Chapter 16

As they reached their destination, Riley sat up straight and glanced down at Sienna, who was still asleep against her chest. Her phone chimed softly, and she carefully reached for it. A message from Mia flashed on the screen.

"What's going on with you two? You're getting particularly close these days," Mia had written. Riley looked over to where Mia was sitting and saw her raising her brows, gesturing towards both of them.

Riley simply shrugged, dismissing it, and then returned her gaze to Sienna, realizing it was time to wake her. They had arrived, and the others were starting to gather their things.

"Sienna..." Riley gently tapped her on the shoulder. Sienna stirred, softly moaning as she nuzzled further into Riley's chest, her arms tightening around Riley's waist. Riley froze for a moment, swallowing nervously. "Sien, we're here. You need to wake up," she said, her voice soft as she rubbed Sienna's shoulder.

Yawning, Sienna slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and running her fingers through her hair. She sighed deeply, lightly tapping her cheeks to wake herself up.

The instructors announced for everyone to prepare their things, as they would soon be leaving the bus. The resort was nestled on the mid-peak of a mountain, a private spot known for hosting climbers looking for a peaceful retreat, perfect for camping.

"Are you feeling alright?" Riley asked with concern, seeing the hint of fatigue in Sienna's movements. Sienna glanced at her and sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, though she could feel a slight fever creeping in.

Riley reached over, pressing the back of her hand to Sienna's forehead, then her neck. "Are you sure? You feel a bit warm. Did you bring any medicine?" Riley's questions came quickly, causing Sienna to scoff lightly.

"You're overreacting," Sienna muttered, lightly pushing Riley's hand away. "It's nothing. This will pass."

Riley clicked her tongue in mild frustration. "I'm just worried," she mumbled.

Sienna's eyes caught sight of the medium-sized plaster still covering Riley's left palm. Without a word, she reached out, gently guiding Riley's face to the side to check the light bruise and faintly healed graze on her jaw.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked, confused.

"Just checking that your wound is properly healing," Sienna replied, releasing her grip on Riley's chin.

"What now, you're a doctor?" Riley teased, letting out a soft laugh, though the tips of her ears were turning red.

Sienna shrugged with a playful smirk. "Why not? But I could be your personal nurse instead."

Riley scoffed, shaking her head slightly. "Seriously, you're kind of unbelievable."

They were now seated in the resort's cafeteria, where their professors were discussing the activities for their three-day stay. On the final day, a sponsor would be visiting to demonstrate how to assemble a first aid kit, and perform CPR, and other essential medical procedures. For the next two days, they would focus on developing survival skills in this remote environment.

Sienna sat with her chin resting on the back of her hand, raising an eyebrow as she watched Riley. She had been called for a quick demo—what irritated Sienna the most was that Riley was partnered with Anne, who just so happened to be one of the teaching assistants.

She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, feeling a surge of frustration. Mia clicked her tongue, her voice low and teasing. "I smell something," she muttered from over Sienna's shoulder.

"What is it?" Sienna replied, her gaze still locked on Riley and Anne. Are you having fun? she thought bitterly, squinting her eyes at the two in front.

"Smells like jealousy... and it's oozing off you," Mia teased, poking Sienna in the side, making her flinch.

"Hell, no!" Sienna hissed, teeth clenched as she tried not to draw attention. "Stop it, Mia."

Mia chuckled. "I've known you two long enough. You can't hide anything from me. And that look you're giving... it's got jealousy written all over it."

Just as Sienna opened her mouth to protest, Mia raised a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Go on, dear. Deny it all you want, but you can't hide it from me."

Sienna clicked her tongue in frustration, rubbing her forehead. "I can't help it," she muttered, glancing back at Riley, who was still demoing with Anne.

"Technically, Anne should be considered one of our professors, given she's here for her teaching practicum or whatever you call it. But look at her—she's clearly flirting with Riley. And that idiot seems to be enjoying it!" she added, annoyance evident in her voice, particularly directed at Anne.

Mia chuckled softly. "Are you sure you need to be jealous of Anne? Why not ask Riley if it's bothering you? I'm sure she'd explain."

Sienna raised an eyebrow at Mia. "Why would I ask? We're not even dating," she retorted.

"Exactly. You're not dating Riley, yet here you are, feeling jealous. A little possessive, aren't you, little missy?" Mia nudged her playfully.

"But—" Sienna was cut off as Riley returned to her seat.

"So, what did I miss?" Riley asked, looking between Sienna and Mia. Sienna squinted her eyes at Riley, then rolled them before turning to face Mia, completely ignoring her.

Riley leaned back to catch Mia's eye, but Mia just shrugged, laughing softly as if teasing her. "What did I do this time?" Riley asked, gently poking Sienna in the side.

Sienna was about to respond when Anne's voice grabbed their attention. "Alright, eyes up here," Anne announced. "We'll be pairing up in twos for the first activity this morning."

Riley glanced at Anne just as she spoke her name. "Riley Pierce," Anne smiled, "you'll be paired with Sienna Reed."

Sienna's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly composed herself. The groupings continued, and soon they were signaled to begin their task: gathering wood for the campfire that would be set up that evening, along with fruits or fish to cook. They had three hours to complete the hunt.

The instructors handed out waterproof backpacks and equipment to each pair, including trekking poles. With the mountain's steepness, they were encouraged to change into comfortable clothing to prevent excessive sweating.

Riley had on a white muscle tee and gray sweatpants, her zip-up jacket tied around her waist. She sported trekking shoes and a visor hat, prepared for the trek ahead. She glanced over at Sienna, who wore black wide-leg shorts, a khaki brown sweatshirt, and a pair of trekking shoes, her visor hat resting on her head, with sunglasses perched atop it. Sienna sat on a wooden bench, her chin resting on one of the trekking poles she was holding.

"Are you sure you're up for this? I can ask the professors to excuse you if you want," Riley crouched in front of Sienna, the backpack slung over her shoulders. Sienna met Riley's concerned gaze and nodded, though she could feel her fever rising. It had worsened since the morning, and despite taking medicine earlier, it hadn't helped.

"I can manage," Sienna said, forcing a smile as she stood up. Riley rose with her but paused when she felt Sienna's hand grip the hem of her tee.

"Something wrong?" Riley asked, glancing back at her.

"Wait for me, idiot. Don't leave me behind," Sienna muttered, rolling her eyes.

Riley grinned, her heart warming at Sienna's words, even though she could see the fatigue in her eyes.