through the eyes of another

Simon felt a little guilty. He should have had a summer job, but instead, he'd hung out with Wren. Sometimes, they went to the pool together. They went to her favorite places, like the bookstore and the Thailand place where she could get her favorite bubble tea.

Perhaps, she was just a buffer to the reality of what was really going on in his life with his parents, who were absent for the most part. He said he didn't care, but he'd catch himself waking three in the morning, wondering what his mom might be doing, or was his father eating properly.

He hated the thought they'd all gone their separate ways. Still, there was Wren who made everything better. And he did want things to get better.

Then on the 4th he saw Bree with her new boyfriend. He hardly recognized her, but she seemed happy to introduce him to Torry. They met at school. It sounded like a slacker fantasy to Simon. Still, he was comfortable with Wren and he didn't have a twinge of hard feelings toward Bree, who was now an ancient history to Simon's love life.

And then he saw Will alone. What was going on? He meant to ask, but Jordan showed up. Naturally, Jordan wedged in between him and Wren. He wanted to tell her to go away, but he knew Jordan was Wren's best friend.

Simon felt troubled again. He held it under his breath, but he wished Jordan would find someone else to hang out with instead of Wren. He didn't like sharing Wren even if it were conversation.

"Why, am I like that?" He asked his brother Xander a few days later. "I don't want to be."

"At least, it's bothering you," Xander told him it was something everyone had to deal with. "You, have to trust Wren."

"I do." At least Simon thought he did. He would do his best to be supportive. After all, Wren did want to be with him. He knew it in her kiss, her smile, and her sincerity.