Back To You

Chapter 18: Lonely Graduation

From taking his final exams to briefly leaving the team to play in the Cybertron Cube finals with Scorch, a lot had happened within the last twenty-four hours, and right now, Hotshot was helping the others with the final touches to the decorations for the graduation ceremony off in a somewhat isolated part of the room. He was still feeling guilty about the way he left them, even though they kept assuring him they forgave him.

He recognized it was a moment of insecurity, but he still couldn't believe he let Scorch get under his skin like that. He was his oldest friend, and his talking down on him and his team really got to him. But that was in the past now, and at least his friend had learned the importance of teamwork, right?

"Hey, can you hold your end a little higher, Whirl?" Wedge asked from atop the step ladder. Even with his extending arms, his reach was just shy of the ceiling. He went to try again but to no avail. Whirl was staring off into space, entirely unresponsive to his struggle.

"Whirl?... Whiiirl.." he hummed quizically.

"Earth to Whirl.." Hoist walked over and waved a servo in her face, successfully getting her to snap back.

"Hm?"

"Wedge asked if you could lift your end of the streamer."

"Oh, sorry!" she sheepishly smiled and did as asked.

"Don't worry about it." Wedge attached his end to the ceiling. "You okay?"

"I'm great! , I was just thinking about our exam yesterday."

"Oh." Wedge and Hoist nodded, concern dissipating.

"I can't believe we actually beat our teachers!" Hoist added in bewilderment.

"I know! For a second, I thought Professor Blades would beat me. That sandstorm came out of nowhere!"

"I had difficulty controlling my wheels on that icy road." Medix chimed in from across the room.

"And I only beat Professor Boulder by a few seconds!" Wedge chuckled. "Didn't even know he could go so fast."

The four recruits recounted their experience with laughs and giggles. Meanwhile, Hotshot was still in his own world, barely even registering their loud conversation.

As the room slowly came together, he took a second to stop and really look at the halls and corridors he's mindlessly wandered around this past year. And it really started to hit him—the year had finally come to an end; he'd be graduating from Year One in just a few more hours. And speaking of graduating, he remembered he'd be seeing his Carrier in a few hours too!

He mentally facepalmed, thinking back on his abrupt departure from the team that morning again. Geez, he really hadn't thought that through at all. How would he have told his Carrier that he wouldn't be at his own graduation? He started grinning, seemingly for no reason at all and unknowingly caught the attention of some of his friends.

"Hotshot," Wedge acknowledged him in a warning tone, "whatever it is you're thinking, don't even try it!"

The mentioned recruit frowned at the orange bulldozer. "Hey, I wasn't gonna do anything!" he defended.

"No, I know that smirk. That's your thinking smirk." Wedge crossed his arms while Hotshot rolled his optics.

"Can't a bot smile without putting you on edge?" he huffed.

"No, at least not the way you were smiling." Wedge retorted, somewhat playful this time.

Whirl giggled a short distance away from them, looking on with Hoist. Meanwhile, Medix ignored them completely.