Michael Vey x Reader: The Prisoner of Cell 25

Eight

     Mrs. Vey got home a few minutes before five. Michael, Ostin, and I were in the living room watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. 

     "Michael, Ostin, you guys ready?" she called from the door.

     "We're over here, Mom," Michael yelled back as we got up and walked towards her. 

     "Hi, Mrs. Vey!" I grinned.

     "Oh, Y/n! You're here too. I might have forgotten that we didn't have to pick you up too."

     "Yeah, thought it would be a lot easier to just come here. Hope you were okay with that."

     "Of course I'm fine with that, but when is Taylor done?"

     "She has cheerleading until five," Michael said. 

     "It's almost five now. We better hurry."

     We went outside and clambered into the Toyota and drove over to the school. Taylor wasn't waiting outside like she said she'd be, so we ran inside to get her. 

     "Where is she, Ostin? Use your Tay-dar," Michael said. 

     "She's not here," he said. 

     "She has to be."

     "She's not."

     I decided to walk over to Mrs. Shaw the cheerleading advisor. "Excuse me, Mrs. Shaw. Do you know where Taylor Ridley is?"

     She looked up from her clipboard. "Taylor said she wasn't feeling well, so she left early."

     "She walked home?"

     "I don't know. She might have called her parents."

     I thanked her before walking back over to the boys. We then headed out of the gym. As we were walking out, we saw her friend Maddie. Michael went over to her and asked her if she could text Taylor and see where she was.

     "She's at home," Maddie said.

     Michael sighed with relief. "Tell her I'm here to get her and ask if I should come over."

     She started typing and her phone buzzed a few seconds later. "She says she's sorry she forgot to call. She's not feeling well and will have to pass on tonight, but happy birthday." She then looked over at Michael. "I didn't know it was your birthday. Happy birthday."

     "Thanks," he said before turning towards Ostin and I. "At least she's okay."

     We walked back to the car and climbed in. Mrs. Vey looked confused. "Where's Taylor?"

     "She went home early. She had a headache," Michael responded sounding disappointed.

     "That's too bad. Maybe next time."

***

     No one spoke much on the way to the Aquarium. I tried to boost the mood a bit. Clearly failed. Mrs. Vey at least seemed grateful of me for at least trying. When we got the aquarium, Mrs. Vey looked at Michael. "Let's have a good time, okay?"

     "Okay," Michael responded a bit solemnly.

     The aquarium was pretty crowded, but it was fun getting to see the cold, unblinking eyes of so many different fish, especially the sharks. 

     "Do you think Taylor's safe?" Ostin asked.

     "I don't know," Michael said. 

     I looked over at both of them. "Do you think we are?"