Chapter Text
Why was she in this problem in the first place? Oh right, she wanted her parents out of her ass. And who was the only one who could make sure of that? Her brother Alec. And today of all days, he had come to ask a favor in return.
“So let me get this straight, I have to be the chauffeur to one of your nerdy senior friends? Doesn’t he have a car? Or another person to bother?” She had asked.
Her brother sighed. “Iz, it’s just driving him to the flower store, I owe him a favor”
“So why don’t you do it?” She whined.
“I’m going suit renting with Magnus” he answered “for the prom, he wants us to combine”
She groaned, but she said she’d do it. An eye for an eye.
So here she was. Her brother’s car parked in front of an old building in Brooklin. She’d knocked on the door and a woman, surely the guy’s mother, had received her. She invited her in, but Izzy said she was in a hurry. Then the woman went inside to look for her son. Soon enough, a boy walked through the door.
He was skinny and lanky, like all the nerds she’d met. He had brown hair and brown eyes and he was wearing a t-shirt that said I FIND YOUR LACK OF SWAG DISTURBING. He looked at her and fixed his glasses in confusion and awe. She had that effect in boys.
“You’re not Alec” he said after a moment.
“I’m his sister Isabelle” She informed “My brother had things to do, so I’m here”
“Oh, alright then” he said, waiting.
Izzy sighed. “You want an invite? Get in the car”
“Yes! Sorry”
Izzy positioned herself behind the wheel while the boy struggled with his seatbelt. When he was done, she started the engine and drove. Three minutes passed before he spoke again.
“I’m Simon by the way” he said.
I didn’t ask, she thought, but she didn’t say anything. Two minutes and he spoke again.
“So, how much did he pay you?”
That made her turn around. “What?”
“Eyes on the road, please” he said, and she turned again. “How much did Alec pay you to do something you clearly don’t want to do?”
That took her by surprise. “He didn’t pay me,” She stated.
“Oh” He paused. “Favor then?”
She did not answer him. But that was enough for Simon.
“Seems like today it’s all about favors” he said, looking out the window.
She didn’t want to talk to him, but curiosity took over.
“Yeah, he said he owed you a favor?” she said hoping to get something out of him.
He looked at her and sighed. “It was nothing, just a problem with Director Barnes”
Isabelle hit the brakes abruptly. In part for the sudden red light and in part for what he said. She turned to look at him, surprised. It was the first time Simon saw another emotion besides disgust on her face.
“You were the guy?” She asked a little too loud.
“He told you,” He said, it was not a question.
“Yeah, he tells me everything” she said mater-of-factly. “What happened? I mean, I know what happened, but my brother is vague”
Simon hesitated, but gave in.
“It was after class, I was talking to some friends in the hallway and Alec was there, waiting for someone”
“Magnus” she said.
“That’s his boyfriend’s name? Okay, yeah, Magnus. Well, Director Barnes was there and saw your brother and his boyfriend kiss. Not much, just a peck. Then he called Alec and told him those actions weren’t allowed in this school, and that if he did it again he would suspend him. Of course, he said that while a boy and a girl were making out almost in front of him, so his problem was clear- green light”
Izzy came out of her trance and drove. “And?”
“And I walked over there where they were and asked Director Barnes wasn’t apprehending that couple in front of him. Or why he didn’t do it to the other couples that always made out in the cafeteria. He didn’t say anything and walked away. I didn’t need him to return the favor. But he heard me today and offered his help. I couldn’t convince him he didn’t have to. Like told you, it was nothing”
“It was not nothing” Izzy whispered. “For my brother it was everything, he almost never has support, our parents-” But she stopped herself, suddenly angry.
“He has you,” said Simon, trying to somehow comfort her.
“Apparently that’s not enough” she finished, and they didn’t talk again until they got to the flower store.
The place was big, for a flower store, and Izzy anticipated how long would this take. They entered and the rich smell of flowers greeted them. At least that was nice.
“My God” exclaimed Simon, “there are so many, how am I supposed to decide?”
“Well” Said Izzy, “That depends, do you want them for a funeral? Because in that case it doesn’t really matter”
He looked at her. “No, is not for a funeral, I will ask my best friend to go to prom with me”
That caught Izzy’s attention. “Your best friend, hm, doesn’t she- or he have anyone else to go with”
“SHE doesn’t, yet. But this is more than a prom proposal, this is-“ But he suddenly stopped and blushed.
Izzy caught that immediately.
“Oh” she said. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
He didn’t say anything and started to smell the flowers.
“You know, she could net feel the same way, and you could be ruining your friendship”
“I didn’t ask” He said brusquely, and she had to admit it stung a little bit.
“Sorry” she said following him.
Now the silence felt heavy and she was surprised to know that she missed his voice. After roaming two lines of different flowers, he spoke again.
“I know that that could happen,” he said. “But if I feel it, maybe she feels it too”
“Maybe” she said.
Was that disappointment? No, it wasn’t. Get a hold of yourself, Isabelle.
“I have no idea of what I’m doing” He said smelling what had to be the millionth daisy.
“What flowers does she like?” Asked Isabelle, trying to help him.
He sighed. “Everything, she likes everything”
She sighed copying him and looked around. Then she got an idea.
“Come with me” she said grabbing his arm and guiding him through the store.
She stopped by a small garden with beautiful white flowers.
“Gardenias?” He said reading the sign.
“Yeah, they’re my favorite flower” she said grabbing a bouquet and smelling it “they smell amazing”
She gave the bouquet to Simon and he smelled it. They did smell amazing, somehow familiar, and they were beautiful.
“Okay” he said.
“Okay? That’s it? You don’t want to keep looking” she asked incredulously.
He laughed. “I trust you”
He then turned around and went to pay for the flowers.
The ride to Simon’s home was quicker that she’d wanted. She was now admiring the way hope brightened his eyes, how brown and happy they were. She hadn’t noticed them before. She liked the way he smiled too. She liked too many things and she was getting scared.
When they stopped at Simon’s house, he turned to look at her.
“Thank you, Isabelle” he said “I owe you one”
“Hell yeah you do” she said trying to joke.
He laughed and opened the door of the car. When he was on the steps of his home he turned and waved at her, flowers in his hand.
She couldn’t help but smile, really smile, and when he closed the door from his house, she couldn’t avoid feeling like a stupid girl in a rom-com.
“Fuck” she sighed.