The classes continued with a similar fashion – introductions, sitting down and you know what was extremely eerie? All the
Shadowhunters were in her classes. Sophie told her that the Shadowhunters persuaded the receptionist to put them in the same class, always. Unfortunately, they were Tessa's and
Sophie's classes.
Well, Tessa said persuaded the receptionists, though Sophie was convinced the Shadowhunters compelled them.
Tessa was extremely lucky, though, to have Sophie as her guide throughout school. It was the block before lunch – History.
"Miss Trudy is a young, blonde woman who just got out of university and is working here. She used to be a student here – so she's rich and pretty. Thankfully, she's not an airhead,
or else she wouldn't be working here," Sophie said, leading her through the once again crowded hallways. "Miss Trudy actually has brains and three quarters of the male population
in this school is in love with her," Sophie scoffed. "But she's engaged to someone else. It made all the boys cry," Sophie smirked. "Boo hoo."
"Don't you feel bad for them though? I mean if they're in love with her…" Tessa started, but Sophie held up one hand.
"They're crushing on a woman they barely know because she's pretty. I have no sympathy."
Tessa rolled her eyes as Sophie continued to saunter through the hallways. "History is a class that actually teaches on the first day – so you'll need the textbook. Miss Trudy is
actually a good teacher, one of my favourites. Go to your locker quickly and meet me at class. Your locker is actually part of the group of lockers just outside her class. I have no
idea how you got them. A lot of boys make requests to have your locker. And… once you see your locker buddies, you'll believe me that the Shadowhunters really do compel the
staff," Sophie said, narrowing her eyes.
Tessa giggled at Sophie's expression before heading off.
"1210… 1211… 1212… 1213…" Tessa stopped.
There was a boy, leaning against her locker door talking to another girl. The girl was wearing the school skirt – that looked way too tight. She didn't wear stockings either, so long
tan legs were exposed. The top few buttons of her white blouse was undone so that Tessa could see a glimpse of a lacy red bra. And since the white blouse looked half seethrough,
and the girl was not wearing a blazer over it, she looked like an absolute…
Tessa shook her head. She didn't use those kinds of language and it wasn't polite or kind to judge someone before you met them.
But the boy wouldn't move as he talked to the girl, using a slim hand to push a strand of red hair back from the girl's face. Tessa coughed, but the boy wouldn't move.
Tessa caught of a glimpse of the boy's hand – which was adorned with a blue ring. It was beautiful and Tessa could see a great heron engraved on it, spreading its majestic wings.
The boy had messy black hair, as dark as midnight and it struck Tessa.
Black hair. Flirting with another girl. A ring with a heron on it. A great heron.
The boy in front of her was William Herondale. Heron – meaning of course, a heron. Dale – meaning great. William Herondale even had a crest!
Tessa coughed louder, but nope. William Herondale stayed focus on the girl. His head was slightly drooped down – making it obvious that he was staring at… the girl's chest.
Disgusting. And it was so obvious that it was evident that William didn't care about what other people thought as he stared plainly at the girl's… bosom.
But the girl wasn't helping matters. In fact, she was almost flaunting it, arching her back.
Sick and grossed out, Tessa finally spoke, "Excuse me," Tessa interrupted.
Finally, William turned around to see Tessa – small Tessa, in front of him. "What?" William asked harshly. There seemed to be little people in the hallway now, and all of them
appeared to be staring straight at William, though he didn't look affected by it. Tessa, though, was almost startled by the deep cerulean blue in William's eyes.
"You're leaning against my locker," Tessa said, gesturing to the locker door he was leaning on.
"You're locker 1214?" William asked with disbelief. He was now paying no attention to the girl behind him, and the girl was tapping his shoulder with a sharp finger. William turned
around impatiently, brushing her finger off. "Okay, it's been twentyfour hours. It's officially over," William said coldly.
The girl froze, midtap. Tears sprung to her eyes and Tessa's heart ached for the girl as she turned on her heel and ran away. "You didn't have to do it so harshly," Tessa said, as
she watched the girl turn around the corner.
"It's none of your business," William said, dismissing it.
"You just made that girl cry and you aren't going to go apologize? At least try with the 'let's be friends instead' talk?" Tessa asked, taken aback.
"Why should I? She knew what she was getting into," William said, rolling his eyes.
"Just saying that only makes you more of an insensitive jerk, you know that?" Tessa asked angrily.
