"Can you hand me the blue wire Ratchet?" I asked as I pulled my head out of a blaster Ratchet and I were working on. "Are you sure it's the blue wire? I could have sworn it was the red wire that needed to be placed in there?" I shook my head at him and smiled. "if you're right, I owe you a dollar. Now would you just hand me the blue wire already?" I asked as I held out my hand. Ratchet rolled his eyes but he handed me the blue wire. "Now, I just have to place the wire here and attach the AH!" I shouted as my face was covered in blue liquid and oil. Pulling my head out of the blaster, I spat out what had gotten into my mouth and I whipped away the mess away from my eyes to look up at Ratchet. "I'll take my dollar now." He said with a laugh as he tossed me a towel. "Can I put you on an I.O.U?" I asked as I cleaned my face of the yuck, luckily I had my hood up so it didn't get in my hair. Turning back to the blaster, I saw that it was leaking more mess and it was giving off a little whine. "That can't be good." I stated. As the whine increased, Ratchet and I back away from it with concern. "It's going to Blow!" I shouted and I turned around just in time as the blaster spewed out more oil and blue liquid all over my back and on Ratchet's arms. The explosion was so loud, or maybe it was my shouting, that Jack, Raf, and Miko bolted up from the couch screaming. "What in the name of Primus was that!" I heard Miko shout. "Sorry guys. Ratchet I kind of made a mess." I said as I turned to the now totaled blaster. "What do you mean, Ratchet and I? You're the one who put the blue wire where the red one was supposed to go." I looked up at Ratchet as he was whipping away the mess on his arm with a large towel. I was just about to make a comeback when I saw four familiar faces. "What's going on Ratchet? We heard an explosion come from here?" Arcee asked as the rest of the lights turned on. "yeah, and from the looks of it I would say it was really powerful." Bulkhead spoke taking a look at the blaster. I don't know why but fear suddenly kicked in and I rushed to hide behind the blaster. Luckily for me, they didn't notice me. "Just place a wrong wire, nothing to dangerous. Sorry if we woke you." Ratchet explained as he looked over at me hiding in confusion. Hearing some beeps I figured Bumblebee must have asked Ratchet what he meant by we. "I believe I know what Ratchet means by we Bumblebee … Juliana, could you come out." It was Optimus, either he was a really good guesser or he saw me. Whatever the reason, I sighed and came out from behind the blaster with my head hung low. "I thought Ratchet took you home last night?" Arcee asked. For a while no one spoke, not even Miko. "Are you going to tell them or shall I?" I turned to Ratchet who had that look on him that made me feel guilty. "I-I …" I cut myself off and turned to Ratchet. "She has no home." Said Ratchet who just plainly shouted it out. I could already tell, without even lifting my head, that I was getting looks from the other Autobots. "How can a human not have a home? Isn't that like an everyday need or something?" Bulkhead asked, I guess he's not the brains of the group. "Some people don't have homes on a number of reason Bulkhead." Raf spoke trying to explain it to the towering green giant. "Simply, it's just called being Homeless and alone." I said softly but I guess everybody heard it from the odd silence. Breaking the silence, Bumblebee gave a few beeps and whirring sounds. "I cannot agree with you any more Bumblebee. No human child should ever be without a home." Optimus spoke, clarifying what Bumblebee had said. Looking up, I saw that Optimus was now right in front of me with a smile. "Juliana, if it is alright by you, I think it would be best if you stayed here until we could find you permanent residence." I placed a big smile on my face and nodded. "I wouldn't mind at all. Thank you Optimus." No one said anything in response to this, so I figured they didn't have a problem with it. "What were you two doing that caused that noise anyway?" Bulkhead piped in, as Optimus stepped away. "Well you see. Ra- I mean, I had placed a wrong wire in that blaster there and it kind of caused it to blast out all this ick here." I turned around to show said mess on my back and my once tan sweatshirt. "But don't worry, it won't happen again." Everyone smiled and went off to do whatever it is giant robots do.
