Chapter 21

Riley yawned and buried her face in her arms, resting on the table. It was barely six in the morning, and she was still sleepy. While others lined up for breakfast, Riley remained slumped in her seat.

"Didn't get enough sleep last night?" Mia asked as she sat down beside her, placing her tray on the table.

"She couldn't sleep because she was too happy last night," Sienna chimed in, arriving with a tray carrying two breakfast bentos and two cups of hot chocolate. She sat on Riley's other side, causing Mia to raise an eyebrow.

"Here, your bento and hot chocolate—no coffee for now," Sienna said, sliding the meal toward Riley while rubbing her back affectionately.

"Thanks," Riley mumbled, sitting up properly.

Mia eyed them suspiciously, scrutinizing their every move. "What's with you two? Are you dating now?" she asked bluntly.

The question caught both Riley and Sienna off guard, making them choke on their drinks. The students around them perked up, curiosity spreading through the crowd.

Teasing noises followed, and Riley's face turned crimson. "Wait, I—"

"What if we are?" Sienna cut in confidently, looking first at Mia and then at their onlooking classmates. "Yes, we are dating. I told Riley last night that I'm taking a chance on her." She smiled, her tone light yet bold, leaving Mia with her jaw dropped.

A chorus of cheers and playful teasing burst from the group, while Riley took a long sip of her hot chocolate, trying to hide her blushing face behind the cup.

"And besides," Sienna continued, flipping her hair and grinning at Riley, "Riley told me she only likes beautiful girls, and I'm apparently the only beautiful girl in her eyes, so..." She gave Riley a playful wink.

Riley nearly choked on her drink, coughing as Sienna's teasing struck a nerve. "What the hell," she muttered, tapping her chest to catch her breath while Sienna laughed.

"Alright, alright," Sienna waved her wooden fork at their nosy classmates. "Go back to eating or I'll pierce your eyes with this fork, got it?"

Mia clapped her hands, laughing. "Alright, everyone, back to your own business while I sit here as the third wheel." She rolled her eyes playfully.

"You didn't even tell me first," Mia added, nudging Riley.

"Sienna literally just announced it," Riley replied, still visibly flustered, her cheeks red as ever.

"And you're still blushing like that," Mia teased, pointing at Riley's flushed face.

Under the table, Riley and Sienna's hands were clasped together, fingers intertwined in a quiet, intimate gesture. The light pressure of Sienna's hand against hers felt reassuring, and despite the teasing from their friends, neither of them let go.

Across the room, Anne glanced over, noticing the small, subtle exchange between the two. She chuckled softly, shaking her head with a smile. "Ah, these two," she muttered to herself before returning to her task.

Sienna leaned in closer, resting her chin on Riley's shoulder. They were already seated, waiting for the sponsor to arrive. Their instructors had announced that there would be a slight delay due to the heavy rain last night. The event hall, located within the resort, buzzed with anticipation.

Sienna let out a soft sigh, followed by a yawn. "I'm sleepy," she mumbled, snuggling closer to Riley. Riley's hand rested on Sienna's lap, tapping softly in rhythm with the music playing through their shared earbuds.

"You can sleep on my lap if you want," Riley offered gently. Sienna chuckled, shaking her head.

"Nah, I'm good. Do you have any idea who the sponsor is?" Sienna asked, her voice low as she lazily traced the line of Riley's jaw with her finger.

"No clue," Riley replied, her breath hitching slightly at Sienna's touch. "They didn't mention anything. I even tried asking Anne, but she wouldn't say a word." The light touch sent a shiver down her spine, making it hard to focus on anything but the warmth of Sienna's closeness.

Sienna smiled at Riley's reaction, enjoying the subtle effect she had on her. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see," she replied softly, still resting her chin on Riley's shoulder.

Riley shifted slightly, feeling her pulse quicken under Sienna's touch, but she tried to keep her composure. "Yeah, probably some big shot trying to keep it all mysterious," she muttered, her voice steady though her mind was racing from the gentle caress on her jaw.

Sienna hummed, still tracing Riley's skin. "Well, it better be worth all this rain and waiting," she teased, her breath warm against Riley's ear.

Riley nodded, but her focus was divided. The tapping on Sienna's lap stopped as she clenched her hand slightly, trying to keep her cool. "Definitely... though right now, I don't mind waiting at all," she said, her voice low and sincere, her eyes flickering to Sienna, unable to hide the affection in her gaze.

