Evelyn's p.o.v

This was the best day of my life! I laughed in delight as Smokescreen rolled the windows down, allowing the wind to blow through my hair.

"Woohoo!" I whooped as we drove up a hill.

"Down we go!" Smokescreen said and my head was once again pushed back against the headrest as we zoomed down the hill. "U turn!" he said and did a perfect handbrake turn before going back onto the road.

"This is spectacular!" I said. It truly was. It was amazing. I loved this feeling; it felt as though it was calm and safe yet exhilarating and fun at the same time. It was almost better than gymnastics.....okay it was as awesome as gymnastics.

I felt like I was on top of the world, that anything was possible. I wished I could've just stayed like this forever.

"Should I slow down?" Smokescreen asked.

"Tired already?" I teased.

"Who said I was?" with that his speed increased a tad bit more and I once again released a whoop of joy. The gauge couldn't go any higher and showed that it was already at the very limit.

Unfortunately, we ran out of road after a while. "Looks like we're goanna have to stop soon." I said sadly.

"If we can't drive on the road, what stopping us from going off?" he said with a mischievous tone. I smirked and soon he swerved off the road and we were driving on the rocky sandy terrain of the desserts of Jasper, Nevada.

After doing a couple more tricks and stunts, Smokescreen drove up a hill and stopped at the top near a cliff. 

He opened the door and I took my flute case which was on the seat beside me and stepped out of the car.

I put my hands on my knees as I bent over a bit while regaining my breath. My cheeks were slightly flushed from the sheer excitement of what just happened but a wide smile was spread across my face.

"That was the very definition of fun and awesome." I said.

"Slag yeah!" Smokescreen cheered. "Nothing like a good old drive to lift your spirits, huh?"

"I fully agree, you're quite the ace at driving." I said.

"Thanks." He said. "You might want to stand back."

I took a few steps back to give him room to transform. I watched in awe as he transformed back into his original giant alien robot form. Sure, I saw it earlier back at the base but I only caught a glimpse of it and I was still in too much shock back then. Now I got to see it up close in front of my very eyes.

In a few seconds, he stood there tall and proud with his wings held high. The sun glistened on his metal plating making him look even cooler.

"Hold that pose." I said and snapped a pic of him.

"Aren't you the photographer?" he said.

"A picture is worth a thousand words. No way am I ever forgetting this." I said and kept my phone in my pocket.

I picked my flute case up and went to sit near the edge of the cliff; of course, I was at a safe distance from it. I don't plan on going swan diving off a cliff anytime soon.

"Come on, sit with me." I said patting the area beside me.

He smiled and sat beside me, though I had to crane my neck a bit to be able to look at him.

"So, what do you wanna talk about?" he asked. I shrugged.

"I don't know. I just thought you and I would have a little chat and get to know each other." I said.

"Okay then, what are your favourite colors? Hobbies? Interests? Dreams? Family? Anything is fine, really." He said.

I chuckled. "Aren't you curious, how about this? We trade, I tell you something about myself then you tell me something about you, how's that sound?" I asked.

"Fair enough." Smokescreen said seemingly content with that.

"I'll go first, how about introductions?" I asked.

"Haven't we done that already?" he said.

"True but now it's just you and me out here literally in the middle of nowhere. We can take our own sweet time to do proper introductions without anyone eavesdropping on us. We also don't have to worry about getting shot at." I added the last part half-jokingly.

"Fair point." Smokescreen said. "Ok then, hit it."

"My full name is actually Evelyn Lila Nakadai. It sounds like a strange combination but my parents chose it to let people know about my British and Japanese heritage. I grew up in England so I have that 'British cockney' accent as people call it. But honestly, I don't mind. It makes me stand out more and be unique. A small thing that separates me from the average Joe." I said.

"Evelyn Lila Nakadai, you have three names?" he repeated.

"Yup." I said.

"Wow, that's a pretty long designation." He said.

"In that case you may call me Eve, all my mates do." I said.

"Mates? As in friends?" he asked.

"Yup." I said again.

"Okay then, I guess it's my turn. Well....my name is Smokescreen and I'm an alien." He said sarcastically.

"Dully noted." I replied with a raised eyebrow. "Care to tell me a bit more Captain Obvious?"