William narrowed his eyes. Then he forcefully grabbed Tessa's shoulders and spun her around, slamming her into the lockers. Tessa's back hurt slightly, though she kept her eyes
staring frostily into Will's, who's face was only an inch away. His hands were still gripping Tessa's shoulders tightly as his minty breath fanned across Tessa's face.
Tessa hated to admit it, but it was fairly intoxicating. But no good looks, money or anything could replace his awful personality. "You have no right to judge," William snarled.
"It is a human reaction, William," Tessa responded coldly. "When someone cries and gets hurt, you feel pity and sadness. To the person that caused that, you feel anger and hatred.
It's only human emotions, though I don't expect you to know."
William bit his lip, raising his fist as if he was going to slam it into Tessa's face. Tessa shut her eyes tightly, preparing herself for the hit, but pain never descended. Instead, she
heard a loud slam beside her. William's fist had dented the locker next to hers – locker 1213.
William was breathing hard as he continued to stare at her, hatred shining through. Well, the feeling was mutual.
Then, out of nowhere, William pressed his lips hard and fast against Tessa's. Tessa froze before responding: she desperately tried to shove him off her. But William was simply too
strong. His lips stayed on Tessa's, as she finally found the strength to shove him off.
William smirked, wiping his lips with his hand. Angrily, Tessa stalked up to him and slapped his face. A loud, resonating sound echoed in the hallway as gasps sounded around them.
Tessa couldn't believe it. They gasped not when William forced a kiss on her, but gasped when Tessa slapped him – someone who deserved it. Unbelievable.
Tears sprung to her eyes. Her first kiss. Stolen, by a boy who didn't care about anyone else. William's eyes were angry as hers. Why should he be angry though?
"You dare slap me?" William asked in a threatening voice, his voice getting louder and louder.
"I would do it again," Tessa said, stepping up the challenge. Tessa dismissed him by turning to face her locker and turning her combination in. But before she could reach into her
locker and get her books, William slammed her locker door shut.
"You little wench!" William sneered.
"Who's the one who kissed someone – against their will, no less – after dumping another girl a minute before?" Tessa asked, shoving Will away.
"You… absolute…" Will swore colourfully, attracting the attention of the principal who was strolling by. Immediately, the principal came to William's aid.
"What is going on here?" the principal demanded.
William and Tessa immediately started going into an argument, yelling at each other about their own sides of the story.
"My office, now!" the principal shouted. Whispers erupted in the hallway. Gossip spreads like wildfire, Sophie had told her – and now Tessa was going to pay the price.
As Tessa turned around the corner, she saw the angry, yet sympathetic look of Sophie and a flash of silver hair. Dismissing it all, she sat down in one of the principal's chairs – Mr.
Freed. Tessa really wanted to question the names at this school. Come on, Mr. Treason and Mr. Freed.
"Paul, if you will," William said smoothly. "This girl questioned me, very rudely, I might add, and completely offended me. Not only that, but she slapped me as well!" William said.
Mr. Freed looked completely shocked as he turned to Tessa. "You dare hit the William Herondale? Girl, I thought you had more sense than that when we invited you to the Institute.
You may be on scholarship, but I will not hesitate to kick you out."
"Scholarship, huh?" William said with a smirk.
"Scholarship. Meaning I get here on my merit, not with my money," Tessa snarled. Before anyone could respond, Tessa spoke again. "Mr. Freed. William, here, had just dumped a
girl, breaking her heart. I couldn't help but say something. It is only natural. Then! He shoved me against the lockers and slammed his fist right near my face! I thought he was
going to hit me! After that, William kissed me! Can you believe it? I can sue him, if I wanted to. But no, I'm not going to because I am simply a kind person. I want to – I really do,
but I won't. Slapping him was not nearly enough."
"You still should not have slapped him!" Mr. Freed insisted. William stifled a laugh in his sleeve and Tessa glared at him.
"Will you stop being biased because he has power and money, Mr. Freed?" Tessa asked, exploding.
"I expect you to be more polite!" Mr. Freed said sharply. Suddenly, the door bursted open and there stood Mr. James Carstairs, rubbing an apple against his shirt.
"I couldn't help but overhear your yelling, Mr. Freed," Jem said cordially. "I was a witness and I would like to offer my share of the story."
"James Carstairs, why of course, but… um…" Mr. Freed said, stumbling over his words. "Girl, get off your chair so that Mr. Carstairs can sit," Mr. Freed said, glaring at Tessa.
