Strange neighbours

Chapter Five: Suspicions

Bumblebee was a compassionate mech. Most knew this but not many realized just how deep this emotion ran within the scout.

Bumblebee was now certain that the Jerold family was no threat to Witwickys after finishing his background check on the family. It had been one week since the accident and Samantha had healed well. Samantha had not told Sarah the truth about what had happened to her, she had lied to her caretaker.
This made Bumblebee both relieved and worried. He was relieved as Sam wouldn't be blamed for Bumblebee's mistake but he was worried about Samantha, she could use the accident as blackmail against Sam if she ever needed to. Bumblebee knew he had to stay alert and keep a close optic on the girl.

…

"Morning sunshine." Dave smiled at the girl standing in the doorway before biting into a buttered piece of toast. Samantha yawned and pulled up her bed hair up into a messy bun with a scrunchie as she walked into the kitchen.
"Mornin' dad." She sat down at the island counter next to Dave and Sarah slid a bowl across to her.
"You want Cap'n Crunch or Lucky Charms?" Samantha made a face at the cereals,
"Don't we have any Weetabix?"
"I couldn't find any at the shops, sorry Thaya." Sarah sat down with a cup of coffee and poured some Cap'n Crunch into her own bowl.
"That's so lame. I love Weetabix." Samantha took the Lucky Charms and made a small bowl for her to try. After one mouthful she walked outside and poured the contents of the bowl into the garden.
"I'll have fruit today" she said walking back into the kitchen.

Dave finished his toast and stood up collecting his things for work.
"Dave can you go to the shops and grab some drinks for the dinner party? Judy's making the dessert and I really want dinner to go well so make sure you get some nice drinks, and also something for Thaya and Sam to drink." Sarah said to Dave as he picked up his briefcase.
Samantha eyed her,
"How do you know Sam doesn't drink alcohol?" Sarah didn't answer because Dave walked back into the kitchen to say his goodbyes before leaving for work.
He kissed Sarah's cheek and whispered an 'I love you' into her ear before wrapping Samantha in a hug and kissing her forehead,
"I'll see my lovely ladies tonight, farewell my beauties." He grabbed his car keys and left.

"So when is this dinner party?" Samantha asked resting her elbow on the counter and her chin into her hand.
"Tomorrow night, oh and I need you to drop this book off to Judy, she unpacked it the other day and thought it looked interesting. So take it over sometime today please? I'd do it myself but I'll be out all day."
"Uh huh, sure. When will you be back?" Samantha looked down at the book that Sarah had handed her. It was a romance novel, the front cover was a fit and toned man posing shirtless on a bed. No wonder she thought it was appealing. There's a half-naked man on the front, Samantha thought as she got up from the counter. She'd never had a boyfriend before but she has been told by her friends that she had good taste in guys. This guy on the front cover was not appealing to her.
"I'm too not sure, maybe three or four this afternoon."
"Okay. Well I'm going to have a shower, you have yourself a lovely day mother."
"You too daughter dearest" Sarah replied clearing up the counter.

Samantha walked to the bathroom and took a long hot shower which helped sooth the deep pain of her purple and blue bruises. She didn't particularly want to take the book over to Judy for the fear of bumping into Sam. They hadn't talked since the accident and she didn't have any idea what she'd she say to him.
Questions were still whirring around inside her head and she still wanted to get answers to them. But walking straight up to Sam and bluntly asking questions wouldn't get answers. At least the truthful ones anyway.

…

Bumblebee was waiting in the garage for Sam to wake up when his sensors picked up someone walking up the driveway to the front door of the Wikwicky house. He recognised the signature of Samantha after scanning the figure. She walked up to the front door and knocked waiting for a response. Bumblebee zoned in his hearing on the conversation that began when the door opened.

