Girl in a Hoodie: Where the Future Lies

Chapter 10

James's POV:

I sat on the bed with Riley practically on my lap as I continued to refresh the page of my emails. Uncle Carlos called Mum telling her I should get an email at around 8 pm and it's now 7: 57 pm. I rubbed Riley's back (for no specific reason other than I purely just enjoy being this close to her) and her arm dangled around my neck with the other laying on my chest as we patiently waited, just making small talk with one another.

"I start my University course next week," she says out of the blue. I remove my hand from off of her back to start parting her hair, tucking each strand behind her ear and kissing her on the forehead. "I don't really know what I want my job profession to be anymore," she states. I look at her feeling slightly concerned. I know that Riley's had to change some plans she had for her future because of me and our daughter, but I just don't want her to give up in life and end up not being able to do anything.

"There's so many things you're good at Ri." I watch as the time in the corner of the screen goes up by a minute. "It'll all come clear to you soon, don't give up hope," I tell her. She sighs.

"This is exactly why I'm so proud of you. I mean, don't take this as an offence, but look at where you were at the beginning of last year when you were struggling with a simple maths question, and now you're here, waiting to see if you've got a job which relates to your whole childhood and offering help to those similar to you," she says. "How in the world did your life become so much more planned out than mine?" she chuckles, but beneath that small laugh, I can tell it's something she's actually, deeply contemplating.

"You do realize it was all because of you, don't you?" I say, bumping my arm against her head to gesture for her to look up at me. She does that and then I lean down so that our foreheads are against each other. "By the time you finish school at Uni, I can guarantee you'll know what you want." She laughs at that a bit.

"Remember when you had no clue what guarantee even meant?" she teases. I chuckle. She's right. We've both come so far from the beginning of last year. It's amazing really. "But thank you. Even if I don't believe you, it's nice to know you're being supportive," she claims. 

I take another look at the time and notice it was now eight o'clock exactly, so exhaling, I refresh the page yet again and just as we've been waiting for it, the new email comes up with a subject which states 'James Tordjman Job Application'. "You gonna click on it?" Riley smirks as I hover over the front. I roll my eyes at her before doing so and then we both read through it, Riley saying the words out loud. 

(a/n made up address btw)

Leona .N. Price
CAA Services
Kentwood
Crosshunt Road
Parker CO 802354
01992-700-700
leonaprice@hotmail.com

23rd January 2020

Mr. J. Tordjman
Social Work Student
36 Hammers Road
Kentwood
RN6 0ET

Dear James Tordjman,

Congratulations on your offer from  Kentwood Child And Adulthood Services, 

We are delighted to offer you the position of a social worker for children, both inside and outside of schools with an anticipated start date of 28/01/20. You are aligned to start work from home but will have to come to the offices over the weekends as a precaution for you to be moving from different schools. As discussed during your interview, please find attached your detailed offer letter.

Kind Regards,

Leona Price - Head of Academic Discipline in Young and Growing Infants across the nation

"Oh my god, James! I told you you'd get it!" Riley exclaims after having finished reading it. Since she had merely just muttered the word under her breath, I had to read the letter myself in my head and so she finished a short while before me. It goes silent as I finish reading the last couple of lines before grinning.

"I know you did," I tell her, earning me a cute smile back.

"Do you know what times you're working?" she asks. I open the pdf file attached whilst nodding.

"Yeah, it should tell me in the letter," I say. She doesn't stop looking at me though, clearly trying to desperately get my attention which she shortly does end up gaining. "What is it, Riles?" I ask her, smiling at the same time.

"I'm just so happy for you. You know how much I love you, right?" she questions.

"Of course I do, babe. You remind me every day," I chuckle.

"But it's because I mean it. I just hope you feel the same way about me," she adds, her voice notching down in levels of tone.

"Hey, look at me," I say. She lifts her head up the slightest. "You mean the world to me, Ri. I don't want you to forget that, okay?" She nods but I can still tell there's something on her mind, I just wish she would tell me what. I don't want to bug her though, so I leave it as she turns her face back to the screen in front of us.

"Now hurry up and download that darn thing already!" she smirks. I laugh a little before doing as she requested and then we both sit there reading through and chatting about my new-found job.

...

As it turns eleven o'clock, I lay beside Riley, watching her as she peacefully slept beside me, her chest slowly raising up and down. She's been so worried and exhausted lately that she's been falling asleep the second she gets into a fixed position in the bed most times.

I smile and then carefully reach my arm over her to grab my phone rom off of the bedside table after it made a vibration. She moans and turns on her side, moving closer towards me so I lazily kiss her forehead to calm her down before turning my phone on. The blue light flashes over my eyes so I hastily put the brightness down before noticing I had received a text from Desirée. Unlocking my phone using the pin which was the same date Riley and I established we were together, the home screen picture I had saved shines in my face. It was a good picture however, one of Riley and I cuddled together like spoons in bed.

Clicking onto her contact on WhatsApp, I read through the message.

Desirée: Hi James, I found out that you've been accepted through your job application! I'm honestly impressed. I'll have you know that-

I stop reading as Riley shuffles around beside me. "What are you doing, James?" she murmurs tiredly with her eyes shut.

"Nothing baby, go back to sleep," I tell her softly. She obliges and goes back to resting on her side whilst I continued to read through the text.

Desirée: Hi James, I found out that you've been accepted through your job application! I'm honestly impressed. I'll have you know that you most definitely had my vote for you working with us and I can't wait to get to know you on a much more personal level. - as co-workers though don't worry. I figured that we should meet up some time, you, your girlfriend and I. Oh wait, I meant fiancée - either way, I'd love to meet up with you both! Talk soon? x

Slightly confused by what she had put in the message, I finalize in turning my phone off and putting it back down. I can deal with her later after talking to Ri about it. I then move closer and hold her in my arms tightly and I feel her smile against my chest.

It's these nights when I'm this close to her that I realize just how lucky I am to have her in my life and I can't wait to see what our future together holds.