Chapter 1

She let the pencil stroke the paper, letting the depth of the image appear. A dark knight riding on his steed. Dark, romantic and evil. His face held his high cheek bones and his stark dark eyes focused within the paper. His skin was pale compared to the shadows and smudges that marked his smooth face. Dark hair tumbled around his face, framing the deep set of it. His large hands held onto the reins of a black horse with silver armour framing its eyes that too shone out from the paper. A large scar covered the back of his hand. His only flaw. The most beautiful things are the most dangerous.

She sighed and dropped her pencil, letting her fingers idly stroke the paper, imagining a dark prince of her own. Clary Fray may have been able to draw someone like him, but in reality she knew her prince wouldn't come. She sighed again and looked up at her clock. 7:25. Ugh she was going to be late if she didn't move. She drew her chair from under her desk and plodded over to her wardrobe, thinking of excuses she could make that she didn't need to go in today, while putting her clothes on. Ebola? Not it wasn't around in America. Murderous father captured her for the rest of the week? No that defiantly wouldn't work. She stubbed her toe? Somehow she doubted that you could have time off school for that, even if it did happen on a regular basis. She really couldn't be bothered but at least it was Wednesday. As Simon would say 'halfway Fray'.

Clary walked to her mirror to check all was right in her appearance. She was going to wear her usual St Xaviers clothes that consisted of dark skinny jeans with a top or jumper. Today though she opted for a change and wore a tight black skirt which came to her mid-thigh, a grey crop top and a red chequered shirt which she left open, accessorising with a grey beanie, a large brown satchel, light black tights and black combat boots with slight heels. She didn't know what was going on with her, but she accepted she did look pretty bad ass. She didn't usually do anything but casual. She realised with a start how much she was beginning to look like her mother too. She was small and petite just like her, however without any curves. Jocelyn described her as slender, though in reality she knew she was just cute. She hated being cute. She also had her mother's red hair, which lightly curled down her back, with a light dust of freckles across her nose. Her mother was beautiful in a way Clary couldn't point out, though she wished she could be just like her. She had tried to draw her mother so many times, but couldn't seem to bring the portrait alive like her mother did when she stepped in a room. She walked tall and with purpose, you just couldn't take your eyes off her. However Clary was easily lost in a crowd, even with the fiery hair. She didn't mind, in fact it was how she preferred it. She never liked being the centre of attention.

She grabbed her makeup bag and stuck a little mascara on, then a small layer of foundation. Clary had never been good with that sort of stuff, plus she really couldn't have cared about what colour eye shadow she would wear on what day. She quickly packed her bag full of school books, as well as her sketching pad and pencils then walked through her door and peeked back inside, letting her eyes remind her she could relax here after. The orange walls were so familiar, as they housed the rows of books and CD's that she had accumulated over the years. Her room was a mess, with clothes scattered and photos unevenly tapped to the walls. Her bed was still unmade though fortunately for her, her mother was still away in Rome 'working', so she couldn't be told how she was the bane of her mother's existence. She popped some toast in the toaster, and carried on with on some chores. Once finally done she ran out the house, with her toast in one hand, phone in the other on the way to the bus stop.

"Clary?" Her best friend's voice sounded a little weary and tired.

"Simon are you okay?"

"No" he puffed. "I feel like someone snuck in my room and beat me up with a spactula". Clary made an impatient noise.

"You're leaving me to fend off Mr Winson in Chemistry aren't you?" she whined.

"I'm afraid I am" he cheered. Mr Winson was the biggest cock she had ever had the pleasure of meeting in her life. It didn't help she wasn't the most knowledgeable person in chemistry. At least Simon helped take the blame when he was with her. A lot of the time her experiments went wrong, or she knocked chemicals everywhere. On one occasion she made a mini explosion, causing the school to be evacuated from the fumes. She couldn't help it. She was clumsy.

"Anyway got to go, I feel like I'm getting hit on the head with a sledge hammer".

"Sweet" she replied and hung up. She only just reached the bus stop in time as it pulled up. She was glad she didn't have to wait around with the other kids, they all had their groups where usually it was just her a Simon. After seating herself she put her iPod on, letting Coldplay fill her ears as the journey started. She would miss Simon and his quick wit, but it was hardly fair to drag him out of bed for it.

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She carried on the school day, letting the day go by until lunch when she sat with Magnus at the usual table in the canteen. He was one of the two friends Clary had at school. He moved here a couple months ago and he didn't really fit in with the casual vibe. He was a small Asian boy with short black spiky hair and always wore a big diamond earring his left ear. But what made his so noticeable were his eyes, which were hard to take your eyes off. They were so wide they practically took up his whole face, showing off his beautiful golden green iris's. He was slim and slender like Clary, but tall. Very tall. The moment Clary met him she loved him. He was funny, thoughtful and gay. Very gay. He had called her his fruity loopy new ginger friend randomly in the corridor and since then it had been a match made in heaven.

