Disclaimer: Don't own anything other then plot and made up characters. AN: OMG! Thanks for the lovely reviews! I will have a personal respond to each reviewer in the next update. I hope you like this chapter. Enjoy.
Chapter 2- Surprise Surprise!
I slowly walked downstairs to see Riley. She was sitting alone in the kitchen and by the look on her face she was worried about something.
"Hey sweetheart" I said as I enter the kitchen
"About time, I thought you and dad would never finish." She said teasingly as I felt a blush creeping up my face.
"Riley!" I yelled, embarrassed
"What? It's true. You two are at it like bunnies! I'm surprise I don't have anymore little siblings running around." She pointed out.
"Moving on! What did you need to talk to me about?" I said desperately to change the subject.
"Oh yeah, that." She replied, the tone of her voice dropping.
"What is it?" I asked a bit worried.
"I-I-Igotintooxforduniveristy" she said way too fast for my old ears.
"Riley? Can you try to speak a bit slower so you're old mother here can understand what you are trying to say?" I asked her nicely as I saw her blush a bit.
"I got accepted to Oxford University" she said much slower this time.
"Oh dear! Congratulation honey! I'm so proud of you!" I said as I gave her a tight hug, "Honey, this is good, why are you so…" and then it hit me. She got into Oxford meaning she will move out, "Oh…" I said knowingly.
"Oh…is right." She said, "I know you would get it mom. So, are you upset?" She asked.
"Upset? Why would I be upset? My daughter got accepted into one of the world's finest school. I'm thrill and no where near upset." I told her.
"But it means I have to move out and live on my own, something I've always wanted to do. However, I know you and dad don't like that idea, especially dad." She pointed out.
"Oh, Riley, I believe you are enough to take care of yourself and I don't want to keep you away from your dream of going to Oxford. I don't like the fact that my babies are all leaving me," I said with a teasing smile, "but I can manage because you guys are all grown up now and need to make a life of your own on your own." I said while giving her a hug.
"Thanks for understanding mom. You always do." She said returning the embrace, "And mom?" she asked, "We aren't leaving you. We'll be around and plus like someone great once told me, 'no matter what we do, no matter where we'll be, we're in her heart'" she said smiling at me and continues, "As she is in ours." She finished and I can feel myself tearing up.
"I love you Riley" I told her, "And so does your father. He'll understand. Just let me talk to him."
"I love you too mom, and thank you" she smiled.
"Hey! Do I get some loving too?" a man's voice spoke.
"No, not for you Benny" I called out with a smirk. My other child was standing there in a nice suit for the party with his messy dark brown hair and illuminating green eyes that he got from his father. 'Those eyes will break a lot of girls' heart' I thought to myself.
"Oh, I see how it is. I always knew you love Riley better. It just hurts to hear you actually admit it. Oh, oh can you hear it…" He said to me as I gave him a blank expression, "it's my heart shattering into many pieces." He finished as Riley cracked up.
"Oh please, Ben. That's getting a bit old, even for you!" I heard Riley say.
"Pssh, I'm sorry my jokes aren't good enough for you, but it's not like you do any better you bookworm!" he said and immediately regretting his words.
"What's wrong with being a bookworm Benjamin Trey Potter?" I demanded using his full name.
"Uh, nothing but I know that my father fall for the best of them all." He said with his charming smile.
"Nice save Benjamin!" Riley said between giggles.
"Very smooth honey, very smooth." I told him and started making my way back to the party.
"I try for you mom. Anyways," he said and turn back to Riley, "you coming back to the party? Brad is looking all over for you. Yet he doesn't know to look in the kitchen?" I heard Ben tell his sister.
"No…I don't want to talk to him right now." I heard Riley say before I was too far to dear anymore.
After a few minutes of walking around and mingling with the guests I bumped into Brad.
"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Potter" he started apologizing.
"Its' okay. Don't worry, Brad." I told him.
"Oh, may I ask if you've seen Riley?" he asked nervously
"No, I haven't. Why, is something the matter?" I asked curious about their relationship.
"That's what I like to know. She won't talk to me and whenever I ask her she snaps at me. I don't know what's wrong and I'm worried." He said sadly.
"I'm sure she has her reasons. My Riley is not unreasonable."
"I know, thanks Mrs. Potter…I'll see you later." He said walking away.
"Brad…she's in the kitchen. Go talk to her." I mentioned
"Thank you" he said before rushing off.
"What was that about?" A voice asked as their arms wrapped itself around my waist.
"I think our daughter wants to break up with Brad." I told my husband.
"I always thought he was a wimp anyways." He replied.
"Harry! Brad is a nice boy." I defended, "He is just not right for her…" I finished.
"Either was, I still think he's a wimp." He said again as I just gave up and followed him back into the party.
(In the Kitchen) narrative
"Riley?" was the first thing Brad said as he walked into the kitchen.
"What are you doing in here?" Riley replied, surprised to see him there. "I thought you were talking to Julie at the party." She finished taking a sip from her tea.
"Is that what this is about? Me talking to another woman?" He asked her thinking she was jealous of his interaction with some other female that was not her.
