Amelia remembered it like it was yesterday. She had been sitting in her desk chair chewing her favorite raspberry gum as she waited for the boring math class to end. Math had never been the young woman's strong suit mostly because it was as for mentioned utterly boring. She much preferred science or history to this drudgery. Though her favorite class was shop. Oh how she loved working on cars especially classics. There was just something magical about them that drew her to there gleaming forms of steel and rubber. Right now she was working on an old Hutson hornet she had found at the local used car lot. The car needed a lot of work that was for sure but when it was all fixed up Amelia knew it would be a stunner. Just then the bell rang snapping her out of her daydream just in time to hear the teacher shout out the homework assignment before she dashed out. With books clutched in her arms she beelined for the warehouse behind the high school. She went into the changing rooms to suit up for the dirty work ahead of her. Sure Amelia loved cars but she didn't want to get her nice clothes stained with grease and oil. After she changed she headed over to her stall where the Hudson was waiting for her. She had already propped up the rusty hood and was poking around at the motor when she heard a commotion on the far end of the warehouse. Jerking up at the sound she hit her head on the hood.

"Ouch!"

She exclaimed rubbing her head where her red handkerchief held back her messy strawberry blond locks. Walking out of the stall she looked down towards the far end to see a group of students huddled together. Curios to see what was going on she ran over and pushed her way through the throng of people to reveal a terrible sight. Gilbert was standing there smirking as he held a brown paper bag in his hand. Gilbert was a lanky albino boy who was always dressed in his infamous black leather jacket and tight pants covered in zippers and silver studs. His white hair had been styled to cover his right eye and the tips had been died bright red like his eyes.

Across from him trembling in fright stood a gangly young man dressed in a very nice school uniform which was strange because this high school didn't have uniforms. The young man's skin was very pale as was his beige blond hair, Amelia couldn't see his eyes as he was looking down.

"Come on you commie looser take off the scarf!"

Gilbert taunted.

"Нет, не сниму! (Please give me back my lunch!")

The boy replied much to the dissatisfaction of the German whom, taking out a switch blade from his pocket, pointed it at the lunch.

"Do it now or you vill go hungry!"

The boy looked up sightly to reveal his gleaming amethyst eyes which where filled with tears. His large nose was red from his crying which caused the German to laugh.

"Hey everyone! Look vho it is! Rudolph the red nosed loser!"

Everyone laughed at this cruel joke but not Amelia. She would not let this keep going on a moment longer. With wrench in hand she marched over to Gilbert and sticking one end in his face she growled.

"Give back the lunch or else."

—

"Стоп, Амелия! Разворачивайся! Я кое-что видел!" (Stop! Amelia stop! Go back!)

Amelia was suddenly jerked out of her daydream by the blond haired boy sitting next to her in the car.

"What is it Ivan?! What's wrong!"

She asked him.

"Вернёмся немного назад. Надо рассмотреть это получше!" (go back! i want to get another look!)

He exclaimed desperately to her.

"Ivan you know I can't understand you when you talk like that now tell me in English."

"Please Amelia! Go back! I want to get another look!"

"A look at what Ivan? Did you see a car?"

He nodded frantically

"Da!"

With that she quickly turned the car around and headed back down the road. Though the shrubs she saw what her lanky Russian friend had seen. It was a 1958 Plymouth fury and it was a junk heap. She parked the car and Ivan dashed out his long legs taking him quickly to the cars side.

"Such a beautiful red car!"

Ivan said as he ran his hand along the side of the dirty red car. He and Amelia had been looking all month for a car for him. They had just been heading home when he had seen this one. Oh it was beautiful, Ivan had never seen such a long car and it had shark fins. He remembered from Amelia's vintage car books that this car was rare. It was a 1958 Plymouth fury and in red no less. He opened the car door and sat behind the wheel which much to his surprise accommodated his lanky form.

"Look Amelia! I fit!"

He exclaimed excitedly before gingerly touching the steering wheel. Amelia walked around the car looking it over. It needed a lot of help that's for sure. Two headlights where missing as was part of the grill. The glass was cracked and filthy not to mention the body would need work as well as the interior. She crouched down to look under the car and groaned. Ivan heard her and called out.

"What's wrong?!"

"The engine block is cracked Ivan it's leaking oil."

He gasped and gingerly stroked the cars side.

"Не беспокойся, солнце, я всё исправлю!" Do not worry, sun, I'll fix it!)

He cooed to it. Amelia laughed.

"I see you have been picking up on my habits."

"Well you said car like person right?"

"I did indeed. What did you say to it?"

She asked before they heard another voice.

"Hey! What do you two think you're doing?!"

They both turned to see a crotchety old man hobbling towards them.

"Oh I'm so sorry sir we didn't mean to intrude we just wanted to look at this car you have for sale here."

Amelia said motioning to the car. The old man looked them both over carefully.

"H-how much are you selling her for?"

Ivan asked timidly. The old man's head jerked towards him with a furious look on his face.

"I recognize that accent! Your a commie aren't you! Go on get!"

The old man said waving his cane at Ivan.