…

The door flew open and none other than Judy stood on the other side holding a cup of tea and a big smile on her face
"Samantha! Hi sweetie, how are you?" Samantha smiled back at the older woman,
"Hey Judy I'm great. I've just come to drop this book off to you." She held up the romance novel for Judy to see. Her face lit up when she saw it.
"Oh wonderful, thankyou sweetie. Come in I'll make you a cup of tea." Judy ushered Samantha inside and began making her a cup of tea. Samantha look around their kitchen,
"Sam not up yet?"
Judy laughed as she opened a draw and pulled out a spoon.
"Like most teenage boys he doesn't usually get up before 11 on a weekend, let's see it's ten to eleven of we've got about ten minutes before we can expect to see him."
Samantha and Judy talked for fifteen minutes before footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Sam walked into the kitchen wearing running shoes and pulling a shirt on. Samantha kept a smooth poker face when he noticed her presence and went red.
"Good morning Sammy, are going running today?" Judy asked noticing his attire. Sam cleared his throat and pulled some headphones out of his pocket,
"Yeah, I've got a bet with Miles going on at the moment; he thinks I can't get fitter than him before a month goes by. Morning Samantha."
"Good morning Sam, I didn't know you went running."
"I haven't been running very long, the bet was only made three days ago. Anyway I've got to get going. I'll see you guys later." Judy and Samantha chorused a good bye as Sam walked out the house. A few moment of silence went by as Samantha finished her tea.
"Well I suppose I better get going too, thanks for the tea Judy it was really nice chatting with you." Samantha stood up as Judy took the cup and put it in the sink.
"You too dear, I'll see you at the dinner party." Judy replied as Samantha opened the door
"yeah I can't wait."

She closed the door and walked down across the grass towards the driveway. As Samantha got close to the garage she could hear a voice. Curiosity getting the better of her she quietly walked over to the garage and listened. It was Sam.
"I'm just going jogging for like half an hour Bee, you don't need to follow me. I'm not even going to go that far anyway. You're getting far too worried about this." Samantha could hear a radio being tuned in and out of different stations.
"Bee I'll still be within your scanner range anyw-" Sam abruptly stopped talking. She heard his footsteps and she scrambled away to hide. She dived into clump of bushes in the garden bed just as Sam opened the garage door. He looked around then walked out of the garage shutting the door behind him.
"Bee there's no one out here. I'm going jogging now okay." With that he took off out onto the street.

Samantha climbed out her hiding place in the garden bed and darted across to the garage door, opened it and ran inside shutting the door behind her. Samantha looked around the garage. There were shelves filled with all sorts of junk and Sam's Camaro sat in the middle of the room.

She sighed, who the hell was he talking too then?! She thought irritated. Samantha eyed the yellow and black car and a slight smile formed over her lips. She walked around the car admiring it from all angles. Stopping at the driver's door she reached out and pulled at the door handle. It opened with a click.
No way! Samantha couldn't resist, she slid into the driver's seat.
The interior was stunning! And so clean, it looked new. The car was also completely empty, no rubbish or clothing, or anything that people would usually leave in their cars.

Samantha sat in the car for a few minutes staring at the radio, she had no idea who Sam had talked to and now that it had happened twice she was getting annoyed,
"Maybe he is crazy and talks to himself? Or to his car…like a pet…Sam's pet Camaro" she chuckled and got out the car. She quietly shut the garage door and ran back across to her house. She knew she'd need to confront Sam to find out what she wanted to know.

…

"I'm just going jogging for like half an hour Bee, you don't need to follow me. I'm not even going to go that far anyway. You're getting far too worried about this." Bumblebee could tell Sam was tired of him hovering most of the time. Bumblebee was trying to do his job of guardianship without making Sam push him away even more. He cared about Sam like a brother, his respect and love for the boy ran deep. Communication was difficult between the pair because of Bumblebee's damaged vocal processor. Bumblebee wished he could express the meaning of his friendship with Sam to him.
"Just trying to…take care…of you."
Bumblebee picked up movement outside the garage and cut Sam off midsentence
"Quiet… there's something out there."
Sam glared at black and yellow car before walking outside and looking around. Bumblebee scanned the area and picked up the signature of none other than Samantha. Bumblebee could have happily found a wall and repeatedly smashed his face against it. He needed to talk to Sam and getting the boy to stop and listen was becoming increasingly difficult.

That girl was up to something. He was about to alert Sam but he was too late as Sam had shut the garage door already.
"Bee there's no one out here, I'm going jogging now okay." Sam walked away and Bumblebee inwardly groaned.
His attention was brought back to the girl when the garage door opened and she darted in closing it behind her. Samantha walked around Bumblebee and then stopped at the driver's door.

Bumblebee would have screamed when she opened his door if his vocal processors worked. Her sliding into his interior was the last thing he expected. She sat in the seat for a few minutes and Bumblebee waited.
"Maybe he is crazy and talks to himself? Or to his car…like a pet…Sam's pet Camaro"
Bumblebee was dumbfounded at that. The girl chuckled to herself before getting out, shutting the door and leaving.
Pet Camaro! Bumblebee vented his cooling systems in indignant anger. Pet! If only she could see what she was calling pet! Bumblebee's anger began to change to dread as he realized that Samantha may soon find out what he truly was if she continued meddling with Sam's affairs.