STRANGER - CAITLIN CLARK

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

「 ✦ STRANGER ✦ 」
CHAPTER THIRTEEN

MAY 25TH, 2024

hectic is an understatement to describe how caitlin's schedule has been. the lack of time, the constant traveling, and not to mention the losing streak her team was suffering from. after finally getting their first win last night against los angeles, they were still 1-5. the headlines were comical.

"is caitlin clark a fraud?"

"is caitlin clark really the superstar they've made her out to be?"

"does caitlin clark suck?"

"caitlin clark and the fever enter 0-5 run."

at first she laughed. one or two losses doesn't mean shit, and it shouldn't bother her. they were going to get better, they were still a new team. but then they kept coming. the third loss, the fourth loss, and now the fifth. article after article and game after game, she began losing her usual light and rhythm. it was starting to be noticeable to those around her.

it doesn't help isa's schedule has picked up as well, their time window to talk getting smaller and smaller until it was practically nonexistent. a check in text here and there, maybe a few pictures.

the best thing about today was caitlin getting to see kate. despite knowing they were going to notch another loss to the back to back champions, the las vegas aces, she was happy to finally see a familiar and welcoming face. it was a little embarrassing when she watched the videos of where she quite literally jumped into kate's arms, but she didn't care. in that moment she needed a friend, and kate is always a pretty damn good one.

to have ended the game 80-99 was best case scenario. if they could do this good against whats supposed to be the best team in the league, they would be just fine, and caitlin could maybe finally catch the break she's been needing.

though the game went good and she got to see kate, caitlin was dreading getting back on that plane tomorrow morning. tonight, the pacers had lost their third game in a row to the celtics, meaning they had to either pull of a miracle and win four in a row, or connor would be heading back to indianapolis in a few days. he was already in a pissy mood based off of the "looks like we both lost tonight" text he had sent caitlin after the game ended.

"look at this." lexie laughs from beside caitlin, showing her phone screen in her direction. caitlin musters up a good enough fake laugh before looking back down at her own phone.

the bus ride back to the hotel seemed to have been lasting longer than it should've. figures given they're in vegas and traffic is a horror. she checks her message she sent to isa one more time, just to see she's still on delivered. before she knows it, she's typing up another message. when it comes to showing vulnerability with anyone else, caitlin is incapable of doing it. with isa, it's like she doesn't care one bit, and she hates it.

isa was currently in vancouver for an event, something to do with work. caitlin wasn't sure exactly what because when she had asked, the question was disregarded.

"it doesn't matter." isa had said. three words caitlin hates the most.

"it does matter," caitlin had responded back. "i like hearing about your life too."