Y/N's POV

Stepping off the bus, I squinted my eyes against the morning sun, fighting back a yawn. The first day back—thankfully a Sunday—meant we had a buffer of precious hours before the school chaos resumed on Monday. Taking a deep breath, I let the crisp campus air fill my lungs. It was different from the salty ocean breeze of the island. Quieter. A little less chaotic.

"Good to be back," I mumbled, already envisioning the sweet comfort of my dorm bed.

Behind me, however, the energy wasn't nearly as calm.

"Ughhh, I'm never stepping foot on a beach again!" Bumblebee whined, dramatically flopping off the bus and staggering into the sunlight like a zombie. Her arms were slightly red, a clear sign that her last-minute attempt at sunscreen on the island had failed spectacularly.

"Seconded," Knockout groaned, her usually pristine look marred by faint sunburn streaks. She clutched her forehead as if the bus ride itself had been another battle.

Behind them, Optinessa gracefully stepped off the bus, her composure as radiant and effortless as ever. She paused to hold the door for the rest of the group, gesturing with a polite smile for everyone to disembark.

One by one, the Autogals and Deceptigals spilled off, quickly splitting into two distinct clusters like oil and water. Optinessa leaned casually against the pillar with the Autogals' insignia, flanked by Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen. On the opposite side, Megatron stood near the Deceptigals' logo, arms crossed as Starscream, Soundwave, and Knockout filed in behind her.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Megatron scoffed, stepping forward with her usual swagger. "Right. About what happened on the island..." She rolled her eyes as if it pained her to say it. "Don't think this means we're friends now that we're back in school."

Optinessa mirrored her step forward, her serene smile never wavering. "Of course not," she replied with a gracious nod. "Now that we're back, we can resume being proper rivals."

The two leaders extended their hands, shaking firmly.

"Ah, back to normal," I murmured with a smile. It felt oddly comforting to see them slip back into their competitive routine.

But my peace was short-lived.

"Wait," Bumblebee blurted out, her voice cutting through the tension like a buzz saw. "Does that mean we have to fight for Y/N's time again and not share anymore?!"

Knockout chimed in instantly, "Yeah! What's the deal with that?"

Before either could say more, Arcee's hand shot out, smacking the back of Bee's head. Starscream followed suit, bonking Knockout with an audible thwap.

"Shut it!" they both barked in unison while giving me nervous looks, and from their actions i have a feeling that they were serious about continuing the sharing thing back at the island.

. . .

Dragging my luggage toward the dorm building, I felt a familiar ache in my muscles, a testament to the whirlwind that was the island survival project. It had been wild—crazier than anything I could've imagined—but I survived. Barely. And now, all I wanted was to collapse on my bed and sleep for a week.

Just as I was nearing my room, familiar voices echoed down the hallway.

"Hey! There he is!"

I barely had time to react before Cade, Sam, and Jack descended on me, grins plastered across their faces. Cade was the first to pull me into a quick bro-hug, his hand slapping my back hard enough to sting.

"You made it, man! We were worried you wouldn't survive without us!" he teased, his voice full of mock drama.

Sam chimed in next, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "Honestly, we should've known you'd be fine. It's you. You've got a knack for getting through chaos."

"And dragging us along for the ride," Jack added, smirking as he held out a fist for me to bump.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, grinning despite myself. It was good to see the guys again. "I missed you idiots too."

As we caught up, the conversation inevitably turned to the island ordeal.

"Dude," Sam said, eyes wide, "everyone's talking about what happened. Word's spreading like wildfire."

"Not surprising," Cade added. "Gossip around here travels faster than Soundwave on a sugar high."

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "Great. Just what I need. A whole school full of people dissecting my near-death experience."

Jack snorted. "Hey, at least you're famous now."

"Infamous, more like," I shot back, shaking my head as I opened the door to my room and didn't even bother unzipping my bags and just collapsed on my bed.

I just hope that my newfound fame won't come to bite me in the ass tomorrow...- whatever I'm too tired for this crap...

Time skip to the next day.

Fixing the last stray strands of my hair, I gave myself a quick glance in the mirror before stepping out of my dorm room. The crisp morning air greeted me as I made my way down the hallway. As expected, Sam, Cade, and Jack were already waiting for me outside, all of them looking relatively awake—well, except Jack, who was rubbing his eyes and groaning like a zombie.

"Man," Jack muttered as I joined them, "why do classes have to start again so soon? It's like they don't want us to recover from the island."

"You're just mad you can't sleep in anymore," Cade teased, nudging Jack's side.

Sam smirked. "He's got a point, though. Would it kill them to give us another week off?"

I shrugged. "At least we're still alive. That's something."

