Simon was done with dorm life. It was a nice feeling; even if he could have called it quits in the dorms a year ago, he was glad he hadn't, otherwise he would never have met Jordan. The problem with not being in the dorms was that your cost of living suddenly became your problem rather than part of your tuition.

"Would you like a muffin with your coffee?" Simon asked. He was standing behind a till, and there was women in a tacky white hat and huge handbag on the other side of the counter.

"Do you have those pumpkin ones?" she asked.

"They are all right there," Simon said motioning to the pastry case. He's been working at Tim Hortons for all of a month now, and he was starting to wonder if people were too dim-witted to function. The number of times he'd pointed to a sign when people asked him questions was uncountable.

"Are these them?" the woman asked, pointing to the bran muffins. With a prayer to the customer service gods, Simon told her no, and then had to point directly to the pumpkin ones before she decided she didn't want one. After she paid for her coffee, Simon only had a moment to grumble before someone else appeared at his till.

"So how's work?" Jordan said, grinning.

"Come to gloat?" Simon asked.

"Hardly," Jordan grinned. Then to Simon's surprise, he walked around the counter and come to join them behind it.

"What are you doing!?" Simon exclaimed.

"I start at ten," Jordan stated, calmly. Simon wasn't sure to be happy or greatly annoyed. He already lived with Jordan. Did he really want to work with him too. Sure, they were friends, but that was a bit excessive. Just then, someone else arrived on the scene.

"Oh great, you've met the new guy." It was Simon's manager.

"Oh I've met him alright," Simon sighed.

"Fantastic," the manager said. "Would you mind training him today, Simon?"

"Why not," Simon replied grinning. Jordan was also smiling, which the manager took to be enthusiasm for the job.

"Great to see that kind of energy," she said. Their manager wasn't that tall, but she wasn't too short either, with blonde hair and a round face. "So I will check in on you boys later." Simon turned to the till, pretending to start training, while she turned and walked away.

"Did you just apply to every place I did?" Simon whined once their manager was out of earshot.

"There are only so many entry level student summer jobs close to the University," Jordan explained.

"I'll take that as a yes," Simon sighed as he moved to actually start showing Jordan how the buttons on the till worked.

It was a very strange shift to say the least, and when Simon finally left the place behind for the day, he was glad of it. He and Jordan had managed to find a cheap place to live near the University, but because it was cheap and near school, it was also horrible. They sort of had a kitchen, shared a bathroom, and took turns sleeping on the couch since the place only had one bedroom. With just two people both working minimum wage, there wasn't really anything else they could afford close to the school. They'd looked at places farther away, but neither of them had a car, and the bus system here was horribly inefficient. With the lost time, and accumulated bus fare, they decided closer to the school was better. Simon's solution to this was to try and spend as little time at home as possible. He would have visited Maia, but she was home for the holidays. He did text her quite a lot though. Simon visited Magnus sometimes, even if he didn't live with Clary anymore, and sometimes he went around Eric's place. When Simon wasn't working or sleeping, he could most often be found at Clary's place. It was also close to the school, but in a beautiful modern style apartment complex, and best of all, it didn't smell.

"Alec picked it out," Jace explained one day when Simon visited. "But I am starting to think we can't afford the place without him."

"I know the feeling," Simon laughed. "At least the realities about cost of living. It's my turn to sleep on the couch tonight."

"What are you talking about Simon?" Clary asked, and Simon explained his and Jordan's living conditions. "Oh that's horrible! Can't your mother help?"

"I don't want to burden her," Simon replied. "She has enough problems without trying to financially support her adult children."

"Still if she knew-" Clary began, but Simon cut her off.

"She'd insist I go home for the summer and back to dorms next year I know," Simon sighed. "But dorms raise the price of tuition, and I don't want to burden her more."

Next thing he knew, Clary was giving Jace a very strange pointed look. Simon knew the redhead very well, but even he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Then Clary was grabbing Jace by the arm and pulling him from the room. Jace's ow was ignored as they disappeared. Simon listened hard, but he couldn't hear more than muffled whispers. When they reappeared a few moments later, Clary was grinning like a kid at Christmas. Jace looked the same, and Simon had no idea what was going on.

