Chapter 12

Sienna found herself standing in the middle of the bleachers by the baseball field, her arms crossed as she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She scanned the players on the field, her eyes landing on Ethan.

"Ethan!" she shouted, waving to catch his attention. He spotted her, waved back, and excused himself from the team, jogging over to where Sienna was seated.

"What brings you here?" Ethan asked, gesturing for her to sit down beside him. Sienna let out a sigh, crossing her legs and placing her tote bag over them, as if shielding herself. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, staring out at the field.

After a pause, she cleared her throat. "How did you know?" she asked, hesitantly. "I mean... how did you figure out that you're, uh..." her voice trailed off.

"Gay?" Ethan chuckled softly. "Because I met him. I already told you, right? That weird feeling I got whenever he was near—it was undeniable."

Sienna straightened, still fidgeting with her hair. "And that was it? Just a feeling?"

Ethan tilted his head, leaning back on his left hand. "Let me guess... it's Riley, isn't it?"

Sienna stiffened at the mention of Riley's name, and her throat suddenly went dry. She looked away, fingers nervously playing with the strap of her tote bag.

Ethan smiled knowingly, giving her a light tap on the shoulder. "I guess I'm right," he said, amused.

Sienna lowered her gaze. "It's weird, Ethan. Every time I'm with her, I feel... warm, and calm. Like all this whirlpool of emotions inside me just quiet down. And that scares me." Her voice softened with the confession.

Ethan's smile widened as he squeezed her shoulder. "It's scary, yeah. Especially the first time. You feel like you're doing something wrong and something right all at once. Trust me, I've been there. But it's also refreshing, isn't it? Like there's a whole new world opening up right in front of you."

Sienna tightened her grip on the strap of her bag. "I told Riley to help me figure out what this weird feeling is... but we haven't talked about it since. No labels. Nothing." She swallowed hard, her anxiety clear.

Ethan chuckled, shrugging. "What's with the rush, Sienna? Riley's not pressuring you, for sure. I know she likes you—she told me herself. She even warned me off when she caught me with another girl." He laughed at the memory. "Don't stress too much. She's not pushing you to define anything before you're ready."

Sienna clicked her tongue, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. "I'm just... anxious, you know. It's my first time having a feeling like this for a girl. And it's not just any girl—it's my mortal enemy."

Ethan threw his head back, laughing harder this time. "Well, by the looks of it, you're the only one who's treating Riley as your mortal enemy though. Riley just loves to infuriate you because you keep losing your cool."

Sienna walked toward the parking area, her right hand gripping her tote bag tightly, while her left thumb found its way to her mouth, nervously gnawing at it as anxious thoughts flooded her mind. She hadn't brought her car, and now her mind was distracted with endless what-ifs. Mia had gone to visit Riley to check on her after the 'accident,' leaving Sienna feeling more uneasy than ever as she had no one to talk to. She paused mid-step, suddenly frustrated, and slapped her forehead.

"What the hell are you doing, Sienna? You're supposed to grab a cab since you didn't bring your car," she muttered to herself, frustration oozing into her voice.

"Sienna!" a voice called out, interrupting her train of thought. Standing just a meter away, leaning casually against a car with arms crossed, was Riley's eldest sister, Nyx.

"Nyx?" Sienna said, startled as she walked closer. "What are you doing here? Are you here to pick Riley up? She hasn't—"

"I'm here to pick you up," Nyx cut her off, emphasizing you, with a smirk tugging at her lips. "You didn't bring your car, I suppose?"

Sienna raised an eyebrow, pointing to herself in confusion. "Me? Why? I don't get why you'd need to pick me up."

Nyx chuckled and shrugged, the amusement clear in her eyes. "Just thought I'd treat you to something as a little thank you—for taking care of Riley." She turned around and opened the passenger door of her car. "So?"

Sienna hesitated, her gaze shifting between Nyx and the open car door. Nyx noticed her reluctance and laughed softly. "Relax, I'm not going to bite. I swear." She raised her hands in a playful surrender. "Besides, I'm not the type to mess with my sister's—"

"Your sister's what?" Sienna asked, crossing her arms, eyes are squinting

Nyx let out another laugh, shaking her head. "Nothing, nothing. So, are you coming or not?"

Sienna wasn't quite convinced with the plan. "Where exactly are you planning to take me?"

Nyx rubbed the back of her neck. "There's this new shop near your condo I wanted to try. But first, I need to swing by my studio to pick up some files. I thought it'd be convenient... but if you don't want to, we can skip it and just grab something to eat."

Sienna tilted her head, still confused. "Your studio? Why would I want to go there?"

Nyx shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, you might like it. If not, no big deal. We can go straight to the shop. It's up to you."

Sienna contemplated it over for a moment, curiosity winning out. "Fine. Let's go to your studio first. I'm curious to see what it looks like."

Nyx flashed a wide smile and gestured for Sienna to hop in. Once Sienna was seated, Nyx slid into the driver's seat. "Fasten your seatbelt, alright," she reminded, glancing at Sienna with a grin before starting the car's engine.

The trip to Nyx's studio wasn't long—or maybe it felt that way because Sienna had been so thoroughly entertained by Nyx's stories about Riley. She wasn't sure, but whatever anxious thoughts she'd been carrying melted away, replaced by a growing curiosity to know everything about Riley.

"Here we go," Nyx said, pulling over in front of a small, chic unit shop. It was compact yet aesthetically pleasing, catching Sienna's eye with its design. Nyx stepped out of the car and walked around to Sienna's side, opening the door for her. "Want to come inside? I'll be quick, promise," she said, gesturing toward the shop.

Sienna got out and took a moment to admire the exterior. "You've got good taste," she remarked, impressed by the artistic design.

Nyx flashed a proud smile. "Well, of course," she said, leading Sienna toward the entrance. She unlocked the door and swung it open. "Come on in."

As they stepped inside, Sienna was immediately struck by the large portraits and partially finished sculptures scattered throughout the space. Nyx waved her hand toward the artwork. "Feel free to look around. I just need to run upstairs and grab a file. I'll be quick," she said, disappearing toward the staircase. Sienna nodded in response, her eyes already drawn to the pieces around her.

One portrait in particular caught her attention. Two women, locked in an embrace, smiling warmly. Sienna's heart skipped a beat. She recognized one of them—it was her sister.

Before she could process it, Nyx's voice startled her from behind. "That's Harriet right there," Nyx said softly, her gaze fixed on the portrait. "And that... well, that's your sister."

Sienna's breath caught in her throat. "How... why..." she stammered, turning to face Nyx, searching for an explanation.

Nyx sighed, offering a faint smile. "You forgot, didn't you?"

Sienna's eyes shifted back to the portrait, her sister looking so alive, so full of life in the picture. "What is this...?" she whispered, her mind racing.