As we reached the school gates, I heard two voices chime in unison, practically singing, "Good morning~!"

I blinked, startled by the cheery greeting, and turned to see Bumblebee on one side of the path—no surprise there. But standing on the other side?

Starscream.

"What the..." I muttered under my breath, caught completely off guard.

Sam let out a low whistle. "Wow. First day back, and you've already got a fan club waiting."

Cade chuckled, shaking his head. "Dude, you've been back less than 24 hours, and you've snagged two of the most popular girls in school."

Jack grinned, clapping me on the back. "Teach us your ways, man."

"It's not like that!" I protested, my face flushing.

The guys walked ahead, laughing amongst themselves, leaving me standing awkwardly between Bumblebee and Starscream.

Bee was the first to move, giggling as she clung to my right arm. "Good morning, Y/N! Did you sleep well?"

Before I could respond, Starscream gracefully stepped forward and latched onto my left arm, her tone sweet yet pointed. "Good morning, darling. I trust you're well-rested? Let's walk to school together."

Bee immediately bristled, her sunny smile turning into a frown as she shot Starscream a glare. "Wait a minute. It was supposed to be just me and Y/N! What are you doing here?"

Starscream gave a dramatic flip of her hair, her expression smug. "Oh, please. You don't own him. Besides, I simply had to see him this morning. Isn't that right, Y/N?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but Bee cut me off, tugging on my arm. "Well, I asked him first, so this is our walk!"

Starscream matched her energy, pulling me in the opposite direction. "Hardly. I'm the one who had the idea to greet him at the gates."

And just like that, the bickering began.

"First of all, I—"
"Oh, please, you're delusional—"
"At least I don't—"

Their voices overlapped as they argued, tugging me back and forth like some kind of human tug-of-war rope. I sighed, doing my best to stay upright as they squabbled on either side of me.

"You know," I muttered under my breath, "I thought surviving the island was tough, but this? This might actually break me."

The worst part? Neither of them even heard me.

With my arms firmly claimed and my balance on the verge of collapse, I resigned myself to my fate, tuning out their voices as we made our way down the path. At least the day couldn't get too much crazier... right?

Turns out... I was wrong.

As soon as we stepped onto the campus and made our way toward the main building, I could feel the stares. Students were whispering, glancing in my direction, and quickly exchanging gossip. The air was heavy with the kind of silence that only comes when everyone's talking about you instead of to you.

Bee and Starscream, still arguing over who got to walk with me, didn't seem fazed by the attention. They kept bickering, oblivious to the growing tension around us. At least, that's how it was until a sharp voice cut through the chatter like a whip.

"Where the hell is Y/N L/N?!"

The gossiping stopped instantly. Every single student shut their mouths, freezing in place. Even Bee and Starscream went quiet. I felt their grips on my arms tighten—not out of possessiveness this time, but something closer to... worry? Maybe even fear.

The crowd around us parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path for someone stomping down the hallway with authority.

A girl with fiery red hair, wearing a headband with metal horns, stormed toward us. Her presence was impossible to ignore. She carried herself with a mix of swagger and intimidation, and the way her boots echoed against the floor made it clear she wasn't here to chat.

Wait- were those knuckle dusters on her sleeves?

(Cliffjumper to Cliffara)

Bee groaned under her breath, avoiding eye contact. "Ugh... not now, Cliffara."

Starscream clicked her tongue, folding her arms as her grip on me loosened slightly. "Tsk... just when I was about to win the argument and Y/N."

I blinked as the girl—Cliffara, I guessed—stopped right in front of me, towering just enough to make me gulp. She was... intimidating, to say the least. Buff, fit, and with an air about her that screamed she wasn't here to make friends.

She looked me up and down, one brow raised as her sharp, bright blue eyes seemed to dissect me on the spot. Her voice, laced with a thick Southern drawl that practically dripped with teasing and mockery, finally broke the silence.

"So, you're that lil' feller who got his dumb ass stuck underground, huh?" she drawled, a sly grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Ain't you a sight? Thought you'd be taller, maybe look like you had more than two brain cells to rub together. But nah—you're just a twig who's gotta get saved by his gal pals, huh?"

I blinked again, too stunned to respond immediately. Bee and Starscream both bristled on either side of me, but before they could say anything, Cliffara leaned closer, her grin widening as she added with a playful sneer:

"What's wrong, sugar? Cat got yer tongue? Or you just too used to lettin' other folks do the talkin' and the fightin' for ya?"

Bee, who had been silent up to this point, suddenly found her voice, though it wavered with a nervous stutter. "C-Cliffara, c-can you just... l-leave us alone?"

