IN THE WAITING LINE.
BY: A-LASTING-IMPRESSION
Title: In The Waiting Line
Type: 7th Heaven Fan Fiction
Rating: PG-13 (Sex, Alcohol, Drugs, Violence)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of 7th Heaven. I do own all my original characters and this story, though. Don't take.
Summary: Ruthie Camden has become something she's not. How did she get there and why is she so angry with herself? Shifts from present, past, and future. Please R&R.
NOTES:
Yeah.. I definitely haven't updated this in ages. Where does the time go? Ha. Anyway, if you're still interested, here's another chapter. Please review. Also, it may move too fast for a couple of chapters, but I'll try and make it even out. Enjoy.
CHAPTER TWO: FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
Monday: May 9, 2005
A calm passed over Ruthie's body as she entered the building for yet another day of school. Martin was somewhere behind her, locking the car. As far as she was concerned, this was the first day of the rest of her life. Nothing was noticeable yet, but it was all about attitude. Ruthie wore her hair straight and parted to the side in a low ponytail. She'd added a tiny bit of extra makeup around her eyes and some noticeable lip gloss that radiated a slight orange glow. She wore a white polo with green trim with jean capri's and white flip flops. Although it was nothing new or different, she reminded herself that it was, in fact, all about attitude.
As soon as Ruthie's ears fell upon the sound of teenagers socializing, she saw a new opportunity. All high school girls craved to be liked by the guys. Ruthie was no different. She marched to her locker and waved a couple out of her way. She twisted the lock, pulled, and opened the locker with no effort. She scrambled around for a bit, switching books in her bag and reapplying her lip gloss in the mirror at the back of the locker. She closed it, made sure the lock didn't open, and was about to walk to her first period class when Vincent approached her.
"Ruthie," Vincent greeted her, his everlasting smile intact. Ruthie breathed in and could smell the sweet scent of his cologne mixing with her perfume to create a wondrous smell she'd never encountered. Surely this was fate. "Can we talk?"
"Sure," Ruthie shrugged, remembering that attitude was key, "I have nothing better to do. But if you make me late for first period, I'll kill you." Easy as pie.
"Don't worry about that," Vincent replied, his smile shining, "We can talk on the way there."
"Lead the way," Ruthie suggested, sighing at the right moment and smiling a fake smile. Vincent could tell that she was irritated -- he had broken up with her, after all, so she had an excuse to be.
"I realize that you're probably pretty angry with me right now," Vincent informed her. Ruthie nodded, but said nothing. He realized? Was this because it was obvious she'd be angry since he broke up with her or because her body language said so? She secretly prayed for the latter. "And I know you were upset when I broke up with you. I just don't want there to be any hard feelings."
Ruthie was confused. Why would he make a point to pull her away from her locker to wish her well? To become friends? He made it sound like he had something important to say when he'd approached her, and Ruthie had prepared for the worst. But this?
"That's it?" Ruthie asked, knowing there had to be more. Vincent's face indicated defeat and she knew she'd caught him. He was trying to butter her up, she realized. He was trying to get her in a good mood before dropping some kind of bomb on her. "What is it Vincent?" she asked after a moment of silence. She stopped walking toward first period, not really caring about being late anymore.
"People are talking," he explained.
"People always talk, Vincent," Ruthie reminded him, "What are they talking about?" Her heart pounded: was there a rumor going around about her?
"I kind of told the guys that we had sex," Vincent explained. Ruthie's eyes went wide. "I didn't come out and say it, but I left that impression. I just wanted to act cool. All the other couples are doing it, and I figured it wouldn't hurt you. Then they started to talk."
"Who did you tell?" Ruthie asked, her voice loud. She was hurt, and had every right to be. For once since he broke up with her, Ruthie was glad.
"You know, the guys.." Vincent's voice trailed off.
"The guys. That tells me a lot. Let me guess, your horny geek friends who think they're everything because they slept with the random slut of the moment?" Ruthie asked.
"They're my friends, Ruthie!" Vincent retorted. Ruthie gave him a look of disgust.
"Some friends they are if they talk about your girlfriend like that. Honestly, Vincent, what got into you?" Ruthie was practically yelling, but didn't really seem to care who was watching. Attitude is everything. She'd pretty much mastered that rule by now.
"I don't know! Please stop yelling. People are watching," Vincent pleaded, but Ruthie didn't care. In her mind, it was just her and Vincent.
"People are going to think I'm a whore, Vincent!" Ruthie exclaimed. Suddenly, with more courage than she's ever had, she reached up and slapped Vincent clean across the face. She hit him so hard that her own hand burned. The imprint on his face was immediate. People all around stopped to watch. By now, Ruthie's eyes had filled with tears. She thought she knew him better than that. Apparently she didn't. Ruthie, overcome with emotions, made her way to the bathroom in tears.
She sat on the seat of the toilet for fifteen minutes before she remembered first period. She'd never skipped, but how could she honestly face her classmates? Her friends had probably heard about this by now. Diane, a Christian friend, would probably disown her. All of her guy friends would probably smart off with dirty comments. All of them except Wes, whom she'd been trying to impress since she met him. What would Martin say?
More importantly, would anyone believe her when she said it was a lie? They'd probably think that since she's the preacher's kid, she'd want to cover up her sins. Vincent's an honest guy, they'd think, but Ruthie's sisters have a reputation for lying and having numerous boyfriends. Tears fell in black streaks on her face. Pity she'd worn more makeup today.
After another ten minutes, a brilliant idea struck Ruthie. What if she didn't let everyone know it was a lie? What if she let everyone think she'd lost her virginity to Vincent? Guys liked easy girls, and if they thought she was easy, maybe she'd gain popularity. She knew in her heart that she wasn't, and that's really all that mattered anyway.
Even if it did get around to her parents or family, Ruthie could deny it and prove she didn't do anything and that it was all a rumor. They wouldn't know that she endorsed it herself unless they paid a visit to school. Besides, going along with something isn't necessarily endorsing it, is it?
Ruthie's mind was racing 100 mph as she tried her hardest to come to a conclusion, solution, anything to help her. If people are talking, they're not going to stop talking because she denied anything. So why deny it at all? It's always just going to be Ruthie's word against Vincent's, so why should she try to stop the rumors? It'd just be wasting her time and energy when she could probably benefit from it eventually anyway.
Maybe they wouldn't think she's a whore. A girl who sleeps with a guy isn't a whore unless she does it continually with numerous guys. That's the definition. So why should Ruthie worry about her reputation? Maybe Vincent was actually doing her some good while doing himself some as well. She could handle the rumors.
