Simon POV

"So, Isabelle's pretty." Says Rebecca, as we drive home. It's just the two of us, since Clary and Jace left to go get some coffee, and Izzy had disappeared some time between when I had left to get my backpack and when I had gotten back. I was a little disappointed to see that she had left, but I was quickly distracted by my sister. I really have missed her.

"Um, yeah, she is pretty, I-I guess."

Rebecca looks at me knowingly, "She's the one Clary's always teasing you about isn't she?"

I silently curse my best friend, "Um… Well… Yeah."

"That's so adorable!"

"Rebecca." I groan.

"My little brother's growing up!"

"Shut up."

Rebecca was silent for a moment, "Does she know you like her?"

"Um… I'm not sure, we sort of… went out once… but it was a double date with Clary and Jace so it doesn't really count."

"So ask her out again." Says Rebecca, like it's the easiest thing in the world.

"It's not that simple. I don't even know if she likes me back."

Rebecca rolls her eyes, "Well of course she likes you back, didn't you see the way she was looking at you when you guys were coming out of the school?"

I feel my blush. Isabelle was looking at me? Really? "I… um…"

"Oh my god Simon! Grow some balls!"

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry, but if you want to go out with a girl like that, you're going to need to take some initiative." She says.

"This isn't a class, Becca." I tell her, "I'm not going to pass just because I try harder."

"You might." She shrugs.

"You don't understand! It's Isabelle Lightwood she's like a princess, mixed with Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"Sounds hot." Rebecca muses.

"Oh my god, you don't get it." I groan.

"No, you don't get it. Remember I'm the girl here, I know about this stuff."

I ponder this for a while, "You really think I should ask her out again?" I ask.

"I really do." She replies, "And soon. Girls like Isabelle tend to lose interest fairly quickly."

"Well that's reassuring." I grumble, but I pull out my phone anyways, and let my fingers hover over Isabelle's contact. I try to ignore Rebecca's self-satisfied smirk as I quickly send her a text; Hey

She doesn't respond. I shift uncomfortably; maybe this was a bad idea.

I manage to distract yet again myself with the fact that my sister is visiting, which isn't hard to do. Rebecca plays me a whole bunch of music from Vancouver, which is weird, but it sounds good; Dan Mangan, Said the Whale, Spirit of the West…. Isabelle would really like them… Damn it. I was trying not to think about Isabelle!

Finally, at 4:30, after almost an hour of checking my phone (not obsessively, just… regularly) Isabelle texts me back, Simon?

Yeah

Hey

How are you?

Not bad, you?

I'm good. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend?

I waited anxiously for her to reply.

Sure. What were you thinking?

Lunch? Maybe this Saturday?

That sounds great

I try to refrain from punching the air triumphantly. I look up to see Rebecca grinning slyly, "Who're you texting?" She asks.

"Shut up." I grumble.


On Saturday I text Isabelle the address of a graveyard downtown and I head down to meet her. Isabelle is already there, examining the gravestone of Richard MacDonald. I know it's the gravestone of Richard MacDonald, because Richard MacDonald has the greatest tomb of all time. The stone is a tall cylinder with a round top, and it rests on a square base, with his nickname engraved on all 4 edges, "DICK, DICK, DICK, DICK". Clary and me found it 3 years ago. It's amazing.

"I see you've found the 'grave bone'" I say, stepping up behind her.

Isabelle whips around and smiles, "Is it real? I thought it might be a joke."

"Oh it's real alright. Poor guy." I say.

She looks amazing. She's wearing a long coat and a huge scarf, and yet she still looks sexy as hell. I feel like a slob in my jeans and lumpy north face coat. She's swearing a little tuque overtop of her hair, which is lightly curled, it's adorable.

She looks around, "So why did you ask me to meet you in a graveyard exactly?"

I shrug, "Well, it was a 'dreaded sunny day' so I figured I'd 'go where I was happy' and 'meet you at the cemetery gates'"

Izzy stares at me, "You brought me all the way here just to make a reference to a Smith's song?" She asks, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Well it is the best one. I stand by that judgment."

She laughs, "Okay, I'll concede that it is a close second. But What Difference Does it Make still rules all."

