It's Not a Date...I Think...(Private)

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon couldn't help but chuckle at her words, even if the motion physically stung. Well, he wasn't about to force her to do something if she clearly didn't want to, even if he had her best interests at heart. "Still worth a shot. Good night, Beautiful. Simon can hear dreamland calling out to him once more..." he trailed off and within the next few seconds, he was already snoring.
"You're well enough to go," the chubby nurse said after taking his vitals. "Mr. Montri."

"Thanks," Simon said gratefully as he sat up, only feeling a little soreness over his abdominal area. A good night's sleep can do miracles, apparently. He blinked a few spaces before fully comprehending what the nurse said. "Hey, how do you know my last name?"

The nurse was already by the door when she answered, "Your father paid for the bill. He says he's sorry he couldn't stay long and to be careful next time."

Simon was stunned to silence when the nurse left. His father actually realized that he was in a hospital? It was an understatement to say that he was surprised. He was simply overwhelmed. But he was also hurt too. Couldn't even take the time off to talk to me... as usual, he thought in resignation. He turned to Haven. "How're you?"

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

His thoughts were troubled, an unusual thing for the happy-go-lucky son of Hecate. He looked up in surprise a few seconds of silence later, only realizing that Haven had stopped talking and he only got a vague meaning of her words. Suddenly feeling stupid, he studied her for a few moments, noticing that her sling was gone. A small smile made its way to his face when he assumed that she probably forced it off of her. Stubborn girl.

"My my, don't you look as radiant as ever. No one would be able to guess that you just destroyed a cyclops a day before," he teased her as he slowly stood up. He swayed slightly in his stance but otherwise looked okay. "Guess it's time to go back to camp. They must miss us a lot by now. We don't want them to worry too much, do we?"

Simon flashed her a huge grin, trying to put the thoughts of his father in the back of his mind. Luckily, he was well-versed enough in lying to make it sound like he was alright, when in reality he was already starting to break on the inside.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon shrugged. Guess he hadn't been able to hide that well enough. "It isn't really much of a secret," he said off-handedly. "I mean, a lot of my former classmates knew that I spent more time out of my house than in."

He understood Haven's curiosity and guessed that she didn't want to force him into talking about it if he didn't want to. He flexed his arms, finding it easy to ignore the pain as he dwelt on thoughts of his only mortal family. Maybe he had been keeping it to himself long enough. Should he start opening up about it? But it was such a depressing thing, and Simon just hated depression. The inner debate in his head raged on, until he finally forced a smile.

"We don't exactly... bond. He just didn't have the time." he admitted, looking at his feet. There, his family situation in two sentences. Not bad. After all, what else was there to explain? Simon ruffled his hair and looked back up at Haven, the smile on his face looking more genuine.

"So how'd you suggest we go back to camp? The Gray Sister's Taxi again?" he suggested mischievously, his eyes twinkling a little. Typical of him to steer the conversation away a touchy topic. It was a story for another time.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't really fond of the Chariot of Damnation either. The sight of the seatbelt chains just freaked him out. Besides, he bonked his head on the back of the seat, didn't he? He wouldn't want a repeat of that experience. Ever.

"Just asking. So we take a regular mortal cab to Half Blood Hill? Wonder what the driver will think of dropping off two teenagers in the middle of nowhere..." he trailed off, eyes glinting at the implications of his statements. Still chuckling, he made a little bow and gestured for her to go first. "After you, Madamoiselle."

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

The sound of Haven's laugh was just so sweet, so wonderful, that Simon found it extremely easy to join in. He had just closed the door behind him when someone suddenly collided to his back, causing him to let go of Haven's hand. He assumed it was an accident and he was ready to brush it off as if it was nothing when two thin arms suddenly snaked their way around his chest. He was just trying to get his head around what was happening when he felt something soft and wet--most likely a pair of lips--press against the back of his neck. He froze instantly, knowing that this wasn't leading anywhere good.