Cliffara didn't even bother to look at her at first, her sharp smile growing wider. When she did glance at Bee, it was with a mixture of amusement and disdain. "Leave you alone? Sugar, why don't you leave me alone? Last I checked, I ain't takin' orders from a little buzzbug like you."

Bee flinched at the jab but stood her ground. "We're on the same team. Y-you can't just—"

Before she could finish, Cliffara stepped forward and gave Bee a firm push. Bee stumbled backward, nearly losing her balance as Cliffara sneered, "Mind yer own business, 'fore I make it yer business."

That was enough to spark Starscream's temper. "You arrogant brute! How dare you—" She raised her fist, aiming to slap Cliffara.

But Cliffara was faster. She caught Starscream's wrist mid-swing with ease, her grip like a vice. Starscream's gasp echoed in the now-dead-silent hallway. Cliffara slowly turned her piercing blue eyes toward the Deceptigal, a smug smirk playing on her lips.

"Well, well," Cliffara said, her tone mockingly sweet. "Ain't this somethin'? Where's yer pint-sized leader now, huh? Or do you only grow a backbone when you're followin' orders like the good lil' lapdog you are?"

She released Starscream's wrist and gave her a light shove, but it was enough to send her stumbling backward and landing on the floor with a thud.

I'd been standing there, frozen, watching the whole thing unfold. But when Starscream hit the floor, something in me snapped. "That's enough—" I started, stepping forward.

Cliffara turned to me, towering over me in an instant, her sharp smile now directed fully my way. Her presence was suffocating, her bright blue eyes locking onto mine like a predator sizing up prey.

"And what're you gonna do, twig?" she drawled, taking a step closer, forcing me to take a step back. "You think you're gonna talk me down? Fight me, maybe? Don't make me laugh."

Her words were like knives, each one cutting deeper as she continued. "You're just a weak, worthless little nobody who's only still here 'cause other people keep pullin' yer sorry ass outta the fire. What happens when they ain't there, huh? What're you gonna do then?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could get a word out, Cliffara shoved me. Hard. I stumbled backward and hit the floor, landing unceremoniously beside Bee and Starscream.

Cliffara stood over us, her sharp laughter ringing in my ears. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, her smirk as triumphant as it was cruel. "Pathetic," she said, shaking her head as she turned and walked away, her boots echoing down the hall.

The bell rang, snapping everyone out of their shock. The gathered students scattered, rushing to their classrooms and leaving the three of us in the hallway.

Bee sighed, brushing herself off as she knelt to help me up. "Let's just... go. We don't wanna be late."

Starscream, still fuming but clearly rattled, muttered something under her breath about payback as she dusted off her uniform.

I let out a shaky breath as I stood, brushing off my pants. First day back, and I'd already been knocked on my ass. Who the hell was she? And damn why was is she so hot- I mean rude!?

. . .

. . .

The classroom buzzed with the low hum of students chatting or catching up on homework as the teacher dismissed them early, granting everyone the rest of the period off. I leaned back in my seat at the far corner of the room, trying to focus on anything but the sting of embarrassment lingering from my earlier encounter with Cliffara. Bee sat beside me, her usual bubbly energy dimmed as she toyed nervously with her pen. Arcee sat to my other side, arms crossed and an annoyed scowl etched on her face, while Megatron, clearly irritated to be roped into the conversation, pretended to focus on doodling in her notebook.

Bee broke the silence first, her voice soft and apologetic. "Y/N, I'm sorry... we should've done something earlier. We couldn't just stand there, but..." She trailed off, clearly struggling to find the words.

Arcee, however, wasn't as hesitant. Clicking her tongue in frustration, she frowned deeply. "You had a run-in with Cliffara, huh? Guess that means she's officially back on campus."

"Cliffara?" I echoed, the name still fresh in my mind. "Who is she exactly? She's clearly... strong, but what's her deal?"

Bee hesitated, glancing nervously at Arcee. After a moment, she sighed and decided to fill me in. "Cliffara's not just strong—she's terrifying. She's been sent to a reformation institute for a while now. The last straw was when she started a cafeteria brawl that ended with ten students—Autogals and Deceptigals—getting sent to the hospital. And Cliffara? She didn't even get a scratch."

I blinked, stunned by the revelation. "Five students from each team? How...?"

Arcee snorted, arms still crossed. "Because she's a beast, that's how. Even among us Autogals, she's in a league of her own. She's got brute strength, sure, but it's her temper that makes her dangerous. The girl doesn't care who's in her way—Autogal, Deceptigal, neutral party. If you piss her off, you're going down. Period."

Bee nodded solemnly. "She's more of a lone wolf. She doesn't really... fit in with anyone. Not even us."

