The Girl With The Smile • Corbyn Besson AU •

H + E + R + H + E + A + R + T

Dahlia smiled and tried to stifle her giggles as she hid around the corner in the kitchen of the Why Don't We house. This had been her 6th visit to their house this week and her 18th time playing hide and go seek with all the boys.

"Ready or not, here I come." Daniel shouted from the top of the stairs, than came stomping down them. After a few seconds all was silent. That was never good during a game with the boys, so as stealthily as she could, Dahlia began to slide down the wall she was leaning on. Once she made it to the floor she quietly crawled over to the island counter in the middle of the large kitchen.

"FOUND YOU! TIP!" The curly headed brunette froze in place as the dreaded words left Daniel's mouth.

"Awe man, I though I had such a good place this time!" Zach whined as he stood up from behind the couch. Redemption, thought Dahlia as she quickly crept into one of the cupboards inside the island and shut the door.

"Oi. This was my hiding place." The girl had to hold back a scream as she heard a familiar voice whisper from in front of her. When she pulled out her phone and turned on her flash light, Dahlia saw Mr Corbyn Besson in front of her, knees to his chest, and a very uncomfortable look on his face.

"Well too bad Corbean, now hush or we'll get caught!" Dahlia whispered back, an unforgettable smile upon her lips thought the blonde boy. He lightly kicked her knee and she scowled at him, trying her best not to scold him as she heard Daniel, Zach - and a recently found Jack - come running through the kitchen into the backyard.

"That was close blondie," Whispered Dahlia to her best friend. "If they find us in here I'm gonna blame you."

Corbyn had never taken such offence in his life.

"How dare you D, if the boys found us in here it would be your fault! I was here first!"

"But I was gonna hide here first!"

"Were not."

"Were too."

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

"WERE NOT!"

"FOUND YOU!" Both teenagers yelped as the island's cupboard doors were swung open by a smiling Jonah Marais.

"Jonah tip them-" Before Daniel could finish his sentence Dahlia had slide herself underneath Jonah's legs and was rushing towards the door. "GET HER QUICK!"

But the girl was already out the door and halfway down the street. Corbyn held out his hand to Jonah and as soon as the tall brunette tipped him, Corbyn was running right after Dahlia and gaining on her too.

"You will never catch me bean!" The curly headed girl giggled as she skillfully and tirelessly ran around a corner and straight into the nearby square. Corbyn cursed as he nearly lost sight of her in the crowds. But her hair gave her away almost immediately.

"Gotcha." Corbyn mumbled to himself and made a break for the crazy girl he sometimes referred to as his best friend. Corbyn chased Dahlia for over ten minuets, catching up to her - only to lose her in a split second, the pair almost falling over with laughter every so often. Once Corbyn finally caught up to her, it was because she had stopped running completely. Dahlia was just...standing there. Waiting to be caught. "a-HA!"

"Here you go." Corbyn looked around himself, utterly confused with Dahlia's statement. Until he looked down to right in front of his girl. Crouched down on the cold and hard concrete, Corbyn saw a black man - around mid 40s - cradling a 6 year old boy in his arms. Then he saw two $100 notes in the mans hands, and a beautiful smile set upon Dahlia's lips. "I hope that helps you sir."

"Th-Thank you so much - Thank you! You don't know what this is going to mean to us! Please - I can only accept half of this!" The African looking man stuttered and spluttered about Dahlia, his assumed son waking in his arms. 

"And I will not accept it back."

"Papa? What's wrong?" Corbyn walked up the three and stood next to Dahlia, wrapping his arm around her and smiling at the man as well in the process.

"Nothing Jacob, look. This kind couple have donated us money, we can go to that cake shop for your birthday my little man!" Jacob's eyes grew twice their size as they welled up with tears and he made eye contact with Dahlia and her bean. 

"I guess we ought to say happy birthday as well than," Corbyn smiled. "Happy birthday lil dude."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," The little boy jumped right up and ran straight to Dahlia, who wrapped her strong arms around his skinny and frail body. 

"Anytime my darling." She smiled as the father tried to wipe away tears of his own. Giving praise to god that there was still some good humans in the world, and that his son would be able to have a good day. Even Corbyn almost got emotional.

Almost.

"Thank you too mister. This is the best day of my life." Dahlia quickly wiped a tear as she watched Corbyn bend down to hug the dirty little boy in front of him, and as the father - who she learnt was named Joziah - slowly got up to hug her as well.

As the two teenagers watched Joziah pick up Jacob and walk him away to spend his birthday happily, Corbyn couldn't help but stare at Dahlia. "You're an amazing girl, do you know that?"

"I have heard you say it once or twice." She giggled as she strode up to Corbyn and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"That's a lie, I have never said that to you - it was supposed to be special and cute." Dahlia awed as she laughed and placed her head on Corbyn's shoulder as the blonde wrapped his arms around her fit physic.

"Do you know what else would be cute?" The girl in his arms whispered.

"What?" 

"YOU TIPPING ME!" And with that Dahlia was gone. Running away to casually slip and crouch down in front of a concrete mini wall, within plain sight of Corbyn.

As he laughed and made his way over to her, he couldn't help but smile.

Man, he thought, She has one beautiful heart.

{1081 WORD COUNT}