ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪꜱ ʙᴀꜱᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘɪꜱᴏᴅᴇ ꜱᴘᴇᴇᴅ ᴍᴇᴛᴀʟ
The forest was usually peaceful. The only sounds interrupting the silence were the occasional howl of wolves and the rustle of wind that blew through the leaves. The crickets that typically sang their song were silent as the growl of multiple engines cut through the night. Cars made for speed challenged each other with each rev—the vehicles begging to be used.
One man oozed confidence from every pore, his inky tattoos flowing up his body and resting on his neck as multiple piercings lay on his face. His arms hung nonchalantly outside his car as his gaze rested on the starter who stood in the middle of the runway, and he scoffed, unimpressed by the sight. The rumble of a car drew his attention to the side, and his eyes followed the red Aston Martin that pulled up beside him.
"Not from around here. European design?" The man taunted, his fingers calmy tapping against his black steering wheel. His brows furrowed as the competitor said nothing, the black tinted-out windows only revealing his reflection. "Sure is pretty." He commented, his first clenching as he glanced at the giant ring on his finger.
"Too pretty." With lips upturned in a malicious smirk, his ring scraped against the car next to him, leaving a big lighting-shaped scratch against the once flawless finish. The man chuckled as he brought his hand back to the steering wheel, his window rolling up as his focus went back to the starter in front of them. Little did he know that no one sat in the car's driver's seat, and he would soon pay tenfold for the damage he caused.
"Big Mistake." The Aston Martin growled, gears shifting as the starter whipped his hand down, signaling the race had started. The vehicles shot forward, roaring past the starter and leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. The man's foot pressed on his accelerator, and his exhaust pipe lit into flames, pushing him further ahead of the others.
He grinned in satisfaction as the cars in the rear-view mirror became smaller and smaller before disappearing entirely as he rounded a corner. However, the grin was wiped off his face when the sounds of screeching tires filled his ears, and his eyes shot back at a familiar red vehicle quickly gaining on him. Before he knew it, the front of the Aston Martin rammed into the back of his car, whipping the man forward.
"Hey!" The man exclaimed, his eyes widening with fear when he saw the car come in for another hit. He had no control over his vehicle as it spun off the road, and his stomach dropped as he flew over a cliff, his car flipping mid-air and landing painfully against the unforgiving rock.
"Aw, dude." He groaned, his hand lifting to his head as a steady thud shot through his brain, and his vision blurred as he tried to move. A harsh light forced its way into the scene, and he glanced up, barely recognizing them as headlights. As his consciousness slowly retreated to the back of his brain, his ears processed one last sentence before fading to black.
"You scratch my paint; I scratch yours."
* * * * * *
The hallways were always a bustle of chatter and flowing friends. It was rare to see the halls empty and quiet, and I longed for the day I could experience sweet silence. I sighed in annoyance as a shoulder harshly collided with mine, and I swallowed down the few choice words I so desperately wanted to scream out.
Usually, I wasn't bothered by the ruckus nature of High School, but today Miko was in detention, and I was left to walk out of the building by myself. Something that I had come to realize was a dreadful experience without the pink-haired girl by my side.
Luckily today was Friday, which meant that in two seconds, I would have officially survived my first week attending Memorial High School. I was proud of myself for not letting my grades drop despite all the crazy events this week. Granted, I have had to change a few things in my schedule to stay safe, but I have come to accept them. One of the more challenging things to get used to was going to the Autobot base daily.
I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it, but finding a believable excuse made it hard. Mom always questioned why I came home later than usual, and I had to tell her that I had joined the "robotics club." Convincing her was more difficult than I thought, but I shouldn't have been surprised, considering I was a terrible liar. She only believed me when I told her a few of my friends were in the club, and I just wanted an excuse to hang out with them more.
Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the doors leading to freedom came into view, and my legs moved faster as I dodged and weaved through the students. I was only a few feet away when a hand landed on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. Turning on my heels, I met with an unfamiliar face of a girl.
I was immediately drawn to her dark Auburn hair pulled up in a simple ponytail, and I couldn't help but notice our similarly colored eyes. The only difference between ours was the shade. While mine was a dark jade, hers was a bright emerald that added to the girl's beauty.
"Finally, I caught up to you!" The mysterious girl exclaimed, her hand lifting from my shoulder. My brows furrowed in confusion as I racked my memory for any name to put to the face, but I gave up when I drew a blank. The girl noticed my trouble and laughed, hugging the textbooks to her person tighter.
"Oh right, we haven't met. My name's Sierra!" The girl introduced, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. I sent Sierra a polite smile and outstretched my hand toward her.
"Nice to meet you. My name's Astra." I replied, pulling my hand away when she returned my handshake. "Did you need me for something?" I wondered, confused by the sudden greeting. Sierra immediately perked at the subject change and pushed a piece of paper into my hands, her eyes studying me as I read the flyer. I scanned it several times before my attention returned to the girl in front of me.
"It's a cheer flyer," I commented, unsure what she wanted from me.
"I'm the cheer team captain, and we need more girls on the team," Sierra said, a hopeful glint in her emerald hues. I already knew where this was going, but I allowed her to continue, even though I wanted nothing more than to leave.
