"I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."

(Jace Herondale; The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare)

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"Welcome back, everyone! We are so excited to have all of you back for another year here at Grover High!"

Everyone breaks out into halfhearted applause and cheering as Tori, the new captain of the cheering squad, screeches into the microphone. She steps down from the podium and starts leading the squad in a series of complicated cartwheels and pyramids to some really loud, upbeat music.

Alex turns to me. "Is it possible that their skirts are even shorter than last year's?" She points at Sam, wearing a skirt that only covers about a third of their thighs, clapping and smiling with the rest of the squad.

"There's power in wearing next to nothing." I gesture to the boys in front of us who are not-so-subtly checking the cheerleaders out. Under their breaths, I can hear them taunting each other about who can "bag" one first. Disgusting.

One of them, Rory Davis, points at Sam in the middle of one of her cartwheels and whispers something to the others. They all burst into laughter until Alex hits the back of Rory's head with her bag. They all turn to look at her. "The next time one of you makes a comment about Sam Fitzgerald, your favorite body part will magically cease to function," she spits at them, which just sends them laughing like idiots again. "Want her all to yourself, lesbo?" Derrick Ramos says, high-fiving Rory. "Definitely not your favorite body part."

Alex flushes crimson and turns away from them. She's been getting teased about being a lesbian for as long as I can remember; Sam and I have our suspicions, but we've never talked about it with her.

She flips her long raven hair over one shoulder and rolls her eyes. "Idiots. As if they know anything about me." I pat her on the back and the next speaker comes up to the podium. My heart instantly starts pounding, my cheeks heat up, and I grab Alex's hand as Julian Andrews, president of the drama club and love of my life, starts speaking into the mic.

"I'd like to welcome everyone again on behalf of the drama club!" More weak applause. This doesn't dim his enthusiasm even a little bit, though. "If you're interested in joining us as a performer or behind the scenes, club registration is this afternoon. And yes, last year's members have to sign up again."

"You're drooling, my dear," Alex says with a smirk, shaking her head. 

"It's not my fault Julian's--"

"--absolutely perfect and amazing? I know. You said." She swats my hand away from my hair. "And stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Julian comes down from the stage and is being replaced by the president of the dance committee. Everyone around us suddenly perks up and actually pays attention to the speaker.

"Covering your scar with your hair. You do that every time you see Julian."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Do not."

"Do."

I glare at her. "Not."

"Do."

"Not--"

"Mature, guys." Sam appears out of nowhere in her cheerleading uniform and plops herself into the small space beside Alex and I. Rory turns around with an appreciative nod and Sam smiles sweetly at him.

"Oh my god oh my god I can't wait. I actually have a class with him this year," I whisper to my friends.

"How? He's a senior," Sam says, eyeing the back of Rory's head. "Clover got into Advanced English because he's taking it," Alex says. Sam and Alex have always called me Clover because, that way, we all have the same names as the Totally Spies girls. They even tried to get me to legally change it once, which is obviously where I drew the line.

"Wrong--I got into Advanced English and he's taking it. Not because. And."

Sam ruffles my hair. "Keep telling yourself that."

"Shut up, I love English."

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"Pair up!"

I hate English.

Miss Schuyler, our new teacher who looks to be in her late 20's, is grinning at us from ear to ear despite everyone's groans. "To make everything fair..." She starts grouping people in columns, making my partner the person in the chair to my left. Meaning no one, because that chair is currently empty. I look around the room and see that my nightmares have come alive and everyone else is already paired.

Including Julian, who's paired with Dria Garroway (who is insanely pretty). Add that to the fact that I'm the only junior in the room, and I feel like hyperventilating. I let my hair fall in front of my face to cover my scar and realize that Alex was right.

"Hi there."

I jump at Miss Schuyler's voice; I hadn't noticed her until she was right in front of me. "Hi."

"What's your name?"

"Bella Taylor."

"Ah, you're one of the super-smart juniors. Good thing you've got another junior friend here, right?" she says, smiling. I didn't know there was anyone else in my year here. "He's not here yet, but I'll pair him with you, yeah?"

"Um, I'll be fine without a partner." I flush as she raises her eyebrow and I realize how big-headed that sounded. "I don't mean that in a bad way. I'm not super smart or anything. It's not even--I just--I can work alone."

"We'll see," she says. She returns to the front of the room and starts talking about the preliminary assignment. I take down notes, but I'm a little out of it because I keep glancing sideways at Julian.

How can one person be so perfect for me, yet not even know I exist?

I've liked Julian ever since I was a freshman and I saw him at drama club. I've been a member of the drama club since middle school, but always as a propsman--never an actress with an actual part. I wanted--well, want--to get close to him because he's just always been so genuinely nice to everyone he meets, plus he's smart and funny. I even saw him reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare one time.

Also, he's freakin' gorgeous.

He runs a hand through his short blonde hair and laughs at something Dria says. I wish I was as confident as her. She dyed her hair blue last year, and punched Adriana Laine in the face only a few days after throwing a shoe at her head.

The classroom door opens and everyone's heads snap to it. No one's this late to class. Say what you will about Grover High, but its students aren't big on skipping classes. Hell, it's the last class of the day.

A new student with dark hair and gray eyes pops his head in and grins. "Advanced English, Room 3C?"

Oh, god. It's that guy from yesterday at the shop. The one who made fun of me.

