Invisible

Every available inch of the house was used as sleeping space, kids ending up on floors. Alec and Ashton were booted into the room with Corrie and me, as well as Jake. Our stuff hardly fit, let alone us. No one seemed to realize Corrie was in there, and no one who knew was about to say anything.

We all stood around, staring awkwardly. "I should go sleep somewhere else, with Lorrie," she squeaks.

"Lorrie's sharing with two other girls," I say. "And I don't want you to have nightmares lovely."

"But they'll find out, and spaz like your Aunty did," Corrie whimpers.

I rolled my eyes. "No ones going to believe were having sex with Ashton, Alec, and Jake in the room. Well, maybe Ashton and Jake, but not Alec, and they all know I'm the only virgin left on the planet. Go get changed angel."

She comes back with her hair in a bun, on top of her bed. She curls into my side on the bed, trying not to ratch Alec, Ashton, and Jake stare. I squeaze her bun, laugh, and do it again. Corrie bursts into giggles. "Why are you enjoying that so much?"

"No idea."

Corrie giggles.

Ashton sits up. "I love you both, but if you're going to be all lovey-dovey, I'm going to go anywhere else."

I kiss Corrie slowly, and Ashton groans. she tries to push me off, but I win.

"Get the fuck off of her Aaron," Alec groans.

"I don't know, I'm kind of finding it a turn on," Jake says.

I sit straight up and put Corrie on my other side, glaring. Corrie is giggling madly. Jake is grinning eviy. Alec looks oddly somber, watching Jake. Ashton kicks Alec.

"Your mom is making me help with breakfast tomorrow," Corrie sighs.

"Yaaaay!" The twins sqeal, clapping their hands.

"If we get out of the house soon enough, we can do our own thing," I say, playing with a stray lock of hair that had missed the bun. "If you want."

"Are you askiNg me on a date?" Corrie murmurs, her head resting on my chest.

"Yes."

"Then I accept. Your family scares me. I can't believe I cried in front of them."

I just pull her closer.

"Hey Ashton, Alec, how'd you find out Aaron was scared of dolls?"

I groan half-heartedly as the three boys on the floor burst into laughter.
~
I wake up in the middle of the night and it takes me a few seconds to realize Corrie is missing and the door is creaked open. I stand up and manuver over the teenage guys on the floor.

It takes me a while, but I eventually find her in the largest downstairs bathroom, back against the bath tub, hunched over, one knee up and the other leg down, her hair hiding nearly her entire body so she had a similar appearance to Cousin It. She's shaking and sniffling quietly, and there's a bloody razor on the floor.

"Oh Corrie," I whisper, knealing down in front of her and taking her into my arms. She buries her face into my chest and sobs. "Angel, calm down, it'll be okay."

"N-no it won't," she sobs, her voice muffled. "I-i came down s-stairs for a drink and y-your cousin-" she brakes off, and I'm not sure which cousin she's talking about.

I pick her up bridal style and carry her into the kitchen, setting her on the counter. I bend over to find the first aid kit, as her arms are covered in blood. She can't seem to calm down, either. "Th-they all hate me Aaron."

"They do not. They're like that to everyone, even their children. No one is ever good enough. Its how the show affection." I wipe off her arm. "Just let them get used to you lovely." I begin to wrap it up.

"I don't have any family, Aaron, and I thought that thyey-" she cuts off and bursts into fresh tears.

I press her face into my chest. "They'll warm up to you, and even if they don't, I don't give a damn. Give them time, angel. They're a whole different breed of people lovely. Plus, Mom's side likes you, you're just to shy to see it."

I pull her back and smile at her warmly, despite my freezing insides.

"Are you okay?"

We both jump.

Little Beth is standing in the door, only six, wearing a little white night gown and her blonde hair is all messed up from sleep. She smiles shyly. "I'm sorry they hurt your feelings. I think you're really pretty, and I like your hair." Beth scampers forward and takes my hand. "Is that a boo-boo?" She points at Corrie's arms.

"Yeah," I say.

"Did you kiss it better?"

