about you | c.c & k.m

seven

Present time
Indiana

Kate Caitlin's friend|

Kate|

Kate Martin|

Kate M|

Kate|

Kate Aces|

"Avery, are you really changing her contact name right now?" Caitlin asked, surprised, looking at my screen and then at me.

"I had her saved as 'Kate Caitlin's friend.' I need to change it before I text her," I said, making Caitlin smile.

"I'm going to text her first," Caitlin stated. "It's the right thing to do. I messed up in the first place, so I should reach out to fix it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I mean, what's the worst that can happen?" Caitlin said with a shrug. I nodded, looking at the birds in front of me.

Caitlin and I were at Holliday Park, one of the destinations she had planned to show me during my stay here. After our deep talk, we were trying to figure out how to talk to Kate properly. We decided that each of us has to talk with her privately, but it's also necessary that the three of us have a talk.

Caitlin was eager to talk with Kate at one point, given that none of us had talked to her since she left the apartment upset. But suddenly, she started to hyperventilate again, and we had to practice breathing exercises once again. Due to her nervous state, we decided to move forward with the tourist day. Since we had already decided how to proceed, I didn't want to keep pushing Caitlin into having an episode. So, we decided to visit some tourist places. Now we were eating ice cream at this beautiful park.

I learned that Caitlin had panic attacks when we were in high school. Every time, it started with her breathing irrationally. If she could stop it right there, it was a good thing. Otherwise, her body and mind would trap her in a wave of much worse emotions. That's why I learned that breathing exercises could stop her from going further into that phase, so we practiced them every time she was going through something hard.

I didn't know that she kept having them and couldn't help but wonder if she had had them in college or other situations where I wasn't there to help her.

As I sighed, I blocked my phone and put it back down, taking a lick of my strawberry ice cream. I knew that when this cone was empty, we'd have to actually take action and talk to Kate, and I was, for lack of a better word, fucking terrified.

I actually think that she might be mad at me, contrary to what Caitlin said. If I were Kate, I would have expected the girl I kissed to reach out and give me some explanation. But I didn't do that. No matter what Caitlin's actions were, I should have called Kate after that night, and I didn't. I feel guilty because, if I were in her position, I'd be hurt and confused by my silence.

But even worse than her being mad at me, I don't want Kate and Caitlin's friendship to feel threatened. I know they both have been just recovering from the last miscommunication, and this situation is obviously going to affect their relationship further. I just hope that Caitlin can articulate her feelings and emotions to Kate the same way she did with me. That way, I'm hoping they will give another chance to their relationship to finally be nice and healthy.

How's the ice cream?" Caitlin asked, probably noticing how lost I'm in my thoughts.

"Pretty good actually, how's yours?" I looked at her smiling, trying to be present in the moment and not overthinking the situation.

"Mmm I'd had better" she shrugs.

"I doubt that you had better, mint ice cream is always disgusting" I commented, because it's true that I don't like it, but mostly to mess with her and her favorite ice cream flavor.