In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

Christmas arrangements

Filling your life with filler chapters.

"I have almost finished all my Christmas shopping." I smirked at Richard as we left town Saturday evening with bags and bags of stuff. We were only days into December but I loved Christmas and I was always prepared. We had Lily's dance show last night and tonight we were going to the pub.

"I know, I'm carrying all the presents." Richard moaned at me as we went to the car.

"Not all. Some. I ordered some things online and of course there's your presents too that are already hidden for your convenience." I smirked at him opening the boot to my car and letting him chuck everything in it.

"Well I have about two presents and one of them is yours." He scoffed getting in the passengers seat. I had gotten used to driving and I offered to drive us.

"You didn't have to get me anything Richard. I'm already feeling insanely guilty that you bought this car." I shook my head.

"Don't worry I didn't buy you a plane or anything." He rolled his eyes.

"Well I can help with your Christmas stuff. We can do some online shopping when we get back." I smirked putting my seatbelt on.

"No, I think we've had enough shopping today." He moaned.

"You can never have too much." I laughed.

"For you maybe."

- - - - -

"Wait wait wait." I smiled stopping Richard from going anywhere as we got out the car.

"Would you be able to actually help me this time?" Richard moaned as I handed him some bags and took the rest myself nodding at him.

"Lily's going to be annoyed I went shopping without her." I laughed as we carried my stuff into dorm and I called out to see is she was home. We dumped my stuff in my room and Lily appeared suddenly.

"Hey." She smiled stepping out of her room. "Where have you been then?" She smirked at me.

"Christmas shopping how you doing?" I asked her knowing she had drunk quite a lot at the after party after the dance show she did last night.

"Good, I'm sad I didn't get to come shopping with you guys. But I'm also very relieved that I have finally completed the hardest part of the dance course." Lily smiled.

"You were really good lil." Richard said sitting down on our sofa.

"Yeah you were." I agreed as Lily thanked us. "We're thinking of going out to dinner then maybe a pub, did you want to come?" I asked her gently.

"Dinner? Yes I'm starving. Can I bring Matt?" She questioned.

"Yeah of course," I nodded and she texted him straight away and grabbed her jacket.

"We'll go by and get him now yeah? Then head out?" Lily asked.

"Yeah great." Richard said standing up next to me and placing an arm around my shoulder and grinning.

"Let's go." I smiled as we left dorm to go and get Matt.

- - - - -

"It's the first week of December and she's already done." Richard mocked me as we sat and had dinner. "It's surprise she hasn't already bought next years gifts."

"Hey." I nudged him. "I'm prepared." I shrugged looking across at Lily now that Richard had kindly paid for dinner we sat ready to leave.

"Shall we grab some drinks?" Richard smiled.

"I don't know if we'd get into your pubs." Lily shrugged knowing how the ID system works and she definitely wasn't 18 yet.

"We can go to the dodgy ones that will serve us." I glanced at Richard. "Can't we?"

"Uh, yeah okay." He sounded uneasy about it, I don't know what he wanted to do, whether he wanted to separate from them or something because I gave him a weird look and he ignored me.

- - - - -

"This Christmas, I was thinking, to get me over this awful family event that you could come and stay with me?" Richard proposed as we were walking back to dorm after the pub.

"To yours?" I moaned. "I don't know. It's not that I don't love your family but I kinda want to spend Christmas with violet and dad and Rachel." I shrugged.

"Well just for some of the holidays then? We have three weeks off! Just a week of your time?" Richard complained.

"Alright, if you'll spend a week or weekend at mine." I cocked an eyebrow seeing if he'd agree. My house was big but not the mansion he was used to. We'd share the spare bedroom, it had a double bed we'd be fine in there.

"Sounds great." He smiled.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah I'll come down with you for a week, I'll even drive you home if you want. Then I'll go back for Christmas and you can come up to me after Christmas and stay until we go back to school." Richard had it all planned out from the minute I mentioned it.

"Okay, do you really only want one week where you don't see me?" I scoffed.

"I want to see you everyday. But that's not always possible." He smirked at me holding me close as he tucked an arm around my neck and kissed my head gently.

- - - - -

I knew Matt had stayed the night because his jacket was on the side, but also because I heard that he stayed the night, but I was still a little shocked when I saw him in my dorm the next morning.

"Jesus." I scoffed seeing him sat on the sofa. "You scared me."

"I didn't exactly say boo! What's gotten into you?" He frowned at me.

"I don't know." I hummed going to grab some crisps I knew we had in the cupboard in the main dorm bit. "Would you be able to drive me to work tonight?" I asked Matt throwing him some water.

"Yeah, but I have to ask what's wrong with your car?" Matt scoffed.

"Ugh there's our Christmas party afterwards and I don't want to drive even after one drink to be honest." I told him.

"Ah so this boyfriend you have can't take you?" He asked as I tried to find a bit of paper that told me when this party finished and started.

"Richard is in lectures all evening." I explained it to him. "I could not drink a thing but I really don't want to risk it."

"So you need a lift back?" He asked.

"I can get a bus." I shrugged. "I can't get one there because I have to be on time for work and buses are late but it doesn't matter if I'm late back."

"Well I don't mind." He nodded.

"The bus is fine, I shouldn't bother you." I laughed.