I laugh. "How could I forget?" I grab Corrie's arms, but kiss her on the mouth.

Beth squeals and puts her hands over her eyes.

I smile at Beth, and Corrie says, "All better."
~
In the morning Corrie's gone again, but then I remember she's making breakfast. I get up, brush my teeth, put on some clothes, and head downstairs, passing random family members along the way.

When I get to the kitchen Beth is sitting on the counter, eating dough, Lorrie's asleep with her head on the table, Mom is rummaging in the pantry, and Corrie is the only one working. She's wearing my jacket so you can't see her bandages.

"Good morning," I say pleasantly.

"Says who?" Lorrie moans. Maybe she isnt asleep.

"I do." I wrap my arms around Corrie's waist and squeaze her to me. "I love you baby." I kiss her gently.

"Eeew!" Beth squeals before running off.

Corrie flicks batter on my nose.

I wipe it off, then smear more batter on her lips and kiss her. She whimpers, such a small noise I can hardly hear it. And suddenly all I wanted was her. I need to kiss her right now, I needed to feel her right now. I needed her.

So I dragged her out of the kitchen and into the nearest closet, pressing her up against the wall. "Only empty room thats private."

She sniggers, then kisses me, hard, with the same amount of urgency I'm feeling. She tugs at my hair and I moan into her mouth. I lift her up so I'm holding her up so its less awkward in height difference. Then I stumble back so my back is against the opposite wall. She slides my jacket off andI tug at the hem of her shirt, she encourages me on. I pull it all the way off, and begin to kiss down her neck, then bite and suck gently on her neck, my free hand unwinding from her hair and try to unhook her bra.

She moans as I let her neck go and resume kissing her. I can't get the bra undone, so I sit her down and try with two hands. Eventually she laughs, pushes me off of her, and reaches around to her back with her eyes lit up mischeviously.

Holy shit.

"Breakfast!" Mom yells. We hear the thunder of feet pounding from all around the house.

"We could go upstairs now, it'll be empty," I say, or more like, beg.

"They'll miss us," Corrie says, now obviously rehooking her bra.

I groan and put my face on her stomach. She's just as nervous as I am. Corrie pushes my head back a little so she can pull her shirt back on. I smile and put my hand back on her stomach, intending to push her bra up regardless, but then I felt the scars that ran across it. I couldn't see them, as it was to dark, but I traced one with my finger.

"Battle scars," Corrie says weakly.

I kiss her on the stomach, then stand up and peck her on the lips, running my fingers through her hair. "I can guarantee you both of us have messed up hair, and I know you have a hickey, but don't worry. Lorrie's an expert at covering them up."

She smiles and runs her hands through mine too, and I laugh, so she does too. I settle back onto the floor and pull her down with me so her back was to my chest.

"Aaron?" Mom yells. 'Corrie?"

Corrie makes to get up, but I hold her down. "They can wait," I say.

"You're really wierd," Corrie mutters, but lays her head back across my chest. The closet is kind of cramped, but I don't feel like moving, so we just sit there.

Then Ashton finds us. Of course it would be Ashton. He opens the door , looks down, then squeals, "How come you guys get to play in the magic fort and I don't?"

"What the hell?" I ask, laughing. Corrie is too.

"And you think I'm wierd. I come in here looking for Gran's coat, and I find you two sitting in the closet. What are you doing in the closet?"

I shrug. "Sitting."

"Freaks. Get up and eat some breakfast, we've been looking for you."

Corrie grabs my jacket and follows us out, hiding behind me as we got our food. "You do realize we weren't going to have sex, right?" She murmurs.

"I wasn't realizing anything babe, but I atleast wanted to get to second base," I mutter back as we take seats on the floor of the living room, where everyone else has congregated.

She giggles. "Well, if you get me that day out, you might get a... Reward."

"A reward?" I ask.

"What are you two saying?" My great-grandma on my dad's side asks, or rather, screams.

"Nothing Gran," I answer back, loudly.

