"Thank you for letting me stay here." Lauren whispers, putting down her bags. Cade shrugs and then smiles. " All good, kid. It's all good. Remind me why you're here? "
Lauren smiles apotegically. " Because I finished my four years of college and my lease has run out and my only aunt lives about two states away?"
Cade nods. " Ah yes. It doesn't matter though. You're welcome here always." -" Thanks Cade"
Lauren was 23, almost 24 and had come back to Texas right after she finished college. She'd studied Photography, but a promising job at the local gallery didn't come trough and so with no money to pay for the house she satyed at and rommates who all had left, she'd driven back to Texas. Lauren knew Cade, Emily and Lauren since she was young and had grown up with Tessa as a younger sister. When her parents died when she was 15, she'd been taken in by her remaining relative, Aunt Greta, who lived two states away. Lauren had left to live with her for several years, until she was old enough to decide what to do. Greta had been great but eventually her age caught up to her and when Lauren was 19 she'd died.
So Lauren had stayed with a cousin, working her ass off to get into cllege . She'd lived and worked there, but all her money was up after graduation and now she was here, back in Texas, where the only person she saw as a second father lived.
" I'll take the guestroom and tommorow I'll start looking for a job to help you out." Cade shook his head. You've been awake for several days, first, sleep and rest for a few days and then you can go to look for a job."
" But..-" "- No buts, kiddo, get going." Lauren smiled goodnaturedly, blue eyes crinkling and long blonde hair falling around her. " Thanks!" With that she took her bags and turned around.
With a sigh she walked towards the bathroom and she stepped into the warm shower. After having showered and washing her hair, Lauren retreated to the guestroom. Without a second thought she dropped down on it and was fast asleep.
Banging in the house wakes her. She opens her eyes ony to see Tessa in the doorway. " Hey stranger." Tessa drawls and then walks into the room and hugs the still sleepy girl.
" How are you." Lauren groans. " Tired." she croaks. " I've been awake the last few days to get here as quickly as grins. " It's nice to have another girl in here. Finally!"
The following ays were easy. Lauren spent her time resting and catching up with Cade and Tessa.
One day, when she steps out on the porch a man stands next to a small car with surfboards tied onto it. " Hey!" He whistles. Lauren's brows furrows. " And you are?" -" My name is Lauren. " She says. " I'm Lucas." Lauren nods. " Well, Lucas what are you doing here?" -" Lucas!" Cade says, turning the men's attention from Lauren. " Come on, we've got to go. Remember?" Cade looks at him significantly and then Lucas nods. " See ya later Lauren!" He smiles. " Sure." Lauren says, standing against the door.
She sits in the porch and snoozes in a chair when she hears Tessa arriving. " Hih, T." Tessa grins. " Hi Lauren. I'm gonna go upstairs and study, okay? " " Lauren nods. " I'm gonna start looking for a job tommorow". Tess smiles. " Good luck then." She closes the door behind her and her steps fade away.
Lauren smiles, sinking back into the chair and feeling the sun on her face when she hears the familiar honking of a truck. She wakes from her slumber and sits up, and then Tessa storms out. " Dad?! A truck! Don't tell me you used our money for that trash?!"
" Honey." Cade nearly pouts, sounding a little vhurt, " We don't use the "t" word here." Tessa rolls her eyes. " Whatever." Lauren can't help but laugh at their interaction. She stands up and watches as the large semi as it is pulled into Cade's barn. Tessa is still groaning and complaining at her father. " Tess." Lauren whispers. " Calm down, he tries his best." Tessa groans again. " I know."
" So, you wanna go for a ride?" Tessa grins. " Awesome." -" Hey, where are you going?" Cade yells. Lauren turns back to him, blonde hair whipping around her head. " I"m ta king Tessa for a drive. I'll be right back, no worries." The inventor's shoulders drop and then he sighs.
" Fine, but stay out to late." The two blonde haired girls smile and then step into Cade's truck, ready to leave. They drive for a while in silence, sun shining on them softly, turning their hair the colour of gold.
" I don't get him." Tessa sighs. Lauren looks at her from the corner of her eye and then smiles. " What do you mean?" -" I am not allowed to date . I just want to be normal. Why can't i date?" Lauren grinq. " He just wants to protect you but..." She says when she sees Tessa groan. " I get it you know? But..It's annoying." -" And you, do you have a a boyfriend." A curious look fills the young Yeager's eyes. The driver opposite her laughs and thne shakes her head. " Nah. Not had one for a a year or two now. I'm fine living the single life." Then Tessa quiets down.
" Have you ever...You know?" Her eyes shift left and right while the woman in the driver's seat looks outside and then back at Tessa. -" Do you mean, have I ever .. Am I a virgin? No, I'm not." She whispers.
