"All right, everyone, GET UP!" Elena clapped her hands together. Her dark hair swayed from one side to the next as she bobbed on her feet. "You guys signed up for this!"

I rolled over and murmured, "No, I kind of didn't. More like forced to come here."

Elena raised an eyebrow but ignored my comment. "Well, I guess you must do this, anyway."

• • •

"Get up, Eve! Block. Now spin. Knee him! 12 o'clock! Go, go, go!"

Elena's coaching was more like someone whining at me to get better without even pointing out what I was doing wrong.

I picked myself up, grunting upon Lucas's laughter through his helmet.

"Block his punch!" Elena shouted from the sidelines.

Just like Coach Newman. Push harder.

Before Lucas could even throw his next punch, I turned his forearm and twisted it behind him.

"Not exactly the combat we practice here, but all right." Elena sighed as I pushed Lucas down.

As Lucas tried to get up, I climbed on top of him, digging my heels into his shoulder bone.

"Yaow!" Lucas held his hands up. Elena blew her whistle, signaling that the round had ended.

I threw back my head, letting my dark blue hair tumble out of the helmet. "And that's how you do it." I head to the locker rooms. I was planning to go for a run, so I'd just grab my water bottle on the way out.

"Eve," Elena said. "Good job picking up the pace tonight. You picked up your game. Keep it up."

I rolled my eyes but smiled. I liked Elena.

"Eve!" Lucas called from behind me.

"What?" I grinned. "Are you mad at me for beating you?"

"Hell yeah. I'm pissed off." Lucas smirked. "As if. I'm happy for you. I checked in with Elena, and she said it was fine, but I have a surprise for you. Get changed and meet me outside in front of HQ."

Lucas's plans would have to wait. He would probably go get donuts or ice-cream, or something fatty, anyway.

"But I—" I started.

"No cuts, no buts, no coconuts. Get dressed into something...less sweaty?"

I sighed. "Fine. Whatever. I'll meet you."

• • •

"Where are we going?" I tapped my fingers on my thigh. I switched the song on the radio, my eyes growing wider and wider with every cuss word that the man sang.

"You'll see." Lucas hummed along to a Shawn Mendes song.

"Lucas! Tell me!"

"We have to pick up Meenie first, but you'll see. How are you holding up? You seem to miss school."

I smiled. "I'm fine. Elena said we'll be starting home-schooling soon. I'm like going to die if I don't get any other source of communication."

"I feel you."

As we pulled up into the driveway of Amina's town-house, I pulled out my phone.

We r outside, btw. I texted Amina. Where r we going???? Lucas won't tell me, and it's KILLING me!!!!!

Amina responded with a quick, okay, and I tried to ignore her, not answering my question.

She knows.

"Buckle up, Meenie," Lucas said, and we drove out of her driveway, almost crashing into her BB net.

• • •

"And here we are," Lucas said, parking the car. "You guys can take off your bandannas now."

"Good." I pull mine off and let it rest around my neck. "It's as though I've been kidnapped."

"Hardy-har-har," Lucas said with a sarcastic tone. "I've known you since, like, 2002, when you were two. Why would I wait so long to kidnap you?"

I shut the car door and shrugged, tucking my phone back into my pocket. "What is this place?"

"Just follow me, Eve and Meenie."

"Bossy, much?" Amina mumbled to me, and we both giggled.

A few minutes later, we were on some boardwalk, which wasn't surprising since we lived in Malibu, but in front of us was some renting area to rent...motorcycles? It resembled a garage, except it wasn't enormous inside. A few bikes leaned against neon purple walls, stacked on racks.

Graffiti painted the walls, letting the purple hues resemble a background for the silly pictures of flowers, initials scribbled inside a heart, and even one of a naked woman. I gagged and looked away.

"Let's go, Lucas. Nuh-uh. I've told you before. You're underage," I scolded. Lucas had always begged Amina and me to go on motorcycle rides with him, but Amina and I turned him down, insisting he should wait until he's of age.

"How're you young folks doin' on this fine evening?" a lean yet muscular man asked, approaching us. His bright yellow hair styled into a Mohawk and wore dark biker shades. On his ears were multiple piercings, one of them a hideous hole right through his lobe. Over his muscular body, he wore a thin, almost see-through, black tank-top, the image of a white skull in the middle of the sea of black. A lit cigarette dangled from his lips.

"Thanks, but no, we're good," I said.

"Hey, Maddox!" Lucas said.

"Hey, Luce!" Maddox said while Amina and I exchanged a look. "So, kid, you want to rent a motorcycle, or graffiti the walls? They're looking bare..."

"We'll do both."

"It's on me, little punk." Maddox lifted his cigarette out of his mouth. "You got yo self two girls? Dang, man!"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Eve, and Amina, Maddox. Maddox, Eve and Amina."

"Hey, Eve and Amina." Maddox threw his cigarette on the ground and stamping it out. He smiled, revealing rows of stained yellow teeth. "I'll get some spray cans out. Let out those angry emotions along with the chemicals from the sprays." Maddox laughed until he sputtered, probably from the smoke.

"Sure thing, Madd Man." Lucas grinned. I followed him inside the garage, practically clinging onto his back. "Looks can be deceiving." Maddox went outside to gather some spray cans.

"You can't convince me to spray graffiti." I crossed my arms.

"I've always thought graffiti is art, so I guess I'll try a bit..." Amina said.

"Wha—" I tried to say.

"Suit yourself," Lucas said.

Maddox returned inside, handing us each two bottles of spray paint. Then, he left the garage, leaving us alone, with the sound of Britney Spears's voice in the background.

"I'mma make a mouse," Lucas said. "Cuz I feel like it."

"I'll make a block of cheese." Amina shook a yellow can of paint.

"Lightning bolt." I also shook a can of deep blue spray paint, letting the stress of the week unleash as I unscrewed the cap. I drew a deep breath and began.

• • •

To my surprise, I shook my can again as my artistic side emerged. Now I understood why Lucas came here.

"I'm ready for the bike ride," I said to Lucas, excited. Maybe motorcycle rides would be another thing I'd enjoy.

"THIS IS AWESOME!" I shouted, clinging to Lucas's back.

"I know, right?" Amina said, zipping past us, alone on a motorcycle. Her hijab whipped around her face in the wind, and I smiled.

"You read to try your own motorcycle?" Lucas asked, pressing the brakes.

"Yeah."

As we head back to the garage, I closed my eyes, letting the humid wind hit my face, hard. My eyes squeezed shut, the wind in my hair, and the scents of hot dogs wafting through the air...it were like freedom, and I was glad for it.