"Oh my God, Simon!" a sickly sweet voice exclaimed from behind him. He tried to place where he heard her before as the girl continued. "I haven't seen you in ages! I've missed you so much!" He felt someone's warm body press against his back and all he could think of right now was Haven and her reaction to all of this.

"Um... hey," Simon said meekly, trying to peel the girl off of him. He succeeded in a way, but he wasn't successful enough as she quickly latched on to his arm.

"What are you doing in here?" she squealed at what seemed to be an anxious tone. Simon tried to pull his arm free of her grip but the girl's hold on him was far too tight. Deeply uncomfortable, Simon finally chanced a long look at the girl, trying to remember who she was. Her ebony hair were tied up in a bun with some stray locks cascading down the side of her oval-shaped face. Her eyes were emerald green and expectant, looking into his own. Her lips were cherry red, obviously sporting some lipstick. She was dressed... well, Simon didn't seem to think she was dressed enough with her white tank top and shorts that didn't even reach the half of her thighs. Suddenly her name rose into his mind.

Simon cleared his throat, just giving up and letting her hold on to his arm. His attempt at a grimace came out as a forced smile as he turned to look at Haven with apologetic eyes. Crap, I'm so dead.

"Haven, this is Angela. Angela, Haven," he said, forgetting to answer Angela's question. Angela's eyes snapped towards Haven as if she had just realized she was there, and her green pupils narrowed into slits as she took in the appearance of the girl Simon was with.

Simon gulped. This was definitely not going to end well.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon didn't like how Angela sized Haven up, as if she was trying to decide how to get rid of her in humiliating ways. He cringed slightly, not really knowing why he arrived at that conclusion. He wasn't an expert at reading girls, but the expression on Angela's face was pretty easy to read. He shifted uncomfortably in his stance. When was Angela letting go of his arm?

Simon didn't miss how Haven suddenly seemed so quiet again. He frowned slightly. However, Angela smirked. Maybe she was struck with the idea that Haven would be easy to bully, or something along those lines, he assumed. "So what's up?" he asked, trying to ignore the tension in the air.

Angela turned her face back to him, a falsely sweet smile replacing her previous smirk. "Oh, just visiting my aunt. She got in a car crash. She's fine," she reassured him just as a look of surprise washed over his face. "What are you doing here? With her?"

There was a little difference in her tone when Angela referred to Haven, like she was a bad taste she tried to get off of her tongue. Simon snuck a glance at the daughter of Hephaestus, a hint of a smile in his features. "We got in a little accident, but we're alright."

He forced out a smile at Angela, trying to be nice, but she was still staring at Haven with scrutinizing eyes. Her next question abandoned the sweet edge to her tone and it made the hair on the back of Simon's neck stand. "Who exactly is she, Simon?"

"Uh well, she's... She's... Uh..." he fumbled with his words, looking at Haven for help. They looked like they were more than friends, but Simon didn't want to be the one to admit that first. He nervously shuffled on his feet, which was slightly unlike him. They didn't make anything official, except for those kisses, but he wanted to hear the words literally from her lips before he made any kind of announcement.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

At Haven's words, Simon felt like jumping, dancing, or doing anything and everything to express his feelings. He settled on a big grin and he can't help but feel a little smug while also relieved. Imagine if Haven denied it. He shuddered, not trying to consider the alternative. He looked back at Angela whose grip on his arm finally loosened. Breaking free of her hold, Simon started to inch closer to Haven, restraining himself from kissing her. There will be time for that later, he thought.

To his surprise, Angela looked unfazed. Well... he expected a different reaction. Like maybe, going at Haven to pull her hair out of her scalp--you know, the catfights girls were so fond of? But he wasn't expecting Angela to just stand there, looking as if Haven's revelation was not even important. It got him a little nervous, how he couldn't seem to get a reading of his ex's mind. Simon dug his hands in his pockets, whistling a note to break the silence. "Yeah, she's my girlfriend," he finally said, unable to hold it in any longer.

