Chapter 11

Sienna sighed as she approached her unit but paused, glancing toward Riley's door. Riley hadn't shown up at the university today, likely still reeling from everything that had happened yesterday. Since last night, there hadn't been any word from her, which only deepened Sienna's concern.

Worried something might have happened, Sienna rummaged through her bag until her fingers brushed against the card Riley had given her. "Got it," she whispered to herself, relieved. She tapped the card on the scanner, slowly entering Riley's unit. After slipping off her shoes and leaving them neatly on the rack, she padded inside in just her socks.

Halfway through, she froze when someone came out of Riley's room. It was Nyx. Both women stared at each other, momentarily startled.

"Oh," Nyx was the first to recover, chuckling. "I didn't know you had access to her unit. I still need her to open the door for me." She shrugged playfully.

Sienna raised the RFID card in her hand. Nyx shook her head in mock disbelief. "Wow, life indeed is unfair," she teased, heading toward the kitchen while balancing a tray in her hands.

"I didn't know you were here," Sienna said, starting to retreat. "I should take my leave."

Nyx stopped her with a gesture. "Wait, you came to visit her, and now you're leaving?" She set the tray on the dining table, exhaling softly.

Sienna's eyes flicked to the food on the tray—it was barely touched. "Is that for Riley?" she asked, putting her card back in her bag and resting it on the countertop.

Nyx nodded, offering a faint smile. "Yeah. She hasn't eaten yet. I tried, but she's locked herself in her room. Wouldn't even come out for food."

Sienna glanced toward Riley's bedroom door, then back at the tray. "Mind if I try?" she asked, pointing toward the untouched meal.

"You think she'll listen to you?" Nyx asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sienna just nodded. "It's worth a shot."

Nyx smirked, handing over the tray. "Go ahead. Maybe you can get through to her."

"Sometimes, a good scolding is all it takes for that idiotic creature," Sienna muttered under her breath before accepting the tray and heading to Riley's room.

Nyx chuckled. "Kids these days..."

Sienna knocked softly before opening the door. The room was cool from the air conditioning, and the lights were dimmed low. She placed the tray on the bedside table and sat down on the edge of the bed where Riley lay hidden under a thick blanket.

"Nyx, I told you, I want to be alone," Riley mumbled, her voice muffled beneath the covers.

Sienna sighed and ran her hand gently over the blanket, tracing the outline of Riley's form beneath it.

"But I'm not Nyx," Sienna said softly.

There was a pause, and then Riley slowly pulled the blanket away from her face, revealing her puffy eyes. "Sien... Sienna?" she whispered, clutching the blanket tighter around her body.

Sienna scoffed lightly at the scene. "Do you still want me to leave?"

Riley cleared her throat and sat up, leaning against the headboard with her blanket still wrapped around her. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

Sienna shrugged, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "Honestly, I don't even know. I was worried about you. Then I found your unit's RFID card in my bag, and, well... tadah! Here I am," she replied, trying to lighten the mood.

Sienna leaned forward, resting her hands on the edge of Riley's bed, her feet swaying lightly. "You know, these past few days have been strange for me. I keep getting these weird feelings. I can't quite describe it, but something inside me feels warm and calm whenever I'm near you. Yet, I also feel this simmering frustration because I can't stand seeing you so close to other girls," she confessed, her laughter tinged with bitterness.

"I don't like feeling this way, Riley. This feeling... it confuses me. I can't comprehend why I keep worrying about you or why I'm constantly scanning the crowd just to find you."

Riley looked at Sienna, swallowing the lump in her throat as she processed the words.

"That's why you need to eat," Sienna said, pointing to the tray. "And you need to help me figure out what this weird feeling that I'm slowly having for you."

Riley slowly stood up from her bed, her eyes lingering on Sienna, who was now peacefully asleep. She didn't know how it had all happened—it was fast, unexpected... almost unreal.

Crouching down, she gazed at Sienna's serene face, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A small smile tugged at her lips. "...you need to help me figure out this weird feeling that I'm slowly having for you..." Sienna's words echoed in her mind like a melody she couldn't shake off.

Riley shook her head, trying to push the thought away, and quietly stood up. She gathered the tray with her plates and cautiously tiptoed to the door, careful not to make any noise that might wake Sienna. As she shut the door behind her, Nyx looked up from the couch, raising a brow.

"Well, well, look who finally came out," Nyx said, lowering the volume of the TV. She glanced behind Riley, searching for Sienna. "Where's she?"

Riley cleared her throat, trying to appear casual. "Sleeping," she replied, walking slowly, still feeling the soreness in her knees. Nyx clicked her tongue and shrugged. "So, are you two, like, dating-dating now?"

Riley nearly choked on her sister's question, coughing awkwardly. "What? No...?" she said, though her uncertainty betrayed her attempt at denial.

Nyx stood up, smoothing out her shirt as she approached. She glanced at the empty plates and smiled knowingly. "Yeah, sure. You're not dating," she teased, her playful grin causing Riley to roll her eyes in surrender.

Riley walked towards the kitchen, with Nyx trailing behind her. Stopping at the countertop, Nyx leaned against it, crossing her arms, her gaze locked on her younger sister. "Aren't you afraid of dating the daughter of an enemy?" Nyx asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

Riley paused, sighing softly, before placing the plates in the sink and turning on the faucet. "What's wrong if I like Sienna? And what's wrong if she's the daughter of an enemy?" she replied, picking up the sponge and squeezing dish soap onto it.

Nyx shrugged, her tone more cautious now. "I don't know... knowing Sienna's father..." She let her words hang in the air for a moment. "I'm just worried, you know? If you two are dating, of course, we'd definitely support you both. But I'm not sure if the same would happen on her side."

Riley bit her lip, her thoughts momentarily drifting to the past—the unresolved history between their families that had sparked the rivalry. She rinsed the plate under the water, trying to stay focused.

Nyx, sensing Riley's unease, smiled gently. "But you know what? I think Sienna's good for you," she said, her voice lighter, more reassuring. "You're not as stubborn when she's around."

Riley couldn't help but smirk, though she kept her back turned to her sister. Nyx chuckled softly before heading back to the living room, resuming the movie she had been watching.

Riley stayed at the sink, her mind still racing. She hadn't planned to fall for anyone—let alone the daughter of their family's enemy. But it happened, and somehow, it had to be Sienna Reed.