𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙀𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝘙𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵

The sun was out, casting a bright glow over the training facility as the team gathered for the bonding day Jonas had organised. I stand to the side, mg arms crossed, trying to tune out Beth's excited chatter beside me. A team bonding day was the last thing I wanted, especially with Caitlin around.

My eyes flickerto Caitlin across the field, who stretches her legs and laughs with Katie and Teyah. I quickly look away, focusing on the grass beneath my feet, the thought of being paired with her making my stomach churn.

"Alright, listen up!" Jonas's voice cuts through the chatter, drawing everyone's attention. "We've got a few team-building exercises lined up. You'll be paired randomly. The idea is to work on your communication, trust, and teamwork."

I goance nervously at Beth, silently hoping I'd be paired with her, as much as I'd absolutely be sick of the girl's pestering by the end of it.

Jonas starts rattling off names, and each time he calls out a pair, my heart races a little faster. Then-

"Elena and Caitlin."

My stomach drops. I barely register the next names being called because all that's on my mind is that I've got to soent not just one singular drill, but the next couple of hours with Caitlin.

I watch as Caitlin makes her way over, her expression unreadable.

"Hey," Caitlin says quietly when she reaches me.

"Hey," I reply, my voice tight.

We're given our first task, something about navigating a series of obstacles using limited tools. Caitlin grabs a rope and some harnesses while I trail behind her, unsure of how the day would unfold.

The silence between us is thick and awkward as we approach the obstacle course. Caitlin keeps glancing at me, trying to read my mood, but my face is a mask of indifference.

"You've, uh, been working hard this season," Caitlin says, her tone cautious. "It shows."

"Thanks," I mutter, not looking up from the harness I'm adjusting.

Minutes pass in tense silence, the sound of other pairs chatting and laughing around us making it feel even more uncomfortable. Caitlin clears her throat, attempting again.

"Elena, I-"

"Can we just focus on this?" I cut her off, not meeting her eyes. I feel Caitlin's hesitation, the moment stretching awkwardly between us. Then Caitlin sighs and nods, her voice soft.

"Yeah, sure."

We continue in silence, the tension thickening with every step. It wasn't until we reached the second-to-last obstacle-a rock wall that required one person to climb while the other secured them with a rope-that we were forced into closer contact. I started to climb, gripping the rocks and hoisting myself up the wall.

"Hold the rope steady," I call down, feeling the tug on my harness. I climb slowly, careful not to slip. Caitlin keeps her eyes on me, steadying the rope.

"I've got you," Caitlin reassures me, and for the first time that day, I believed her. There was a shift in Caitlin's tone, a hint of sincerity that broke through the tension. I reached the top and paused for a moment, looking down at Caitlin.

Our eyes met, and something passed between us-unspoken but heavy. My heart quickened, but I quickly looked away, climbing down to the ground.

As the day wore on, the initial tension between us began to ease. It was subtle, but there. The small talk between us returned, but this time it wasn't forced. I found myself responding with a bit more than one-word answers, though I kept my guard up.

By the time we reached the final task-a low ropes course- wewere moving more naturally together, even managing to exchange a few jokes.

"Remember that one drill last year where we all ended up tangled in the net?" Caitlin asks, a slight smile pulling at her lips.

I can't help but chuckle. "Oh, God. I think Beth was stuck there for ten minutes."

Caitlin laughs, the sound light, almost nostalgic. For a brief moment, it's like old times, before everything had gotten so complicated.

As wefinished the last challenge, we found ourselves sitting on a bench, resting after the long day. There was a pause in the conversation, a comfortable silence that had been absent for so long.

Caitlin hesitates, glancing at me. "You've...changed."

I tense but don't respond immediately. "I had to,"I finally say, the weight of my words settling between us.

Caitlin looks down at her hands, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "I just want you to know...I really am sorry. For everything."

I sigh, leaning back against the bench, staring up at the sky, having heard her appologise many times now. "It's not that easy, Caitlin."

"I know. I just...I want to make it right."

My heart aches at the sincerity in Caitlin's voice. I want to believe her, but the hurt still clings to my tightly because I've always been like a wound that refuses to fully heal.

"I'm not ready to talk about that yet," I say quietly, turning to face Caitlin. "But...thanks for today."

Caitlin nods, accepting the small step, however tentative. "We're good as teammates, right?"

I offer a faint smile. "Yeah, we're good as teammates."

As we stand up to head back to the facility, the weight of our shared history still hung between us, but for the first time in a long while, it didn't feel so suffocating. There was a sliver of hope.

That evening, I say sat alone in the apartment, the quiet of the home heavy with my thoughts. I replayed the day's events in my mind, the small moments of connection with Caitlin. It wasn't much, but it was something. I hoped it was a sign of things slowly starting to mend.

As I prepared for bed, my phone buzzed with a message from Ona, checking in on me. I smiled faintly at the text. The support from her was a comfort, a reminder that I wasn't alone in this journey.

With a deep breath, I lay down, closing my eyes and letting the exhaustion of the day wash over me. I knew it would take time to rebuild the trust and connection with Caitlin, but for now, I felt a small, tentative step forward had been taken.