Cruel Summer- Caitlin Clark

15. Today Was A Fairytale (Taylor's Version)

As I was walking to class with Molly, I couldn't help to feel that I didn't feel the "sparks" at Iowa, I guess. It was weird that my coach didn't support me.  Caitlin and I haven't talked for like two days, or since our little incident. 

"Rory?" Molly had probably been asking that for like a minute, I was just zoned out.

"Yeah- sorry I'm just tired, yeah really tired." 

"You've been really tired recently." 

"Yeah, well my schedule just hasn't gotten any less busy. Basically 5am to 11 pm, and my classes have just been getting really hard so it's just not fun." 

"Oh, well! I think I see someone who can fix that!" 

As I looked up, I saw one of the English professors getting Caitlin's signature. 

"Oh god." I said, as she looked over our way. 

"What's oh god?" Molly asks 

"Um, I'll explain everything later." 

"Excuse me, I have someone to talk to, but it was so nice to meet you, Mr.Blake." Caitlin says, excusing herself so that she can talk to us

"Hey!" Molly says 

"Hey! What are you guys up to?" Caitlin says 

"Um, not a lot. Just going to class, I guess." I say 

"Oh, fun fun." Caitlin says 

"Yeah." I say

"Um- Rory, can I talk to you for a second?" They both say at the same time. 

"Um, actually I'm sorry to the both of you, but I'm really really tired, so I should be getting my daily iced coffee." 

"Okay, no worries. See you at lunch." Molly says

"Yeah, see you at practice." 

Caitlin's POV: 

After Rory rushed of all of a sudden, I'm so confused. I get that I messed up, but I just want to talk about it. 

"Is she okay?" I asked 

"Uh, I don't really know. She's just tired I think." Molly says 

"Oh, yeah. I get that. I was ALWAYS tired when I was a Freshman." I respond

"Um, Caitlin. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but I don't think you know. I don't think either of us know." 

"What do you mean?" I asked confused 

"I think she's not just tired. I think she's tired of Iowa. Of the way that she get's treated, of the way she works SO hard, for little return." 

Wait, what!? I wish Rory would just talk to me about these things, I would be able to talk her through the hard times. But, it was still really hard to comprehend. Rory is ALWAYS happy.  

"What?" 

"Yeah, I mean, just look at her schedule, Caitlin!" 

I had never seen her schedule before. I guess I have just always assumed it is a regular Freshman schedule. 

"And I think she's tired of her teammates never supporting her. And her Coach constantly antagonizing her. I mean, she has no one here, Caitlin! Her brother's don't live close, and she can't even go to your family. Just image how exhausting that must be." 

"Oh my god. I guess I never thought of it that way." 

Rory's POV: 

After almost falling asleep multiple times during Mr.Shapiro's history class, it was finally time for me to go to practice. I was so annoyed though because I ended up at the gym almost fifteen minutes before I had expected. Of course, the first person there was Caitlin.