The door opened, and Raven stepped back in, a plain paper bag in his hand.
The smell of fried chicken filled the room instantly. He didn't say anything, just set it on the table between them and pulled out two boxes.
Raven, without even waiting for Amelia, took his portion and slowly but methodically consumed it.
Amelia stayed where she was, arms crossed tightly. She told herself she wasn't going to touch anything he brought. He was her enemy. She didn't owe him that.
Raven didn't push it. He didn't even offer her the food. Instead, he opened his own box and started eating, slow and steady.
The sound of the plastic fork scraping against the bottom was the only thing in the room.
Each bite he took was unhurried, almost like he had all the time in the world.
'No. I'm not giving in,' Amelia told herself, forcing her gaze away from him.
But the smell was impossible to escape. It clung to the air, warm and greasy, and every breath dragged it deeper into her lungs.
Her stomach let out a loud growl, one she couldn't ignore, and when she glanced up, she thought she saw the faintest flicker of amusement on his face.
Raven noticed the sound immediately. He didn't smile, not exactly, but the corner of his mouth twitched just enough for him to feel it. 'She's hungry, but she's holding out due to pride.'
'Let's see how long she lasts.'
He kept eating, letting the food's scent fill the space, not saying a word. He wanted to watch her fight herself.
'If I eat this, it's like letting him win.'
Minutes passed. Amelia sat still, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the wall.
But every bite he took was like a taunt. Every swallow reminded her of how empty her stomach felt.
'Damn it… Stop eating like that,' she thought, teeth grinding together.
Raven, still calm, took another forkful and chewed slowly. 'Any second now.'
Finally, she broke.
Without a word, she reached over, grabbed the other box from the table, and tore it open. She didn't look at him once, just dug in and started eating fast, like she was making up for every second she had refused.
'Pathetic. I can't even win against my own stomach.'
Raven kept eating his own food, not acknowledging her surrender. But inside, he was amused. 'Knew it.'
Amelia didn't taste the first few bites. She hated that she was eating his food, hated that she'd given in. But hunger didn't care about pride… or hate.
'Fine. I'll take this. But it doesn't change anything.'
She cursed herself for bowing to the enemy.
The room stayed quiet, except for the sound of them both eating. Raven liked the silence. It told him more than talking ever would.
'I will definitely pay him back for this humiliation and everything else he has done.' Amelia thought while clenching her fist around her plastic fork, almost snapping it in the process...
Raven didn't mind the silence. In fact, he liked it. Words were wasted most of the time.
He was more interested in watching her. She ate like she didn't want to admit she was hungry. He wondered how long it would take before she stopped pretending.
Amelia hated that she was even eating.
Every bite felt like accepting his help. But her body didn't care. The hunger had already won out over her pride. Still, she kept her eyes on the food, refusing to look at him.
Halfway through his box, Raven spoke. "Tomorrow we're going into the dungeons."
Her fork stopped. "What?"
"You want to get stronger. That is how you earn it. Rest tonight. You will need it."
She didn't answer right away.
Part of her wanted to say no, to throw the food at him and walk out. But another part that knew she was nowhere near strong enough kept her sitting there.
Raven could see the conflict in her eyes. He didn't care which side won. Either way, she would be there tomorrow.
Amelia's thoughts were loud in her head. 'Dungeon. With him.'
She wanted to tell him she didn't need his help, but the truth mocked her. Without him, she was weaker than every monster waiting inside.
The idea made her stomach twist. But if it meant gaining power, even just a little, she could endure it, for now.
Even still, after a few moments in this tangible silence, her disgust turned into curiosity at the unknown.
'Though I wonder what it's like, in a dungeon. I haven't gone into one yet because my father told me to wait until he found a group of other strong players to keep me safe.'
'The tutorial was fine because most other awakened were weaker than me from the get-go go but if it's like those monsters that appeared in China... I don't know if I'll be fine.'
She was letting her mind wander, although her hands were still stuffing her face full of chicken. And the thought of the monsters that she would find inside those rifts disturbed her deeply.
When they finished, Raven stood and took the empty boxes away.
"Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be harder than anything you have done before."
She braced herself while watching him walk out, her hands still clenched under the table.
'Fine.'
'I will go…'
'I will get stronger, so that one day, I will use it all against you.'