The Air stolen from my lungs.

Chapter 10: Mom vs. Mom.

I don't own Transformers in any form.

Airiela pov

After everything, you'd think school would be the least of my worries. Nope, school was like a huge con constantly over my head. It was easier to deal with as I now had an amazing boyfriend, three terrific families, and so many friends. Mrs. Esquivel had really stepped up to the plate as mother figure since she discovered my story. She even brought Raf and the others to the base early so she could ride with us to school and give me the lunches she had taken to packing for us. I thought I had seen everything since the betrayal of Terrin. I had no way of know just how wrong I was.

It started out normal enough. Wasp drove Raf and I to school with Mrs. Esquivel sat in the driver's seat giving the illusion of driving. They dropped us off at the front and each got a kiss on the cheek from the woman and we ran in with time to spare for playing a chasing game around the building before the bell rang for first hour classes.

Everything was perfect, until third hour classes were about to start. We were getting out our books and pencils to study for the pop quiz that was bound to come. I was just about to finish the chapter when a girl next to me nudged me and tossed a note on my desk. I glanced at her in confusion and opened it.

I know what you are. You can't keep those powers of yours a secret forever. You'll slip and when you do, my people will come for you, Ariel Prime. This is your first and final warning.

My head snapped up so fast, if I was normal, I might have gotten whiplash and I looked at where the girl had been. But, the desk was empty. I bolted out of my seat and ran for a bathroom. I felt sick.

I shakily reread the note when I had locked myself in one of the stalls. I quickly shoved it into my pocket and slid to the floor panting. 'How could anyone outside my family know what I am? I didn't even know until recently!' I thought frantically as my breathing quickly got more panicked. "Air?" called a very familiar, very welcome voice.

"Oceana!" I sighed getting up and unlocking the door. The water elemental was standing by the sink looking worried. "Air, what's the matter? The water in this place told me you came in here in a rash and were panicking. What happened?" I took out the note and handed it to her. I wrapped my arms around myself as I shivered in fear "A girl in class just gave me that. I've never seen her before, but something about scares me. Aside from her vanishing act." Oceana folded the paper up with a concerned look on her face. "I'll have to show Pyrus this. If you got this there's a chance they know about all of us. We'll need to watch our power control for a while."

I nodded and slowly lowered my arms. Oceana placed a hand on my shoulder "Go back to class, forget this happened. We'll talk more after school, okay?" I nodded again and left the restroom numbly.

Raf pov

Air came back into the class room looking pale and shaky. She sat down in her desk and stared blankly at her open text book. The substitute teacher spoke making me jump. "Okay, since all have had ample time to study. Pop Quiz." The others groaned and I just grinned. Air and I knew the text book forward and back; this would be easier then making a cake. I peeked over at Air and my smile vanished she hadn't moved since sitting down.

The teacher seemed clueless of it. She went around passing out the quizzes. She placed one on Air's desk then mine. At once shock and horror filled me and, judging by Air's scream of horror, I'd say her paper was the same if not worse. Stapled to the paper was an old photo of Air. She had bruises and cuts all over her body. There was a fresh gun shot wound on her shoulder. I stood up angrily "Is this some kind of sick joke?!" I yelled angrily. The other kids stared at me confused. I ran to Air's desk and looked at the paper she was given. On it was a mug shot of the man she was sold to and drawn under that was an upside down tree.

By now, kids were gathering around the quizzes and gasping at what they saw. The teacher spoke in a calm voice. "First question, who is the girl in the picture on Rafael's test?" Air started shaking as she backed into a wall. One of the boys noticed this. "Airiela?" he offered slowly. "Indeed, now, who is the man on her test?" the class fell silent for a moment, none knowing or wanting to. All they knew is that this was hurting Air. This was so plain to one girl that she stood and went to my girlfriend's side and hugged her "WHO CARES? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!" the woman walked to the girls, but I got in her path. "You dare get in my way, boy? Who are you to keep a mother from her child?" I glared at her as the pieces fell into place. "Who are you to lay claim to a daughter you sold ten years ago to a man who tortured her near to death? I'm her boyfriend. You'll have to go through me to get to her."

Mrs. Esquivel pov

As a mother, it's like a sixth sense for me to know that something wasn't right with one of my kids. That's why I was walking down the halls of Rafael's school with his best friends, Wasp and Bumblebee. "Ma'am, why are we here again?" asked Wasp puzzled. "My mother sense is going crazy." I muttered as we reached the class room the principle pointed us to. I opened the door and was horrified at the sight before me.

My youngest son was glaring daggers at the woman I assumed was meant to be the teacher. Airiela was on the floor with her face buried in her knees and a small group of girl gathered around her trying to soothe her. I cleared my throat angrily and all activity froze. The "teacher" quickly backed away from my son and spoke in a strained calm. "May I help you, Madam?" I glared at her "I came to give my daughter her lunch as she left it at home. Yet, it seems I'll need to take her home as she is now crying. And, due to the fact that my son is glaring at you like you just tried to kill his best friend, I'll say it was your doing." The woman's eyes went to Airiela as Rafael walked to her side and helped her to her feet.

Just then, Pyrus and Oceana appeared behind me. "Mrs. Esquivel, what's going on here?" asked the fire elemental. I turned to him "Pyrus, if you could take Airiela and Rafael to the car and wait there with Oceana. We're leaving and I don't think they'll be returning to this school or you for that matter."

The boy just nodded and helped my son lead the sobbing girl from the room. I turned to the woman and was about to go mamma bear on her tailpipe when one of the girls who had helped calm Airiela down walked over. "She said she was Air's real mom, Ma'am. Would you like me to call the police?" she whispered. I looked up to find the woman gone. The kids and I all gasped.