3. Family (A TFP Fanfiction)

Chapter 10

A gentle hand shook me awake, pulling me out of my exhausted and strange dreams. My eyelids opened slowly and I breathed in sleepily as I looked up. My grandmother was softly jostling me, her hand on my shoulder. She was bent over a little over my bed, which was big like the room she had given me. I pulled my arms out from under the pillow I had buried my face in and sat up slowly as she stood straight with a gentle look on her face.

"It's a bit early to be going to bed, don't you think?" she asked with a small laugh as she crossed her arms playfully. "You haven't even had dinner yet!"

I did my best to blink the sleep out of my eyes as I registered her words slowly. It took me a minute to remember what had happened before I had fallen into a restless slumber. Immediately, I rubbed my eyes in case there were any traces of tears left.

"Are you alright?" she asked after a pause, leaning forward to get a better look at me.

I looked up at her with the best smile I could muster. "Yes, sorry," I apologized quickly. "I didn't really realize... I'd dinner soon?"

Grandma raised her eyebrow, a sign she wasn't convinced, but said nothing more. "Well, it should be. But there was another reason I woke you up."

"...Is something wrong?" I asked after a moment. "I made sure I got all the chores done and everything... I think. Did I miss one?"

Her expression lightened again and she chuckled a little. "No, you didn't do anything wrong." She reached into her pocket and pulled out my red phone. "You left your phone in the kitchen. It's been ringing non-stop." She fiddled with it a little before handing it to me.

I took it slowly. "Thanks. Sorry."

"It's alright," she said with a smile. "But who's Miko?"

I jumped a little in shock, glancing down at my phone as the screen turned on. Indeed, I had over ten calls from the outgoing Japanese girl herself. The corners of my mouth turned up a little as my heart involuntarily lifted. "Oh. She's a friend. She was an... intern.. slash... consultant with me, with two others as well." I turned my head to look back at my Grandma.

She shook her head and glanced away. "How many interns do they need?" she muttered to herself before turning her head back to me.

"They were enlisted... kind of by accident," I explained the best I could, swallowing nervously. "Do you mind if I... call her back?" I asked, cursing myself for the childish pleading that peeked through my voice. "I want to ask how everyone is doing..." I felt my cheeks flush a little at the thought of a certain someone.

Grandma stared at me for a few minutes, something unreadable in her eyes. As my heart began to sink, she plastered a smile onto her face and nodded her head as she turned. "Of course you can. Any friend of my baby is a friend of mine." She stopped at the door, grinning the handle gently as she gazed back at me one more time. "I'll call you when dinner is ready." With that, she left, closing the door behind her.

My chest squeezed a little at her words, because I knew that there was little truth in them. My grandmother obviously held Team Prime accountable for the way I acted. She somehow knew I was traumatized, terribly afraid of something. She could see so easily how hurt I was, not only because of fear, but because I missed them. She wanted me all to herself, which, in a way, was both reassuring and constricting. I sighed forcefully as I lifted the phone to my ear after dialing Miko. It only buzzed once before I heard a click on the other end.

"Hi, Mi-"

"TAYLOR!!" she screeched excitedly from the other side. Her sudden outburst made me jump, but I was so happy to hear her voice that tears brimmed in my eyes. "You finally answered!! I've been calling you nonstop for the past twenty minutes!"