Reese was coming out of the front door when his brother arrived, with a stupid grin plastered over his face.

''What're you so happy about?'' Reese demanded.

''Nothing,'' said Malcolm, his expression not changing.

''Whatever. Freak.'' Reese muttered, as he passed his brother. If Malcolm heard the insult, it didn't seem to bother him.

Malcolm was still grinning as he went indoors, past where his mom was cleaning the sink in the kitchen and on toward his bedroom.

Lois turned as he entered, just caught his blissed-out expression as he walked past her.

''Malcolm, you're late home,'' she yelled after him.

No reply.

She sighed and went back to scrubbing the sink, frowning as she dislodged yet another lump of slop from the plughole. ''When was the last time we had shepherd's pie for dinner?''

..........

Reese was on his way to his friend Mike's house. Well, come to think of it, Mike wasn't really his friend - but he had an outdoor heated pool and one time Reese had kicked the ass of a guy who was about to pound Mike into a coma, so Reese figured he wouldn't mind him coming round.

As he was walking, he wondered why his left trainer always got so much dirtier than his right one. It was weird. He wondered if it counted as a science project. His teacher, Mr Freeman, had given the class an assignment over the summer vacation, which was totally unfair, but Reese was willing to do it if it meant a chance at passing at least one class. As long as it didn't require too much work, of course.

Just as he was wondering this, he caught sight of a girl, a really pretty girl, struggling down the road trying to carry what looked like some really heavy boxes.

He sprinted over to her. Mike could wait (he didn't even know he was waiting.)

''Hey,'' he said casually to the girl, ''Want some help with that?''

''Gee, thanks,'' she said, smiling gratefully. She let him take the box which was on top. ''I'm Julie. I just moved in.''

''I'm Reese,'' he said, proud of how cool and off-hand he sounded.

''Hey, wait, don't I already know you?'' Julie exclaimed. ''You're Malcolm's brother, right?''

Reese raised his eyebrows. ''Yeah.''

''Don't you remember me?'' she laughed, fluttering those gorgeous eyelashes.

''Um...I don't think so,'' he replied, still trying to sound casual.

''I don't really blame you, I guess I look pretty different than last time I saw you,'' Julie admitted. ''I was in fifth grade. I was coming to pick up Malcolm, only your dad had his music turned up real loud...''

''Oh, I remember!'' Reese suddenly exclaimed. ''And you tripped over the wire and went flying... Man, that was hilarious!''

''Actually, I still have a scar,'' Julie interrupted.

''Oh.''

''Just kidding,'' she laughed. ''Oh boy, your face just then was classic.''

Reese relaxed. Laughing at her like that had been a goof, but it seemed like she didn't mind.

''So, you just gonna stand there all day or are we gonna take these boxes indoors?'' Julie asked him.

''Oh, uh, sure,'' he mumbled, and followed her up the driveway towards the house.

For a friend of Malcolm's, Julie Houlerman wasn't half bad.