𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬, kate martin

SEVENTEEN. dancing with our hands tied

thursday, april 18th, 2024:
iowa city, iowa

Being back in full swing at school after everything that has happened was one of the hardest things Tatum had ever had to do.

Tatum had so many projects for her Journalism Mass Communications and Management double majors coming up at the end of the month, so needless to say she was swamped. She was barely ever at her apartment and she practically lived at the library ever since the women's basketball team had come back from Cleveland and had their celebration that reflected on their season.

She spent so much time being consumed with her classes that she had seen very few of her teammates in the very little free time she allowed herself.

There was one she specifically missed the most of all, and it was Kate. She felt like she hadn't seen the blonde in nearly over two weeks besides the day her friends got back from the draft. Tatum desperately wanted nothing more than to be held in one of the Martin girl's strong arms once more. Kate's familiar embrace always put Tatum at ease, and she desired that feeling more than she would ever let on.

Her heart lumped in her throat every time Jada had sent Tatum a snapchat of Kate in the past couple of weeks when she, and sometimes Gabbie too, was hanging out at the apartment. She had even received multiple vlog updates when the girls joined Caitlin in New York City— which Tatum had supposed to go with them to but had to cancel— and it only made her do the opposite and feel more isolated.

It didn't help either that Kate had gotten drafted and Tatum missed being there for it. She had never been more consumed by her emotions, each one contradicting itself. Pride yet guilt; happiness yet dread; dignant yet bitterness. Every part of Tatum had become so enthralled by Kate Martin and she was beginning to wonder if she was losing her mind with the way the blonde made her feel.

Half of the time Tatum figured Jada's efforts was her just trying to make the junior experience FOMO— which she managed to do to much of Tatum's annoyance— in hopes that Tatum would stop studying and join them.

And while the Hart girl wished to do so, there was another half of her that feared she was being avoided all this time. Not only had she not seen Kate much since they got back to Iowa but she had barely heard from her in general (outside of when it came to the draft, of course). To add to that, every time Tatum returned to her and Jada's apartment late after she were over, she would discover that the former captain would have already left and most of the time Tatum would only be greeted by Gabbie, with Luna and Shilo pattering up to her feet to receive some attention.

Tatum was at the kitchen island when Jada walked out of her room as she scribbled the slides on her computer into her notebook.

"Jesus," Jada groaned at the realization that Tatum was hard at work at their kitchen counter. "Remind me not to ever double major."

"You're an education major, silly girl. That would be pointless anyways." Tatum commented with a light shake of her head.

"True, that's a fair point," Jada wagged her finger at her in agreement as she opened the fridge. She spoke to her roommate over her shoulder curiously, "But what are you doing homework for? It's literally Thirsty Thursday which means you should be taking a day off from all-uh that."

Tatum wanted to laugh at her reasoning but decided against doing so. 'Thirsty Thursday' was a day of the week that was practically a reoccurring holiday — and the team now had the freedom to enjoy it with their season now over. Although Tatum doubted she could give herself the indulgence.

"This project in my dynamics of negotiations class is worth like half of my entire grade." Jada's head whipped around at that, her eyes wide with shock. "I know! It's like insane, dude. I have to do good on this if I want to get out of the class with an A."