Dinner had ended a while ago but Maia was still at his house. They had very foolishly started a quest that was turning out to be far too long to finish.
"I just don't understand what we are supposed to do while in this demon realm," Maia said not for the first time.
"Edom is full of demons," Simon explained. "Maybe we should have downloaded a cheat for angel warrior skills or brought a friend along."
"The demons aren't the problem," Maia said. "We can't find the big boss of the level which means we are stuck here."
"We did find that cool glowing stick thing with the red jewel," Simon added.
"You mean the Skeptron," Maia asked.
"Yeah," Simon said. They were sitting side by side on the couch, eyes locked on the screen. "Can't we just please look up the play-through online?"
"That takes all the fun out of it," Maia complained.
"It's getting pretty late," Simon said. "Maybe we should call it a night. Save and start again later."
"Alright but you are not allowed to look up the answer!" Maia said.
"Promise," Simon laughed lightly as they saved their game. They both stood and headed for the door. Maia held his hand as they walked the short distance and when they reached the door he was surprised when she kissed him. Usually he walked her home and they kissed outside her house.
"What was that for?" Simon asked smiling at her.
"For being so understanding," Maia replied, also smiling. Simon had just reached for the door handle, his other hand still held in Maia's, when he heard the doorbell ring.
"Can you get that?" his mother's voice carried in from her office down the hall. Simon stood frozen. He had noticed Izzy texting him this evening but he hadn't been able to answer. He was suddenly very sure she was on the other side of the door.
Simon's mind whirled with strategies to try and avoid the impending disaster in front of him. He could go outside and leave Maia in the house. He could ask Maia to go do something and quickly get rid of Izzy before they saw each other. He could run and hide behind his sister. He could lock the door and take Maia out the back saying it was just a salesman or something. Izzy would think he wasn't home.
The problem with all these strategies is that they required him to move and speak, two things that seemed beyond his abilities at the moment.
"Are you going to just stand there with your hand outstretched?" Maia asked him, giggling. Simon's thoughts were going about a mile a minute but his body was frozen.
Simon watched as Maia opened the door.
And there stood Izzy.
"I know you told me you were going to be busy," Izzy said. "But-" Izzy's focus switched from Simon to Maia then moved to their still joined hands.
"What's going on?" Izzy asked.
"Hi," Maia said. "Isabelle right? I recognized you from school."
"Why are you holding hands?" Izzy asked. "Are you two dating?"
"Yeah," Maia said shyly taking a step back closer to Simon.
"I can't believe you, Simon," Izzy yelled. "How could you lie like that?"
"I didn't lie," Simon protested, suddenly coming out of his stupor. "We never said we were exclusive!"
"We never said we weren't either!" Izzy yelled.
"I bet you were seeing other people too," Simon said trying to defend himself. This was Isabelle Lightwood after all and she had a reputation.
"I wasn't!" Izzy yelled back.
"I'm really sorry," Simon said, trying to convey the information to both of them. Maia was still holding his hand which he took to be a good sign, but he could see the hurt on her face out of the corner of his eye. "I should have told you guys. It's just-I really like you both, and I didn't want to hurt either of your feelings." The moment it was out of his mouth, he realized how stupid he sounded. Just another jerkish guy making excuses for his jerk behavior. Simon had never thought of himself like that. He was a nice guy, the kind of guy who got overlooked, passed up for the sexy bad boy or the tortured artist type.
"Wow," he said, mostly to himself. "I am a huge asshole."
"That's probably the first true thing you've said since I got here," Izzy said firmly to him then she turned and walked back the way she had come.
Slowly Simon turned to Maia expecting to be yelled at in turn. Maia didn't speak even when Simon repeated that he was sorry. She still held his hand very tightly but was looking down at the floor rather than at him. Simon couldn't figure it out.
"Are you okay?" Simon asked. She shook her head but didn't look up. "Please say something."
"Izzy is the most popular girl in school," Maia said in a broken voice to her shoes. "If she wants you she will have you. I can't compete with her."
"You already did," Simon said placing his hand under her chin to raise her gaze to his.
"You chose Izzy though," Maia said. "I know you did."
"How can you possibly know that?" Simon asked.
"Earlier," Maia said. "When we went for a walk. I know now you were going to break up with me weren't you?"
What could he say? Yes I had planned on dumping you but then you were super vulnerable so I chickened out like a total coward and sorta decided to dump the tougher one instead.
"I didn't," Simon said at last.
"But you want Izzy," Maia said miserably. She let go of his hand and moved toward the door.
Simon did want Izzy. He was so attracted to her he didn't know how to think straight with her near. Luckily for his mental facilities she wasn't here at the moment.
"Maia," Simon called as she took a step out his front door. "Just remember that you did compete with Izzy and you held your own. Remember that you are beautiful and kind and any guy would be lucky to have you."
"Its nice of you to say that," Maia whispered. She was facing the open doorway so Simon could barely heard her. "But we both know better." Simon saw Maia stroke the scar down her face as she walked out his front door.
Simon Lewis was officially the worst person in the world. He walked back to his room and laid on his bed face first into his pillow. He wallowed for only a few minutes before getting out his phone and dialing.
"Hey Simon," Clary's familiar voice answered.
"I am a jerk," Simon mumbled through his pillow
"They found out about each other huh," Clary said.
"Izzy is mad. Maia is broken," Simon said. "And I am an asshole."
"I told you this would blow up in your face," Clary scolded him. "Didn't I?"
"You aren't being very helpful," Simon said.
"Oh Jace!" Clary giggled. "Stop it. I am trying to talk to Simon."
