𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙁𝙞𝙫𝙚. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬

The training facility was quiet now, the buzz of chatter from the team's casual dinner having faded as everyone slowly trickled out for the night. It was late, and most of the lights in the building had been turned off, leaving the dining area dimly lit by the overhead bulbs.

I sit at one of the long wooden tables, idly tracing the edge of my glass with my finger. staring at nothing in particular.

I hear footsteps approaching but don't turn around. I know who it is.

"You're still here?" Caitlin's voice is soft, hesitant, as though she isn't sure if she's welcome.

I don't respond at first, just continue to watch the condensation slip down the side of my water glass. Finally, I shrug. "Didn't feel like leaving yet."

Caitlin hovers at the edge of the table before slowly lowering herself onto the bench across from me. There's a heavy silence between us, the air thick with everything left unsaid.

"I miss this," Caitlin says, after a long moment, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just... hanging out. Talking. You and me."

I don't look up, my fingers still absently tracing the rim of my glass. "It's not the same anymore."

The words hang in the air like a weight, and Caitlin winces slightly, her heart clenching at the truth in them. "I know," she admits, her voice full of regret. "And I'm sorry for that."

For a long time, I don't respond. I simply stare down at the table, as if it holds the answers to the questions swirling in my mind. Finally, I let out a slow breath, lifting my gaze to meet Caitlin's. "You really hurt me, Caitlin."

The raw honesty in my words strike Caitlin like a blow as I see her look down at her fiddling fingers with guilt. "I know I did," she whispers, her voice breaking. "And I hate myself for it every single day."

My expression doesn't soften, but my eyes shimmer with something deeper-something that hints at the pain I still carry "Why did you do it?" I ask, my voice low, almost fragile. "Why did you kiss her? After everything we'd been through, after all the promises..."

Caitlin swallows hard, struggling to find the right words. "I don't know," she says quietly, her voice breaking. "I was scared, I guess. Scared of how much I cared about you, how real everything felt. And I panicked. I thought maybe if I sabotaged it, I wouldn't have to face what I was feeling."

I scoff lightly, though there was no humor in the sound. "So you pushed me away instead."

Caitlin looks down at the table, unable to meet my gaze. "Yeah," she admits, shame heavy in her voice. "And it was the worst mistake I've ever made."

The room falls into silence again, but this time, it's not the same oppressive quiet. It's as though we're both holding our breath, waiting for something-anything-to break the tension between us. Finally, I exhale softly, leaning back against the bench.

"I don't know if I can trust you again," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I've been so closed off my whole life," I whisper. "I don't know how to let people in and when I finally did... with you... I thought maybe I could... but then it all came crashing down, and I just-" I stop, taking a shaky breath. "I don't know if I can go through that again."

Caitlin's heart aches at the words, I can tell because I know her, but she nods. "I understand," she says, her voice thick with emotion. "And I don't expect you to just forgive me. I don't deserve it. But, Elena... I swear, I'd do anything to earn your trust back. Anything."

I look at her for a long moment, my expression unreadable. There was a flicker of something in my eyes-something Caitlin couldn't quite place. She waited, her heart pounding, as my fingers drummed lightly against the table.

Finally, I sigh, glancing away as though gathering my thoughts. "You made me feel like I wasn't enough," I confess, my voice breaking slightly. "Like I wasn't worth fighting for."

The vulnerability in my words tear at Caitlin's chest, and I see tears welling in her bright blue eyes. "That's not true," she says, desperately. "You were everything to me. You are everything to me. I was just too stupid to see that before it was too late."

My lips pressed into a thin line as I swallowed hard, blinking away the tears threatening to spill over. "I don't know if we can go back to the way things were," I say softly. "But maybe... maybe we can figure something out."

Caitlin's breath catches in her throat, hope flaring in her chest. "You mean that?"

I hesitate but finally nod, though my eyes remained guarded. "One day at a time."

Caitlin nods slowly, her own tears threatening to fall. "I can do that," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "I'd do anything for that."

For a moment, we just sit there, staring at each other, the weight of our shared past still heavy between us. But for the first time in what felt like forever, there was a flicker of hope-something that told us both that maybe, just maybe, we could find our way back to each other.

I stumble back to Steph and I's apartment, my heart feeling like it was in a vice. The city's lights seemed too bright, and every step felt heavier than the last. I open the door quietly, trying not to disturb the peace of the apartment. The hallway was dimly lit, and the silence of the night pressed in on me as I made her way to Steph's room.

Carefully, I slip into the room, but when I go to crawl under the covers I hesitate, not wanting to wake up the girl, but I needed her too much. I needed my sister. It doesn't take long for Steph to stir awake, sensing the disturbance. She blinks sleepily, her gaze falling on my shadowy form.

"Elena?" Steph's voice is soft and filled with concern. "What's wrong?"

I don't immediately respond. I lay there in the dark, my tears silently soaking into the pillow as I press my forhead against Steph's shoulder. My emotions are a tangled mess, too complex to put into words. Steph turns on the bedside lamp, its soft glow illuminating the room.

My face is flushed and streaked with tears as I finally turn towards Steph. My voice is choked with emotion. "I-I just needed to be here."

Steph sits up, her expression one of deep concern. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

I shake my head as I bury my face in Steph's pillow, letting out a broken sob. I'm not ready to talk about it yet. I know it's best if I do and I can trust Steph, but it's so painful to talk about and I didn't want to burden her with my problems.

Steph's heart aches for me as she looks at me with soft eyes. She reaches out and pulls me close to her. "Oh, Elena," she murmurs, her voice soothing. My sobs grow quieter as I cling to Steph, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. Steph strokes my hair gently, her voice filled with empathy. "It's okay to feel this way. It's okay to be hurt. No matter what it's about. But you're not alone in this. I'm here for you."

My tears slowly subside as I find solace in Steph's comforting embrace. "Thank you, Steph." I say in. quiet whisper, my eyes closing as exhaustion finally begins to take over. The warmth of Steph's embrace and her steady presence were a balm to my wounded heart. As I drift off to sleep, I feel a small measure of peace, knowing that at least for tonight, I have a friend who truly cares.

The room is quiet once more, the only sound the soft, rhythmic breathing of us two friends. I found a temporary refuge in Steph's presence, a small haven where I could begin to heal from the wounds of the past.