Isabelle stood in front of the Lewis's front door shivering. She had not worn a warmth rune, something which- in hindsight- had been a terrible idea. What she was wearing was a giant stripy rainbow scarf which Magnus had assured her was very in in the nerd world (something about babies made of jelly and a British doctor who was eighth in something). Isabelle had thought he had been messing with her until Clary had backed him up. The scarf provided some warmth, though not as much as actually entering the house would. Unfortunately, entering the house was something that Isabelle seemed currently unable to do.
She stood frozen on the doorstep (in more ways than one) while a million reasons for why this was a bad idea danced through her mind. She took a deep breath, "Stop freaking out." She told herself, "You are Isabelle Lightwood. This is not the scariest thing you've ever had to do." She raised a clenched fist and rapped her knuckles against the doorframe. "There. Was that so hard?"
The door was opened by a young woman in a vintage dress. She looked like Simon, with her dark hair and eyes, but unlike Simon she didn't wear glasses or look awkward in any way. She seemed completely self-assured as she stared Isabelle down- with the look of someone who totally belonged analyzing a newcomer. "Can I help you?" She asked, not unkindly.
"Um… hi." Said Isabelle, then mentally kicked herself for sounding so nervous, "My name is Isabelle Lightwood. Is Simon home?"
The girl raised an eyebrow, "You… you want to see Simon?"
"Yes." Said Isabelle.
"Why?"
"What?" Asked Isabelle.
"Sorry." The girl laughed, "I'm just a little taken aback that there's actually a girl here looking for my brother. Especially a girl who looks like you. I guess military school has changed a lot for him."
"Uh, thanks?" Said Isabelle, "I take it that you're Rebecca."
"That's me. I'm sorry if I'm a little blunt but it just seems like Simon's life has done a one eighty in the past few months. I mean, he spent 16 years with hardly any friends outside of his dorky band and now not one but two gorgeous girls appear at our house within a week asking for him."
"Well what can I say? He's a great guy." Said Isabelle awkwardly.
"That he is." Agreed Rebecca, "Alright, I'll go get him."
"Thank you."
Rebecca opened the door wider so that Isabelle could come in, and disappeared up the staircase that presumably led to Simon. She returned all too soon, with her younger brother in tow. "Izzy?" Asked Simons when he saw her, "You're- what are you- I mean- I-"
Rebecca glanced at her brother, amused, "Don't hurt yourself Si." Simon blushed. Rebecca looked back and forth between him and Isabelle a couple times then shrugged, "Alright, I'm going to be in the kitchen, you two use protection." With that she flew down the stairs and into a different room of the house.
Simon looked down at his hands, "So… hi."
"Hi." Said Isabelle, "How have you been?"
"I've been… Good, I guess. It's sort of weird being back home after spending so much time at the academy."
"I can only imagine." Said Isabelle, looking around at Simon's childhood home, which could only be described by one word; mundane.
"Izzy… um… If you don't mind me asking. What are you doing here?" Simon asked.
Isabelle took a deep breath. "Well, since you haven't called me since you've been back, I've decided to make the first move." The words all spewed out in one breath, like they were attempting to escape her mouth.
"The first-"
"Would you like to come with me to the Institute Christmas Party?" She asked him.
Simon stared, "What?"
"I mean, I'm not sure if Clary has already asked you, but just know that if you go with her she'll just spend the whole time under the mistletoe with Jace. So I figured you could go with me to, you know, avoid that."
"Isabelle, are you asking me out?" Simon asked hesitantly. He couldn't really believe what was happening, he knew that technically he and Izzy had been dating before the war with Sebastian, but he couldn't actually remember much of it. And needless to say, since the memory loss their relationship had been tense at best.
"Don't be too flattered. I just don't want this to be the first year I don't have a date since I was 10." Said Isabelle with nonchalance that Simon couldn't quite believe.
"I'd love to." He told her.
"Really?"
"Yes. I may not remember what we used to have Isabelle, but that doesn't mean that I don't still feel… whatever is I feel for you. And I want to find away to find whatever it is we had again."
Isabelle smiled- a genuine, warm smile that made Simon's stomach lurch pleasantly, "Good. So do I. I- I've really missed you."
"I've missed you too."
"So you'll come to the party?" She asked.
"Yes. I'll come."
"Good." Said Isabelle, then on impulse ran up to give him a swift peck on the cheek, "I'll see you there. Merry Christmas Simon."
"Merry Christmas Isabelle." Simon breathed, staring disbelievingly at the empty space where she had stood just seconds before.
Isabelle stood in front of the Lewis's front door, feeling more excited for Christmas than she had in a very long time.