"So I was wondering if you were interested in joining?" I shuffled uncomfortably, my fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with the crystal as she waited for my response.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not looking for any clubs at the moment," I answered, sending her a sheepish grin. "I'm just trying to get used to the school, and I already have a busy schedule," I explained, hoping that would deter the older girl. But the smile on her face was steadfast, and she quickly interlocked her arm in mine and strode through the door. I clumsily followed her, too surprised by the sudden action to pull away.
"What better way to get used to the school than by joining cheer? You can go to all the games and meet so many people!" Sierra pointed out, sending me another blinding grin. I didn't have a good enough comeback as she continued dragging me past the schoolyard, and I noticed, to my displeasure, that she was bringing me to a group of girls. I stopped my movement before she could get me any further, forcing a smile to my lips.
"I must admit it's tempting, but I'm not sure cheer is for me." I reiterated, sliding my arm out of hers. I didn't know why she was so determined for me to join, but I didn't have the energy to add another thing to my already full plate. The girl hummed in thought before her face brightened, and she invaded my personal space once more.
"If it's about not knowing the team, there's an easy fix for that!" Sierra announced, slinging her bag forward and digging through it.
"It's not that," I mumbled, the smile on my face wavering when she blatantly ignored me. When she found what she was looking for, she snatched the paper out of my hands and scribbled something on the piece before handing it back to me. I glanced at the unfamiliar street name on the corner of the paper before lifting an eyebrow, my eyes meeting back with hers.
"There's a street race happening tomorrow at 8:00, and the team and I are going to watch," Sierra explained, stuffing her pencil back into her backpack. "You should come with us!" She invited, another grin stretching at her lips. I shook my head, but before I could say anything, Sierra was talking again.
"Before you say no, just think about it." She insisted, backing away from me toward the group behind her. "I hope to see you there!" With one last wave in my direction, Sierra walked over to the girls, ending the strange conversation.
My eyes followed her for a second before I focused on the flyer, re-reading it for what felt like the hundredth time. Even though I still had no interest in joining cheer, I couldn't help but be drawn back to the address in the corner.
Should I go? On one hand, it was probably dumb of me to go to what I figured was an illegal street race, and I knew that if I were caught, I would be grounded for the rest of my life. But I couldn't remember the last time I let loose and had a little fun.
It can't be that bad if people from school are coming. I thought, smoothly folding the paper and forcing it into my pocket. With a tired breath, I moved my legs toward Jack and Raf, figuring they were waiting for me. I knew I was right when I saw both of them already in their vehicles, the spiky-haired boy playing a game on his phone.
"Sorry I took so long. I was a bit distracted." I apologized as I approached Jack. The boy didn't respond to me, instead opting to gape at me with a dumbfounded look in his eyes. I lifted an eyebrow and moved closer to him, the boy still not acknowledging my presence.
What's with everyone today? I wondered as I waved a hand in front of his face. I looked to Arcee for an explanation when he still didn't react and the motorcycle snorted in amusement.
"Don't worry. He'll come too in a second." As if the words sparked something in his brain, Jack snapped out of his trance and leaned toward me.
"You know Sierra!?" He yelled, the disbelief evident on his face. A few students turned their heads toward us, and Jack shrunk in his seat, his cheeks heating in embarrassment. "You know Sierra?" He repeated, this time much quieter than before.
"Not really," I answered slowly, taken aback by his weird behavior. "I just met her a few minutes ago. She just wanted me to join the cheer team." I explained, purposely omitting the invite she had offered me only a few seconds earlier. "Should I not talk to her?" I inquired cautiously, unsure what triggered Jack's sudden alarm. He quickly shook his head, his eyes widening at my words.
"No, you should talk to her! She's not a bad person or anything. She is super nice and cool... and pretty." His jumbled sentence trailed off as his attention moved over to the Auburn-haired girl, and a dreamy sigh escaped him as he leaned against the handlebars. Realization hit me like a train as everything started to make sense, and my lips upturned into a smirk.
"Oh, I get it now." I voiced, drawing his attention back to me."You have a crush on Sierra~" I teased, leaning closer to the now tomato-faced teen. I resisted the urge to laugh at his attempts to tell me otherwise, and once he saw the amused look on my face, he stopped, hiding his blush under his hands.
"Am I that obvious?" Jack groaned, looking back toward me.
"Painfully," Acree responded, the answer causing a snort to escape me. Jack shot us with a glare before sighing, his eyes downcast to the asphalt. My gaze softened as I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and his eyes met mine.
"It's only obvious to us. I highly doubt Sierra knows anything." I comforted, shooting him a small smile. "But even if she did, what's so bad about her knowing? The worst thing Sierra could do is tell you she doesn't like you back, and if that's the case, then it wasn't meant to be." I pointed out, removing my hand and returning it to my backpack strap.
"It's not that. It's just... she doesn't even know who I am. She will think I'm a creep if she finds out." Jack confessed, his cobalt eyes swimming with emotion. I was quiet for a second as I processed the new information, my eyes glancing toward the giggling girl. I didn't see the appeal. Granted, she was beautiful and seemed nice enough, but her smile seemed strained, not quite reaching her eyes.
Not to mention she's very persistent.
