Chapter 22: Surprises and Summer Plans
The sun was slipping behind the horizon, casting a golden glow across the room as Riley sat comfortably on her bed, her phone in hand. The sounds of summer were starting to fill the air outside, a mixture of distant laughter, music, and the occasional car horn, signaling that the world was getting ready for the long, slow days ahead. Inside, Riley had been scrolling through her phone, catching up on messages from her friends-Maya, Sam, Danny, and Jordan.
Summer was finally approaching, and the group had been talking about taking a trip together. It wasn't the first time they'd tossed around the idea, but this time it felt real. Plans were being made, destinations were being discussed. Riley wasn't sure if she wanted to go, but the idea of a getaway, of doing something completely different, was starting to grow on her.
She leaned back against the pillows, reading through the group's texts. There was a buzz of excitement in the conversation-Maya suggesting places, Danny joking about destinations, and Jordan asking everyone to pick a spot before it was too late.
Riley let out a soft laugh as she typed a quick response to Maya: "Yeah, I'm in. Let's do it."
Her thumb hovered over the screen, and she glanced out of the window. It had been a while since she'd felt this sense of anticipation, this eager excitement about something. She wasn't usually one for big plans. Her life had always been a bit spontaneous, shifting from one moment to the next. But the idea of a group trip-time away with her friends-was starting to sound like the perfect summer escape.
Riley's thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of her phone once more. She picked it up, expecting another message from Maya or Danny, but it was Elena this time.
"Hey, I'll be over in a few. Got caught up with family stuff, sorry."
Riley smiled and quickly typed back, "No worries. I'll be here."
She set the phone down and started organizing her thoughts, unsure of what to expect when Elena arrived. It had been a while since they had hung out one-on-one like this, but recently, things had felt different between them. Not in a dramatic way, but in a subtle, almost unspoken way. The two of them had grown closer-more comfortable with each other-without either one of them forcing it.
The sound of the front door opening broke her reverie. Elena was here.
"Riley?" Elena called from the hallway, her voice carrying upstairs.
"In here!" Riley replied, sitting up and stretching as she heard the soft thud of Elena's footsteps approaching.
A few moments later, Elena appeared at the door, her bag slung over her shoulder, a tired but familiar look on her face.
"Hey," Elena greeted, offering a soft smile before stepping inside and closing the door behind her.
"Hey," Riley said, motioning for her to come sit. "How's everything? You good?"
Elena nodded, though there was a faint weariness in her eyes. "Yeah, just family stuff, you know how it is. But I'm glad to be here now."
Riley grinned, tossing her phone aside. "Good, because I need to talk to you about the summer plans."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are we doing something wild?"
Riley chuckled. "Maybe. The group's planning to travel together for the summer. It's kind of last-minute, but it looks like it's happening."
"Wait, seriously? You, all of us?" Elena asked, a little surprised. "That sounds fun, actually."
Riley shrugged, glancing at her phone. "I don't know. I wasn't really sold on the idea, but it's starting to sound like it could be a good time."
"You should go," Elena said. "You deserve a break. You've been working so hard lately. We all have, actually."
Riley gave her a small smile, appreciating the sentiment, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her chest. She wasn't sure why she felt so uncertain. Maybe it was the commitment, or the idea of being away from everything for so long. But as she looked at Elena, she realized the uncertainty was starting to fade.
"Yeah, you're right," Riley replied. "Maybe it'll be good for me to step away for a bit."
Elena returned the smile, but her eyes softened. "I'll be there too, you know. So, we can both get away from everything."
Riley's heart skipped a beat at the subtle suggestion. It was nothing major, but the way Elena said it made Riley feel like there was more to it. She wasn't sure what, but the words lingered in her mind.
"Alright," Riley said, trying to brush off the unexpected feeling. "Let's figure out where we're going then."
The conversation quickly shifted to the logistics of the trip, as they started talking about potential destinations. Riley suggested a few places, but she was mostly quiet, letting the others make the final decisions. She wasn't exactly the type to plan big trips anyway, preferring the spontaneity of making decisions on the fly.
As the conversation wrapped up, Riley glanced at her phone again and saw that a new text had come in from Maya: "Alright, we're good. We're booking a place, so let's finalize everything tonight!"
Riley smiled. She hadn't realized how much she'd needed this-a break, some time away from everything, with her friends. It felt like a fresh start, even if it was just for a few weeks.
She looked over at Elena, who was now scrolling through her phone, sending a quick message. There was something warm and steady about the way Elena sat next to her, and Riley couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort being in her presence.
"So, we'll probably leave in a week or so," Riley said, breaking the silence. "It'll be here before we know it."
Elena nodded, her smile soft. "Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Just us, hanging out, getting away from everything."
Riley's mind started to wander, thinking about what the trip would actually be like. Would it be different from the times they'd spent together before? Would there be more opportunities for deeper conversations, more moments like this?
But before she could overthink it, the doorbell rang downstairs, signaling the arrival of the rest of the group.
Riley stood up, stretching, and glanced at Elena. "Guess that's our cue."
Elena smiled and followed her toward the stairs. "Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into."
The evening flew by with laughter, jokes, and plans being made. It was the kind of night that Riley had come to love-easy, relaxed, and full of potential for whatever might come next.
---
The next few days were a whirlwind. The group continued their discussions, finalizing the details of their summer trip. And with each passing day, Riley found herself more and more excited for the adventure ahead.
It wasn't just the destination that she was looking forward to, but the idea of being away from everything-of having the space to breathe, to be herself without the pressures of school or the weight of her responsibilities. It was a chance to step away from the life she had built and explore something new, something free.
Then, came the day when the trip finally felt real. The group gathered together to finalize the booking, and that's when Riley casually dropped the bombshell.
"So," Riley said, a teasing grin playing at the corners of her lips as she leaned back in her chair. "Let's just say, I might have a house we can use for this trip."
The group's chatter immediately halted as everyone turned to look at her.
Maya blinked, eyes wide with disbelief. "Wait, what? You have a house?"
Riley shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, it's no big deal. Just a little place out in the Hamptons."
The silence that followed was deafening. Maya's jaw dropped. Jordan stared at her with wide eyes. Danny's mouth was agape, and Sam looked like she was about to faint.
Elena was the only one who didn't look completely shocked, though she was still processing what Riley had just said. "Wait, seriously? The Hamptons?"
Riley simply nodded. "Yeah. It's just... a family thing."
"Wait, so all this time, you've been sitting on a Hamptons house?" Maya exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and disbelief.
Riley smiled, leaning back in her chair as the group exploded into a mix of questions, comments, and jokes. The revelation was out, and there was no going back now. Riley hadn't exactly hidden the fact that she came from money, but the casualness with which she revealed it surprised everyone.
But even through the shock and excitement, there was a new layer to their relationship. Riley wasn't just the quiet, mysterious girl in the group anymore. She was someone with a life, with secrets that, for once, she was willing to share.
And with that, the summer trip had officially become something much bigger than they had originally planned. It was no longer just a getaway. It was going to be a story, an adventure, one that none of them would ever forget.