A year ago my best friend was murdered, and it was all my fault.

"Have a good rest of your day Aderyn." my therapist waved I at me.

With a heavy sigh, I waved back, "You to Dr. Turner."

I walked out of the doctor's office and waited on the sidewalk for my mother to come by and pick me up. I waited ten minutes before I got a text from my mom saying she got held up at work and wouldn't be able to come get me. I didn't think much of it I just turned on my heels and started walking home.

A speeding silver car caught my attention I watched as it weaved through traffic at an illegal speed. I scoffed at the car it was going to kill someone I thought about calling the police and reporting reckless driving but considering how busy the streets were I figure a dozen other people have already reported it.

I shook my head and let it go and continued on my way home, the silver bullet far from my mind at this point. When I got home my dad was just getting home, when he saw me he gave me a small smile.

"Hey hun where'd you come from?" he asked grabbing his bag out of the car.

"Turner's office," I told him, he frowned a bit.

"Oh why didn't you tell me I couldn't have picked you up on my way home?" he asked I shrugged.

"Don't know I guess I wanted to walk." He didn't push the conversation instead he let it evaporate.

My dad head to the kitchen which meant my mom was going to be super late if dad was cooking. I went upstairs to my room and collapsed on my bed I grabbed my phone even after a year has passed it's still a reflex to check my phone….just in case she texted me.

But that was never the case.

I stayed in my room staring at my phone blankly for about an hour before my dad came up telling me dinner was done. I nodded and rolled out of bed and followed him down the stairs. Once we got down my mom was just coming through the door looking more exhausted then ever.

"What's for dinner?" she asked putting her bag on the couch.

"Tacos." my dad smiled he knew it was both my mom and I's favorite dinner.

"I like tacos." I said smiling walking over to the table.

"Anything interesting happen today?" my mom asked sitting down across the table from me.

"This car was speeding through the street while I was on my way home." my dad grumbled.

"You saw it too!" I asked shock.

"Yeah down by Forevergreen St." my dad told me, I furrowed my eyebrows together.

"No, I saw it on Goldfinch St." I told my dad, my mom's eyes widen.

"Wow he didn't get caught!" my asked amazed I was just as amazed because those streets were on opposite sides of town.

"I'm surprised he didn't have a parade of cops tailing him." my dad said before taking a big bite from his first taco.

"He's lucky he didn't kill anyone."

Dinner went by quickly I went upstairs and slipped on my shoes, when I got back downstairs my mom noticed my shoes immediately.

"Where are you going hun?" she asked from the kitchen.

"For a walk," I told her.

"Okay don't be out too late."

"I won't," I reassured her.

I knew exactly where I wanted to go I slipped my earbuds in and shoved my hands into my pockets. From my phone, I skipped through my playlist before settling on One Day Too Late by Skillet. I walked on the trail that took you through the woods people hike this trail all the time but what they don't know is that there's a hidden trail that use to be a fork in the trail.

I jumped onto the second trail and head towards my secret hideout, after about five minutes an old park came into view. A small smile grew on my face I went over to the swingset and got on the left one. The sun was going down so the sky looked absolutely gorgeous. The sunset was not what I came here for though, I wanted to see the stars.

Was the sun full set I watched the stars slowly appear and I started to swing, I closed my eyes and carefully listened. If I listened hard enough I could hear Nicole's laugh. When I opened my eyes I was pretty high I looked down at the ground beneath me that's when I saw it. I don't know what it was but I could see it shining.

I let the swing slow down before getting off and walking over to the moss infested slide. Just next to it was something glowing blue, I bent down and dug it out of the ground. I examined it in the moonlight it was a really pretty blue the color was like sapphire if sapphire could glow.

I put it in my pocket and checked the time on my phone, it was already 8 o'clock since I didn't want to worry my mom I headed home. When I got inside my dad and mom were both cuddled on the couch watching a movie.

My dad looked over at me, "Do you want to join us?" he asked.

"No, I think I just want to go to bed," I told him, he nodded and turned back to watch the movie.

I headed up to my room I took the crystal out of my pocket and sat it on my desk. I opened all the doors to find material to turn it into a necklace. It didn't take longer than an hour but once it was done I sat it on my nightstand.

