The New Kid

it was a brand new school year, a year for graduating, Seniors where talking excitedly about their last year. the rest of the school was talking about the new student. being that they all lived in such a small town a new person was very exciting... being that the new kid had moved in next door to one of the other students... alone, was a cause of great rumor. The kid was apparently sixteen, maybe seventeen, and had moved from the cold, cold Alaska. That was the only thing the people of the small town knew for certain, which meant there was a lot of room for Rumors. A lot, of rumors, which where just as wild as the imagination of a five year old, honestly.

The people whispered in the halls about Eric, Thomas, Thompson. Some said he was rich, and had run away from home to prove a point, others said he had killed his family and was on the run from the law. Some claimed he was in the Mob, and was only pretending to be a student to start a gang in the area, others thought he was a seller of drugs. Some suspected he was in the witness protection, some thought he was a special agent looking for spies. Some thought he was gay, some swore he was straight, some even thought he might be inhuman. In a small town like that, rumors flowed as easily as gossip, and soon the name Eric Thompson was said with a hesitancy, as if just saying his name might bring hell forth. The rumors had been flowing for weeks, ever since Eric had moved into the little town a week ago, driving his own car, with a moving van that had movers to take in all of his things... mostly furniture.

Only a few people had actually seen Eric, mostly only his next door neighbors, who had seen him moving in, his eyes a coppery brown, almost golden but not quite... a very unique color that almost couldn't be described. His hair was a light bronze brown that fluttered around his handsome face as he moved and directed the workers... and then he had gone inside, and had not come back out except to manage the little garden that was in the back, yanking out all the dead flowers and weeds, tilling the soil, and planting new flowers... shirtless. Oh how the younger women had swooned as they watched from the windows.... but now, it was Monday, and the first day of school, and everyone awaited the arrival of the newest student, who no one could agree on being a junior or a senior. Wild rumors still flowed as Eric finally appeared, as handsome as ever as he moved through the halls in his tight, name brand jeans and a button up shirt that did little to hide his amazing muscles. He ignore everything, and everyone as the whispers increased in tempo as he moved straight to the principles office to get his schedule, locker, and everything else that he'd need. It was going to be, a very interesting year.

Ruthaleen Rose Roddman sat in homeroom, she sat by a window and was only half paying attention to the class. She really hadn't made any friends, though she did talk to everyone and everyone said she was a little odd or something was off about her. She was fine without nosy people being around ehr all the time though. The town was also quite used to her, she had been there since she was young this town was all she remembered. But her tank top had a little sweat collected her the heat of the sun in which she sat. Her hair was in a small pony tail it only reached down to her chin in length, it was a dirty blonde. Her dirt brown eyes were like everyone elses and she was covered ll over very lightly in freckles. She wore old jeans that were faded from time and work rather then fashion like a lot of the girls wore. SHe also didn't have any makeup on.

She'd done most of this work and almost all of the reading the year previous, with nothing else to do she had learned. She knew quite a lot by now though she hardly talked to anyone about it all. Ruthaleen was early for class, even the teacher wasn't there yet, but then again Ruthaleen was often very early. But she sat looking out the window into the country and small city that was her hometown. Her parents worked out of town, and often were away on business. So really it was more like she lived by herself then anything else. But everything they did was for her future. That's what they always said in the notes with the money they left behind.

Ruthaleen had her book open to the page they would be covering for first period even though she'd read it already, just in case she got bored looking outside she could always read it again. Soon enough kids filtered in and no one sat next to Ruthaleen. Most of all of them left all the seats empty around her, especially the one in front of her and beside her. Soon enough though the seats were filled and Ruthaleen was sitting by herself by the windows.

the class was only ten minutes in when someone walked into the room, Eric, who handed the teacher a note, his backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder as he brushed his hair out of his face, the slow whispers of the gossipers filling the room just as it had in the halls, and some of them where even loud enough for Eric to actually hear... he looked very amused as he listened to people speculate over whether he really was on the run, or hiding from a person who had murdered his entire family. it Was rather ridiculous after all. and then of course the Teacher had to make it worse by telling them all to be quiet, turning Eric to face the room. "everyone, this is Eric Thompson." the Teacher chirped happily. "he's all the way from Alaska! Eric, would you tell the class a little bit about yourself?" the teacher asked, or rather, demanded and Eric looked around the room with his piercing brown eyes, the entire room falling silent at the amount of self confidence that the young man had.

