Chapter 2: A little less sixteen candles, a little more "touch me".
As Martin raced up the two flights of stairs, his mind was beating him. All he could wonder was whether or not he should profess his true love now, say how much of an idiot he is, or just hold her, all he knew was, he was in deep shit for this one! Martin had spent that month apart from Ruthie with his son Aaron. He loved his son, more than he ever would have thought. His whole world right now is centered on that little bundle of about 10 lbs. He had spent almost every weekend with his son, drove up there after school, came home about midnight, and even kept his grades up with all the responsibility he held. His father gave him a huge increase in allowance, due to the fact that of course babies cost about 200+ a week. He enjoyed the time with Aaron, but didn't feel so pleased about his time with Sandy. All Sandy could talk about was how much she wished Simon were there to help them. Deep down, she had romantic feelings for Simon, but never would want to split up her best friend's future wedding. As Martin reached Ruthie's room, he hesitated whether to barge in or knock.
'Fuck it' he thought as he barged in
"What the hell? What do you think you're doing, how is it whenever I think everything is shit it all turns around? How could you keep a freaking arranged marriage from me?" Ruthie exclaimed as she went charging toward Martin.
"Let me explain…"Martin trailed off as Ruthie cut him off
"Explain what? That you're an idiot, that you kept this from me. Do you know what you made me do? If we're supposed to be together, then why did you have sex with Sandy? Why did you have a baby?" Ruthie said as the tears began to pour.
"I was only with Sandy because I was jealous. I was jealous of Vincent, I always wanted to be with you…wait, what did I make you do?" He said out of curiosity.
"Nothing, why do you care?" Ruthie spat back.
"What do you mean I don't care? I care the most." As he gripped her wrists, he noticed the burgundy stains on her white long sleeved shirt.
He raised the sleeve, and notice slice after slice of mutilated flesh. Open wounds like little open mouths pouring out blood. Some old, some new, but all the same, ruining a beautiful girl who was standing in front a loving boy. He gasped at the sight, and began to weep.
"Why would you do this? You're beautiful, why would you make yourself like this?" Martin said as he held her arm against his chest.
With all her might, she struggled at trying to keep him from looking further, by pulling away her arm.
"Why? Uh, does the name Sandy come to mind? Me, crying all the time at school, all that time spent in the restroom at school. Here at home, locked up in my room, the way I've dressed, think about it. If you don't want me, then I don't want anyone else to have me, I don't want to be beautiful, I want to be so ugly that not even the nerds would want me." Ruthie screamed at Martin.
"I do want you, I just, denied it all. I denied it all because we were going to be forced to be together. I didn't want to be with you in the first place, but after my big mistake, I've realized that I love you Ruthie." He said as he took his grip on her arm once more.
He looked into her eyes, and saw those chocolate brown puppy dog eyes. How every wince, every whimper seemed more and more desirable. He held her close to him for a while, before the tears began to pour, before her cheeks became pools of salt water. He held her head and caressed her tear-stained cheeks.
"If you really loved me, you wouldn't have left me last summer, you wouldn't have gone to her." She said as she backed away from Martin.
"You don't understand I love you, Ruthie Camden. I'm finally saying it, why can't you say the same?" He said as he inched closer to her.
"It takes a lot longer for a broken heart to forgive, than a broken heart to love again." She said as she looked down and snapped her bracelets.
"Just let me do one thing." As he got even closer, now face to face.
"What's that?" She said still looking down.
He then lifted her chin, and went in for the kill. Martin Brewer finally, kissed Ruthie Camden, with more passion of that he had ever given to any other high school girl he had kissed. A kiss only in fairy tales. As the fireworks danced in his head, Ruthie broke down and cried.
"Why did you do that?" She said as she was now knelt down on the ground crying.
"I wanted you to see how much I love you." He said as his smile grew.
"It'll take a lot more to show me how much you love me."
With that, she opened her door, showing him the exit.