September had finally arrived, and with it, the blissful return of school. It was all rather Harry Potter if you thought about it. Who else - aside from the boy that lived and herself - looked forward to the start of school this much? Maybe that was why Maia had loved those books so much. She'd liked the idea of someone hated by their family, become so important and meaningful.

Maia couldn't believe how excited she was. Her first school year out of dorms, and only two more years till graduation and freedom from her parents.

The moment she arrived back on campus, Maia met up with Izzy. She'd expected 'apartment hunting' to be about looking at prospective apartments, but as it turns out, what Izzy had meant by 'apartment hunting' was showing up to sign the licence of the place she'd already picked out.

"I have certain minimum standards," Izzy explained, as she signed the papers first. "So I figured since I had to have the expensive place, I'd pay ⅔ of the rent. Deal?"

"Sounds fair," Maia agreed, taking the second key from Izzy. After all, with Izzy paying ⅔ it was the same rent as paying half the places she could afford. She was getting more for the same price. Why would she complain?

"Perfect," Izzy said. "I really didn't fancy living alone. It's just so depressing you know."

"I hear you," Maia replied. "Though, I think living alone would be preferable to my parents place."

"Oh?" Izzy inquired. "Are your family really that bad?"

"Have you read Harry Potter?" Maia asked.

"Who hasn't read Harry Potter?" Izzy chuckled.

"You'd be surprised," Maia smiled. "Anyway, my family are the Dursley's."

"Urg," Izzy sympathized.

"Right!" Maia replied, grinning. It really was so great to be back at school again.

"So we have," Izzy checked her watch. "About two hours to kill until the movers have everything done. Do you wanna see a movie?"

"Sure," Maia replied.

It was wonderful to be back here, spending time with Izzy, and generally not being with her parents. They slowly made their way to the movie theatre, talking as they went. It didn't take long for Maia to notice how little Izzy wanted to talk about herself. She mentioned having Magnus and Alec at her place over the summer, and how much fun she'd had riding her horses again, but nothing more.

"Are you okay?" Maia asked her as they got out of the rather mediocre movie.

"Of course," Izzy replied a little too quickly.

"Well, you seem kinda sad is all," Maia explained.

"That movie was a waste of two hours," Izzy said. "That's worth being sad about if you ask me."

Still, Maia wasn't convinced. Izzy had seemed off before the movie, but Izzy clearly didn't want to talk about it. She changed the topic with her next breath, speaking on the features of their new apartment. Maia knew something was wrong, but if Izzy didn't want to talk, there really wasn't anything Maia could do about it.

The movers would be done offloading now, and they made their way back to find their new home full of boxes. Izzy spent a while directing which room to put the furniture in, and then they were alone. It was a two bedroom place which was really nice, but the best part was that it also had two bathrooms. Maia would have a bathroom all to herself for the first time in her life. It really was the simple things that made all the difference.

"I'm just so sick of sharing a bathroom with like anyone!" Izzy explained when Maia inquired after the reason for their luxurious accommodations. "Sharing that bathroom with the entire floor in the dorms sucked! It was like torture."

"I hear ya," Maia chuckled. "Though I suspect more for you than for me."

"I think you're probably right there," Izzy replied as she set a decorative glass fish on a shelf. Maia didn't own a single decorative thing, or at least she hadn't packed any. Maia's belongings were more along the lines of practical clothes and books. She was leaving the decorating to Izzy, which seemed to suit her new roommate perfectly.

They spent the rest of the day setting up, and by the time Maia went to bed that night, the place almost felt like home.

About eight hours later, Maia was woken by her alarm clock. Classes started today, and Maia didn't want to be late. This semester she had a leadership class, as well as macro economics, statistics, and two management classes. Right then and there, Maia decided it was going to be a good year, because she was going to make it one.

The first day of classes are never very eventful, and after they were over, Maia met up with Simon. She hadn't seen her friend all summer, and they'd decided to splurge and actually go out to eat for a change. It was great catching up with Simon. They were seated in a booth near the window and ordered drinks before getting back to their conversation.