"hello." Eric's voice was deep, almost husky... a voice for dark rooms and silk sheets and naughty things at night... and even better was the accent, it wasn't very strong, but it put a very pleasant lilt to the words that he spoke and half the class immediately fell in love with him... it was rather ridiculous the hormones of teenagers. "as the Teach said, i'm Eric, and i come from Alaska... and i think i might be dying of heat stroke." Erik admitted, shaking his head. "it's HOT here." he complained playfully. "i despise Math and anything to do with it, but i love history and geography." he admitted, blinking at them all. "i am seventeen, but i am only a Junior, and i can't wait to make some freinds." he grinned at them all and glanced at the teacher who nodded, and he made his way over to some of the open desks, ignoring the desks open on the other side of the room and sat right next to Ruth, dropping his bag onto the floor and shaking his head as he puled out a notebook and pen to take notes as the teacher started Class, talking about 'social economics'. oh how he hated numbers...

Ruthaleen was aware of the presence next to her, While she was a little interested about him he seemed to be trying to hard. He seemed to be playing the crowd. Which she thought was pretty funny actually. But she continued to look out the window and ignore him. This was a boring class and she had all the work in the book finished already, just waiting until she could turn it in. SHe never paid attention in class. This was all too easy for her to do. She was much smarter then anyone else, in fact when she did her homework it was usually senior stuff. She took all the classes she was able nd studied for the rest on her own. She never wanted to go to collage because... well because her family didn't have the money for it. So she would be forever locked in this small town.

She handed her notes from the book to Eric however, he would need them. She didn't, not anymore. She didn't say anything and she ignred all the dirty looks the other girls in the class were giving her. Ruthaleen didn't care what anyone thought anyways. If he needed the help sher would help him. Though he was very odd.

Eric was trying a little too hard. he wanted these people to like him, and not treat him like the weird little freak he was... and then he had to work on the notes, scowling darkly as the teacher went on, faster than he could keep up. he wasn't good at school, he was an athletic type, not an intelligence type... not to say he was stupid, but he certainly wasn't good at school either. he blinked as some papers settled onto his book, picking them up. "what is this?...oh! notes? thank you!" he muttered, smiling at Ruthaleen. "i'm Eric." he introduced himself, smiling at her. "are you sure it's ok for me to have these? you don't need them?" he asked, a little worried that she might suffer her own schoolwork because he had taken her notes. "oh!... your my next door neighbor right? i thought you looked familiar." he mused, smiling at her. "it's nice to officially meet you." he stated happily, looking up as the bell rang and sighing. "i hate school." he groaned, shaking his head a little as he got to his feet. "well, i'll see you later, yeah?" he asked hopefully, smiling at her.

he ended up having three other classes with her, Algebra, with which he clearly had no idea what he was doing, and he hated the teacher because she wouldn't let him sit down until he talked for a half an hour about himself, something that clearly made him uncomfortable. He had World History with her as well, in which he actually enjoyed a great deal, answering the questions about Alaska easily, and even eagerly, and happily entertained himself by reading the book while everyone else goofed off. he also had Gym with her, another class in which he excelled. and his loose shorts and skin tight T-Shirt had half that class in love with him as well, not that he noticed, he was too busy making three pointers on the basketball hoops... and then too busy telling the basketball team that he had no intention of joining any school teams. he was 'too busy', or so he claimed, not that anyone believed him.

Ruthaleen smiled a little. She didn't take her notes back, and she didn't say a word in return to him. Most everyone ignored her by now anyways. They all thought she was too weird for completley all her schoolwork in advance and not participating. In gym she simply walked around as everyone else played the games. No one wanted her on the team and the teacher turned a blind eye as long as she was walking or in some kind of motion. Once P.E. was over and they were all told to go change Ruthaleen was shoved around by the girls and boys as they rushed past her. She didn't really care but she wasn't a physical kind of person. Not only that but some of the boys were really rough with her, she ended up falling over like she did almost every day. She stayed on the ground, no one kicked her but the people usually, would push her around more when she stood back up. She was always the last to change, no one else wanted to be around a brainiac like her... someone who looked down on others they said.

She didn't mind she preferred being alone, she had seen Eric in the yard doing work and she had been out on a wooden bench reading. She liked reading a lot and that's what she did all the time unless she had something else that was important, like cleaning or cooking. Often cooking. Her mother worked at a diner and her father worked at a factory so she was usually left alone in her home. She wasn't allowed to have pets and that suited her fine as well. Being alone was good enough for her.