I pulled off my clothes of the day and grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top, right when I snuggled down into my bed my parents walked in. They said their usual goodnights and that was the end of the day.

When I woke up that morning both my parents were bustling around the house, I went to the kitchen and poured me a bowl of cereal. Ever since Nicole died it felt like everyone else in the world was going ten times faster than me all the time. Like they were all on fast forward and I was on pause. My dad left first claiming he was going to be late, but that was a false statement before he was already late.

My mom walked into the kitchen, "Do you need a ride somewhere?" she asked.

"Nah I'm good, I'll probably head into town later to find something to do," I told her she gave me a worried look.

"Okay be safe and if you get bored just come by the office." I nodded at her she kissed my forehead and just like that she was gone.

I finished my bowl of cereal and then got dressed when I looked at the time it was late morning nearly noon. Now was a better time than any to head into town I thought about going to the forest again but that place just made my sad mood even more unbearable. I looked in the mirror before leaving I couldn't help the smile that formed on my face, the necklace actually looked decent on me. It wasn't glowing which made me think it was one of those crystals that absorbs the sunlight and releases it at night.

I was in town for about an hour bored out of my mind I was about to head home when something caught my attention. I looked around the town center before my eyes landed on the shiny silver car yesterday.

There was a man sitting on the hood he looked a few years older then me I walked over to him out of curiosity. I was a few feet away from him trying to figure out what I wanted to say but he turned around and glared at me.

"What?!" he snapped my eyes widen and my own rage started to build up.

"Nothing." I huffed.

"Then why are you staring at me." he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I was just wondering how you're not arrested for reckless driving or how you even have a car still." he stared at me confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Yesterday you were driving like a maniac." he squinted his eyes like he was trying to remember.

"No one got hurt and the stupid hu-police couldn't catch me even if they wanted to." he snorted.

"Aren't you cocky," I mumbled crossing my own arms across myself.

"Of course I am." he boasted, my eyes widen in shock he must be one of those arrogant assholes.

"Well, I didn't actually want to have a conversation with you so bye," I mumbled turning my back on him.

"You say that like I'm an inconvenience to you." He jumped up and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't touch me," I snapped at him shrugging his hand off, "And I never said that if that's what you think about yourself then sure."

He narrowed his eyes at me before smirking and letting out a laugh, I stepped away from him it was clear this guy was crazy. He looked at me with a smile it was kind of strange but oddly inviting.

"I'm sorry but I've never had such a petty argument with someone," I didn't know if that was an insult or not but I decided to engage in a conversation I had nothing better to do.

"I use to have stupid little arguments like this all the time with my best friend." I gave a small giggle back.

"Well I guess my brother and I use to argue like this all the time too, it's just been awhile," his small dropped a bit and he frowned, "You got anything to do its kind of boring out here."

"No." I shrugged I examined his sudden change in mood.

"Have you ever been street racing?" he asked.

"With what car?" he laughed before walking around his car.

"Then get in." I looked hesitant at the silver car.

"I don't know, I don't really know you." I stepped away.

"Hey you don't have to, but you also have nothing better to do either." I took a deep breath in before nodding he wasn't wrong.

"Okay." I got into his car and put the seatbelt on. He wasted no time he sped off and just like I saw him yesterday he dodged every car and ever stop light. I was impressed but I was also terrified I gripped tightly to the door.

"Scared?" he chuckled just barely glancing at me.

"Scared? No." I told him keeping my voice even.

"Is that so, so you wouldn't mind if I did this." He went even faster I don't think cars are even eligible to go this fast when I looked out the window I couldn't see a thing because everything was blurring together.

"So~ What's your name?" I asked trying to avoid thinking about dying in this car.

"Sideswipe." I snapped my head to look at him, he looked at me, "What?"

"Nothing...That's just an unusual name...my names Aderyn."

"Isn't that a boy name?" he asked, I glowered at him.

"Now I didn't judge you on your weird name but you're going to make fun of mine." I got teased all the time in school, I am highly aware of my boyish name."

"Jeez I'm sorry I was just asking a question." he laughed not at all sorry.

"Well, it was a rude question." I pouted.

"Awe don't pout," he said pouting right back at me.