No one seems to know what to do about Corrie, as no one has seen her since she cried. There's next to no conversation, and I can tell their uncomfortableness is freaking Corrie out. She's starting to shake.

Then Beth skips in, sees Corrie, squeals, and sits beside her. She starts to chatter happily. Corrie gives me an amazed look, before Beth drags her attention back. I laugh, and the conversation returns. Corrie unlocks a little and eases into conversation with Beth.

Beth comes in and sits on Corrie's other side, and immediatly starts chattering away. Corrie gives me a confused look, before returning her attention to Beth.
~
An hour later Corrie and Alec are finger painting with the younger kids while most everyone else is in the sunroom. After making sure she'll be okay, and under careful supervision of Alec, I go to the sunroom.

"The paint was a genius idea Uncle Brian," I say, falling onto the couch, onto Ashton and Jake's laps.

Uncle Brian laughs. "Paint is always a good idea."

"I know. It even works on Corrie." Ashton and Jake roll me onto the floor.

"How did you meet Corrie?" Asks Aunt Victoria, Beth's mom.

"We got paired up on an English project."

"How long have you been together?" Asks Aunt Rachel.

"Since the middle of November."

"Thats not very long," Aunt Victoria says snipishly.

"It feels like forever," I say blissfully.

Laughter bursts from the finger painting area.

"She's a pretty little thing," My grand aunt or something like that, Eileen says.

"I know." Grinning at her, I force Jake over and sit beside him.

Alec yelps and there's more laughter.

"What do her parents do?" Asks my godfather Ethan.

Mom, Dad, Lorrie, Ashton, and Jake stiffen, but I've got ready alibis. "Her Dad works for a software company called CGS. Her mom's been dead for a while.

"AUSTIN PUT IT DOWN!" Alec screams. Corrie's laughter overpowers all the others.

"What happened to her arms?" Asks Uncle Nicholas.

"What?"

"She had bandages on her arms."

"Oh, that." A little caught off guard, I come up with a quick lie. "When you people scared her off yesterday she fell, Its how I caught her." I glare at my godmother all the while. "She's really, really shy. Fragile. Sensitive. You pick your word, but she's terrified of all of you. I'd really appreciate it if you didn't criticize her hair, her clothes, how much income her dad has, or her lack of ambition. Corrie's afraid of people in general, but you guys are like... Terrorists to her."

"Then why are you dating her?" Aris asks.

My eyes narrow. "Because I love her. Mom, can Corrie and I go do something later?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, anything. I don't want her to stay around our lovely family until they learn to behave."

"Well, I guess so."

"But this is family time!" Gran protests.

"Corrie!" Alec yells, sounding scandalized.

"Alec!" Corrie yells back.

I jump to my feet to go check on them. As they're outside, that involves freezing to death. All the kids, including Corrie and Alec, are coated in paint. I laugh at the sight of them.

"Hey," Corrie says cheerfully, blue paint in her hair.

"Hi baby," I say. "Smurfette."

"Smurfs have white hair," Corrie says, running a red hand through her blue hair.

"Yeah, but your face is half blue too." She skips over to me and throws her arms out. "Wanna hug?"

"No, I'm wearing nice clothes." I laugh at her and bend over, kissing her yellow and green lips. "Wanna go on a date with me?"

"Hmmmm, no," She smirks.

"No?" I ask, incredulously.

"Just kidding, yes," She kisses me again and the kids, and Alec, chorus, "Eeeew!"

"Come find me whenever you're done," I say, wiping paint off my lips. She smiles and I head back inside, walk straight through the congregation of my family, and into the kitchen getting a glass of orange juice.

"Whatever happened to that Kaylee chick?" I jump and turn around. Its Katelin, my godmother's daughter. She's my age, with red hair and the world's best eye make-up, even to make Lorrie jealous.

"She cheated on me because I wouldn't screw her, got pregnant, broke up with me, went psycho on Corrie, and the baby daddy got pissy because Kaylee still had a thing for me and shot Ashton. Then Kaylee had a meltdown, and I've been avoiding her like the plague because the last thing I need is for her to attack Corrie again."

