Chapter six: Burnt
Ruthie watched the clock, as time slowly pulled forward. The wait for school to end felt like it dragged on forever, she had only five minutes but it felt like an eternity. Finally the bell rang and school was over. Long weekends were the best, Ruthie headed outside to meet up with Erica, and Lindsey they were going to hangout with Tristan and his friends.
Ruthie stood there leaning against the brick building surrounded by potheads, beside her Lindsey sat next to her boyfriend and Erica stood talking to Josh. Ruthie looked at Tristan, who handed her a cigarette. She placed it between her lips where he lit it, once lit she took a long drag from it. She let the taste sting her mouth before blowing upward above her head, where it lingered. The unspoken question of did you like it clung to the smoke. Waiting for a response she looked up at him the unspoken answer yes gleamed in her eyes. As Ruthie stood there smoke filling the air and her lungs, the reality of the situation felt unreal to Ruthie, it felt fake.
As the last of the cigarette burned down, Ruthie threw it on the ground and crushed it beneath her foot. Along with the cigarette Ruthie crushed her title as "Preacher girl", and the lingering smoke caught the transition from PK to Bad girl in it like a web. Around her the potheads lingered on another cigarette. Ruthie could feel the intensity of their high around her. While not quite ready for pot Ruthie had liked the feeling of smoking and was now curious as she watched Lindsey make out with her boyfriend. Ruthie could feel the temptation rising, she quickly glanced at her watch. 5:30.
"Tristan, I have to go home," She said quickly.
"Oh, Ok that's fine let me drive you" He said smiling, even though his driving her was a given. Ruthie waved bye to Erica and Lindsey Erica waved back, Lindsey was kind of busy. Ruthie followed Tristan to his car and hopped in. As they followed the road to her house, Ruthie wanted to ask him out so badly. When he drove up to her house. Ruthie looked at him for a while and then started to get out. He pulled her back in and pulled her head towards him kissing her lightly on the lips. She looked at him and then pulled him closer she let the question in her mind drop away and just went with her feelings. She inched as close as she could to him; he moved his kisses down her neck. She wrapped her arms under his and around his back. She wanted to invite him inside but knew that someone in her house was spying on her.
"I have to go in," she reluctantly said. He nodded.
"You want to hang with me tomorrow maybe go to my house" he asked. She smiled at him and nodded.
"Sure, see you in school tomorrow" she said. Ruthie got out and headed inside she saw the kitchen curtains move. Dad! Ruthie opened the back door, her mom was cooking and her dad was sitting at the table pretending to work. Ruthie suddenly feared they'd smell pot on her.
"Hi, I was hanging out with Erica and Lindsey sorry I didn't call, got homework got to go" She ran upstairs after covering the who, what where, and why she was late. Eric looked at Annie.
"Did you smell that?" Annie asked.
"Yeah, smoke" Eric said shaking his head.
Ruthie walked around Tristan's house looking around. Tristan took her hand and led her into the living room. He sat down next to her.
"Tristan?" She said softly. He nodded. "Are we going out?" He looked at her.
"I would hope so," he smiled. Ruthie smiled and placed her hand against his cheek. Ruthie felt herself change; she knew she would do anything for Tristan. He slowly lifted off her shirt and placed his hands on her stomach pushing her down gently. She followed his movement closing her eyes. Ruthie and Tristan stopped when they heard a door slam.
"Shit," Tristan got up pulling his pants on. Ruthie grabbed her shirt. "My parents!" Ruthie quickly got her underwear on and was about to get her pants on when Tristan's younger brother walked in to the room. Ruthie stood there trembling behind Tristan.
"What are you doing?" Max asked raising his eyebrows, but you couldn't really tell under his knit cap. Max dressed different then Tristan.
"None of your fucking business, where are mom and dad?" Tristan asked.
"Out of town remember you were supposed to pick me up," Max said placing his backpack on the kitchen counter. "Your girlfriend might want to get dressed" He said taking off his jacket.
"Where's Emily?" Tristan asked ignoring his brother. He shook Ruthie's hand off his arm.
"At a play date, lucky for you," Max said sitting at the counter, he started to play his game boy again.
"Would you go to your room?" Tristan said annoyed.
"You're the one in the compromising situation" Max shot back.
"Hey Brainiac out of here," Tristan yelled heading toward him. Max jumped up and grabbed his bag and ran to his room. Ruthie pulled up her pants and grabbed her shirt; She started colleting her stuff as she put it on.
"Where are you going?" Tristan asked.
"Your brother just walked in on us…" Ruthie was hysterical. Tristan walked over to her. "Listen my brother won't tell anyone. He sees me do shit all the time, we could go to my room if you want?" Tristan said. Ruthie looked at her watch it was only 4:30 she had told her parents she was staying late at Lindsey's house.
"My parents are away all weekend" he said grinning. Ruthie looked at him and smiled back, she took his hand and followed Tristan into his room.