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SIENNA
The sound of my alarm wakes me up on Monday morning. Groaning, I reach for my phone and tap the screen to silence it. Then I stretch and sit up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. It's dark outside, and my studio apartment is quiet. No doubt my frat guy neighbors are still sleeping.
I grab a change of clothes and make my way to the bathroom. It's chilly, so I put on a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater. When I'm done changing, I check my reflection in the mirror. My hair is messy, so I quickly brush it and pull it into a bun. Once I'm dressed, I head back to my room. I slip my feet into a pair of ankle boots and grab a jacket. It's still early, but I want to get to the library as soon as possible.
As I step outside, my stomach rumbles. I'll definitely need to get breakfast on the way. I lock the door behind me and walk to my car. The sky is a pale gray, and the air is crisp. I pull my jacket tighter around me, trying to stay warm. My car is parked nearby, and when I reach it, I unlock the doors and slide into the driver's seat. It's cold inside, so I start the engine and turn on the heater immediately.
The drive to campus is uneventful, and soon I'm parking in the lot behind the library. I grab my bag, lock the car, and walk to the entrance. The doors slide open automatically, and I step inside. There's a small cafe on the first floor that's open 24/7, so I order a coffee and a breakfast sandwich before heading upstairs.
I find a desk in the corner and set my things down. There are only a few other students here, and they all seem engrossed in their own work. My classes aren't until this afternoon, but I need to finish up a few assignments before then. I open my laptop and log into the university's wireless network. Then I get to work.
A few hours pass, and the sun is rising. Its warm rays stream through the windows, casting a golden glow across the room. I stretch and yawn, rubbing my eyes. I've been hunched over my laptop for too long, and my back is aching. I glance at the time and realize that it's almost 11 AM. My first class starts at noon.
"Damn," I mutter, saving my work and closing the laptop. I stand and gather my things. As I'm leaving the library, my phone buzzes. I pull it out of my pocket and see a text from my dad.
Dad: Hey Bug, just checking in. How's school?
I groan and think about a good response before typing. Even after talking to Ethan about my whole situation with dad, I still haven't spoken to him about my plans. Not that there's been much opportunity to do that. Between classes, training for the marathon, and my social life, I've been pretty busy.
Sienna: Hi Dad! School is fine. Heading to class now.
I immediately see the bubble that shows he's typing. There's a pause, and then his reply appears.
Dad: That's good. Listen, are you free tonight? We should talk.
I stop walking and just stand in the middle of the Quad, reading the text again. There's no way I can avoid this conversation anymore. It's been long enough. And, honestly, it's time to rip the bandaid off.
Sienna: Sure, I can stop by.
I'm not sure how I manage to type the words. My heart is pounding, and my palms are sweating. This is it.
Dad: Great! I'll see you tonight. Love you.
"Love you too," I say aloud, even though there's no one around. I take a deep breath and resume walking. There's no sense in dwelling on it now. I'll deal with it tonight.
I spend the rest of the day going through the motions, half-present at my professors' lectures. When my last class finally ends, I head back to my car. I get behind the wheel and sit there for a moment, staring out the windshield. Then I take a deep breath and start the engine.
"I can do this," I tell myself.
The drive to my dad's house feels like it takes no time at all. Before I know it, I'm pulling into the driveway. I turn off the engine and sit there, my hands gripping the steering wheel. I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart.
"Just go inside, Sienna," I say.
I step out of the car and walk up to the front door. It swings open before I even have a chance to knock, and my dad is standing there, smiling at me.
"Hi, Bug!" he greets me, stepping aside so I can come in.
"Hi, Dad," I reply, forcing a smile.
He shuts the door and leads me into the living room. We both take a seat on the couch, and he turns to face me.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" I ask, before he can say anything.
"Well, I'll be blunt. I wanted to talk about your future, Sienna," he replies. "It's time we had a serious discussion about your plans for after graduation."