"Well, perhaps you just need to be a little bolder," I suggested, turning back toward Jack. He tilted his head in confusion, and I let out a breath, leaning closer to him. "I'm saying you should talk to her, Dummy. Do something that will make her remember you." I advised, flicking his forehead with my finger. He flinched from the contact and glared at me before letting a sigh escape him.
"You think that will work?" He asked, rubbing the spot I had assaulted. I shrugged and took a few steps away from him as he slid his helmet over his head.
"It's better than what you're doing now," I informed, making my way to the awaiting Autobot. Bumblebee opened the car door, and I quickly hopped in, scooting closer to the window as it rolled down."It's not like you have anything to lose." I finished, sending a small "Hi" to Raf as he greeted me. As the window rolled up and we moved forward, I left the black-haired teen to his thoughts, not knowing my words would run through his head for the rest of the day.
* * * * * *
"Take that!" Miko cheered, her fingers rushing as her vehicle passed her opponent's, a cocky smile pulling at her lips. Her competitor sitting next to her only furrowed his brows in concentration as his fingers suddenly became a blur, his honey-brown eyes full of determination. Miko's face fell as the yellow vehicle zoomed past her, and the sounds of victory soon filled the room. Raf smirked at the girl's defeated expression, unable to resist the urge to gloat.
"I told you I'd win." The boy grinned, watching in amusement as Miko's hold on the controller tightened.
"I want a rematch!" Miko challenged a dangerous fire churning in her brown hues as she started a new game. I shook my head, the corners of my lips pulling upwards as Miko groaned in frustration. The two kids had been playing the game since we arrived at the base, and the Pink-haired girl was not having too much luck against the younger boy. An excited hum sounded behind me as Bumblebee cheered for the Spiky-haired male, telling me that Raf had won yet again.
"Unfair." Miko groaned, trying her best to ignore the happy beeps from the yellow bot behind her. The girl sighed before her gaze met mine, and her controller lifted toward me. "Do you wanna play?" She questioned, obviously tired of the racing game. I shook my head, my eyes flickering down to the papers in front of me.
"As much as I want to, I can't. I got homework to do." I answered tiredly, slouching when I realized I wasn't even halfway through my assignments.
I'm never going to get this done. I thought, reluctantly forcing my pencil to start another equation.
"Boring." Miko drawled, tossing her controller on the small table in front of her. I couldn't help but silently agree with the girl, not wanting to do it myself.
"Do you kids always have to be so loud?" Ratchet commented, shooting an annoyed glare in our direction.
"Do you always have to be such a buzzkill?" Miko retorted, her eyes staring defiantly into blue optics. I stifled a snort at his dumbfounded expression, the mech muttering something about "how disrespectful human children are."
I turned my attention back to my work, but no matter what I did, I couldn't focus, my thoughts turning back to the paper in my pocket. Even though my mind screamed at me that it wasn't a good idea, I couldn't stop myself from wanting to go to the race. I was naturally curious, which tended to get me in constant trouble as a child. As the old saying goes, "Curiosity killed the cat." But despite the warning, it didn't deter me; instead, it seemed to make my determination grow.
Anyways going might get Sierra off my back. I thought, tapping the pencil against my lips. At the thought of Sierra, Jack came to mind, and I glanced at the clock, my brows furrowing as I registered the time.
Where's Jack? He should've been back by now. As I was going to voice my question, my phone vibrated, and I grabbed the small device. Flicking it open, an unnamed notification appeared on the screen, the message only holding a video. Hesitating for a moment, I clicked it, my eyes widening as the video played.
On it was a race containing a particular motorcycle whipping past what I recognized to be Vince's car. I heard the cheers as Jack passed a mile marker, and the video ended, leaving me frozen in my seat. The video was only a few seconds long but conveyed its message. Jack had beaten Vince in a race, and he had stood up to the bully, and even though I should've felt proud, I couldn't help but remember the strict rule Optimus had set.
That under no circumstances were the Autobots allowed to race. As the video replayed, I racked my mind for why Jack would deliberately break the Prime's rule, and I couldn't stop one name from popping into my head.
Sierra. I grimaced, running a hand through my hair as the advice I had given Jack only hours before invaded my thoughts. Oh, that idiot. I should've known that he would do something like this, especially after telling him to "be bold."
"Astra, did you see this!" Miko exclaimed, shoving a pink phone into my face, a familiar video flashing across the screen. I nodded and pushed the device back toward the girl, showing her the video on my phone.
"Yeah, I think everyone at school saw it." I guessed, watching as Raf made his way over to us. Both kids had proud smiles on their faces, and Miko pulled me up, my chair clattering on the ground.
"Finally, Vince's ego got knocked down a few pegs!" The pink-haired girl rejoiced, pulling me down the stairs. "We gotta congratulate Jack!" I sighed as I got dragged across the base, and I shot a pleading look a Raf, only getting a sympathetic shrug in return.
Traitor. I thought, sending the boy a betrayed glare. As we walked down the corridor, Acree and Jack's silhouettes came into view, their backs facing us. Miko went to move toward them, but my hand wrapped around her arm before she could.
The pink-haired girl looked at me in confusion, but I ignored it as I strained my ears to hear their conversation. Unluckily they were too far away for me to hear, and soon enough, Acree was walking away from Jack, a content smile on her face. Before I could do anything, Miko tore herself from my grip and rushed forward, and I swiftly followed her, a barely audible sigh escaping me.