Clary couldn't help but eye her colour friends uniform today. He was wearing the zebra print tight jeans and a large black silk top, accompanied with a blue sequin headband across his head, and many rings on his fingers. She huffed, picking at her soup which tasted foul. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but it was a porridge colour. Its smell radiated mouldy cheese and it tasted like tomato & fish soup, with a hint of mushrooms. She briefly wondered what the kitchen staff actually did behind them closed doors. It was probably as messed up as the soup.

"So who revamped your wardrobe? You look hot" Magnus smiled that knowing smile, knocking her out of her reverie.

"I thought I would go for a change Magnus. Is that an issue?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes.

"It is when I know it's for a boy". Clary stuck her tongue out at him. He may have been right. She wasn't going to give him the benefit of the doubt though as she carried on spooning her soup, hoping maybe enough stirs could potentially turn it edible.

"He has such beautiful eyes" Magnus sighed. Clary stooped spooning and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Who?"

"The boy that stares at you Biscuit". He said nodding to someone behind Clary. Biscuit had become her new nickname, though she wasn't 100% why, though she never questioned it. She quite liked it. Well it was better than fruity loopy ginger friend anyway. She frowned and turned to see from across the room a boy, leaning on the table looking a little bored. But his eyes bored deep into hers, like he could see straight through her. It made her feel vulnerable and strangely aware of her whole body. His eyes were golden with specs of amber and his hair gleamed like brass under the lights of the cafeteria. He was very handsome, and also one of the well known students here. Jace Herondale. He was known as the playboy. Once he had a girl, he wouldn't even look at her again. He was sitting with his sister and brother. Isabelle and Alec Lightwood and some of the other jocks. His story was well known, and constantly repeated by girls. His parents died when he was young and was adopted by the Lightwoods. His sop story that seemed to turn girls on so much they didn't care when he dumped them straight after sex. She turned back and started to play with her soup again.

"He's probably just daydreaming" she said glumly. She had had a rough lesson with Mr Winson earlier and still didn't feel rejuvenated, not even under Magnus's charms. Her experiment failed quite miserably and she just slithered out of a detention.

"About you".

"About" she said a little louder cutting over him. "What heart he could break next". He shrugged.

"I can see that" he agreed. "The boy beside him is hot though, he's defiantly in the closet". Clary chocked on her apple juice then laughed out loud, turning to quickly see the boy he was talking about. Alec Lightwood. Alec was tall too but had lovely baby blue eyes. Short dark hair framed his soft face, making him noticeable, however it was like he didn't want to be noticed at all. Jace was regarding her in a different manner now, but she turned back to Magnus before she could determine what.

"You think?" She asked a little surprised.

"Honey defiantly. He'd never go for a man like me though" he pouted.

"Oh you never know" she said smirking. "Maybe you should get a pink sequined hair band to catch his attention"

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For her last lesson Clary had music so she said her goodbyes to Magnus and went early. It was her routine to practice on the piano before everyone else came, though there was no real reason to do so. Her mother, Jocelyn, had demanded Clary learned an instrument for educational purposes, so Clary did what came naturally to her. She followed in her mother's footsteps.

She walked to the music room and slipped through the heavy door that held Clary's favourite piano. She shrugged her bag off in the corner and pulled her battered Chopin book, also a product of her mothers. Usually she would be in here with Simon as he practiced on the bass, but for once she greeted the silence appreciatively as she closed her eyes in peace.

She let her fingertips roll over the paper until she felt the fold at the top corner. Page 103. Chopin Prelude e-moll. One of Clary's favourite. She allowed herself into the stall and let her fingers rest just above, letting her fingertips feel the touch of ivory keys underneath. Then played. She remembered the sad times in her life, letting the emotion roll out of her with each slight touch of the keys. Playing piano for her was crying to other girls. She remembered when she watched her mom, how she could close her eyes and let the world wash away. Her head would sway and her fingers danced upon the keys. She could make the song happy or sad just by the way she moved. It was another beautiful thing about her mother that Clary wished she had. Her fingers started to play another song soon after, not properly, just playing about, when a knock on the door startled her. Her hands quickly slammed on the keys, making her wince from the sound as Mrs Regal, her music teacher snuck her head through the door.

"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you" she said with a smile. "We've got an extra piano student moving in today as a change of schedules, so can they pinch the piano off you for this lesson until we find another? I know Simon isn't in today so I thought you wouldn't mind?" Clary smiled, of course not. It meant she could go home early, which to her was a win-win situation.

