I am so sorry, this is another short chapter.
Isabelle didn't know what to do with herself. She couldn't stop thinking about Simon. After seeing him at the restaurant and realizing what he was, she went back to the Institute and straight to her room. She didn't cry, because she never cried, but she wanted to. She couldn't believe he was a vampire. This had to be some cruel, sick joke. Perhaps Raphael, the head of the New York vampire clan, had purposely sent Simon to make Isabelle go crazy. Yes, that had to be it. Simon must have just been some kind of distraction sent to her. He didn't actually feel anything for her. Isabelle tried to convince herself it was the truth.
And yet, she still couldn't go back to Pandemonium. She knew there was a chance he would be there, and she couldn't bear to see him again. She avoided going to Pandemonium for a week. She didn't even really want to go. She found she had no interest meeting new guys if those guys weren't Simon. But she knew she couldn't see Simon, so she was trapped in a sort of paradox resulting in her spending her nights alone in her room.
As the end of the second week of her self-proclaimed probation from Pandemonium neared its end, Isabelle figured she could probably return to Pandemonium. There was no way Simon would still be looking for her after so long, and she could use a distraction.
She entered the club and started looking around for possible conquests. She froze in place when she saw him. Simon, staring straight back at her.
Simon started walking toward her, and she wanted to retreat, flee, go anywhere else but here, but her feet refused to comply.
"Hey," Simon said as he approached her.
Isabelle couldn't say anything, just stared into his deep brown eyes.
"You've been avoiding me," he added.
Isabelle looked down, somewhat ashamed. Who was she to hide from a guy? She was Isabelle Lightwood, heartbreaker. "I was hoping you wouldn't be here tonight," was all she said.
Simon put his hand under Isabelle's chin, forcing her to look back at him. "Well, I'm here. Can we talk?"
"I don't think that's such a good idea."
"No one has to know. I won't tell Raphael and you don't have to tell the Clave. All we're going to do is talk." There was a fierceness in Simon that compelled Isabelle to agree. She nodded and followed him to a quiet corner of the club.
Isabelle waited for Simon to say something. He's the one who dragged her over here. He could start the conversation.
Simon took a deep breath. "I can't stop thinking about you, Isabelle."
Isabelle's breath caught at the way Simon said her name. "I can't stop thinking about you either," she admitted. She looked up at him and saw the hopeful look on his face. She hated to crush that look, but she had to state the obvious. "But this can't work out. I'm a Shadowhunter. You're a vampire. It's literally forbidden by everyone. We'd both be hunted by our own people as traitors." Isabelle sighed and started to turn away.
Simon grabbed Isabelle's shoulder and turned her back to face him. "I don't care what anyone else thinks. Just one date. Agree to go on one date with me, and no one has to know. If you still think it's impossible after that one date, then I'll never bother you again." His voice got quiet as he said those last words, as though it pained him to speak them. But Isabelle believed he was honest, and would stay true to his word. How much trouble could one date get her in?
She nodded, and smiled shyly. "Fine. One date."
Yeah, this story is moving really slowly. I think the next chapter is going to be interesting, and a bit longer. But that'll mean it'll take longer to post. Bear with me, please don't give up on this story yet!