Chapter One ~ Clary's POV

"It's just a stupid tale about young love and the stupidity of youth and shallow lust," Simon, my best friend, argued to the theatre club. We were focusing on one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet.

"Have you even ever had a girlfriend rat face?" Jace drawled out. He was sitting in his usual spot, on top of the desk with his legs sprawled out over Simon's desk.

Sometimes I even wondered why Jace Wayland was in this club. He was arrogant, brooding, and dare I say sexy. He was also the star kicker on the football team, yet he still found time every Monday and Wednesday to come into theatre club.

"What side are you on?" Simon asked, throwing his hands in the air out of frustration. He hated Jace as much as I did. It all started out freshman year in gym class, when Jace had spiked the volleyball in his face. After that class, his attention on Simon only seemed to grow.

"I'm kidding," he said, flashing a dark grin. "I completely agree. It's kind of stupid. I mean who falls in love in like a day?"

"It's not uncommon," Izzy, my other best friend, said. She was on my side of the room; the side who believed the story was a tragic love story about hatred conquered by love. "Ever heard of true love at first sight?"

"Ever heard of falling in love," he retorted. "I mean the whole play is just childish."

"Exactly," Jordan, Jace's best friend, said. "The whole play is about childish ideas on love."

"Then how can you explain - "

Maia, another one of my closest friends, was interrupted by the teacher.

''Alright alright," Mrs. Grey, probably my favorite teacher, said. "That's enough. I'm tired of all of your arguing for the past month. So. . ."

"I'm joining this so called club," Mr. Herondale announced, walking into the room.

Mrs. Grey blushed at the sight of him and I couldn't blame her. His black hair and blue eyes were a great combination. Sometimes I wondered if he was Alec's dad because he looked just like Izzy's brother. In the least weird way possible.

"And we're bringing the group back into one," she continued.

"We're also giving you a stack of lines to memorize for the upcoming play," Mr. Herondale said.

"We were thinking that if you all put your opinions to the side this would be a great way to bond."

"And," Mr. Herondale said, "we were wondering if you could make it to another date on the club schedules. Still Mondays and Wednesdays, but we were going to add Friday before school."

"If you can't make it don't worry. We know that this isn't the only extra curricular activity you guys do. So will it work?"

The class nodded.

"Alright. Who's ready to pick out the parts?"

Jace hopped off the desk, stalking towards the hat full of slips Mr. Herondale just pulled out. He didn't hesitate as his hand dived into the hat, picking up a slip of paper.

As he read the name on the slip, the corners of his lips tilted upwards into a playful smirk. "Romeo Romeo, how dumb is thy Romeo?"

"That's enough Wayland," Mr. Herondale said, "Simon you're up."

Simon sat up begrudgingly, pushing his glasses further up his face. "Balthasar," he muttered. Jace's grin grew a little bigger. Simon would be playing Jace's servant.

"Clary," Mrs. Grey called. "You're up."

I stood up out of my desk, shooting Simon an apologetic look while I nervously grabbed a slip of paper.

My heart fumbled a beat at the name written across the paper. Of course with my luck, I had managed to get the leading role. "Juliet," I said aloud.

A few girls in the classroom sighed, disappointed that they didn't get to be Jace's Juliet. I glanced at Jace and he was staring at me with a cool steady gaze, his golden eyes slicing into my own. He was looking at me with amusement.

I returned his gaze with a glare. Let's just say I wasn't very fond of his short red jokes. His nicknames were infuriating. Infuriating enough to almost get me suspended, because I had almost punched one of Jace's friends in the hallways. Let's just say I had a temper.

And my hatred for Jace wasn't just sprouted from petty nicknames. I was basically being forced to hate him, since he was on the other side of the room. You'd think my side of the room would learn something about how love conquers hatred, but nope. The Theatre Club had officially been at it for the past month, our hatred declared one day in the middle of rereading the story.

"The nurse," Izzy grumbled, slipping back into her seat.

"Kaelie," Mrs. Grey called. "You're up."

Ah yes of course, Kaelie Whitewillow. The school's slut. How could I forget to mention her?

"Rosaline," she squealed, scurrying back over to Jace.

Jace was after all, the only reason she had joined this club. She had been pining over him since freshman year, and Jace had finally taken a noticing to her after all these years. It was comical if you thought about it, that Kaelie was Rosaline, who ignores Romeo's love in the story.

If you switched the roles, you'd get real life. Jace ignoring Kaelie's so called 'love'.

"Sebastian," Mr. Herondale called.

Sebastian rose out of his seat, my eyes following his every move. I guess you could call me a hypocrite or whatever, but at least I had refrained from sitting in his lap to get his attention. It had been a coincidence that we both happened to join this club. I had thought it was fate.

"Paris," he said, shooting me a cheeky grin.

I couldn't help but blush, averting my eyes. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't shy, but around Sebastian everything flew out the window. My hands got sweaty. My legs turned to jello. I became a nervous wreck.

My eyes landed on Jace, who had Kaelie sitting on his lap. Oh right! How inconsiderate of me. I forgot to mention that Jace was a player.

A huge player.

He had the entire girl's population wrapped around his finger, except of course the girls on my side of the room.

Our hatred had sprouted a war between each side of the class room, Jace's side, who believed the story of Romeo and Juliet to be a childish love story about the stupidity of the youth. And my side, who thought the story was a tragic love story about the power love has over hatred.

