The Lost Shadowhunter

8

I hear a knock on the bathroom door.
"Go away, Raphael. I said I don't want to talk." I demand.
"Actually it's not Raphael. Can I come in?"
"Simon?"
"In the flesh."
"Come in."
He enters the small bathroom.
"What happened?" He asks, his voice softening.
"It's nothing really, I'm just being dramatic." I admit.
"It's okay. You can talk to me, I might understand."
I sigh, "I feel trapped. I have to stay in this stupid hotel all the time, surrounded by vampires I don't know. It sucks. Why do you get to roam free?"
"Well, if you hadn't noticed, I can walk in the sun." He says with a tight smile.
"How?" I ask, suddenly remembering that he can.
"I don't know..." he trails off.
"You can tell me, Simon. Your secret is safe with me."
"Really, I don't know." He insists.
I take a deep breath, "I'm a daylighter too."
"No you're not. You don't have to pretend so that I tell you."
"Really, I am. We can go outside right now and I'll be fine."
"Prove it." He scoffs, but I can tell there's a part of him that is curious.
"You can't tell anyone, not even Clary." I order before I open the door, allowing sunlight to flood over us.
"H-how are you not burning right now?" He stammers.
"Same way as you, presumably."
He starts to walk away, but I follow him. We end up at a park.
I take a seat on the swing next to his.
"Did your transformation into a day walker have anything to do with a certain shadowhunter?" I ask.
"Are you talking about Jace?"
I nod.
"How did you know?" He wonders.
"He told me, right after he let me drink his blood."
"Wow," he laughs, "and I thought I was special."
"You know what, Simon? I sense a friendship coming on here. Although, I don't think Clary will be too happy about this."
"What? Why not?"
"I don't think she's a big fan of me." I state.
"You never did anything to her. What makes you say that?" He questions.
"I showed up out of no where, practically stole Izzy's friendship from her, made out with Jace, and now I'm sitting here talking to her boyfriend about my life problems."
"In your defense, I'm pretty great." He jokes. I playfully push his shoulder, making him swing away from me a bit.
"Seriously, Simon. Clary thinks I'm a bitch, and I understand why."
"I'll talk to her, alright? I'll make sure she doesn't hate your guts."
"Thank you. And I have a question for you."
"Ask away."
"How did you get used to being a vampire?"
"It wasn't easy. I ran away from my problems, and away from the people I love. In the end, it's more simple. You learn to rely on yourself, and not everyone around you."
I nod, "thanks Simon. I really needed this talk."
"I'm always here as a shoulder to cry on."
We both get up and I hug him.
"Simon?" I hear a voice question.
"Clary, hi!" Simon says, shocked to see her.
"What is going on here? You know what? I don't even want to know." She fumes as she storms away. Simon immediately goes after her.
"Great, as if she didn't already hate me enough." I mumble to myself. I walk back to the Hotel Dumort by myself, thinking about ways to patch up mine and Clary's friendship.
"Where the hell were you?" Raphael interrogates the second I walk into his room.
"Out." I bite back.
He raises his voice, "don't get snappy with me, I was concerned."
"You have no reason to be concerned about what I do."
"I have every reason to be worried. You're my responsibility."
"So that's what I am to you? A responsibility, a chore?"
"Arabella you know that is not what I meant."
"I don't know that, Raphael. All I know is that I can't be here anymore."
"Then go." He says, straightening up.
"I will."
With those finishing words, I storm out into the streets of New York, stopping at the first gas station I see.
"Can I use your phone?" I ask the man at the register.
"A girl as pretty as you? Of course."
I smile in return, but roll my eyes the second he turns away.
He hands me his cell phone, rather than the store phone. I immediately dial the first number that comes to mind, which happens to be Jace's.
"Hello?" He picks up the phone.
"Hey, buddy... It's Arabella." I awkwardly reply.
"What's up?" He asks.
"I hate to admit this, but I need a favor."
"What is it?"
"I need somewhere to stay tonight."
"Meet me at the basement entrance to the institute, I'll smuggle you in. You'll have to stay in my room, so no one gets suspicious. " He responds. I can hear the smirk in his voice.
"Thank you so much, Jace."
"See you in a few." With that, he hangs up.
I give the cashier back his phone and walk to the institute.
Once I arrive at the basement door, I see Jace looking up at me. He motions for me to come down the stairs and I do, closing the door silently behind me.
"So, why is it that you need to stay here? I mean, I'm glad you're here, but why?" He asks.
"I wanted to be with you, duh." I respond sarcastically.
"Very funny. What's the actual reason, Ara?"
"I just didn't want to stay at the Dumort tonight. I'll go back tomorrow, I promise. I don't want to annoy you too much."
"It's okay, I like when you annoy me."
"Perfect."
"Why did the chicken cross the road?" He asks quietly as he walks me to his room.
"Why?" I respond.
"No clue. I thought you might know."
"You're an idiot." I mutter.
"I know." He smiles.