"Dude!" Miko yelled, jolting the black-haired teenager as he whipped toward her direction, "Vroom, vroom vroom, and the winner is..." Miko declared, waiting for Jack to finish the sentence. The boy never did, his eyes flickering around in alarm before returning to the energetic girl.
"Miko, w-who told you?" Jack stammered, his eyes widening even more when he noticed my figure approaching the duo. Miko's hands dropped to her sides, her eyebrows lifting at the dumb question.
"Are you kidding? It's all over school!" Miko explained, her arms outstretched on either side of her as the smile returned to her face. His blue hues landed on me for confirmation, and I nodded, lifting my phone in the air.
"She's not wrong. Someone posted a video." I confirmed. Jack's face paled, and visibly gulped, obviously not expecting the sudden popularity.
"You beat the pants off that blowhard bully Vince." Raf interrupted, his voice full of admiration. Jack's despair seemed to worsen at the sight of the smaller male, and his brows furrowed for a moment before pulling the three of us toward him.
"You guys have to keep this on the d- L," Jack stated, his gaze flickering to all of ours. "Especially from Optimus." The black-haired boy stressed, releasing his grip on us. The other two kids quickly agreed, but I stayed silent, my green hues piercing into Jack. He noticed my unwavering stare and stiffened, his grip on the motorcycle helmet tightening.
"Astra. Please." He pleaded, taking a small step in my direction. A few more seconds passed before my gaze softened, and with a reluctant sigh, I nodded. The tension left his shoulders, and he shot me a grateful smile, but I didn't return it.
"I won't say anything," I promised, though I didn't let him completely off the hook, my arms crossing in front of me. "As long as you don't do anything stupid for Sierra again." I finished, watching in slight amusement as his eyes widened.
"How did you..." He started, trailing off when he saw my lips lifting in a smirk.
"Why else would you have done it?" I added, walking past the flabbergasted boy with a quick pat on his shoulder. "Now, let's go before the others get suspicious," I commented, already moving down the corridor.
The next day arrived faster than I could blink, and as expected, the news of Jack and Vince's race was all over the school. No matter what class I was in or who I was with, I was bombarded with stories about what had happened, some of them tending to be more unbelievable than others. I almost felt bad for the ginger-haired bully for how much he was getting teased, though I couldn't help but smile at the irony of the situation.
Maybe he will be nicer after he's tasted his own medicine. I thought as I lazily watched Raf play a game from the comfort of the red couch. I shook my head at the ridiculous thought, an amused chuckle escaping me. Even though people can change, it never happens that quickly.
"Raf?" A voice called out. The sudden sound caused the male to lose focus, and the sounds of virtual skidding could be heard before his car crashed, making the spiky-haired boy lose. I winced at Raf's loss and turned my attention to Jack, the older boy having a slightly guilty look in his eye. "Uh, is there any way I can borrow Bumblebee for an hour?" Jack wondered, pointing at the said bot. The Autobot buzzed with a nod, his servos clenching as his optics shined with determination.
"Jack, you know racing's against the rules. What if Optimus found out?" Raf reminded, placing his controller on the cushion next to him.
Race? I thought, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the teenage boy. Jack didn't seem to notice me as both he in Bumblebee sighed in disappointment.
"But Raf, he's got to get the girl," Miko insisted, coming to Jack's side. The boy's eyebrow lifted in confusion at her words, and Miko stepped toward him. "and beat the bully." Miko exasperatedly explained, leaning against Jack's shoulder. Raf's resolve started to fold as he adverted his gaze, his honey-brown eyes meeting the floor.
"Well... Okay then." The boy reluctantly agreed, his lips upturning as Jack and Bumblebee perked up, smiling. Just as Jack was about to celebrate, his eyes landed on mine, and he froze, my withering gaze piercing into him.
"I promise I can explain!" Jack started, his hands lifting defensively in front of him. I waved my hand for him to continue, and he adverted his eyes, his hand scratching the back of his neck.
"Long story short, Vince challenged me to a rematch in front of Sierra, and I couldn't say no," Jack revealed, his hues looking back toward mine as much as I wanted to scold him and tell him not to do it. It wasn't my place too. I wasn't his mother, and if Raf was okay with it, I wasn't going to stop him.
"Where are you racing?" I began calmly, lifting myself off the couch as I moved toward him. Jack's hand lowered as his brows furrowed, obviously confused by my behavior.
"You're not going to stop me?" The boy inquired gently, brushing past my question. I shook my head and walked past him, rummaging through my backpack.
"I can't stop you from being an idiot," I answered, the black-haired teen cringing slightly at my blunt words. "But that doesn't mean I'm letting you go alone." I declared, pulling out the now crumpled cheer flyer from the bag's depths.
"What do you mean?" He wondered, watching me curiously as I stuffed the paper into my pocket. I sighed and turned back to the teenager, sliding a jacket over my shoulders.
"I mean. I am coming with you." I explained, his eyes following me blankly as I made my way to the stairs. Once he processed what I had said, he immediately moved before me, shaking his head.
"It's too dangerous," Jack said, crossing his arms in front of him. "No way, am I letting you come."
* * * * * *
"I can't believe you talked me into letting you come," Jack mumbled, his eyes flickering nervously as we pulled into the street race. Bumblebee whirred in agreement, and I smirked, leaning back against the black leather seat.
