In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

Getting to know everyone

"So do you guys know each other?" Grace asked suddenly when I sat down next to Lily and also helped her onto the sofa while Matt took her wheelchair out of sight.

"We shared a room for 3 years yeah." Lily laughed pointing between us. "And Matt is my boyfriend."

"Ah so you all went to Ashford?" Max asked.

"Yeah. None of you guys did?" I asked.

"Nope." They all said at different times and then we saw this Alex kid walk in and I knew he had gone to Ashford. I recognised him, I think he might have been Marty's friend but I wasn't sure.

He was tall, about the same as Richard and I don't think I ever heard him speak a word before. He introduced himself and sat down with everyone else as we continued the conversation.

"I know we are all dying to ask but we're being polite but what happened?" Tom asked Lily as to why she couldn't walk.

"It's ok." Lily nodded. "Uh so about 7 or 8 months ago we were in a car crash, I didn't have my belt on properly and I went so far forward that I got something lodged in my back and paralysed me from the waist down."

Everyone kind of paused as I don't think they were expecting that.

"But uh we realised recently it was just the shock on the spine and I will be able to walk again but I have to fully learn how first." She smiled gently. She had the guts to say that.

I looked down throughout the entire explanation as I felt so bad and tried not to think back to that time. But everyone started asking questions and it got to me so I got up and got my water.

It made it look like I didn't care, but they must understand it was just because I was there, I knew what happened.

I think then everyone kind of took a break from the getting together and chatting and decided to go to the toilet and grab a snack and stuff whilst everyone else watched the tv in the living room area.

"Hey." I heard a small tap on my door and it was pushed open gently. I had left it half open because I didn't want it to seem like I was shutting myself away because of that story.

"Oh hi." I smiled, it was Max.

"Were you in that crash as well?"

"How did you guess?" I asked.

"Your face sank when she started that story." Max explained to me and I should of been more aware really.

"I was driving." I sighed.

"Ouch."

"Yeah, but hey that's in the past now, let's not dwell on that." I mumbled and smiled. "Let's join the rest of them yeah? I was thinking order pizza for the flat?"

"Good idea!"

- - - - -

I feel by the end of that night, well I say end, it was 7 o'clock and everyone was sick of each other, we had gotten to know one another fairly well. Everyone went out for dinner or hid their rooms.

Lily stayed in the living room, as well as Matt and this Grace girl. She was really nice.

Richard had been phoning me for a few hours but I'd been putting him off. "Hey?" I said getting up and moving into the kitchen to get away from Grace and the others speaking.

"How is it?" Richard asked.

"Good, good. Where are you?" I asked.

"Dorm, I'm dead bored want to come round?" He wondered.

"Uh yeah or you could come here? I'm not really dressed to go out." I sighed walking down the corridor to my room.

"Sure I'll come to you. I wasn't sure if you didn't want me meeting everyone yet. Might be awkward." He explained.

"No, come. Everyone's gone to bed anyway or gone out somewhere." I told him.

"Okay be there in 10/15 minutes." He said before hanging up.

- - - - -

As Richard knocked I went straight to the door and let him in. We didn't even speak, his lips just caught mine like a natural thing was to snog at the door.

"Hey."

"Hey." Richard smiled.

"Come through Lily and Matt are in here." I nodded holding his hand and pulling him through to the living room bit.

"Richard!" Lily nodded.

"You alright mate?" Matt smiled as they sat and watched tv together.

"Not too bad." Richard replied sitting down with them. Grace just stared at him and I so I felt the need to introduce him.

"Oh uh Grace this is Richard, my boyfriend." I nodded at her as I chucked him a bottle of water he had asked for.

"Nice to meet you." Richard smiled.

"You too." She nodded.

"Let's not ruin their time. We'll get out of your way." I smiled at Richard pulling him off the sofa and taking him to my room.

"Bit eager aren't we?" He smirked.

"No, it's not like that. They might think, the new people, that I'm just going to have you here all the time and in the way. They may not necessarily want another person living here." I scoffed.

"Alright, fine. We can hang in your room." Richard smiled as he sat down on the bed and glanced at me.

"Bit boring though isn't it?" I whispered. "How about..." I leant forward and kissed him gently then he replied with a more forceful and strong kiss.

"So you did bring me here for this--"

"Oh shut up." I moaned starting to remove his clothes.

- - - - -

"Why don't we do this everyday?" I smiled laying naked in bed with Richard kissing at my neck gently.

"Because you never wanted to." He complained.

"Sorry I wasn't in the mood to fuck you while my friend could walk." I sighed knowing that rules were stricter at Ashford in the old dorms.

"Well we certainly broke this new bed in. We'll make good use of this over the next year. Your bed is comfortable." He whispered in my ear and danced his fingertips over my thighs.

"I hope we will." I smiled.