Monday had been a very boring day, and Magnus hoped talking to Alec would make up for it. Magnus felt like he owed Alec an explanation, because Magnus already knew more about Alec than even Jace. And maybe Alec would be more open afterwards. That's what he wanted, if Alec would even talk to him.

He ended up finding him sitting in the bleachers, with a towel and a water bottle. Magnus assumed he'd been running. He was wearing shorts and a simple white t-shirt.

"Can I talk to you Alec?" He asked, sounding as causal as he thought possible. Alec looked up, and Magnus saw that there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Yeah sure." Alec patted the bench beside him with a hand. Magnus thought he was acting unusually cheery.

"Well, I don't really know how to start." Magnus explained, and it was true. He didn't think he could just start talking about his sad life story. He hoped it wouldn't ruin Alec's mood.

"Okay, well I kind of wanted to talk to you too." Alec said, frowning.

"About what?" He said, wondering what on earth he could possibly mean.

"I have been really ungrateful to you these last few days. You really helped me pull through. It might sound gushy, but it's the truth. My dad, we've been like at war for four years. You asked me why he hated me. I am trying to be more open about things, Magnus. More open with people. So i'm telling you why he hates me. Because i feel like you deserve to know. He threw me out when i was fourteen. I live at home when Mother and father are not home. As you know, it's a bad idea to get near him. So i live out on the street days when they aren't out on business. That isn't much, because they always are. My father doesn't know i go home. He threw me out because he didn't accept the fact i was, well i was gay." He finished a little breathless. Magnus felt amazing, like he could run ten thousand miles. Alec had actually told him he was gay, something he already knew, but still, Alec had trusted him enough to tell him. He looked at Alec, who was watching Magnus for a reaction.

"Your dad's an ass." Magnus smiled at Alec, who looked relieved. He wanted to give the other boy a hug, but that might have been a little bit awkward. Magnus took a deep breath. He wasn't sure he was prepared to spill his life story. But Alec had. So he somehow found the courage too.

"You don't know much about me, Alec. I feel like I should tell you. My mom committed suicide when I was ten years old. My dad blamed me, he had always thought of me as a burden. He tired to kill me, but obviously it didn't work. He's dead now. I went to live with my mom's only sister, who i still live with. I think she cares about me, but I really don't see her much anymore. When she does come home, she slurs her words and stumbles around. " Magnus paused, looking at Alec, who was startled.

"You don't have to tell me this, Magnus." Alec said.

Magnus continued.

" I don't know her reasons for getting drunk, I don't know why she does alot of things. But even then, she has always accepted me, a thing that now, i am so grateful for. She's been supportive, when she's not intoxicated. She loves me. She does." He said, looking up at the cloudless blue sky.

"I didn't know that." Alec said softly. Alec sounded sympathetic. Magnus thought this was amazing. He felt sympathetic to Magnus, when Alec's situation was far worse. He didn't think Alec felt sorry for himself. Magnus thought maybe he hated himself, but Alec never felt self pity. It was sad, but sometimes sad times tell you who your real friends really are. He thought he could be a great amazing friend to Alec, at least. Magnus had dated quite a few people, but Alec was something so special, so unique. Magnus found himself wishing he would never lose him. He realized he actually cared about this boy, cared what happened to him, would cry for him, and hope and laugh with him. Something he hadn't felt before. This was new, this was good.

" Well, I guess we learned some new things, then." He responded, wiping a tear from his couldn't remember the last time he had let himself cry. Alec pulled him into a fierce hug then, and Magnus smiled. He knew at least Alec cared about him a bit too.

Simon didn't know what to do with himself. He had tried watching TV, and playing a new video game, reading and he even had taken a short walk around the neighborhood. He couldn't stop thinking about his encounter with Isabelle. Had she been kidding? Did she do this to all of her...what was he even to her? He didn't think he was her boyfriend, but they certainly didn't seem like just friends. He hated being unsure. Whatever he did, he couldn't stop thinking about Isabelle. He didn't know when he was going to see her again either. It made him want to bang his head over the wall, over and over until he stopped thinking. But this, wasn't probably the best option. He heard the familiar ring of his cell phone, and answered on the first ring.

"hello?" He said anxiously.

"Hi it's Clary." Answered a familiar voice.

" What is it?" He asked.

"Magnus it having a a party and i wanted to know if you could come." She answered.

Magnus was having another party?

"Yeah, when should I be there?" Simon asked. What else did he have to do?

"Um, eleven?" Clary answered.

"Kay." He said, hanging up the phone.

The house was crowded, and Isabelle had a hard time finding Simon. She had asked Clary to invite him, because she hadn't had the courage to do it herself. What did he think of her now? She hadn't talked to him in awhile. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it was new. She wasn't sure if it was a good kind of new or a bad kind of new. She needed to talk it over with Simon. She was scared, of breaking her heart. She didn't know Simon all that well. Her mom had once told her not to trust men.

Could she trust Simon?