Stopping when he did, Mikaela realized with a sinking sensation that Bumblebee was right. When Sam realized he was gone too... it was going to be bad. Very, very bad.
She didn't want to tell him that, though. Not when there was nothing he could do to change it. So instead she offered a smile she didn't quite feel, and that didn't really reach her eyes.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," she assured him. "He'll be worried, of course, but he isn't alone. The others are there. Optimus will make sure he's safe, and you know they'll be trying to find you. It's just a matter of time before they do and then things will go back to normal."
Oh, how she wished she believed that. More than likely, though, if Optimus showed up, he'd find himself just as stuck here as the rest of them were. Possibly even human, too. But maybe Sam would come with him. That would be okay, she decided. Not for her since she doubted Sam would ever forgive her for leaving like she did, but for Bumblebee it would be good. She could handle her ex being in town, if that were the case.
"It'll be fine," she stated with a little more conviction in her voice. "We just have to be patient."
Watching as a couple strolled down the opposite side of the street, hand in hand and without a care in the world, Mikaela felt an ache in her heart. She wanted to be that carefree. She wanted it so badly she could almost taste it. And she could have had it, too. If only she hadn't freaked out and left.
"My dad was getting released from prison," she stated suddenly, looking back to Bumblebee. "I was scared. I love him, I mean of course I do, but he isn't the best influence. I didn't want to end up in trouble again because he couldn't stay out of it. I didn't want Sam to get hurt or put in danger, either. So I wrote him a note and I left. I wasn't planning on being gone forever. I just needed to figure out what to do, and I knew I couldn't do that back home."
Mikaela stopped speaking almost as abruptly as she'd started, then made a desperate change in the conversation.
"Are you hungry?" she asked curiously, with a hint of concern in her voice. Part of her almost hoped he was. At least then she would have something to do besides think about Sam, and the pain that she felt when she'd steered her truck out of town and hadn't allowed herself to even look back.