Quinoa and Riley

Quinoa and Riley
Riley's Point of View:

I froze, my eyes locked on Roland's, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. I hadn't expected him to show up here, especially not with Quinoa. What were they doing here?

Roland's eyes met mine, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. I could see the tension in his body, the way his jaw clenched and his fists tightened.

Quinoa, oblivious to the tension between us, smiled brightly. "Hey, Riley! I missed you so much."

I forced a smile, trying to play it cool. "Hey, Quinoa. What brings you here?"

Quinoa glanced at Roland, who nodded slightly. "We're here for dinner. Your parents invited us."

My eyes narrowed, suspicion rising inside me. What did my parents want with Roland and Quinoa?

Before I could ask any questions, my mom intervened. "Ah, wonderful! Quinoa, Roland, please join us. We're just about to start dinner."

I watched as they took their seats, my mind racing with questions. What was going on here? And why did my parents invite Roland and Quinoa to this dinner?

My hands were getting slippery, and I kept staring at Quinoa's mouth, hoping she wouldn't tell my family that she was married to Alexander. Because if she did, I wouldn't be able to use Alex as my fake fiance, and it might also ruin Alex's reputation.

On the other side of the table, Roland was seated. He looked as nervous and anxious as I was, and he kept fidgeting with his fork.

“Roland and Alex! Your two nightmares,” My conscience teased with a sarcasm-filled voice, probably trying to calm down my inner turmoil, but it did nothing to help.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I couldn't let my family suspect anything. I had to keep up the charade, at least for now. I tried to focus on the conversation around me. But my eyes kept drifting back to Quinoa, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

What if she slipped up and mentioned Alex's name? What if my parents found out about my fake fiancé?

I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my forehead, and I quickly wiped it away. I had to stay calm and composed.

Roland, sensing my unease, caught my eye and raised an eyebrow. I shook my head slightly, trying to convey that everything was fine.

But I knew it wasn't. I was walking a tightrope, and one wrong move could send everything crashing down.

“Are you in a relationship, Quinoa dear?” My mother asked with a warm smile. It was the opposite of the smile she always offered me.

I immediately looked at Quinoa, wondering how she was going to respond.

Quinoa's cheeks turned red, “I am, but it's a secret for now,” she said and stylishly showed off the expensive wedding ring on her index finger.

“Oh my gosh! You are engaged! Just like our Riley!” My aunty Lola squealed out in excitement, and she stared at Quinoa's ring, starstruck.

“Riley is engaged?” Roland stuttered, and looked at me, his expression twisting in a painful mix of surprise and betrayal.

I felt a pang of guilt at the hurt in Roland's eyes. I knew I had to keep up with my unaffected expression, but it was hard to see him looking at me like that.

"Ah, yes," I said, trying to sound casual. "I'm engaged. We're planning a summer wedding."

“Who is the lucky guy?” Quinoa asked with raised brows. I knew she didn't ask because she cared about me, she just wanted to make sure she was above me.

My family looked like they had been waiting for that opportunity, and my mother smiled broadly.

“It's -”

“A secret?” I said, interrupting my mother's words.

My mother arched her brows in surprise. “No, it's not!” She replied, but I gave her a threatening gaze, warning her to keep quiet.

If she told Quinoa that I was engaged to Alexander, then Quinoa would tell my family that she was married to Alex, and a war might break out. A war dangerous to all the parties involved.

“Fine, don't tell me, but I hope you will invite my family to the wedding. We are less busy this summer,” Quinoa said, and I faked a smile.

My family was confused, they obviously wanted to brag, and I made up my mind that at the end of the dinner, I would beg them to keep it a secret.

“My wedding will be the talk of the town,” I said with a fake smile on my face, and I could hear as my conscience scoffed

Roland's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger. I could tell he was trying to process this new information, to figure out why I hadn't told him about my engagement.

Quinoa, sensing the tension between us, looked at Roland with concern. "Roland, are you okay?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm.

Roland shook his head, his eyes still fixed on me. "I'm fine," he muttered. "Just... surprised."

I looked at him, and memories of his betrayal came back and hit me like a strong wave.