Miss Schuyler smiles at him. Does nothing faze this woman? "You're in the right place." To the class, she says, "this is Nicholas West, a junior. He's new here. Take any free seats, Nicholas."

"Nico, but sure," he says, coming in fully. His eyes scan the room and I resist the urge to put my bag in the empty seat next to me. Hopefully he'll be one of those guys who refuse to sit anywhere but in the back row (which, right now, is completely empty.)

My stomach sinks as his eyes zero in on me and the empty chair beside me. He gives no sign of having recognized me from yesterday; he just weaves through the chairs until he's seated next to me.

I ignore him as Schuyler's lecture starts up again. Five minutes in, he taps me on the shoulder and I turn to see him looking at me. "Hi. I'm Nico. Have we met before?"

I squirm in my seat. "Um, yeah, we have, actually." I keep my eyes on Miss Schuyler but keep talking to him. "Yesterday. I work at Bookish Brews."

"Oh yeah. Bella, right?" I blink but keep pretending to listen to the lecture. "Taylor," I say.

"What? Your name's Taylor?"

"No, my last name's Taylor. It's Bella Taylor."

"Your last name is Bella Taylor?"

I finally whip my head to look at him to see if he's seriously asking me something so stupid, but he has a small smile on his face. "Ha ha. You're funny," I say flatly, turning my attention back to the front of the room. I should not be affected by this very cute male's flirting. He's probably just gonna make fun of me again.

A few beats of silence. Then, "you're not very friendly, are you?"

I turn back to him. "No, I'm not. Those two at the back row look friendly." I gesture meaningfully to the two girls whispering to each other and staring at him. They had been sitting in the second-to-the-last row but quickly transferred to the back row with an empty seat between them, clearly hoping Nicholas would occupy it. He shrugs. "Nah. Not my type."

I'm barely listening, though, because for the second time in history, Julian Andrews is looking at me. (The first time was during the play we'd put on last year when he asked me to get his costume tightened.) This time is different, though. He's looking at me really intensely with those dark eyes of his, like he's studying me, and it's making me blush. This is a problem, because I don't just blush when I blush; I turn into a human tomato. I give up on pretending I don't know he's watching me and stare right back. He smiles at me. I smile at him.

"...and also, I'm half ostrich. But don't tell anyone, because my great-grandostrich is royalty and he's a really private guy and would like to remain that way."

I tear my gaze away from Julian's, a flush already dominating my entire face and body, and glare at Nico. "What are you talking about?" I can't believe I just did that. I just stared at Julian like a creep.

"Just checking." He winks at me at the exact moment the bell rings and I start gathering my stuff, the heat all over refusing to die down. I dare a glance back at Julian, but he's already turned away and is laughing about something with Dria. I hope it isn't me.

I mutter a "bye" to Nico and head straight for the door. What just happened with Julian back there? What did that mean? I need my friends right now.

I'm just about to take my phone out and text them to meet me in front of school when Nicholas pops up beside me. "So, we're partners on this thing, right? What do we have to do?"

I sigh and stop walking. I was hoping he wouldn't notice and let me do the work on my own. "Yeah. We just have to talk to each other about our favorite English selections and break down the reasons why they're good. I have to go home now, though, so...could we just meet up tomorrow?"

"Asking me out, I see. Where?"

I roll my eyes at his blatant flirting. "Bookish Brews, after class. During my break, maybe."

He smiles. "Okay." I assume that's the end of it and awkwardly wave goodbye, starting down the corridor again, but he keeps walking right beside me. "Where you headed?"

"Home."

"Really? But it's so early."

"I happen to like going home."

"Well, do you wanna go somewhere with me?"

"Why? I don't know you."

"Sure you do. I'm Nico." He grins. "I don't know, so we can get to know each other more? We're English partners, after all. That's a big commitment." We're outside now, and he's still walking with me.

"We can get to know each other tomorrow. At Bookish Brews. After class."

"Is it just me, or do you not like me very much already?"

I look up at him, and he has a rueful smile on his face. I look away and stay quiet because I have no idea how to answer without being rude. We walk in silence for a while until--surprise, surprise--he breaks it. "Did I offend you somehow?" I sigh. I'm not usually this rude.

"No no, it's--" I break off when he gives me a look like he knows I'm lying and I laugh. "Fine, yeah. A bit. Yesterday at the shop you...asked for my number and then took it back."

He looks at me, cocking his head to the side. "That's what you're upset about?"

I blush again, immediately feeling stupid. "Well, I wouldn't say upset."

"I only took it back because you looked uncomfortable. I thought maybe you had a boyfriend or something and didn't like being hit on."

"No. No boyfriend." Without thinking about doing it, I bring my hair in front of my face again.

"Well I'm...sorry."

I smile at him. "It's okay. No worries." I look around, because we're at my street already and he's giving no sign of leaving. "Um...why are you still following me?"

His eyebrows knit together. "I'm not following you. I thought you were following me."

"What? I'm the one who lives here." I gesture to my house that's a few houses ahead.

He grins. "Really? Neighbors, then. I live down the street." He points to a house that looks only slightly different from mine two houses down.

"Huh. Neighbors. Well...this is me," I say, stopping in front of my house.

He salutes me and winks. "Nice to meet you, Taylor." I watch him walk away, and just to make sure he isn't a stalkery creep who actually was following me home, wait until he steps inside the house he'd pointed to before whipping out my phone and messaging the girls.

Clover: You will NOT believe what just happened today.

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casually blessing your lives with brendan dooling aka julian above <3 <3