Chapter 5

The cultural event had kicked off, and the campus was buzzing with excitement. Each department had set up stalls, some even bringing in food trucks to add to the festivities. The promotional video they had worked on was now airing both outside the university and on the large LED display within the campus grounds. The atmosphere was vibrant and full of life.

In her baseball cap, Riley leaned against the trunk of a large tree, enjoying a moment of peace under its shade. Their stall and food truck had been packed all day, and she had finally managed to take a break. Just as she was about to take a sip from her tumbler, someone handed her a food pack. She looked up to see Sienna standing over her.

"Here," Sienna said, extending the food toward her.

Riley quirked an eyebrow as she accepted it. "You sure this isn't poisoned?" she teased, inspecting the lid suspiciously.

Sienna rolled her eyes and sat beside her, giving Riley's shoulder a nudge. "No, idiot. Now, move over, will you? Your side has more shade."

Riley shifted, allowing Sienna to share the cooler spot. "God, it's so hot!" Sienna complained, fanning herself.

"It is, and I'm sorry for that," Riley replied, grinning mischievously.

Sienna shot her an incredulous look. "You're unbelievable."

Riley chuckled, while Sienna hugged her knees, tugging the hem of her skirt down to make sure her cycling shorts remained covered. Noticing her discomfort, Riley shrugged off her zip-up jacket and handed it to her without a word.

"Here, use this to cover your legs," Riley offered, not meeting Sienna's eyes.

Sienna hesitated for a moment, then took the jacket and draped it over her legs. She tilted her head slightly, observing Riley. "You know, for someone who drives me insane most of the time, you have this way of seeming... innocent."

Avoiding eye contact, Sienna quickly glanced away, realizing how attractive Riley looked at that moment. Her almond-shaped hazel eyes, which shifted between green and brown, sparkled with intelligence and curiosity. Her light olive skin had a healthy, natural glow, and her long, dark brown hair, often tied in a loose braid or ponytail, framed her face perfectly. Sienna blinked, snapping herself out of it. What the hell? she muttered internally. Since when did I start noticing things like that?

Riley, meanwhile, tasted the food Sienna had given her, adjusting her glasses. "Don't like it?" Sienna asked, watching her closely.

"I do," Riley said, pausing before adding nervously, "it's just... you're staring at me like you're waiting for something to happen."

Sienna stretched her legs out with Riley's jacket still covering them and sighed. "Aren't you meeting Calloway?" Riley asked, changing the subject.

"We're meeting at the after-party," Sienna replied, leaning her head back against the tree.

Riley speared a cherry tomato with her fork, chewing thoughtfully. "Say... what would you do if you found out your boyfriend was cheating on you?"

Sienna froze, her brow furrowing. "You're starting to sound like Mia. She asked me the same thing earlier, and now I'm wondering if Ethan is cheating," she said with a nervous laugh, though her voice betrayed a hint of concern.

Riley realized Mia had already broached the topic with Sienna. She cleared her throat. "It's just a hypothetical question. You don't have to answer if it's too uncomfortable."

Sienna stayed silent for a moment, then shook her head. "No, it's fine. I trust him... at least, I think I do," she said, though doubt lingered in her tone as she stared at the busy event unfolding before them.

Riley silently nodded, focusing on finishing her food. "Right," Sienna muttered before turning her gaze to Riley, curiosity creeping into her expression.

Riley raised an eyebrow, confused. "What is it?"

Sienna took a deep breath. "Why do you always mess with me? Do you loathe me that much because of our family's rivalry in the industry or something? Because honestly, you're starting to get under my skin. I swear, sometimes I just want to—" she laughed, shaking her head, "I don't know, skin you alive or something."

Riley chuckled softly but let out a sigh, staring off into the distance. "It's actually the opposite."

Sienna furrowed her brows. "The opposite?"

Riley nodded, meeting Sienna's gaze directly. "Would you believe me if I told you I like you? Maybe that's why I do all this?"

Sienna's throat tightened, and she gulped under the intensity of Riley's stare. "Stop messing around, Riley Pierce."

"I'm not." Riley laughed bitterly, her eyes scanning the crowd. "I like you, Sienna Reed."

Sienna froze, her heartbeat quickening. "But I have a boyfriend, and you know that," she said, her voice barely hiding her discomfort.

Riley scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm not saying I'm going to cross our boundaries. I know where I stand, I'm aware of our families' rivalry, and I know you'll never be into girls."

Sienna clenched her fists, biting her lower lip. She hadn't expected this. Questions flooded her mind, but none found their way out.

Riley stood up abruptly. "I'm not asking for anything in return, Sien. I just needed you to know how I feel. Maybe telling you will help me get over it." She brushed the leaves from her pants and stretched. "Keep the jacket or throw it away, whatever you want. And... check on your boyfriend. He's meeting someone behind your back." With that, she walked away, leaving Sienna in stunned silence.