Angela's eyes darted between him and Haven for a moment. Simon began relaxing. Maybe she won't do anything bad. Maybe she'll accept this, congratulate them or something and go. But then, she crossed her arms on her chest with a huff. "So she's the new one? So she's like..." Angela held out a hand, making a show of counting off her fingers. She gave up, shrugging. "Not that I keep track, but is she your twentieth girlfriend or what?"

Simon stiffened. Oh crap, this is worse than I thought.

Without missing a beat, Angela turned to Haven, sneering. "Don't count yourself lucky, Helen. I'm like his fifth. We go back a long way. I know Simon--does he call you 'beautiful' every few moments? Believe me, I went through that too."

Laughing, Angela snuck a glance at Simon's grimacing features. She was getting revenge now... again. Gods, when was she ever getting over him? "Angel, can we please stop this?" he pleaded. "I mean... the people who witnessed that scene have probably forgotten all about it by now."

He shrank in the glare she gave him, and he couldn't help but wonder how Angela's demeanor suddenly changed. Was this a girl's natural reaction every time she saw her ex dating someone new? He couldn't dwell on that too much right now, because he was looking at Haven, trying to read her reaction.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

There was no point denying it now. His reputation as a player was busted, thanks to this vengeful ex he hooked up with when he was so immaturely young. It pained Simon to see the confusion in Haven's face. It angered him to glance at Angela's. He wasn't usually one who was easily pissed off, but Angela was really pushing him to his limits. This wasn't the first time this happened too, he remembered with a pang. Simon was dangerously coming close to shoving Angela away, but he was never the violent-type and definitely not someone who hit girls. In fact, the bubbling urge to use force was surprising him greatly. Resignedly, Simon rubbed the back of his head, his gazes shifting between the two girls.

Simon perfectly knew that Angela was going to twist everything he was going to say. Heck, she was almost a female version of Simon, able to weave her words as smoothly as him. The only difference was that Angela used her talent to cause harm, while Simon was bent on doing the opposite. He bit back a laugh, noting how her name was so ironic to her nature. He stared into Haven's eyes, holding the silence. He needed to choose the right words to say. No screw-ups were allowed. For all he knew this could be his last chance to set things right. The thought of it put a lot more pressure to his nerves, clouding his mind. Whoa, this is harder than I thought.

"Yes, I'm some sort of player," he began. Maybe if he started out being honest it would help. He tried to ignore Angela's burning gaze as he continued. "But no. It wasn't a joke. None of it was a joke."

His serious demeanor was something unusual, something unexpected. Simon hated to be like this, but if he joked around, how the heck would Haven even believe him? He heaved a sigh, weighing his words carefully as if it was a matter of life and death. Maybe it was. "I swear, nothing there was fake. Wait, why am I speaking in past tense? Nothing is fake here. I am not the type of guy who thinks of girls as just jokes. I won't deny that I have had lots of... girlfriends in the past. But I swear to you, none of them were just for kicks." Simon paused, glancing at Angela. She seemed surprised. Perhaps she had never seen him wear a face like this before. It was probably the case, since Simon didn't even remember when he became this serious without any monster around. He turned back to Haven with a sad smile. "Maybe I don't deserve you. You're way too good for the likes of me. You probably don't deserve me either. You deserve someone better."

What was he saying? His mind was all a blur from all the pressure he was feeling. His hands clenched into fists inside his pockets. "But you know. I really like you. I can tell that much. I just hope you feel the same way after... all of this. I mean, I must really look that bad now, right?"

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon shifted uncomfortably at her next question. "Eighteenth," he corrected her softly, willing her not to hear it. Sighing, he said, "I didn't toss them aside. We just had some... misunderstandings. Differences that can't be fixed."

It was at that point that Angela scoffed. "Well, really now, Simon? I was under the impression that you had dumped me in front of a damn crowd! If you don't call that 'tossing aside' I don't know what is."

Simon sighed wistfully. Were they really going back to this? He didn't really want to embarrass Angela like this, but she was really asking for it. "Angel, it was an empty classroom," he said, staring her right in the eye. "It was just when you started yelling that the other kids came to look. And besides, I did warn you beforehand to keep quiet."