Eric scowled as he watched the other student's push and shove Ruth around and he bent down, stopping any of the kicks as he took her hand. "are you alright?" he asked softly his head tilted, looking worried. "are you hurt?" he asked, frowning at the backs of the other students. "...i'll walk you home." he promised. "make sure none of the other students pick on you." he promised, sitting down with her until the other students left before moving into the changing room himself to get changed. just as promised, he walked her home, scowling as he considered what he had seen through the day... the other students where bright, and happy, and rarely bullied other kids... so why gang up on one small nerdy girl? what was so strange about Ruthaleen, aside from her name? he remembered seeing her while he was fixing up the yard, ignoring the world, her nose buried in a book... he thought it was cute, apparently the other students didn't think so...

he dropped her off at her house with a smile and a promise to walk her home tomorrow to keep the rude students away and went inside his own house and then headed straight into the backyard to work on his Garden, planting flowers in one, and vegetables in the other. Tomatoes and Carrots, turnips and radishes, all sorts of delicious things... he was even growing sweet corn and popcorn! a real 'green thumb'. "Hey Ruth!" he called over the small hedge that served as a 'fence' between the houses. "Do you Tutor?" he asked suddenly, leaning against the hedges. "i can pay you if you'll tutor me in the numbers?" he asked hopefully. "what do you say? wanna help an idiot out?"

Ruthaleen had walked in silence, it wasn't really like she had asked him to be so nice or to hang around her all the time. But once she was home and read the notes on the table and fridge she went outside to read after cleaning up really quickly. That was when Eric called over the fence. Tutoring was a little strange she had never thought about it. Most people called her a freak, mostly because when she was little she told people what she saw, but she didn't do that anymore, they simply called her names and picked on her mostly. "How much did you have in mind? Only one subject?" Ruthaleen asked as she got off her bench. Closing her book carefully she kept a straight face, as she walked over to the hedge. She didn't lean on them or over them, she kept quite a few feet away from him in fact. There was something very strange about him. Ever since he showed up there was more activity for one thing.

She stood there in her dying lawn waiting for an answer to her own question as well. "I can't make any promises whether or not I'll be any help either, and I have to make dinner and clean everyday. If you get teased... or picked on I'll warn you now it's because you are hanging around me." Ruthaleen said wondering why he had shortened her name, no one called her Ruth, no one but her grandmother who had passed away, though she called her Ruthy. Ever since she had passed away everyone was leary and wary around Ruthaleen though.

he smiled a little when she came over. "anything with numbers in it really... i mean.. i'm not stupid they just..." he shook his head. "they just don't make sense to me! and then you throw in the slashes and the dots and the letters and it's just..." he made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat. "those notes you gave me this morning where... well they where amazing!" he admitted with a grin. "they made so much sense!" he admitted shaking his head. "and..." he paused, looking confused. "you have to make Dinner?" he looked at the house, suddenly realizing that he had never seen any 'adults' over there. "... do you live alone? i can make you Dinner over here if you like, for thanks for tutoring... i'll still pay you of course." he promised offering her a smirk.

"oh please, you think i didn't get picked on in Alaska?" he asked his head tilted. "i'm not afraid of a bunch of moronic little brats who can't handle one woman." he admitted with a roll of his eyes. "they clearly have something wrong in their heads if their all ganging up on you." he scowled darkly. "well that won't happen anymore, i can assure you, i can't STAND bullies." he admitted with a low growl. "besides, if i want to hang out with someone, i'm going to, no stupid group of kids is gonna tell me i can't..." he paused, hesitating. "unless you'd rather i just left you alone?" he asked, studying her for a moment. "i've never had a friend before so..." he rubbed the back of his head. "but if you'd rather not have anything to do with me, i understand... i'm pretty weird..."

"You'll hear a lot of stories about me. But if you can handle me then do so. As for tutoring... math is pretty easy you just have to break it down. I'm glad my notes helped... I've been working on the senior stuff lately and it gets more difficult... so something easier would be more fun for me. They aren't really bullies, they just... they just don't understand is all. My parents work a lot. They don't like to be home when I'm here." Ruthaleen explained cryptically in fact just about everything she did was cryptic. "Pay me however much you want... as for dinner if I don't make anything my parents won't eat... but I suppose joining you wouldn't be so bad... I mean you eat alone too right? Well sort of alone anyways, has anyone ever told you how gentle you are? I've noticed you gardening, well noticed implies a little more then a glance but... you always seem really peaceful every time I look over. Not like when you are at school."

Ruthaleen also noticed that Eric had a wide range of emotions to call on all the time and he was very expressive. She wasn't. She had been when she was much younger but that had ended rather quickly. Ruthaleen moved her hand like she was swatted something slowly, moving perhaps a fly or something away from her ear. "Well... you are probably busy with your full yard and all so I'll leave you alone." Ruthaleen said softly waiting a few moments before turning away and heading back to her bench.

he lifted an eyebrow. "stories? really?" he asked, his head tilted a little. "what kind of stories? like... are you a ghost or something?" he asked with a playful grin. he was a lot more relaxed than he had been in school, more open and more... natural than he had been. "they are bullies, they knocked you DOWN Ruth!" he complained, scowling a little. "they are bullying you, whether they admit it or not, whether you admit it or not.. their picking on you and i don't like it." he admitted, shaking his head. "hows a hundred dollars a week? i can't do much more than that because i only have a limited income, but i can pay you a hundred easily enough." he admitted with a small smile before he blushed violently at the mention of him being gentle and gardening.

