𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬, kate martin

TWENTY-ONE. two paper airplanes flying

wednesday, april 24th, 2024:
iowa city, iowa

It was safe to say that Tatum didn't sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned, her mind plagued by the sole thought of the older blonde. Her entire body felt restless.

She had half been tempted to clamber out of bed and slip her shoes on, to padder out of her room and into the kitchen and out her apartment door and squeeze out into the undoubtably cold hallway. Why was it always so freezing? She could've treaded back down the familiar path to Kate's apartment. She knew it by heart ever since last year — a two minute walk, down the hall, down two floors, roughly 20 steps off the elevator. Tatum could see it all in her head as she stared above her head at her ceiling, the lights from the street down below casting a shadow into her room, washing everything inside in an orange glow.

Tatum could have mustered up the courage, pushed past her fear, knocked on her door and seen her for the second time that day. Could've either stood in the doorway or crossed over the threshold and confessed everything to her right then and there, could've told her she would do anything to be with the blonde. Could've told her how much she really loved her.

Kate was close, just that two minute walk, but she was going to be so far..

It was the thought that plagued her, one that left her feeling so fucking scared as she finally found a relief from how lost she felt, sleep winning the battle. Only for a couple of hours or so though.

Jada had been at Natalie's when she had gotten back last night and she was greeted with a warm and expectant expression on her face when Tatum walked out from her room.

Tatum greeted her, saying, "Hey, I didn't know you got back." She figured she should test out the waters, to ease into a conversation with her roommate — who knew damn well she had stopped by Kate's yesterday.

"It was after you had gone to bed." She answered. But her best friend swiftly got right to the point. "Did you guys talk about it?"

The Hart girl should've expected Jada to be direct. She was never going to dance around something so important such as this. The honesty between the pairing of her two best friends, who just couldn't seem to sort out their feelings for one another.

"I couldn't risk it." Tatum told her. "I wouldn't be able to handle losing her and everything we have. I just can't."

"Tatum," Jada said. She rarely ever said her best friend's name, always calling her 'Tate' or 'Tatie', anything but her name to show her affection for her best friend. Which was how she knew the sophomore was being serious. "You can't live like that. That's not how life is supposed to work. Sometimes you have to take that big leap of faith and just go for it."

Her roommate and very smart best friend (she would never tell her that to her face without needing to encourage her because it would just fuel her ego) was right.

"But—"

"No! I can't let you just let this pass by." Jada protested. "I can't sit on the sidelines anymore. You have to tell her."

Tatum cursed. "She leaves today! Jada I.. What do I do?"

"You go after her! Get it off your chest, I'm sure she feels the same." Jada picked up Luna, who had barked at her enthusiasm. She cradled her dog in her lap and returned her attention to Tatum, telling her, "Look, if you ask me, I say you find her and just tell her how you feel."

Tatum took a deep breath and tried to push down the fear inside her chest. She knew Jada was right, she knew she had to tell Kate. But God, she was so fucking scared of losing the person she cared about most in the world.