Chapter 6

Riley sat frozen for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. The cheers and laughter around her seemed distant, muffled by the pounding in her chest. Sienna's words echoed in her mind, replaying like a broken record: "Why does it taste better before you told me you like me?"

What the hell did that even mean? Riley's fingers brushed her lips, still tingling from the brief, surreal contact with Sienna. She glanced up to see Sienna wiping her own lips, her expression unreadable but her small smile seemed almost... knowing.

The game continued without skipping a beat, but Riley felt completely disconnected from it now. Mia, sitting beside her, nudged her shoulder. "Hey, you good?" Mia asked, noticing Riley's dazed state. "I know that was wild, but... damn, you handled it better than I expected."

Riley forced a weak laugh, still feeling the lingering burn of tequila mixed with confusion. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... wasn't expecting that," she muttered, trying to shake off the awkwardness.

Mia raised an eyebrow, glancing between Riley and Sienna, who had already returned to Ethan's side. "Well, for what it's worth, that was a moment," she said with a smirk, clearly amused by the tension.

Riley's gaze flickered back to Sienna. She was sitting next to Ethan, but there was a noticeable distance between them now. Ethan didn't seem to notice or care, busy chatting with some other students, but Sienna was staring into space, absentmindedly playing with her drink.

Riley swallowed hard, standing up abruptly. "I need some air," she said, barely giving Mia time to react before she headed for the door. The cool night breeze hit her face as soon as she stepped outside, and she inhaled deeply, trying to clear her head.

What did she mean by that? Riley wondered, pacing slightly as her thoughts spiraled. The line between them had already blurred with her confession, but now this? Was Sienna just messing with her, or was there something else going on?

She leaned against the wall, running a hand through her hair. Whatever this was, it was getting too complicated.

Leaning her feet against the empty garden plot box, Riley reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette. She was about to light it when the door suddenly swung open. It was the guy from earlier—she could barely remember his name, but honestly, who cared?

As she pressed her lighter to the cigarette, the door swung open again. Riley frowned. "Calloway?" she mumbled to herself, the unlit cigarette dangling from her lips. Curiosity piqued, she followed Ethan's path slowly.

If Ethan was outside, then who was with Sienna inside? "Wait, don't tell me—" Riley ran down the narrow alley. Her feet felt glued to the ground when she saw Ethan and the guy who had exited before him... kissing.

Moving slowly backward, Riley struggled to process her feelings. The cigarette slipped from her lips and fell to the ground. The last time she saw Ethan, he had been with a girl—she was certain of it. But now it was different. "Ethan's gay?" A soft, hurt mumble pulled Riley's attention away from the shocking scene.

She turned around quickly, searching for the source of the voice. She already knew who it belonged to but needed confirmation. "Sien..." Riley reached out, but Sienna took a step back. It was dark in the hall, but somehow, Riley noticed the way Sienna's body tensed.

"No... no..." Sienna stammered, covering her mouth before bolting away.

Riley glanced back at Ethan, but he was wrapped up in his own world, completely unaware that Sienna had witnessed everything he did behind her back. Irritated, Riley clicked her tongue and chased after Sienna.

"Shit, Sienna," she cursed inwardly as the party continued without a care. She scanned the area, but Sienna was nowhere to be found. Just then, she spotted her in the hallway near the restroom, desperately trying to stifle her sobs.

"Sienna," Riley said, tapping her shoulder. Sienna froze, and when she looked up, Riley's heart sank at the sight of her mortal enemy, worry etched across her face.

Sienna let out a bitter laugh, tears streaming down her cheeks. Riley glanced around anxiously before pushing open the restroom door, ushering them both inside and locking it behind them.

"The music's loud outside. You can cry if you want," Riley said, grasping Sienna's shoulders for support, but she couldn't bring herself to meet her gaze.

"I... I..." Sienna stuttered, struggling to form words as if something was lodged in her throat, blocking her from expressing everything she wanted to say.

Sienna kept sobbing, and Riley couldn't bear to look at her anymore. Damn you, Ethan! she cursed inwardly.

Riley felt Sienna's head burying into her chest. "Can you leave me alone for a while?" Sienna requested, her voice thick with tears.

