Chapter 10

As the last student packed up, Mia hurriedly grabbed Sienna's hand as soon as she exited the room. Sienna blinked in surprise, pulling back slightly. What's going on?

"Mia, what's wrong with you?" Sienna asked, shaking free from her grip. Mia fidgeted with her fingers, visibly anxious.

"You need to help me find Riley," Mia said, her voice cracking as tears welled in her eyes. Sienna's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Wait, why do we need to find Riley? For all we know, she's probably with Anne," Sienna replied, turning to leave.

"No!" Mia's sudden shout startled a few passing students, drawing their attention. "It's... it's her family. I need your help. I don't know which hospital—"

"Hospital?" Sienna interrupted, her confusion worsening. "What are you talking about?"

Mia bit her lip, her hands trembling. "There was an accident," she began, her voice shaky. Sienna felt her own nerves start to spike. An accident? Just last night they're kissing, and now— "Riley's second sister attempted suicide. They managed to save her, but she's still in the ER. Riley called me, asking for an excuse from class, but during the call, I heard a car screech and a loud crash. The line went dead after that. I—I don't know what's happened to her."

"What?" Sienna's heart raced, fear settling in. "Mia, we need to find her!"

"I don't know where she is," Mia said desperately. "Riley just told me their sister was being taken to a hospital near their family home, but she didn't say which one."

Sienna glanced at her watch—it was already past two in the afternoon. "Where's her family's house?"

"About two hours from here," Mia replied, giving Sienna the address. "There are three hospitals nearby."

"Did you bring your car?" Sienna asked. Mia nodded rapidly. "Alright, we'll split up. We'll each check one hospital. Whoever finds Riley first, message the other right away."

Mia nodded, her expression determined. "Let's go."

"Reach me out if you find her!" Sienna shouted as they sprinted toward the parking lot. She climbed into her car and started the engine, muttering under her breath, "Please be safe, Riley."

The traffic wasn't too heavy, so Sienna made it to the first hospital quickly. She rushed to the service desk, panting. "Is there a patient with the last name Pierce here?" she asked.

The nurse checked the list but shook her head. "No patient by that name, ma'am."

Sienna quickly messaged Mia, updating her, before heading to the next hospital. But this time, traffic worked against her. Stuck in a jam, she pounded on the steering wheel, frustration bubbling up. By the time she finally reached the second hospital, Mia had already messaged: No Pierce patient here either.

"You must be at the last one," Sienna muttered under her breath, parking as fast as she could. She bolted through the entrance, making a beeline for the service desk.

"Excuse me, is there a patient with the last name Pierce?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

The nurse glanced at her list, then nodded. "Yes, ma'am. She's in the emergency room."

Sienna barely muttered a thank you before rushing toward the ER. Her breath hitched when she saw Riley, slumped against the wall, sitting on the floor with her knees hugged to her chest, her face buried in her arms.

Sienna dropped to her knees in front of her, gently cupping Riley's face. "Riley," she whispered. She noticed the graze on Riley's left palm, both knees were lacerated, and the swelling with graze around her jaw.

"What happened to you?" Sienna asked softly, her voice laced with worry.

Riley didn't answer. She just shrugged, her body trembling. "Riley..." Sienna said again, her heart breaking.

Riley slowly looked up, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Without saying a word, Sienna pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around her. Riley's body shook as she sobbed into Sienna's shoulder, her pain and grief pouring out.

Sienna held her, gently rubbing her back, whispering, "It's okay. I'm here. I've got you." She could feel Riley's heartbreak, and in that moment, nothing else mattered but being there for her.

Sienna sighed as she helped Riley sit on one of the hospital waiting benches. She had already messaged Mia, letting her know she found Riley. Mia was on her way, accompanied by Riley's eldest sister. Sienna had also requested first aid for Riley's bruises and cuts.

Frustration bubbled inside her as she rubbed her palm over her face. Riley had explained that she'd stumbled while running to the hospital, breaking her phone, and getting herself hurt in the process.

"Sienna! Riley!" Mia's voice echoed down the hallway, and two women hurried towards them. Mia, out of breath, leaned on her knees, panting.

"Riley!" The older woman knelt in front of Riley, cupping her face with concern. "Are you alright? Where's Harriet? How's she?" Sienna guessed this was Riley's eldest sister.

"Nyx," Riley's voice cracked as she spoke. "Harriet's been in there for three hours now."

Nyx exhaled a heavy sigh, patting Riley's head gently before standing up. "Harriet will pull through. But did you call them?" Probably referring to their parents.

Riley shook her head. Nyx crouched down again, lifting her sister's chin to meet her eyes. "You're not blaming yourself for this again, are you?" she asked firmly. Riley avoided her sister's gaze.

"Riley, look at me," Nyx said, her tone turning serious. "I've told you before—don't take the blame for the choices we make. We're adults. Our paths are our own. Stop carrying this weight alone."

Sienna glanced at Riley, feeling slightly out of place. This was clearly a family matter, yet here she was, caught in the middle of it.

Nyx's eyes shifted to Sienna. "Oh, isn't this Sienna Reed?" Nyx raised a brow, then looked back at Riley.

Riley shot a glance at Sienna before turning back to her sister. "What if she is?" Riley responded defensively.

Nyx chuckled and extended her hand to Sienna. "Nyxana Pierce," she introduced herself with a smile. Sienna shook her hand, offering a quick introduction in return.

Moments later, the doctor emerged from the emergency room. "Who's the immediate family of the patient?" he asked.

Nyx stepped forward, raising her hand. She walked over as the doctor explained that while Harriet was no longer in immediate danger, she was still unconscious. They would need to wait until she woke up to conduct further tests.

Nyx returned to the group, giving Riley a reassuring look. "See? I told you, the idiot's going to be fine."

Riley sighed, relief washing over her. "But we still don't know when she'll wake up."

Mia exhaled softly, visibly relieved by the update. Sienna felt her own tension ease as she noticed Riley looking slightly better, though still shaken.

"She'll be fine," Nyx reassured. "Now, go home and get some rest. Mia, Sienna, can you help this creature back to her place? I'll handle everything here." Nyx ruffled Riley's hair affectionately while addressing the other two.

"Riley, you look like a wreck. Go home, and get some sleep. I'll stop by your unit soon," Nyx added, gently urging Riley to stand. "Come on, move your butt from here," she said with a wave, shooing them toward the exit.

The drive was quiet, the hum of the car's engine the only sound breaking the stillness. Sienna had offered to drive Riley home since Mia had taken a different route. Riley, exhausted from the day's events, had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. A small, tender smile tugged at Sienna's lips as she glanced at her.

There was something oddly comforting about seeing Riley so peaceful. Her usually guarded expression was softened in sleep, and for a moment, Sienna felt a strange warmth settle in her chest.

The longer she spent with Riley, the more something inside her shifted. Sienna couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the air between them felt... different.