"I told you I would," I responded, watching in awe as we slowly drove past the many cars surrounding us. "Anyways, without me, you wouldn't have known which street the race was gonna be on," I added, ignoring the steady rise of red on Jack's cheeks. The vehicle slowed to a stop, and the door opened, allowing me to hop onto the black asphalt. I straightened my jacket and turned back to Jack, surprised when I noticed the uneasiness across his face.
"Don't worry, Jack, I know you'll win," I assured, mistaking it as nervousness for the race. Jack seemed surprised at the sudden declaration before his gaze softened, a soft chuckle escaping him.
Did I say something funny? I wondered, tilting my head at his behavior. He seemed to notice my confusion and hurriedly tried to stifle his laughter behind the back of his hand.
"Thanks, Astra." He said, his attention being drawn forward at the growl of the engines at the starting line. He turned back to me, a conflicted look in his eye, before sighing. "Stay safe, won't you?" The black-haired boy pleaded, his blue eyes piercing into mine. I nodded, taking a few steps away from the car.
"Back at you," I remarked, watching as the car door closed. Just before the car moved forward, our eyes met, both of us conveying our worry and faith in the other, and just like that, Jack and Bumblebee joined the other racers, leaving me standing alone.
He better win. I thought, watching from afar as Vince mentioned something to Jack. I shook my head, a small smile making its way to my lips. He will win.
"You came!" Before I could process the new voice, a set of arms wrapped around my torso, the force causing me to stumble. A group of girls surrounded us, and I let out a breath, now knowing who was currently attached to me like a baby koala.
"Hi, Sierra." I greeted blankly, discreetly pushing the girl's arms off me. Sierra seemed to get the hint and released me, giving me a full view of her beaming smile.
"The other girls thought you wouldn't show up, but I insisted you would! I'm glad I was right!" Sierra babbled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I wanted nothing more than to push the arm off, but I refrained my self from doing so. Instead, I forced my lips into a smile, throwing in a dry laugh to further convince the girl of my excitement to see her.
"I'm glad I didn't disappoint," I murmured, my hand clenching onto my necklace like a lifeline as she dragged me to the sidelines.
"I'm glad you didn't either." The girl added, her eyes flashing with an unsettling warning before reverting to her bubbly self. My smile faltered at the sudden personality change, and I barely registered her hand leaving my shoulder as she moved forward. I shook off my uneasiness, chalking it up to my imagination as I watched the girl move in front of the vehicles.
She must've volunteered to be the starter. I thought, cringing as she sent Jack a flirty wave, oblivious to the fuming redhead staring at her. Jack flushed when she did, and I rolled my eyes, my focus now moving to the other racers.
They all looked to be pretty expensive cars, some of them seeming more illegal than others, but I wasn't concerned, knowing Bumblebee would be able to leave these bozos in the dust. Just as I was going to mark off the competition, a flash of red entered my vision, and I watched with new-found interest as a new racer pulled up.
The car seemed to be an Aston Martin, and by the looks of it, the vehicle appeared to be well-maintained, the shine of the finish practically blinding me. Even though it was a super nice car, that wasn't what drew me to the vehicle.
Something about it seemed off, and I couldn't stop the warning bells from sounding in my mind as I continued to stare. Suddenly I blanched, my heart pounding against my ribs as I stared at the Aston Martin in horror.
There's no way. I thought, trying my best to subdue the panic that clawed its way up my throat. Radiating off of the car was the same energy I felt the day I met the Autobots, energy I often felt at the base. It was almost as if I could feel it running through the car, the energy acting like veins full of blood. He's one of them.
My gaze shot to Jack's, and I waved my arms to get his attention, but I was too late. Sierra shot her hand to the ground, and the roaring vehicles flew forward, most of them leaving tire marks in their wake. I held my breath as I watched them go, the figures fading in the distance.
My fists clenched as the worry slithered up my spine, my gaze still lingering on the now-empty road. Every part of me hoped I was wrong, delusional in thinking that the Aston Martin was a Decepticon. I mean, the "Energy" I felt wasn't real.
It couldn't be. I thought, my feet having a mind of their own as they started their way to the finish line. Whether or not I believed I could somehow "sense" energy, I knew Jack and Bumblebee were in danger, and no matter what, I had to make sure they were safe.
I ignored the curses thrown at me as I pushed past the crowd, and my speed quickened as my thoughts spiraled. A tall figure stood in my path, and I tried to maneuver my way around them but stopped when they moved in front of me. I tried to walk past them once more, but they followed my movements, effectively blocking my path.
"Can you move?" I growled, trying once again to walk past the man. My attempt was futile as he moved in front of me once more, and I sighed in annoyance. "What's your problem?" I demanded, my eyes snapping to the man's face.
My green hues met golden ones, and I faltered, my anger slowly disappearing. I didn't stop because the man was cute or because he looked to be around my age. I stopped because his eyes held a wave of concern, one that was so obvious I thought it was fake.
"Are you okay?" The man inquired, his deep voice snapping me out of my trance. "You seem to be in a panic." My anger slowly rose as the urgency of my situation returned, and my brows furrowed, my gaze set in a stern glare.