Her cheeks flushing at the revelation, Angela opened her mouth to speak, but closed it right away. She huffed, throwing a glare in Haven's direction. "In time, he'll break it up with you. Mark my words." And with that she spun on her heel and left.

Simon ruffled his hair, watching the girl disappear around the corner before turning back to Haven. Who knows what she thought of him now? He wouldn't blame her if she wanted nothing to do with him anymore. Most girls did when they learned of his... reputation. "I'll understand if you don't want to be with me anymore," he said, offering a tentative sad smile. "But I'm asking for a chance. Just that."

Bracing himself, Simon kept his gaze on the floor, unable to meet her eyes.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

His fists trembled slightly in his pockets when he sensed her drawing away. That was it. She was leaving. Not that he was too surprised, taking into consideration what Angela said. Most of his girlfriends left him for reasons like that, one way or another. This was just another one of those things. It was painful to think, but he just had to accept it.

When Haven spoke, however, it was not the 'goodbye' he expected. Simon looked up, hardly daring to believe it. Haven hadn't left after all; she just took a seat on the hospital bench. Letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, Simon just stared at her while trying to comprehend her words. It took him a few moments to grasp the meaning, and when he did, a big smile spread across his lips and he lunged forward to enclose the girl in a tight hug.

"Thank you," he whispered to her ear. "You don't know how much I needed to hear that. I guess this means you're in for a lot of CPR," he ended jokingly, reverting back to his usual self.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon pulled away from her now, fighting the urge to chuckle as the rumbling sounds filled the air. He couldn't blame her. Hospital food was not exactly tasty. Besides, he felt some pangs of hunger as well. Getting a bite to eat was the best idea he had heard all day. Sporting his signature crooked grin, Simon held out a hand for her to hold.

"Sure thing, Beautiful," he said with a small wink. The word rolled off his tongue without him even thinking about it. "What kind of man would I be if I let a delightful young lady like you starve?"

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon pretended to look hurt and grasped his chest. "Ow, right in the heart," he said, shaking his head a little. He watched her fix her clothes for a few moments. Why did she seem like she was covering her hands? Brushing the thought off at Haven's question, his face broke into a wide grin. He subconsciously fingered the edges of his wallet.

"Somewhere fit for a queen," he replied simply, his stomach growling at the same time. Leading her out of the hospital some minutes later, Simon finally stopped in front of the restaurant nearest to the hospital.

...McDonald's.

Simon Xi Montri
Son of Hecate

---

Simon watched Haven go with a smile. Wow, she actually stayed with him after what Angela had said. He must've looked weird grinning like that at seemingly no one in particular but he couldn't care less. Humming softly to himself, he pulled out his wallet and counted the bills. Gods, what would happen if he went here with no money...

"Hello!"

Simon almost jumped in surprise. Oh no, not another one! Praying to whoever out there was listening, he turned his head as if in slow motion, desperately hoping that the girl wasn't an ex. Angela was already enough. A wave of relief rippled through him as he studied the blue-eyed girl. Nope, definitely not someone he had been with. He smiled warmly at her out of reflex. He didn't miss how she winked; Simon knew that kind of wink too well.

"Hey," he greeted back, out of politeness. Out of the corner of his eye he saw just how many people there were in front of him. It looked like he was going to spend a lot of time in here with this chick. His eyes then drifted over to where Haven sat. Did she notice? He hoped not.

Simon paused for a few moments. Should he be nice and start a conversation? After all, it was a long line and he'd get bored. Or should he just snub the girl so that he won't risk whatever good graces he had with Haven? The second option sounded bad to him. He didn't want to seem like a prick to this black-haired girl. Besides, he was just going to talk. No harm in doing that, right?

"Long line, huh? I guess we'll spend the next decade in here," he said cheerfully, keeping his smile up. Just relax, man, he thought to himself. You're not doing anything bad.