Ironic. I know, that my side believed in love over hate and here we were, hating Jace's side of the room. But our reasons were fair enough, especially since he had pulled a prank on my side of the room three days ago, when we had our rare before school meeting.

Let's just say glue and feathers didn't mix.

My side had yet to retaliate, but with the help of Magnus Bane we had our plan and we were ready to strike tomorrow at school in the cafeteria. Petty. . . I know.

"Alright guys," Mr. Herondale said. "We'll meet up Wednesday after school. I hope to see you all there."

I packed my bag, ready to go to Java Jones and get the hell out of school. Some days just felt longer than others.

"I can't believe you're Juliet," Izzy said, "I mean how did I get stuck as the nurse?"

"At least you aren't playing Jace's servant," Simon complained.

"Hey you're lucky your group hasn't mulled you yet since you hang out with us," I said, taking a sip out of my cherry coke.

"When did we even start hating each other?" Simon asked. "I feel like we're turning into the Capulet's and Montague's."

"Maybe our hatred for each other will lead to the destruction of the play," Izzy joked, leaning forward on the table. "All because you and Jace will fall in love."

I bursted out laughing. "If you think that'll happen you're wrong. I wouldn't date him even if he was the last man on earth."

"Oh right I forgot. You're still in love with Sebastian. Poor Jace. You never even gave him a chance," Izzy said, her eyes glancing toward the door leading inside of Java Jones. "Speaking of the devil."

"Great," Simon mumbled, "just what I needed."

"Ladies," Jace acknowledged. "Rat face."

We all ignored him, sipping our cherry cokes. You think he'd get the hint that we didn't want him here, but no. He didn't, because he slid into the seat next to mine.

"Scoot over Juliet."

I rose my eyebrows, sitting as far away from him as I could. "It's Clary," I grumbled.

"Clary like the sage. Very pretty, I know," he said, looking at me in amusement. I was pretty sure he was mocking me. "But I didn't come here to discuss names."

"Then why are you here?" Izzy complained. "Go bug someone else."

"I wish I could," he said. "But Alec sent me."

She rose her eyebrows in question, hinting at him to go on.

"He needs you at home. Something's happened."

Izzy bolted upwards. "Let me guess. Mom and Dad. Of course," she muttered. "I need a ride."

"I will," Simon said without a second thought, gathering his backpack and his car keys.

"Great. Let's go."

Izzy waved goodbye and sent me an apologetic look. She was out the door in a few seconds, which left Jace and I in the same booth directly next to each other.

"Shouldn't you be at football practice or something?" I asked.

"Cancelled," he said, taking my cherry coke and leaning back in the booth.

"Lucky me," I muttered.

"Lukcy you indeed," he said, another smirk plastered on his face.

"Well," I said. "This was fun, but I should get going. My brother might get worried. You know. . . with the rain and all."

Jace laughed. "Do you even have a ride?"

I cursed.

He leaned forward, a dark grin on his face. "Oh Juliet."

"It's Clary," I seethed.

He took a second to reply. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

"If you're done quoting Shakespeare I'd like to go home now."

"Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow."

"Jace," I warned, "I'm serious."

"Would you like a refill?" Aline, the waiter, asked.

"No," I said immediately, so Jace couldn't order another one. "We were just leaving."

"Oh I'll get the check for you right away then."

"Thank you," I said.

She nodded, walking away to get our check. I sighed, resting my head in my hand. My head was starting to hurt.

"See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand that I might touch that cheek," he quoted, once again another Shakespeare quote.

"Memorized your lines already I see?"

"I was Romeo in eighth grade."

"And you remember all those lines?" I questioned.

He shrugged. "I have a good memory."

"I'm sure you do," I said sarcastically, pulling out money from my school lanyard when I saw Aline approaching our table, but Jace beat me to it, placing a twenty on the table.

"Have a great night," Aline said. "And I just have to say. You two are too cute together."

"Oh no. We aren't - "

"Thank you," Jace said, his voice dangerously low. "We appreciate it."

Aline gave me a wink before bouncing off.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" he asked innocently. I was pretty sure he was laughing at me in his head.

"Nevermind," I said through my teeth, "Goodnight Jace."

"Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day: It was the nightingale, and not the lark,That pierc'd the - "

"Goodnight Jace," I said more forcefully.

"Night Fray," he said, "don't forget to practice your lines."

I rolled my eyes at his stupid behavior, grabbing my phone from out of my pocket to call Jon.

Jace sure had refrained from the teasing tonight, I thought. Maybe he had finally come to his senses and would stop with the name calling. It was really starting to bug me, especially since all his football buddies had picked up on the nicknames.

Getting called red, ginger, and midget were enough to get me riled up.

"What's up?" Jon asked from over the phone.

"Can you come pick me up? I'm stranded at Java Jones."

"Of course you are," he muttered. "I'll be there in ten."

"Thanks Jon. You're the best."

"Yeah yeah. Bye."

I hung up the phone sitting on a chair outside Java Jones underneath an umbrella. Now all I had to do was wait.

AN: Introducing. . . MY NEW STORY! Updates will be slow in the beginning. Very slow in fact. I have the second chapter written, which will be updated in one week exactly (next Saturday). This story was inspired by a Romeo and Juliet tumblr writing prompt and I just had to write it, because I always wanted to read it.

Anyways. . . I hope you love this story as much as I do already! It's so much fun to write. If any of you have suggestions or comments PLEASE let me know, so I can try to incorporate it in. Have an amazing weekends loves! Enjoy!