"Yeah that's fine" She said easing herself out of the stall.

"Brilliant, come on then boy". Mrs Regal lightly pushed a boy into the room, and Clary couldn't believe her eyes. A tall muscular boy standing right in front of her, her head only just coming to his collar bone. His golden hair and eyes looking straight at her, a smirk capturing his perfectly sculptured mouth. For a second Clary couldn't capture her breath as she looked at him, noticing the light curls in his brass coloured hair, the fair sun kissed that framed his delicate face, and the white top that perfectly showed his muscles upon his slim frame. She heard the door click as it closed behind Mrs Regal and she snapped out of her reverie, quickly looking down at her hands, aware her cheeks were very flushed. Without another second to waste she quickly slipped past him and grabbed her bag, making a b-line for the door. Just as her hands gripped the door handle he spoke.

"You can stay if you want" His voice was like honey as it ran through her, making her body tingle everywhere. She looked to see he was frowning a little.

"No its okay, I've got to get back anyway" she replied, surprising herself by how steady her voice was compared to how her body trembled. She yanked the door open and hurried out, without a backwards glance.

She tumbled out into the corridor and semi ran to the exit. Her heart was beating ridiculously fast, and she cursed herself for it doing so. What was the matter with her?

"Clary" a voice shouted, making her suddenly freeze in place. Every muscle tensed before they allowed her to turn, slowly towards the voice. She saw Jace jogging a couple paces behind her, holding a book in his hands. Even jogging he made look easy and effortless as he closed the distance between them. As he reached her he held out his hands showing the distressed Chopin book lying steady in his grip.

"I believe this is yours" he said in a playful tone, his eyes smiling at her in amusement. She stared for a couple seconds before her mouth began to move.

"Umm" she mumbled trying to look away from his piercing gaze. "Thanks" she said with a quick smile grabbing the book and turning back around to the exit.

"You're pretty short aren't you?" His words were playful but there was challenge in his tone. She really wasn't in the mood, not yet recovering from Mr Winston's lecture. Her body turned from flustered to annoyed immediately. How dare he just insult a random student. She turned back to him and scowled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise we had started an insult competition" she mocked, her voice becoming much steadier than seconds ago. "I'm sure if you give me a few seconds I could throw something at you". She spat. He laughed lightly and looked at her, not seeming bothered by her tone. In fact he seemed extremely pleased. She just raised an eyebrow in question.

"You've got a mouth on you too". He replied casually with a large smirk plastered on his face. She huffed in annoyance.

"I'm so glad you know the human anatomy, next you're going to tell me I have ears, maybe a nose". She raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. He took a step forward so their bodies became incredibly close and lowered his voice.

"Well I have been told I know the female anatomy very well". His voice raspy and very sexy making her spine shiver. That's when the words hit her. Jace Herondale was flirting with her and she didn't have a clue how to react. Her heart was beating a little faster and her cheeks were turning a traitor against her as they burned in flushes. She continued to stare at him for a couple seconds before she realised what he was trying to do. She just made a disgusted noise and walked out, glad her legs were still functioning, though they felt like water.

"You should wear a skirt more often too; you've got a great ass". She almost tumbled when he shouted it though luckily she just kept walking. She felt his eyes burn onto her as she reached the exit, but that didn't stop her running through the door. The moment she got outside she pressed her back against the cold brick wall, gasping to fill her aching lungs with the steady refreshing New York air.

The cold winds helped her body turn back to room temperature and her heart to slow as she thought about what just happened. Jace Herondale, flirting with her? What did she do to deserve this punishment? Maybe it was all a bad dream or Magnus slipped her some drugs. A little extreme but she was grabbing onto any possible scenario, in hopes this one was not reality. Although secretly she couldn't deny the thrill that ran through her body as he casually flirted with her. She just wanted to say something as equally on turning to throw him off, show how she wouldn't be taken down without a fight like most girls would. That's when the plan started to form together and a sinister smirk came across her face. After a couple minutes she detached herself from the wall, plugging her iPod in then started home, thinking how it was time to show Mr Herondale how to play his own game.

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Hey Guys,

So here it was my first chapter of 'The Love Games' my first ever FanFiction! Please tell me what you think. I am a huge Mortal Instruments fan so I loved writing this story, and the idea of Clary coming out her shell and becoming a little rebellious under Jace's charm.

Although it is my one saved genie wish I did not write the amazing books 'The Mortal Instruments' so all the characters are owned by Cassandra Clare (Sits and cries in the corner). However all idea's are my own!