"oh... er, yeah... i guess." he muttered sheepishly. "i'm not... well i guess.. yeah i'm kind of gentle, i suppose..." he muttered, clearly embarrassed by such a thing. "and.." he coughed and shook his head. "if you want, i can make enough dinner for four, and you can save some for your parents? then you don't have to cook all the time?" he offered smiling at her. "and i can be tough, when i want to be..." he admitted with a small grin before glancing at his garden and then hers. "...did you know that your grass is dying?" he asked, looking a little troubled by that. "you should water it..." he bit his lip. "so... i'll see you tomorrow after school for tutoring then?"

"No I'm not a ghost... not at all. They are kids Eric, kids knock each other down, it's a fact of life, or so I'm told. Give me ten dollers a week. I don't need any more then that. I have no life other then in school and in this house, and I won't go anywhere but here my whole life. It's a fact. I'll cook for my parents, they don't trust people... not many at all. Why bother it'll rain eventually... and our water is precious enough to not waste it. Nature likes to be left alone doesn't it? That's what all the people say who don't like politicians." Ruthaleen said, swatting something in the air again. She looked away from Eric then and waved something away from her face again. "I have to go... it's getting late and I need to start to cook. I'll see you tomorrow." Ruthaleen said softly before turning and heading back inside her house. Everything was made from scratch in the house and it took at least two hours to cook dinner each night.

The next morning however Ruthaleen woke made herself breakfast and was then out to school, It was the same she was first in the room and she had her seat, it wasn't set seating in their school, but she always sat in the same seat no matter what. She already had her notes for the day out and on her desk, finished, from the book and the homework for the pages were done as well. So she was fully prepared and ready to give help to Eric if he wanted it.

Eric shook his head a little. "it's disgusting, and they don't need to do it to you." he growled, shaking his head a little. "and i can't just give you ten dollars! that's cheating you!... you could save your money, move out tot he city or another town or something." he mused. "your getting more than ten dollars!" he growled, scowling at her. "i'm no cheapskate you know." he complained, shaking his head. "i'll go as low as fifty, that's ten dollars a day..." he decided. "i can't be tutored on weekends because i have to work." he admitted before snorting a little. "isn't this Florida? there's tons of Water!" he complained before shaking his head. "Nature would like to be left alone, but right now it can't be because dip-shits like the politicians are killing it." he admitted simply. "Nature needs our help." he admitted, smiling at her. "if you like.. i can fix your lawn? free of charge too since i love gardening so much.." he studied her carefully as she batted something out of her face, wondering if a mosquito thought her a rare delicacy. "yeah... see you tomorrow..." he muttered softly with a small sigh.

the next morning, there was more talk, a lot more talk... but not about Erik... about what had been on the news that morning. two poachers had been mauled in the Florida Everglades while illegally hunting alligators. not that uncommon, except for what they had been mauled by, a very rare, Siberian Tiger, a perfect specimen that no one could figure out where it had come from. wherever it had come from, it had done so illegally, as Experts declared it an even rarer, pure blooded Siberian Tiger, worth hundreds of thousands alive on the black market, hundreds of people where now looking for the rare beast in the hopes of claiming the reward money... or it's pelt. the mauling had occurred four days ago, and the poachers had only just gone in for medical aid the night before, Rumor was, the Tiger was long gone. "hey Ruth." Erik chirped, settling into place next to her. "did you see the news this morning? about the Tiger?" he asked, shaking his head. "poor thing probobly got out of a private home... how could anyone want a Tiger for a pet? it's just stupidity, it's not like their house cats... the owner is probobly laying dead somewhere because he wasn't taking proper precautions..." he stared at his book for a moment. "Ruth? how exactly does A equal seven?... why do numbers have to be so confusing?"

