PoV Clary
I paced around the small space between Simon's bed and mine. I was waiting for him. It seemed like I was doing a lot of waiting today. First for Magnus, now for Simon. I just wanted to talk to Simon, ask him if what Magnus said was really true. That Simon loved the thought of dating me more than he actually loved me. Maybe it was because he felt safe with me. I felt safe with him, I wasn't taking any risks, and I was even kind of lowering my standards. I felt so cruel thinking that that I bit my tongue, drawing blood.
I started as Simon threw open the door.
He smiled at me. "Hi, cutie."
"Hi, Simon," I said. "Listen… We need to talk."
His face fell. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No!" My eyes widened with shock as he flopped down onto his bed, resting his head in his hands.
"What did I do?" he whispered.
I sat next to him, and pat his back. "It's not you, it's-"
"Oh, please don't use that line on me," Simon said. "The "It's not you, it's me" one."
"I was gonna say it's not you, it's something Magnus said."
He looked up at me, scowling. "What does that glittery prick have to do with our relationship?"
"That glittery prick is my best friend," I snapped. "And he said that you only want to date me because of the idea of dating me is appealing. That once you get to really know me, you won't want me."
"That's absurd!" Simon said, standing up. "I love you!"
"Really?" I asked, standing up. He was almost half a foot taller than me. "Then why did you want to date me?"
"Because we were friends and we like each other and you're cute and you… you get me."
"Simon, how does the fact that we knew each other have anything to do with us dating?"
He sat back down, deflated. "Clary, with you, I feel safe, I feel like I can be who I am."
"When we kissed, how did it feel?"
"Warm. Like a kiss."
"Did you feel sparks travelling down your spine, into your finger tips and your toes?"
"I… no, I didn't."
"Then you don't love me."
"Oh."
We sat in silence, him on his bed, me on mine. We stayed like that for a few minutes, and then I realized that Simon was crying.
"Simon, please don't cry."
He wiped his eyes.
"It's just that Jonathan said something like this would happen. That you'd break my heart."
"Who's Jonathan?" I asked, getting a cold, heavy feeling in my chest.
"You know Sebastian?"
"Of course," I snapped. "You know that one who tried to rape me?"
"I know, but I was… oh forget it. He has a brother. You met him in the beginning of the year. He was the one that said all girls were good for was sex."
"I thought… they were the same person…"
"Yeah, that's why you started calling him a different name in the middle of the year. He's better than his brother, but he's just as creepy. Don't you wonder why he's still walking around the school?"
"I… never noticed."
Simon nodded and sighed. "Well, go on, then."
"What?"
"Go talk to Jace!"