Jack kicked the stone down the sidewalk and grumbled to himself as his pocket felt heavy with the money he had to give to Vince. His mother thought it was best that Jack did that himself instead of having her do it for him; she said it would make him learn from his mistakes. Though Jack wanted to keep Smokescreen out of trouble, his mind was still processing what Sierra had said. Friendship had a limit after all.
He heard a horn honk and looked over his shoulder at the blue sports car looking startled. Jack looked around quickly to make sure that no one was watching before he walked over to the car, windows tinted darkly enough that no one could see inside. "What are you doing here? Didn't you get the message that I'm not allowed to you 'Bots?"
"I got the memo, didn't feel it included me." Smokescreen retorted.
Jack glared at him. "Of course you wouldn't because we both know the truth, don't we?" he snapped and his shoulders sagged. "You really should go, someone could see you."
"I don't care about that; I just want to see you." Smokescreen replied.
Jack's felt his heart lift at the words, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth at the fact it came with the fact Smokescreen only admitted it because he was he was breaking the rules that his mother had set for him. "I wanted to see you to, but I don't want you in trouble. Well you saw me, now shoo." He said gesturing for Smokescreen to leave.
"Come on, at least let me give you a ride; teach me more of that human stuff." Smokescreen persisted.
Jack groaned and rubbed his forehead as he thought of what to do. The mech was going to go away, so what could he really do? "Fine," he said defeated, "and then you leave, alright?"
"Got it." Smokescreen said opening the driver's door.
Jack got into the seat and put the seat belt on as the mech drove down the road. "The house is just down the down road, I'll tell you when to stop."
"So what are you doing out here anyway?" Smokescreen asked. "And where's Arcee?"
Jack snorted as he ignored the first question. "Like you really would have showed up if Arcee was with me." He said and the mech remained silent. He looked for the address his mother had given him from Vince's mom and had kept it from the mech where he was taking him because he didn't want there to be an incident of some kind. "Uh, stop here." He said and paled when Smokescreen drove into the driveway. "What are you doing?"
"Don't humans usually pull into these when at houses?" Smokescreen questioned. "I thought you'd be happy that I'm learning something."
Jack bit his lip and forced down his comment as he nodded stiffly. "Yeah, good for you." He mumbled and got out of the driver's seat and walked up to the door. He knocked and when Vince opened the door, he held out the money to him. "Here, take it." He said quickly.
Vince took the money and glanced off to the side and saw Smokescreen, recognition in his eyes and they narrowed. "Darby; you still got that new car huh?"
Jack flinched and glanced at Smokescreen himself and thought fast. "It's not my car, it's my friend's and asked me to take his car in for a tune-up."
Vince walked out of his houses and slowly circled around Smokescreen before standing in front of the hood, staring down at it contemplatively. "I knew someone like you couldn't have a car like this; it's too cool for you."
Jack glowered at him. "How would you know?"
"Your friend's first mistake was ever trusting you with his car." Vince said and kicked the hood chuckled darkly.
Jack cringed and kept a close eye on Smokescreen to make sure the mech didn't react. "Hey, leave the car alone. It isn't even mine, and my friend would be so mad if you did anything."
Vince glared at him and then down at the car before he scoffed and walked back to his house. "Like I need to get back at some other guy when I can still do it directly." He said and sharply leaned toward Jack when he passed then and still aware of the black eye he had, he cringed back and Vince smirked at him as he went inside the house and closed the door behind him.
Jack gently touched the bruise and sighed softly; he shook his head and walked back over to Smokescreen. "You can drop me off at the corner, it could seem less suspicious." He said and got into the 'car.'
"Why didn't you say this was the jerk's house?" Smokescreen asked darkly.
Jack's eyes widened slightly and he stared sternly down at the steering wheel. "You can't do anything to him still." He warned and the mech huffed. "And I knew you'd say something if I told you."