Moon Struck Fox said:

Eric shook his head a little. "it's disgusting, and they don't need to do it to you." he growled, shaking his head a little. "and i can't just give you ten dollars! that's cheating you!... you could save your money, move out tot he city or another town or something." he mused. "your getting more than ten dollars!" he growled, scowling at her. "i'm no cheapskate you know." he complained, shaking his head. "i'll go as low as fifty, that's ten dollars a day..." he decided. "i can't be tutored on weekends because i have to work." he admitted before snorting a little. "isn't this Florida? there's tons of Water!" he complained before shaking his head. "Nature would like to be left alone, but right now it can't be because dip-shits like the politicians are killing it." he admitted simply. "Nature needs our help." he admitted, smiling at her. "if you like.. i can fix your lawn? free of charge too since i love gardening so much.." he studied her carefully as she batted something out of her face, wondering if a mosquito thought her a rare delicacy. "yeah... see you tomorrow..." he muttered softly with a small sigh.

the next morning, there was more talk, a lot more talk... but not about Erik... about what had been on the news that morning. two poachers had been mauled in the Florida Everglades while illegally hunting alligators. not that uncommon, except for what they had been mauled by, a very rare, Siberian Tiger, a perfect specimen that no one could figure out where it had come from. wherever it had come from, it had done so illegally, as Experts declared it an even rarer, pure blooded Siberian Tiger, worth hundreds of thousands alive on the black market, hundreds of people where now looking for the rare beast in the hopes of claiming the reward money... or it's pelt. the mauling had occurred four days ago, and the poachers had only just gone in for medical aid the night before, Rumor was, the Tiger was long gone. "hey Ruth." Erik chirped, settling into place next to her. "did you see the news this morning? about the Tiger?" he asked, shaking his head. "poor thing probobly got out of a private home... how could anyone want a Tiger for a pet? it's just stupidity, it's not like their house cats... the owner is probobly laying dead somewhere because he wasn't taking proper precautions..." he stared at his book for a moment. "Ruth? how exactly does A equal seven?... why do numbers have to be so confusing?"

Click to expand...

"A equals seven because five times ten minus X makes it that way. It's easy. As for the Tiger, I just hope it's alright. Florida isn't the place for Tigers after all,

"Good morning Eric. I saw and heard. I hope you realize that those animals can't survive here in Florida. There are too many predators, which means the one that isn't capable of coping with the surroundings will be the one that dies. As for the equation, A equals seven because two times five equals ten minues Y makes it seven." Ruthaleen says chuckling softly, but she didn't look over at him. Though it would be the same probably, if she was looking at him. The kids in the school would probably still hold it against them. Against her actually, that's what they had always done before anyways.

"As for my lawn Eric leave it alone. I don't want anything else flying around, you bring enough on your own. Please don't ask about anything okay? Just use my notes and I'll tutor you for twenty bucks a week. I'm not leaving this place. I can't, my parents did too much and I have totake care of them." Ruthaleen sighed softly and looked at Eric for a moment before looking back out the window away from him.

he smiled at her a little and shook his head. "i know they can't survive in Florida, that's why i hope they catch the poor thing, it isn't the tigers Fault it's out here, it's whoever was stupid enough to buy one." he admitted before he stared at her, completely clueless. "er... yeah sure... if you say so... Y makes seven...." he muttered shaking his head. "oh my god i'm going to fail..." he groaned helplessly. "even with your amazing skills i'm going to fail and then i'll NEVER graduate!" he whined, his head hitting the table, a little over-dramatic but hey. he was tired, he'd only had one cup of coffee... and he longed to find a nice free forest and just RUN, but he didn't dare because everyone was on this mad hunt for a Tiger that wasn't really a Tiger.

"alright, i won't bother your Lawn." he grumbled, studying her. "...flying around." he sat up, looking at her with a new curiosity. that was strange... did she see things? clearly.. the question now was, was she a Seer of some sort, or just crazy? "i'm not giving you such little money Ruth." he complained, scowling at her. "take fifty and use it to buy things you want... or save it, who knows, maybe you'll need a new dishwasher in the future or something." he stated with a Shrug. by that time other students where in the room, and they where staring at Eric and Ruthaleen with a mixture of horror and disgust. this did not bode well for the duo, but Eric had a few tricks of his own up his sleeve, and he wasn't about to let these people pick on Ruth any more... not when she smelled so good and was so nice.

P.E. began and it was very much like it had been the day before, although kids accidently ran into Ruthaleen a lot more this time and Ruthaleen fell several times throughout the period. Eventually she sat on the sidelines nursing the knee she had fallen on several times. Her leg was sore from falling over so many times from being bumped. She had an ice pack on her leg as well and she was pretty much staring at the floor. When it was time for everyone to leave and head to the lockers she stayed behind on the benches nursing her knee. It was deffinetly a bad thing Eric taking an interest in her. All the girls were already angry enough about her all the time and Eric was really not helping by showing interest in her now.

Ruthaleen needed to let them know there was nothing between her and Eric, she was worried that if she didn't set boundries she would get in big trouble again, like when she was younger and they attacked her sending her to the hospital and she had to get stitches. She had spent weeks recovering from the attack of the children. She still had to go to the school with them and live around them everyday, she still had the scar from before and she was afraid they would attack again if she didn't stay on the low end of the radar.