Katelin blinks. "What the hell?"

"I know. Only my life."

"PUT THE PAINT DOWN SOPHIE!" Alec screams from outside.

"If Corrie's so jumpy, why did you bring her?"

"Because she couldn't stay at home."

"You could do better."

"No I couldn't. she's amazing, you just have to get her to talk. Which is totally worth the effort. I mean, she's really just... Such a great person. She even tried to kelp Kaylee. And she's an amazing artist, and she can sing like nobody's business." I could keep rhapsodizing about her forever, but I stop, as half the reasons that I love her would involve talking about secrets that weren't mine.

Corrie comes in. she's changed clothes, out of some of my old clothes and into skinny jeans and a button down plad shirt. There's still some paint on her neck and in her hair. On her hickey. I grin at her and she comes to stand at my side, watching Katelin like she's going to pounce.

"Corrie, this is Katelin, Shandra's daughter."

"I know, you told me," Corrie murmurs, casting her eyes down. I cup Corrie's face in one hand and pull it up so her hair can't shield her pretty face.

"You still have paint on your neck," Katelin says flatly. "And its still in your hair, too."
I lick my finger and rub it gently away from her neck. "Do you think it'll stain Alec's hair?"

"If it does, he'll probably throw a fit until he gets it redone," Corrie answers.

"Why would he do that to his hair in the first place?" Katelin asks snottily.

"Because its awesome," Corrie says, her voice stronger and on the defensive side.

"Plus they wanted people to be able to tell the difference between them," I add. I wrap an arm around Corrie's waist and pull her right up to my side. "Come on angel, you ready to go?"

She nods and I take her hand. "By Katelin," I say before leading her out of the room. "Where do you want to go?"

"Well I was hoping you might have an idea."

"Its the middle of winter so we can't do half the fun beachy stuff. We could.... Hmm..."

"Lets just walk on the beach,' Corrie suggests. "Please?"

"Sure thing babe." I smile at her and nearly hit another car.

"Would you please focus on the road?" She covers her eyes cutely with her hands.

"Trying, it doesn't help you're so fucking adorable." I find one of the public stretches of beach and park, help Corrie out of the car since neither of us are used to being so close to the ground when we get out of a car, and we set off, holding hands. There are a few other couples walking around and a few of the winterbirds swimming. Corrie stares openly at them. "They're from Canada or somewhere where its always cold. This is like... hot for them."

"Its still sixty degrees outside. The only reason the water isn't frozen solid is because its the ocean," she protests.

"They don't seem to mind."

"They will when they get hypothermia."

We lapse into more silence. When you're with Corrie you have to be okay with silence, because she really didn't talk much, even when she was comfortable around you. But this wasn't a comfortable one. Corrie was nervous, tense.

"Whats up Corrie?" I eventually ask.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me baby, whats wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Corrie," I say sternly. "You know you can tell me anything."

"But that doesn't mean I want to talk about it. Or think about it."

"Well, you're thinking about it, obviously, so please tell me? Is it my satanic family?"

"No."

I think. "Is it because I tried to strip you down in the closet this morning?"

She giggles. "No. Well, sort fo, but not really."

"Then what is it?"

She shrugs and I groan in exasperation. "Corrie."

"Aaron."

"You're impossible."

"I'll tell you eventually."

"Why eventually?"

"Well, at the pace you're setting, it'll be sooner rather than later."

"What?"

Corrie smirks and twirls around in front of me, her hair fanning out around her head and nearly hitting me as it was so long. "I haven't been to the beach since I was like eight. Its to bad its cold, I'd love to go swimming."

"Well, once its summer we'll have free reign."

"Summer's so far away. Its not even January yet."

"Well, New Years Eve is only two days away."

She wrinkles up her nose in the worlds cutest fashion, but I realize she must be thinking about previous year's New Years Eve 'celebrations'. I grab her by the waist and lift her into the air, and don't bother to put her down.

"I've got feet too, you know," she complains, bending over my arms.

