Los Angeles; ksimon

|9|

Circus music plays loudly around Simon as he sits on the plastic pony, the machine making it move up and down to the beat of the song as the ride spun around slowly.

He wasn't focused on the ride, though, he was more focused on the fact that his mum was arguing with his father just a few feet away.

He swore he could see tears streaming down his mum's cheeks as his father took a few steps back, saying one last thing before turning around and walking away.

Little did Simon know he'd be walking away forever.

He could hear his mum screaming his dad's name- begging, no, pleading, for him to come back.

As soon as the ride stopped Simon got off, his face emotionless as he dragged his teddy behind him over to his mum.

She stood there with her hand covering her mouth as she cried almost silently, her other arm wrapped around herself.

Simon didn't say anything as he stepped forward, his small arms wrapping around his mum's legs as he tried his best to comfort her.

"What happened to daddy?" He asks, his small voice clear as he looked up at the clearly upset woman.

She just sniffled and kneeled down to face Simon, pushing a stray piece of hair out of his face.

"You might not see your father again for a while, Si." She says softly, a hint of sadness still in her voice as she manages a small smile.

"Why?" He asks, a frown now resting upon his lips as he holds his teddy, which his father had just won him, to his chest.

"Because that's just how it is." She sighs out, another tear rolling down her cheek- but she doesn't let Simon see as she quickly wipes it away.

"We've just got to move on and keep living our lives, we'll be just fine without him, okay?" She says and hold's Simon's face gently in one hand, rubbing his cheek with her thumb.

Simon nods and smiles at his mum, oblivious to the fact that this would change everything- but he knew they both had to move on.

"The carousel never stops turning, Simon, you can't get off."
-
Simon's POV
I open my eyes slowly as I wake up from my slumber, my head resting against the cold window of a car.

Before I can question where I am, the memories start flooding back.

JJ and I sneaking out the hospital together, him carrying me since it hurt too much to walk.

I faintly remember him unlocking and hot wiring a car- the one we're in now, I assume.

"You're awake." I pull myself out of my thoughts and look over at him, a small smile sneaking onto my lips.

"Yeah." I say softly, moving so I'm sitting up straight- going to pull my hood on but stopping once I realise our fingers are interlocked.

I can't help the small blush that creeps onto my cheeks at the situation, deciding to somehow manoeuvre my hood on with one hand.

My cheeks get even more red as he rubs my knuckles soothingly with his thumb, yet his eyes still stay focused on the road.

"Where are we going?" I ask as I look out the window, small drops of rain covering my vision of the streetlights.

"My brother Deji's." He says, a slight hint of something I don't recognise in his voice.