Exchange with New Hope Club

Chapter 26

Blake's POV

Riley said she liked me! I felt like a little school boy who'd just won a prize from the teacher. Her birthday was coming up and I wanted to make it really special.

"Blake! Can you come downstairs for a second, please?" yelled mum.

"Coming!" I shouted back. I hurried down the stairs to see what mum wanted.

"It's Riley's birthday soon isn't it?" asked mum.

"Yeah, I want to get her something really nice," I said.

"Well, how about you take this and buy something for her. I'm going to town so I can take you there," said mum handing me about 100 pounds. My jaw dropped.

"It's also from Yaya, Papu and Abbie, a present from all of us," mum explained, laughing at my shocked face.

"Oh, makes sense. What should I get her?" I asked.

"Well, that's up to you, why do you think everyone's offloaded all this money to you? Because you know her best! And we thought it might be nice if we get her one big thing from all of us than lots of little trinkets, you see?" explained mum.

"Oh, I see. I'll think about it. When are you heading off?" I said.

"Soon, I should think. Just fix your hair up and we'll go. Just tell Riley we're clothes shopping or something," said mum.

"Ok."

I ran back upstairs.

"Hey Riley, mum and I are going into town to do some clothes shopping. It'll be really boring so it might be more fun if you stay at home with Abbie," I said, trying hard not to sound rude and like I didn't want her to come.

"Oh, yeah, that's fine! I've got a date with my book scheduled anyway," she said.

I laughed. "See you in an hour or so."

"See you!"

I quickly fixed my hair in the bathroom, got some of my own money from my room and then went back downstairs.

"Ready to go?" asked mum.

"Yep!"

We drove for about fifteen minutes before parking outside of the bakery.

"I've got to get some bread and other things. Meet me back here in half an hour. You can have longer if you need," instructed mum.

"Sounds good," I said.

I wandered down the street, looking at the shop windows and thinking to myself, what would Riley like? There were a few stores that made me pause and consider what they were selling but it didn't seem right. A sudden thought occurred: my A string had broken on my guitar and I needed a replacement string. I hesitated in my steps. This outing was meant to be for me to get something for Riley, not for me to get something for me. I shrugged off that thought and walked to my favourite guitar shop and walked in.

"Ahhh, Mr Richardson! My favourite young man, how are you today?" asked the shop owner, Giuseppe, an old Italian man with a passion for rock and roll and guitars.

"Good thanks, how are you?" I replied.

"What will you be needing today?" he asked.

"I broke my A string yesterday and I need a new one," I explained.

"Ahh, I see. Careless accident or was it just a bit old?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"It just got a bit old and I strummed it too hard," I explained.