"Really? I had no idea." I adjust how I'm carrying her so its bridal style and she's gives me a fake glare.

"Am I not heavy, even a little bit?"

"No. You weigh about as much as Beth does."

"I'm not that small."

"Don't be so sure lovely."

She leaned her head on my chest. "Can I walk now?"

"I like carrying you around. Is that wierd?"

"Very." I set her down and she skips beside me. We lapse back into silence, but its more comfortable now. We walk along for God knows how long, then I ask, "Are you hungry dear?"

"A little."

"Then lets get lunch. Where to?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Well, then you pick."

"Ummm, that place." She points at the most brightly colored little resturaunt lining the beach. We make our way up there and sit inside at one of the little two=person booths. The waitress comes along and takes our drink orders. Corrie gets this fruit smoothie thing she found on the menue.

"Are you having fun, Corrie, or do you really wish we weren't here with my family?" I ask.

She contemplates her answer. "I need to get used to your family. And I love the little kids. I just wish I wasn't so damn shy. I know I'd be having a lot more fun if I wasn't." She looks at the table sadly. "I try so hard, but I just can't."

I reach over and take her hand. "It'll get better, and if it doesn't, I still love you."

She smiles weakly. "I can't help but wonder if I'm autistic, but I wasn't shy when my mom was still here. I'm just... Defective."

I pull her chin up and lean over the table. "Corrie, there is nothing wrong with you."

"If there was nothing wrong with me I wouldn't hide from your family, and I certainly wouldn't shred my skin every time I got upset." Her voice is bitter.

I look at her sadly, my hand still on her face, my thumb rubbing small circles. She shuts her eyes and leans against my hand. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"That I'm always... Like this. You deserve someone as fun as you are."

I stand up and kiss her over the table. "I'm having fun."
~
We have to go back much sooner than I expected because Mom calls and tells us if we don't get home soon the family will eat us alive. So we go home. And Corrie promptly vanishes. Before I can find her, though, I'm caught in a conversation with Aunt Tina.

Then Alec comes downstairs, dragging Corrie along behind him. "There you are!" I say brightly, holding out my arms. She wiggles out of Alec's grasp and scampers over obediantly, tucking herself shyly against my side. I leave one arm thrown around her shoulders. "Corrie you remember my Aunt Tina?"

Corrie just nods, staring up at her painted face with wide eyes, like a child. I stroke her hair with one hand. Mom comes in and ruins the fun. "Oh, good, you're back Corrie. You and Alec go help the little kids decorate cupcakes, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," Corrie says compliantly, pulling away from me. I kind of miss her warmth at my side.

Thrity minutes later I waltz into the kitchen with my cousins Josh, Alexis, and Lily. Everyone has icing on them, as does most of the kitchen, and Alec looks really really pissed. Like he's about to choke one of the kids. Corrie however, is in her element.

"Look at mine!" One of the kids shrieks, waving his freshly iced cupckae around.

"Thats really good!" Corrie says, extricating the cupckae from the sticky fingers. She flashes me a smile as she hands the kid a fresh cupcakes. "This was such a bad idea."

I waltz over to her. "Oh I don't think so." Then, in front of everyone, I lick icing off of her nose. The kids scream and I grin, kissing her. She tries to push me off, but without conviction. Hey, I was a heartbraker, but Corrie was like... An addiction.

"Would you keep your hands off of her for fifteen minutes?" Alec snaps. "I need her to help control these little monsters-demons-children."

I let go of a now breathless Corrie. "What's up with you, man?"

"He's just mad he's going to have to take a third shower after this," Corrie chirps.

"I'm never having kids," Alec says grumpily.

"Oh no?" Corrie says, her voice fifty degrees colder, so out of the ordinary I stare, as do my three other cousins.

Alec looked stricken. "Corrie I-"

"Forget it. doesn't matter," Corrie huffs, leaning her head against my arm, then turning to assist Beth.

"What doesn't matter?" I ask. "Is this whats been bothering you? You told him, not me?"

"You haven't told Aaron?" Alec asks in confusion, but Corrie's already missing.

