Chapter 2: The Letter

The next day at school, Ruthie opend her locker and found a piece of paper with her name written on the front of it. As she picked it up she noticed the handwriting, right away. It was Martin's. She new because, Martin was the only person she new who had such beautiful handwriting"Martin's never written me a letter before."She thought to herself."Oh no, he must know." Ruthie felt as if she couldn't breathe, as she flipped open the letter.

"Dear Ruthie,

Hi, it's me ... Martin. I just wanted to make sure that you know, how thankful I'am, for how much you've helped me out this past summer.After Cecilia & I broke up I didn't know how I was ever going to get through thoes three months. But you were right there for me, when ever I needed you. If it was just to talk ... or if I just needed a hug ... you were right by my side." Ruthie could feel her eye's begin to fill with tears. "We've become very close and, you've become my best friend. I hope you know how nuch I BZZZZZ!She jumped out of her concentration when she herd the bell ring. "Oh no I'm gonna be late for class!" She quietly yelled to herself. She folded the letter back in half, wipped the wetness from her eye's and cheeks, got her book's and set off tword's her next class. She got there right befor the last bell rang, and quickly took her seat twords the back of the classroom. She took out her book's and passed her homework forward.When she picked up her Georgaphy book, to open it to the chapter her teacher had instructed them to, the letter fell out. Ruthie picked it up, and a little smile appeared on her face.As she opend the letter once again, the world around her seemed to just dissaper into the far distance.She quickly searched for where she left off. And again she began to read"We've become very close and, you've become my best friend. I hope you know how much I appreciate you being here for me ... and I will always be here for you, for anything. Ok well I better get going,I will talk to you later. Bye.

Love you Always,

Martin

Ruthie closed the letter, then opened it again reading the last part over again"Love Always, Martin." "Love"Martin had never told Ruthie that he loved her befor. Sure he had told her that he thought of her as a sister befor, but never that he "Loved" her. "maybe I'm just over-reacting." she thought. "People sign 'Love Always' all the time in letter's. He probley just did it, without realizing it. ... But still I have to admit ... it feel's nice thinking he ment it as he 'Loved' me." Ruthie's smile went from a look of happiness, to a look of shock. "Where did that come from?Sence when do I want Martin to say he Love's me?He's like my big brother, and he even said that I was like a little sister.But you know he hasen't told me that in a while.I wonder why. ... "Ruthie!"She looked up to see her friend Cassey looking at her.

"Huh?" She asked still slightly dazed, and forgetting where she was.

"Mrs. War..."Cassey was cut off by an angry voice.

"Miss.Camden!" Mrs.Wardley, their Geography teacher shouted.

Ruthie practally jumped out of her seat, from being so starteled.

"Yes Mrs.Wardley?" Asked Ruthie nervously.

"Miss.Camden, are you ready to join the class, or do you need us to give you more time!" She stood glaring at Ruthie, hands on hips.

"I'm sorry Mrs.Wardley it's just ... I ... I'm sorry. I'll pay attention now.Sorry." Ruthie stammered, shrinking into her chair from embarrassment.

"Well thank you Miss.Camden.And please in the future, tell me if I'am taking up any of your time." Was the teacher's scarastic reply.

She quickly put the letter away, and found where she was supposed to be in her geography book. The class seemed to go on forever but finally, the bell rang 'BZZZZZZZZZZ' She quickly gathered her stuff and headed for the door.

"Ruth!Ruthie!" A voice came from somewhere down the hall.

Ruthie spun around and saw Cassey jogging toward's her.

"Oh hey, sorry." Said an apologetic Ruthie.

"What's up with you?" Asked a still annoyed Cassey.

"What do you mean?" Ruthie was trying to avoid the subject, becasue she didn't want to tell Cassey about the letter. As it was Cassey and about half of the school thought that they liked eachother, no matter how many times they told them that they were just friend's.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?First!..you zone out in the middle of class.Making all kind's of weird faces. Second you completely ignored me when I told you to wait for me after class!And then you made me run down the hallway yelling your name!" Cassey practically shouted, wich made a few people stare.

Ruthie couldn't help but laugh at the last part.

"You think I'm joking!" Snapped Cassey.

"No. Just the part about you running down the hall yelling for me was just ..."Now Ruthie couldn't control her laughter.

"Stop it! ... It's not funny! Stop it!"Cassey finally started laughing just as hard as Ruthie.

"What's so funny?"A voice came from behind them. Ruthie and Cassey turned to find Martin standing there, with a questioning smile on his face. And suddenly everything came rushing back. The letter, her thought's about Martin writing Love ... everything.

"There you go again!" Yelled Cassey, scaring Ruthie for the second time that day.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Martin, looking at Cassey like she was a little bit crazy.

"Ruthie! She keep's zoneing out!" Replied the rather loud voiced girl.

"I do not keep zoneing out ... I was just thinking about something." Ruthie said defensively.

"What were you thinking about?" Asked Martin, while giving her a bright smile.

"Nothing ... " Said Ruthie, her cheeks lightly blushing.

"You were thinking about 'Nothing'?"He was still smiling.But now in a 'Ok I was wrong about her, your the one who's crazy.' kind of way.

"I mean ... it's dumb, just forget about it."She couldn't exactally tell him what she was thinking about.What would she say 'You, I was thinking about you.And how nice it would feel for you to say you Love me!." ?She put her head down and then looked back up and saw him still looking at her ... and still smiling his beautiful smile.

"It started when you opened that paper you were reading.What was that anyway?A love letter?Because if it was that would explane why you zoned ... and why you ignored me and Mrs.Wardley. And ..."Cassey was cut off by yet another angry voice, this time it was coming from Ruthie.

"Cassey!" She felt Martin looking at her, so she kept her eye's on her very big mouthed friend.

"Martin what's wrong?" Asked Cassey, not knowing what she had done. When Ruthie looked over at him, he was looking at the ground. He looked at the two girls in front of him, trying to avoid Ruthie's gaze as much as possible.
"Nothing. I'm fine, but uh, I got to go, I'll see you guy's later." After giving a half-hearted smile, he turned and walked away.
Ruthie watched him walk away, with only two thought's going through her mind. One she was going to kill Cassey. And two, How hurt Martin looked. The only thing she couldn't understand was ... why?