Chapter 12: You leaned over and you
Kissed me

Ruthie stared silently at Martin, for a few minutes not knowing what to say. Then turning slowly she walked back to the bench and sat down.

Martin who had been just as silent stayed still, shocked by what had just happend. 'What did I do?I wasn't supposed to tell her like this. I wasn't supposed to tell her at all!' He pulled away from his thought's when he saw Ruthie turn and start to walk away. The fear that had quickly overtook him, was replaced with relief, when he saw her sit down. Sighing he walked over and sat next to her. They sat quietly for a few seconds, Martin staring ahead of him at nothing, and Ruthie looking at her hands which laid in her lap.Finally not being able to stand the silence Martin began to speak in a quiet whisper.
"Ruthie I-" He stopped when she held a hand up motioning for him not to say anything else. All of his fears were quickly coming to life. 'I knew she didn't feel the same way. Now she isn't ever going to talk to me again.How could I be so stupid! I have to fix this. I can't lose her.' "Your mad ... and I don't blame you." Finally pulling her eye's away from her hands Ruthie looked at Martin, and saw the pain in his eye's.Beginning to feel the tears stinging her eye's again, she looked away.Trying to find the courage to speak she blinked back the tears, and looked at him again.

"I'm ..." Choking on her words, she inhaled a long breath, exhaled, and cleared her throat. "I'm not mad."
"Your not?" He asked, not trying to hide his suprise.
Ruthie looked at him and gave him a shy smile. "Of course not. I'm just ... confused."
"What's there to be confused about?" He sounded more irritated then he intended to, and Ruthie looked hurt. "Sorry."
She looked down, and spoke softly. "It's fine. ... It's just that, ... well, one minute we're talking about the mall, and the next your telling me ... what were you telling me?" Martin gave her a funny look.
"Ruthie." His voice was somewhat pleading.

Slightly enjoying, seeing Martin nervouse, she smiled innocently. "What? It's a simple question." Martin wanted to laugh but new that it wasn't the right moment.'She's not going to let me get away that easy, she's going to make me say it.Just say it, "Ruthie I love you." "I love you" that's not to hard.OK here we go ... again.'

Standing up from the bench, Martin stood a few feet away from her. She watched him cautiously, waiting for him to speak.
He began to pace, thinking of a way to put how he felt into word. Sudden;y as if he had literally been struck by an idea, he stopped, and looked her straight in the eye's. He spoke carefully, and softly. "Your my best friend. And I thank god everyday for making me apart of your life.I can't even began to imagine what my life would be like if I had never met you.I know that it's wrong, and that I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. When I saw you with that guy today ... I ... I felt my heart break. I Love you Ruthie, and if that scares you it's OK, because it scares me to." He was now kneeling in front of her. Ruthie sat quietly staring into his eye's.

'Did he just say that he loves me?Oh my god he did. He loves me ... He loves me!'

Martin stayed kneeling in front of her, waiting.He was starting to become worried again. "Ruth ... say something ... please." He laughed nervously.Tears began to fill her eye's and a small smile tugged at the coners of her mouth. She opened her mouth to respond, but was stopped by the bright light that was shun in both her and Martin's faces. Squinting she looked in the direction the light was coming from.

"Kevin?" She asked more then a little confused.
Martin jumped up and moved out of the light.
"Ruthie?What are you..." Kevin beganbut he stopped when Ruthie looked back in front of her. Seeing the shadow of somebody standing in front of her he moved his flashlight to the right. "Martin?" Martin looked at the ground then back up at Kevin. Ruthie sat quietly looking from Kevin to Martin.
A sudden silance had taken over the park.

Uncomfortable, Ruthie decided to speak first. "Uh ... Kevin, what are you doing here?"
"Funny I was just gonna ask you the same thing." Her brother in-law said, moving the falshlight back and forth between her and Martin.
"Can you maybe turn that thing off?" She asked while shealding her eye's. Kevin swiched off the flashlight and walked closer to where Martin was standing."Thank's." She said lowering her hand.Acting as if he haden't herd Ruthie, Kevin asked the most logical question he could think of. "What are you guy's doing here?"He directed his question at Martin who was staring at the ground, with his hand's stuck in his pocket's.

Martin looked up and saw Kevin staring at him."We uh, ... we were walking home."
"Where's your car?" Another logical question.
"I lent it to Mac. Ruthie wanted to walk home, and I wasn't going to let her go alone." Before Kevin could ask anymore question's Ruthie cut in.
"What are you doing here?" He looked at her knowing that she was trying to change the subject.
"I was at work, we got a call, someone reported they herd yelling in the park." Ruthie looked at Martin who was looking at her. Neither of them had realized how loud they were.
Embarrassed Ruthie's gaze quickly fell to the ground. "Oh."
"So I'm guessing that was you two?What happened?"
Martin spoke up this time, seeing that Ruthie didn't know what to say. "Yeah ... sorry about that. It's over know ... Right?" Both guy's looked at Ruthie.
She gave a small nod, and the most believeable amile she could give. "Right."
"OK. Well uh, come on I'll drive you home." Kevin said.
"No it's OK, you need to get back to work." Ruthie offered.
Kevin just shook his head. "It's late, and Mom and Dad are probably worried.So come on."
"He's right Ruth. Let's just go." He gave her a small smile that made her heart pound in her chest.
Her eye's didn't leave his, she just nodded. "Yeah, OK." With that Kevin turned and walked off in the direction of his squad car, Martin followed slowly behind watched as they walked away, walking quickly to catch up she slowed down next to Martin, after playing with her hands for a few second's she inhaled a deep breath reached out and took his hand in her's. Suprised, he looked at her, but she was looking straight ahead. He smiled to himself, and tightened his grip.

1 Hour later

Ruthie walked into her room after taking a shower, coughing she flopped onto her bed.Feeling something under her she sat up, and found a bag with a folded piece of paper on top, from a book store in the mall. She flipped open the paper and quickly read the short note.

Ruthie,

I saw you reading this in the store today, I hope you like it.

Love Always,
Martin

Smiling she put the note down, picked up the bag and opened it.She pulled out a book ... ' Love Poems'. She opened it and read ...

You leaned over and you kissed me
I felt my knees go weak
You leaned over and you kissed me
I couldn't even speak
You leaned over and you kissed me
With a passion flowing free
You leaned over and you kissed me
Sparks flew that we could see
You leaned over and you kissed me
A touch so soft and tender
You leaned over and you kissed me
A kiss I would remember
You leaned over and you kissed me
I'm sure I kissed you back
You leaned over and you kissed me
With the fire no kiss should lack
You leaned over and you kissed me
You left me wanting more
You leaned over and you kissed me
My soul you did explore
You leaned over and you kissed me
My heart no longer full of pain
You leaned over and you kissed me
Darling, kiss me once again

- Keesha Kelley -

Closing the book she smiled and jumped up off the bed.

Martin's Room

Martin was laying down on his bed, thinking about his day when he herd a knock on his door. Coughing he sat up.

"Come in." He wasn't completely suprised when he saw Ruthie walk in smiling. "Hey. ... I guess you got -" He was cut off when she walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his. After the sudden shock wore off, he wrapped his arm's around her waist and pulled her deeper into the kiss . A few moments later they pulled away slowly, struggling for air.

She leaned her forehead lightly against the top of his head, and said in a whisper..."Martin?" He lifted his head and their eye's met. "I Love you to."