Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of 7th Heaven so don't sue me. I only own my plot and all the characters you don't recognize. Also the italics in the story are peoples thoughts. TAR

Chapter 3

Tuesday morning:

Ruthie groaned as she hit the repulsive alarm clock. She hadn't gotten much sleep because she was up helping Martin out with his math project for the second night in a row. She got up and grabbed her clothes for school.

She new that she only had to compete with Martin for the use of the shower this early in the morning. She hoped he was still in his room so she could have a clean getaway with out having to see him as much as possible. She still was confused about how he makes her feel. She's his friend, nothing more. She toiled over this the whole time she was in the shower.

As she finished getting dressed there was a knock on the door. "Ruthie are you almost done in there?"

Ruthie opened the door and Martin was standing in front of her in a wife beater and a pair of gray sweatpants. Damn! He looks hot first thing in the morning! Ruthie backed up so that she could let Martin through. "I'll be waiting for you downstairs." Ruthie ran back into her room and shut her door leaving Martin to wonder what was wrong with her.

As Martin got ready for school he reviewed the past few days in his mind. Nothing seemed out of place or different about anyone but something has been bothering Ruthie and he intended on finding out what it was. He finished up and walked out of the bathroom. He went down to the kitchen to see if Ruthie was waiting for him.

"Morning Martin." Annie said once he entered the kitchen.

"Morning Mrs. Camden. Has Ruthie come down yet?" Annie shook her head.

"I'm making some breakfast for the boys do you want anything?"

"No that's okay. I'm gonna grab something on the way. Can you just tell Ruthie that I'll be out in my car waiting for her."

"You can tell me yourself I'm right behind you." Martin turned around to see Ruthie standing behind him, her backpack slung over her shoulder and piece of buttered toast in her hand.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah. I'll see you later mom. Tell Sam and David to have a good day at school." Ruthie headed out behind Martin and shut the door behind her.

On the way to school the ride was relatively quiet.

"Hey Ruthie?"

"Yeah?" Ruthie turned and looked over at Martin.

"Why do you want me to take you to the party on Friday night?" Ruthie shrugged.

"I don't know. I just want to go to my first real high school party and knowing your going to be there might make me feel more comfortable." Ruthie turned and looked out the window. Martin smiled. He was happy that Ruthie wanted him there because she can trust him. He felt good about that…REAL good.

They made it to school in plenty of time for the first bell. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah, you got baseball practice today?" Martin nodded. "I'll wait for you."

"Okay, I should be done by four." Ruthie closed her locker and headed to her homeroom.

"Man I just want today to be over!" Ruthie's friend Melody exclaimed after getting her History test back. "I can't believe I got a 53! My mom's gonna kill me!"

"Mel calm down! Stay after school and I'll help you study. I have to wait for Martin anyway. Let's get to lunch cause I'm starving." Ruthie picked up her bag and headed with Melody to the lunch room.

Walking into the lunchroom Ruthie first spotted Mac, Martin's friend that Ruthie used to have a little crush on, that was until Martin actually told him that she liked him. That totally got her mad at Martin for a whole week and she realized that Mac was definitely her type of guy. He was nice but more of a womanizer.

"Let's go eat with your brother and his friend." Melody said looking over at Mac. Ruthie rolled her eyes. She's so lucky that she didn't like Mac anymore or she'd be fighting with her best friend for a guys attention and she hated the thought of that.

"Oh alright, and by the way Martin is NOT my brother."

"Okay….okay….I know. It's just that that's what most people call him 'cause he lives with you."

"Yeah well it's just temporary. He's moving back with his dad as soon as he gets back from Iraq."

"Yeah well it sound's like you don't want him around." Ruthie sighed. That wasn't true at all. She did like having Martin around. She actually loved having him around but everyone thought he was her brother and she didn't need that. She had four brothers what she needed around was a friend. She didn't really have many guy friends.

"Yeah well I do like him and want him around. I'm just sick and tired of people calling us related. I mean it just gets really annoying. I already have six brothers and sisters." They sat down and waited for the boys to even notice them.