That's when a sharp, cold voice cut into the conversation. "Cliffara is a liability," Megatron said as she approached our group, arms folded and her icy gaze fixed somewhere distant. "She's the kind of student even the 'high and mighty' Optinessa couldn't control. Titles, teams, loyalties—they mean nothing to her. She's an animal, plain and simple."

The room seemed to chill as Megatron's words hung in the air. For the first time, her usually unshakable confidence faltered. Her shoulders tensed slightly before she abruptly stood up, scoffing. "And don't think for a second that being an Autogal somehow makes her safer to be around. If I were you, I'd watch my back."

Without another word, Megatron turned on her heel and walked out of the classroom, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.

I leaned back in my seat, letting out a slow breath as I processed what they'd said. Cliffara wasn't just a strong student—she was a force of nature, untamed and unpredictable. It wasn't just her strength that made her terrifying; it was the fact that she didn't seem to care about anything or anyone.

I glanced at Bee and Arcee, who both seemed uneasy.

For the first time, I wasn't just embarrassed or annoyed about what had happened earlier. I was curious—about Cliffara's story, her motives, and what had made her into this uncontrollable whirlwind everyone seemed to fear.

. . .

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos, trays clattering, students chattering, and chairs scraping against the floor. I sat at the center of the whirlwind, recounting the entire morning's disaster to Sam, Cade, and Jack. Their reactions weren't far off from Bee, Arcee, and Megatron's warnings earlier that day—Cliffara was trouble incarnate, a storm in human form that left chaos wherever she went.

"She sounds like she belongs in a gladiator ring," Sam said, poking at his mashed potatoes with a plastic fork. "Not in high school."

"Yeah, a gladiator ring where the audience gets sent to the hospital," Jack added, his voice low. "Man, if I were you, I'd stay off her radar."

Cade, ever the realist, shrugged and said, "Too late for that. She's already zeroed in on him."

I groaned, pushing my half-eaten sandwich around my plate. "Great, so I'm officially public enemy number one to the scariest student on campus. Just what I needed."

To my right, the Autogals—Bee, Arcee, and Smokescreen—sat stiffly, their eyes scanning the cafeteria like hawks. To my left, the Deceptigals—Starscream, Knockout, and Soundwave—did the same. It was like having my own personal security detail, though their tense body language made it clear who they were watching for.

Despite their vigilance, I started to relax slightly. Cliffara was nowhere to be found, and maybe, just maybe, she'd gotten bored of making my life miserable. At least, that's what I told myself until a sharp, commanding voice cut through the cafeteria noise.

"You're banned from the cafeteria, Cliffara! You know that!"

Every head in the room turned toward the commotion. A senior Autogal stood at the entrance, pointing accusingly at a large sign on the wall with a clear picture of Cliffara's face crossed out in bold red. Standing in front of it was the troublemaker herself, smirking like she owned the place.

Jack leaned closer and muttered under his breath, "Big mistake."

Before I could ask what he meant, a short, high-pitched yelp rang out, and the senior Autogal was gone. Just... gone. My eyes widened as I realized Cliffara was already making her way toward the food line, her confident swagger parting the sea of students like Moses and the Red Sea. The other students scrambled away, practically tripping over themselves to clear her path.

Cliffara grabbed a tray and began piling on an absurd amount of meat—chicken legs, steak slices, and even a few ribs. The poor cafeteria workers didn't even try to intervene. Once her tray was loaded, she turned and scanned the room, her bright blue eyes gleaming like a predator searching for prey.

Everyone around me froze. The students at nearby tables abandoned their spots without hesitation, rushing to the far side of the cafeteria. Even Bee and Starscream, who'd been arguing not long ago, stopped bickering and went unnaturally quiet.

Cliffara's sharp gaze landed on our table. She stomped one foot, and Jack, Cade, and Sam bolted without a second thought, their trays clattering loudly on the table as they abandoned me to my fate.

"Cowards," I muttered under my breath, though I couldn't blame them.

Cliffara reached our table, her presence alone enough to send both the Deceptigals and the Autogals reluctantly stepping aside. One by one, they stood and backed away until I was left sitting there alone, nervously nibbling on my sandwich.

She dropped her tray onto the table with a loud clunk and plopped down beside me, the bench groaning under her weight. Her grin was sharp and mischievous as she wrapped one strong, heavy arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer.

"Heyya, lunch buddy!~" she said, her Southern drawl dripping with mock sweetness.

I gulped, suddenly losing my appetite as the entire cafeteria stared at us in stunned silence. All I could think was, Why me?

To be continued. . .

(A/N: So, I kind of did a thing and imagined Cliffjumper as a woman in highschool like a Texan bully, what do you guys think? Hopefully and I'm praying you guys like her like this)