Invisible

That night we'd all gone out to eat, and as most of my fathers family was filthy stinking rich, we rented out half the damn resturaunt. Corrie was really trying, hard, and I can tell it was getting to her. She hadn't had to socialize with this many people at once... Ever? And she legit had to socialize, because the british half of my family is asking Corrie random questions, and the southern half is all very... Spolied, asking her what types of grades she got, what she planned on being when she grew up, critisizing her looks, her weight (telling her she was to thin, not to big), among other things. I'd been keeping her away from them as much as possible, but I was questioning the manners of my family, because my god mother Tonya was inspecting Corrie from across the table.

"You need to cut your hair," she sniffs. "Long hair is one thing, but yours is getting ridiculous, dear. Almost like that Alec."

"I love her hair," I say, annoyed. "And Alec's."

"She needs some ambition!" Another relative chimes in. "You're a junior, you need to know what you're going to be! Forget her hair, I think its rather nice, if a bit dull. She'd look good blonde."

Corrie snaps, bursting into tears and knocking over her chair as she rushes away. I chase after her instantly, having expected this for an hour. I'd been hurrying dinner along, but it wasn't fast enough.

Corrie's tiny and fast, so it takes me a few minutes to catch her. She's made her way to a little boardwalk like street lined with cute little shops. At the end of the boardwalk is a little ampetheater with a live band. I grab ahold of her in the middle of the street, even though there are a rather lot of people and press her into my chest. She sobs into my shirt.

"Shh, lovely, its okay," I murmur, glaring at anyone who tried to stare.

'N-no its n-not!" she wails. "They h-h-hate me! I-i-i'm not good enough f-for them! Or you!"

"Corrie!" I snap. "Never think that again, do you understand me? Screw them, but I love you, and you are far more than I deserve."

I glared at the people listening. They all thought this was some epic romance, I bet. Maybe it was, but it was none of their business. Especially if Corrie was having a meltdown. It was only going to make it worse.

She sniffles. "I am nothing special," she whimpers. "I don't know why you think so."

Deciding on a new approah, I sigh and say, "Corrie, I'm starting to think you just like to hear me tell you you're beautiful and amazing and perfect and that I love you with all my heart, because there's no way you can think you're normal."

"Do you really believe that?"

Her tone catches me off guard. "Yes." And I did.

She's stopped crying, and is now just leaning on me in a very tired fashion.

"I'm sorry. It was unfair of me to ask so much from you. I didn't realize... They would be quite so overwhelming, or that we wouldn't be able to escape. I really hate my dad's family. I can't believe them."

"Its not your fault," Corrie says bitterly. "I should be a normal human being that can deal with that sort of thing. Why can't I?" She's choking up by the end of it.

I lift her off the ground and she wraps her legs around my waist so I can look in her tearful eyes. "Because you've had to deal with more than any one else. You're so brave, Corrie, and you can't help what it did. Or even if that didn't cause it, everyone still has their wierd fears. you get panicky about people. I'm scared of dolls."

"What?"

"Like those creepy porcelain dolls... Or just regular baby dolls. Even Barbies freak me out."

Corrie stares at me, incredulous, then laughs. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, and don't laugh," I say, grinning wickedly and super happy that it worked.

She kisses me on the nose. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"I'm not. You should ask the twins about when they found out. They think its quite a story to tell... to all of my girlfriends that they meet."

She giggles and leans her head on my shoulder.

"Come on babe, lets go do something fun." I wipe her tears away and set her down.

She shies into my side, burying her face in my shirt. "They're all staring."

"We were causing something of a scene, angel." I tug her towards the music. "My beautiful, amazing angel." I know Corrie's blushing without looking at her.

The amphitheater is actually pretty full, despite the chilly weather. We settle down on a bench. The band isn't half bad. A few couples are dancing around, and even though I want to drag Corrie to dance, I don't. Better give her time.

There are two singers, a boy and a girl, and one is playing a guitar, the other a bass. They start up a Taylor Swift song (what else?) and Corrie's eyes light up. "Do you know what song this is?"

"Taylor Swift?" I guess.

"Thats the singer. Its the song Fearless."

I don't recognize it, but I jump up and drag Corrie out to where the other couples are dancing. I wrap my arms around her and she seems just a bit self conscious, but starts singing along.

"There's something bout the way,
The street looks when its just rained,
There's a glow off the pavement,
You walk me to the car,
And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there,
In the middle of the parking lot,
Yeah.
Woah.

Were drivin down the road,
I wonder if you know,
I'm trying so hard not to get caught up in now,
But you're just so cool,
Run your hands through your hair,
Absentmindedly making me want you.

And I don't know how it gets better than this,
You take my hand and drag me head first,
Fearless.
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress
Fearless

So baby drive slow
'til we run out of road in this one horse town
I wanna stay right here in this passenger's seat
You put your eyes on me
In this moment now capture it, remember it

Cause I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress
Fearless

Well you stood there with me in the doorway
My hands shake
I'm not usually this way but
You pull me in and I'm a little more brave
It's the first kiss,
It's flawless,
Really something,
It's fearless.

Oh yeah
Cause' I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress
Fearless

Cuz I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress
Fearless

Oh-oh
Oh yeah ."

Her eyes are so bright they just kind of suck me in. I kiss her before she's even done singing, gripping her tightly. She responds in kind, knotting one hand in my hair, and leaving the other pinned between our chests. I pull back just enough to moan, "I love you angel." She smiles against my lips. "Love you more," she reponds, her lips brushing my. God, she's so... So. I kiss her again, not letting her go until she pushes me off.

"Were kind of causing another scene," she whispers.

"You are b-e-a-utiful," I say. I turn for whatever reason to see Alec at the forefront of a group of southern relatives, smirking. Corrie looks over and clamps up, tucking herself into my chest shyly. I think she must have the little kid mindset that if you can't see it, its not there, but its really cute and I wont complain.

"Make them go away," she says.

"We were here first."

"I hate Alec."

"They're leaving anyway. I think Alec was just trying to show them just how perfect we are."

"You're a dream Aaron."

I laugh. "And you're mine, Corrie."