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Chapter Five
♱
"Hey, sorry, give me a second, I just got home so I need to get back to my room." Ariana spoke into the phone she pinched between her cheek and shoulder. She heard Kate chuckle lowly over the line, "No rush, pretty girl. I'm just on the couch lazing around. Caitlin's in the shower so I'm pretty sure I got a good forty minutes of peace before it's my turn."
Ariana dropped her keys into the tray sitting on the door-side table, scurrying to her room as she dropped her bag onto her desk. She chucked her phone onto the bed, taking her jeans off and slipping Paige's UCONN sweatpants on.
"Okay, I'm back. It's been a long day at work and hanging out with Paige and I've just been busy lately, so I'm sorry, K." The blonde hummed, "Oh, don't worry, I completely understand. Bluder's been gnawing on our asses at practice and just last week I had to take the whole team out for a treat to keep them from getting depression."
They both share a laugh.
"Anyway, what did you need to talk about? You made it sound kinda... urgent." Her tone turned serious, and Ariana's heart began hammering against her chest. "Well... I just... it's kinda dumb actually, never mind."
"Ari, you can talk to me about anything. Whatever it is, I would love to hear it." Kate assured, "What's on your mind?"
Ariana paused, swallowing thickly. "It's just that... Paige and Azzi got it in my head that you, well, liked me? I mean, I told them it was a silly thought and that we were just really good friends but they insisted I get out there and talk to you about it and I don't know, it's just been on my mind and I wanted to hear your thoughts."
She didn't realise she was holding her breath until Kate broke a long pause of silence with a deep sigh. Ariana waited, anticipating.
"It's true. They're right, I do like you. I mean, I've liked you since the first time we met when you patched me up from scraping my knee. And I'm such a pussy, this wasn't how I pictured it going when I was gonna tell you, but I didn't know if you'd feel the same and I liked things the way they were." Kate rambled, gulping. "I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."
Ariana had a hunch, cored in the very deepest part of her bones that Paige and Azzi were right. But to hear it from Kate made it all too real, and she didn't know what to think.
"Ari?"
Silence.
"Ari, will you say something, please?" She begged, voice growing softer. Ariana knew Kate, and she knew her lack of response was stressing her out, but she couldn't help it. She needed to process the multiple complex emotions bubbling in her.