He chuckled. "Ok, ok, well I was a part of the Elite Guard back on Cybertron before coming here and I'm more of the assist." He admitted.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, I've only been here for a while compared to the others so I'm still a bit of a rookie." He said rubbing the back of his helm.

I patted his pede. "Chin up, mate. Everyone starts out as a rookie. You'll get up there someday." I said. "Besides, ranks are one thing, skill and raw talent is another."

"Thank you oh wise one." He said jokingly.

"My turn, my favourite color is blue, yours?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I don't really have a certain single color. I'm okay with anything. Except pink, purple, grey or black." He added.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Pink isn't exactly a mech's color, no offense." He said.

"None taken, please, continue." I urged.

"And purple, grey and black just remind me of the Decepticons." He said this time in a more serious tone.

"Why did you choose to join the Autobots? Why do you want to stop the Decepticons?" I can't help but ask. From what I've heard from Optimus, one isn't born into either faction, a bot is allowed to choose to join either side of their own free will when they grow up. They could join the Autobot cause or the Decepticon one or become a 'Neutralist' and be a part of neither.

"Because what the Decepticons are doing is wrong. They aren't trying to 'enforce a new order using force', what they're doing is downright tyranny and oppression. I've seen what they're capable of doing without so much as batting an optic, heck, I've seen some of them torment others just for the sake of their own sick amusement." Smokescreen said as his servos clenched into fists angrily.

"......is that why you hate them so much or do you have a more personal reason?" I asked. I placed my hand over his servo, his metallic hand bigger than mine and dwarfing it. "You don't have to tell me. This doesn't change anything." I added gently.

He took a deep breath and released it. "No, it's okay. You deserve to know." He said before he went on.

"The war took a heavy toll on everyone. Mechs who lived peaceful lives were thrown into war and homes got destroyed. Sparks were lost and sparklings and younglings were left on the streets and had to fend for themselves. Either that or they were trained to become soldiers at a young age to fight the war." He said.

I remembered that 'sparkling' was their word for baby and 'youngling' was their word for kid. My heart felt a pang of sympathy for those bots.

I also was a tiny bit proud that I managed to get all the Cybertronian verbs right. But the sympathy I felt right now crushed that feeling.

"A lot of them lost their carriers while some had to watch them go offline in front of their very optics." Smokescreen continued gravely. "I was one of them. I was only a youngling at that time. My carriers....I don't remember if they were Neutralists or Autobots, either way they got caught in the crossfire. I was around 6 vorns old when the Decepticons suddenly attacked the city.

"I don't remember much." He admitted as he rubbed his forehelm as though that might jog his memory. "I remember my sire panicking and shouting at my carrier and I to hide. I was scared and confused. I was young but I knew that Praxian, the city I lived in was considered neutral. Either way, the Decepticons didn't care and attacked it anyway.

"My carrier placed me inside one of the berthrooms downstairs and told me to stay there and hide. I did as she asked and....and.....I hated it. I hated that I couldn't do anything but hide and I hated that I was so weak and defenseless.

"The only things my processor was aware of after that was gunfire and the sound of my sire and carrier shouting before....before it all stopped. I thought it was safe but then the next thing I know there's an explosion and...I think I blacked out after that because when I opened my optics, I was trapped under the rubble.

"I called for my carriers but they didn't answer. I cried for them again and again until my neck cables were sore and I just gave up and cried. I already had a feeling I knew what happened to them, even if I didn't want to believe it.

"After a while, the Autobots found me. They saved my life and took me in. I.....was one of the only survivors, my carriers didn't make it and Praxian was in shambles. They raised me, taught me everything, they trained me and gave me food on the table. Basically, they became my new family.

"That's why I'm here, that's why I chose to join the Autobots and that's why I'm fighting. I'm going to make the Decepticons pay for what they did to my family and my home. That's why I want to end this war as much as anyone else." He finished

I just sat there and stared at him. I was so....gobsmacked, no, I was at a loss of words. No amount of fancy witty word play will ever be able to describe the pain, grief and loss he felt.

To lose everything as a child...to have everything you love taken before your eyes.....that's the very definition of pain and loss all in one. It also struck me now that for all his jokes, Smokescreen carries a lot inside of him and I have a feeling every one of the Autobots back at the base have been through their own share of trauma and have their fair share of inner demons with ghosts from the past still lingering around.

