She Will Be Loved

Based off Ally Carter's young adult books, the Gallagher Girls series. Song by Maroon 5, She Will Be Loved.

Dedicated to my best friend, Jay. You really are something; something amazing. Happy half birthday, buddy.

Even though she didn't believe it, she was a beauty queen of only eighteen. Most girls her age would do anything to look like that - fake tans, fake beach blond hair, and acrylic nails; not to mention the amount of make-up other girls wear to receive attention. Those girls get attention all right, just not the kind of attention they want. Cammie didn't need to wear make-up at all, she was naturally pretty. She didn't hide behind clumps of mascara and pounds of foundation all those other girls thought was necessary.

She had some trouble with herself; it is her current relationship that ruined her. Her boyfriend has always found something about her that isn't perfect, and he exploits those imperfections for the world to see. Well, actually it is his world, and the people who are 'good enough' to know him.

He was always there to help her; she always belonged to someone else. She belonged with me. I could give her what he never could; love, open arms, and a place to stay that's safe. He owned her. He didn't love her; she was just a piece of property to him. He took advantage of her when she had no place left to go.

I drove for miles and miles, and wound up at your door. I've had you so many times, but somehow I want more. Every time she called me saying she was lonely and needed someone, I was always the one to show up at her door. Every time she came to my door cold, and upset my heart broke just a little bit more. Every time she falls asleep in my arms I just want more; I want to wrap her in my arms and never let her go.

If it's just to see her, and see that she's okay, then I don't mind spending everyday out on your corner in the pouring rain. I probably look like a stalker standing out on the sidewalk, making sure he doesn't hit her. I can't take her away, though, there's a law about that here; even if it's for the good. It has to be her decision, and I know for a fact that she doesn't know just how much I love her.

She's beautiful in every way possible, and when you truly look, you can see her; the real her. You just have to look for the girl with the broken smile, and you'll see just how brokenly beautiful she truly is. What she's hiding under those fake smiles and closed off eyes are seen by me, and only me.

That's why I've promised myself that no matter what I'm doing, if she needs me I'll drop everything for her. Whenever she crosses my way I'll ask her if she wants to stay awhile, and she will be loved, and she will be loved. She will always be loved by me; I will always be in love with her.

In the middle of the night I've been woken up by a sound on my window. The same memories always running through my head of the time when we were sitting in my old beat up pick-up truck in the middle of the night, her telling me about something that he did, and when she needed a place to go yet again. I was telling her that anytime she needs it she can tap on my window, knock on my door, and I would always be there for her.

I want to make you feel beautiful in every way possible. I want her to know she's special, and that she doesn't have to live the way she lives. It can be better; I can make it be better.

I know that I haven't always opened up that much; I know I tend to get so insecure. I know I need to open up even more than I have, but I have opened up to her. Cammie knows more about me and who I am than anyone else has ever known. Even though she doesn't know it, she's helping me by just being there. It doesn't matter anymore what happens as long as Cammie is there.

It isn't always easy keeping up appearances and pretending to be someone you're not. I haven't had the courage to tell her about my past. It's not always rainbows and butterflies. If she were to see me for who I truly was, she wouldn't just see a cocky boy that nothing can get to. If she were to look past my walls she would see the scars that I have tried so hard, and for so long to cover up. There are some scars, though, that no walls can hide. The long slash-like scars on my back are a reminder of a past I would much rather forget than remember, but I can't seem to. That's the thing, though, it's compromise that moves us along, yeah.

Truthfully, Cammie is the only girl I've ever opened up to, and let my walls down for. My heart is full and my doors always open. You come anytime you want, yeah. I will never close my door on her, both literally and figuratively, and she already knows that I'll be there for her whenever she needs it. I just wish that she could see that I can help her and give her what she needs, and that she can finally be happy - just like she's what I need, what makes me happy.

Because really, truly, I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain. When I see the sadness and hopelessness in her eyes it makes me think of who I used to be. I was lost, and ruined, and broken. I was nothing; until she came along that is, because I saw that there was someone who was just like me. If she could help me then I could help her. So, when I look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile. It's to help her, but in the meantime she's helping me not even knowing it.