I sigh dejectedly, "Fine. I guess I can accept that. And to answer your question; no. There's actually a really good Greek place up the street from here. I thought we could go grab some lunch."

Izzy grins, "That sounds perfect."

Some how, my hand finds hers and we walk down the block together, "So, do you come to the graveyard often?" She asks.

I smile, "I used to. Clary thinks it's pretty to draw, and she would drag me down here because her mother wouldn't let her come alone."

"Overprotective?"

"Oh, you have no idea. Clary's dad was kind of an asshole, and he and Jocelyn got married right out of high school, and so she's always been wary of guys, and the world in general. She never had a problem with me though, not sure if I should be flattered or offended."

Isabelle laughs, "Alec's a bit like that. A guy so much as looks at me and he turns into a crazy person."

"He loves you."

"Yeah. It can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I love him too."

"It's like that with Rebecca as well. Having siblings is both the best and the worst thing in the world."

She laughs, "At least you only have one, I have three."

"Alec, Jace and…"

"Max. He's nine."

"Ah."

"Yeah, he's adorable; a total geek. Obsessed with comic books."

"I like him already."

She smiles at me, "Well then I guess you'll have to meet him."

My insides do a little flip-flop. "That- that sounds great." I stutter, "Oh look were here."

The place is tiny, but I've always loved it. All the people working there are actually from Greece and they talk really fast with really strong accents, so it feels really authentic. Plus the food is amazing.

"I don't know what to get." Izzy muses, staring up at the menu, hand still clasped in mine.

"The falafel here is fantastic." I tell her.

She grins, "All right, that sounds good."

"Two falafel wraps." I tell the cashier, and pull out my wallet, which unfortunately means I have to let go of her hand. But she touches my arm, which makes up for that.


Ten minutes later we're walking around in a nearby park, eating our wraps. "Oh my god!" Says Isabelle, "This is the messiest food in the world!"

"I know I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's delicious." She says, licking tsatsiki sauce off of her fingers. We finish off our wraps and throw them in the nearest trashcan. She smiles at me, "I'm having a lot of fun."

My stomach does the flip-flop thing again, "I'm glad."

There's a slight pause, while we look into each other's eyes. I mean, we just stand there gazing at each other, it's like we're in a novel by Jane Austen (not that I've ever read Jane Austen, Rebecca and Clary just made me watch a couple movies). Isabelle's eyes are dark brown, like chocolate, with little flecks of gold inside. I feel like I can't breath.

"Izzy I-" I'm cut off by her lips on mine. Or maybe I cut myself off, I'm not really sure who initiated the kiss, and I definitely don't care. I feel like my knees might give out so I stumble backwards against the tree. Isabelle follows, and our bodies are crushed together. My hands find her hair and it's just as soft as I'd always imagined imagined; long and silky. I think her hat might have fallen off but I don't bother to look.

Her cold hands are on my face, and playing with the hair at the nape of my neck, and everywhere she touches I feel a tingling sensation.

When I pull back for a second, for a breath of air, I swear I hear her whimper a little. But I must just be imagining it. Before I can ponder it properly she recaptures my lips with her own and all coherent thoughts fly out of my head. I wrap my arms around her waist, and pull her closer. She smiles against my lips. I smile back. "Soooo." I muse.

"Hmm." She hums.

"That was nice." I say.

"Yeah… It was…" She replies, not meeting my eyes.

I put my hand under her chin to lift her face, "Something wrong?" I ask.

"Um… No, nothing's wrong. I just…"

"What?"

"I have to go."

"What? I-"

"Bye Simon, I-I'll see you at school."

"But-"

"I have to go."

She pulls away, and bends down awkwardly to pick up her fallen tuque. In all the time I've known her, I don't think I've ever seen Isabelle Lightwood do anything awkwardly. "Are you sure you're-"

"I'm fine Simon. Goodbye." She runs off down the path, impressively quickly for someone wearing high heels.

I lean back against the tree. What the hell just happened?


A/N: Hey guys, sorry for posting so late, it's hard to balance school and stuff you know.

By the way, that grave really does exist, I've seen it, Dick's and all.

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