𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝘈 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘈 𝘞𝘪𝘯

The roar of celebration echoed through the restaurant as the Arsenal team celebrated our latest victory. Laughter and cheers filled the air, accompanied by the clinking of glasses and the buzz of excited conversation. I sat at the edge of the group, a small smile on my face as I watched my teammates back in the glow of the win.

But despite the joy around me, I felt distant-like an outsider watching through a foggy window. It wasn't that I didn't want to celebrate; it just felt... too much. The noise, the energy, the overwhelming presence of so many people. Ever since my father's death, my emotions had been stretched thin, and tonight, I found myself craving space.

As Beth made another joke, sending the group into another fit of laughter, I discreetly slipped away from the table, my body moving toward the exit without a second thought. I needed air.

Outside, the cool night breeze kissed my skin, bringing a sense of relief. I wrapped my arms around herself, exhaling a shaky breath as I leaned against the wall of the restaurant. The stars above were faint, but their distant glow brought a strange sense of calm.

"Mind some company?" a familiar voice asks softly.
I turn to see Caitlin standing a few feet away, hands tucked into her pockets. There's no judgment in her eyes, just quiet understanding. "I saw you sneak out," Caitlin ads, stepping closer. "Thought you might need a break from all that."

I offer a small smile, but it doesn't quite reach my eyes. "Yeah. Just needed a bit of space, you know?"

Caitlin nods. glancing back at the lively restaurant. "It gets a bit overwhelming sometimes. Want to get out of here? I know a quieter spot."

For a moment, I hesitate, but then, something in Caitlin's eyes made me relax. The offer was simple, not pushy, and I found myself nodding. "Yeah. I'd like that."

We walk side by side through the quiet streets, the noise of the restaurant fading into the distance. Neither of us say much, and the silence feels comfortable, not awkward. Caitlin leads me to a small park just a few blocks away, a hidden gem with a few benches and a view of the city lights.

"I thought we could sit here for a bit," Caitlin says, gesturing to a bench near the edge of the park. "It's one of my favorite spots when I need to clear my head."

We settle down on the bench, and Caitlin pulls a small bottle of wine from her jacket pocket with a grin. "Don't worry, I came prepared."

I let out a soft laugh, the first genuine one I'd felt in a while. "Of course you did."

We share the wine, passing the bottle back and forth as the night stretched on. The city below twinkles with life, but up here, it's quiet-just the two of us and the stars overhead.

After a few moment of silence, I speak softly. "I miss this."

Caitlin glances at me, her expression gentle. "Miss what?"

"This," I repeat, motioning between us. "Before everything got... complicated. When we were just... friends."

Caitlin's quiet for a moment, her gaze fixed on the distant skyline. "Yeah. I miss it too."

There's a vulnerability in Caitlin's voice that catches me off guard. I turn to look at her, seeing the flicker of sadness in her eyes. Caitlin wasn't just talking about our friendship-she was talking about everything that had been lost between us. The weight of the unspoken words hung between us like a fragile thread.

"I didn't want things to get messed up," Caitlin admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I think... I think I made things harder than they needed to be. I'm sorry for that, Els."

I swallow, my throat tight. I wasn't ready to forgive Caitlin-not yet-but hearing her say those words brought a strange sense of relief. It was the first real acknowledgment of the mess we'd found themselves in.

"I don't blame you," I say, quietly. "We were both figuring things out. I just... I wish things could go back to how they were sometimes. When it was simple."

Caitlin's eyes soften. "Maybe we can't go back, but we can try to find something better. Something less... complicated."

I let out a shaky breath, the weight of my emotions threatening to spill over. I don't know if it's that easy-if I could really find our way back to something simpler. But in this moment, under the stars, with Caitlin sitting beside me, it feels possible.

Caitlin's hand brushes against mind on the bench, and for a brief second, I think about pulling away.

But I don't.

Instead, I let the warmth of Caitlin's touch anchor me to the moment. It isn't everything, but it's a start.

"I don't know if I'm ready yet," I admit, my voice trembling slightly. "But... I'm not saying no."

Caitlin nods, her expression understanding. "I'll wait as long as you need."

The sincerity in Caitlin's voice makes something in my chest tighten. I look up at the stars, the quiet night surrounding ya, and for the first time in a long time, I feel a flicker of hope. Maybe things couldn't go back to how they were, but maybe-just maybe- we could find something new. Something that wasn't weighed down by the past.

As the night wore on, we stayed there on the bench, sharing quiet conversation and passing the wine between us. It wasn't much, but it was enough for now.

When we eventually parted ways, it was with a silent understanding. Caitlin walked me back to her apartment, the weight of everything unsaid still hanging in the air. But this time, it didn't feel as heavy. It felt like we were moving toward something better, something lighter.

As I unlocked the door and stepped inside, I glanced back at Caitlin, who gave me a small smile before turning to leave.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe things would be okay.