After Ratchet and I had finally clean up the mess and finished with the blaster, I went over to join Jack, Raf and Miko, who were all playing an intense video game. "What you guys up to?" I asked. Looking at the screen I saw three cars collide and a big blast came from it. "Nothing now. Hey you guys up for a trip to the movies?" Miko nearly shouted. "Sounds fine by me. What about you Juliana?" Jack asked me. To be honest, I hadn't seen a movie in years. "Sure, why not. Let's go." I said with a smile. Raf raised an eyebrow at me and began to giggle. "You're not going out like that are you?" Raf pointed to me and I looked around me. "Why? Is something the matter with it?" I asked. Jack looked kind of surprised by this and stood up. "Your clothes, their all you know … dirty." Taking a closer look at my clothes, I had to agree with Jack. My pants had huge oil stains on them and I had forgotten that my sweatshirt was nothing more than a dripping wash cloth of blaster mess. "Oh, I see what you mean. Hope you guys have fun at the movies then." I turned to leave but Jack grabbed my hand and turned me around. "Why? Don't you have spare clothes to change into?" my face began to blush, my only pair of spares was also dirty. I hadn't been able to wash them since I didn't have money. "oh, I see." Jack let go of my hand and I rubbed my arm embarrassingly. "Then instead of going to the movies, how about we go on a shopping spree. My treat." Miko said with a smile as she stepped forward to us. "Just take off your sweatshirt and we can leave to go shopping." Miko reached for my sweatshirt but I backed up. "Um, couldn't you guys just go shopping without me and bring some clothes with you?" I asked, trying my best to keep one of my best kept secrets hidden. "What? Come on, it's not that bad to go shopping. Just hand over the jacket." Miko said as she held out her hand. "Uh sorry. Can't do that." I could tell we were gaining attention from the few Autobots that were in the room. Optimus looked at me puzzling while Ratchet just looked pissed off. "Miko if she doesn't want to go then she doesn't- Miko!" just as soon as Ratchet began to stick up for me, Miko pounced on me trying to slip my sweatshirt off. "Come on! Trust me when I say you'll never miss this jacket!" Miko fought me by holding one hand down and began to pull the sleeve off. "Miko Please!" I begged but it wasn't working. By now she already had my arms out of the sweatshirt and my purple spaghetti strap shirt was showing. Giving Miko gave a good push and I managed to get her off me and stand up. But just as I was about to pull my sweatshirt back down, Miko took ahold of my hood and pulled my sweatshirt clean off. My jacket fell to the floor silently as Miko looked at me in awe. Everyone in the room did in fact. Eyes were bugged out, mouths draped open, and silence. Wrapping my arms around my chest, I began to blush. It wasn't my shirt or my scar on my back that caused everyone to be like this, no, it was my hair. My hair was long and flowing, almost reaching the floor, at the bottom of it I had a small black bow tied to it with beads on the tails, but it wasn't these that took their attentions. What was doing it was the color of my hair. Instead of being Blond, Brown or black, my hair was an shocking electric blue. Ever since I could remember, my hair has always been like this and my parents always told me to keep it up in my hood to hide it.
"WOW. That is very …" Miko never finished. I sighed and slumped to the floor. "Odd, I know. Freaky right. That's what everyone calls it." I said, letting my hands hit the floor. "No! it's not that, it's just so … so …" Jack too was at a loss for words. "It is very beautiful." Snapping my head to the one who said this, I was surprised to see that it was Optimus. No one had ever called my hair that before and it took me my surprise. "You really think so?" I asked sheepishly. Optimus nodded with his sweet smile. "I would have to agree with Optimus. Your hair is very lovely." Ratchet joined in on my hair praising and I couldn't help but blush at the medic's words. "Thanks. You guys would be the first." I said as I allowed Ratchet to take my hair in his fingers and slowly glided his fingers down it. "Well are we going shopping or are we not?" Miko piped in, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't know Miko. I don't usually go out with my hair showing." I emitted shyly. "Who cares. Like the big guys said, your hair is cool looking. You should let it out more often." I smiled and brought myself up to my feet. "I guess we still can go." Miko squealed with Joy and pulled me into a tight hug. "Great! I have so many places I want to take you. First the clothes department, then the hair salon," I zoned Miko out as she continued to rant on about what she wanted to do to me. Looking up at Optimus, I smiled and he stepped forward. "I will take you four where ever you want to go. The others are out on patrol and you need someone to watch you." I smiled, for some odd reason I thought that it wasn't just that. "Cool! We get to ride around in the Boss Bot!" Miko shouted and I shook my head. How that girl had such energy was beyond me. As Optimus transformed, I watched as the three of them jumped in before me. Before I went in, I turned to Ratchet and waved goodbye. Ratchet smiled and waved back. As Optimus left the base, Miko giggled behind me. "What is it now Miko?" I asked jokingly. "Ratchet never smiles like that. Ever since you came around he's been acting all nice and stuff. I think he likes you." I could tell my face was blushing again, but ten times worse. "Really Miko, be serious. Ratchet's just being a good friend to Juliana. Even if he has never acted that way to us before." Raf said only making Miko giggle louder. "Why me?" I said as I laid my head down on the headrest. "Don't worry about it too much Juliana. Miko does this to everyone." Jack stated as he put on a playful smile. "And what is that supposed to mean Jack?" Miko questioned. "Oh nothing, nothing at all." Miko didn't look too convinced and she began to shout at Jack to tell her what he meant. Raf watched in interest as the two older teens bickered at each other. "Are they always like this Optimus?" I asked. "Only on good days." I smiled, I would hate to see them on a bad day.
