Stay with me

Chapter 2: Hit Me

There was a loud knock on Simon's door. He ignored it and rolled over, pulling a pillow over his head. But the consistent banging continued like someone was stuck in Simon's head and was pounding on his skull.

He yelled, "Five more minutes!"

The noise stopped and Simon relaxed. A few minutes later someone barged in and, quite rudely, dumped a bucket of freezing water on Simon's head. He shot straight up in bed.

"What the hell was that for?" he exclaimed, confused and angry and wet.

Simon turned on the person who just entered and his breath caught in his throat. He swallowed the insult he was about to fling and tried, to no avail, to fix his hair.

Isabelle cocked an elegant brow and said, "Rise and shine, princess."

Simon scrambled out of bed; he had fallen asleep in the clothes he had worn earlier today. That morning had seemed like decades ago.
It was now almost one in the afternoon and his new personal trainer obviously didn't appreciate slackers.

"Thanks for that. Real refreshing," he said. Smooth sarcasm flowing from his lips, almost impossible to distinguish.

Izzy just rolled her eyes. "C'mon sleeping beauty. Time to train."

***

Simon changed into training gear, loose black pants and shirt. And to complete the look, a pair of new black runners.
He entered the training room; a vast area with mats, beams, dartboards, and about every other thing imaginable that a shadowhunter might use to fight.

"No time to eat?" He asked.

"Eating is for the weak."

"Can I eat after?"

"Sure," she said. "After."

Isabelle was dressed in the same outfit as he was, ready to train. But to be honest, she definitely rocked it better.
But that was the least of Simon's concerns. Izzy also happened to be a skilled fighter and could kick his ass in her sleep.
She smirked as if she knew something he didn't.
Her hair was pulled up in a tight high ponytail, and it swayed as she walked. A cascade of raven black hair, smooth as silk.
Isabelle's eyes were a sea of black as she stared at him intently, sizing him up.
Simon stood there awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. He hadn't been alone with Isabelle in a long time and his nerves were buzzing with adrenaline.
Simon tried swallowing but it was like the Sahara desert in his mouth.

"So..." he began.

"I'm gonna teach you how to fight," Izzy stated. "And we're going to start with hand to hand combat. It really comes in handy."

Simon raised an eyebrow.

"No pun intended," she added hastily.

Simon smiled at her and was rewarded with a punch to the face.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, both from pain and surprise.

Simon clutched at his face. Isabelle had a good punch, he had to give her that. It would definitely leave a mark.

"Hit me," she said.

Simon stared at her as if she had just asked him to drink gorilla pee.

"What are you waiting for?" Izzy asked. "Hit me."

"I'm not going to hit you, Isabelle!" He argued.

She judo flipped him with as much ease as someone waving their hand.
She gave a small laugh that was more of a huff and started to circle him.
Simon stood up shakily. He swung at her head and missed by a couple inches.

"You can do better than that," she said tauntingly. "C'mon. Hit me."

He threw a curving punch that she ducked. As Izzy sprung up, she swept his feet from underneath him and he fell, landing hard on his hip.
He groaned and stood, frustrated at being treated like a foolish kid.
Simon landed a punch to Isabelle's jaw and she staggered back a few feet. Besides that, she didn't react at all. She only continued circling, trying to agitate him.
Simon was sick of this game; he didn't want to hurt Isabelle. However, just to satisfy her, he delivered a weak blow to her shoulder.

"Are we done now?" He asked desperately.

"We're just getting started," she replied, a mischievous note to her voice.

Simon put his hands in the air and said, "I give up. You win."

"There is no giving up," Izzy complained.

"Well, I just did," he stated stubbornly.

"Yeah. Sure. When that evil dickface finds you and you stick your hands up in the air in surrender, just remember that I told you so," she said.

That shut Simon up. And he found a sudden interest in the floor.

"Sorry. I know," he apologized.

"Don't," Isabelle whispered. "Don't be sorry."

She stepped closer. Now they were only an arms length away.

"But I-" Simon started.

"Stop," interrupted Izzy.

Her voice was low but held a note of ferocity. Simon looked up at her. Izzy's face was set in determination.

"I'm not- nobody's gonna let that demon get close to you, Simon. This training is just for if the worst happens. It's a backup. You need to know how to defend yourself." she said. "And with our luck, you will most likely need to use these methods in battle. I would never be able to live with myself if I knew that you died because of my faulty training. Simon, you have to understand."

He nodded. "I understand."

Isabelle said, her voice weak, "Good. That's enough for today. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

She hurried out of the room as if a dog was nipping at her heels.
Simon felt defeated. He worked hard to build up his memories. Some of them at least. And now they were being threatened into submission.
His memories were like a sandcastle at a beach, and a huge wave was about to strike and wash them all away.

***

When Simon got home, his mother was waiting in the living room. He walked in and she sprang from her chair.

"Simon!" She gasped. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick."

"Nowhere, mom," he said.

His mom looked at him skeptically, hands on hips.

"I was out. With my friends," he added helplessly.

Simon was in deep shit.

"Do you know what it was like to wake up this morning, walk into your room, and see that you weren't there?"

Tears brimmed her eyes.

"Mom, I'm sorry."

"You're grounded," she said, "for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" he asked incredulously.

"Go to your room," said his mom, her voice seeping with disappointment.

Simon trudged to his room. This was great. Just great.