This, That & The Third

Chapter 8

The traffic robot turns green just as we reach it and Malcolm accelerates. His arm switches from the gear stick to the wheel and his forearm muscles flex. His dark sweater matching his golden skintone, perfectly. Nobody speaks, but the songs playing through the radio fills the silence. It doesn't bother me, but it's not the same for him.

"What are your mind people saying?", he asks in an effort to make conversation. I look over to him and say, "They're just trying to remember the way home in case you plan on selling me to the bad guys." His head turns back to the road, but his laughter fills the gap in between us and infects me too. We laugh while I look back out the open window and rest my chin upon my wrist. "Ouch!", I yelp out. "What's wrong?", Malcolm turns to me in concern. I check my chin in the mirror, only to find that evil pimple has officially made its appearance. I face Malcolm and point at my chin, "This little bastard is pure evil!" After inspecting the red knob, Malcolm puts on his most serious sounding voice and says, "I think I know just the cure to your problem, Miss Black." He takes a turn into a drivethru and rolls up next to the order-taking station and orders the same thing he has always ordered. He even orders for me. "So that's two medium Big Mac meals with two large chocolate milkshakes and Mcflurrys?", the operator asks before we move to the next station.

I look down at my lap and I can't help, but smile. He actually shows up at my school and now he orders for me. I look up at Malcolm handing the money over to the operator and smile at him. All I really want to do is trace the side of his face with one of my fingers. A stubble gracing his face. He's an Adonis.

Snap out of it, babygirl. He's only a friend acting out of concern for another. Just don't look at his face!

After collecting our food, Malcolm drives us to this little secluded spot close to one of the beach houses at the coast. It usually gets really cold here this time of year, but it is rather warm today. The scenery is gorgeous. Malcolm stops and comes to open my door. I undo my seat belt and grab the beverages which I held in my lap. Malcolm carries the bag of food and I follow. We settle on a picnic blanket which was (conveniently packed) in his van. We eat in relative silence, occasionally making remarks on passing cars in between. The sound of the waves in the distance have a calming affect and the setting Sun slowly turns the sky to a flirty pink simply demands to be taken in and so I do. I feel Malcolm's eyes practically burn a hole into the side of my head. I sense his question. His burning desire to know. I force myself to face him. He clears his throat.

And I instantly regret it.