Chapter 2 Corridors and Snobs

A/N: Hey everyone,

Chapter 2! I enjoy rewriting this so much! It's crazy. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my story too. I'm sorry for not updating in a -long- while. I've been very exhausted and distracted. -Jill

TESSA'S POV

"And then I went to the London Institute." Tessa ended her story with a sigh. She and Sophie had been talking for hours; well she had talked, Sophie mostly listened, sometimes bringing in a question. Sophie smiled at Tessa and gave her a nod of understanding.

"Shall we go and get a coffee in the Café? I'm quite thirsty." She suggested, pushing herself off the floor and dusting off her jeans. Tessa shrugged her shoulders and then stood up too, groaning as her legs protested after sitting in the same position for two hours.

"Okay. I'm a little thirsty too, so…" Sophie nodded and happily pulled Tessa with her through the door. She was almost as enthusiastic as Cecily and Tessa chuckled softly.

They passed several corridors, some dim, others bright. Soft yellow lamps with varying shades of brightness lighted them, making Tessa feel as if it were Christmas. Despite the difference in brightness, every corridor was identical to the last one. Tessa wondered how Sophie knew the way through this real-life maze. But Sophie seemed to have no problem with remembering or finding the way to the Café, for she pushed open an oak-wooden door, bigger than the ones of the dorms, after a few minutes of walking.

"And this is the Café." Sophie said solemnly, her expression changing into theatrical seriousness, acting as if she were a guide during her tour. Tessa half-grinned and rolled her eyes. Sophie giggled and entered the room. Tessa followed her, amazed by the amount of students that was sitting and talking or ordering a drink. The noise of loud chatter filled the room, combined with the torch-like lamps that casted comforting light on the huge tapestries, which were hanging on the walls; it created a cosy aura. The tapestries were decorated with different designs, mostly with –what Tessa thought was- the crest of the London Institute. The crest was a wine-red shield on which a diamond shape with extended lines was depicted in black, the words 'the London Institute' written below the shape in an old-fashioned cursive. The designs of angels appeared commonly too; it fascinated Tessa. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a hand waving in front of her face.

"Earth to Tessa. Where are you?" Sophie said grinning and then began, again, pulling her with her, through the crowd of students. Tessa rolled her eyes; something she had done quite a few times by now. They eventually stopped, joining the line in front of the counter. Sophie turned to Tessa.

"So, do you want a tour through the London Institute? It's kind of easy to get lost." Sophie smiled and Tessa nodded in agreement. She was about to say something when someone beat her to it.

"Oh, there is no need for you to take that burden on you, my dear Sophie. It would be my pleasure to lead the young lady through our enchanting school." A slow, arrogant voice inquired –not without a hint of amusement- from next to her. She turned around swiftly and regarded the person who had just spoken. A boy was leaning casually against the counter, sipping at a cup of coffee, clearly not caring whether he was standing in the way of other people. He looked about as old as Tessa and was dressed in a dark V-neck T-shirt and black jeans. His hands -which were holding his cup and bringing it to his mouth- were slim and longfingered. Tessa could barely prevent herself from gaping at him when she saw his face. He had the most beautiful face she had ever seen. His eyes were bright like blue glass and held a glint of mischievousness, his skin was pale like ivory and his hair was one big, black, tangled mess. Elegant cheekbones, a full mouth and long, dark lashes made him, in combination with his hair, eyes, and lean figure, look like a fictional hero from the books Tessa read. Too late, she realised she had been staring at him.

"Enjoying the view, my lady?" He said, quirking his eyebrow up and giving her a look that would have made every other girl swoon. But not Tessa, she knew that look; Jace used it as well. She just huffed in response and turned away from him, noticing she was first in line now.

"A latte, please." She told the woman behind the counter. And she started preparing her coffee. Tessa pulled out her purse as she had done earlier today in the taxi and paid the lady, who handed her her coffee. Sophie quickly ordered a cappuccino and they both scanned the high ceilinged room, looking for an empty table. Sophie spotted someone and gestured for Tessa to come with her. At least she didn't pull me with her. Tessa thought amused and she followed the tall, dark haired girl.

They sat down at a round table in the back of the room, at which two students were already sitting.

"This is Thomas. And this is his twin brother Cyril." Sophie told Tessa, pointing at the two boys. They both had dark brown curls, kind brown eyes, broad shoulders and an extremely muscular body. Each of them was dressed in a blue T-shirt and jeans, not making it easier to separate them. Tessa smiled at both of them and took a swig of her latte.

"I'm Tessa, pleasure to meet you." She said, the guys nodded and they all started conversing about summer and school.

-x0O0x-

"Bye Thomas and Cyril, it was nice meeting you guys!" Tessa managed to shout before being pulled through the large doorway into the hall with the lockers by Sophie. She sighed; she would probably have an ache in her arms at the end of the day.

"Where are we going?" Tessa asked her dorm mate curiously. Sophie gave her a glance and let go of Tessa's arm, stroking a lock of hair out of her own face.

"To Cecily." Sophie answered without explaining. Tessa sighed; she would have to get used to the enthusiasm if she wanted to survive one day at the London Institute. It was by far not as bad as Tessa had expected. She actually liked it here. But that was before she, being lost in thought, bumped into a girl with silvery fair hair, a creamy complexion and soft brown eyes that hardened at the sight of Tessa.

"I'm sorry." Tessa mumbled, feeling self-conscious under the girl's glare. The girl herself was almost ridiculously pretty, looking like what one of Tessa's novels would've called an English rose. She was wearing a very short, light blue dress, brightening her fair hair and wore lots of expansive looking jewellery. She seemed to especially like rings, since almost every one of her fingers wore one.

"Yeah, you should be." She snarled. As she touched her perfect curls and twirled one around her finger, she gave Tessa a ... Look.

"You're a bit plain, aren't you?" She asked venomously, tutting her lips -which were shimmering in lip gloss. Tessa narrowed her eyes, but decided not to react.

"Can you talk?" The girl asked in a bored tone, her features still twisted into a look of disgust at Tessa. Tessa raised one of her eyebrows, annoyed by the girl in front of her.

"Yes." She answered, her voice leaking her annoyance.

"Well, I'm Jessamine Lovelace, it's nice to meet you." The girl, Jessamine, gave Tessa a fake smile and turned around on the heels of her feet.

"Molly, hurry a bit, will you?" She said in a dangerously sweet voice. A girl with greasy, yellow-blond hair and blue eyes passed, carrying two bags. Tessa was almost sure one of them was Jessamine's.

"Comin' Jessie." She glanced at Tessa with a glint of jealousy. Tessa ignored it.

"What's with Molly?" She asked curiously to Sophie, after Jessamine and the other girl had left the corridor. Sophie sighed.

"She has fallen victim for Jessamine, and Jessamine made her her personal servant. She has a scholarship and a broken heart. Her boyfriend died last year, you see? Jessamine took advantage of that." She explained and Tessa furrowed her eyebrows.

"What's wrong with scholarships?" Tessa was surprised; at her old school people hadn't mind whether you had a scholarship or not.

"Nothing, I have one too." Sophie responded a little nervous. Tessa didn't question any further, noticing Sophie's uncomfortableness.

"But come on, let's go to Cecily." Her dorm mate suggested, reaching out to take Tessa's wrist, but this time Tessa was quicker. And she managed to pull away her hand in time.

I'm sorry, very short chappie. But yeah, I'm really tired. Anyway, who's ready for a super cute, funny, hilarious, awesome, arrogant, ravishing, charming, non-cursed William Herondale? I am! -Jill