STRANGER - CAITLIN CLARK

CHAPTER THREE

「 ✦ STRANGER ✦ 」
CHAPTER THREE

APRIL 15TH, 2024

a pair of parallel lines that have few times crossed but never conjoined. that is what describes isa and caitlin's relationship best. when she was told she'd be in new york the same night as the draft, isa didn't know how to feel. though the relationship between the two is unbeknownst to the rest of the world, isa can't help but feel for better words, naked. to have been separated all this time yet end up here together again was almost as is if the universe was playing a trick on the both of them.

caitlin clark was the biggest ghost of isabella carvelli's life that haunted her constantly. no matter where she went she couldn't escape caitlin clark and here she is now, still unable to escape her. for caitlin clark, isabella carvelli was her one final piece. all this time without her she's felt incomplete. isa has always been the one person who made her be able to forget about being caitlin clark and just be a person.
  
on the stage, the cameras were on. caitlin could hear the sportscasters talking about her over the speakers and had to pretend that she couldn't hear them talking about all her achievements, awards, and records. the sacrifices it took for her to be here in this very moment, her childhood dream, about to be drafted into the wnba. yet all she could think about was isa.
  
"hey," caitlin's brother colin taps on her leg breaking her out of her trance. "you okay cait?"
  
"i'm fine just a little bit of nerves." she lies.
  
"excited nerves or bad nerves?" he asks.

"i saw her last night." caitlin confesses knowing she can't lie to colin.
  
though colin is her little brother, he's like her built in bestfriend as well. ever since he could listen he was caitlin's confidant. the person she went to for everything. and ever since he could talk, she was also the same thing to him. someone who would be there no matter what.
  
"oh." colin's eyebrows raise in shock. he already knows what her his sister is referring to. "did you- did anything happen?" he asks.
  
caitlin sighs looking at the screen above their heads to make sure their private conversation isn't currently being broadcasted to the entire world. some people out there are crazy good at lip reading. she then looks at colin and nods her head.
  
"damn caitlin." he sighs.
  
"i know." she says defeatedly.
  
colin comfortingly places a hand on her shoulder. "it's alright it happens. feelings are hard."

✦

isa is freaking out. her attention has been stuck on the tv screen that keeps constantly flashing to caitlin. she asked the hair and makeup crew to put the draft on the tv because knew she couldn't miss it for the world.
  
"they're going to announce first draft pick here in a moment." mari says from next to her. "it's definitely going to be caitlin clark."
  
isa's eyes find the tv again to see the wnba commissioner has now taken stage. her speech lasts a few minutes before she finally acknowledges the team who gets the number one draft pick: the indiana fever. indiana. indi-fucking-ana. isa laughs to herself realizing how they will now be close again. the universe does it once again.
  
"oh shit here she goes." mari exclaims placing down her phone.
  
"with the 2024 number one draft pick, the indiana fever select caitlin clark, university of iowa."
  
isa can't help but reflexively smile. caitlin pops up on the screen, sharing hugs with her family before making her way to the stage. flashes to the crowd show her now former teammates including kate martin who is projected to be drafted tonight herself. isa knows this only because she has been stalking for the past few days. she also notices one other person sitting there in the crowd with them. caitlin's boyfriend.
  
"caitlin clark being straight never fails to amaze me." mari laughs from beside isa.
  
isa says nothing, feeling her heart drop into her stomach. oh, if only she knew.