Hesitant to abandon her, Riley sighed and relented. "I'll be outside. You can open the door when you feel ready," she said softly.

Sienna nodded, her head still lowered. Riley glanced back at her before stepping out of the restroom. She shut the door and leaned against it, ensuring no one could enter.

As she pressed her head against the cool surface, the muffled sound of Sienna's cries reached her ears. Frustration bubbled within her, and she clenched her fists. This was getting out of hand.

A frustrated sigh escaped Riley's lips as she spotted Sienna dancing on the dance floor like there was no tomorrow. Mia was among the crowd, dancing happily. Riley lingered in the corner, keeping an eye on both Sienna and Mia.

Ethan still hadn't returned; it had been an hour since he left. Sienna had stopped crying, and when she exited the restroom, she pulled Riley over for a drink. Now here they were, watching her dance. Riley was sure Sienna wasn't drunk yet, but she wanted to stay sober and keep an eye on her.

A moment later, Ethan and the guy returned, laughing. Riley chuckled in disbelief but swallowed hard when she noticed Sienna's expression darken at the sight of Ethan. She marched toward him. "Babe!" Ethan exclaimed, as if he had missed Sienna. But the next thing Sienna did froze the crowd.

A hard slap landed on Ethan's cheek. "What the heck?" he said, cupping the spot where Sienna had struck him. "What was that for?!"

"I'm breaking up with you, idiot!" Sienna shouted, grabbing a glass full of beer from a nearby table and throwing it straight into Ethan's face. The room fell silent, everyone stunned by her reaction.

They gathered, trying to prevent Sienna from causing an even bigger scene. "What? What are you talking about?" Ethan asked innocently.

Sienna laughed bitterly, her gaze piercing. "Don't let my mouth spread your damn foolish secret, Ethan. We're done." She raised her hand again, but Ethan caught it.

"You don't dare slap me like that!" he said, shoving Sienna back. Fortunately, Riley was quick enough to support Sienna before she stumbled.

Everyone gasped at Ethan's aggression, murmurs rippling through the crowd. Sienna scoffed bitterly. "If you're going to cheat on me, at least be better at hiding it!" Her words turned Ethan's face pale.

Sienna shrugged Riley off and headed to gather her things, excusing herself as she left. Riley rubbed her temple in frustration.

"Did you tell her?" Ethan turned to Riley, who just scoffed, visibly annoyed.

"Calloway, I'm not the type to stick my nose into business that doesn't involve me," Riley said, meeting Ethan's intense gaze. "Sienna saw you, K-I-S-S-I-N-G a guy," she added.

The people around them gasped, including Mia. "Wait—what?"

"If you're going to cheat, you should've hidden it better," Riley retorted. "I wouldn't waste my time telling Sienna you're cheating, but she trusted you. She really did—until she saw it with her own eyes." With that, Riley excused herself from the group.

Mia was about to follow Riley but paused in front of Ethan, delivering a hard slap. "That's for being a cheater. You player! You have another woman and a man—what a double life you lead!"

Riley followed Sienna outside, maintaining a distance between them. "If you're doing this because you're worried, I'm fine," Sienna said, stopping to turn around.

Riley scoffed. "The parking lot's in the same direction," she shrugged.

Sienna laughed softly before walking again. Mia caught up with them. "Wow, I can't believe that guy," she exclaimed.

Sienna exhaled sharply, then sat on the garden plot box. "Maybe that's why we haven't been intimate throughout our relationship," she murmured.

Riley raised an eyebrow and glanced at Mia. "What do you mean?" Mia asked.

Sienna looked at them, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I've never been intimate with him—not even once. Maybe that's a good thing? Knowing he's a cheater..."

"So you mean..." Mia exchanged a meaningful glance with Riley then back to Sienna.

Understanding the implication, Riley walked past them. "I told you, Mia, nothing happened that night!" she shouted as she continued toward the parking area.

Mia laughed and gently tapped Sienna's shoulder, pulling her up. They followed Riley, with Mia teasing her all the way.

"Stop it, idiot!" Riley exclaimed, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.