"Where are you?" she heard him whisper.

"Alex?" she called out.

"Isabel?" he said standing and looking around the room. He spotted her and came running over to her hiding spot.

"What are you doing he-" she was cut off by the act of his arms wrapping around her and squeezing tightly.

" I'm so sorry," he said into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry. Those jerks should have never said that about you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said shakily.

"Liar," he smiled.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"I couldn't just let you run off," he said kissing her forehead gently. "No one deserves to be treated like that. He took his left hand and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Especially you."

"Me?" she questioned, her eyes wide.

"God," he whispered softly into her ear. "Can't you see how beautiful you are?"

Her breathing ceased as her face heated to a nice shade of red, he just called her beautiful. Alex Whitman had just called her beautiful. She closed her eyes fighting off another wave of tears. At least these weren't tears of sadness, they were of pure joy. A joy she had never known existed. She re-opened her eyes, brown meeting blue. She saw the concern in his gaze, the warming tender concern she'd thought he always had. He smiled, that loving gentle smile, fingers slowly caressing her tear stained cheeks. His lips were moving closer to hers, and she had to do everything to fight off the urge to pinch herself. Contact.as his mouth finally pressed against hers. It was soft, as soft as she always hoped it would be. She wrapped her arms around him, she needed to have him closer, a reassurance that this was happening. That yes, the often called 'geek princess' and 'Brad Pitt' of the sophomore class were actually kissing. Fire, she felt like her lips were on fire. The passion he brought towards her was so hot she thought she thought her lips would burn underneath his, but she didn't care. All that mattered at this moment was the he was kissing her, and nothing could take this away. Not those neanderthals Craig and Jimmy, not the matter of social standing, not the fact that she was different. Nothing could ever take this away. He urged her mouth open with his tongue, as he lovingly ran his fingers up her face. He winced as he right hand began to throb, and Isabel broke contact.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Hand hurts," he said simply.

She lifted his right hand with hers, examining the knuckles that were turning a nice shade of purple.

"What did you do?"

"Let's just say Craig may have a speech impediment for a few days." Alex said.

"You hit him?" she asked.

"Hit, knocked him on his ass. You know, it's all pretty much the same."

"For me?" she asked kissing the knuckles lightly.

"No one hurts my Isabel," he said.

"Your Isabel? She said breathlessly.

"No?"

"Yes," she said eagerly and threw her arms around him again.

"We're in a corner," he said glimpsing behind her. "You're always in corners."

"It helped me feel invisible," she explained. "It's easier to go unnoticed if you're in a corner."

"I noticed you," he said.

"You did?"

"Mhmm," he murmured kissing her cheek. "And you saw me, really saw me. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that."

They kissed again, Isabel still feeling the uncontrollable fire his kisses brought. Alex feeling that empty void in his soul slowly close with each tender movement of their lips.

"Come on," he said standing.

"Where are we going?"

"We're crawling from out of the corner," he said taking her hand in his.

***

The quad was bustling with the usual lunchtime crowd. All was normal. Until Alex Whitman emerged from one of the halls with Isabel Evans on his arm. Heads turned, gasps were heard, a few lunch trays here and there were dropped. The two ignored them all, walking right passed everyone with an unfazed expression. Hundreds of eyes followed the couple as they walked into the center of the quad. Alex looked over to his former table, seeing Craig nursing his sore jaw, but wise enough not to say a word. Alex stopped when they were in the exact center of the patio. Everyone's gaze still following. He turned to Isabel, running a sole finger down his cheek as he kissed her. A riptide of comments sailed through the crowd. Alex with the geek girl. Isabel with the with the most accepted guy in all the school. It was unbelievable. But to Alex and Isabel, every gawker went unnoticed, every comment fell on deaf ears. The only thing that mattered to them was that they were together, and when they were together.Isabel had finally felt like she was someone.and Alex had finally felt like he was himself.