Eric, for his part, was not a stupid boy. he saw what was happening in PE and for a moment he hesitated... defend her or not? he seamed to be making things worse, not better... finally, he decided not to intervene unless they actually tried to hurt her, they did of course the bastards but by then it was too late to help. he felt bad, but what was he supposed to do? as he walked out of the Locker Rooms with a group of boys, one of them said something nasty about Ruth, about him, and about a few of the other woman, and for the next ten minutes, everyone watched, screaming and catcalling as the two men punched on each other. Eric was winning, but barely, the group of students eagerly egging on the fight with screams and catcalls, the teacher, of course, nowhere to be found. finally, Eric managed to send the other guy to the ground, and this time, while the other glared, he didn't try to get back up.

"you people make me SICK!" Eric spat, glaring around at every single one of the students with a swollen and split lip, a black eye and a bloody nose that was still bleeding. "your just bloodthirsty little bastards aren't you!? Laughing anytime someone gets hurt!?" he spat, face full of Fury and hatred as he forced his way through the crowd, offering anyone who tried to help him a glare. "get lost!" he spat when one of the local slut-women' tried to latch onto his arm and coo that she was sorry he'd gotten hurt. she gave him a wounded glare as he limped out of the Gym, and turned her attentions to the other guy instead... for once, no one paid any attention to Ruth. by the time she made it out of the Gym he was long gone, probobly halfway home by then.

Ruthaleen had heard everything, she didn't like it but... For once she left the school, she would prepare a first aid kit and wait for him at his house. He had probably done it for her. Or for himself... but she had a feeling he had done it for her sake. Which made it all her fault, kind of. But even though, she was glad no one was paying too much attention to her and She was home rummaging for an ice pack and some bandages and other things she might need, once she got a whole bunch she put them in a bucket and left her house to go to his. She'd never done something like this before and it made her very nervous, the fact that they were all over his house wasn't helping. But she put up with them for now and she hesitantly knocked on the door.

She wanted to show her appreciation at least, for what he had done. Even if it was his own choice everyone would think twice about doing anything to him now... maybe it would extend a bit to Ruth too. She didn't hope for that of course but you took what you could get in a small town like this. She waited by the door after a few minutes she knocked again, she had a book with her about first aid care, she had assimilated a lot of books for some reason and now they were becoming very useful as of late.

Eric opened the door after the third time she knocked. his eye was puffy and swollen nearly shut and he had a napkin pressed to his still bleeding lips... but he still looked so much better than the other guy did. "hey Ruth..." he muttered, smiling at her. "i had a phone call from the other guy's parents..." he shook his head. "apparently because i am a parent less heathen, this is all my fault." he paused. "it kind of is..." he admitted simply. "come on... in... is that for me?" he asked, suddenly taking notice of the first aid kit in her hands. "that's... that's really nice of you." he looked rather astonished, as if he hadn't realized his own kindness would be reciprocated... as if the thought that someone might do something for him was a foreign concept.

inside the house it was filled with soft, overly plushy, so very comfortable furniture, but little decoration. there was a massive television in the living room, and several game consoles, but there didn't seam to be any actual television, or cable, or satellite on it. there was tons of food in the Kitchen, but there where dirty dishes piling up. clearly, he had funny priorities. at least the house didn't have dirty clothes everywhere like most men did when they lived alone. "here, have a seat." he offered, pulling out a kitchen chair for her. "here, have a seat." he chirped, smiling as he sat down himself as well, sighing happily as he rubbed his ankle. "i twisted something i think." he admitted shaking his head. "i should go to the doctor..."

"Let me see, my mom is a nurse. When I get bored I read her school books and medical textbooks. I've taken the exams and things too. I think I should be able to help you patch yourself up." Ruthaleen said softly as she kneeled down in front of him. She opened the first aid box and pulled out an ice pack already cold first however. "For your eye." She said handing it up to him. Once he had taken it she began to examine his ankle. She moved it around slowly and carefully. She felt the bones tenderly afraid she might hurt him. "Just a sprain or maybe a pulled muscle. No breaks as far as I can feel. Stop licking your lip it needs to clot properly and you're stopping it. Hows your ribs? I heard the other guy got a shot or two in himself." Ruthaleen said worriedly.

