Invisible

A week and a half later Ashton has been successfully off the breather-thingy. And talking. That part isn't so successful. He can't string sentences together, he's so doped up, and there's so much wrong with his insides. Corrie's fallen into the habit of singing for him, which makes me mildly jealous, but I get over it. I'm not the one in the hospital bed.

Its getting closer to Christmas, and Aunty Margarete isn't planning on leaving any time soon, so she's bunking in Ashton's room. Her reaction to finding out Corrie and I were sleeping in the same room was... Interesting. She walked into my room in the middle of the night, and I still don't know why, and raised hell until Corrie was crying in the downstairs closet, Lorrie was locked out of her bedroom, and Mom was forced to give Aunty sleeping pills.

I've already started working on Corrie's present. I asked her what she wanted, and she told me she'd be pissed if I spent to much. But she forced Alec to take her out for a whole afternoon for mine, and I know it'll be worth it.

Were back in school, and the rules are so revamped its insane. It sucks, but it is helpful, I suppose. Good intentions. Metal detectors, though. At least there were no uniforms.

I go out of my way to avoid Kaylee like the plague, and since Corrie is more or less ducktaped to my side most of the time, she avoids her too, though I know she's worried about Kaylee. Which I don't understand.

Alec's demeanor has changed so much its creepy. He used to laugh, and make jokes, and just be Alec. Now he's moody and silent. I hope whenever Ashton can walk again they'll both go back to normal.

Ten day before Christmas he comes home, and he's nearly off his meds, so you can have normal conversations with him. When he's passed out asleep though, there's a huge fight down stairs.

"You are not staying in America!" Aunty yelled. "I thought it would be therapeutic for you to come here! Your brother has been shot!"

Corrie and I are watching from the landing. Dad had retreated to the kitchen in fear, but Mom had joined the fray. I admire her bravery. She and her sister were so crazy.

Then my phone rings. "Hello?"

"Is this Aaron Maccero?"

"Um, yeah."

"Is Corrine Monroe there?"

"Yeah, right here. Babe, phone," I hand it over.

"This is she," Corrie said cautiously. "Um, yes.... Yes... Oh.... Yes... Of course... I'll be right there. Thank you. Bye." She hangs up and looks sadly at the stairs. "Can you drive me to the police station? My dad..."

"Don't say another word love. Come on." I take her hand and lead her down the stairs.

The argument had changed from Aunty and Alec to Aunty and Mom.

"AND YOU'VE GOT HIS LITTLE WHORE STAYING IN HIS ROOM-" Aunty yells.

"Excuse me?!" I yell, twisting on heel.

"Don't fight you're aunt," Corrie whispers.

"My little whore, huh? She stays in my room because-"

"Aaron, please, stop," Corrie begs, pulling on my hand. "Please baby?"

"And where are you going?!" Aunty rages.

"The police station," Corrie whispered, her eyes filling up with tears. "I stay here because I'm to terrified to stay with my father anymore." The tears spill over onto her beautiful face and she darts out into the front yard.

"Oh good going Aunty!" I yell. "You don't know half of whats happened to her. My fucking whore."

Corrie's collapsed on the front yard. She's so fragile. "Come on baby," I say quietly, pulling her up and getting her into the car. "She doesn't understand." I take her hand and pull her closer to me before pulling out, but I don't get very far before I put my truck in park on the side of the road and pull Corrie next to me. "Want to run away lovely? Just you and me? We'll get an apartment some place, a really crappy one with just two rooms. And you can work at Hot Topic and I'll work at the smoothie place. We'll get a little bitty kitten. A rescue one. I'll ditch all my credit cards and everything, so they cant find us. But we'll send postcards. Yeah, we'll move to... Los Angeles, so you can find a record label for your kick-ass voice."

"I love you Aaron. I really do. You make all the bad things go away. And I'm scared of everything." Her voice trembles.

I kiss the top of her head. "Just the two of us. We can be whoever the fuck we want to be."

"I wish we could, but come on, lets go rescue my sorry excuse of a father."

"We can. I'm dead serious Corrie, honest. We can wait till they're all asleep, pack our bags, and run. Los Angeles. You and me. Or wherever else you want to go. San Francisco. New York City. Miami. We could hop the border. Canadian or Mexican. Hop on a plane and go to Europe."

"You're serious are you?" She asks, raising one of her perfect eyebrows. "Right now?"

I nod, wondering if she'll actually take the offer. "Right now."

"Were seventeen."

"And?"

"Maybe when were older, out of high school." She smiles. "Now drive."

"Alright Corrie dear."

I do drive, and I know were both feeling better.

When we get there Corrie's happy mood has completely drained. I take her inside silently and she's holding my hand as we walk up to the counter. "Were here for Harold Monroe. He's my father."

"You poor thing," the woman says. "Come on back sweetie." She leads us to a row of cells, and Corrie's father is in the last one with two other deadbeats, a boy who doesn't look much older than us, and a really strung out druggie chick.

"He yours?" she asked Corrie. Harold has noticed Corrie, and is staring.

Looking directly at her father, Corrie answers in a disgusted voice, "Unfortunately. I'll send Officer Rodriquez out to talk to you."

"Thank you."

A few seconds pass in silence as she walks off. Corrie doesn't untangle her hand from mine, and doesn't take her steely glare off of Harold.

"Corrie," he says, his voice cracking. He stands up, and I'm fairly sure he's sober. Corrie backs up, dragging me with her.

"Why are you in here?" She asks.

"I swear I didn't-"

"Fuck you. How stupid do you think I am? I didn't. I won't. I'll stop-" Her voice is shaking.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders. She's trembling too. I can tell she's really mad.

Officer Rodriguez comes up then. "Are you Corrine?"

"Corrie," she corrects. "Can we talk anywhere else?"

"Of course. Come on back with me. And aren't you the boy who tackeld that shooter kid-"

I groan. If one more dumbass asks me about it. After the news story, I kind of hoped it would be over.

I go too, no questions asked. We go into one of those interrogation rooms and sit down. "Why is he in here?" Corrie asks quietly, all her bravado gone.

"Tried to rob a liquor store."

Corrie snorted sardonically. "What will happen to him?"

"Nothing, its his first charge. Just a warning."

"Really?"

"Yes. His license has been suspended, for two months-"

"Then he's screwed over, because I'm not taking care of him," Corrie says, bristling.

Officer Rodriguez stared at her.

"Well I'm not. He's better off in prison anyway. At least they'll feed him."

He obviously can't think of a response. I can't either. Corrie's never this vicious.

"She can't anyway," I say. "She doesn't have a license or a job."

"You wont even take your own father in."

"He tried to rob a liquor store. In all honesty, he needs it. I'm doing this for his well fare." Her voice said something totally different.

Officer Rodriguez is obviously reading into her words. "So what do we do?"

"You're the police officer."

"I could... But, you know, is there anyone else?"

"He was an only child and his parents are dead. That's as far as my knowledge goes."

"Could you-"

"No," Corrie says flatly. "He is no longer my problem."

"You go girl," I say.

"Well, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Whose going to provide for you?"

Corrie snorted. "He hasn't provided for me in-. Never mind, I'm living with Aaron. Not my problem. Can I go?"

"Don't you want to-"

"No. Can I go?"

"Well, I suppose-"

"Come on Aaron, you're my ride."

"Alright lovely." I stand up and she leads the way out, only pausing to shoot her father a contemptuous look and the middle finger.