𝐒𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 || 𝐂𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐊

I wish you would

The next day, Victoria sat in her morning lecture, her notebook open in front of her and her pen idly tapping against the page. The professor's voice droned on about Aristotle and usually she would've been interested but Victoria's mind was elsewhere. She couldn't stop thinking about the night before—the celebration, the walk, and especially the moment when she and Caitlin had almost kissed.

Her thoughts kept drifting back to Caitlin's warm smile, the feel of her arms around her, and the way their faces had drawn so close together under the soft glow of the streetlamp.

Her gaze unfocused, she replayed the moment over and over, wondering what would have happened if Caitlin's phone hadn't rung.

The professor called on someone else, and Victoria snapped back to reality, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed her distraction. She let out a quiet sigh, feeling a mix of frustration and anticipation.

After class was over Victoria felt a tap on her shoulder, as she turned around she was greeted by jada's tired smile.

"Hey, Vic, you seemed a bit off in class. Everything okay?" Jada asked, her brow furrowed with worry.

Victoria managed a weak smile, touched by Jada's concern. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit tired I guess. Didn't get much sleep last night," she replied, trying to brush off her preoccupation.

Jada raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Wanna get coffee?"

Victoria's smile widened at the offer. "yes please"

Victoria and Jada headed to a nearby café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee welcoming them as they stepped inside. They found a cozy corner table and settled in, the chatter of other patrons creating a soothing backdrop.

As they sipped their drinks, Jada couldn't help but wince every now and then, her head resting on her hand as if trying to ease the ache. Victoria couldn't resist a teasing grin.

"you should've seen yourself last night" she teased, nudging her friend playfully.

Jada groaned, her expression one of exaggerated misery. "Oh, don't remind me. I think I might still be feeling the effects of that last round of shots."

Victoria laughed, shaking her head in mock disapproval. "you and gabbie are insane'

Jada let out a weak chuckle. "Remind me never to challenge her to a drinking contest again."

"So, spill it, Vic. What's really on your mind?" she asked, her tone filled with genuine interest.

Victoria hesitated for a moment before deciding to confide in her friend. "Okay, fine, I can't stop thinking about last night," she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Jada's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh? What happened?"

Victoria recounted the events of the previous evening, from the victory celebration to the almost-kiss with Caitlin under the streetlamp. Jada listened intently, her eyes widening with each detail.

"that's insane" Jada said, her voice filled with excitement.

Victoria nodded, a mixture of nerves and exhilaration coursing through her. "Yeah"

Jada grinned mischievously. "So, are you and Caitlin a thing now? Because if you are Kate owes me 5 dollars."

Victoria felt her cheeks grow warmer at the thought. "you two bet on us?" She exclaimed

Jada nodded while laughing "of course we did"

Victoria rolled her eyes playfully "you and Kate are a threat to society."

Victoria sat at her desk in her dorm room, textbooks and notes spread out before her as she attempted to focus on studying.Just as she was about to dive back into her studies, a soft knock sounded at her door, pulling her from her thoughts. Victoria furrowed her brow in confusion.

Curious, she crossed the room and opened the door, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Caitlin standing on the other side. Caitlin's eyes lit up with a warm smile as she met Victoria's gaze.

"Hey, Vic," Caitlin greeted, her voice soft and inviting. "Mind if I come in?"

Victoria felt a rush of excitement at Caitlin's unexpected visit, a smile spreading across her face. "Of course not, come on in," she replied, stepping aside to let Caitlin enter.

Caitlin settled into the chair, pulling out her laptop and opening a document. "I'm working on this assignment for my history class, and I'm totally stuck," she explained, her brow furrowing in frustration. "I was hoping you could take a look and maybe give me some pointers?"

Victoria nodded eagerly, moving to sit beside Caitlin so they could both see the screen. "sure," she said, scanning the document. "Let' me see"

After working on it for a while Caitlin's face lit up "I think we've got it!" she exclaimed, turning to Victoria with a grateful smile. "Thanks so much for your help, Vic. I couldn't have done it without you."

Victoria returned the smile, "You did most of the hard work,"

Caitlin shook her head, her expression earnest. "No, seriously, you're a lifesaver. I owe you one."

Victoria waved off the thanks "Don't mention it, Caitlin. Anytime you need help, I'm here for you."

Caitlin returned the smile, her gaze softening with sincerity. "Thanks, Vic. I really appreciate it," she said, pausing for a moment before adding, "I couldn't stop thinking about last night."

Victoria's heart skipped a beat at Caitlin's words, a flush creeping up her cheeks. She met Caitlin's gaze, feeling a surge of excitement and nervousness coursing through her. "Me neither," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

But before Victoria could say anything else, Caitlin spoke, her smile widening with warmth. "Well, I should probably let you get back to studying," she said, her tone light and casual.

Victoria nodded, reluctantly tearing her gaze away from Caitlin's. "Yeah, I should probably finish up this chapter," she agreed, a hint of disappointment lingering in her voice.

With one final smile, Caitlin said her goodbyes and headed out the door, leaving Victoria standing there, her mind swirling with thoughts of what had just transpired.

As Caitlin left, Victoria found herself still reeling from their conversation.Unsure of what to make of it all, she reached for her phone and dialed Olivia's number, needing to talk to someone about what had just happened.

"Hey, Liv, it's me," Victoria said as soon as Olivia picked up. "Can you talk?"

"Of course, what's up?" Olivia replied, concern evident in her voice.

Victoria proceeded to recount the events of the afternoon, from Caitlin's unexpected visit to their conversation about the assignment and Caitlin's comment about last night. Olivia listened intently, her silence speaking volumes.

"What? She's just brushing it off like that?" Olivia exclaimed once Victoria had finished. "That doesn't sound like Caitlin at all."

Victoria sighed, feeling a knot of confusion and frustration forming in her stomach. "I know, right? It's like she doesn't want to acknowledge what happened, or maybe I'm just reading too much into it."

Olivia scoffed, her voice incredulous. "No way, Vic. You're not making this up. You guys are way more than friends, whether she wants to admit it or not."

Victoria felt a rush of relief at Olivia's words, grateful for her friend's unwavering support. "Thanks, Liv. I needed to hear that," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

"Anytime, Vic. Just remember, I've got your back no matter what," Olivia reassured her.