Sienna giggled softly, pleased by Riley's words. "You're cute," she whispered, leaning a bit closer, their closeness offering a quiet comfort amidst the noisy hall.

After a few minutes, the instructors seemed visibly excited. Riley noticed Anne exiting the hall, signaling that the sponsor had arrived. Following the gaze of her fellow students, she spotted a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter parked outside, closely followed by a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Tilting her head slightly, Riley felt a sense of familiarity wash over her at the sight of the Rolls-Royce. "Alright, everyone, our sponsors are here! Please take your seats," one of the instructors announced.

A group of people entered, carrying medium-sized boxes emblazoned with the BioSynthix logo.

"What the hell?!" Riley hissed under her breath as she realized the boxes came from her company.

"Oh, isn't that from your company?" Sienna asked, straightening in her seat. "You really had no idea about this?" She laughed at Riley's shocked expression.

Riley glanced at the mini stage, which was equipped with a set of drums, electric guitars, and a piano. "Don't tell me this..." What the hell, Nyx! Is this what you meant?! she screamed internally, recalling her earlier conversation with her sister.

She glanced back outside and noticed that the people from the Rolls-Royce Cullinan were stepping out. Riley gulped as recognition hit her. "Shit," she muttered, causing Sienna to chuckle softly.

"It looks like your family is here," Sienna said, glancing over her shoulder.

"Yeah..." Riley mumbled. Just then, Anne walked over, capturing Riley's attention.

"They want to see you," Anne said, trying to stifle her laughter at Riley's reaction.

Four people entered the event hall, shaking hands with the instructors and other event coordinators, followed by some personnel from BioSynthix.

"But..." Riley glanced at Sienna, who simply smiled and lightly nudged her as if urging her to go on.

"Come on, you can join Sienna once you're done. Auntie just wants to see you," added Anne, biting her lip to suppress her laughter at her younger cousin's discomfort.

Riley slapped her forehead, her face flushing. She followed Anne closely, trying to hide behind her.

She saw that her parents were still engaged in conversation with the organizer. Technically, they were just there to oversee the process, while the personnel from BioSynthix would handle the orientation for their final day's activities. Upon noticing Riley's presence, her mother waved at her, signaling her to wait.

Riley sighed and attempted to cover her face; she wasn't used to publicly showcasing her family, especially in a university setting. Nyx and Harriet stood near their parents, actively listening to the flow of the event.

Harriet spotted Riley and tilted her head, trying to get her attention. Their eyes met, and Harriet smiled and waved. Riley waved back but felt uncomfortable like she was an instant celebrity because of their family background. Harriet excused herself respectfully from the group before walking toward Riley.

Riley gulped, standing up straight as Harriet approached. "Surprise," Harriet said softly, looking at her younger sister.

Riley playfully poked her in the stomach. "You guys didn't even inform me," she mumbled, her face still flushed with embarrassment. Harriet ruffled Riley's hair and stood beside her.

"What's the point of a surprise if we told you?" Harriet laughed softly, leaning against the wall and glancing around. "I heard you're dating her sister," she added.

Riley nodded, which made Harriet chuckle. "Wow, we must have similar tastes in girls then!"

"Stop it," Riley nudged her playfully. "How are you?" Riley asked, noticing a hint of sadness in Harriet's eyes—perhaps from the previous incident she had caused.

Harriet gently tapped Riley's head. "I'm sorry for what I did last time. I won't do it again, I swear. Besides, I already got an earful from the oldies," she said, laughing softly.

"Good for you," Riley replied, glancing secretly at Sienna. She saw Sienna cross her legs and lean forward, resting her chin on her palm. Sienna winked at her, making Riley bite her lower lip to suppress a blush.

"Oh, my sweet little baby!" A cheerful voice caught Riley's attention, and before she could react, her mother cupped her cheeks as if she were a cute puppy.

Riley's fellow students tried not to laugh at the sight. Sienna scoffed at Riley's embarrassed reaction. Smiling, she noticed someone looking at her; it was Harriet. She remembered her as the one in the portrait with her elder sister, the one that Nyx gave to her.

Harriet nodded and smiled at Sienna. Sienna gulped and sat up straight, nodding back in greeting.

"Mom," Riley said, trying to free her face from her mother's affectionate grip, who continued baby-talking to her. Harriet just laughed and shrugged.