on his computer--most likely my file. I quickly grab a piece of paper and write It's not a medical condition. I choose not to speak. It's just a lot of personal stuff. I hand him the paper and he reads it, nodding his head. "Very well. Please take your seats."

I go back to my seat and write a quick thank you on piece of paper and give it to Jess. I'm opening my notebook and start taking notes on the whiteboard when a note is put on my desk.

You're different. I like that. Text me.

Below that is a phone number. I look over to see Jace with his eyes on me. Keeping his usual smirk on, he winks at me. Blushing, I nod at him and put his number in my phone. I'm not sure if that was a good choice, but I guess I'll find out soon enough.