I did the only thing I could think of and leaned forward and hugged him. "I'm so sorry." I whispered.

No one's p.o.v

Smokescreen blinked in shock and looked down at Evelyn who was hugging him sideways, well technically her hands were nowhere long enough to wrap around his entire torso but even so, she extended her arms as much as she could and hugged him.

Smokescreen was touched. It's been a long time since he's opened up so much about his past and he's grateful for the affection. He also noticed how Evelyn's skin felt so soft and warm against his smooth hard metal plating.

Smokescreen gently cupped one of his servos behind her head. "Thanks." He said. "For listening, I don't get to get it all out that much."

"No problem." Evelyn said before she pulled away from the hug and wiped at the small tears at the corner of her eyes. "Wha-what happened after that?" she asked him.

"Well, I trained hard and got enrolled into one of the finest academies on Cybertron, though it was more of a boot camp really. Anyways, I became a member of the Elite Guard but even though I aced my training, I couldn't get a proper graduation with the ongoing war.

"So, I got a position as Alpha Trion's personal guard. I was.....kinda disappointed honestly." He said.

"Why? You became a guard like you wanted didn't you?" Evelyn asked.

"Yeah but I hardly went out in the field. I mean, I'd go out on missions every now and then but I spent most of the time guarding him. Still though, after a while I came to respect Alpha Trion since he taught me a lot of things. I came to think of him as a friend and mentor, I even came to look at him as a father figure in a way.

"When the Decepticons came and stormed Iacon, I was the last defense. I was nervous but lemme tall ya that at the same time pumped up, this could be the chance I've been waiting for, to prove myself and get a bit of action. But then the next thing I know....everything went black.

"When I came to I realized the cons took me prisoner and dumped me on a transport ship. But I managed to give the guard the slip and hopped into an escape pod.

"Then I came to Earth and met Team Prime and well, you know the rest." He finished.

Evelyn thought over everything her partner had just said and realized that he'd just told her his life story. 'He really trusts me; I can't take that for guaranteed. I might as well tell make it even and open up to him too.' Evelyn thought.

She took a deep breath. "That was one helluva back story, mate." She said. "I guess I should keep my end of the trade and tell you a thing or two about my own family.

"My mother is a Japanese woman while my father is British, they met each other in their college years when my mother went to England for her internship. My mother is an anthropologist-"

"What's an anthropologist?" Smokescreen interrupted.

"A person who does anthropology." Evelyn said in an 'obviously' tone.

"What's anthropology? I don't really get it." He admitted.

"Anthropology," Evelyn began with a raised finger as though she were a teacher. "Is the study of human societies and cultures and their development, understand?"

"Ohhhh." Smokescreen said. "Right, sorry for interrupting, keep going."

"Right, anyways my mother is an anthropologist while my father runs a company called 'Max Tech', his company specializes in mechanics and inventions and other gadgets and tech stuff. He also owns one of the biggest and most successful companies in the city. With that said and my mother's job which requires her to travel often, my brother, Edward and I only got to see them every now and then.

"They were by no means neglectful or anti-social, I mean they'd call us and send us letters and even take breaks to spend time with us. Occasionally, they'd even let us tag along on their trips. But still, in the end they had to leave us in the hands of our grandpa.....Grandpa James." Evelyn said and stopped for a moment to gather herself. It's been a long time since she's talked about this and wanted to think it over first. Smokescreen just sat there patiently and looked at her.

He could tell that she was gathering herself and most likely thinking things through, he decided that he'll let her talk at her own pace and he'd just listen like what she did for him.

"Our grandpa was many things and amazing, unique, one of a kind and downright awesome were the few of many things that he was.

"He fought in the war, you know. Served as a medic for five years and spent another six years as an engineer before opening a small shop for tinkering and then retiring. He had a lot of good stories to tell. Sometimes he'd end up telling them without even knowing that he was. Our visits and stays with him were never dull and that's why Ed and I loved him. But that's...also what made it even harder when...when.....when his time came." Smokescreen could hear the hidden meaning behind her last sentence.

