A/N: I really do appreciate that you guys are having such positive reactions to my story! I know it's a little too edgy for some people, so I'm happy that at least you guys enjoy it. :) Keep it up!

Chapter 15

(Simon POV)

When I woke up and rolled over, I realized that Jace was staring at me oddly. Then I recalled how we had made out during Seven Minutes of Heaven the night before, and I felt myself blushing.

"What are you staring at?" I asked flatly, suddenly wide awake. Perhaps it had been the memory of Jace's roaming hands that made me feel so alert… Then again, I didn't particularly want to think about that. It made me relatively uneasy, especially because it was Mr. Stinky Lips.

He said nothing, but instead looked away awkwardly and flopped back on a bunch of pillows.

I stretched out, and abruptly became jealous. Why did he get all the pillows? I didn't have any! And he was sleeping on a nice rug, whereas I was lying on nothing but hardwood.

"That is so unfair," I accidentally said out loud.

"What is?" he inquired listlessly.

"The fact that you have all the pillows and I don't have any," I explained.

"You want a pillow? Fine, have one. I have no need of it." Then he sent a throw pillow flying at me, without even bothering to sit up.

There was something about his tone and posture that worried me. Normally, I wouldn't worry, especially because it was (a) Jace, and (b) he broke Clary's heart and cheated on her, but he wasn't acting like his usual self.

I decided to be a good citizen. "Are you alright?"

Jace sighed. "Of course I'm fine, everything in my life is going to hell in a handbasket. How could it possibly be bad?"

Well, at least he hadn't lost his sarcasm. "Look, Jace, I can tell you're upset, but you have to realize that your decisions got you into this situation in the first place."

"You're one to talk. You cheated on Izzy," he accused flatly, staring at the ceiling.

I flushed, embarrassed. "That doesn't mean anything. It's all in the past, and Isabelle and I are no longer together."

"Yeah, well, neither are Clary and me."

"I know that." Of course I knew; Clary had come to my house the night after they broke up and we slept together. And I told Clary that I still loved her, which was absolutely true. "But you're still responsible for everything. In fact, let me rephrase what I said about Isabelle. I can admit that I messed things up, and that it's all my fault. I have yet to see evidence of that in you."

Jace suddenly sat up and glared at me, his gleaming tawny eyes seemingly darker than usual. Maybe they were, or maybe his pupils were just dilated. "You want me to admit that I'm responsible? Fine. I am, one hundred percent. It's all my fault. Everything in this world is. The recession, global warming, conflict in the Middle East. All of it is because of me."

I sighed. "You know that's not what I meant. You're not even remotely tied to those things."

"It feels like I am," he said darkly, looking very morose. There was also something lurking beneath the surface, something sort of dangerous.

"Jace," I told him, "stop brooding. You made a mistake, and now you have to live with it. I lived with my mistake, and dealt with the consequences. You can do the same."

"It's not that easy," Jace insisted. "And will you stop comparing us? I know that you're still salivating after Clary, and that's why you cheated on Isabelle. I am completely different."

All of this troubled me, and not only because he was bringing up my love for Clary as if it were something negative. I had to handle this delicately… "Of course you are. Is it because you think that you're not deserving of love?"

His eyes narrowed violently. Damn my social awkwardness… I had messed up another conversation. "As a matter of fact, you're right. But I don't feel like talking to insignificant assholes like you, so if you excuse me, I'm leaving."

And he did. He got up and, even though I was calling, "Jace, wait!", stormed out and slammed Magnus's front door behind him.

I mentally cursed myself. I had probably just made things worse!

I heard a muted yawn from across the room, and then saw Evangeline lift herself up into a sitting position, tossing her dark, curly hair back over her shoulders. Some eyeliner was smeared on her face, but she still looked beautiful.

Oh, right. Other people were in the room, and presumably sleeping. Damn it.

Evangeline caught me staring at her and blushed a deep crimson. Seeing her mouth twisting in embarrassment made me remember kissing those very lips during Spin the Bottle…

I made my way over to her, carefully stepping over all the bodies on the floor. Then I sat down across from her, half-smiling. "Good morning. Did I wake you up?"

She yawned delicately, her nose scrunching a little. "I… I think so. Did you slam the door?"

"No, that was Jace," I explained.

Her blush impossibly darkened. "Oh. Never mind."

I knew that Evangeline had been the instrument in Jace's cheating on Clary, so it made sense that she was getting embarrassed. Still, it was cute. "Did you sleep well?"

She laughed, her voice still husky from sleep. "Truthfully? No."

I joined in, laughing with her. "Me neither. Did you at least enjoy the party?"

"Y-yes, I think I actually did," she said with another blush and a bashful smile. When I returned it, she looked down at the floor.

"Spin the Bottle was interesting," I offered. "Although it was a bit premature for us to kiss, I think. We just met!" When she didn't say anything, I started rambling. "That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it, because I definitely did, it was just a little early for me. I don't know. Whatever. Do you want to go out sometime?" I hadn't intended to finish on that note, but it just sort of tumbled out of my mouth. That being said, I definitely wasn't opposed to going on a date… "I mean, if you're cool with it. I just, er, thought that it would help you… get your mind off Jace." It would also help me get my mind off Clary, who had been subtly rejecting me all last night, which led me to believe that she didn't return my feelings in the slightest.

Evangeline's mouth opened in surprise. "As in a date?"

"Only if you want it to be," I said, trying to be nonchalant and probably failing.

Then she utterly surprised me. "Um, sure. I'd enjoy that."

"Great!" I enthused. "How about tonight or something?"

"That sounds fine to me…" she said, ending in a yawn. So I was going to go on a date with Evangeline, even though I hadn't intended to even have our conversation go that way. Whatever, I decided. We could probably at least be friends, and it would distract us from Jace and Clary.

"Alright then. Tonight."

A/N: A little sudden, but just think of how cute their date will be! :D xoxo