Okay, here's the thing. Even when I was a little girl, I full heartedly hated to go shopping. I just didn't find it all that fun as the other girls I knew did. I never like bright colors either; no pinks, yellows, nothing. But here is Miko, trying to put me in the worst possible pink outfit anyone here in Jasper could find. "Come on Juliana, it would look great on you!" Miko held up to me a two piece dress that was nothing but bright pink roses and white leaves. "No Miko, the only thing that outfit will do is make me look like a clown." Raf giggled behind me and I could guess Jack was trying his best not to laugh. "You won't look like a clown. It will make you look like …" Miko paused for a moment trying to think of the best words. "flower garden." I turned to see Raf smiling and giggling at his own comment. "I think Raf just thought of the best word for that today. I am not wearing a garden." Walking away from the group to go look for a different outfit, I could hear Miko yelling at Raf and Jack about not helping her out with the pink garden. Walking a little ways away, I began to look for my own style of clothes. Once I found something I deemed wearable, I took it to the try-on area and took a look. It didn't look bad, I liked it but I already knew that the others were going to flip. "Juliana. Where are you?!" Miko shouted, most likely she had another pink outfit for me to try on but I wasn't. "Over here Miko. What do you guys think?" Stepping out of the try-on room, I stood in front of them with a smile on my face. "Whoa." Was all that came out of their mouths. I looked at myself still with a smile. I was wearing black knee torn pants, a black zip-up with a hoody on it, in my hair I had a black headband with a small feathery flower, and I had a bracelet with hanging metal rings and spikes. I waited a few minutes before I broke the silence. "What do you guys think?" Miko just stood there with her mouth gapped open, Jack hand his hands in his pockets while he swirled his foot on the carpet, and Raf had a smile on his face. "I like it!" Miko and Jack turned to Raf in confusion. "It suits you. Makes your hair pop out." I smiled, I could tell Raf was only trying to not hurt my feelings. "It's okay, you guys don't have to say anything." Miko and Jack finally snapped out of their daze and smiled. "it's not that Juliana. It's just that we weren't expecting you come out like that." Jack explained. "Yeah. But are you sure you don't want anything with flowers on it? Flowers would really work for you." Miko pressed on with the flowers still. I smiled, "I found something that I think will calm you Miko." Unzipping my jacket, I showed them the shirt I had chosen. It was light blue with a large black rose in the middle of it but the rose was dripping dark blue tears off its petals. "Well, at least it's a rose." Miko smiled and crossed her arms. "Are you sure this is what you want?" I nodded, this was what I wanted. "Alright, come on and let's go pay for it." Miko said as she pulled out some cash from her pocket. After Miko had paid for my new clothes, we went out to meet Optimus. Climbing in, I noticed that Optimus wasn't talking to us. "you alright Optimus?" I asked. "Your clothes are very interesting looking." He said plainly. I smiled, "Thanks." I didn't know if it was a compliment or Optimus just could think of anything else to say. For the rest of the day, Optimus took us where ever we asked to go. We went to the movies, the park, then at the end of day we went to KO burgers to get something to eat. It has been to so long since I have a burger and it tasted just like heaven to me. "So now what you guys? Head back to base and play a few games." I asked as we walked out of KO. "Sounds like a plan." As we walked out into the parking lot, I heard the familiar shouts from someone. "It's You! You thief!" turning around quickly, I say the fat butcher come for me with anger in his eyes. "What did you do with what you stole! Give it back you no good thief!" he took my wrist and squeezed hard. "Let go of me!" finally Raf, Jack, and Miko had heard what was going on and turned to see my predicament. "Hey, leave her alone!" Raf shouted as he and the others rushed over to help me. "Not until she pays back for what she took! Thief!" by now he was roughly tossing my arm about and if he continued I could tell he would break my bones. "Stop it! Let me go!" I began to toss about in his grip but it did no good. "She said let her go Dude! Leave her be!" Miko shouted as she tried to pull me free. "Not until she pays me back every penny she stole from me!" by now my wrist was starting to hurt and the fat guy was beginning to pull me away. I didn't want to do this but I had no choice. Pushing Miko back, I jumped into the air and gave the guy a good kick to the ribs and then with my free hand I punched him square between the eyes. He instantly let go of me and fell to the ground holding his face and ribs. "Let's go guys." I said as I rushed over to the waiting Optimus. After a moment the guys joined me and we all hopped in. Optimus didn't say a word and neither did the guys. I kind of felt bad for what I did to the guy but if he would have held on any longer, he would have broken my bones. "Juliana, what was that about?" Optimus finally spoke up with concern in his voice. "I don't really want to talk about it now Optimus." I said but not taking my eyes away from the window. Optimus didn't respond for the rest of the drive but I could tell that he and the others were all giving me odd glances and wondering the same things. I didn't care if they looked at me funny, I was just hoping that they didn't send me away if they knew the truth.