"Oh hey Ruthie, Melody, what's up?" Mac asked sitting next to Melody.

"Not much, just want this week to be over." Ruthie nodded in agreement.

"The only thing that's keeping me going is the party on Friday night." Mac and Melody looked at her with funny expressions on their faces.

"Party?" Ruthie nodded taking a bite of her chicken sandwich.

"There's a party at the Cordon's house on Friday and Martin's taking me in return of me guiding him along on this Math Project."

"You are?" Mac asked Martin. Martin just nodded.

"You should come with me so that Martin can do his own thing and I wont be alone."

"Hey Martin can I talk to you outside for a moment?" Mac practically dragged Martin out of the crowded cafeteria and into the hallway which was rather quieter.

"What do you want Mac?" Martin asked straitening out his jacket.

"Why'd you invite Ruthie to the party?" Martin looked at Mac like he was crazy. What business was it of his that he invited Ruthie…even though Ruthie basically invited herself.

"I didn't invite her. She heard about the party from somewhere and asked if I was going and I told her I was. She said she'd help me with my math project if I'd take her to the party and I really need her help with it so I agreed. It's none of your business anyway. I thought you didn't like Ruthie anymore."

"I don't! It's just how are we supposed to find some hotties when your babysitting Ruthie?"

"You're crazy! Ruthie's old enough to take care of herself and I haven't been in the mood to find any 'hotties' lately, so they're all yours for the taking, now can we please go back inside I'm hungry and lunch is almost over." Martin turned and left only to be greeted with the lunch bell. "Damn it! Thanks a lot Mac!" Martin ran inside to grab his books.

"Hey what happened to the two of you…you missed most of lunch. Here take this." Ruthie handed him a package of Oreo's. I know its not much but at least its something."

"Thanks a lot Ruthie." He patted her shoulder. "I'll see you after practice." Martin took off one way while Melody and Ruthie headed the other way.

"I think he likes you." Melody said as she exchanged books in her locker.

"What are you talking about?" Melody shut her locker.

"Martin, I think he likes you, and I know you like him." Ruthie just gave her a funny look.

"No, we're just friends. I doubt he'd ever like me that way anyways." Ruthie brushed Melody's comment off as she headed into her History class.

No, he can't like me. That's not true. He doesn't like me. Ruthie slammed her locker shut and headed to the library to meet with Melody. They stayed in there till they both became restless. "Let's go and watch the boys play. I wouldn't mind seeing Mac…and I know you want to see Martin. God only knows that its been about three hours since you last seen him." Melody had to duck away from getting playfully hit by her best friend.

"Let's just go or I'll make you study more. " Melody grabbed her notebook and headed towards the door.

"Come on guys!" Melody yelled when they got to the baseball field.

"You know this is only a practice right?"

"Oh yeah I forgot."

Man he is really good out there. I bet it wont take the scouts long to realize how good he is. Ruthie watched the rest of the practice in awe.

An hour later the practice was over and Martin and Mac made their way over to the waiting girls. Mac sidled up beside Melody and Martin sat next to Ruthie. "So how were we?" Mac asked draping a hand around Melody.

"Eww get off of me you're all gross and sweaty." Melody shoved Mac away.

"Well duh they just came from practice. You guys were awesome." Ruthie turned to Martin. "It'll only be a matter of time before a scout finds you and takes you away from Glenoak." Both Mac and Melody see the way that Martin and Ruthie are looking at each other and start to gag.

"What?" Ruthie and Martin asked at the same time.

"Why don't you to get a clue. Mac will you walk me home, I'm kinda getting weird vibes over here."

"Sure. I'll catch you later." Mac and Melody headed off to the Junior's parking lot.

"What was that all about?" Martin asked looking over at his retreating best friend.

"I think I have an idea." Ruthie got up and started walking towards Martins car, not looking back. Martin ran to catch up.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Not particularly, no." Ruthie said no more as they made their way back home.

A/N: I hope you all like this extra long chapter! I had fun writing it but I go home on the weekends and so my laptop is not connected to the internet till like Sunday nights. Thanks to all who have reviewed and keep them coming.