Love from, Hell

Julie led Malcolm to the shed. She moved around to the back of the shed, looking under tarps as she went. Finally, under a dusty drop cloth, she found Kyle's old dirt bike. She yanked the cloth off of the bike. Malcolm picked his way easily over to her.

"This was Kyle's dirt bike," Julie told him.

Malcolm was lucky her brother was an adrenaline junkie. He nodded, taking in the obvious difference between this bike and the mountain bike.

"A dirt bike is similar to a motorbike? It runs on gas and is controlled by gears I mean?" Malcolm asked Julie, raising his eyebrows.

Julie nodded, Malcolm's blue eyes catching her off guard as they so often did. Malcolm maneuvered the bike easily out of the shed, letting Julie out ahead of him.

"Do… you know how to ride it?" Julie checked.

Malcolm gave Julie a small smile and she felt tingles on her skin.

"Where's the key?" he asked her.

Julie realized that it must be up in Kyle's room. "I'll go get it," she said and hurried inside the house. Julie raced up the stairs and into Kyle's room and did a quick scan of the room. She yanked open Kyle's bedside drawer and it rattled with keys. She picked up the dirt bike keys and darted back downstairs.

As she approached Malcolm, Julie saw he was examining the bike carefully, twisting the gears a little and looking down at the pedals. Julie held out the keys and he looked up.

"So… do you know how to ride a dirt bike?" Julie asked again.

Malcolm slid the key into the ignition and twisted. The dirt bike's gears ground together in a whine from being out of use for so long, and then roared to life, idling at top volume.

"I think I have it," Malcolm said, with a light frown at the bike.

Julie suddenly panicked. He was taking this far too casually.

"Be careful," Julie fretted.

Malcolm ignored her and experimentally put the dirt bike into gear. It jolted forward and Julie's hands flew to her mouth in fear. But Malcolm controlled it quickly and ripped out of the drive way. Julie ran down the driveway into the front yard. Malcolm was riding slowly on the bike, looking around the bike and testing different gears, swerving and jolting here and there. Julie stared. Malcolm turned around in a wide, careful arc and then came speeding back to the house, the bike roaring.

Julie heard the front door open behind her. Her mother came out in her slippers, her Sudoku puzzle book still in her hand.

"What's going on? Why's Malcolm on Kyle's bike?" Heather wanted to know.

Malcolm eased up into the driveway.

"He's just trying it out," Julie hedged.

Malcolm seemed to be unaware of them and was revving the bike, looking down at it.

"Oh no. Another daredevil. I'm going to have nightmares," Heather sighed deeply.

Malcolm began turning around again, to ride out of the driveway.

"Be carefu,l Malcolm!" Julie's mother commanded.

Malcolm looked up at Heather and gave her a smile. "I will," he replied simply and then tore off down the street again.

Heather gave another anxious sigh that padded back up to the house. Julie looked back at Malcolm and folded her arms loosely in front of her. Malcolm came slowly back into the driveway and turned off the bike.

"Do you think you have it?" Julie asked him casually.

Malcolm looked up at her from the bike. Julie blinked, never getting used to his handsome face. Malcolm looked back down at the bike interestedly.

"Yes. I think so," he answered, just as casually.

Julie smiled and shrugged, faking nonchalance. "Good."

After Heather forced them to eat some sandwiches for lunch, Julie and Malcolm had to head down to the dam. It was time for the race. In the driveway, Malcolm straddled the dirt bike and then zipped up her brother's old, padded racing jacket. Julie paused by the bike.

"I feel ridiculous in this," Malcolm murmured darkly about the jacket.

Heather had insisted Malcolm wear it, upset that they didn’t have any other protective gear to strap on Malcolm. The jacket was a bit conspicuous; it was a burnt red and white with old sponsor patches sewn on it. Julie secretly agreed that although Malcolm looked incredibly sexy in it, the jacket was not his style. Malcolm looked back at Julie, his expression slightly impatient. Julie took this as her cue and climbed on the bike behind Malcolm.

Her legs immediately warmed, happy to be straddling Malcolm's back. Julie was only partly glad she couldn't see Malcolm's face because she blushed a little.

Malcolm started the bike. "Hang on," he cautioned her and then slowly rode out of the drive.

The ride down to the dam was leisurely. Malcolm drove slow enough that Julie didn't need to grip his waist. Julie had been looking forward to that, so she was a little disappointed; although, Malcolm was only going slowly because he was concerned about Julie's safety, and so that appeased her a little.

They were the last to arrive at the dam. Luke was there with his emo punk posse and so were Jordan and his friends. Julie noticed that Luke was wearing a brand new blue and white riding jacket, and he had gloves to go along with the jacket. Suddenly, Malcolm looked a lot less conspicuous and much more heterosexual than Luke. Malcolm eased up alongside Jordan, parallel to Luke.