Tessa's eyes widen. " What?! since when." Lauren shrugs. " I was around your age I think. Perhaps a little older. I was 17." " You didn't..Now i feel presure. " Lauren then stops the truck. " Listen ,tessa, I did it because i was ready for it. And I felt completely ready to go a step further. However if you don't feel ready don't do it just to follow everyone else. It's something much too precious to give up so thoughtlessly. " Tessa nods then sighs. " I guess you're right." " "Not only that." Lauren says. " You're suposed to enjoy it, even the first." Tessa grins. " So how does it feel?" " Lauren grins. " You will know when it's time." - " Oh come on, Lauren, tell me." Lauren leans closer and then sticks out her tongue. " No! I won't!" and then opens the door of the vehicle and runs off, an angry Tessa running after her into the fields.
Urgh." Lauren sighs. No succes today. She'd applied in different stores for a job but they all said the same. We don't need help right now. She decided that tommorow she'd take a look further up the road and perhaps in the next town.
Perhaps she'd have more luck there.
The sun is warm on her head as she pulls her hair in a loose bun and stomps up the steps. Lucas and Tessa look at her with worry " What?" she says. Then she sees the note on the door. Eviction Notice.
" Oh no, this is bad." Tessa turns. " Dad!" She screams but before they can, Cade holds his head out of the door. " Come on, you guys, I got to show you something amazing." The three of them stare at ehhc other and then step down towards the barn. " Come on." Cade says. " Close the door." He turns to Lucas " And lock it." The curlyhaired man looks at him as if he's grown another head." You have no lock on this door dude." -" Then just close it, dude." Lauren says playfully and Lucas smiles at her. " So, big shot, what's that important thing you need to tell because..." Tessa jumps in. " We have a serious pro-.."
"" This." Cade says and points to the truck. "I don't think it's a truck." He is positively preening. " I think it's a transformer."
It's like a clear sky has turned dark. " What? Dad! You neet to get that thing out of here! It's dangerous!"
" Wait," Cade says. " Sweetie , he's completely broken, in pieces. I don't think he is a danger at all. at least not anymore " -" We totally need to call that number of the government." Lucas says. " We could get a check. "Lauren's brows turn up. " You get like 25 000 dollars.."
"wow wow wow!" Cade yells and jumps off the construction surrounding the truck. As the three of them argue, Lauren steps forward. " Transformer?" It is a word that both brings curiousity and fear to her. She steps forward slowly , nearly next to the autobot when Cade comes forward and pulls her back. " Stay here, Lauren!. " Lauren looks at him. " You want to go stay in the house with Tessa?" Lauren shakes her head. She feels more at ease next to the both of them.
Tessa has already left. Lauren backs up, sits herself down in a far corner and takes an old newspaper. She hears Cade and Lucas discussing in the bcakground, but she is entirely focused on what she's reading.
The young woman is still reading when suddenly she hears something heavily fall and shoot away. " Wow!" She tumbles backwards, hitting her back against the table she's sitting against.
Not a minute later Tessa's screams come from the house. " Daaad! There is a missile in the family room!" It sounds so incredulous that, if she wasn't so flabbergasted what just happened, the young woman with be laughing her ass off.
"Dad!" Tessa enters and gives Lauren a weird look. " It's okay sweetie." He says, hand scratching his brown hair. " -" It's okay and you know what? This?" He jumps to the ground with a hammer in his hand and then suddenly starts bashing and hitting on the semi truck.
" See ?!" He points at the truck and grins at Tessa. " Nothing dangerou-..." Barely has he finished his sentence does truck start to move. It comes apart and plates, metal and all kind off parts and pieces start to click into place and suddenly a gigantic robot starts to stand in the barn.
Both Tessa and Lauren scream as Lucas tries to run the other way. " I will kill you!" The transformer snarls and points his gun at Lucas as Cade holds back Tessa behind him, hand in a placating gesture. His hand moving towards Lauren to stay put.
The transformer swings his weapon and sends Lucas flying to the ground and then a empty bullet falls, onto Lucas head. The hit seems to stun him and he blinks, as if waking from a mad dream. " That's it, I"m calling the government." -" Lucas, no !' Cade screams.
"Don't you try." The transformer snarls again and points his weapon. Lucas is screaming now, upset and scared." Easy human, easy. Calm down." The transformer speaks. Cade comes forward. " It's okay. He won't hurt us."
Lauren sits still under the table as the transformer and Cade talk, the robot nearly falling apart as he tries to stand. Finally he introduces himself as Optimus Prime.
" I can try to fix you. " Cade barters. Lauren still looks from beneath the table she is hiding when suddenly it is lifted.
Lauren screams and then stumbles away from the large hand holding up the table. The table is put down and then the hand takes hold of her. Lauren yelps, trying to jump out of the surprisingly strong hand.
" Let me go!" She spits when the autobot's face appears in her line of sight. " You are injured. " He speaks, optics searching her face. She frowns and then feels her lowerback throbbing.
" Uh.." The young woman's blue eyes look left and right and then she smiles tentatively. ' Uh, yeah, I should put some ice on that." Then the robot puts her down.
She steps away from him quickly, keeping distance between her and the transformer.
Yet, she can't help but feel he is still looking at her when she walks out of the barn.