𝙱𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗 | 𝙺.𝙼 | 𝚃𝚅𝙳

7) The Turning Point

Season 1 - Episode 10

"I don't do this kind of thing." Mikayla insisted. "Seriously, it's not my scene."

Alaric gave her a disappointed yet encouraging look. "It's one night, Mikayla."

"One night too much."

"What's stopping you?"

"The parents I lack."

"I know the board say parents should come with their kids but you have to remember it's only advised, not set in stone. You don't need to have a guardian with you."

The girl grumbled something incoherent before crossing her arms with a huff. "I already know what I want to do. I don't need a career night."

Alaric's look turned stern. It wasn't an intimidating look though, more a 'I know what you're like and I'm just trying to help' kind of look.

"That's the great thing about career night." He told her. "If you already know what you're gonna do, you can find out more."

Mikayla huffed a second time. "If I still had a dad, I'm sure you'd sound exactly like him."

Alaric cracked a smile. "Don't consider it a chore, okay? Consider it more of a request to better your knowledge. I just think you're so focused on the present, maybe you should consider the future for once."

"And if I say no?"

"I've got a year to think up a better argument for next time."

She let out a breath of amusement at that. "Fine. I'll go to the stupid career night. But only because I've got nothing better to do."

Bringing their conversation to an end, Mikayla said her goodbyes to her new favorite teacher and met Tyler outside the classroom as always.

"He got you, huh?" He asked upon seeing her defeated look.

The young girl nodded. "Yeah."

"Look, just stick with me for the night. We can ditch my parents easy."

"You know, I really don't need another reason for the mayor to hate me."

"He doesn't hate you."

"Yeah? Then tell me what happened when he spent twenty minutes chasing me with a screwdriver that one time."

"Kay, you popped the tire of his favorite car."

"Because you dared me to!"

"I thought you knew better!"

"Of course I didn't! It's me!"

The pair shared a laugh as Matt and Caroline walked past, both deep in conversation and apparently very happy to be around each other. It caught the attention of almost everyone, especially since the two were rarely seen alone together.

"Uh... I'm gonna be back." Mikayla said, waving lazily as she followed after the blondes.

She waited until Matt left for a class before jumping up behind Caroline, hands on her shoulders.