"Finally. I thought you were gonna chicken shit out," Luke quipped.

Malcolm ignored him completely and held the bike still while Julie climbed off.

"Kick his ass," Jordan told Malcolm with a grin.

Malcolm glanced at Julie then nodded at Jordan, amused. Julie looked over at Luke and his group. One of the girls was giving Luke a lengthy good luck kiss. Although their kiss looked pretty disgusting, Julie felt a sudden, strong urge to kiss Malcolm. Julie looked down at him, her heart pounding like crazy in her chest, threatening to burst out. Malcolm didn't look back at her and instead revved his bike loudly. Luke broke away from the girl and grinned smugly, wiping the side of his mouth.

"It's straight across the dam, around the hill, and back," Luke mapped out

. Malcolm didn't make any sign of acknowledgment. Another girl, in red Chuck Taylors and a mini skirt came up in front of the two bikes. Luke keyed up his bike.

"Be careful," Julie said quickly, her concern flooding her voice.

Malcolm looked at her and gave her a small, but comforting smile. "Don't worry," he advised her.

"On your mark!" The girl started, her voice excited.

Julie backed up from Malcolm's bike quickly and joined Jordan and his gang.

"Get set!" The girl continued, thrilled.

Malcolm revved his bike and Luke did the same.

"GO!!!" she screamed, leaping up and down, and the bikes took off.

"Go Malcolm!!" Julie called out, thrilled, before she could stop herself.

"Yeah!! Go Malcolm!" called Jordan and his friends. "I was wondering what his name was," said one of the boys conversationally.

Luke's friends whistled and cat called for Luke. Julie and Team Malcolm cheered loudly for Malcolm. Luke had a slight lead; he was leaning forward on his bike. Julie watched, anxious as they rounded the hill. For a moment they disappeared and then, Malcolm came flying around off the side of the hill.

Julie shouted in excitement as he came ripping ahead of Luke. Luke stood up on his bike and pressed it forward. As they approached, Julie could see Luke's teeth were gritted tightly. Malcolm came speeding across the finish line and then spun around tightly, his leg close to the ground, to face forward again. Luke crossed the finish line and chucked his bike down, swearing at the top of lungs.

Malcolm climbed off the bike while Jordan and his friends erupted in cheers and slapped Malcolm on the back and pointed at Luke, jeering happily at him. Julie, caught up in the noise and excitement, jumped up and hugged Malcolm in congratulations.

She could tell that she'd caught him off guard, but Julie felt one of Malcolm's arms hug her back around her waist, holding her up from falling back to the ground. Julie knew she was grinning like an idiot, but she didn't care. Malcolm had won the race; she could get away with it. She hopped back down to the ground, Malcolm's arm guiding her. Malcolm was smiling at Luke, his dark face alight and happy now. Luke spat and chucked his gloves at his bike in disgust. Jordan and his friends howled excitedly.

Malcolm got back on the bike and keyed it to life and then turned it back around, facing homeward. Julie began to climb on to the back of the bike but Malcolm caught her quickly, grabbing her arm. Julie looked at him, surprised. Malcolm gently tugged her up along next to him and then guided her to sit in front of him. Julie sat; her heart racing again like it would explode. She looked at Malcolm, who was directly behind her with his face beside hers.

"It's safer up here," he told her with a small smile.

Julie grinned again and looked forward, the warmth from Malcolm's body spreading through Julie like wildfire.

"I'll see you in Hell bitch!" Luke got in quickly, his voice cracking several times.

Malcolm looked back over his shoulder at Luke. Julie looked back too, worried about how Malcolm would react. She'd noticed Malcolm's sensitivity to the mention of "Hell" and was beginning to wonder anxiously what that meant.

Malcolm looked coldly at Luke. "Probably," was his whole reply then he took off down the road, Jordan and his friends hooting loudly after Malcolm.

He rode much faster now, his arms on either side of Julie, securing her in. Although her brain was trying to bring up the mystery of Malcolm, it was also reveling too much in the moment, while Julie's heart raced excitedly along with the bike. She had to say, this was definitely the only way to travel.

Suddenly, Malcolm swerved to avoid a pothole. Julie veered off balance. She only had time to have her heart beat once out of pure panic before Malcolm caught her around the waist with his right arm. Instinctively, Julie put her hand on the force securing her.

Julie's heart fluttered and attraction electricity flowed through her gloriously as Malcolm left his arm around her waist, his hand resting on her front. Unwillingly to move, Julie left her hand on his arm. She glanced at his face to complete the image. Malcolm was serene, his eyelashes moving a fraction as he watched the road. Julie looked forward again, and up at the sky. Although the sun was hidden completely by the blanket of white clouds, it was still managing to make the clouds glow like the sun wanted to smile down on them despite the clouds in its way.