She sat back casually, glaring out at something that had always made her hate life. Age was what drove Ruth to the decisive action to die young and save herself. The elderly men and woman-that still could- were hobbling down the sidewalks on this sultry afternoon in mid-August-the refreshing scent of sunshine and wet grass skidded past her with the trickle of breeze. Only the cacophany of lawnmowers and irritating chat from wrinkled neighbors could bring her to disrupt this heaven-sent day with a blast of elecrtic guitars and nasaly voices screaming "fuck the world!" A perfect day in all respect...when she had her headphones on.
"hey! Ruthie!" A tall and pale, lanky boy attired in all black- with red-blue hair sprinted up the walkway, through the patio gate and towards Ruth-who still had a stern, angsty expression behind the mess of green-streaked-black hair, thrown apathetically up into a high ponytail.
"hey!" he wove his long arms in her face and snapped her back to reality.
"oh...hey!" she replied, removing a set of tomato red earphones and leaning for a hug.
"so...spending your time wisely I see? Fuck the report due 'morrow thats worth half your grade...?" his eyebrows rose with an expression of sarcastic accusation.
"Yes, Joe. Fuck the report that'll do what? Get me into a good college that'll get me where?" Joe sighed. He knew where this was going. She was going to rant on about the world and then storm off in a rage of fury-"Fuck this place. I lost the war. I hate you all. Your mom's a whore. Where's my dog? This world is such a drag!" was the usual speech.
Joe felt the frustration grow tighter and tighter until he found it unbearable.
"Grow up! Ruth!" he blurted out of anger. He did enjoy every minute of her free-spirited cruises down the freeway, blasting Green Day with all the windows down, screaming along to the song with the most words labeled "bad" in respectable society-but this time her meant it. It had finally broke him this time.
"grow up?...grow up?! what so I can die old and alone! well fuck you." She thrust up from her seat and reaching the door way, slammed the wide oak door on her heels. Joe- being too used to this- shrugged it off and strolled home to call to apologize. It was an ...interesting friendship-to say the least- that had drove him off the edge for so long but he loved every minute he spent with Ruth-escaping perfection.

`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*

Dusk had just wiped away the blue of the sky and left it with an eerie orange glow. Ruth leaned back at her desk, examining her childish doodle on the paper she should have been writing an amazing and inspirational research report about the presidents-which she had considerably no interest in whatsoever-due tommorow.
"Oh yes. Let me tell aaall about this sexist, racist and stupidass prick country Im so "darned" proud to be in!" she mocked brightly in a dramatic slump for amusement.
"Too many godamn rednecks in this wasted land."
The telephone vibrated as it sounded with a screeching bell. Ruth flinched slightly at the break in personal thought. She exhaled deeply and flung out her hand for the receiver. Lifting it to her ear, she listened,
"Ruth...Ruthie....I know youre there....for hell's sake pick up the fuckin pho-"
"yeah what d'ya want? you dont hafta be a jerk!" Ruth retorted, half-expecting him to soften in his words but wondering if this time she had succeeded in pushing him onto the Urgent Care list at BelleView. She crossed her fingers for the first.
"Ruthie...I-IIII....Im sorry if I wasnt really....me......." The silence filled both ends for a torturous eleven seconds until Ruth finally answered,
"yeah, s'okay-I guess." She heard him inhale for the first time in a long time and hung up the phone, with a smile she surprised herself with.