"But it is not very gentlemanly to have a lady stand up from her seat, now is it?" Jem asked. He sounded like an adult teaching a five year old basic manners.
Mr. Freed blushed a tomato red. "So what did happen?" Mr. Freed asked.
"Well I was too far to hear them, but I could see Will, here, slam Tessa into the lockers, punch his fist into my locker – 1213, by the way – forcefully kiss her and then Tessa was
able to shove him off and slap him," Jem confirmed.
The only thing that Tessa got out of that was the handsome Jem was in the locker next to her.
"But the girl still shouldn't have slapped William," Mr. Freed insisted.
"The girl has a name, Mr. Freed. It is Tessa Gray. I just met her and you are her principal. Shouldn't it be you introducing her to me?" Jem asked politely.
His simple words made Mr. Freed blush even darker. William was pouting next to Tessa and the corners of Tessa's mouth lifted slightly. "Let's see it from her point of view, Mr.
Freed. A boy you didn't know slammed you into lockers, scared you and kissed you. If I were Tessa, I would have slapped Will, punched him, kicked his crotch and called 911," Jem
said easily.
"Well…" Mr. Freed didn't know what to say.
"I think it would be fair to let Miss Gray go and give Mr. Herondale here detention," Jem interjected. "Hopefully, Tessa would be so kind as to not sue my friend," Jem smiled.
Tessa almost froze at the beauty of Jem's smile. Warm… kind… nice. Beautiful.
Mr. Freed agreed reluctantly before sending the three students off. "Jem, what in the Angel was that?" Will asked indignantly the moment they got out of the office.
"I was being fair," Jem retorted before walking off. Tessa smiled to herself before walking to her own locker, next to Jem's.
"Thank you," Tessa whispered to Jem.
Jem smiled another blinding smile. Tessa felt her own lips grin at the sight of Jem's warm smile. "I was just being fair," Jem repeated.
…
"Tell me all of it," Sophie said. Tessa shrugged as they walked back to the Institute, a vanilla cone in Tessa's hand while Sophie held a strawberry.
"Jem is truly a kind person, Sophie. It's just the Herondale I can't stand. He… stole my first kiss," Tessa sighed unhappily.
"So?" Sophie asked.
"I vowed to myself when I was younger, that I would always fall in love with the person who I first kissed with. And now… I'm afraid I'll have to break that vow," Tessa grumbled.
"First kiss, huh?"
Tessa turned around to see William Herondale, James Carstairs and Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood. Tessa glared at William, unhappy to see him.
"Well, you won't have to break your promise. Everybody falls in love with me," William winked.
Tessa scoffed. "Egotistical much? But I don't expect you to know that word, William," Tessa said slowly, as if she were speaking to a three year old.
William scowled. "I wouldn't talk so big, Tessa. You, who gets in on scholarship."
"And what's wrong with that?" Tessa challenged. "It just means I come in on my skill and not my money. I told you that didn't I? I realize it is hard for you to understand words, but
please, bear with me," Tessa sneered.
Gabriel coughed behind William. "Burned," he laughed.
"Shut up, Gabe," William said, rolling his eyes. "This little wench needs to apologize."
"For what?" Tessa asked incredulously. "Slapping you when you forced a kiss on me? Berating you because you had broken a girl's heart with no remorse? You have no human
feelings, William, and I evidently see that."
William was about to surge forward when Jem put a hand on his arm, shaking his head. William shrugged the arm off. He stalked up to Tessa, their faces again, inches apart. Tessa
couldn't help but feel small under the blue gaze of Will.
"Back away, Will," Sophie warned beside Tessa.
"Or what? You'll serve me to death? Don't think I don't know, Collins. You're merely a servant girl who needs to pay off her family's debt," William snarled.
Sophie looked taken aback, and very hurt. "Will," Gideon and Jem protested now, though they did nothing to truly stop the monster that was William Herondale.
Tessa had enough. Raising her hand, she smashed her ice cream cone into Will's midnight hair, spreading the dripping ice cream on his hair. "Stay away from us," Tessa threatened
before storming off with Sophie.
"Burned, baby, burned!" came Gabriel Lightwood's voice behind Tessa.
The anguished cry of William Herondale filled the block, though Tessa couldn't careless. She felt powerful, though thirsty for revenge, still. "I will get you, William Herondale," she muttered.
Unbeknownst to her, Will was saying the same thing. "I will get you… Tessa Gray."