Invisible

After lunch Corrie remained adament about not going anywhere so I sat her down in the game room and tried to teach her the basics of football.

She stared at me like it was a foreign language. But its cute.

"Come on, Corrie! Its not so hard! How many downs are there?"

"Four, but I still don't get what the hell that means."

I made an exasperated noise. "I give up. You win."

She flashed me a smile. "Going to teach me how to play Call of Duty now?"

I snort. "Are you any good at video games?"

She leaned forward. "No earthly idea. I think the last one I played was Sonic the Hedgehog."

I laugh. "Come on, the XBox is right there."

Corrie fails spectacularly, and she's also one of those people who yells at the tv screen. "Come on!" She yelled, stamping her foot even though were both in beanbag chairs. The scores roll up and Corrie is at the bottom.

"I did worse my first try," I lie, grimancing.

Corrie glares at me and I smile.

"Oi, love birds," Alec says, sauntering in the doorway. "Getting tired of each other yet? Were bored out of our minds."

"I'm getting tired of Aaron's idea of fun,' corrie said, trying not to grin and pointing at the screen where she was still at the bottom.

"She was even worse at football," I say, standing up.

"Hey!" Corrie shoves me gently and flounces out of the room.

"Wow. Sex is powerful!" Alec remarks.

"For Christ's sake!" I say. "We did not have sex!"

"You two showered together."

"With our clothes on!"

"Freak."

"You've just never had some one like Corrie," I sniff.

"If thats what love is, than I want no part of it." Alec mutters.

I stop and he runs into me. No, I don't love her yet, I think. But I'm coming dangerously close, I'm willing to bet.

"Dick," Alec mutters, shoving me into a wall.

The twins already have a screaming and fighting Corrie strapped into their rental car when I make it outside. I laugh at her expression through the window and get into the backseat next to her. After this morning, she's been great. Wonderful, even, like a normal teenage girl.

"Hey gorgeous," I say, and I can't help but feel like this is going to blow up in our faces.

"Give me your damn jacket," she mutters.

"Don't worry, lovely," Ashton says from the drivers seat. "Only looks like you lost a fight with a rose bush."

"Where are we even going?" She grumbles.

"No idea, we dont know where anything is," he answers happily.

"We should bring Jake."

Ashton slams on the brakes and we all slam forward. "Great idea!" He crows.

"Bloody hell, Ash, that hurt," Alec muttered, rubbing his forehead.

Ashton puts the car into reverse and narrowly misses Jake's mailbox. He slams on the horn and holds it down for a full minute. Corrie started giggling half way through.

Jake stumbled out. "Shut the fuck up!" He yelled, pulling on his shirt. "God damn!"

Corrie slid over and Jake crashed into the now available seat, smelling like stale booze. Corrie narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything.

"I'm going to go take a shower. If you're still here when I get out, I'll go with you," he moaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Corrie half-yells.

"Shhh!" Jake hissed. "Don't talk so loud."

"I'm not!" She replied at the same volume.

The twins caught on. "Yeah! You really don't look so good!" Alec yelled.

Jake got out of the car and tripped on the curb.

"That idiot," Corrie muttered in disbelief.

"I agree with you completely," Ashton said.

"Ash's been proudly sober for two weeks," Alec smirked.

"Months, thank you! And I only ever got drunk that one time and it was your fault! You spiked the stupid Coke!"

Alec giggled like a little girl. "That was the best thing I've ever done. Did I tell you that story?"

"I know it, but Corrie doesn't," I answer.

Shton scowls.

"Okay, okay!" Alec says. "So Ash was trying to host this party, right, and locked me in the basement."

"Thats mean!" Corrie says.

"I only did it because he was on his period and acting like a complete prick," Ashton said defensively.

"But I got out," Alec continued. "And I found Dad's booze, and started spiking his cups. Pretty soon he was drunk as hell, but no one else was. And Ashton is a funny drunk, I tell you. I wont go into the details to save your innocent ears, Corrie, but we ended up hanging him by his ankles from the porch."

Corrie was laughing, though.

"Booze is bad," Ashton muttered.

"We should make t-shirts," Corrie giggled.

"Yes! And give one to Jake. We could have Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor us!"

Corrie snorted. Now Alec and I were laughing.

Jake's front door opened five minutes later. Jake came out in fresh clothes, with a girl. I couldn't tell who it was, though. "Whose that?" Corrie and the twins asked simultaniously.

"Don't know," I answer.

"Jake does," Ashton sniggered. Jake's tongue was down the girls throat and she'd shoved him against the door frame.

