Chapter 16 - Conversations Over Brinner

Author's Notes: I have to say, the amount of people who wanted me to make Simon bi was kind of overwhelming, and I thought it was funny, because I'm glad I'm not the only one who ever saw Simon as able to swing both ways. Who knows, maybe I'll write a Brymon one shot one of these days, but this story is strictly Clary for Simon. That doesn't mean Bryce won't get his boy, either. I own nothing, save for the storylines, the mistakes, Dahlia, Bryce, and two new characters I am about to introduce. Oh, and Greygirl, my darling, look for your word in here. ;)

"I'm sorry. Really, I am. But, you have to admit, your reaction was priceless." Dahlia was saying to Simon over a bowl of fruit salad with yogurt, while Bryce was grinning like a madman next to her, over a plate of eggs and bacon. Though, I was positive that I looked no better, because my best friend looked as red as a tomato from blushing so much. We were in IHOP, currently doing the big giant breakfast like we said we would, even though we were a half hour late.

"My rea-" Simon went to say over a plate of strawberries and cream pancakes, only to stop himself as he almost choked on air. "What reaction? Staring at him with such a gobsmacked look that I probably looked like some illiterate moron? Or helping out that preconceived notion by stuttering out "I-I'm n-not g-g-gay..." as if it took a Herculean effort just to say those three words? Or maybe it was-?"

"Dude, it's alright. No harm, no foul." Bryce told him honestly, giving him a jovial grin as if he found the entire incident vastly amusing. Which, given that he laughed so hard that he about fell over after Simon's verbal malfunction, he more than likely did. "Dahlia's known me since we were in high school, and she's known I'm gay just as long. Though..." He nudged my roommate in the ribs with an elbow. "...she also knows nerds are completely my type. And why she didn't inform Simon of me before we met is beyond me, since I knew about them before they knew about me, it seems."

"Yeah, I'd like to know that, too." I piped up, giving her an arch look over my plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and orange juice. "Since you kept Bryce from me since we met, and that is just unacceptable. You cannot hoard him for yourself, Hissam!"

"Yeah, share the gay love!" Bryce even backed me up on this, Simon just giving her a look that said he agreed with us both. For once, we actually ganged up on her! It made me feel slightly proud, if I was being completely honest...

"Okay! Okay!" Dahlia broke in, rolling her eyes a bit at our antics. "Geez. Yes, Bryce, you knew about Simon and Clary before you met them, because I talked to him about you guys and that psychotic nazitwat Amanda Swan. And I would've introduced you guys properly, but asshat got entirely in the way of that. So, here we are. The point is that we're introduced to each other, we all hit it off, and we're fine."

"Well, hey, better than plowing into the skank, anyway." Bryce remarked with a grin. "Unlike Mr. Coordinated here." It didn't take a genius to know who he was referring to, but he pointed at the tall, klutzy form of my best friend, anyway.

"Hey, at least he wants nothing to do with her now that he knows how she really feels." Dahlia pointed out honestly, before popping a strawberry off of her own plate into her mouth. "He's being smart like that, and I applaud him. Not many men would be like that."

"Most of 'em would be like gay guys to me." Bryce remarked honestly, smirking a bit.

"Trying to get all over her, I assume?" I asked them both, though it wouldn't surprise me at all. She did seem like a bit of a slut. Not that Bryce seemed that way, though...

"Pretty much, and she lets 'em, too." The gay male of the group answered me, with a nod and an eyeroll. "Use 'em and lose 'em."

"I seem to remember you using a few guys in that same way. Or telling me I had to wait on plans for awhile longer because you had to chase a bottom out of your dorm." Dahlia spoke up, raising an eyebrow at him.

"No, that was mainly because I was hungover." Bryce remarked, glaring at her slightly.

Dahlia just gave him a look that screamed to spare her the theatrics. "Oh, yeah, like that was the only reason."

Simon and I were both lost, and I'm sure it showed on our faces...mainly because Dahlia and Bryce looked over at us and saw that our faces had morphed into question marks.

"Oh, fuck..." Bryce muttered. I knew all too well how he felt.

"This one here is in love with a boy he can't have, and he can't go out and get some unless he's trashed nearly off his ass, after which he'll approach an unsuspecting nerd, literally charm the pants off them, and have his way with them, since we've already established he's the top in the relationship." Dahlia summed up with relative ease. It was clear that she'd told this to many people before. Or possibly gone through it quite often enough that she had it memorized. Bryce's overbearing silence pretty much confirmed that that's exactly the case, as well.