"Sounds like you are busy."
"Stop," Clary said firmly and Simon heard Jace's laughter in the background.
"Isn't it a bit late for your mom to let Jace be in the house?" Simon asked.
"Oh mom's not here," Clary giggled. "She's at Luke's."
"That all worked out then, did it," Simon said smiling. At least Jocelyn's love life wasn't as screwed up as his.
"Totally did," Clary said. "They are engaged."
"That was fast!"
"Not really. I mean they have been in love and in denial for longer than I've been alive."
"Yes but it was last Thursday they figured that out," Simon said. Clary was giggling and Simon knew those weren't he giggles of a girl being tickled.
"Gotta go Simon," Clary said but the phone line didn't go dead. Simon very much suspected Clary had simply dropped it from the sounds still coming through. Rather than listen to what he could only imagine was foreplay Simon hung up the phone. So much for best friends Simon thought, shaking his head. He flopped back down on the bed to wallow some more. They had been his only moments ago but now…
She wasn't his Isabelle, not anymore. He wondered if she ever truly had been. Isabelle didn't seem like the type of girl to belong to someone. It was one of the things he liked best about her.
She wasn't his Maia, not anymore. He knew somehow she had been more his than Izzy. She had remained for longer after she had learned what he did. Maia had still held his hand.
How could the thing he liked best about Maia and the thing he liked best about Izzy be opposites?
Simon never drank. Okay, there had been that one time he had chugged Clary's drink because it was the only thing he could think of at the time to stop her from drinking it. Telling her don't drink that it might be spiked just hadn't occurred to him. But in general Simon didn't drink. He was technically underage but that wasn't the reason why. He just didn't like the taste or the feeling alcohol created. The last hour however had made him reconsider his opinion of the bitter liquid.
Simon knew where his mother kept alcohol. Elaine always joked that if any of it ever went missing she would suspect a break in over her children and until this moment Simon had always agreed with her.
Simon left his room and soon stood in front of the never locked alcohol cupboard in his dining room. He grabbed the first bottle he saw and holding it to his chest he sunk down the wall to the floor. Simon took a swig and made a face. It was gross but that didn't stop him. Maybe his drunk brain would be able to figure out the problems his sober brain couldn't.
Simon wasn't sure how long he sat there drinking from the whisky bottle, his thoughts going round and round. Long enough for his limbs to feel heavy and his brain to fog.
"I'm horrible!" Simon yelled suddenly when he saw his sister walk through the room. She did a double take.
"Simon!" Becky said, alarmed. "What are you doing?"
"I'm ass face," Simon said slurring his words. Beck giggled at him a little as she came closer.
"Are you drinking?" Becky asked, shocked.
"Do you love me Becks?" Simon asked.
"You're my little brother, you dumb idiot. I love you no matter what," Becky said ruffling his hair.
"Even if I am a horrible two timer?" Simon asked.
"So that's what this is about," Becky said shaking her head but she had a grin on her face. She stood up and a very bright light affronted his eyes. Simon held his hands up to block the light.
"Just needed some proof," his sister said as she took his whiskey bottle away.
"No!" Simon complained, trying to snatch the bottle back.
"You have had quite enough I think," Becky said. Simon grumbled. "Now my drunk little brother. We are going to put you to bed before mom sees you like this."
"S'always look afer me," Simon muttered all his anger fading as his sister lifted him off the ground and supported his weight. He leaned on her as they walked down the hall. Then she dumped him unceremoniously into his bed.
"Ow," Simon complained. Becky tucked him in so tight he felt like a prisoner of his blankets then she sat on the bed beside him.
"Now," Becky said. "Tell me what happened."
"Maia's sad," Simon said. "She thinks I want Izzy."
"And what does Izzy think," Becky asked.
"Don't know. Stormed off. She looks sexy when she's mad." Simon's felt his cheeks flush even more.
"I didn't need to know that," Becky said.
"And her hair's so shiny," Simon continued. "But Maia's pretty too. Her skins like caramel. Izzy make no sense."
"Why doesn't Izzy make sense?"
"Izzy fairy tale," Simon said. "Free. Can't be held down. Doesn't need me."
"But Maia needs you?" Becky asked.
"Yeah," Simon said turning his head away in shame. "I horrible to her. Couldn't give up fairytale for realness."
"I shall remind you of this tomorrow when you have a huge headache," Becky sniggered as she left closing the door behind her.
Simon's mind floated as his thoughts shifted through the blurry alcohol addled memories of the last weeks of his life. Why was everyone so upset? It had only been a few weeks. Everyone should just relax and be as mellow as him because there wasn't anything to worry about really. The world was fine and spinning, but it was fine.
Simon awoke with a pounding headache. Why had he been so stupid as to get drunk last night? Oh right cause he was an asshole. The whole thing came flooding back to him and he groaned, rolling over in bed and wishing for sleep to come back to him.
Sleep however seemed beyond his reach. Simon sat up and went in search of headache relief. His positively gleeful sister was waiting for him in the kitchen.
"Good morning!" she yelled or at least it felt like yelling to Simon.
"Not so loud," he whispered.
"Look," she said holding out her phone. Simon groaned as he saw a picture of himself lying on the floor, eyes half closed, clutching the whiskey bottle.
"Proof you were drunk," Becky said.
"Just don't show it to mom," Simon pleaded with her. "And where is the tylenol?"
"In the bathroom," Becky said. "Medicine cabinet, top right."
Forgetting about breakfast Simon went into the bathroom and quickly swallowed the small but wonderful invention that was tylenol. He then drank two glasses of water and decided he would go back to bed.