She hoped her own parents didn't get called, she had learned when it came to the school system they blamed who it was convenient to blame. She was almost always blamed if she was anywhere near whatever happened. This time however she hadn't been. She had a few bruises herself, but they were very small in comparison to Eric's. Once she finished with his foot however she sat in the chair and scooted it closer to Eric's so she could examine his eye. She didn't want any burst blood vessals or anything. "Why did you do that Eric? Why pick that fight?" She asked softly as she pulled the ice pack away from his eye. She examined and very gently prodded his face so she could see the extent of the damadge. "Keep the ice on it and the swelling will go down, other then that you're going to have one heck of a bruise." She said shrugging her shoulders. Sitting back in the chair and relaxing for a moment she got into the first aid kit again and pulled out some pain killers before unpackaging them nd handing them to Eric as well. "This should help." She said with a small shrug.

Ruthaleen didn't really care how a person kept their house, his seemed as good as any to her. She had never been bought game consoles though since she was the way she was her parents didn't interact with her as much as possible on their part. So she'd turned to books. She still got toys and stuffed animals. Bot no video games or anything violent. Her house looked like a show house as if no one lived there it was always perfection.

he smiled a little at her, looking amused and awed. "you understand those things?" he asked, sounding impressed. "i tried reading one once, i didn't understand a damn thing..." he grinned. "i picked it up for the pictures of the naked ladies.. i was like, ten then..." he admitted with a short laugh, wincing as she felt his ankle, pressing the icepack to his eye with a small chuckle. "i can't help it.. it stings..." he admitted, obediently pulling his tongue back into his mouth. "their sore, but not broken, just bruised, they where rabbit punches, a low blow but mostly harmless." Eric admitted with a shake of his head as he pulled his shirt up, showing her his impressively flat stomach and tout muscles, and small bruises covering his ribs. he was right, there was no real damage, just bruises.

"i didn't pick that fight. that bastards been egging me on all day." he growled. "when he started dragging the other girls into it, i sort of just... snapped..." he admitted, scowling. "i can handle being insulted, i'm used to it. he's been picking at me since i walked into school this morning, calling me a man whore and a red hick bastard." he snorted. "very unoriginal... but then he started saying things about you and that other girl, Annalice... then he started talking about the other women... i had to shut him up." he admitted blinking at her. "if i didn't, he would have done something to you to get a reaction out of me, and i couldn't have that..." he admitted shaking his head. "it' in my nature to protect, and he was causing problems for someone i was protecting... he won't be in the hospital for long, his mother is overreacting, i pulled my punches, he doesn't even have a broken bone, just a lot of bruises."

he smiled as she examined his eye, holding very still for her as he sighed. "i always have a heck of a bruise... as tough as i am, i bruise easily." he sounded so very disgusted by that. "oh... i can't take painkillers... they do something to my head, an allergy or something." he grinned. "you ever seen a person whose too drunk to walk? that's me on painkillers." he admitted with a grin and a shake of his head as he slowly sat up right and rubbed his head. "the bastard clocked my eye good though, i have to give him that... he certainly knows how to punch." he sighed. "now people are going to ask me to joint he Boxing club." he groaned, shaking his head as he limped over to the fridge. "i don't have much to eat right now.." he admitted, shaking his head a little. "pizza alright?" he asked, pulling a frozen Pizza out of the freezer. "i have pepperoni, and cheese, and Canadian bacon, a meat lovers, and a vegi lovers..."

"Um no thanks, I have to go home and make dinner anyways, Would you at least take some later today and rest then? Besides he's always saying stuff about everyone. Hardly anyone ever reacts to it you know. I've been picked on for a long time. So you don't have to bother protecting me Eric... As for bruising I don't... not barely at all which is funny because I can't fight worth anything at all. As for a club why not the gardening club? You like gardening out back well enough right?" Ruthaleen asked softly packing things away in her first aid kit again and handing the ice pack back to him. If he kept the swelling down then that would help a lot especially since he wasn't going to take any anti flammitory pain medicines. But then again it wasn't her own body so she had no right to try and tell him what to do.

"If you still want me to tutor you today I will... but I should go home and get cleaned up I ended up sweating a little at school today. If you need anything just come on over and knock. I'm sure they'll let me know if you are around even if I don't hear the bell. I have to go clean though my parents sometimes makes a mess before heading to work and I clean it up after I get home from school... usually." Ruthaleen said, trying to sound nonchallant and speak over what she had accidently spoken. she tried hard to make it sound natrual but she was finished packing things up and she was standing with the little box in her hands. "I should probably go now... Thank you for letting me in and I'm sorry I couldn't help much more, please keep the ice on your eye and the bandage over our foot. Thank you... again, Eric." Ruthaleen said softly looking down before she headed for the front door of his once again. Ready to leave and head to the relative safety of her own home where she couldn't tell him weird things and possibly make him afraid of her. Like everyone else was.

he smiled a little and nodded. "i'll take some before i go to bed." he promised her, ice-pack still firmly held to his eye. "and i can't help but to react to it. i was raised to be a gentleman, and gentlemen do not allow Brats to go around insulting women at every turn." he stated with a sniff, as if that explained everything... maybe to him, it did. "you don't bruise easily?" he asked, astonished. "maybe that's why they knock you around so much, they don't realize how badly their hurting you..." he muttered, clearly worried about her before wincing. "i don't have time for Clubs..." he admitted simply. "i garden in the little free time that i have..." he admitted softly, studying her, hoping she wouldn't ask why he was so busy when he never went anywhere but to school.

