In your arms

Chapter 15: the message in a bottle

James POV:

I wave to the boys while jumping into the car at the air port. We came home from London a few days early because the last two venues were closed. We could of stayed a while longer but I decided to come home since I have heard much from anyone in a week so I'm hoping to surprise them, mainly Riley. It's pretty early on in the day so seeing as no one knows I'm back their probably out so I decided to head home and sit around for a while.

While driving through the town I go out to get a coffee from a cafe near by. When I walk in I hear a familiar voice call out my name. "James! hey" I hear her call out. She motions to the seat opposite her and I wonder over and sit down.

"Hey pipes" I smile as she greets me. "I thought you were in London" she questions slightly while picking up her drink and taking a small sip. "The last few nights were cancelled so we came home" I say simply. I take one of her fries causing her to glare at me intensely but I just brush it off and take a few more. We talk for a while about what she's been doing over the last week and I soon drift away from the topic as I ask her a question that I didn't even realise was bothering me as it sat at the back of my mind.

"Also, have you seen Riley? She hasn't talked to me nearly practically the whole time I was away." I sigh lightly as she looks at me confused before questioning it herself. "Umm know that you mention it. I haven't actually heard from her since Thursday" she says. I try work out a reasonable explanation for why she hasn't seen her and I'm pretty sure Thursday night was when Emily told me about her seeing Riley crying on the floor with Alfie next to her, ugh Alfie, the thought of his name makes my blood boil.

"I'm sure that she's just been busy" piper says after a few minutes as she puts a few fires in her mouth. I shrug and agree with her and try push the thoughts out my mind. "I'm going to head back home, maybe she's there. By pipes" I stand up and as she waves she tells me to tell her when I find Riley. I agree before walking back out to my car and drive home. I don't want to think the worst so out of all the options my head creates I hold onto one and just hope that she's at home watching tv or something.

When I reach the drive I see the curtains are closed and there doesn't seem to be any light coming from the crack in the middle. I look down at my watch to check the time, 11:04, I sigh as I walk over to the door and pull out my keys. I open up the door and the house seems to be nearly pitch black. She clearly isn't home.

Unable to accept that she isn't here I turn on the lights and walk around the whole building. No where, I walk back into the living room and flop down on the sofa with my phone in hand. I decide to text Emily to see if there out to lunch.

Me: hey Emily. Are you by any chance with Riley? I've come home early and decided to surprise her but she's not home.

As I type I feel my hand shake. Why isn't she here? It's to early for her to be at the studio and she never strays to far away from the city. The feeling of concern slowly consumes me as Emily reply's almost immediately.

Emily: hey, no she's not with me. Happy to know ur back❤️. but now that u mention it the last time I saw her was Friday when we went out to dinner. We went to a bar after and according to Michelle (I was drunk😅) she left quite early and then I've not seen or heard from her. Sorry

Emily: please tell me when you find her tho.

Me: ok well thanks and I'll text you when I do.

Emily: no problem.

Now that concern seems to turn into complete worry. I try compress it the best I can and I thought I was doing well until I felt my whole body shake. Why am I being so paranoid she's probably with Michelle or someone and she'll come home later on and there will be no reason for me to have worried so much. I seem to sound like one of those overprotective boyfriends so I try snap out of that thought as I tell myself it's ok. I've never been this worried about anything before but the fact that I've learnt everything there is to know about my girlfriend, inside and out. I can just sense something wrong. It's like twins with there telepathy, I can feel something wrong in the pit of my stomach. I've learnt how to tell if she's having panic or anxiety attacks and I've learnt what places she hangs out at on a daily basis when nothing specials happening. She's told me before that she has never really left the city and isn't confident driving somewhere new by herself. We both know each other's friends and family. It's like we're the same but opposite.

After moments of pacing back and forth in the living room I decide to head up and change into something smarter. Since knowing I was able to come home early I planned a date night for me and Riley so to take my mind off of everything I start to get ready for then. I've reserved a table at her favourite restaurant in the city and set up another bigger surprise for after. I have a small red blanket in the centre of the floor with rose petals spread around. I close the door to the room so just in case she enters while I'm changing she won't see it.

After changing into my suit, that I've barely worn, I look around the room for my charger. I curse under my breath when I remember that I put it away in my bedside drawer. I open it up and rummage through all the crap I have shoved inside. I pull out my charger and here something fall onto the floor. I turn to see a water bottle lead on the ground but instead of it being filled with water it seems to have some sort of paper rolled up inside.

Intrigued, I picked it up and examined it before quickly noticing that the label says 'natural mountain spring water' a smile takes over my face. I just know it's from Riley. I unscrew the cap and try fish out the note inside.

I unroll it and as soon as I read it multiple emotions start to hit me like I was stood in front of a fast moving train. It read:

I'm guessing you've realised I've gone. And I'm sorry and I wish I didn't have to and it's tearing my up inside. I don't have a choice and I'll try explain as much as I can but I just need you to remember the sign, if you go on channel 12 you will know where I am. And don't panic. And I'm gonna keep a mountain spring water bottle near me just so you know I've not left you completely.

I love YOU James and nothing will ever change that. You know there's nothing in this world that can take me away  from you forever. so remember that.

Love Riles❤️

My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach and so many thoughts run around creating a wild tornado spin rapidly. So she has gone and by the looks of it she hasn't told anyone. Maybe there's a reason behind that but first I need to know where she is. All my date plans have been thrown out the window and until I figure this out it may seem like they may permanently be unreachable.

The way the note is written makes me feel like this is quite serious. "I wish I didn't have to leave", "it's tearing me up inside", "And don't panic" , "not left you completely" , "I love YOU and nothing will ever change that".
It makes me feel like I may never see her again which causes a pain to replace my heart. I don't want to jump to the worst so I run downstairs and turn on the tv.

following the notes instructions, I turn to channel 12 and I don't think I've ever felt this shitty in my life. Tears threaten to spill from the corners of my eyes and it feels like my hearts been torn in two. All it takes is a quick glimpse of the scene in front of me to know that nothing good can come out of this. I was so excited to surprise Riley with a date and I've prepared one of the biggest moments of my life all for nothing. I started to drown in the feeling of loneliness, defeat and pure sadness as it pulls me under the water.

On the screen in front of me I see a news report from Switzerland and in the picture there's Riley sat next to Alfie. At first it rips me apart but as I analyse the picture more clearly I can see that somethings off. First of all Riley's sat with her hands in her lap and she's playing with the rings, which she only does when she's nervous, and in her lap is the mountain spring water bottle. Double checking the note again I see the part that says "I'm gonna keep a mountain spring water bottle near me just so you know I've not left you completely" it reassures me slightly that She's not forgotten. But as I pause the screen to look closer I can see bruises and little scars scattered across her arms and legs. It's clear that she's tried to cover them up but it seems as though it's coming off. Right at that moment I feel another wave hit me but instead of feeling sad I feel angry more than anything.

He hasn't has he-

Sorry if this chapter isn't as great😅 It wasn't the easiest to write