A week later...

A graded test appeared in front of every student.

Jace was thoroughly pleased with his B+.

Clary had gotten a 99%.

Alec got an F and note written in blue glitter ink.

See me after class... MB

He dreaded the idea but there was no way around it now.

Alec's focus was off for the rest of the class, not that it was ever really there.

When the bell rang, Clary and Jace stood up, expecting Alec to follow.

"I've got to stay after," Alec said.

Clary went ahead and Jace caught Alec's arm.

"It's okay to ask for help," Jace said. "From either of us."

"Us?"

"Me or Mr. Bane," Jace clarified. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Who else?"

"I just--"

"Clary?"

"Yeah--"

"Alexander."

Alec turned. Mr. Bane looked impatient.

"See ya," Jace said. He hurried out of the room.

Alec took a deep breath before heading towards the front of the room.

"Hi," he said.

"Would you like to explain that grade?" Mr. Bane asked.

Alec couldn't confess his dire hatred of the subject to the subject of the subject.

Instead he was silent, at a loss for words.

"It was supposed to be review. I talked to your old professor and he left me exactly what the Year 5 students did."

Alec looked at the floor.

"Then I talked to your other teachers. None of them could believe that you would fail a test. And then I went to the office and they said you failed Year 5 'History of Downworlders.'"

Alec stuttered.

"Is it some sort of statement?"

"Statement?" Alec asked. "No. By the Angel, no!"

"Then what is it?" he asked. "I know it's not me."

Alec wanted to comment on his egoism but refrained.

"It's not you; you're a fine teacher. I just can't get it."

"It's not like mathematics. That's not how history works. You have to choose to understand it."

Alec looked back at Mr. Bane.

"Do you get what I'm trying to tell you?"

"No," Alec said, slowly. Instead of being sarcastic as Alec expected, Mr. Bane stayed level-headed.

"History is in the eyes of the beholder. You have to choose to apply yourself. You have to realize that this history--" He stabbed his finger at a textbook. Alec noticed his perfectly manicured nails. "--is directly related to yours."

"I still don't see how this is going to make me pass this class," Alec countered.

"You must know your enemy," Mr. Bane said, "before you can ever defeat him."

Then it clicked in his head.

"Okay," Alec said. "I'll try and apply myself."

"That's all I can ask," Mr. Bane said.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Alec started heading for the door. He stopped short though.

"Mr. Bane," Alec said, turning around, "there's another quote as well."

"And what's that, Alexander?"

"'In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them... I destroy them.' Orson Scott Card."

With that, Alec left the room.

..........

Jace was paired with Alec in Combat 6 for the next week.

They were practicing with small knives with dull edges.

Half way through the class, the topic of Clary was brought up.

In the small space of a week, she had opened up to the group. Even Baz was seeming more at ease but he always looked a little on edge, no matter what you said or did.

"Do you like her?" Alec asked. The knife slipped from Jace's grasp and Alec used that moment to push his own right against Jace's throat.

"Point!" Coach called. Alec stepped back and let Jace pick up his knife again.

"Keep your voice down," Jace hissed. He glanced over at Clary who was fighting against another girl in their year and doing incredibly well.

"Do you?" Alec asked. Jace made a swiping motion towards Alec but he ducked and tumbled back.

"I'm not analyzing my feelings right now," Jace said.

"No better time," Alec said. "Besides, it's just a yes or no question."

"It's a question with a lot of strings attached," Jace said, his voice heaving. He moved quickly at Alec and managed to "impale" Alec right in the chest. "And I don't like strings."

"Point!" Coach called a second later when he finally noticed.

The boys jumped back into starting positions and replayed the fight.

.........

"There's a party this weekend," Isabelle said. Clary put her sketchbook aside, knowing that a conversation was about to start.

"And?"

"Everyone's going," Isabelle said, laying out an outfit on her bed.

"I doubt everyone--"

"Clary, it's time we socialized you," Isabelle said. "It's at the deserted Blackthorn manor."

"Sounds illegal."

"Only kinda," Isabelle said. "But there's an old tunnel that runs underneath the Academy to the manor. The Blackthorns actually founded the Academy."

"Good for them," Clary said.

Isabelle stopped and turned to Clary.

"Clary, are you planning on remaining a Shadowhunter?" Isabelle asked. Clary looked at Isabelle. There was a tense moment before Clary spoke.

"No," Clary admitted.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"My mother's forcing me. And also for Sebastian--"

"Baz could handle himself," Isabelle said.

"No," Clary said. "I mean, I know, but I just want a normal life."

"This is normal," Isabelle insisted. "But fine, if you think this is weird, whatever. But you know what's not weird? Sneaking out to go to parties."

Clary smiled.

"I've seen some mundie movies and I know that's a thing," she said. "So it's settled."

"Fine," Clary said.

"Finally, another girl," Isabelle said. She began hanging up the outfit she had just laid out. "I'm so excited."