"He played a big part in our lives, almost as big as our parents. He was the one who supported me when I chose gymnastics and he cheered me on in Taekwondo, back then a lot of people thought that Taekwondo wasn't meant for 'a petite doll like me' but grandpa? He thought the opposite. You know what he said when I told him about what other people were thinking? He tied his old army headband around my head and said 'Soldier, anything is possible. Anyone can do anything; it's whether or not they want to. If you want it to happen, make it happen and when you do don't let what anyone say ever put you down. Sexism and size be damned!'" Evelyn chuckled a bit.

"I didn't what sexism even was back then but the words he said that day pushed me on and they're still as clear as crystal in my ears. Thanks to him, I won at least three competitions and managed to make it to red belt.

"He was also the one who would help my brother with his inventions. I'd say more but it's not my place to say.

"Bottom line is that he was the best grandpa anyone would be lucky to have. In fact in my eyes, he was and still is." Evelyn said.

"Where is he now?" Smokescreen asked and instantly a part of him regretted doing so when he saw a spark of sadness in Evelyn's warm brown eyes. 'You idiot! Didn't you hear her when she said 'his time came'?!' he scolded himself.

"......he's in a better place alongside his brothers-in-arms." Evelyn said before turning her head to stare at the sandy barren land.

"I.....I'm so sorry." Was the only thing Smokescreen could say.

Evelyn shook her head. "It's alright, it's probably nothing compared to the loss you and your friends had to face." She said. For a while, the two of them sat in comfortable silence and admired the barren beauty of the scenery the cliff offered them. Then Evelyn shook her head as though to dispel some sort of dark cloud looming over her and clapped her hands.

"Alright, enough angsty stuff. What say you and I have a change of topic? We didn't come here to share sob stories after all." Evelyn said in her cheerful voice again.

Smokescreen's respect for her grew a bit more. He admired how she could brush her pain off and keep smiling. He wished he could've moved on just as easily all those stellar cycles ago. But he wasn't dumb, he knew that some people's smiles hide the darkest pains but he also knew that it was time to move on and best not to dwell on the past.

"So, what kinda music do you like?" Evelyn asked.

"I don't really have a type but I think all of them are pretty good. Music wasn't that big of a thing back on Cybertron honestly." Smokescreen replied.

"I like heavy metal and classic. They're my top 2 personal favorites." Evelyn said. She patted the flute case beside her as though it was her favourite pet. "I also like to play the guitar and the flute. Grandpa even taught me a song or two on the flute." She said the last part with a hint of bitter-sweetness in her tone.

"Hey, wanna hear a song?" she asked Smokescreen.

He didn't want to be rude and he was curious about how this 'flute' sounded like. "Sure." He said.

Evelyn smiled and took out her flute, a beautiful silver instrument with silver flower carvings. She licked her lips to moisturize them and put the lip plate of the flute to her lips. Then she took a deep breath and played 'Yiruma-River Flows in You'.

(A/N: Check out the video below to listen to the song if you want.)

https://youtu.be/Oo62aM8fSRg

Smokescreen watched in mesmerized awe as Evelyn's fingers flew across the flute pressing on notes easily as though they were right in front of her. The music her flute unleashed was beautiful to his audio receptors, they were angelic melodies.

Evelyn's eyes were closed and her body naturally swayed in sync with her song.

It was like nothing else mattered, the only thing in Smokescreen's processor was Evelyn and her beautiful angelic playing. For a short moment, he forgot about everything. He forgot about the war, he forgot about all the pain and loss he's felt, he forgot about all the conflict and sacrifices. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt at peace.

Soon the song ended and Smokescreen was brought back to reality. He smiled and clapped his servos together enthusiastically. "That was amazing!" he said with a broad smile.

Evelyn blushed slightly. 'He has a really nice smile.' She thought. "Thanks, glad you liked the show." She said with a smile.

"Like it? I loved it!" Smokescreen beamed.

Evelyn's blush grew a bit darker, she wasn't one used to the spotlight all the time.

Eventually they moved on and for the next few minutes, or hours, talking more about themselves. They went into a routine of asking random questions that popped into their minds like 'What do Autobots eat?' or 'What kind of entertainment do you like?' and so on.

Smokescreen had a lot of stories to tell, some were about other Autobots like Optimus or even members from his team while some were about him, although they were a bit exaggerated.