When I'm with her all those memories, those nightmares, of my childhood wash away, and all that's left is her, and nothing else matters. Because in that moment everything's right in the world and she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved.

I know where you hide alone in your car when things get too bad and you're confused about everything. She wants to leave, but she just doesn't know how. He's all she's ever known. She's just a kid, she has nowhere to go.

Unlike him, I know all the things that make you who you are. Like the fact that she's self-conscious, but if she's around her friends she's crazy. She doesn't drink coffee, and she doesn't want to against popular habit. She would rather read a book than go out shopping for three hours, and she doesn't cry in front of people. I remember her telling me at one point that she feels weak when she shows emotion. I always felt the same way, but unlike me, she would smile. I, on the other hand showed no emotion, not even a smile. I was ruined before she even met me, but in a way she's ruined me too. Now I feel, and I smile and laugh, and love, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Every time she leaves in the morning after she spends the night at my place I know that goodbye means nothing at all because when things get bad, I know that she'll show up at my door again needing a place to stay while Josh cools down. It's a cycle. She always comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls, yeah. I'm the one she trusts to go to when times get hard. It fills my heart with warmth to know that she trusts me to catch her when she falls, and to lift her back up again.

Tap on my window, knock on my door. I'll answer every time she calls. Day or night, rain or shine, any night I'll be there when she needs me.All that matters is that I want to make you feel beautiful.

I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain, oh. When I was checking up on her this time, I had to hold in my anger. He was yelling at her, screaming. I couldn't hear the words he was saying, but based on the fact that she had tears streaming down her face, I knew it was bad. She never shows emotion, unless it's with me.

Look for the girl with the broken smile, that's the key to know that something's wrong, something bad happened to her at one point or another. I've learned to see the emotion in her smile and her eyes; her eyes are clouded and troubled. It's once in a blue moon that her smile isn't fake, labored. Actually, I think I'm the only one who has made her smile, and laugh a genuine laugh.

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile, and she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved. The simplicity of who she is makes it that much easier to fall in love with her. She doesn't worry about how she looks, or how much she weighs, or what she eats. She's different from any other girl I've ever met, and I wouldn't change anything about her.

It was a Friday night and the rain was pounding against the windows outside. It had been a week since Cammie had last shown up at my door. There was rarely a moment that I wasn't thinking about her, and it was driving me crazy not knowing how she was doing. The fireplace lit up the room with crackles of fire, a contrast to the scraping cold lashing outside the windows.

It was a quarter to eleven when there was a loud knock on my door, and when I opened it I was surprised to see Cammie standing outside, tears rolling down her cheeks, and soaking wet.

"Zach," she said as she looked up from the ground to me.

"What's wrong? What did he do this time?" I questioned, opening the door even more.

"I want to be here with you. You've always been there for me, and I wish I could have seen it sooner. I trust you with my life; you're actually the only one that I trust. You've always stood by me no matter what, and I… what I'm trying to say is that I want to stay with you if that's okay. I never want to go back. You've showed me the light, and I never want to be in the dark again. I've realized now how wrong everything has been and how bad my life has been. Will you help me make it right; will you help me learn to trust?"

"Of course," I said nodding and helping her inside from the pelting rain.

It was when the light hit her that I saw the deep cut just below her left eye and the purple outline of a deep bruise forming. I got her a towel and helped her dry off, listening to her heart beat through my shirt as I held her close. I didn't care that I was getting freezing water on my shirt because the thought of her here, safe, warmed me.

She's safe, she's here, and everything will be all right. Things work out like they should. A smile graced my lips; this is why I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain.

The End

Author's Note: Once again, Happy Half-Birthday, Jay. You are amazing and I love you. I hope all of you liked it, and once again the song is She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5.

Fact About Me: In early January my gymnastics competition season started and I have amazing team-mates who are there for me since I'm the only Level Eight there.

-GymGirl904.