Chapter 61

Sienna watched Riley, her heart sinking with every tequila shot Riley downed. By now, Riley's face was flushed a deep red, and her normally sharp posture had softened into one of exhaustion. Sienna could see it—Riley wasn't handling the alcohol well. Every time she opted for truth instead of a dare, she took another shot, and now, Riley seemed on the verge of crumbling.

Sienna sighed silently. She wanted to step in, pull Riley away from this reckless cycle. But she hesitated. Would Riley even listen?

Zoey spun the bottle again, her eyes flicking toward Riley, who was now leaning back, exhaling heavily with her head tilted toward the ceiling.

"You know, you can always opt for the dare," Zoey said, trying to nudge her in a playful way.

Riley scoffed, waving a hand, but didn't reply. Her silence spoke volumes.

The bottle stopped in front of Riley again. Zoey raised an eyebrow, her tone light but teasing. "Yours again. I swear, if you're going for truth one more time, you're no fun."

Riley sat up, chuckling dryly. "Fine," she said, her voice rough from the tequila, "give me the dare."

The group grew quiet, as if collectively holding their breath. It wasn't often Riley chose dare, and everyone knew this could be interesting.

Zoey smirked. "Tired of drinking now?" she teased. "Alright, I dare you to get blindfolded and go to your room. The second person the bottle chooses will join you, and the two of you will be locked in there for two hours. Just talk, do whatever. No tricks. Simple."

Riley's brow furrowed with suspicion. "That's it? No tricks?"

Zoey laughed, pulling out a handkerchief and folding it into a blindfold. "Who knows? Maybe you'll enjoy it. Maybe you won't," she said mischievously, tying the blindfold over Riley's eyes.

Mia got up, chuckling as she took Riley's arm. "I'll help her to the room," she said.

"Thanks, Mia," Zoey winked. As Mia led a stumbling Riley out of the room, Zoey turned back to the group, her grin widening. "Now, let's spin the bottle for the second person," she said, spinning it with a bit more flair than usual.

Mid-spin, Zoey abruptly stopped the bottle with her hand. Nyx and Harriet exchanged confused looks.

"Wait—what are you doing?" Nyx asked, her eyes narrowing.

Zoey smirked, waving a dismissive hand. "Oh, come on. You know Riley doesn't have a choice in this. Sienna, you're up. This is your chance."

Sienna's eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. "Me?" she stammered, glancing around the room.

Nyx nodded in agreement. "Go on," she encouraged softly.

"But..." Sienna hesitated, unsure if she should do this. Would Riley even want to talk to her? What if she made things worse?

"It's fine, trust me," Zoey cut in. "Riley's just scared, that's all. She wants to talk, she just doesn't know how to start. Besides, I'm done babysitting her emotional drama. It's time for you two to figure it out." Zoey stood up, offering her hand to Sienna.

Sienna paused for a moment, taking it all in. This was her chance—a moment to finally understand what had happened, to confront the unanswered questions, and maybe, just maybe, find some clarity. She hesitated one last time before accepting Zoey's hand.

"Alright," she whispered, feeling the weight of the moment settle over her. With a deep breath, Sienna stood, knowing that the next two hours could change everything between her and Riley.

Zoey led her toward the room.

Riley let out a long sigh, her body sinking into the bed as Mia helped her sit down. The blindfold still covered her eyes, heightening the sense of anticipation. She could feel the warmth rising within her, partly from the tequila and partly from the anxiety of knowing who would soon join her in the room.

"You good, Rile?" Mia asked gently, breaking the silence. It had been quiet for too long, and she could sense that something was weighing on Riley.

"Yeah," Riley replied, her voice a little shaky. The liquor was hitting her harder now, her body feeling unnaturally warm despite the cool air from the air conditioner. She wasn't used to this—drinking so much, waiting in the dark, knowing that she'd be spending the next few hours with someone she wasn't sure she could face.

This was the room she'd share with Sienna over the long holiday—Zoey had paired them up. Of course, she had. Mia and Zoey would be in the room next door, Anne and Tonnie were together, and Nyx with her wife. Harriet, true to herself, opted for solitude.

Mia glanced at Riley, chuckling softly before giving her a playful tap on the shoulder. "You know," Mia started, "sometimes I wonder if you're still the same Riley I've known all these years. And yeah, it's still you—my best buddy." She leaned in and hugged Riley, her voice softening. "I'm sorry for the way I acted when I first saw you again. I got ahead of myself."

Riley chuckled quietly, grateful for Mia's sincerity. "You don't have to be sorry, Mia. I was pretty insensitive too, so we're even." She paused before adding, "But thank you... for sticking by Sienna."

Mia smiled and tightened the hug, relieved. "I had to. She needed someone, and so did you. I'm glad you're back though. Maybe now things can finally be right."

Riley nodded, though her mind was far from settled. "Thanks, Mia."

Mia stood up, patting Riley's shoulder one last time. "Alright, I'll leave you to wait. Hopefully, it won't be long. I'll be with Zoey if you need anything."

Riley nodded, and as Mia left, the room grew quiet again. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the flurry of thoughts and emotions racing through her mind.

Riley straightened up as she heard the bedroom door creak open. "Here's the person who'll be with you," Zoey's voice sounded closer now, her tone playful but with a hint of finality. "The door will be locked and only unlocked after two hours, so no one will disturb you both in here."

Riley didn't respond. She was too focused on the anticipation building inside her. Zoey's voice continued, "You can remove Riley's blindfold whenever you're ready. I'll leave you two alone now. Riley, behave yourself, you idiot."

Riley scoffed softly, her heart racing, but there was no reaction from the other person in the room. The soft click of the door closing signaled Zoey's departure, leaving behind a silence that felt heavier than before. The tension in the air was palpable.

Then she heard it—the quiet sound of footsteps moving closer. Something brushed against her skin, gentle but deliberate. Riley's breath hitched. That scent... It was familiar, unmistakable.

"Sienna...?" she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

She felt the blindfold loosen, the fabric falling away from her eyes. Blinking, Riley slowly adjusted her vision, her gaze lifting to meet the figure in front of her. When her eyes finally focused, she was met with a pair of familiar, piercing green eyes—the very eyes she'd dreamed about for years.

"Sienna..." Riley's voice cracked, the name barely escaping her lips as her hand instinctively tightened on the edge of the bed.

Sienna stood there, her expression soft, yet her eyes betrayed the swirling emotions she held back. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but it was her gaze—intense, longing—that made Riley's heart skip a beat.

For a moment, it felt as though time had stopped, the air thick with unspoken words, unresolved feelings, and the undeniable pull between them. Sienna's eyes locked onto Riley's, as if tempted to close the distance, to give in to the emotions they'd both kept buried for far too long.