"Hey! Is that any way to treat someone who wants to buy your car!?"

Amelia said to him.

"Look missy I bought this car brand new back in 1958 with money that the government paid me for serving in the army. An't no way I'm selling it to some commie scum!"

Ivan looked desperately at Amelia from over the old man's shoulder. She could see the pleading in his eyes and sighed.

"Well if you won't sell it to him will you sell it to me?"

She asked crossing her arms over her chest. The man seemed to mull this over before answering.

"Well you seem like an honest gal so yes I will sell her to you."

"Her?"

"Yes. Her names Christine."

—-

"Christine"

Ivan murmured as he ran his hand over the dashboard as he sat in the car now parked in his assigned stall next to Amelia's car. Amelia had bought the car with his money on his behalf and he was ecstatic to now have her. They had towed the her over because of the oil leak and now here she sat with a drip pan under her to catch the oil. Ivan pressed a loving kiss to the steering wheel.

"Я позабочусь о тебе, Кристина! Ты станешь такой же прекрасной, как в тот день, когда сошла с конвейера. Я тебе обещаю." (i will take good care of you Christine. i will fix you up and you will be as beautiful as the day you came off that assembly line.)

He whispered to the car and leaned his head against the wheel. As he did he felt a strange sensation in his mind almost like...like the car was trying to communicate with him. Ivan's mind tried to reach out towards the feeling but his focus was broken by Amelia's words.

"Hey sleepy head are you gonna spend the night in there?"

He jerked up to look at her before getting out of the car.

"N-neyt I was just talking to her."

He said shyly. Amelia smiled.

"Well I'm sure whatever you said made her happy. After all you rescued her today."

"Da. It making me angry that man would not sell me car though."

"Don't pay him any mind Ivan he's just a crazy old man."

"You are beings the right Amelia. It still makes me angry though."

"I know but now Christine has you to take care of her."

"Da! she will be prettiest car!"

He exclaimed as he got into the passenger seat of Amelias car as he had been doing for a month now. Ever since that fist day when she had saved him from those bullies. Amelia remembered that day very well.

—-

"Give back the lunch or else."

"Or else vhat be bop queen!?"

"Or else I tell the teacher that you have an illegal weapon on you. And knowing your dad I think getting suspended from school will cause you lots of problems."

Gilbert glared down at her for the longest time before stabbing the bag though with the switchblade. The bag bled white from what she could only guess was milk. It dribbled down onto the shop floor before he dropped it where it landed in the white puddle. Amelia heard the boy behind her give out a mournful cry and Gilbert smirked before pocketing his switchblade.

"Next time ve meet commie she von't be here to protect you."

He sneered as he turned and left taking the crowd with him. Amelia sighed before turning back to see the boy looking at her with wary eyes.

"Hey, you ok?"

She asked. He blushed and looked away before shaking his head.

"Neyt I have no lunch now."

He said sadly. She came over and paced a hand on his shoulder gently.

"Hey how about after school I take you to my favorite burger joint. My treat."

The boys amythst eyes widened in surprise.

"Neyt you don't have to!"

"It's no problem at all umm?"

"Ivan, Ivan Ivanovich Braginsky."

He said as he got up and stood at his full hight. Now it was her turn to look at him with wide eyes. He was huge but with long skinny limbs like a newborn foal.

"Wow."

He gave her a curious look.

"Your tall!"

He chuckled at her response

"Da I am."

They stood there in silence for the longest time

"I should clean this up."

He said reaching for the soaked sack.

"I'll go get the shop vac."

They soon had it cleaned up by the time the teacher arrived and began the class. Ivan was introduced to them and, much to the shy Russians delight, he was paired with Amelia.

"So you're from the Soviet Union eh?"

"Humm? Oh, da, I am."

He said as he handed her a screwdriver.

"What's it like over there?"

She inquired as she unscrewed a hose clasp.

"Is ok I suppose not like here. Here there is more of everything!"

He exclaimed with a bright smile on his face.

"Is that where you're school uniform is from?"

"Да, это моя школьная форма."

"What?"

O-oh sorry my English is not so good."

He said with a blush forming on his snowy white cheeks. Amelia thought it was cute how shy he was.

"So you like cars eh?"

"Da! I have always wanted one but must wait long time for car in Soviet Russia."

"Oh? how long?"

"At most ten years."

"TEN YEARS!?"

She exclaimed as she looked at him in astonishment.

"D-da ten years. But they say in Amerika you can buy mashina and have now." (Car)

"You most certainly can!"

She said with pride.

"Then...then will you help me find mashina?"

He asked.

"Y-you don't have to though! I just thought since you have such nice mashina that you could help me find one!"

He added as he pulled his scarf up over his rosy cheeks.

"Of course! We can go looking right after I buy you that burger ok."

She told him with a warm smile. He smiled back.

"Spasibo bol'shoye um?" (Thank you so much um?)

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry I should've introduced myself earlier! It's Amelia, Amelia Jones."

"Spasibo bol'shoye Amelya." (Thank you so much Amelia.)

Ivan said with a beaming grin on his face.