I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the thing I've done you blame me for
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share
And none of it seems to matter anymore

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

Ruthie hummed, walking around the backyard. She had been changed all because of one boy; Martin Brewer. Her world came crashing down the day that Martin told her that he got Sandy pregnant. Since then, her life was a total blur. Everything she did was to achieve one goal and one goal alone; get Martin off her mind. She was leaving for Scotland in a week to get away from everything, although she wanted to "study abroad". This was the perfect opportunity.

Simon and Rose decided not to get married, but they were having a party anyways. Ruthie saw Sandy and perked up, thinking that maybe, just maybe Martin could be with her, even though she was the reason that they weren't together, according to Ruthie. Even though Martin was in love with Meredith, that didn't matter to her. Sandy was the one that tore them apart, and Ruthie hated her for it.

After a few moments of Simon and Sandy talking, they walked over to Ruthie. Simon hugged his sister, pulling her out of her thoughts. He backed away from her, smiling and taking Aaron from Sandy.

"Ruthie, I'd like you to meet my son." He said, emphasizing the last word.

She stopped for a minute. "Your…what?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Aaron is Simon's baby. Not Martin's." Sandy said, smiling, knowing that Ruthie was in love with him.

"And this applies to me…how?" Ruthie asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well…I know that you love…" Simon began.

"No I don't! I'm over him!" She interrupted.

"If so, then why are you crying?" Simon asked.

"I'm not crying." She said, wiping her eyes.
"Have you tried telling him how you feel?" Sandy asked.

"I told you, I'm over him!" she yelled, running out of the yard through the gate. Once she was about half way down the driveway, she ran into someone, falling down and knocking them down as well.

"Oh I'm sorry." She said, wiping her eyes.

"Hi Ruthie." Martin said, smiling as he stood up.

"Hi." She said.

"Did Simon tell you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Where does this leave us?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking him in the eyes.

"Still mean what you said before?"
She looked down at the ground. "No. Martin I'm over you." She said, crying. She ran through the front door, Martin running after her. She laid on the couch, sobbing and he sat down beside her.

"Ruthie…."
"No Martin. I can't. You hurt me before…I don't want to be hurt again."
"You can't honestly tell me that you're over me."
"I am." She said, still not looking at him.
"Ruthie. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me."

She sighed, crying even more and ran up to her room. He sighed, getting off the couch. "Here we go again…" he said to himself. He went upstairs after her and saw her laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. He sat on the bed beside her, putting one arm on either side of her, hunching over her.

"Ruthie…if you don't love me, fine."
"I don't love you." She said, shutting her eyes.

"I don't believe that." he said, smirking. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me."

She used all of her strength to look him in the eye. Barely above a whisper, she finally forced those four words out of her mouth. "I don't love you." She said, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, shocked.

She simply nodded and he sighed. "Why?" he asked.

"Martin…I couldn't just wait for you forever. I mean…you had a baby. What chance did a dumb sixteen year old have dating you? Not much. Plus, there's Meredith."
"I don't care about her. I love you and only you."
"You're too late." She said, getting off the bed and wiping her eyes. She walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. He went and stood outside the bathroom door and knocked softly.

"Ruthie…open up." He said, trying to open the door. After five minutes of silence, he sighed, walking downstairs.

"How'd it go?" Kevin asked, who was sitting in the kitchen feeding Savannah.

"How do you think it went?" he asked, grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl and sat on the chair at the kitchen table.

"I'm guessing not well?" Kevin asked, getting Savannah out of the high chair and sitting down with her on his lap.
"Brilliant Sherlock." He said sarcastically, sighing. "I don't understand it Kevin."

"Women aren't easy to understand." Kevin said as Lucy walked in and she came up behind him, playfully hitting him on the head.

"I'm so in love with her." He said, as Ruthie walked downstairs.
"Oh really? You're so in love with me? If you're so in love with me, how come you NEVER called, NEVER e-mailed, NEVER wrote…NOTHING Martin. Why?"
"I was ashamed of myself…I totally crushed you that night." Martin said, recalling when he told her about Sandy.
"Yeah you did." She said.
"And I'm sorry."
Ruthie stayed quiet and Lucy and Kevin smiled, watching this all play out. Martin walked over to her, lifting her head up with his hand.
"You didn't mean what you said. You didn't get over me. You never will. You know how I know? I'm so in love with you. No matter what I did, you were always on my mind. Ruthie, I love you. I'm sorry I never wrote, called, emailed…I'm so sorry. I should've, I know. I just didn't want to hurt you any more than I knew that I already did. Please, give me one more chance. I promise, I won't let you down."
"I want to but there's just one problem. Paul."
"Ruthie…he knows what's going on with Martin." Lucy interjected. "We told him. He said he has a girlfriend it Scotland anyways."
"Oh shoot. Scotland." She said, putting her hand on her forehead.

"What?" Martin asked.
"I'm going to Scotland all summer with Peter." She said.
"Oh. Peter." He said, looking down.

"I never said I loved Peter."

"You love me?"
Ruthie stood there silently, yet to give him her answer


Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better
And because I knew you...
Because I knew you...
Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good.

What'd you think of the first chapter? PLEASE review! I'll continue soon!