Change of Plans

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

December 2013
It had been three weeks already since the boys had left and three weeks since I had moved into my dorm, preparing for the January term. I have a roommate whom I consider a friend now, plus new people at work, and some people that live in the same hall as me. I've been trying really hard to distract myself with school and being social. Riley and I had gotten super close since Niall and everyone left, and I don't mind it in the slightest.

Speaking of Riley, the day he, my mother, Shae and Connor helped me move into my dorm, Riley had met Connor. They seemed to have hit it off great, I never even suspected Riley was gay. I knew Riley well enough to know he was a good guy. Each time I've hung out with Riley, Connor would call and they would talk with me as though Connor was actually here.

I had been moved into my dorm with this girl from Wolverhampton named Alana Noles. She was a very laid back girl but she was serious when it came to her video games. She kept all her games under her desk that was locked unless she was in it. She and I had only one class together this upcoming term, but that was enough for us. I mean who would want to have four classes together and then come home and have to share the same room as them? We have the common trait of staying up until three in the morning.

Since uni wasn't beginning for another two weeks and it was almost Christmas, I was paying a visit to Riley because he said that he had something he wanted to show me. So Riley texted me his address and I was now making my way over to his flat after my final class.

When I got to the address I took a double take, it wasn't a flat: it was an actual house. It was a two-story house with large windows, a large garage, and a large front door. I got out of my car and I hesitantly walked towards the house. I knocked on the door twice and waited.

A woman in her early fifties came to the door and she looked me up and down.

"Ms. Lydia?" she said in a thick Italian accent.

"That's me." I smiled slightly. She moved to the side, letting the door open more and I was exposed to the inside of Riley's house.

I was standing at the bottom of two staircases that went up to the second floor, with a marble table with a very big arrangement of flowers, and the large walkway between the two staircases opened up to the end of the house.

Footsteps echoed off the stairs and I looked up to the top. At the top in casual gray sweatpants and a dark jumper, stood Riley with his phone in his hand. He smiled and walked down the left staircase. He came and stood in front of me and opened his arms.

"Welcome to my home!" He exclaimed, turning towards the stairs.

"How in the hell can you afford this?" I gaped, still looking around.

He shrugged and put his phone in his pocket.

"I'm not just a pub owner." He chuckled.

"What else do you do? I want to join." I laughed, touching the marble railing.

"Want to know what I do? But you have to keep it a secret."

"Of course I'll keep it a secret."

He smiled and nodded, and then proceeded to go upstairs again.

We got upstairs and he went to the right and walked down the hall. He opened the second door on the left and let me through. He closed the door behind us and he led me towards a bookshelf. He reached towards the top shelf and felt around until he found what he was looking for. He pulled a book, but it didn't come out of its place. Instead the shelf came out and I jumped back.

"It's alright, Lyd. Don't worry about it." He smiled, opening the shelf completely.

Behind the shelf was a dark space. Riley walked in and switched on a light. When the light came on I was lost for words. It was a large room with stacks upon stacks of plastic wrapped items. I stepped inside and took a look at the items. Some were white, some were green and some were odd colors.