"Working," Simon answered when she'd asked how he'd spent his summer. "Customers are evil."

"I wish I could have stayed here and worked!" Maia exclaimed. "I've no pity for you, my friend. In fact, I'm jealous." Simon just huffed, and it was then that the waiter came to take their food orders. Maia decided on lasagna, while Simon ordered the beef dip.

"So did you finally choose a major?" Maia asked, once the waiter was gone again.

"Technically no," Simon admitted. "They kinda assigned me one based off what classes I've taken."

"So what did you get stuck with?" Maia asked.

"Communications," Simon said tentatively. Maia tried not to chuckle at the look on his face, but she failed.

"Please don't laugh," Simon groaned.

"I'm sorry," Maia said, pulling her lips into her mouth and biting down on them to stop her laughter.

"No you aren't," Simon grumbled. Then added as if to spite her. "Have you talked to Jordan yet?"

"No," Maia said reluctantly, her laughter dying. "And before you say anything, it's only been like two days since I got back."

"What happened to being so eager, you were willing to have the conversation over text," Simon reminded her.

"Yeah yeah," Maia replied with a sigh. "I know." She paused, then added. "What I don't know is why you can't just tell me."

"It isn't mine to tell," Simon replied.

"Urg!" Maia groaned. "Why did my ex and my failed first date have to become besties? Such a pain in the ass." Simon chuckled, the smile crinkling the skin around his eyes.

"Why did my ex's new guy have to become my roommate?" Simon replied. "The world is a crazy place."

"That, or there is some sadistic person writing this that wants us all to suffer," Maia counted.

"Suffer really?" Simon laughed. "I mean, things could be worse."

"How you're this optimistic, I don't know," Maia sighed.

"Oh come on," Simon replied. "My family loves me. I'm employed, in school, living the early twenties dream really. I managed to be friends with Clary again. I have friends like you and Jordan-" he paused, then added with a chuckled. "-though if you ever get back together again, I will be looking at some serious third wheel-ness."

"Nah, you won't be a third wheel," Maia replied. "I'll bring Izzy."

"Because that'll go so well," Simon said sarcastically.

"What really happened between you two anyway?" Maia asked.

"I realized that I liked her," Simon shrugged. "And before I ended up getting laid in the friendzone, I thought I'd call it a day. She told me from day one that I wasn't to fall for her."

"She seems off to me," Maia said. "Has since the first day we got back from summer break."

"Maybe something happened over the summer," Simon suggested.

"How long ago was it that you two broke up again?" Maia asked.

"We didn't break up," Simon corrected her. "You can't break up when you aren't a couple."

"Okay, then when did you stop getting naked together?" she rephrased. Simon gave her a look that very distinctly said that wasn't any better.

"Last March, I think," Simon answered when he was done glaring at her. "But it was April when she showed up drunk at my door, and tried to pick things up like nothing had happened."

"What do you mean?" Maia asked.

"Drunk booty umm, showing up at door, I guess," Simon said. "She didn't call, but otherwise same thing."

"I see," Maia replied. "Well either way, it sounds like you've been in the friendzone long enough, and it's time you changed that."

"If this conversation leads to you trying to set me up with one of your friends so help me-"

"Oh relax," Maia chuckled. She put her hand to her heart as if taking an oath and continued. "I hereby promise never to set you up with anyone. Happy?"

"Yes," Simon replied sternly, but he was grinning. Before either of them said anything else, their waiter returned with dinner, which promptly ended the conversation as they started eating.

As they ate more of their dinner, the conversation started to pick again, but this time they kept to more general topics. Simon's classes had started same as Maia, and they compared notes on which professor's were worst or best as far as teaching styles went. After that, Maia tried to encourage Simon to keep his band going, while Simon was sounding a little less than enthusiastic.

"Working is well... a lot of work," Simon explained. "This whole paid by the hour concept is very time consuming. The band's barely been doing anything all summer."

"But you're working less now that school's started right?" Maia replied.

"Yeah but now I've got school to deal with," Simon continued. "Grades, homework, classes and stuff."