Sienna's voice caught in her throat as she tried to respond, but nothing came out. What the hell just happened?

As Riley briskly walked away, she cursed herself for the confession. What a stupid move, she thought. Of course, it was one-sided, and she had no intention of forcing her feelings on Sienna. She just wanted Sienna to know, for her own peace of mind.

"I guess this is the part where I start avoiding her," Riley muttered bitterly, laughing at her own misfortune.

The cultural event ended with a bang, and a few students gathered at an after-party in a rented private venue. Riley leaned against the wall in the corner, holding a glass of whiskey in her hand. She wasn't a fan of hard liquor, but tonight felt like an exception—she wasn't heartbroken, not at all. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

Mia noticed Riley standing alone and made her way over, tapping her shoulder. "So, what's this about avoiding her?" Mia leaned in close, her voice raised to compete with the blaring music.

Riley chuckled and flicked Mia's forehead. "You know my unit's literally across from hers, right? It's impossible."

Mia just laughed. "You chose that unit specifically to annoy her. Now you have to deal with your own problem." She danced to the rhythm, enjoying the carefree atmosphere.

Riley shrugged and downed the rest of her whiskey in one gulp. Mia smirked, giving Riley a playful shove. "Just remember, if you get too wasted, I'm not driving you home, stupid!"

"Yeah, yeah, I've got it covered. I'll be fine," she assured, her head leaning back against the wall. As the night wore on, the crowd suddenly erupted in cheers. Sienna and Ethan had just entered the party—the campus power couple, as they say. Riley rolled her eyes, trying not to care, but her heart skipped a beat when Sienna's gaze met hers. To make things worse, Sienna was still wearing Riley's jacket.

She didn't throw it away? Riley mumbled under her breath, confused.

"Hey, everyone, listen up!" A student clinked a spoon against their glass, quieting the crowd. "It's time for spin the bottle!" Excited cheers echoed through the room, and people scrambled to form a circle. Riley, not keen on joining, was quickly dragged by Mia and found herself sitting directly across from Sienna.

Great, just great, Riley thought, inwardly groaning as the bottle was placed in the center.

The bottle landed on Riley. Everyone erupted in cheers as she forced a smile, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Alright, Riley," one of the students called out. "Truth or dare?" Knowing the truth might lead to trouble, Riley didn't hesitate. "Dare," she said, keeping her cool.

The crowd hollered in excitement. "Alright, settle down, everyone!" the game host shouted with a mischievous grin. "Since you picked dare, here it is..." He paused, letting the tension build.

Riley's stomach tightened as she briefly met Sienna's eyes before quickly looking away. Her attention shifted back to the host. "Spin the bottle again. Whoever it lands on will drink this tequila, then pass it to you... mouth-to-mouth, for a full minute!"

Riley's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, I—"

"Ah ah, no backing out now!" the host teased. "Go on, spin that bottle." The crowd cheered louder, Mia nudging her with a laugh.

Please, not her. Please, just not her, Riley silently pleaded as she spun the bottle. It twirled for what felt like an eternity, and when it finally stopped, the room exploded in cheers. Riley's stomach dropped when she saw where it had landed.

It was pointed at Sienna.

Riley gulped, her horror mirrored by Mia's wide-eyed expression. Sienna sat there, equally stunned.

"Alright, since Sienna's in a relationship, we'll need Ethan's approval. If he's not cool with it, Riley will have to spin again," the host announced with a grin.

Ethan chuckled, waving it off. "What's the harm? They're both girls. Besides, Sienna's mine—I trust her. It won't mean anything."

Riley clenched her jaw, biting back the urge to snap. She glanced at Sienna, who looked at her boyfriend in disbelief as the crowd roared in approval.

"Fine," Sienna muttered, crawling toward Riley. She took the tequila glass, downed it in one go, and cupped Riley's face. For a second, Riley couldn't move, her eyes wide in disbelief. Then Sienna tilted her head and pressed her mouth to Riley's, attempting to pass the alcohol between them.

Riley's heart pounded. Sienna's eyes were shut tight, her hand gripping Riley's cheek a little too firmly. A trickle of liquor spilled from the corner of their mouths as Sienna deepened the kiss, trying to make it work.

Just one minute. You can survive this. Riley tried to keep calm, but every second stretched painfully long.

"Five... four... three... two... one!" The crowd counted down, finally erupting into cheers.

Sienna slowly pulled away, her lips brushing against Riley's as she leaned back. She stared down at the floor and muttered, "Why does it taste different now... since you told me you liked me?"

The room was loud, but Riley caught every word. It was clear Sienna had meant for her to hear it. She blinked, watching Sienna's faint smile as she wiped her lips with her fingertips, leaving Riley to process the lingering confusion and tension between them.