"no. no tutoring today i think. i don't have any math homework anyway." he assured her, smiling again as he shook his head. "everyone sweats Ruth." he teased, smiling at her before scowling a little. "Ruth... your parents.. their not... mean, to you.. are they?" he asked, a strange note to his voice. he was asking her if they ever hit her, or called her names, he wanted to know if they where abusive... she always acted strange when she spoke of her parents and it set Eric's fur on edge. "thanks Ruth, for fixing me up." he chirped at her, watching her leave, an then watching her go home with a small sigh. he intended on staying up tonight, to see the Parents come home, to see what happened... hopefully the curtains would still be open so he could see inside, if not, he'd creep closer to her house and listen in... just to make sure Ruth was safe... there was just something about her that demanded he protect her.

Dodging probing questions about her life had become very easy for Ruthaleen. Her parents weren't physically abuse at least not anymore, as long as she stayed away from them almost completely. She didn't ask him any questions either, he had his own life and she had no right to pry into it much at all. So when she went home she showered and cleaned and set about getting dinner ready. She cooked dinner and ate once it was finished before cleaning everything up while it was finishing. Once it was completely done she had fifteen minutes before her parents would be home so she quickly set the table and filled the good serving dishes with the food she made and set that on the table. Covering everything and finishing the last touches of cleaning upand setting the table she gathered anything that said she was in the house like normal and she headed to the back of the house where her room was. She had boxes of books, and she had a few stuffed toys not many though and the ones she did have looked like they went through a war.

But she still cared for them deeply and she had ttried to sew them back up. Some looked okay others you could tell someone had tried to destroy them. But Ruth set her things in her room and cleaned them as well. Her room had nothing in it that one would have thought a teenage girl even lived there. Only her animals and her school supplies. She didn't have a dresser so she used mre boxes for that too. She had a proper bed and a desk and a chair that was it. She heard the cars enter the driveway however and she sat at the desk and began to work through the school books she had left to finish. She was also writing out her math notes for Eric so they might be more easily understood.

The front door opened and closed. "Ruthaleen?" Called out the deep male voice that belonged to her father. Ruthaleen stood up and opened the door of her bedroom and walked into the hallway. "Yes?" She asked softly, she hoped the school hadn't called her parents. "I got a phone call from the school today. I heard what happened and that you skipped school. If you don't want to go to school, then get out. I'm going to spare you my wife's tirade just this one time, If we get called by the school one more time you know what's going to happen. Don't bother making dinner for yourself for the rest of the week." The taller male said nothing about how he spoke to Ruthaleen suggested there was any love or even tender feelings. For one he never once stated the relationship between their daughter and themselves. "Yes sir." Ruthaleen answered quietly before walking back to her room and closing her door.

The woman entered the home and nothing more was said about the teenaged girl living in the house. They sat down and had a nice meal, talking between each other and then left their dirty plates at the table. They retired upstairs and closed the door above the stairs and locked it, Ruthaleen couldn't have gotten upstairs even if she wanted to. She left her room to clean up silently. Obviously whatever had happened Ruthaleen was now in a position where she was maid and house keeper and was not to be seen OR heard when her parents were home. In fact there weren't even any pictures of her anywhere in the house other then her room in a photo album packed away in one of the closed boxes. The house held no indication that Ruth even lived there. There was no love, between parents and child. Ruthaleen wasn't even upset about it anymore. So she cleaned everything up and packed up the leftovers for herself for lunch at school. Put it in the very back of the fridge and after everything was cleaned up she went back to her room to finish studying before going to bed. In the morning she showered again and got dressed, grabbed some breakfast cleaned the entire kitchen again and got her lunch. She then walked to school because she never rode the bus. First period came again and she sat in the same spot as she always had, alone with her things directly in front of her as she stared out the window and waited for the rest of the school to show up. The janiters always let her into the school before the bell because she often did nice things for them. She never made a mess either so they liked her a lot, and she did no harm by being in her classroom before the other kids. So she sat in the silence and waited for the bell to ring to let the children inside and then for them to filter into the classrooms. She seemed no different then any other day, in fact she seemed exactly the same, almost boring type of person.