I woke to the sound of pounding foot steps walking toward my door. Moments later, Jacob was jumping up and down on my bed shouting from the top of his lungs, "it's the first day of school!"

I glanced at the clock realizing that it was only 4:30 in the morning! This boy.

"Honey, you do know that school doesn't start for another 4 and a half hours right?"

"Mhm I know I'm just really really really really really excited!"

"Jacob honey please go back to bed okay? I'll wake you up wen it's time to get ready for school."

He started to hesitate, but stopped when he saw my face.

"Okay Momma!"

That boy is going to kill me one day.

My God why couldn't I go back to sleep!

I turn and look at the clock and see that it's 4:30. Why couldn't I go back to sleep!

"At this point there's not point in me trying to go back to sleep" I mumble to myself.

I walk into the ensuite and head for the shower.

I'm probably just nervous I think to myself. Today is the first day that I'll be teaching at my new job and to say that I'm nervous is an understatement. I'm usually never nervous; Jace Herondale doesn't get nervous. I don't really know why I'm
/so nervous.

By the time I'm out of the bathroom, it's already 5. I head to my closet to pick out something to wear. I grab a light blue button down and black slacks.

I put on a white wife beater and pull on the blue button down. I look down and I can't button the buttons because my hands are shaking too much.

After about three minutes of trying to button up my shirt, I finally got it. I slid on the slacks and head to the kitchen. I start up the coffee machine while I pack up my briefcase and make sure I have everything.

Once I make sure I have all my lesson plans and worksheets, I head back over to the coffee maker and fill up my thermos. I leave it black the way she used to drink it. After I left for college, I stopped putting in the cream and sugar.

Iremoved everything that reminded me of her. I blocked her from social media and I even got a new phone number. I couldn't face her anymore. I knew that all it would take for me to go back is to hear her voice. I got rid of all thepictures,

except for one. I stopped dating. I stopped drinking. It was as if my entire life stopped. It's justbetter this way.

I shake my head realizing what I was thinking about.

"I can't do this. I can't think about her. Not today. Not right now."

I glance at the clock and see that it's almost already 6.

"Shit I've got to go!"

I grab my briefcase and my thermos and head out the door; leaving behind my nerves and thoughts of a beautiful red head with striking green eyes.

I wake to the sound of my alarm. There is no way that it's already 7. I look at the clock.

"Whyyyyy" damn it it is 7. I shut off the alarm and slowly get out of bed. I pull on a sweatshirt and head towards Jacob's door.

"Honey! Jacob get up its time to start getting ready for school."

I gently shake him awake.

"Is it time for school?!"

I giggle. "Just about! How about you pick out something to wear and brush your teeth and I can whip you up some chocolate chip pancakes?"

"Can they be shaped like Mickey Mouse and have the white snowy stuff on it?"

"They wouldn't be pretty boring chocolate chip pancakes without Mickey and the snow right?"

He laughs and nods. "Okay well I'll got start on them while you pick out something to wear."

I head towards the kitchen and start to get all the ingredients. Once I have most of the batter done, I start to put the batter on the griddle. I pull out the Mickey Mouse cut out and grab the powdered sugar.

I hear Jacob's loud foot steps coming toward the kitchen as I finsh up the pancakes. I pull out the milk and syrup and somestrawberries too.

"Are you excited for your first day?" He nods as he shovels another forkful of chocolate chip pancakes into his mouth.

"What did you say your teacher's name was again?" Jacob swallows his pancakes and takes a second to think.

"I think it's like Mr. Horon.. Mr. Harmon... OOH OHH I KNOW." I motion him to quiet down. "It's Mr. Herondale!"

It takes everything in my body to contain the urge to spit out all of my coffee. I shake my head. There's no way it's him. Herondale isn't very unusual. There's probably a bunch of Herondales in the world.

"Momma shouldn't be go soon?" I glance at the clock at see it's almost 8:15.

I grab my purse and make sure I have everything for work. "Jakey are you all ready? You've got your backpack and your sweatshirt just in case you get cold?" He nods. "Okay then let's get a move on!

The walk to school is 25blocks from the apartment. Work at the diner is another ten blocks from there.

By the time we get to the school steps,we're both sore and a bit out of breath.

I pull out my phone to check the time. 8:45. "Okay mister. This is where we part." I crouch down to his level and give him a hug. "I'll come pick you up after school okay? Then you can come down to the diner with me for a little until it's time for us
/to go home okay?" He nods. "I love you Jacob."

"I love you too Momma!" He hugs me again and then he's racing towards the doors to the school. I smile and start towards the diner.

The kids start to file in around 8:45. I start to relax as I see that some of them are just as nervous as I am. Their nervous smiles and giggles remind me that everything's going to be fine.

Suddenly I feel a hand brush against my arm. I look down and see a shock of strawberry blonde curls and striking green eyes; eyes that are extremely almost an exact replica of her eyes. I shake my head and crouch down to the boys height.

"Are you Mr. Herondale?" The boy asks.

"Yes that would be me! And you must be... Jacob!" His eyes shine as he slowly nods in amazement.

"I...i drew you a picture Mr. Herondale!" I glance down at the drawing and an instantly shocked. For his age, the drawing is incredible.

"Did you draw this all by yourself?" He nods.

"My momma is an artist. Well technically she's a waitress but she's really really really good at drawing and painting. I always tell her that she should be an artist but as told me that she can't. Do you know why? I really really really want to be an
/artist one day, but if she can't be an artist, how can I? Do I have to be a waitress too?" At this point I'm shaking trying to contain my laughter.

"Well I think with all your talent that you can be an artist one day!"

"You really think so?" I nod.

"Jacob you're really talented! I can't wait to see what else you can draw!"

"Thank you but I've got to go now!" He says and runs towards a group of kids.

The bell rings signaling that it's now 9 and class will begin now. I take in a deep breath. You can do this I think to myself. You've got this.

It's been a few hours at the diner and I'm already exhausted. I pull out my phone to check on the time. 2:24. I go to the back to find Magus.

"I'm going to head out and pick up Jacob. I'll be back as soon as I can." My sparkly boss nods.

"I'll see you and my favorite boy soon!" I laugh and head towards the door. The ten blocks to the school are horrible. It's such a hot day in New York. I finally make it. I stand by the steps and see the doors opening. My breath stops. I drop my phoneon
the ground, my mouth open and eyes in shock. His eyes go right to me.

"Jace."