about you | c.c & k.m

nine

Present time
Indianapolis

"So...how are we doing this?"

Caitlin and I arrived at Kate's hotel. After I texted her that we were here, the blonde came down to the first floor to pick us up. Now the three of us are in the elevator. With me between them, my discomfort made me the one to break the silence.

"Uh, I feel like maybe I should talk to Kate first...alone. And then you both can talk? If that's okay with you," Caitlin said, looking at Kate for reassurance.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay with that," Kate said simply before the elevator doors opened. We quickly left, as if escaping the small space would make this situation less awkward.

We walked down the hallway, following Kate's lead. I glanced at Caitlin by my side, trying to catch her eyes, but she was fixated on the polished floor of the hotel.

Suddenly, Kate stopped in front of a door on the left side of the hallway. Room 1086. She opened the door, looking serious, and quickly made her way inside, standing next to the door to let us in and closing it behind us.

We all felt the discomfort of the situation, making me think that maybe we had made this more awkward than it needed to be. Once again, I felt like I was getting in the way of their friendship, which only made it more uncomfortable.

"Uh, I don't see the point in talking separately since it's a pretty small room, so we're all going to hear everything anyway..." Kate said, looking at both of us standing in the entrance.

The room was indeed small, with a small resting area with a couch and coffee table, a moveable TV that could face either the couch or the bed right behind the resting area, and a door that presumably led to the bathroom.

"I could wait outside while you guys talk," I said, looking between the two basketball players.

"I still don't see why we can't all just talk. It would be way easier," Kate said, and I noticed how tired she already seemed.

"I would really appreciate it if we could talk alone first, so we can get everything out," Caitlin said, looking at Kate expectantly.

"I'll wait outside," I said before Kate could respond. As I turned to leave, I murmured a soft "good luck" to Caitlin, and she smiled at me.

I made my way out of the room and sighed as I wandered around the hotel hallway. Riding up and down the elevator seemed like a way to keep occupied.

______________________

Inside the hotel room, the atmosphere was different. Kate and Caitlin were both on the couch, the last words spoken by Kate inviting Caitlin to move the conversation there. Nothing else had come out of their mouths yet.

"Um, you wanted to talk alone, so...shoot, I guess," Kate said, not looking Caitlin in the eyes.

"What do you feel?" Caitlin asked, playing with her fingers resting on her knees. Kate looked at her, confused. "Are you mad? Do you hate me? What do you feel towards me and what happened?" the brunette explained.

"Honestly? I don't know." Kate sighed. "I'm not sure what happened exactly. I mean, I have an idea, but I want to hear from you what exactly happened during the party after the draft." The blonde locked eyes with her ex-teammate as she continued. "And I'm not exactly mad, at least not anymore. I'm...hurt, I think that's the word. Because we shouldn't have to wait months for this to come to light, you know? Friends don't lie to each other."

Caitlin felt the guilt in her chest. She would have preferred to hear Kate say she hated her than hear her say that.

"I want to start by saying that I'm sorry. For everything," Caitlin began, and Kate interrupted her immediately.