"Simon Lewis, you are not allowed to give up on The Immortal Instruments," Maia told him firmly, referring to the name of his band.

"You sound like Jordan." Maia didn't reply, but instead filled her mouth with Lasagna. "You really do need to talk to him, you know," Simon added.

"Yeah, I know," Maia mumbled.

Thankfully Simon dropped the topic after that. They finished eating, and like always, the waiter brought the check straight to Simon.

"It's like restaurants are incapable of imagining that we aren't on a date," Simon sighed.

"I blame society," Maia replied with a grin.

When the waiter returned with the debit machine, Maia had to politely explain that they needed two bills. It was not the first time they'd done this, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last. As Maia and Simon walked back to Campus, they laughed and talked of how little chemistry they actually had, making fun of the wait staff for their assumption.

"To assume makes an ass out of me and u," Maia said.

"That sounds like a pun or something," Simon replied. "I hear it alot. Is there more to that sentence?"

"U, me and ass, are how you spell assume," Maia explained.

"Oh wow," Simon said, looking slightly embarrassed. "Okay, I need to go back to kindergarten. I didn't even notice that."

Maia chuckled, her heart lighter than it had been in months. Oh, yes it was good to be home again. Maia wasn't sure how long she'd considered this city and these people home, but she knew somehow that they were her Hogwarts, her escape from under the stairs of her parents dismissive expressions.

As they passed Simon's turn off, Maia bid him goodnight and waved before turning in the direction of her new apartment. To Maia's surprise, Izzy was home when she arrived. Maia greeted her easily, then went past where Izzy sat in the living room watching tv and into her bedroom. Maia killed a few relaxing hours online before going to bed.

As the days passed, and the first week of school came to an end, Maia was feeling more and more pressure to speak to Jordan. She knew he was back in classes too, and she knew they needed to talk. Last year they'd been seeing each other almost every week for the study sessions Jordan didn't need, and she wasn't sure if that was going to continue or not. Plus, there was what Simon had said over the summer. All things considered, Maia just couldn't help putting it off.

Before she'd decided what she wanted to do, Maia found herself face to face with Jordan in the last place she'd expected to see him. Maia had walked into one of her management classes to see Jordan standing at the front of the lecture hall, talking with her teacher. Too nervous and surprised to say anything, Maia just sat down, though farther back than usual.

When the class started, Maia realized that Jordan was here to give a guest lecture on dealing with computer systems in a management situation. He was a second year student! How the hell had this happened? Maia kept very still during the class, never asking a question, even when she had one. Jordan was actually very good at this, but she still didn't understand why the teacher was giving a second year twenty minutes of her third year class.

"Thank you Jordan," her prof said as the presentation ended. Maia hadn't really been paying any attention, and was sure this would cost her something later. It was just that she couldn't think at the moment. Her classmates all looked impressed, and it was only then that Maia realized they didn't know what year Jordan was in at the school. They were probably all thinking he was a teacher's assistant in fourth year or something.

When he was done, Jordan sat down and listened to the rest of the class, though he didn't take notes. Maia tried very hard to take notes now that Jordan wasn't the one presenting, but her mind didn't seem to want to focus. By the end of class, she knew she'd need to spend an entire evening pouring over the chapter they'd just covered to absorb any of the information.

She was very relieved when the class finally ended, that is until she realize why Jordan had remained behind.

"Hi."

Maia jumped a little, surprised to hear him so close. She turned and looked up from her books. Jordan was standing just a few feet away when she'd thought he'd still be on the other side of the room.

"Um, hi," Maia said, frazzled.

"I didn't know you would be in this class," Jordan said. "It made me a little nervous."

"Well no one noticed," Maia replied. "All my classmates were impressed."

"And you?" Jordan asked.

"Thanks for texting me over the summer," Maia said, trying to change the topic. "It helped keep me afloat."

"You know I'm always happy to talk to you," Jordan replied with a smile.