"I'm fine. I need you to move." I answered, not attempting to dull the bite in my voice. He shook his head, his hand running through the messy brown hair on his head.
"Are you sure? You can tell me if someone is harassing you." He informed, his amber hues glancing behind me as if looking for said "Harasser."
You're the only one harassing me. Once the stranger's eyes left my figure, I slid past him, not looking back as I shouted.
"I'm sure!" Even though the stranger's actions confused me, I pushed it down, The weird behavior was not at the top of my list of worries at the moment, and I only hoped the setback didn't take as much time as I thought. As I was weaving through the crowd, I had the sudden feeling someone was following me, and I looked over my shoulder, faltering when I saw "Golden eyes" right behind me.
"Why are you following me?" I said with simple directedness, my eyes narrowing in annoyance. Golden eyes grinned, stuffing his hands in his sweatshirt, a blatant attempt to seem unthreatening.
"I can't just leave a frantic lady all alone. Especially in a place like this." He replied cheerfully, the ghost of a smirk rising on his lips at the obvious irritation on my face. A scoff escaped me as I moved forward, trying my best to ignore his presence.
Maybe if I don't respond, he'll go away. I thought hopefully, the hope disappearing when I heard a laugh escape him.
"You're awfully determined to get wherever you're going. Are you looking for someone?" He guessed, and I could only imagine the smirk on his face growing at my continued silence. "Though from the direction you're going, I'm guessing that you are heading to the finish line, and if that's the case, there is no way you'll make it before sunrise." He informed sassily. My feet stopped, and I whipped back toward him, obvious distaste in my eyes.
"Okay, spit it out. What do you want from me?" I seethed, crossing my arms in front of me. Golden eyes seemed surprised by my hostility and quickly took a step back with a sheepish smile.
"I only want to help. I have a motorcycle, and I can drive you there." The stranger offered, pointing his finger toward a sleek black two-wheeler. My eyebrow arched at his offer, and I searched his eyes for any deception.
He seemed to be honest, and even though he came off as creepy, nothing told me he was a pervert. But even so, the prospect of hopping on a random person's motorcycle made me uncomfortable. My mind drifted to the many serial killer cases I occasionally listened to, and I shivered.
But it's not like I have a choice. Either I go with "Golden eyes" or continue walking. I glanced at the darkened racetrack in front of me and let out a breath. There's no way I could get there in time if I walked. I turned back to the man in front of me and eyed him suspiciously before sighing, running a hand through caramel locks.
"What, you get a kick out of helping damsels in distress." I wondered, my voice less harsh than before. He seemed to lighten up from my words and smirked, guiding me to his vehicle.
"Something like that." Golden eyes said, a teasing tone sneaking its way into his voice. "The name's Nick." He revealed, grabbing his helmet and handing it to me. Nick hopped on his motorcycle, and with a flick of a wrist, the vehicle roared to life, his amber eyes turning to me as he shot me a comforting grin. I stared at the motorcycle helmet for a moment before slipping it over my head, the helmet quieting the world around me.
"Astra," I responded, sliding onto the grumbling motorcycle under me. "My name is Astra." I could almost feel Nick's smile as he kicked off the bike stand, the engine releasing a deafening growl.
"Astra, you might want to hold on. It's going to be a bumpy ride." With that, we shot forward, and in fear of falling off, my hands quickly attached themselves to the back of his sweatshirt. I felt Nick's laugh instead of hearing it, and I couldn't help but shoot a glare at the back of his head.
Jerk. I thought, though, I didn't let go. In fact, when we hit a bump, I didn't hesitate to warp my arms tightly around his torso. I felt Nick stiffen under my touch, but I ignored it, my thoughts wandering back to Jack. Please be okay. I begged, my grip tightening as we sped down the track.
A few minutes passed before the finish line came into view, and I desperately searched for yellow and black in the sea of finished racers. My heart dropped when I couldn't find Bumblebee, which only worsened when the Aston Martin was nowhere in sight.
Great. I thought, loosening my grip as the motorcycle slowed, and once the vehicle stopped, I hopped off, hurriedly removing the helmet from my head.
"Thanks for the ride," I said courteously, handing the helmet back to Nick. The boy flashed his pearly whites at me before starting his bike back up.
"No problem. I hope you find who you're looking for." Nick expressed, pulling the helmet over his light hair. "Hope to see you again, little damsel." He teased, making the bike rumble once more. My cheeks heated at the sudden nickname, and before I could yell at him, he was gone, his figure darting back down the track.
What a strange guy. My attention turned to the crowd, and I started forward, hoping the duo would be somewhere in the mob of people. I searched around the whole area but found nothing, and my stress only grew.
My hand hovered over my pocket as I contemplated calling Miko. Even though I knew we would get into trouble for lying, I didn't care if that meant Jack and Bumblebee would stay safe. Just as my fingers wrapped around the object, my eyes caught flaming hues, and I stiffened as a familiar red-haired bully barreled his way to me.
"Keller, where is Darby," Vince growled, his hand painfully grabbing onto my forearm. I didn't even have time to pull away as he dragged me closer to him, his face so close to mine that I could feel his breath brushing against my cheek. I grimaced as his hair tickled my nose, and I tried to step back but stopped when his grip tightened.