We eventually made it to what I thought was a closed road but there were several other nice looking cars in the lineup. Sideswipe got into the lineup with the other 20 or so cars. There was a girl just a few feet ahead of us she was wearing a crop top shirt she had obviously made herself and some super short shorts, the pockets of her shorts were longer than the actual shorts. She had a nice tan and long blonde hair that she had pulled up into a ponytail.

I watched Sideswipe eye her and I rolled my eye she was obviously a slut, but whatever. The girl there with her hands on her hips before a guy walked over and gave her a checkered flag he whispered something to her and she huffed and turned back to the lineup.

Sideswipe revved his car engine and grinned, "You ready for this?" I looked at him anxiously I was starting to have second thoughts but before I could voice them the girl wiped the flag and off we went.

I bit my lip as he stepped on the gas and we accelerated Sideswipe passed most of the other racers with ease until it was use and two people in front of us. Sideswipe swiped around the second car and then started to rid the person in first place. I was smiling and cheering for Sideswipe to go faster he grinned and changed gears. We were neck and neck with racer one. Lights started to flash behind us and panic stomped on the excitement.

"Sideswipe the police!" I told him he sighed and annoyance but he didn't stop.

"It's fine," he told me.

I furrowed my brows, "No it's not, we're going to get in trouble!"

"I know him," he told me.

"So we're not going to get in trouble, isn't that like illegal for a cop to not do anything about the situation?" I asked looking in the rearview mirror at the cop behind us.

"I don't know probably, but it doesn't matter." He made a sharp turn and went on a dirt road I don't even think it was a dirt road. I held on to the seatbelt so I wouldn't bump all around the place. For a split second I thought the seat belt tightened around me, but it was because I was bouncing around so much.

He finally pulled into a clearing Sideswipe looked at me with a tired but serious, "You are going to see something….odd, but don't scream don't even make a sound that signifies you're here understood."

I looked at him unsure, he sighed and pointed to the car door. I opened it and got out he waved me back so there was a good ten feet in between us. There was a noise and then the car started moving and shifting. Until it wasn't a car anymore but a giant robot.

"Umm-" I quickly covered my mouth because he told me not to make a sound, he was about to say something but then the sirens started to get louder. He looked at around the clearing in a panic. He quickly swept me up I nearly screamed in shock, he put me in a tree on the edge of the clearing. He put his metal finger up to his metal lips signaling for me to stay quiet, I nodded.

The cop car sped into the clearing and quickly transformed just as Sideswipe had he glared a Sideswipe and looked ready to hit him.
"What are you doing out here?!" he yelled at him.

"Racing obviously," Sideswipe growled hands slowly balling into fist.

"You were just released from the brig are you that enthusiastic about going back." I couldn't see Sideswipe face but I could tell by his body language he was getting angry.

"Are you telling me I have a brig sentence or not," he told him coldly.

The police robot sighed, "Sideswipe I know you miss your brother-"

"This has nothing to do with Sunstreaker!"

"But you can't keep acting impulsively you're going to end up getting yourself and other people killed."

"I'm fine, and Sunstreaker isn't a cause." Sideswipe turned around so he wasn't facing the cop robot, but our eyes locked and I saw a familiar sadness it was the sadness I saw in the mirror every morning.

"If Sunstreaker isn't the cause for this then what is? Why are you acting out in such a way." Sideswipe didn't answer, "Sideswipe, Sunstreaker's dead you have to-"

Sideswipe's eyes flashed from the electric blue they were to red and then back again he turned on his heels and grabbed the cop's throat. He squeezed tightly pushing him to the opposite edge of the clearing the cop didn't try to get Sideswipe's grip off his neck.

"Sunstreaker isn't dead stop say he's dead!"

"Sideswipe-"

"Prowl I will go back to base when I want to and I will go to the brig, but leave me alone." he through 'Prowl' and turned his back to him again.

"Just come back to the base tonight." and then he left, Sideswipe was fuming his was still clenched and he was glaring daggers. He grabbed a tree and ripped it out of the ground and threw it. I gasped and pushed myself closer to the tree's base.

