TDA Meets TLH

23: James

"No, no, no, that's not how you do it."

I sighed tiredly, at Ty. Him, Matthew, Jesse, Livvy, and I were all in what they called their "computer room", trying to teach me how to use the computer. I was horrible at it. I couldn't figure out what everything was.

"Take it easy on him, Ty, this is his first time." Livvy chuckled.

"I am hopeless!" I exclaimed dramatically.

"You finally realized it after all these years." Chimed Matthew, who was sitting on the couch, examining his fingernails. Jesse, beside him, laughed.

I glared at him. "Thanks."

He laughed. "I'm only joking, Jamie, lighten up."

"Try again." Ty coaxed. "Try to the move the mouse, to press the Internet icon."

I tried again to move the "mouse" and it went flying every where.

I made an impatient noise. "It is too sensitive!"

"Or you just can't do it. There's always that." Matthew pointed out.

Livvy giggled, and looked at me. "Does he always tease you this much?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, it is quite irritating."

I then looked at Matthew. "Fine. If you think you're so good at it, then why don't you try it?"

"My pleasure." Matthew grinned.

I stood up, and he took my seat in front of the computer. He then successfully clicked on the Internet icon, and snapped his head towards me, grinning.

"Ha! I did it! You cannot do it!" Matthew shouted happily.

I scowled. "Stop acting like a child."

"You're just jealous that I beat you in something." He smirked.

I scoffed. "Why would I jealous of a dyed blonde idiot?"

"You know very well that my hair is naturally blonde!" Matthew exclaimed annoyedly, standing up. "And I am not an idiot."

"Well, you're definitely not smart." I grinned devilishly.

Suddenly, Matthew was pinning me to the floor, and we were wrestling. We did this often, and it usually ended up in my mother getting angry at us. When my father saw us do this, he only laughed and watched, amused. This drove my mother mad. We kept wrestling, until we heard someone shouting.

"REALLY YOU TWO?! AGAIN?!" Lucie.

She was the usually the one to break up our fights, for the past year. Our mother had trained her well. Matthew and I both stood up, brushing ourselves off.

"We were only playing around, Lucie." Matthew started.

But she was too distracted, to care. She had spotted Jesse, and was now sitting beside him, smiling radiantly. Lucie was in love with him, I knew, and seeing her happy, made me smile. I looked away, and saw Cordelia standing in the doorway, grinning

"You two got off easy this time." She mused. "Why were you two fighting?"

"James called me dyed blonde. As if I would ever destroy my hair like that." Matthew rolled his eyes, as if I had said the stupidest thing ever. "And he called me an idiot."

"Well, he was only speaking truths." Cordelia teased.

Livvy laughed, and Matthew looked angry. He made a sound.

"I am finished with all of you! I shall not speak to you both for the rest of the day!" He exclaimed dramatically.

Matthew then stormed out of the room, Livvy running after him, calling out for Dru. I laughed, and so did Cordelia. Her laugh sent a weird sensation through my body, and I smiled at her. Her and I then walked out of the computer room, and into the kitchen. At the table, sat only Mark. He looked lost in thought, his hand resting under his hand. He snapped out of trance, when Cordelia and I walked in.

"Hey." Mark smiled slightly.

Cordelia was immediately at his side. "Are you alright, now?"

He shrugged. "I'm okay, I guess."

She looked saddened, and put her hand on his shoulder. I felt strange feeling go through, at her action. Why was she touching him like that? Did she fancy him? I felt myself feel annoyed at the thought of Cordelia fancying Mark. Why? I thought. I had never felt like this before. Cristina then walked into the kitchen, and froze when she saw Mark. Mark did as well, and they both stared at each other, unmoving.

"Hello Cristina." Cordelia smiled, breaking them out of their trance.

"Hi." She smiled slightly, and her eyes returned to Mark.

He wasn't looking at her, looking down at the kitchen table. He seemed to notice her eyes on him, because he reddened. I was confused. Were they in a disagreement? I hadn't seen them together, lately. In fact, I hadn't seen much of either of them, lately.

"Mark," Cristina started shakily, "can I talk to you?"

Mark only nodded, soundlessly, not looking at her. He then got up, and followed her out of the kitchen. When they had disappeared, I shot a confused look at Cordelia. She sighed.

"Mark walked in on Cristina kissing Diego in the training room." She frowned.

"That's horrible." I said.

"Quite." Cordelia sighed again. "I want to go home."

I felt surprised. I actually hadn't thought about home for awhile, and now that she said, I felt homesick.

"Me too, actually." I replied.

"I'll miss everyone here, terribly, when we go." She spoke. "And it is so fascinating here."

"It is. I wish we lived in these times, there's so much more to do." I said. "I am quite jealous of them."

Cordelia smiled. "Me too. I even miss Alastair, which is something I never thought I'd say."

I laughed. Alastair was Cordelia's older brother, whom she did not get along with. He was best friends with Charles Fairchild, Matthew's older brother. As young children, Matthew and I used to terrorize them. They hated us, for awhile. Alastair had used to tease me at the Shadowhunter Academy, but that had been years ago.

"Yes, he is the not the best of them." I said, amused.

Cordelia laughed, and I felt that same feeling go through me. I studied her, closely. Her shoulder length red hair was flowing freely, and she was wearing a white shirt, and blue jeans. She looked very pretty, and I blushed slightly. I then realized something, and it hit me hard.

I fancied Cordelia.