My best friend is an Autobot - stuck with you

Chapter 24. Set up

'Skyla...'

Sideswipe marched over to me. I had tried to avoid him. 'Wanna talk about what happened last afternoon?' He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't happy. 'I was having lunch with Mirage. That's what happened. You interrupted me.' He gave me a look. 'Interrupted you? You were on my spot. I was supposed to have lunch with Jada alone. It's the second time you ruined my date.'

'Why did I ruin it? I ruined it the first time but this time, Mirage kept me company.' He snorted and shook his head. 'You knew I would be there. You knew!' He jabbed his finger in the center of my chest. 'Tell me how? How should I know? You didn't tell me because you were busy ignoring me.'
'Yes! For obvious reasons! I tried to avoid this!' Sideswipe turned away. 'I couldn't have known. It was a coincidence.' He shook his head. 'It wasn't a coincidence, Skyla. I don't believe you.' I shrugged. 'It was...'

I passed him. 'What did Mirage want? Why did he ask you for lunch?' He asked. 'I thought you didn't believe me.' He snorted. 'I don't, but... it's Mirage. He's a flirt... just curious.' He shrugged. 'Are you jealous?' I asked. 'No! Of course not. Why would I be jealous. Jada is coming over tonight, I don't have anything to be jealous about. Are you?' He stated. 'No! I am going out with Mark.'

'Good.'
'Yeah good!'

A silence fell. It was an awkward silence. It's never awkward with Sideswipe but he made it awkward. 'Have fun tonight.' He snorted. 'That just sounded insincere.' I shrugged. 'I was genuine. I am glad she comes over tonight. Hope she's able to satisfy you.' He snorted. 'Oh, she will. She's beautiful, so...'

I was boiling. Sideswipe didn't seem to be very happy either. 'Good for you,' I snapped and turned around. 'And you and Mark?' I glanced at him. 'Probably the same thing.' He snorted. 'Him? Really...? How is he able to satisfy you?' He mocked. 'Damn, you really had to make that comment, didn't you?' I snapped. 'You're losing your temper... again. Seems to happen a lot lately, doesn't it?'

'Stick your nose in your own damn business, Sideswipe.'

I walked off. Before I strode into the hallway, I turned. Sideswipe had vanished. I bit my lip. Jada? Seriously? Why that bitch? Why her? My eyes fell on the black GMC Topkick lined up nicely next to some other vehicles. I looked over my shoulder one more time before approaching Ironhide. 'Hide? I need your help. It's important.' It took a few seconds for his holoform to fizzle in.'

'Which is...?'

'Sideswipe... he did something.' He raised a brow. 'I am not really allowed to say it...' I trailed off. 'Skyla, spill the beans. Do I need to throw him in the brig?' I glanced at him. 'Yeah, I think you do... Uhm, he nearly killed someone. He was speeding down the road and nearly hit a kid. Ask Mirage, he saw it too.' The spy perked his head up. 'What did I see?'

He slowly approached. 'Sideswipe... he sped down the road and nearly hit the kid, didn't he?' Dino stared at me for several seconds. 'I don't wanna be involved with this...' he trailed off. 'He did!' I snapped. 'Okay, fine... yeah, he did. Happy?' He turned his head away. Ironhide crossed his arms. 'But he probably won't admit it... the kid was two years old. You know how these things go. He was playing and mom wasn't paying attention. He ran after his ball and Sideswipe was driving way beyond the normal speed limit. 50 Miles per hour... that's dangerous.'

Ironhide sucked in a breath and glanced at Mirage. 'He kinda did...' the spy trailed off. I had to admit he was quite loyal to me.

'I am going to have a chat with Sideswipe.'
'Is it enough to throw him the brig?'
'I told him before speeding is dangerous, so yes.'
'Good. Maybe he will remember it for in the future.'

I watched Ironhide walk off. 'What are you doing?' Mirage yanked on my arm. 'Speeding? When?' He snapped. 'He didn't speed, okay. I just— he—' I cut myself off again. 'He what?' Mirage crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. 'Can you just please play along?'

'Play along? Ironhide is going to lock him up. Sideswipe hates it and he didn't do anything wrong. It's his life, Skyla. You can't control what he does. You don't have the right to do this.' I snorted. 'Why did you play along then? If you think this is wrong, then go after Ironhide and tell him the truth,' I snapped back. Dino looked away and heaved. 'You can't do this. You can't—' he cut himself off.

'You tell Ironhide the truth.'

'Are you scared?' I challenged. 'No. I am not scared but you lied—' I cut him off again. 'You played along. You're accomplice.' He shot me a glare. 'Sideswipe is still my teammate. I know he's a pain in the ass and I am quite done with him but this...' he shook his head again. 'Just tell me why.'

'That girl, Jada? She's coming over tonight.'
'So...?'
'So, I don't want that.'
'Because you're jealous?
'No, I am not jealous. Only concerned. That's all.'
'You are locking him up. That's not concern, but jealousy.'
'It's not...'
'Yes it is. What about Mark? Are you keep going?'
'Nothing, why?'
'Because he hurt you... and you're never with him.'
'Doesn't mean we aren't a couple.'
'Yeah, I bet...'

Dino waved his hand. 'I don't get you, Skyla. You don't like to see him with another mech but you also don't like it if he sticks his nose in your business. It's confusing and Sideswipe is going to be pissed. Really pissed. Is that what you want?' He questioned. 'I will talk to him.'
'No, he's not gonna listen. I know him for quite some time and he's going to be really angry. He has all the rights to be angry but keep my name out of it.'

'You think Ironhide is going to keep your name out it?' A silence fell. 'I guess we are in this together.' Dino sucked in a breath. 'I am gonna leave and clear my head. Sideswipe is coming after me for sure. He will blame me more than he blames you. I could've prevented all of this and I didn't. I can better leave earth right away. You're on your own in this. I will talk myself out of it.'

The spy turned around and prompted off. I don't think Sideswipe is going to let this one slide so easily. It was impulsive and stupid. Mirage is right, I shouldn't have done this.