𝐒𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 || 𝐂𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐊

she just comes running over to me

Victoria lay sprawled on her bed, her textbooks and notes scattered around her like a protective barrier against the looming stress of finals. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of their shared music playlist playing in the background. Caitlin sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed, diligently typing away on her laptop, her own notes meticulously organized beside her.

Victoria glanced up from her notebook, her eyes catching a fleeting glimpse of Caitlin, who was stealing a glance at her. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Caught you," she teased, her voice light and playful.

Caitlin blushed, quickly turning her attention back to her screen. "I was just...making sure you weren't slacking off," she retorted, a shy smile breaking through her facade.

"Right," Victoria drawled, closing her textbook and shifting to sit up. "Because you're so focused on your homework, you didn't even notice me looking back at you."

Caitlin's blush deepened, and she finally lifted her gaze to meet Victoria's. "Okay, fine. Maybe I got a little distracted."

Victoria leaned forward"A little?"

"Alright, a lot," Caitlin admitted, her cheeks still tinged with pink. "But can you blame me? You're kind of hard to ignore."

Victoria's heart skipped a beat at Caitlin's words. She moved closer, her hand reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair behind Caitlin's ear. "You know," she said softly, "you're not so easy to ignore yourself."

A comfortable silence enveloping them as they gazed at each other. Victoria broke the moment by grabbing a blanket from the bed and standing up. "Come on," she said, tugging Caitlin's hand. "Let's take a break and watch something"

Caitlin let herself be pulled up, and they made their way to the living room. They settled down on the couch, Victoria wrapping the blanket around them as they snuggled close. Caitlin nestled against Victoria, her head resting on her shoulder.

"Feeling nervous about the game tonight?" Victoria asked, her voice gentle as she traced soothing circles on Caitlin's arm.

Caitlin shook her head slightly, a smile spreading across her face. "Not really," she murmured. "Plus I have a pretty girl cheering for me"

Victoria's heart swelled, and she pressed a soft kiss to the top of Caitlin's head. "shut up" she laughed slightly.

Caitlin looked up, her eyes meeting Victoria's once more. "you're pretty"

Victoria smiled, pulling Caitlin even closer. In that moment, surrounded by the comfort of each other and the anticipation of the game ahead, everything felt just right.

The sun had begun its descent, casting a golden hue over the campus as the excitement for the evening's game buzzed in the air. Back in Victoria's dorm, the atmosphere was a mix of nervous anticipation and electric energy. Caitlin was lacing up her sneakers while Victoria rummaged through her closet.

"Fuck," Victoria groaned, stepping back and running a hand through her hair. "I forgot my Hawkeyes hoodie at home. I can't believe It"

Caitlin looked up, her expression softening. "Hey, it's no big deal. I've got an extra jersey in my bag. You can wear that."

Victoria turned to Caitlin, eyes wide with surprise. "You sure? I don't want to take your spare."

Caitlin stood up, walking over to her bag and pulling out the black and gold jersey. She tossed it to Victoria with a grin. "Positive. Besides, it'll look way better on you."