Evelyn laughed at how Smokescreen told her about the time Bulkhead mistook one of Raf's projects for a 'scraplet' and how he screamed like a little girl and tripped over some wires causing a 3 hour blackout.

Evelyn liked Smokescreen. He was a straightforward guy. He was funny, friendly, fun-loving and very easy to talk to and simply get along with. He seemed to want to genuinely get to know her and understand her interests unlike some of the boys back in England who simply wanted her for her connections and money.

It still hurt, thinking back to how some people simply wanted you because of what you have and not for who you are.

Evelyn found herself laughing at the numerous jokes and quips he made along with his facial expressions, further proving that these bots were humane. She also noticed that as he told her stories, he seem to feel a need to impress others.

She found it kinda cute honestly, but he didn't try too hard like some people and he didn't go too far, he was cocky and exaggerated in a more comedic way then an arrogant way.

Still, Evelyn found it cute how hard he tried even though she was his friend. Smokescreen was a nice guy and she was glad that she got such a cool bot as her guardian.

Evelyn looked over at the scenery and saw the sunset on the horizon. Smokescreen followed her gaze and the two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they gazed at the beautiful scene.

"This planet of yours is really something else, you know. I haven't been to many before but even I can tell that Earth is unique in its own way." Smokescreen said.

"I know, despite all the war and turmoil this world has been through, I'm amazed at how we somehow manage to find a way to pick up the pieces. In a way, I guess it teaches us to appreciate even the smallest things in life. Like friends, for example." Evelyn said and smiled meaningfully at Smokescreen. He smiled back.

"C'mon, let's head back to base." Evelyn said getting up and dusting herself off.

"Yeah, best get back before Arcee gives me another lecture." Smokescreen said getting up and stretching his servos over his helm. He took a few steps forward and once again transformed into his alt mode.

He opened the door for Evelyn and this time she opted to sit in the back. Evelyn cheered in glee as they rode down the hill. She'll never get tired of the rush it brings.

When Smokescreen was back on solid road, he drove at a more sedate pace. No need to go speeding around. He might end up breaking the speed limit, again, and have the cops or some jerk on his tail and he does not want a repeat of history.

He decided to break the silence and start up another conversation. "So, did I make a good first impression on ya?" he asked.

"Funny, I was about to ask the same thing. Looks like great minds think alike." She said. "To answer your question, yes, I think you're a pretty cool guy." Evelyn giggled.

"Then why are you laughing? Find something amusing?" he asked.

Evelyn shrugged. "I like how straightforward you are. You're easy to talk to. Besides, unlike some other boys I've met, you want to actually get to know me."

"What do you mean?" Smokescreen asked.

"Well, some boys only want to get close to me because of my parents status and such. They seem more interested in what I have rather than who I am." Evelyn admitted sadly. "I've met a few who genuinely want to be my friend because they simply think I'm nice and all but still, it hurts thinking back and realizing that some of them simply wanted to be close to you for their own selfish reasons."

"......that's horrible. Don't worry, you've got me, Jack, Raf, Bee, Optimus, Bulk and the doc. You don't need those aft-holes. You've got us and we've got your back. Besides, those boys don't deserve an awesome girl like you." Smokescreen said. He was slightly angry that people were willing to go so low just for the sake of social status. It was pathetic and disgusting.

"Thanks, Smokes.....can I call you that?" Evelyn asked.

"Sure." Smokescreen chirped.

"Then you can just call me Eve, ok? Eve. E-V-E." Evelyn said.

"No prob, Evel-"

"What did I just say?" Evelyn said sharply in a playful way.

"Sorry, no prob...Eve." Smokescreen said. He found himself liking the nickname, it was simple and cute, wait, what? 'Did I just think that?' Smokescreen asked himself. He decided to turn his attention back to the road.

Soon they were back in base. Evelyn got out of Smokescreen and waved at Miko who was leaning against the railing on the upper platforms where Jack and Raf were doing their homework.

Evelyn climbed up the platform and greeted her cousin and mates. "So, how'd it go?" Miko asked.

"Great!" Evelyn said. "I like him, Smokes is a really nice lad. He's easy to talk to and get along with."

"Nice." Miko said then she noticed something and a mischievous smirk crept onto her face. Jack noticed it out of the corner of his eye. He looked up and a small feeling of dread entered his gut. 'Oh boy.' He thought.