Maia knew she could just ask him now and get over it. She knew she should, but a part of her wanted to just leave and try and get the information out of Simon again. But Maia knew Simon would never tell. Stupid loyal idiot.

"Actually, I was hoping to run into you," Maia said and regretted her words the moment she saw the light in Jordan's eyes. "I mean, I wanted to ask you something."

"Anything," Jordan said. He wasn't crestfallen, but maybe a little less overly hopeful.

"Over the summer, there was something Simon said that made me wonder," she began. "Something about why you needed to work all summer. Jordan you just taught a third year class as a second year student. If anyone could get a scholarship it's you, and I thought for sure your parents would help out with your living costs."

"Ah," Jordan said only slightly awkwardly. "My parents and I had a bit of a falling out."

"But why?" Maia asked. "I thought you were close with them, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess," Jordan said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hands and looking down. This was clearly a topic he hadn't planned to discuss.

"Then why?"

"They well-" Jordan began even more awkwardly. "They kind of… well broke us up."

"Your parents broke-" Maia was floored, stunned. "But wait, your parents liked me."

"I thought so too," Jordan said. "But it seems they only liked you as my high school girlfriend. They didn't realize how serious I was about you, and thought we'd break up on our own before graduation. When we didn't, they… well did something about it."

"Wow," Maia said. "I um- I need to sit down." Luckily for Maia, she was still near the chair she'd just spent the last two hours failing to listen to a lecture in. Maia promptly sat, but didn't feel any less overwhelmed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't find out what they'd done till long after you'd already left," Jordan explained. "And once I got here… well…"

"Is that why you followed me here?" Maia asked.

"Caught on to me, huh," Jordan sighed. "I guess I wasn't very convincing at pretending I just preferred this school." Maia simply gave him a look meant to remind him about the stalking.

"After everything, I couldn't be at home," Jordan explained. "So I went to where you were because…" He paused, as if building up the courage to say something. "Because, well sometimes when we were together, it felt like home."

Maia was floored. If she hadn't already been sitting, her legs would have given out. By the way he was looking at her, Maia knew she could call Jordan hers again with just a word. She knew all she had to do was say yes, and she'd be back in the circle of his arms; but instead, she sat perfectly still. Maia had always known who she was, been very aware of her strengths and weakness as a person, and she knew she wasn't with Jordan for a reason; but as she gazed into his eyes, she found herself unable to remember that reason.

"Anyway, I won't bother you anymore," Jordan said smiling. "It was nice to see you, Maia." And like that, he walked away.

Now this is more like it! Two updates in one week. I bet you guys missed this kind of thing from me, huh? Ya don't know what you got till it's gone and all that. I am going to try and write faster again but... I must confess that The Flash has been just RUINING my productivity lately... I just started season 3 and by just I mean I'm on like episode 6...

Also OMG chapter 99! Have I really written 99 chapters for this crazy story. Holy crap! How did that happen and where the freak was I? And thanks! I am now at 335 follows which is totally awesome! If I keep getting follows I may never end this story...

Guest Review:
I love this fic it took me yeaaaaars to read but whatever. :))) i really like the sizzy plotline could you do more on that?

My Reply:
Wow years! I don't think it's been online for years… I am going to go ahead and assume that's a hyperbole. Ah yes Sizzy. More Sizzy is coming soon. :D

And here is the sneak peek for Chapter 100! wow... that is just as crazy as it was a second ago.

"Hey, Brett," Simon said, smiling. Brett looked up from his book as Simon sat down across from him.

"It's Simon right?" Brett asked. "Friend of Clary's?"

"Ex of Clary's technically but friend is more accurate," Simon replied, still with a smile.

"Yet another person who knows what it's like to kiss Clary," Brett groaned, lowering his head into his hands. Simon knew that look well. He also knew Brett hadn't taken in a word of his textbook.

"And yet ironically an expert on the friendzone," Simon replied with a chuckle. He sobered before adding, "Clary told me what happened when you told her how you feel."

"Oh great," Brett said sarcastically. "More people to witness my humiliation.

"Hey I don't judge. I've quite literally been there," Simon chuckled.