𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙧. 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶

Caitlin's POV

My heart races as I see Elena fall to the ground. She'd headered the ball away from the goal and it looked clean, but the way she crumpled afterwards told a different story. Without thinking, I move, my legs carrying me towards Elena before I can even process it.

I weave through my teammates, barely registering the concerned voices around me. My eyes are fixed on Elena, my mind flashing with every shared moment between us- every smile, every touch, but those memories are distant now, clouded by our breakup and the painful things we said to each other.

Steph is already there, crouched beside Elena, calling for the medics. Elena's face is tight with pain, her eyes squeezed shut. My breath catches in my throat as I get closer.

"Elena," I say softly, reaching out instinctively.

Elena's eyes snap open at the sound of my voice, and for a second, there's something there-something I recognize, but just as quickly, it's gone, replaced by a coldness that sends a sharp pang through my chest.

"Stay back," Elena mutters, her voice harsh but weak.

I freeze, my hand dropping to my side. My feet feel glued to the ground, unable to move. The sting of Elena's rejection burns, sharper than I'd expected, and suddenly I'm not sure if it's the breakup that hurts more or the fact that Elena still refuses to let me in, even now.

The team around us continues to swirl in action- Steph and the medics helping Elena sit up, everyone else stepping back to give space, but I'm stuck, my body refusing to obey my mind. I want to be there for Elena, want to hold her, to tell her everything will be okay, but I can't. I don't have that right anymore.

The ache in my chest deepens as I watch Steph help Elena to her feet, her arm over Steph's shoulder. She doesn't look back at me, not once.

The whole game, my mind wasn't on the ball. It was replaying the moment I'd just shared with Elena. How she pushed me away. I'd kept glancing over
to the sidelines where she was sat with an ice pack pressed to the top of her head because I was worried for her. I was. My eye caught Elena's a few times, but I couldn't see anything in them. There was no emotion.

I sit on the bench in the changing rooms, my head in my hands. The game feels like a blur now, overshadowerwd by Elena's injury and the rejection still clings to me like a second skin. I can hear the rest of the team chatting, but it's distant muffled by the roar of my thoughts.

The changing room door opens and footsteps approach. I glance up, already knowing who it is before Steph speaks.

"Caitlin," Steph's voice is low, measured. She sits beside me, hands resting on her knees. "What's going on with you and Elena?"

My stomach twists. I knew this was coming. Steph is observant, always has been, but still, I wasn't ready for this conversation.

"It's complicated," I mutter, staring at the floor. The words feel useless, too vague to capture the mess of feelings swirling inside me.

Steph's eyes narrow. "You were the first one to run over when she went down. And the way she pushed you away... That wasn't just about soccer."

My chest tightens, my fists clenching in my lap. I swallow hard. "It's not just soccer," I admit quietly. There's no point in lying-not to Steph. She's always been able to see right through me.

Steph leans back, crossing her arms. "I don't need to know the details, but you've got to figure this out. Whatever's going on between you two, it's bleeding into the team. And it's only going to get worse."

I nod, my throat tight. I know Steph is right. I know this can't go on. But right now, the weight of it all feels too heavy, like I'm drowning in the space between what I'd had with Elena and what I've lost.

"I didn't mean for it to get like this," I whisper, more to myself than to Steph.

Steph gives me a long look, the kind that makes me feel both seen and vulnerable. "No one ever does."

With that, Steph stands up, giving me a soft pat on the shoulder before walking away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stay seated, staring at the spot where Elena and I would always sit together before games, replaying the moment in the game that made me run towards her without even thinking.

The distance between us feels impossible to bridge now, and I'm not sure if we'll ever find our way back to each other.