In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

There for you

"Well, we're here." Her mum said pulling up the car outside Ashford.

"Yep." Lily said getting out and going straight to the back to get her luggage out. Her father hadn't come after shouting at her yesterday he hadn't spoken a word to her.

They wheeled the luggage into the building and found Lily's dorm room fairly quickly. Where Lily claimed her bed and desk and started to unpack. "So I'll call you tonight?" Her mum said standing with Lily in the middle of dorm.

"Yeah." Lily smiled gently but mainly because she was so excited to be here. "And parents weekend is soon. You can come then."

"Me and your dad will be there." Her mum kissed Lily's forehead smiling.

"I don't think dad wants--"

"Your dad will change his mind, I promise." Her mum said confidently. "I'll see you soon. And you call me if you need anything alright?"

"Yeah, I'll see you later--" Lily said but then her dorm room door opened and she stopped talking as a girl walked in with her dad behind her.

"Hi, I'm Alicia. I'm your new roommate." She extended her hand and Lily took it smiling at her. This girl was cool, she could already tell by her clothes and her style.

"Lily." She said quickly. "I'm new this year, you?"

"Been here for two years now." Alicia said smiling looking up at Lily's mum and raising her eyebrows.

"Well, Lily. I'll see you later." Her mum said kissing Lily's forehead and then leaving waving at Lily non-stop.

"Daddy. You can go now." Alicia said in her fake girly accent and kissed her dads cheek. "I'll see you at Christmas."

"Bye darling." He said handing her some money and then he left fairly quickly. Didn't even stay to help her unpack.

"Well, I guess you should know. There's rules here, populars and then the rest of them. Stick with me and well... I think you'll fit in quite nicely." Alicia said very quickly to the 13 year old girl sat in front of her.

"Okay..." Lily mumbled.

"Welcome to Ashford." She smiled.

- - - - -

"You alright, you don't look great." Richard said as I stepped inside his university dorm and looked around stressed out. I knew he was at university because he went back early after Christmas, not wanting to be at home for too long. I don't know what I was doing here but I thought it the best place to come. "Your head--"

"I was in a car accident." I spat out straight away I saw he went to ask me if I was okay but I pushed him away. "I'm fine." I sighed. "But Lily isn't.. She's lost the ability to use her legs and it's my fault." I rambled on and him.

"Jenna what are you talking about?" He said as he was throughly letting the information sink in.

"I was driving, I was behind that wheel and I put everyone in danger. I don't care that people say it was the guy that drove into us' fault. In my opinion I should of done something." I moaned pacing the room.

"Jenna you're getting yourself all worked up." He said taking my hand.

"How can I not! I was driving! What does this mean? Do I lose my license? I don't even know. I feel sick all the time, Lily is so smiley, well I say smiley she's hasn't cried as much as I have but I'm freaking out." I said turning to him quickly.

"I'm sure she's freaking out too but Jenna seriously you have to tell me what happened?" He suggested taking both my arms and helping me sit down.

I explained everything to him. From the beginning to the end I told him what I saw, what I heard what happened to me and Lily and Lucy and Olivia. He just sat there a listened.

"Have you seen her since the operation?" He asked sitting down next to me.

"No, she's in recovery. We can see her soon, in fact I should get back. I don't know when she's going to be awake and I want to be there when she is." I mumbled standing up again.

"Let me come with you." He said slowly.

"Richard, no that's not a good idea." I frowned at him.

"I'm your boyfriend. I want to be there for you." Richard stated.

"But I need to focus on Lily and what's going to happen now." I mumbled angrily.

"Come here." He said taking hold of my hand. I stepped close to him and closed my eyes. "I love you." Richard whispered kissing my forehead where it wasn't cut. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, just this--" I pointed to graze on forehead.

"Okay you call me alright? If you need anything. I don't care about what you think, if I'll distract you or something I can be there for anything." He said kissing me gently.

"Yeah I will." I smiled kissing him back again and then getting ready to leave.

- - - - -

"Mum I swear I had nothing to do with it." Lily rolled her eyes at her parents as they sat in the meeting with the headteacher.

"Alicia was caught sneaking off campus and smoking illegal substances more than once." Her mum told her

"Thats Alicia. Not me." Lily moaned.

"We don't believe it was you, Lily. We just called this meeting to tell you that your daughter will be changing roommates." The headteacher said kindly which was a benefit for Lily.

"Alright. But Lily you stay away from Alicia's friends, I know she's being taken care off but there are still her friends who do all those things." Her mum said angrily at her.

Lily knew what she meant by 'taken care of' it meant that Alicia was kicked out of the school. They didn't tolerate behaviour like that here at Ashford. Especially the younger ones.