"Sideswipe?" I questioned meekly he turned to me his eyes were red again but when he locked eyes with me his shoulders sagged and he unclenched his fist, but his eyes were still red.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Are you okay?" I asked it was a stupid question I knew he wasn't okay he literally threw a tree, "Stupid question you are obviously not okay."

"Ha, that obvious huh?" I shrugged, I wanted to ask so many questions I know the most important one is 'what the heck are you' but I really wanted to ask him 'what happened to Sunstreaker?'.

"Kinda obvious." I smiled he put his hand out and I hesitantly stepped into his palm, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." I nodded my head understandingly, so now I know what it's like to not be on the receiving end of that question.

"Okay...so what are you exactly, you're definitely sentient." I looked into his eyes and he looked back at me.

"I'm Cybertronian," he told me.

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" I asked.

"No I guess not, I'm from a faraway planet called Cybertron, but it was destroyed by Megatron." I nodded.

"Who's Megatron and if he's...Cybertonian why did he destroy Cybertron?"

"Megatron is the leaders of the Decepticons and I guess technically speaking the Decepticons destroyed Cybertron not just Megatron, why he did he wanted to be in control of the whole planet but he's not really a good person he's evil and just wants all the power he can get. That's why the Decepticons call him Lord Megatron."

"Well if Cybertron is destroyed why are you guys here?" Sideswipe sighed and sat down in the clearing he put me on his knee.

"Megatron has seemed to figure there's a whole universe out there and he wants to rule all of that." I couldn't help but think that this Megatron guy sounds an odd amount like Hitler.

"But that doesn't answer why you're on Earth."

"Earth has a lot of hidden things about it, we came for the Allspark at first but that was 'destroyed' then we found the Matrix here and we had some pillars store away on the moon-"

"Is Earth like your guy's storage unit you just come by and drop some relics off." I laughed Sideswipe laughed too.

"I guess so."

"So are you guys in like a war?"

"Yeah, it's a civil war." That sucks you lose your whole planet and even without the planet the war still goes on they must be heavily populated though or they're going extinct.

"Wait what are you if you're not a Decepticon?" he gave a smile.

"I'm an Autobot our leader is Optimus Prime."

My phone buzzed I pulled it out to see that my mom had texted she said it was dinner and she wanted me to come home. I didn't really want to I wanted to continue hanging out with Sideswipe but when a mother wants something she normally gets it.

"Oh sorry Sideswipe I have to go home, by chance can you give me a ride?" he nodded he took me off his knee and transformed. I was an amazing sight to see him transform and something I might never get used to.

We were quiet as he drove me home it wasn't awkward but it didn't feel right I soon saw my house come into view and I kind of lost all my energy. Sideswipe pulled into the driveway and turned to me he gave me a small smile.

"Um, thanks."

"Yeah any time," now everything felt awkward, "If you want to hang out tomorrow we can I don't have anything to do."

"Yeah that sounds good I don't have anything to do either and this town is boring without a friend."

"Hell yeah it is." he laughed I opened his car door and was about to step out but there was one more thing I felt like I had to say.

"If you want to talk about Sunstreaker at any point we can if you need someone to just listen….I can do that."

"I might take you up on that offer," he told me softly I nodded I was about to step out of the car when he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Can I see your phone?" I frowned but handed it to him he fiddled with it for a little bit before giving it back, "I put my number in it."

"Okay cool, what's your caller ID."

"You'll know when you see it." he grinned.

"Okay," I told him I jumped out of his car and he drove away.

I walked to the front door as soon as I opened it both my parents were staring at me excited.

"What?" I asked kicking my shoes off.

"Who was that?" my mom asked curiously.

"No one just a new friend."

"A friend?!" my dad asked shocked.

"Does this new friend have a name?" my mom asked making me a plate.

I didn't want to tell them his real name they'd get suspicious, "His name is Shiloh."

"Shiloh that's a nice name."

"His?!" my dad looked at me wide-eyed.

That was it we sat down at the table and we talked about our day. After dinner, I showered and laid down in my room like normal I pulled my phone out to check to see if maybe just maybe Nicole texted.

But of course, she didn't I rested my phone in my hand and laid my hand down by my side. I was about to doze off when my phone buzzed in shock I looked at it I didn't recognize the number.

The caller ID was SPEED.

A grin spread across my face I opened the text.

*I'm bored*