Stay with me

Chapter 6: Worth It

When they got back through the portal, hours had passed. It had only seemed like minutes. The sky was a blend of reds and oranges, the sun already retreating behind the skyscrapers.
It would have been beautiful if Simon hadn't felt so edgy.

Clusters of people walked down the streets, lovers hands held tight. Simon watched as Isabelle strode down the street with immense purpose. Nobody even blinked an eye at her. Stupid invisibility runes.

He had to run to catch up. Luckily she was allowing him to see her. Simon followed to the double doors of the institute, gaining strange looks from random bystanders. He must have looked pretty messed up by now with his slime and dust covered clothes, running down the winding streets.

****

He followed her into the library, towering stacks reaching the high ceilings. She sat down at a round table in the back corner. It was very secluded, hidden by the bookshelves. Simon felt like they were tucked away in some secret world, all to themselves.

He plopped down on the chair beside her. She sighed heavily and rested her head in her hands. Locks of hair fell forward in a cascade of darkness.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned.

Obviously it wasn't alright.

"Please," Isabelle begged, "don't ask stupid questions."

"Fine. What's wrong, Izzy?"

She dropped her hands and shook her head.

"I shouldn't have done what I did last night," she said.

Simon was taken aback. What was she talking about? Last night? The kissing? Heat filled his cheeks as the night replayed in his mind.

"It was a mistake," she continued. "It's just that I haven't been alone with you in so long. I got carried away."

She didn't sound embarrassed, she had too much pride for that. Her voice was sad, a little frantic. Simons heart pumped overtime as he stared at her. Izzy's eyes held a deep sadness, longing for things to be the same between them as they were before. But Simon knew that would never happened, even though they both so desperately wished it could.

"I'm trying, Izzy," he assured her. He took both her hands and held them to his chest. "I really am."

"I know," she whispered.

There was a silence, but it wasn't awkward. Then Simon had to ruin it. Like always.

"Do you really cry at night?"

"I shouldn't have said that."

"But you did," he pressed. That was a mistake.

Isabelle gave him one of those "can you not" looks. She was so cute when she was annoyed. Her eyebrows pulled together slightly and her mouth was set in a small pout. A look in her eyes that screamed "I will kill you". Adorable.

He knew that he shouldn't pester her, but he wanted answers. She had been holding back for all this time, trying not to acknowledge him. Now she's regretting the first move they'd made in the right direction to rebuilding their relationship.

Maybe it had been too much too fast. Maybe she realized that what they had was lost and that it wasn't worth saving. Simon had rushed things. Yes, she had invited him but he hadn't said no. However, once he thought about it, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

Simon didn't want to even think about losing Isabelle, it made his chest hurt like never before. He wanted- no, he needed Isabelle, and he wished it was only as simple as that. But frankly, Simon was never that lucky of a guy.