"Honk the horn before he oulls of her shirt," I command.

Ashton slams on the horn. he girl hits her head on the door frame. JAke falls backwards off the porch. The twins high-five.

When JAke gets into the car Corrie wont look at him.

"How you feeling?" He asks sympathetically, not noticing. Or maybe just not recognizing it for what it was.

Corrie looked over me and out my window. Jake gave me a confused look.

"So where are we going?" Ashton asked.

"Starbucks," Jake said instantly.

"Home,"Corrie said.

"No, to both of you," Ashton said.

I wrapped my arm around Corrie. "I love how you call my house home."

She blushes. "Well, its kind of where I live now."

"Yes, it is." I tweak her nose.

"I'm still here," Jake scoffed.

"Yeah, and you just gave us an excellent show of you and your slut's foreplay," Alec sanpped.

"She's not a slut!"

"She's a slut," I assure him. "And you're a man whore. I cannot believe you."

"Virgin Mary," Jake muttered.

"And proud of it. Did she really spend the night?"

Jake shrugged. "I suppose. I can't remember."

"You are such a drunk."

"Am not."

"Denial."

"You two bicker like old women," Ashton said. "Now where are we going?"

Eventually we make it to a resturaunt because by the time we decide on where to go its six thirty. We pull into a T.G.I Fridays and Corrie tries to stay in the car.

"I'm covered head to toe in band-aids! What screams cutter more than that?!" She half screams, in near hysteria.

"Corrie! No one will think that, I promise. I know people. I'm the status quo, dear," I say gently, trying to coax her out of the car.

"You are not. You're Mr. Popular," she mutters.

I give up and grab her by the waist, dragging her out of the car. "Aaron! Put me back!"

"No! You're going to have a good time whether you like it or not!" I lead the way towards the resturaunt with Corrie over my shoulder.

"I'll walk!" She relents and I set her down, keeping a tight grip on her hand.

"How come we don't have dates?" Ashton wondered aloud behind us.

"Because you aren't as awesome as I am!" I call back. That makes Corrie laugh.

We settle down in a huge booth, me next to Corrie, the other three squished across from us. The waitress came and took our drink orders.

"So the football game for next week," Ashton began. "If we promise to handcuff ourselves to you, will you come Corrie?"

"I'm going. And you don't have to handcuff yourselves to me,' Corrie said with determination.

"I don't know, I like that idea."

"Don't worry, it'll be impossible to loose her," Alec said, grinning wickedly.

"What?" I ask, looking at Corrie. She's giving me a terrified look.

"I've got no idea," she says.

The twins burst into very loud maniacle laughter, causing several other tables to jump and stare in alarm. Jake began to laugh.

"Are you ready?" Our waitress asks.

"Um, you three good?" I ask. they nodd. "What about you, Corrie?"

She tried to get away with nothing. I told her if she didn't eat I was going to force feed her. Then I ordered her a Coke because I just realized she'd gotten water. Then Corrie reluctantly ordered. Now, I think instead of just not having food, that she was anorexic. She is unhealthy skinny, but I just thought that was her father's main fault. Well, its his fault anyway.

Alec and Ashton entertain us with a story about Alec's cat and I end up laughing so hard Coke comes out of my nose. That made Jake fall out of the booth, Corrie cry with mirth, and everyone in the resturaunt stare. Corrie realizes that and sobers up a bit. I do end up having to force her to eatt, and I can't get her to eat more than half of it. The others pretend not to notice.

There's a fight about who pays, and the twins win. We walk outside and I've got Corrie's fingers laced through mine. The twins and Jake are chattering cheerfully in front of us. Were walking in silence but I really don't mind. I don't think Corrie does either.

Its chilly, but Corrie has my jacket.

We get to the car and Jake is talking about football. Corrie hesitantly puts her head on my shoulder. I start stroking her hair and she shuts her eyes.

Were in our own little bubble. Alec and Ashton are fighting about something with Jake cheering them on. I think because were in our own little world I see it happening an instant before it does. I see Alec smack at Ashton and Ashton loose control of the car. Then it literally happens and all I think is oh shit and tighten my grip on Corrie.

I don't know what we hit, but the car literally flipped upside down. Corrie screams as it goes over again, but I can't tell for sure. The car is still spinning every which way and I don't know which way is up and all I hear is Corrie not screaming anymore.

Then there's an even bigger impact and someone else yells.

Then silence.

Were upside down. Corrie's crumpled on the bashed roof of the car below me. Then I pass out.