"I don't know." I disclosed, attempting to swallow my anger. I knew that I had to be smart. Vince was very aggressive and proud; if I snapped at him, I could end up in a fight. Not that I couldn't defend myself from him, but I didn't have the time to teach the bully a lesson.
"Liar! I saw you with him earlier." He accused, the fire in his eyes still strong.
"Yeah, he brought me here but left me at the starting line. I'm trying to look for him as well." I explained through gritted teeth, relaxing slightly when his grip loosened. The anger in his green hues faltered as he stared at me, and he removed his hand from me. I sighed in relief as I rubbed my arm, my brows furrowing as it became sore to the touch.
That's going to bruise. I thought, taking a step away from the explosive teen. He noticed my movement, and his gaze hardened, quickly grabbing my shoulder.
"Not so fast. You're going to help me find that quitter." Vince ordered, opening his car door.
Wait, what? Suddenly I flew to the side onto leather seats, and before I knew it, a car door shut behind me, trapping me in the vehicle. I hurriedly tried pulling on the handle, but it didn't budge, the door unmoving.
I groaned in annoyance and tried to climb out through the front seats, but Vince sat in the driver's seat and pushed me, and my back collided with the leather as the car rumbled to life. Without warning, Vince pressed the gas, and my body shot forward, hitting the seat in front of me.
"Hang on, Keller." Vince sneered, pressing on the gas once more. I was expecting the sudden movement this time, and I steadied myself, not forgetting to send the ginger a harsh glare.
Did this kid kidnap me? I thought, my mind torn between strangling Vince or staying silent. After a moment of debate, I decided to remain quiet. Though not without spewing a few curses under my breath. I figured that the boy would eventually find Jack and Bumblebee, and I knew I had no other way to get to them, so I suppressed my murderous urges and instead forced my gaze out the window.
I hope Jack and Bumblebee are okay. I thought, trying to keep myself balanced as the car swerved around a corner. I felt my phone slide out of my jacket, and I hurriedly reached for it before it decided to escape into the seat. As my hand gripped the phone, I thought of calling Jack, flicking the object open.
Why didn't I think of this sooner? I scolded internally as I pressed his contact, bringing the black phone to my ear. My grip on my pants tightened as the ringing filled my ear, and dread filled me as it came to the last ring.
"Hey, it uh, Jack, leave a message at the beep." The device let out a small beep before it was silent, waiting to record my words. Instead of speaking, I closed the phone, stuffing the black object into my pocket in frustration.
"There he is," Vince growled, his knuckles turning white as he clenched the steering wheel. I barely processed what the ginger said before he slammed on the brakes, the tires screaming as he did. After I managed to steady myself, I glanced out the windshield and saw, to my relief, Bumblebee and Jack sitting underneath the bridge, only a few feet away from us.
They're okay! I didn't waste any time as I leaped out of the car, the redhead following my lead. My heart felt lighter as I approached, and all my stress slowly faded out of my veins. That was until my gaze met with Jack's. The boy's eyes were wide with fear as he watched us walk toward him, and I unknowingly stopped my movement, letting Vince walk right past me.
"Vince, you have to get out of here," Jack warned, his voice filled with panic. "You win, okay. Congratulations. Now go!" Vince ignored his words, moving closer as he slammed his hands against the Autobots hood.
"No, start it back up, loser. We are finishing this race!" Vince demanded, his fists clenched as his murderous stare pierced into Jack. As Vince became more frustrated, I moved closer, fully prepared to take down the bully if he tried to do anything to my friend.
Just as I was going to butt in, a familiar feeling filled my chest, and the sudden overwhelming urge to look up filled me to my core. Following my instincts, my attention moved upward, and I froze, my blood running cold from the sight.
Above was a giant hand, the clawed fingertips reaching ominously down toward us. My heart stopped when I realized it was coming for Vince; the rambling boy was too caught up in his anger to notice, and before I even knew what I was doing, my legs were moving for me. "Don't want to take it to the finish line? Fine. Then we have something to settle right here, right now-" Vince wasn't able to finish before I collided into him, the boy flying to the side as I took his place.
I heard Jack yell my name as metal fingers squeezed around my torso, and before I could register the pain, I was flung into the air. A scream escaped my throat at the sudden movement, and my stomach dropped as the feeling of falling took root. Metal sliding on metal filled the night, and instead of hitting solid concrete, I hit something soft.
I grunted as I collided with the leather, and I tried to lift myself, but something wrapped around my body, holding me against the seat. My heart pounded furiously as I struggled against my restraints, but no matter what I did, the seatbelts didn't budge.
I'm trapped. I thought, trying to slow the frantic breaths that tore at my lungs.
"Not the intended target, but this fleshy should work." A male voice concluded, the glovebox opening as a weird-looking taser moved in front of me. I squirmed as it approached and tried to move my head, but it didn't work, the device zapping me.
Electricity moved through my body, but surprisingly it didn't hurt. If anything, it just felt... unnatural. "Hmm, that should've knocked it out." The Decepticon muttered, the object lifting to my face once more. "I'll just raise the voltage." He sneered, his voice holding an unhinged glee.
"Wait-" My sentence stopped as electricity filled me once more. And this time, I couldn't fight the darkness that welcomed me with open arms.