"Why don't you come live with us?" Clary exclaimed. "We could use another roommate to help with rent, and this place is way nicer than yours."

Simon didn't know what to say. He was touched, but also kinda weirded out. Had Jace really just agreed to this?

"I can't abandon Jordan," Simon said.

"We only have one guest room," Clary replied thoughtfully. "But we could put up a divider in the living room."

"Umm," Simon mumbled.

"If you guys are already doing that anyway, surely this would work," Clary continued. "From what you said, it sounds like your place isn't safe health wise."

"Let the man think Clary!" Jace said, laughing. "He needs to talk to his roommate, and you need to look less excited."

"Sorry," Clary mumbled, sitting down on the couch looking only slightly embarrassed. With a slight chuckle, Jace kissed her on the forehead, but she turned just in time to get a real kiss out of him. It was a strange sight to see, but what was even stranger was that it didn't feel wrong. The whole thing just made Simon miss Isabelle.

"It would really help us though," Clary added. "Just one month here, and we realized how many bills Alec was paying without Jace's help."

"I'll think about it," Simon said. He had to admit it made sense. This place was on the fourth floor of a beautiful apartment complex. The walls were a peaceful grey-blue, and the kitchen sink wasn't making a strange ticking noise like theirs did. From the crisp new feel of the place, Simon could tell it had been renovated within the last few years, probably just before Alec and Jace signed the lease. Magnus's apartment was slightly smaller than this one; and it had an older, more dated feel to it. The style at Magnus's was very retro with cupboards from the 60's and wooden paneling on the walls, and shag carpet in the guest room. This place had stainless steel appliances, while Magnus's - if Simon recalled correctly - didn't even have a dishwasher.

"I have to ask," Simon said. "When you guys all decided to apartment swap, why didn't Alec and Magnus move in here and you guys take the cheaper place?"

"This apartment complex doesn't allow pets," Clary explained. "They couldn't have brought the cats, and even if they could have, Magnus didn't want to move the kitties. Cats don't like change."

"Ah, makes sense," Simon replied. "Still didn't really work out for you two if you can't afford the place."

"Alec didn't tell me how much it was costing him," Jace whined. "Best friend or not, he can be such a snob sometimes."

"I don't think he thinks about money the way other people do," Clary commented. "He doesn't see it as something that matters, I guess. It's just there, and he doesn't think much about it."

"Because he has it," Jace sighed. "I gotta get a job."

"Come join Jordan and I at Timmies," Simon laughed. "Then it will be really quite the party."

"Manual labour pays better," Jace explained.

"Ah yes, but I have the upper body strength of a noodle," Simon explained. "Hence customer service."

"I bet Jordan could work at the docks though?" Jace suggested.

"Probably," Simon said. "But I have a sneaky suspicion that he wants to work with me. Either he's way more lonely than I thought, or he's stalking me." Simon laughed. "Maybe I should ask Maia."

"How's it going with the 'friends with your friend's ex' thing?" Clary asked.

"Not as bad as I thought," Simon replied. "Maia and Jordan were hanging out a little at the end of the school year, studying together and such. I'm not so in the middle as before. And she's home for the summer now, so I haven't really seen her since exams."

"Still must be weird though," Clary said. Simon couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't about to tell her this, but sitting here casually talking to the first love of his life and her new boyfriend was way weirder.

"Oh right, but I forgot," Clary smiled. "Simon Lewis excels at weird."

"Only way to date a Fairchild," Simon chuckled. Just then the kettle whistled, and Clary got up to make the tea.

"Can I ask you something?" Jace asked once Clary was out of earshot.

"You already have," Simon laughed. "But by all means, ask again."

"Clary has this new friend," Jace said. "His name's Brett."

"And he's got the hots for her," Simon finished Jace's sentenced, judging from the discomfort on his face.

"Well yeah," Jace mumbled.

"And Clary hasn't a clue," Simon continued.

"So this is normal?" Jace asked.

"Why do you think it took me so long to realize what was happening with you two," Simon explained.

"See that's what's worrying me," Jace sighed, covering his face with his hands.