"Of course I'd say something!" Smokescreen said heatedly as he put the seatbelt onto Jack himself, only for the buckle to poke into his neck. Jack winced as he held his neck and felt it sting. "Jack, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Jack pulled his hand away, relieved that it was bleeding. "It's okay, no harm, no foul." He replied softly and gently brushed his hand against the steering wheel with his free hand to try and help calm the mech down. "Just take me to the crosswalk." He said and the mech drove to the designated area and Jack got out of the seat. "And please, stay away; this punishment will be over soon."
"Not soon enough." Smokescreen muttered and continued to drive on.
Jack watched him leave and sighed as he rubbed his neck and walked the rest of the way back home.
When June saw the hickey on Jack's neck, she felt outraged that he had broken her rules and sent him to his room and since he wouldn't tell her no matter what she said; June had to go to the Autobot base to ask Miko or Raf if they had seen Jack at school with Sierra. She wondered what was going on with Jack lately, but he was reserved about the prank he pulled and about where he got his black eye.
It scared her that something worse was going on, and she needed to find out what was happening.
Once she reached the Autobot base, June walked into the main room and saw Miko and Raf on the platform playing video games. "Miko, Raf." She called out to them as she approached them.
"Uh, hi Mrs. Darby." Raf said politely as he paused the game and Miko pouted and crossed her arms.
"Have either of you two seen Jack and Sierra together?" June asked.
Miko perked up. "No, why?"
"Because they can't see each other." June replied. "Jack had a hickey and he wouldn't tell me where he got it."
Miko snickered and Raf blushed, though the 'Bots looked confused by this term. "He didn't get it from Sierra, that's for sure. They never sit together at lunch anymore either."
June looked contemplative. "Why won't he tell me what's going on?" she asked herself. "He's starting to worry me."
Bumblebee beeped in confusion and Raf's blush reddened. "Um, well, 'Bee; a hickey is something that happens when the skin breaks on the neck or arm and it bruises."
Miko snickered once more. "It also happens when someone sucks a neck too hard." She added flippantly.
"But I'm sure it happened accidentally." Raf spoke up quickly.
"Or someone else at school's got to him." Miko interjected.
June looked worried and shook her head. "If this keeps up, I don't know…"
"Don't…don't blame Jack for all this." Smokescreen said from his spot against the wall. His lips pursed as he debated whether to continue going on, but he didn't want anything else to happen to Jack. And with how June was talking it couldn't be good. "I…I went to see him."
June whirled around, her expression disbelieving. "What?"
"I went to see Jack, he had no idea and I bugged him until he let me go along with him." Smokescreen continued. "That jerk made me angry, and I accidently hurt Jack."
June went pale as she realized what the hickey was and Optimus looked sternly at the mech. "Smokescreen!"
Smokescreen winced at the tone in the Prime's voice. "I said I was sorry!"
"You gave Jack a hickey?" Miko asked, and there was a strange tone to her voice like she wasn't sure whether to be gleeful or quiet.
"I don't think this counts, Miko." Raf added softly.
"What else have you done?" June asked accusingly and Smokescreen held up his hands defensively.
"I didn't give him that black eye, I was just as shocked to see him with it." He replied. "He's my friend; I wouldn't have hurt him on purpose." He paused and decided it was time to own up to everything. "And…Jack wasn't the one who did that to the jerk's car, I did. He didn't say anything because he said he didn't want me to get in trouble."
"Then what stopped you from saying something?" Bulkhead asked sharply.
Smokescreen jutted his chin up and stared defiantly back at the mech. "That's none of your business." He said tersely.
June shook her head incredulously before she stared up at the mech. "You're the reason my son is hurt? I think it would be best if you stayed away from Jack."
"But I got back at the jerk for him!" Smokescreen retorted angrily and he reeled back, his expression shifting to one of regret. "He was never supposed to have been blamed for it."
"Smokescreen, with this startling news, I have to agree with Mrs. Darby." Optimus said looking at Smokescreen with disappointment. "You are to stay away from Jack, and you are not allowed to leave the base, understood?"
The mech clenched his fists, gritted his denta, but nodded in resignation. He knew he would have gotten in trouble for what he did, but he didn't think it would cost him the very thing he was trying to get back.