"Right," I say, my heart sinking. "About that..."
"Have you decided what you want to do?" he asks.
"I, uh... no, not yet," I lose my nerve and lie, avoiding his gaze.
He frowns. "Sienna, I know you. Despite what you might think, you can't hide things from me. I think you've been avoiding this conversation precisely because you have plans and you just don't want to share them with me."
I gape at him. I didn't expect him to see through me so easily. This entire time, I thought I was doing a pretty good job of keeping my intentions hidden. Apparently not.
I bite my lip, looking down at my lap. I can feel his gaze on me, and I know he's waiting for me to speak. I sigh, slumping against the couch cushions. "Okay, you got me. I do have a plan."
"I thought so," he replies. "So, let's hear it."
"I've been thinking about doing some traveling. After I graduate."
His brow furrows. "Traveling? Where?"
"I don't know, Dad. Europe, maybe. Or South America. I've always wanted to visit those places."
He's silent for a moment, and I can tell he's processing this. "And then what? You come back here and get a job?"
I shrug. "I guess so."
He sighs. "Sienna, you can't just wander around aimlessly. You need to have a plan. A purpose."
I bristle at that. It's exactly the kind of thing I was afraid he'd say. "What's wrong with taking some time to figure things out?”
He shakes his head. "Come on, you're smarter than that. You have to be realistic. You can't expect to just take off after graduation and find yourself, or whatever it is kids these days say."
I clench my fists, trying to keep my temper under control. "Why not?"
"Because you need to think about the future. About your future."
He pauses, looking at me intently. After a beat, he runs his hand through his hair. I can tell he's struggling with his words, like he's trying to choose them carefully. "Look, I know you're an adult now. And I know you have a mind of your own. But you need to consider what's best for you. I'm just trying to look out for you."
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to calm my anger. This is exactly how I expected this conversation to go. I knew he'd never understand. But, deep down, I guess I was hoping he'd surprise me.
"Dad, please," I say, my eyes still closed and my voice quiet. "Can we not do this right now? Can we just drop it?"
"Sienna—" he starts, in a tone I can already tell means he isn’t going to drop it.
"Dad," I repeat, opening my eyes and meeting his gaze. "Please. Let's just agree to disagree. For now, anyway."
He holds my stare for a moment, and I can see the conflict in his eyes. But eventually, he relents. "Okay. For now."
"Thank you," I say, releasing a sigh of relief. But the tension between us remains for the rest of the evening, and I know that this conversation is far from over.
ETHAN
Sienna is in a shitty mood. I can tell as soon as she get to the group training session this morning. She's short and snappy with everyone, and she doesn't have her usual positive energy. She's barely spoken to anyone, and even Rose seems concerned. It's not a good place for her to be mentally for the mock 5k race Russ has set up for today.
I approach her as the first pacing group lines up for the start line. I offer her a small paper cup filled with water. She takes it, giving me a brief smile, and says, "Thanks."
"What's going on? You seem off today," I say.
She looks up at me, her brown eyes flashing, and takes a sip of water. "It's nothing. Just family stuff. I'm fine."
I study her face. She's not fine. I can see it in the tightness of her jaw and the way her shoulders are tense. She's clearly struggling. "Want to talk about it?"
"Not really," she says, shaking her head. The look on her face makes my chest ache. I wish I could take away whatever is bothering her.
"Okay," I say, trying not to sound too disappointed. "Well, if you change your mind, I'm here."
She nods, offering me another smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Thanks, Ethan."
I throw Rose a look, and she frowns, her expression mirroring my own. This isn't the Sienna we know.
The 5k race is a big part of the group training. It gives the participants a sense of accomplishment and helps build their confidence for the marathon. I have faith that Sienna will do well. But as I watch her start her 5k, her arms and legs are rigid, and she doesn't have a relaxed gait. She looks tense and uncomfortable. And as she runs, she doesn't seem to be having any fun. I can tell that Rose is trying to cheer her up, but it's not working. Sienna just looks...sad.
