Invisible

On Monday I have two coffees and scared as hell that she'll either throw hers at me or in the trash can. Does she even like coffee? I'm such an idiot. If all else fails, I can give it to Jake.

Where is Jake? I would've thought he'd sabatoged me by now. I look around nervously, my stomach in knots, and my hands starting to burn from the hot cups.

What if she doesn't even come? I haven't heard from her since Saturday. What if she shot herself, slit her throat, threw herself off the bridge? What use is some stupid-ass little kid promise. I should have made her pinky swear. God, what if she doesn't come? Would I be invited to her funeral? Would there be a funeral? Who would know to invite me if there was?

"You look terrible, and everyone's getting irritated by your forced avoiding of us," Jake says from behind me. I jump so hard I nearly spill both coffees.

"Whose your date on Wednesday?" I ask.

"Morgan Littery. You knew that. Is that one for me?"

"No."

"So its for Corrie?"

"If she doesn't drink it, you can have it."

"You're so obsessed with her. Its cute. Is that why you're avoiding everyone in the mornings now?"

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else about Corrie."

"Why not?"

"She wouldn't appreciate it. Now get lost before Corrie shows up." If she shows up.

"Grouchy." But he goes.

Corrie shows up minutes before the bell and my muscles unclench in relief. She stops when she sees me, as if she's considering turning around, but sighs and keeps walking forward. "Good morning," she says.

"Why do you always sound like you never sleep?" I ask.

"I'm an insomniac," she says dryly, and I'm not sure whether or not to believe her. Instead, I offer a cup.

"What's that?"

"Coffee. From Starbucks." Couldn't she see the label? "Just drink it, its good."

She has to shake her hair out of her face to drink it, but atleast she didn't throw it at me. "Thank you."

"No problem."

"Will Ms. Glen let us drink this in class?"

"Jake does it all the time, but I think he scares her."

"He's a wierd kid."

"He's addicted to caffeine."

"I've noticed."

I raise an eyebrow, and she looks away uncomfortably. "One advantage of being on the far outside is I know more about him than you do."

"Thats kind of stalker-ish," I tease. Her face turns red. "Bet you couldn't tell me when he stopped wetting the bed."

"Nope, when?" She asks.

"He was thirteen."

She laughs at that and its the nicest sound ever. I join in because it is really funny. "No kidding?" she says as the bell rings and we walk in.

"I'm serious. It was because he'd drink like a gallon of soda before he fell asleep."

"He could fall asleep?"

"I'm amazed too. Don't tell him I told you that. He'd never forgive me."

She smiles, her straight white teeth dazzling.

"There it is," I say before taking my spot. She looks down, her hair falling back into its normal shroud around her face, but I still made her laugh.

Jake comes in. "Dang, she took the coffee."

I grin at him.

"What?" He asks, but I don't bother to answer.

Ms. Glen drones on and on about some book we were supposed to read, but Jake and I never did. Corrie's scratching on a paper, but it doesn't look like she's paying much attention. I wish she'd pull her hair away from her face so I could see it.

"Mr. Maccero, are you paying attention?" Ms. Glen's nasally voice snaps me back to attention.

"Um, no?" Jake grins at me from the his seat. Everyone has turned to look at me, including Corrie.

"Office now."

"But-"

"I am tired of you-"

"Ms. Glen, you have to let him stay." Corrie's voice surprises me almost as much as it does everyone else. Have they ever heard her speak? "I'm stuck with him as a partner for the project, and you said the last thirty minutes of class were going to be devoted to working on it."

"Your project better be the best one in the class," Ms. Glen sniffs.

"Yes ma'am." I give Corrie a double thumbs up behind Ms. Glen's back. She returns the gesture with another smile and I'm thinking what the hell has gotten into her? Does she react to coffee the same way Jake does? Did the guy at the store put cocaine in it?

When we get together for the project Jake is drinking the rest of my coffee. By the time were ready to get started he's eyeballing Corrie's. She sees him looking at it. "Do you want the rest of it?"

"Yes," Jake says instantly.

She pushes the coffee cup towards him and Jake takes it gratefully. He tips the cup all the way back. "You're kidding, that was all that was left?"

"You wanted the rest, that was all that was left. Would you mind throwing the cup away?"

"I am a slave," he says in disgust, taking my cup and hers to the trashcan.

"I'm getting you coffee more often. You're in such a good mood."

She shrugs.

"While you're in a good mood, are you busy Wednesday?" I ask as Jake starts to sit down, then he gets up and leaves again.

"I'm going to regret this, but I'll see if I can."

I smile so hard I'm sure it looks like my face is going to split in half. "Its a date. Promise?"

"Promise," she sighs.

"Mr. Dilling, why aren't you working?!" Ms. Glen snaps. Jake flees back to us.
~

I can tell by the look Corrie gives me at lunch that I can't go sit with her. In P.E. she's the same old frosty Corrie, and I don't spend much time with her because Kaylee is watching us. Crazy bitch.

I call her after practice, and it sounds like she's whispering into the phone. "Hello?"

"ITs me, Aaron. I was thinking I'd pick you up about five thirty-ish on Wednesday, then we could go get dinner and maybe do something else after?"

"Sure."

"Did you ask if you could go."

"My Dad doesn't really care either way."

How odd, the dads are normally the ones I have to impress.

"Can you atleast lie to me and tell me you're half as excited as I am?" I sigh into the phone.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Aaron, undoubtably."

"Promise?"

"Promise."