* * * * * *
My consciousness returned with a dull pain underlying my body's numbness, and I was enveloped in the smell of metal. Even before I open my eyes, I know I am not home. The air is heavy and cold, pressing against my skin like a sheet.
Where am I? Did the Decepticons capture me? When I do decide to open my eyes, my vision is sleep-blurred and untrustworthy as I fight the fuzzy black edges that threaten to consume me. All I see are moving shades of light and dark before my vision clears further, revealing blobs of color. I try to rub the sleep-fogging vision with my hand, and while I do, one of the blobs speaks.
"Astra, are you alright?" I immediately recognized the voice, and when my hand moved from my face, a pair of worried optics entered my vision field. I let out a breath of relief before sitting up, groaning slightly as I did.
"I'm okay, Optimus," I answered, sliding my legs over the side of the hospital gurney. "Just a little sore," I added, wincing as I stretched my leg out. I was about to touch my leg to the ground when a giant digit stopped me, pushing me back up on the gurney. Tilting my head up to the perpetrator, I was surprised to see Ratchet, his optics holding a mix of concern and relief.
"Stay still. I'm going to scan you for any potential injuries." Ratchet directed his arm plate lifting. I did what he asked as a green light washed over me, only moving when he nodded. "It looks like you don't have any sustaining injuries, and you're brain seems to have no residual damage." The medic said, a note of relief finding its way into his voice. An amused smile lifted my lips at his obvious worry, and he scoffed, turning his head away from me.
I knew he cared. I thought as my foot touched the floor beneath me. I didn't have any trouble as I stood, and when I was sure nothing was wrong with me, I stole a glance around me. My brows furrowed when I didn't see the other kids, and I turned back to the Mechs.
"What happened?" I wondered, also noticing the absence of their Autobot guardians. "Where is everyone?"
"What happened?" Ratchet repeated his optics hardening. "What happened was that you and Jack were careless, and because of that, you managed to get yourself captured by Knockout. Do you know how bad it could've been? You could've been tortured for information or, even worse, killed!" The mech snapped, his digit pointing accusingly at me. I cringed at his tone, my hand wrapping around my necklace in comfort.
"I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to disobey Optimus and keep things from you guys." I admitted, my eyes focusing on the ground. "I understand what could've happened to me. But..." My brows scrunched before looking up at the two Bots; my fist clenched in determination.
"But I don't regret pushing Vince out of the way. He may be a jerk and a bully, but that doesn't mean he deserves to be taken for something he knows nothing about. I won't apologize for that." I confessed, trying my best not to advert my eyes from the surprised optics in front of me.
The older bot tensed; his mouth opened to say something when he stopped. Ratchet's gaze softened slightly when the Prime put a hand on his shoulder, and the medic sighed, releasing the tension in his back.
"You humans. So troublesome." Ratchet grumbled, the annoyance not quite reaching his eyes.
"What about Vince? He's probably freaking out right now." I murmured. I still remember how I reacted to seeing a Decepticon for the first time, and a part of me felt bad for what the redhead could be dealing with. Not to mention if he did know about the Decepticons, we would soon have another human in base. Optimus released his grip on Ratchet's shoulder, his blue optics meeting my gaze.
"Vince doesn't know about our existence. Jack convinced the boy that he was knocked out by other human street racers." The Prime explained, leaning toward me. I let out a breath of relief and smiled once more before my expression dropped, the sense of dread forming in my stomach. Going into my pocket, I pulled out my phone and stole a glance at the time.
Scrap. I thought, my fists clenched as I realized I was way past my curfew, and it worsened when I saw all the missed call notifications on my flip phone.
"I need to go home," I informed, trying my best to keep the rising panic out of my voice. "It's way past my curfew, and my mom's probably worried sick." The last part faded into a mumble as guilt slithered up my spine. Optimus Prime nodded, a slight hum leaving him.
"I'll take you as I am going to be your guardian from now on." He said casually, shifting into his vehicle form.
"Makes sense," I replied simply as I started walking down the stairs. When I reached the bottom step, I froze, his words processing in my brain. "Wait. Did you just say you were my guardian?" I questioned, taking a step toward the Prime.
"Yes." He answered, his truck door swinging open. I stared at the Semi Truck in disbelief, my mouth opening and closing as I tried to spit out the words that seemed stuck in my throat.
"What about your responsibilities?" I protested, spitting out the first question that came to mind.
"My main priority is to keep you, and all other humans, safe. Due to the events that happened tonight, I'm certain the Decepticons now know your face, and as such, precautions need to be taken." Optimus explained, his tone leaving no room for discussion.
My guilt increased tenfold, and I fiddled with white crystal in thought. If I hadn't gone tonight or tried harder to convince Jack not to go, then maybe Optimus wouldn't be going out of his way to protect me.
It's all your fault. A small voice whispered, and my grip tightened on the necklace. With a slight shake of my head, I dispelled the thoughts, forcing my feet to move to the awaiting Prime. Move on and Move forward. I thought as I pushed myself up into the passenger seat inside Optimus.
You can't change the past, so I have to be better for the future. I hadn't noticed the seatbelt sliding around me or when he started moving as my thoughts overtook me. Even though I felt guilt for how the situation played out, I couldn't help but feel a different emotion rising inside me, and deep down, I knew that today was only the start of the adventure that waited for me.