Cross In The Light ✔️

Ch. 23

Crosshairs POV
I stayed in bed for most of the past two days. Hot Rod has been avoiding everyone. I hope he didn't go in the woods during the snowstorm. I don't know if I should be concerned Jamie hasn't asked where Hot Rod is. She'd usually be concerned, but if she's still furious at him...

Actually, no one is concerned about him not being around, so he must be in the barn. Well, since I'm only dealing with a little pain, I'm going out to the barn.

I find Hot Rod - using his holoform- in the barn, sitting on a bed left in the barn. I think it's for Cade when he works late at night, though no one can hear anyone walking down the hall if the door to the bedroom is closed.

"The house is huge; you don't need to stay out here while Jamie is here."
"There's still a chance she'll find me," Hot Rod replies in a sad tone
. "How the hell is Prime letting you stay in here?"
"He insisted I stay in the house, but I think he gave up the other day."
I think Hot Rod thinks Jamie will harm him as he did me. She knows such actions of revenge are wrong, but I'm uncertain if she'd still do something since I could've died. Hot Rod tells me to go back to the house.

Lightning isn't pleased Hot Rod doesn't want to come back to the house, or he possibly believes Jamie will harm him as he did to me. I'm expecting her to force Hot Rod to come back. She leaves with a plate for Hot Rod, walking out the door as Drift and Jamie walk into the kitchen. It's one of those days where everyone gets breakfast whenever instead of waiting for most of us to be downstairs. Lightning and I have been waiting for Drift and Jamie to come down before getting breakfast. I've told Lightning what my plan is for today; she told me she wants Drift, Jamie, and Rangeblade to come with us. Drift and Jamie might come with us or argue it's an opportunity for Lightning and me to spend time together. As for Rangeblade, I doubt she wants to do anything with me, even if the others are with us. It's going to be a problem once we start Prime's plan.As I thought, Drift and Jamie insist I spend the day with Lightning, but Lightning insists they come with us. I'd love to spend the day with my sister and friends. Lighting tells me she'll see if she can get Rangeblade to join us.

Lightning POV
I was hoping Rangeblade would come with us. I know I shouldn't make her come with us. She's likely going to spend time with Hot Rod.
"Have him come in the house. We're going to be out all day."
Optimus and Cade are out on a mission again. So odd they won't tell us what they're up to. There are a few things they could be doing. I'm sure we'll find out what they've been up to soon.

Cade POV
Optimus has asked me to design a course for the trust exercises and create a map for a specific exercise. Glad Vivian inherited the old castle; this makes things easier. I know what Prime has been up to — at least one thing — I've been part of a few meetings, but I've been asked to keep it a secret.

Rangeblade POV
I want to go with Lighting, but I don't want to ruin her time with Crosshairs. I don't know if Crosshairs would be pissed I joined them, and I'd rather not find out. Hot Rod agrees to go to the house and watch a movie with me.
"Finally came back?" Vivian asks.
"Only for a few hours," Hot Rod replies, "I'd rather not cause more scrap with everything we already have to deal with."
Vivian said nothing more and went upstairs.

Lightning POV
I thought we would skate at the river, not at an ice skating rink in town. In that case, Crosshairs must have more than ice skating planned. Good thing we don't need sleep.
"You asked Vivian to pay for us to have the rink to ourselves, and she agreed?" I ask as I put my skates on.
"Yes!" Crosshairs chirps, "only for two hours."
We both have ice skated a little before today. Enough to not spend most of our time on our afts. Though we struggled to get our balance for a good five minutes, laughing as we try to help each other stay standing. Once we stopped falling the second, we stand up; Crosshairs started doing a common couple's dance. It was fun even though we fell at the end. We laugh and have a good time. Before we knew it, our time was up.
"All right, let's go get dinner," Crosshairs says as we return our rented skates. I have a new message from Drift.

Drift: I'm sorry, but Jamie insists you and Crosshairs had time together without us, even though she knows Crosshairs would be disappointed. She ended up crying by the end of her sentence.

Oh boy, I do not know what to do. I feel, as the humans say, caught between a rock and a hard place. I'm enjoying my time with Crosshairs, but I was hoping to spend time with Crosshairs, Drift, and Jamie. Actually, it would be great if everyone was here.

Crosshairs tries to hide how disappointed he is, but he's terrible at it. So this is how you treat my brother, Jamie? Was I wrong to think we could be friends?