"I can at least tell you this," Simon reassured him. "As long as Clary hasn't noticed the other guy the way she came to notice you, then you're fine. Guys being into her without her realizing it isn't exactly new."

"See that's what I find so ridiculous!" Jace grumbled, suddenly very animatedly. "She was always freaking out about girls hitting on me, and yet she couldn't tell the exact same thing happened to her. How the hell was I suppose to realize, hm! How!"

"I feel like maybe we've stumbled upon a whole other issues there buddy," Simon chuckled. It was strange to laugh like this with the man who'd stolen his girlfriend, but with some distance from the whole thing had taught Simon that Jace really hadn't stolen anything. Simon knew now that he had never really had Clary's love - romantically anyway - and that wasn't Jace's fault. If Simon hadn't been so desperately clinging to false hope, he would broken up with Clary before Jace appeared on the scene.

"Yeah sorry," Jace sighed. "I swear this woman will be the death of me."

"I know the feeling," Simon laughed.

"Thanks," Jace said only slightly awkwardly. "For the um advice… information? Whatever it was, it does actually make me feel better."

"What makes you feel better?" Clary asked as she reappeared with a mug of steaming hot tea in hand.

"When my wonderful girlfriend brings me tea," Jace said. Simon couldn't help but admire the smooth recovery. "Best girlfriend ever."

"And don't you ever forget it," Clary smiled, kissing him lightly before handing him his tea, and went back to get the others. Clary handed Simon a mug as well, then sat down with hers.

"Are you going to the graduation ceremony?" Clary asked as everyone was drinking their tea.

"No, why?" Simon replied, trying to conceal his surprise that May was almost over.

"Magnus is in the ceremony, and he asked me to come," Clary explained. "But I think he only gets four tickets."

"Ah, then I'm not surprised I am not among the four," Simon replied.

"Me, Tessa, Alec and his aunt then probably," Clary said, naming it off on her fingers. "If his aunt can fly up that is. I thought maybe if his aunt couldn't make it, he'd invite you instead, Simon."

"How could his aunt miss that?" Simon replied.

"Fair point," Clary said. "Though sometimes life does get in the way."

Simon finished drinking his tea and put it down. It was getting late, and he should probably go home. He wanted to sleep on this moving in with his ex and her new boyfriend thing. He also had to tell Jordan, even if he decided against it. If they needed a roommate, and Jordan was game, Simon could maybe crash at Magnus's till September, and go back to dorms or something. Either way, it started with what Jordan wanted to do, and if he could live with Clary.

Simon couldn't say it was a surprised when Jordan loved the idea, especially after hearing Simon describe the apartment. It was later that night as Simon was trying to sleep on a smelly, lumpy old couch, that he thought maybe living with Clary wouldn't be so weird after all.

So... remember when I said I was gonna write slower... trust me I am... it's just that this chapter was finished during my last binge writing session and whats the point of leaving a finished chapter unpublished right?

I am curious to know how many of you have reading the original story I am currently updating on FictionPress. It's a re-write of the Malec fic 'Elusive Love' and now I am curious how many of your read that one... And I am waiting on one of my editors to update my Glee Klaine AU... yet back to three stories again... oh four cause I'm also trying to write that original fantasy novel before the end of next month... o_O

... yes I am crazy. Please review and help the crazy women keep the crazy going. I know this story has alot of reviews but that doesn't mean I don't treasure each and every one of them. Also I always reply back. :)

Sneak Peek Chapter 94

"No cell phones at the table, young lady," her father reminded her.

"It just went off," Maia said. "I'm not checking it."

"You should have left it upstairs," he disagreed. "Who's texting you anyway."

"Just Simon," Maia said, but regretted it instantly.

"Oh and who is this Simon," her mother inquired.

"Just a friend," Maia replied quickly.

"I don't know," her mother continued. "We thought that Jordan was just a friend for ages."

"Sorry I meant Izzy," Maia said quickly. "Izzy is texting me. She's my dorm mate from school."

"She is much better," her father replied instantly happy with the situation. Maia wanted to roll her eyes and tell her parents that she and Izzy were doing it like bunnies just to piss them off, but again she didn't.