"Whoa." Simon uttered quietly. "Looks like he and I have something in common. Kind of, except that I'm in love with a girl and not a guy, but yeah, close."

The door rung over the entrance, and Bryce cursed once more, dropping his head entirely to the table. Any question of who it was went out the window, especially when Dahlia muttered under her breath, "And speak of the devil he can't get over."

I had to admit, when I turned around, i was expecting to see some arrogant asshole with a clear trust fund and the attitude to match, much like a certain mortal enemy of mine. Instead, the sight I was greeted with was the sight of a guy, very plain and ordinary, even a bit on the short side. Dark brown hair, glasses, brown eyes that didn't look to have a hint of malice in them. All in all, he was very much Bryce's type, especially when he started chatting up the hostess, clearly having a sort of familial relationship with her. All in all, he seemed very friendly, and very much like Bryce's type. "You guys make him sound like Jace or something." I said to both my roommate and her gay best friend, turning back around. "He doesn't seem like it..."

"Riley's not." Bryce immediately replied, his head lifted just slightly to watch the clear object of his affections converse with the hostess. "Not at all."

"Oh, just wait for it." Dahlia muttered, her distaste evident, but it was unclear as to who it was directed at.

The bell rang once again, making us all look once again. And, this time, I had a clear view of who Dahlia's distaste was directed at. Because the person who walked in was a girl. A girl, with exotic beauty, tanned skin, dark black hair, and almond shaped eyes, in a frilly light purple t-shirt, dark wash jeans, and a pair of simple black flats. However, she held her purse out to this guy, Riley, as Bryce mentioned, without and sort of greeting or hello, and instead asked him why there wasn't a table ready and waiting for them already. And, instead of ripping into the tiny little shit like anyone would have wanted to (or wanted him to), he simply gave the hostess an apologetic smile and followed the little shart quietly.

"Fucking Frida." Dahlia muttered, stabbing her fruit salad viciously with her fork, mashing it up in a bid to get her anger out a bit.

"Who?" I asked, though I could tell Simon wanted to know, as well. I just beat him to the question.

"Frida Moreno." Bryce supplied, rolling his eyes in a clear disdain for the girl who was with the boy who clearly had his heart. Not that I could blame him, since I want to smash Amanda face in with my notebook for going anywhere near Simon not that I know what she's truly like. "The little bitch you saw walk in with him. Acts all cute and innocent, but is really a high maintenance snob because she has a set of killer pipes on her and a lot of the guys want to get in her panties."

"She looks barely sixteen!" Simon protested, looking over his shoulder at her to make her point.

"She's eighteen." Bryce told him honestly in return. "Barely. But, still..." He shrugged. "...it counts."

"And she uses her age as an advantage. Since most guys that see her, she dresses up all cute and flirty, lots of sparkles and frills, and the smarts one don't know if she's jailbait or not. But, the other ones that don't care either way, poor bastards, get subjected to her teasing them and not following through on it during all of her 'concerts'."

Something wasn't adding up here. Dahlia and Bryce seemed to hate her, but their hatred went deeper than anything they'd told us about her. So, she was high maintenance. So, she got off on teasing other guys while she was clearly with someone. They weren't the most likable traits, but they weren't enough for the amount of pure annoyance both my roommate and her gay best friend felt at just her presence across a room. Or, a crowded restaurant, as it were now.

"So, what'd she really do to make you guys hate her?" I asked them both, looking bet ween the both of them. They both looked up at me, Bryce looking confused that I really got there was more to the story, while Dahlia started to speak up, more than likely in a bid to try and lie her way out of that by saying she didn't do anything at all. "And don't even try to sell me any sort of bullshit story, because I won't buy it. There's more to the story here than just being high maintenance and a snobby brat."

"Whoa, Dollface, your roomie's smart." Bryce remarked with a smirking chuckled. And he didn't even flinch when Dahlia whacked him in the stomach.

"Fine." Dahlia said shortly. "You guys really wanna know? And if you repeat this to anyone, I'll kill you both and throw your bodies off the Hot Metal bridge."

"Yes!" I answered her frankly, thought I wanted to whack her with my purse for assuming I'd repeat someone else's business.

Simon even nodded his assent, still busy just observing the situation like he usually did when he didn't have much to say.

Bryce just pursed his lips, letting off a heavy sigh. "We think she's abusive."