My heart goes out to her. I want to do something to make her feel better. But I don't want her to feel like I'm hovering. And if she doesn't want to talk, then there's nothing I can do.
I spend the rest of the mock race observing Sienna's progress. She's moving at a decent pace, but she's not in her top form. I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe the stress of whatever's going on with her family is affecting her running. Or maybe she's just having an off day.
As she nears the end of the course, she's still looking stiff and unhappy. I can tell she's not enjoying herself. When she finishes the race, I make my way over to her. Rose passes me on her way to the hydration station, glancing at me with a worried expression on her face.
She pulls me over and says, "Maybe you should talk to her. I've been trying, but she won't open up to me. She might listen to you."
I nod. I'm not sure about that, but I'm willing to try. Rose shoots me a sympathetic look and walks off. I continue walking towards Sienna, who's now stretching.
"Hey," I say, approaching her.
"Hey," she responds, her voice flat. She's not even trying to mask her frustration.
"Sienna, what's going on?" I ask, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're clearly not in the right headspace today."
She sighs. "Sorry, Ethan. It's nothing. I'm fine."
I narrow my eyes, studying her face. "Talk to me," I say softly. "You're not fine. So tell me what's going on. Please."
I lock my gaze with hers and don't look away. I'm not sure why I'm being so forward. There's something about her that draws me in, makes me want to protect her. I can't explain it, but I just want her to know that she can confide in me. I never gave her the chance to do that when we were together, and I want to remedy that now.
She breaks eye contact first, her jaw clenching as she looks down at the ground. "I had a fight with my dad," she admits. “About my plans after graduation.”
I take a deep breath, trying to choose my words carefully. I know this is a touchy subject. "And... what did he say?"
She huffs out a laugh, her voice bitter. "Oh, you know, exactly what I expected. That I need to have a plan. To have a purpose."
"Sienna," I say gently, "you do have a purpose."
"Yeah, right," she scoffs. "If training to run a marathon is a purpose."
"Of course it is," I reply, frowning. "Sienna, you've been training so hard. You just ran a fucking 5k. Do you have any idea how many people would kill to have your discipline and commitment just for that distance?"
She looks at me, her eyes wide. Her cheeks turn a soft pink. "You...really think so?"
"I know so," I reply firmly. "Look, everyone has their own path. Not everyone has a grand plan for their lives. Some people just go with the flow and figure it out as they go. That's not a bad thing, you know. Don't let your dad make you feel like it is. Clearly you can do anything you put your mind to."
Her face is full of disbelief. She blinks, and I watch her swallow. "Wow," she says, her voice quiet. "I don't know what to say."
I smile and reach out to tuck a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear. "Say that you're gonna stop moping around and focus on your training. I believe in you, Sienna."
She's still blushing, and the look in her eyes is making me feel things. Things that have nothing to do with friendship. But I push them aside, knowing this isn't the time or place.
"Thanks, Ethan," she says, smiling for the first time today. "I... that really means a lot to me."
I return her smile. "Anytime."
Rose comes bounding over, two water bottles in her hands. "Hey, you two! Are you feeling better, Sienna?" Rose asks, handing us the waters.
I pull away from Sienna, even though I'd much rather stay close to her. Sienna and I both crack open our bottles and take a sip.
Sienna nods, her smile growing. "Yeah, thanks. I am. I'm sorry if I've been a grump."
Rose shakes her head. "Nah, don't worry about it. You're entitled to have an off day."
Sienna glances over at me, her face a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. My heart clenches, and I grin back at her. I'm glad I could be here for her today. I'm also glad that Rose was right and that Sienna opened up to me. I feel like there's a new level of trust between us now. And, truthfully, that excites me.
Comments give me life (and motivation). I would be so thankful if you like, share, or comment on this chapter!
ethan being there for her is everything. always look forward to the new chapters on fridays <3