Ruthie asks Robbie to let her borrow his car because he will ask the least of questions, or at she hoped he is, unless being around the family for few hours had already started to take some sort of effect. Robbie, not really saying much, reaches down to his jean pockets and takes out the set of keys.
"I saw you looking." Is all he says when he catches her eye. "Later ok?"
Ruthie nods, and takes the keys from his outstretched hand.
She didn't waste any time to get out that church hall. She had already seen her dad coming towards her, but she bolts out of there so fast you'd think someone had lit a fire under her.
When she makes it to Martin's, or the street, she parked outside her house because she hadn't actually though it out that far and she needed a plan, or the beginnings of one. She hadn't realized she was gripping the steering wheel so hard until her fingers begin to ache. She couldn't move. What would she say?
Don't think about it, just go for it, She told herself, taking deep breaths to relax the anxious feeling coming over, she resolved that nothing worse could really happen, right?
Ruthie doesn't want to get her hopes up because she knows so many things can and probably will go wrong, but there is hope. Inside her, there is still that little voice telling her that it will be all right. Her mind is made up, and with the nervous feeling in pit of her stomach, mixed with excitement, she get out from the car.
This is going to work.
She has to believe it is.
---
"Martin!" Bou Brewer calls out. He was slightly hunched over, staring out from the living room window.
"What!" Marin responds from somewhere up stairs.
"Come down here."
"Why?"
"Just come down will ya? "
"What is it?" Martin's steps are heavy under the wooden stairs as he makes his way down, and rolls his eyes as he catches sight of his dad. Was he spying on the new gym teacher that hat just moved across the street, again?
"You better come down here and see for yourself." His dad makes no effort to move but he does bring a finger up to point at something outside the window.
"Dad, I'm packing. I have to leave right now to go pick up Aaron, and really dad? Spying from the window? Kind of creepy don't you think?"
His dad gives him an exasperated glance, and waves him over with out saying anything.
He adjusts the strap of the two black bags that hang over his shoulder and with great labor Martin drags himself to the where his dad is still standing.
"Look."
There is a mischievous gleam in his father's eyes as he gazes at Martin and back at the view outside.
And when Martin sets himself next to his father and sees what his dad was going on about. He sees Ruthie on the other side of the street, next to a car he didn't recognize. They stayed there not doing much but observe her though the blinders and she certainly takes her time before she actually makes her way across the street and walks up the front steps of his house.
The doorbell rings. Once.
Martin glances at his father who shrugs and grins as he casually strides away down the hall, leaving him standing to answer the door.
Martin sprints to the small distance and almost trips on the bags when he drops them as he rips the door open.
"Hi" Ruthie says. Her brown eyes wide and childlike as she stares from the door back to him.
"Hey." He manages to say, but it's the first time he's seen her in a long while that he finds himself gripping the door in order to stop himself from grabbing her and squeezing tight. He quickly remembers his place. Ruthie doesn't want him, and he has no right to want those things.
So he stares back.
"You're here." She smiles nervously and she looks kind of awkward standing on the outside steps with her hands tucked behind somewhere and her legs crossed in some contortion that looks like it hurts.
His feels his mouth gap open, and his throat feels suddenly dry.
"Yeah, this is my house."
She gives a small laugh. "Oh, right. So how are you?"
"I'm doing fine. You?" He asks. Martin is waiting for the snarky comment or roll of her eyes. She surprises him when she doesn't do either. Just a nod and a frown. He is confused and intrigued. Martin can't remember the last time she looked so out of place.
"Good." She responds in a low voice. She bites her lower lip and he can't help but stare as her teeth lightly squeeze down, her abused lip becoming a shade of red he cant describe.
"Good."
"Yep."
"Where's the chipmunk, I see he isn't following you today." He tries to make it sound like a quip, but it comes out as a jab, and even he hears the jealousy in own voice. He knows this will get her rattled because apparently that chipmunk stick can do no wrong in her eyes. But her eyes go wide and she swallows hard. Smooth, real smooth.
"We're not together anymore." A shaky voice answers him back.
"Oh." Is all he is able to come up with. Yes, oh.
It takes him a moment before he tries a better answer, but when he opens his mouth and tries to move in closer she interrupts him.
"Are you going somewhere?" she smiles as she changes the subject and fixes her eyes to the floor where the bags sit discarded.
"I have to go pick up Aaron." He explains. "Ruthie--"
"Oh that's good. You must be exited to see him again." her eyes are warm, sincerity in her whispery voice. "Say Hi for me?"
"I will."
Her eyes wondered down again. Her reactions were so unlike her, he suddenly felt irritated. Where was the old Ruthie?
"You came here. Why? Didn't you hate me this week or something?"
She looks a little taken aback, maybe from hint of anger in his voice.
"No..no I've never hated you." Her voice is small, and he can't stand it. This isn't her.
"Funny, could have sworn you did when you slammed the door in my face, but I guess today is a different day. "
He pushed. Martin wasn't sure where it was coming from, and the look of her face when he said it made him feel like a jackass.
Would she cry?
She turns her head and blinks really fast. Martin is sure she is.
Was this it? He thought. Would it always be that way when he said something, even if she had it coming, he would always be the one to feel like a little shit in the end?
"Will you be back for the dance?"
"Yes but I'm not going. You made it pretty clear that you wanted nothing to do with me, so I wont go."
"I shouldn't have come. I'm going leave." She says though a shaky breath and disentangles her legs.
"That's it?" He steps out from the door. She looks caught of guard.
"I think so." She finally says through a smile that doesn't quite reach the whole way.
Martin to take back the past couple minutes and say the right things to make her want to stay. And he doesn't care what has happened to the old Ruthie because all he wants to do is apologize because as she begins to turn he feels a the sudden panic in brain. She's leaving.
"Why don't you come in?" He quickly offers, with a whole lot of desperation in his voice that he doesn't care to mask.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea."
"I'm sorry. Don't Go. Please."
---
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and sticking with me this far! This is just a preview of the chapter which I've been working. I was originally done with it a while back but I have gone back and changed a couple of things (not the ending). I hope to have the story all wrapped up by the end of the month! Thanks again!