"I still don't see why we can't come out and join" Hunter said almost pouting as I FaceTimed the boys. They do occasionally come on this trip since my parents see them as extended sons but due to the nature of this one, they couldn't
Nobody minded, bar Hunter
"Because James has to get to know his new fiancé" Eldon teased making me roll my eyes
"How is that going?" West asked
"Well I mean, I officially asked her last night so that's a step in the right direction" I shrugged
"Oh my gosh! Give me all of the deets" Hunter said batting his eye lids trying to take the piss
"Can someone slap him for me" I warned both the boys who happily obliged
"I take it the pair of you are close now then?" Eldon asked
"I would like to think so, I mean it is still very much early days but I can't fault Riley on anything" I explained
"But she could fault you on a lot" Hunter added
"And she does" I reminded him
There is a big regret from me when it comes to how I treated Riley at the beginning, how I didn't even have the decency to show up or even cancel on her
It wasn't right at all but I'm not thinking that maybe if I had given other girls the same chance then I may not have had the opportunity to meet Riley at all
Maybe everything happens for a reason after all?
Before the boys and I continued with our conversation there was a timid knock on the door earning a confused look from all of us, last time I checked I was the only one here
"Come in" I called watching as the door opened slightly and Riley poked her head in making me chuckle
"Hi Riley!" Hunter yelled making Riley laugh as she came over to join me sitting on the sofa
"Hey guys" She said offering them all a wide smile
"We hear someone made it official last night?" West winked making Riley look over at me then back at the boys
"Who made what official? I don't think anything happened last night" Riley answered making all of the boys look at me confused and utterly speechless for what felt like the first time in a life time
"If you could see your faces right now" Riley giggled breaking out in a hearty laugh making all of the boys glare directly at me like I some how managed to conduct this plan
"Riley's a little more chill now so you can expect a lot more jokes I guess" I shrugged placing my arm on the back of the sofa directly behind Riley
"I like this side of Riley" Hunter said
"You would" Both West and Eldon said together making the 5 of us laugh
--
After we extended the trip for an entire week, it was time to return to reality but I truly don't think any of us wanted to. We got in late last night and we dropped Riley home before heading home ourselves.
It was weird knowing that she wouldn't be just across the hall again, it was back to sticking to her Dad's shitty boundaries
The thing that worried me the most was the Riley would shift back into her timid self because of him. On this trip she opened up and I couldn't have asked for anything better
"Back to sneaking around, I thought you put that behind you" Hunter pestered as we walked into the rec where Riley works
I knew she would be buried deep in here again the first moment she got. During our trip this was the one place she would consistently talk about
"She isn't working tonight, she's showing something to her boss so we're showing support" I shrugged
"There is no harm in that at all" West said offering me a genuine smile as we walked over to our previous seat last time we were here.
Riley was in a different studio this time, she was with her friend Michelle and a guy who I hadn't heard about.
"What is it that they are showing?" Eldon asked
"I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say a dance?" Hunter said making all of us roll our eyes at him
"Riley and her friend want to add some new types of dance here so they put together something to show her that it would be a good idea" I explained
"And is it a good idea?" Hunter asked
"I haven't seen it but I'll happily say yes before seeing it" I answered
"Are you guys ready?" Another feminine voice said making us notice a blonde who had walked in approaching to trio
"That was intense" Eldon said making all of us nod
I'm not sure what we were expecting but I don't think it was that at all. It was different then what we had seen at the showcase the other week, it was different then we had seen Riley dance to last time aswell
By the time we had all zoned back in, the blonde and the guy had left the room leaving Riley alone with Michelle
"So are we back on the grid?" She asked making me furrow my brows
"Michelle" Riley warned
"What did he say to you Riley because clearly it had some impact if you are now ignoring everyone else around you. Or is it the fiancé?" She asked
"It's not James" Riley answered rather quickly making all the boys turn to look at me but I was as clueless as them
"Then what did your Dad say to you when you got home last night? Because something changed. I saw how you were while you were away Riles, you were back to the old Riley we know and love. The same Riley who you know and love" Michelle said
"Can we not do this right now? If I'm not home in 20 minutes it's game over in more ways the one" Riley said grabbing her things
"Riley!" Michelle called after her as she ran out of the door
"Go get her bro" Hunter said but it wasn't needed I was already heading out the door
By the time I got to the front door leading outside Riley had already got into her drivers car and was heading out of the car park
This would have been the perfect time to chase after them in my car but I was soon distracted by my phone going off
"Hey James, is this a good time?" Ray asked the minute I answered the phone. There was only reason he could be calling
"I haven't manged to locate Emily as such but I have found something" He said making me raise my brows in interest
"What is it?" I asked dreading the answer
"Emily has a daughter just under 3 years ago. Her name is Violet Leah Daniels, I have the last known address from the GP surgery but I had checked to see if Emily was registered there but she isn't and neither is the Husband. It could be a dead end but it's something to run with?" He offered
Emily has a daughter but is a ghost herself? The more I learn about this, the more it feels like something worse then anyone would be picturing
YOU ARE READING
The Last Chance
FanfictionJames has been in on his family's traditions almost his entire life now, enough to know the ins and outs of every situation that comes to light. He's bent the rules a few times and taken things to the extreme with every girl that came around when th...