"Smokes?" Miko repeated.

"Yeah, I call him that. Why?" Evelyn asked warily. She's seen that smirk before and had a bad feeling about where this conversation might go.

"You gave each other nicknames already? Well aren't you two getting chummy." Miko teased.

Evelyn rolled her eyes and punched Miko's arm. "Seriously? I just met him a couple of hours ago. We just wanna get along and get to know each other. Besides, pot calling the kettle black, you and Bulk seem pretty chummy too." Evelyn pointed out.

Miko put her hands up. "Fair point." She said. "Look, Eve. I'm just really glad that you're in the loop now. No more secrets?" Miko asked putting her hand out.

Evelyn smiled and shook it. "No more secrets." She agreed.

Miko smiled and spread her arms out. "Then you are now an official member of the 'Sci-Fi Club'!"

And so for the next two hours, Evelyn talked with Miko, Jack and Raf and they told her their side of the story and the fair share of missions they went on before, both intentionally and unintentionally.

"Please, try not to pull a Miko while you're here, ok?" Jack said.

"Pull a Miko?" Evelyn repeated confused.

"As in, do something reckless and dangerous without thinking of the consequences, like*cough* Miko." Raf said.

"Gotcha." Evelyn said.

"You're all no fun. Don't try to contaminate her with your party-popper disease too." Miko whined and hugged Evelyn.

Evelyn checked the time and realized it was almost time for dinner. "Wow, time flies." She said.

They all looked at the time and realized that it was time to go home. They went to their respective vehicles and bid each other goodbye.

"See you guys at school tomorrow." Evelyn said.

"Bye, Eve." Raf said with a wave before Bumblebee drove off.

"See you tomorrow." Jack said putting on his helmet before riding off on Arcee.

"Ciao, Eve!" Miko said as Bulkhead drove off.

"Smokescreen, remember to remain covert surveillance." Optimus reminded the rookie Autobot as Evelyn climbed in.

"Curbside duty, roger that." Smokescreen said. "Bye!"

"See you tomorrow Optimus and Doc!" Evelyn said with a wave.

"I thought I told you not to call me that!" Ratchet shouted after her but it fell on deaf ears. Ratchet sighed and focused on fixing a broken wire on the computer while muttering about 'human children having no respect for elders' much to Optimus's slight amusement.

"So, all I gotta do is drop you home for dinner?" Smokescreen asked. Evelyn nodded.

"I think it's best if you park out of sight, Ed and Aunt Selina might get suspicious if they see me getting out of the car of a stranger." Evelyn said.

"But I'm not a stranger to you, I'm your guardian." Smokescreen pointed out.

"Well I can't exactly say 'Hey, that car outside is my giant alien robot guardian' now can I?" Evelyn said. "They'll flip and we don't need my aunt to call the cops on us."

"Cops?! But we didn't do anything wrong!" Smokescreen said. "Plus, who'd believe them?"

"My aunt is a cop herself and she has her connections. Besides, the only people who know about you guys are us and a select few of the government according to the others and I think they'd like us to keep it that way." Evelyn said.

"I know, I know. But secrets can really be a pain. It sucks that sometimes we need em." Smokescreen admitted.

"That's just the way life is I guess." Evelyn said. "Hey, at least we've got each other. The best way to face a secret is with friends."

"Definitely." Smokescreen said. "Hold tight." He said and increased the speed a bit.

Soon they were near Evelyn's home. "Stop here." Evelyn said and Smokescreen parked two houses away from her home. "You can stay here if you want. The house over here is empty, no one lives here so you can park behind it." She said.

"Alright, thanks. If you want, I can pick you up for school tomorrow. I know the others do that for their charges too." Smokescreen said.

"I'd appreciate a ride to school, thanks." Evelyn said.

"No prob, oh I'll also be picking you up from school to take you to base. You have a good excuse for your aunt?" Smokescreen asked.

"I'll use the same one as the others; I am now a member of the 'Sci-Fi Club' after all." Evelyn said with a rueful grin.

"Alright then, bye. See you tomorrow." Smokescreen said before opening the door for Evelyn to get out.

"Goodnight, Smokescreen." Evelyn replied patting his hood causing him to heat up a bit.

