Unrequited

Chapter 77: There's Something I Need to Tell You

Orianna P.O.V

My palms were sweaty.

My heartbeat was irregular.

My hands knotted together in a bid to try and kerb the nervous energy that swept through me like a wildfire. My brows crinkled in concentration as I scanned the tree line at the far end of the beach. My eyes darted over the darkened form of the trees like some skittish animal, searching for any sign of movement.

He was late. Very late.

A sliver of icy fear thread its way through my heart and I brushed some hair from my eyes, tucking the wayward locks behind my ear. Optimus was rarely late when meeting with me, or anyone else for that matter. He sometimes got held up by last minute questions or issues, and once he contacted me to say he had to regrettably cancel. ''But he is nearly an hour late!'' I exhaled roughly in exasperation.

''Oh well!'' Swinging my hands by my sides, I gathered up the flowing black gypsy skirt I was wearing and tucked it under me, lowering myself as gracefully as possible to the sand. ''He better have a good reason!''

All at once, the image of Optimus' body laying broken and dying before me, flashed through my mind and I gasped out loud, shaking my head to rid myself of the nightmarish scene. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply. /Stupid woman! Not so long ago you thought he was lost to you forever and now you are getting annoyed because he is running a bit late!/. I growled in reproach at myself, rolling my eyes. ''Bloody idiot! He can take as long as he likes!''

I blinked back the sting of tears as I looked down at my beautiful silver and blue Pandora charm bracelet that adorned my right wrist. ''Better than the alternative,'' I whispered to myself. My fingers began picking absentmindedly at the Galaxy Blue Star charm, spinning it about the silver chord as I smiled fondly at it.

The deep blue reminded me of Optimus' mesmerizing optics and paintwork and, of course, there were my stars that I loved to look at and – sometimes wish upon. I chuckled to myself as I shook my head, sighing out loud. The Galaxy charm also reminded me that of all the places in this Universe Optimus and the Autobots could have found the Allspark on, it was here. And of all the countries they could have crash landed in, it was this one.

I laughed out loud as I recalled that fateful night. ''In fact, Optimus himself landed almost on top of me!'' I recalled the streaking meteor that was Optimus crash landing in a field near where I lay contemplating the drastic turn of events in my life. Lost in the memory, I smiled softly to myself. ''Little did I know the biggest change in my life has just landed!''

I stared at the charm a moment longer before raising my eyes to look at the Galaxies above me. ''It was like we were meant to find each other, meant to be in each other's lives.'' The corners of my lips curved into a wry smile before they began to quiver, and I sniffed back the tears that yet again threatened to fall. ''As it turns out not in the way I had hoped - or wished for.''

A flash of red, blue and silver through the tree line and the muffled sound of heavy pede falls drew my attention and a smile to my face again. /He was here!/. The sight of the mech approaching never failed to take my breath away, yet this time it seemed to hitch in my throat and a dull ache tore through me at the same time. ''Still, I'll take it.''

I bit my lower lip as I rose to my feet and waved in greeting at his towering form. He nodded his helm in reply, though did not speak. A million butterflies began to flutter their way around my stomach and my throat was dry once more. I wriggled my toes in the sand, dispelling nervous energy and trying to anchor myself for what was about to come.

Strange thing was the last time I felt like this here on this very beach, I was about to tell the very same being that approached me now, that I was in love with them. Prime came to a stop before me and slowly lowered himself down to one knee. This time, I worried my lip between my teeth as I gazed up at that beloved face. This time I was about to tell them I liked someone else.