Love from, Hell

When the waiter brought the bill, Julie realized she had no money. She panicked as she tried to dig into her jeans for her wallet, just to double check what she already knew.

Malcolm had stood and was already slipping money into the folder. He dropped the bill on to the table, and then paused, waiting for Julie to stand. She scrambled out of her seat and followed Malcolm outside.

On the sidewalk, Malcolm pulled the box of cigarettes from his pocket and slid one out. Julie watched as he flicked his lighter and held the flame to his cigarette. He put the lighter back into his jacket pocket once his cigarette was lit and then took the cigarette from his mouth.

“Where can I drop you off?” he asked Julie, looking at her from the sides of his eyes.

“Um…” Julie faltered. Her first thought was to go back to school but remembered that it was the spring break. She had been planning to go with her friends- Leah and a few others, down to Cancun, but she had no idea where they were now- they were probably already on the road. She suddenly wondered if they were worried about her, if anyone was worried about her.

Julie scratched her neck, pretending to be contemplating something while she tried to think of something to contemplate. Where did she really want to go? She had a sudden thought of home- not the university- but her real home. Her parents lived in some nice suburbs in the same state, but not exactly a fifteen minute drive away. In fact the drive, even in a speedy jet of a car, would take at least a day.

“I’m just going to make a call,” Julie told Malcolm awkwardly.

Malcolm replied by smoking more. Julie scurried over to the payphones and dug around in her pocket for change. She shoved the quarter into the machine and dialed her parents’ phone number. It rang five times before her mother picked up.

“Hello?” The sound of her mother’s familiar tone washed over Julie and she held back the sudden rush of emotion.

“Hey mom,” she said anti-climatically.

“Julie?? Hi honey! How are you?”

Julie hadn’t called her parents in months and hadn’t seen them since Christmas. She smiled over the phone. “I’m fine, mom. How are you?” she asked.

“Oh I’m fine, dear. Everything’s been going good. Well, we’re still not used to the quiet around here yet. When are you coming to visit? I thought you said you were spending spring break in Mexico or something- with Lana?”

“Leah, mom. Well actually, those plans kind of fell through,” Julie looked over her shoulder at Malcolm’s back.

He was flicking his cigarette lightly with his thumb but other than that was motionless. His shoulders looked broader when the light hit him from his front. Julie suddenly wondered if he could hear everything she was saying although he was standing all the way near his car.

“Julie? Did you hear me?”

“Sorry mom. What did you say?” Julie looked back at the payphone.

“What are you going to do now?” Her mother wanted to know.

Julie glanced at Malcolm again. “Well, how about I come there and visit for a week or two?" she asked.

“Oh Julie that would be great! How are you planning on getting here? Are you flying?” Her mother questioned. She never left details unanswered.

Julie bit her lip. “I’m driving actually.” she said.

“All the way here?” Her mother asked surprised.

Julie watched Malcolm drop his cigarette to the ground and step on it carefully. “All the way,” she replied.

She and her mother said I love you’s and good byes then they hung up. Julie turned around and took a deep breath before pausing and walking over to Malcolm. To her surprise he turned his head and looked at her, waiting for a reply. Suddenly, Julie felt ridiculous. How could she expect some stranger to drive her clear across the state? He probably had other things he needed to do. But Julie swallowed her fear and opened her mouth.

“I know this is asking a lot, and if you can’t do it, that’s ok,” Julie began.

Malcolm blinked and waited.

“But, um, I don’t really have any money and the only place I can really stay with no funds is my parents’ house,” Julie said.

This took Malcolm by surprise, so much so that Julie could read it in his usually masked face. Malcolm never expected her to say she wanted to go home. Maybe a friend’s or something- another hiding place- not back to her family.

“Where do they live?” Malcolm asked.

Julie got the strangest feeling he already knew, but wasn’t about to suggest out loud that he did. “In Cedar Falls. It’s an outer city suburb," she said.

Malcolm was thinking intently, a slight frown across his forehead. He even had perfect eyebrows, Julie observed.

“The thing is, it is at least a day and a half’s drive,” Julie admitted.

For some reason, this didn’t affect Malcolm the way Julie had been dreading. He merely nodded and looked away, thinking. Suddenly Julie wasn’t so sure she wanted him to say yes. Sitting next to him for all the time, terrified, didn’t sound like something she wanted to do. But she quickly let that fear go. She needed to get home and Malcolm had already saved her once, even if he didn’t want to admit it, so there were no signs to say that he was going to turn around and hurt her. And plus, she was just as intrigued by him as she was scared of him.

“Alright. I’ll take you,” Malcolm decided and climbed into the car.

Julie quickly sat down in the passenger seat and pulled on her seat belt. She noticed that his tone had been completely indifferent- neither put out or chivalrous. She wondered if he was humble or really had nothing to do. Julie also noticed that a seat belt would have neatly fit around his slim, long torso, but he opted not to wear one as he pulled out from the parking lot and took off down the street’s main drag.