"What hasn't she told me?" I interrogate, feeling a certain sense of betrayal she told Alec and not me.

Alec shook his head. "She'll tell you."

"No, she wont, I already tried."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Well, honestly, I don't blame her. she'll come around. And why the hell am I telling you this? You already know it." He's got a point.

I go to look for Corrie, but Alec stops me. "I bet if you don't go searching for her, she'll find you."

Damn him. I make sure to give him a glare before I go upstairs and throw myself onto the bed with my laptop. Wait for Corrie... Damn him, what did he know about girls anyway? He hadn't had a girlfriend.... God, when had he had a girlfriend? I can't remember.

I put on music. I wonder if Corrie thinks I've abandoned her.

I fall asleep.

I wake up when Corrie slips into bed beside me. "Hey baby," I murmur sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Dinner," she says, sounding amused. "We made it. All the legal drinkers are gone for 'date night'."

"We need another date night," I muse, still drowsy.

She laughs softly and I feel her soft lips brush my collar bone, sending electric tingles all throughout my body. She plants another kiss higher up on my neck, all the way up to my mouth. She tastes prominently of cupcakes. Damn, she's something. I've got my eyes closed, and I've honestly never been more relaxed. Corrie's the same way and she melts against me. "I love you, Aaron," she breaths.

"I love you too... Cupcake."

Corrie giggles and snuggles closer to me. Its when I wrap my arms around her, I realize how little clothes she's wearing. A t-shirt, mine by the feel of it, but she isn't wearing any pants.

"Corrie..." I whisper. "What are you doing?"

I can feel her smirk, even if I've still got my eyes shut tight. "They're all eating in the sunroom..." She runs one of her tiny hands down my chest.

"Corrie," I say, a little more sternly, sitting up. She looks a little stung and tries to get up but I stop her. "Corrie calm down..."

So she just sits there and stares at me, and I stare at her, at a loss for what to say. I can't think of anything that doesn't mean Corrie's immediate withdrawal and possible fight. Corrie's tearing up because I'm not saying anything.

She pulls herself out of my grasp and scrambles out of the bed, trying to find her pants. I stand up. "Please say something," she begs.

"Its all right, I'm not mad, and you don't need to feel... Shunned or anything. I mean... You know I'm still a virgin... And I've really just been waiting for the right person to give it to, as girly as that sounds. And... When we do it, I want it to be right, special, a huge fucking deal Corrie."

She's tearing up again, but I pull her in and kiss her. "Lovely, you haven't done anything wrong, so please don't feel like you have. I want it to be just as special for you as it will be with me. Because, technically, you're still a virgin in my book. Please let it be all right."

"You aren't mad?" She whimpers.

"Why would I be angel? I love you." I kiss her neck. "In all honestly, you surprised me. I didn't think we'd be having sex until we were married, because of... You know."

"In all honestly, I just... Want to erase all the bad memories and fill in some new ones."

"And we will lovely." I lift her into the air. "Trust me, I really want to, but two things have to happen first."

"What?"

"I have to find Lorrie's stache of condoms, and I have to figure out what the hell your supposed to do because all I have is vague ideas."

She laughs outright. "Can you help me find my pants?" she sniffles.

"I can't say I really want you to find your pants," I say, admiring her ass.

"You know, you can't just turn me down like that, then tell me you don't want me in pants."

"Watch me cutie." I kiss her roughly, tugging her hair just as roughly. she lets out a little gasp against my mouth. My other hand travels down her back until I'm squeazing her butt. Her breathing is erratic and I pull my t-shirt straight over her head, smirking, and get a good look at her. She really has an amazing body. I smile at her, because she's looking self-conscious, and pull her into another kiss. But this one is just as hard, and I start giving her sharp little bites down her neck, causing her to squeak in pain. I grin. I'd driven half of the high school girls insane because I'd never put out.

I unhook her bra much easier and slide it off. Now I'm even nervous. "You are so damn sexy. Put your clothes back on, were going to eat. I skip out of the room to Corrie's, "What the fuck, Aaron?"