Collision Course

Chapter 37:

Maia's birthday weekend started off with a bang—literally, Clary was jolted awake by the loudest sound that she did not expect, and she lives in New York, she nearly fell out of her bed. She rushed out to her balcony door to find Simon and Jace moving the barbecue closer to the lower deck.

"What the hell was that?" Clary said at them, Simon looks at her and grinned, "well morning to you too Fray!" They then realized she was just in a t-shirt and underwear. She yelped and flipped Simon off before zipping up the sweater she wore.

"We're having a breakfast barbecue!" Jace turned around, she was so glad he hadn't seen her in her underwear. Simon didn't count, one they've known each other forever and two they dated for a minute so it wasn't anything he hasn't seen before.

"So why are you two moving the barbecue then?"

"Because all your barbecue stuff is all over this porch!" Maia yells from somewhere. Then she heard something open and Alec's not so happy voice

"Will all you stop yelling! It's 9 am."

Clary covers her laugh, he was not a morning person. "Come on Alec no one told you to work until 5 am," Jace said, Clary leaves all of them as she goes back into her room. The room was already messy and she's been here for a night but she did spend half of last night wrapping Maia's birthday gift and then finishing up a piece for her Urban Realism class.

She stuffs all of her clothes into her luggage and grabbed a pair of jeans and an old band tee that she's sure she either stole from Simon or Julian, maybe she got it from Emma who stole it from Julian, she tied up her hair into a ponytail and just put in a little bit of makeup before heading upstairs before Simon and Jace destroy her parents' things.

When she got to the living room Isabelle and Tessa were helping Jem and Will with setting up the dining room table, her family hardly ever used it but since the table on the deck seemed to be filled with a buffet of food, cooked and uncooked, it looks like they would be eating inside.

"Who woke up early and did all this?"  Clary asked in amazement, she was honestly surprised–other than Maia's party on Sunday, she expected the weekend to be a relaxing on for everyone.

"I did. It's my present to Maia mainly saying 'sorry I've been a bad friend and missed your last few birthdays.'" Jace said, coming inside Maia followed grinning and hugged him from behind.

"Hey, you should miss my birthday more if it means I get this treatment."

Clary smiles but looks away she walks towards Isabelle and Tessa and helps them with the setup.

—

Simon watches Clary's reaction to Jace and Maia. He knows how she's feeling—he's known Jace and Maia for a long time so he understood their dynamic, even if they don't see it themselves. They act like a couple that everyone always had to do a double-take on them when they first meet them. Even Jordan asked him about the two of them when he first saw them together.

Maia made Jace carry some more things to the back porch. She walks up to Simon smiling, "see he's useful for things."

"Didn't we just move those stuff inside because we needed room for another table?" Simon asked,

"Yeah but he doesn't know that. Someone'll tell him later, I just want to have fun." He grins before turning to Maia,

"So how's your plan to get Clary and Jace to talk about their feelings?"

"It's not a plan per se but more of a strategy. Get them to do as many things together."

"Okay cool, but if you want that to work, you might want to tone it down with the affections."

Maia looked at Simon confused, as clueless as Jace was when it comes to people's attraction for him, Maia and Jace were just as clueless as to how they act together.

"Maia, you and Jace act like a couple. He's the first person you call for anything and you're the first person he calls for anything. If I didn't know you guys I would have thought you two were together."

She laughs, "Simon we do not act like a couple." At that time Jordan walked back inside, Simon calls him over and Maia hits Simon.

"What are you doing?" She asked, Simon knew how much Maia likes Jordan so she does not want Simon saying anything that would get him thinking.

"Jordan, question," Simon asked pointedly, Maia glares at him, but he ignores her,

"Sure shoot." He kisses Maia on the temple and wraps his arm around her waist.

"When you first met Maia and Jace what did you think about them?"

Simon ignored Maia's annoyance because he knew Jordan didn't find Jace and Maia's relationship as a threat. He and Maia weren't steady and he also knew Jace and Maia would never date.

"Honestly I thought you two were a couple." Maia was surprised at Jordan's casual tone like he didn't even think about it anymore.

"it was confusing until Simon said something about it. Plus Jace was with, what was his name?"

"Malcolm." Simon filled in, he was a bartender at Hunter's Moon at the time.

"Right."

Simon watches as Maia looks at Clary then back at Jace, they both were doing some stuff on opposite sides of the room.

"Well shit, this might take longer than I thought, @ she said

It was Jordan's turn to look at both of them, "what will?"

"Nothing. You're the best you know?" Maia kisses him and leaves Simon and Jordan alone.

"Do I want to know?" Jordan asked Simon,

"Not particularly no. But you'll see later tonight, whatever is going on her head, you know Maia—she won't stop until she accomplishes it."

This weekend will be fun to watch, Simon thought.

"Simon come help with this!" Clary calls him over where she was with Isabelle.