STRANGER - CAITLIN CLARK

CHAPTER NINE

「 ✦ STRANGER ✦ 」
CHAPTER NINE

MAY 9TH, 2024

the best word to describe how caitlin is feeling would have to be excited. today marks her first game at gainbridge fieldhouse, her new home court. the place she's destined to leave a mark on, just like carver. the game was sold out in two and a half minutes, the 39 other games left in the season following close behind. the media dubbed it the caitlin clark effect.

gabbie had told caitlin she would be attending the game which had her over the moon ecstatic. it's the first time since draft night she'd be seeing any of her friends, which was about three weeks ago. it was one of the few things keeping her head afloat, her spirits high.

that didn't last long though thanks to connor sending another text to caitlin's phone. she sighed and ignored it like the rest as she's been doing since spending the night with isa in dallas. isa had told caitlin as long as she was with connor, nothing was going to happen between them. caitlin couldn't be mad, no matter how much she wished she could be.

it was isa's right to set boundaries and she was totally entitled to them— but caitlin hated that fact, and boundaries were something caitlin always struggled with when it came to isa. i mean, of course it's hard. she's isa. her isa. the isa that is the only person she wants to talk to before such a big game.

"i wish you were here." caitlin whispers into the phone as soon as isa answers. she finds herself pacing the hallway outside of the locker room, far enough away from everyone. "i want you here so bad."

isa sighs. "me too caitlin."

"i always want you to be here." caitlin says.

"caitlin." isa warns.

caitlin knew she'd be pushing it with that comment, but she said it anyways, because she meant it. "i'm sorry." caitlin apologizes.

"are you?" isa asks.

"no." caitlin admits. "not at all."

"please don't make this harder than it needs to be."

"i'm sorry." caitlin says, and this time she means it.

"hey rook, we're going out there right now!" caitlin's teammate nalyssa shouts down the hallway.

"fuck i gotta go. can i call you later?" caitlin asks.

"yeah of course."

"watch if you're able to, please." caitlin says quickly, nalyssa continuing to shout for caitlin down the hallway. "holy fuck lyss, i'm coming okay!" she shouts back. "okay i gotta go, bye isa." she hangs up before the girl can respond, rushing back to the locker room for her shoes.

"was that the boyfriend?" her other teammate lexie teases, nudging her shoulder.

"something like that." caitlin mutters.

✦

isa walks into her apartment, throwing her bag and keys carelessly to the floor. today felt like it lasted forever, and she's been kind of out of it since the phone call with caitlin. there's nothing isa wants more than to be able to be with caitlin, both physically and romantically. it's the same thing she's wanted for as long as she could remember. it killed her not to even kiss her that night in dallas, but she knew it was the best choice for the both of them. it only makes things harder.