"What are you on about?" she asked a bit irritated by his assumptions.
"You know well what I'm talking about Riley. Lately you've been ignoring me like I did something wrong yet you won't tell me what it is. Talk to me Riley. I really want to know what I did wrong." He told her, moving closer to her but it only resulted in her scooting away from him.
"Fine, we'll talk." She finally said turning to face him, "I'm not jealous of you talking to other women but I wish I was. I don't know what went wrong or maybe we just grew apart and I don't feel that chemistry we once had." She said sighing.
"You mean you don't love me anymore, that you have no more feelings…" Brad uttered sadly.
"Truth be told Brad, I don't think I was ever in love with you. I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you but I don't want to lie about my feelings either. I hope we can still be friends Brad because…" she kept going until he cut her off.
"No! Don't say it. I loved you Riley but I guess I was fooling myself this whole time thinking that you felt the same way too. Friends? Do you really believe that is possible? I think its best that we not see each other and maybe times from now we can be friends again but right now…good bye Riley. I wish the best on your birthday." He said and she could hear the kitchen door open and then closed shut.
She then sank down onto one of the kitchen's stool. She felt tears threaten to fall. She's not going to lie and say it didn't hurt to break up with Brad but she truly couldn't be that relationship any longer. She was lying to Brad and she was lying to herself and she didn't want that. She looked on the kitchen table and she spotted a small velvet box. She took it and opened it. In it were two simple silver bands for a man and a woman. She picked up one of them and read the engraving on it. It said 'This I Promise You' and she smiled because this was their song. She thought that theses were promise rings that Brad was hoping he could have given her before all this happened but decided to leave her with them either way. She started crying…
"Riley, everything is going to be ok honey." Harry said as she stood behind her.
"How can you be so sure dad?" she asked him as he faced him to see that her mother was there as well.
"Because Riley, you have me and your father, even your brother here to support you through it all" Hermione told her while giving her a warming hug.
"It hurts mom. I don't know why. I put up such a brave face when I told him those harsh things but now it hurts it really does." She said while sobbing into her mother's shoulders.
"It hurts love because if you want to admit it or not, you still have feelings for him. You may not love him but you have feelings for him. Time will mend things Riley, and then you'll see that there will be that one person right for you." Harry uttered coming up beside the two.
"I wish I can find love like yours." She said looking at her parents.
"You'll find your love." Harry said reassuringly. "Now come on, we have a birthday cake to cut and serve." He finished taking his girls back to the party.
The atmosphere of the party really did lighten up Riley's mood and she was glad that her parents were there to help her through all her problems. She looked over to see her brother Ben enjoying her time as well and is glad that he was there to make her smile although she would never say it. Today both she and Ben turn 18 and getting the surprise of their life.
"Benjamin Trey Potter!" Hermione shouted to catch Ben's attention, "Do you want to get your surprise or not?"
"Yes mother!" he replied excitedly
"Ok, this is from both your father and I" she said and gave him a small box. He looked at it like it was the weirdest thing ever for his parents to give him jewelries. However, when he opened it, it was a key…
"Mom…dad…" he looked at it confused.
"Open the front door and you'll get the rest of it." Harry said smiling widely. Ben rushed towards the door and pulled it open to reveal a shiny black BMW 3 series.
"Are you two serious…" Ben asked reluctantly
"Dead serious" Hermione said, "Happy Birthday sweetie."
"Thanks mom," Ben said giving her a hug, "Thanks dad" and giving Harry a hug.
"Ok love, it's your turn." Harry said turning to face Riley. He slowly pulled out a similar box that Ben got but this one came along with a black folder.
"Oh, she got a car too?" Ben said excitedly.
"We'll see." Harry told him, "Go on, and open it."
Riley slowly lifted the lid and saw a key within it. She herself thought it was a car as well, but she wasn't excited for a new car like Ben was. If it was up to her, a dinner party with her family was perfectly fine with her.
"Open the folder as well dear…" Hermione told her as she saw the expression her daughter's face. Riley did what she was told. As she opened it she gasped.
"What is it?" Ben asked out loud.
"Its…its but why, how…" she asked looking at her parents.
"What is it? What is it? I want to know…" Ben said like a four year old.
"It's a contract to a flat in Oxford…under my name." Riley
"What!" Ben yelled. "She gets a flat? And I got a car? No fair!" Ben complained while Riley was still in shock.
"Benjamin. Can you keep still for a moment? The reason why your sister got a flat was because she got into Oxford University. So it's a gift for both her birthday and her acceptance." Hermione explained.
"Mom!" Riley yelled at the mention of her acceptance to the school.
"Its ok love, I know about it already. I was against it at first but I had to have your mother hit some senses into me for me to realize that my daughter is going to one of the best school ever. You're mother and I didn't know what to really get you for it and figured that a flat near the campus would help therefore we went searching for one. We hope you like it." Harry told her.
"Thank you so much dad for understanding. And I love it!" She said rushing to give both her parents a hug.
"Wow, I wish I had parents that got me gifts like those!" a woman's voice said in the crowd. Hermione looked around and BAM there she was…
"Oh my god! LUNA!" Hermione yelled…