Girl in a Hoodie: Where the Future Lies

Chapter 14

James's POV:

"Babe, do you mind making me a ginger tea, please?" Riley says to me whilst I finish combing my hair out, stood by the mirror and she was sat on the bed with her laptop whilst she started her studies. I turn around to face her and see she had her puppy dog eyes out.

"Sure, Riles. One sugar right?" I recall and then she nods whilst smiling. I place my comb back down before walking out of the room to go downstairs and making her usual morning beverage. 

It was Monday today and it was now 8 am which meant Jasper, Rose, and Piper have school but Mum's taking them. There's not really a specific reason since I don't even have work today, except for a zoom meeting with Desirée which I'm really not all too elated about. I'd rather have it with my uncle. Desirée just seems to be intensely needy and desperate to get to know me for whatever reason. Or maybe it's just me wanting to be all too loyal to Riley. I just can't risk losing her yet again after the situation with Myah, what happened with Freddie and Spencer and even when Alexa kissed me. We've been through way too much for something like that to happen all over again.

As I pour the water from the tap into the kettle, I hear a bunch of footsteps scuttle down the stairs before seeing Rose. She attempts to scare me by jumping out from the staircase and then I choose to fulfil her wants as I pretend to be scared. She giggles and runs over to me whilst I place the kettle on its heating element and she wraps her arms firmly around my legs so instead, I pick her up to which she can spread all limbs around the upper part of my body.

"Guess whose birthday it is today!" she squeals. I pretend to think about it for a moment.

"Let me guess... Is it... Lyra's?" I ask, referring to her best friend.

"No..." she says, shaking her head but failing to hide her smile.

"Is it... Jasper's?"

"No!" she whines, this time folding her arms but still smiling.

"How about...Piper's?"

"No! It's mine, silly!" she exclaims. 

"Oh yeah, of course it is!" I chuckle. She giggles and then I let her back down on the floor.

"Mummy says we're all going to Dove Dolphins after school and then Lyra's going to have a sleepover here!" she says with a shrill manner. 

I smile, not really bothered about us having to go to the swimming centre further in the city which is called Dove Dolphins. I guess it has something to do with Dolphins because of the pool but I'm not too sure why the word Dove is in its name. Maybe it's to do with the beauty salon they have there for products to put on your body after you come out of the pool, who knows? But I do know that they have a restaurant there and the pizzas they have are definitely worth it so I honestly don't mind. Since it's a birthday, I doubt any lessons will be going on and it will just be filled with a bunch of little kids but I guess it wouldn't hurt for Riley and I to tag along.

"I can't believe your five already," I mutter, thinking aloud. She hears this though and puts her hands on her hips and grins. I remember when she was first-born. I was in such a bad place at the time and whilst Mum was in labour, Dad was practically on his death bed. It makes me realize just how thankful I should be that he's still here and so am I. To be honest, if it wasn't for worse, I probably wouldn't be.

"Did you get me a present?" she asks, toddling along as I walk back over to the kettle and grab Riley's favourite 'Little Miss Princess' mug which used to belong to Laci but she never used it since she has so many already so Riley basically owns it now.

"Did I what?" I ask, kind of startled as I remember that I actually hadn't. That's not going to go down very well with a five-year-old.

"Get me a present?"