Evelyn walked back to her aunt's home and the sound of Smokescreen's engine soon faded away as he drove off to his new hiding spot.

Evelyn opened the door and saw Edward helping Aunt Selina set up the table.

"You're back, finally we were getting worried." Aunt Selina said. She put down the plate she was holding and walked over to Evelyn. "Are you alright? I heard you had an accident with your bike." She asked.

"You told her?" Evelyn asked Edward who was holding two cups of water.

"No, I didn't. Honestly sis, I didn't." Edward said putting the cups down.

"It's a small town, Eve, word travels fast." Aunt Selina said. "Look, just be more careful next time, ok? I don't need your mom killing my ears."

"Roger, ma'am." Evelyn said with a mock salute. She put her bags down and helped set up the table.

"Hope you don't mind western food, tonight's menu is chicken chop." Edward said. He put down a plate of still warm chicken chop covered in sauce and mushrooms with fries and salad beside it. The smell of cooked meat almost made Evelyn drool.

"I'm ravenous." Evelyn said truthfully. The events of the past few hours were taking a toll on her and she needed some food for energy.

Soon they were sitting together and eating dinner. As Evelyn stuffed some chicken into her mouth, the meat re-energizing her, Aunt Selina decided to start up a conversation.

"So, anything interesting happen today?" she asked.

'Oh, you have no idea.' Evelyn thought thinking of a good list of interesting things that just happened to her such as befriending a giant alien robot that could turn into a car and that said car was only two houses down.

Evelyn swallowed and told them the lie she'd prepared. "I joined the Sci-Fi Club today." She said.

"Sci-Fi Club? As in the one Miko and those two friends of hers are in?" Edward asked.

Evelyn nodded. "It's pretty cool." 'Cool doesn't even begin to describe it.' She thought to herself. "We have meetings at a place not too far from school. I hope it doesn't interrupt your schedules or anything. I'll be coming home at pretty much this time every day."

"Okay, as long as you're home before dinner." Aunt Selina said.

"You also have to let us know if anything comes up." Edward chimed in.

"I will." Evelyn said.

"So, who's in charge of this club of yours?" Edward asked.

Evelyn nonchalantly waved him off. "Oh, just a few seniors from school." She said.

After eating dinner, she bid them goodnight and went back to her room. Her mind was still reeling from the events of the past 24 hours but this time in a more pleasant way compared to those other nights before.

Evelyn's p.o.v

I took a relaxing shower and hummed 'Just Give Me a Reason' as I felt the soothing water wash over me. I ran my hands through my hair, successfully untangling the knots in it.

Today has been the most awesome, fantastic, amazing and fun day of my life!

It felt as though a giant weight was finally off my chest. I finally got answers and got into the loop! It felt as though I was a little girl who just discovered a fairy tale world.

I changed into my pajamas and lay down on my bed. I whipped my phone out and checked the new group chat Raf added me in. The group chat had a bunch of firewalls and security measures, it also had a password and a fingerprint scan. It was the group chat Miko dubbed 'Group Prime 2.0'.

GymNast GiRL: Hey guys, I just got home. Meeting up at base tmrw?

Motor Enthusiast: Yeah, same time and all.

LetsRockBaby!: Don't you have gymnastics practice?

GymNast GiRL: Got cancelled. Coach is on leave.

Tech Boy: Is ur aunt or brother suspicious?

GymNast GiRL: Nope. They're none the wiser.

Motor Enthusiast: Good. Hope it stays that way.

Tech Boy: Ditto.

GymNast GiRL: Hey guys?

LetsRockBaby!: Yeah?

Motor Enthusiast: Yes?

Tech Boy: What is it?

GymNast GiRL: Thanks, for trusting me with your secret.

Motor Enthusiast: Thank you for forgiving us.

Tech Boy: Yeah, goodnight guys.

LetsRockBaby: GN guys. See ya tmrw! :D

GymNast GiRL: Ciao, GN.

I turned my phone off and put my hands behind my head. I laid on my soft bed and sighed in comfort. Today was one heck of a ride, no pun intended.

I yawned and it dawned on me how exhausted I was right now. I closed my eyes and smiled.

Life in Jasper, Nevada has just gotten a lot more interesting.