After Earth's Fall | ✔ UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION

Chapter 16

It is Adrian who Nila chooses to spend Breakfast with.

It is Adrian who Nila chooses to spend her working hours with.

It is Adrian who Nila chooses to spend Lunch with.

And it is Adrian who Nila chooses to spend Dinner with, at the very back of the cafeteria on their own private table. This suddenly becomes Nila's everyday schedule for almost two weeks, before Riley starts to become fed up with it.

With his arms crossed, he stares daggers at the two lovebirds, muttering words under his breath from the opposite side of the cafeteria.

"I don't understand," Kaitlyn whispers, tilting her head closer to Riley's but immediately regrets saying those three words as Riley gets ready to lecture her.

Before he proceeds to say anything, he gives a low growl of annoyance, his eyes never leaving them. Watching them laugh and giggle, like they're the ones who have been friends through all the ups and downs Eden has thrown at them since they got here. "I don't like him. It's supposed to be us three, not four. We're the three musketeers! Key word, three. Do you know that the triangle is the strongest shape? Now, we're a square and squares break easily."

"Riley, I don't see why you're fuming over this so much."

He furrows his eyebrows, his face suddenly holding a pained expression. "B-because.." He stutters, "Because, I like her. A lot."

This time, it takes Kaitlyn a much longer time to respond, "Oh! I..didn't know," she replies, fidgeting with the fabric of her leggings uncomfortably. She gulps down a knot forming in her throat, hoping that it wasn't too loud. Otherwise, Riley would see her expression and ask her what's wrong and she wouldn't know what to say. So she focuses on helping him with his problem.

It's what a friend would do anyway.

"Do you think she knows?" Riley asks, no longer glaring at the two across from them.

"Well, you haven't exactly dropped any clues lately-" Kaitlyn starts, wiping a rouge strand of jet black hair from her eyes but gets abruptly cut off.

"But I've been trying! It's just every time I think it's the right moment to make a move on this godforsaken planet, it suddenly isn't! Like when Nila and I were alone in the cave, I tried to talk to her but then Friday showed up. Or when I was being chased by that monster of a Rhino and we were waiting for the bunker door to open..."

"Okay, okay! I get it. Why don't you tell her tonight? Ask to talk to her in private? I don't know about you but I think we're pretty safe from interferences in this concrete box," Kaitlyn mutters sarcastically, lifting her arms up to gesture to the bunker walls.

Riley chews the insides of his mouth, glancing at Kaitlyn, then back at Nila in deep thought. He starts to nod and suddenly straightens his back in confidence. "Yeah...Yeah! You're right! I'll go ask her now, why should I be afraid of Adrian?" he laughs off Adrian's name. "I'll go ask her to come by my room tonight and tell her then."

Riley smiles, showing off his faint dimples and runs a hand through his blazing red hair. After straightening out his clothes a bit, he turns his smile to Kaitlyn. "Thanks Kaitlyn, really. You're the best," he says as he bends down over the short girl and gives her a friendly hug.

Her eyes widen in surprise at first but then she starts giggling at Riley's happiness and how full of glee he seems to be at the thought of Nila and him being together. Maybe this is for the best after all? Riley eventually pulls away and let's out a long huff of air. The nerves kicking in.