𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙀𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝘋𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘧𝘴 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴

Caitlin's POV

The room was quiet, almost too quiet. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone, mindlessly scrolling through photos and messages, but nothing was sticking. Every time I tried to distract myself, I just went right back to thinking about her.

Elena.

I couldn't stop replaying that kiss on the pitch after she scored the winning penalty. The way she sprinted toward me, her eyes locked on mine like nothing else mattered in that moment. When she threw her arms around me, and before I even had time to process it-her lips were on mine. It wasn't just the adrenaline; there was something deeper there, something I'd missed so badly.

I leaned back, pressing my palms into the bed, staring at the ceiling, as the warmth of that memory still lingered on my skin. It felt like everything we'd been through-every fight, every misunderstanding-just melted away in that one moment. And I knew we shouldn't have done it there, in front of everyone, but... I wouldn't take it back for the world.

I sighed, pulling a pillow into my lap. How did we get here? After everything-the breakup, the awkwardness, the distance-now we were here, back to where it started. A part of me wanted to believe this was our second chance, but I couldn't shake the fear that maybe it was too good to be true.

The door opened suddenly, and I didn't even have to look up to know who it was. Macca's footsteps were unmistakable, loud and confident, and right behind her, Alanna's softer tread.

"Alright, Cait," Macca grins, strolling in like she owns the place, a pillow tucked under her arm. "We need to talk."

I glance at her, confused for a second, until I see Alanna following close behind, carrying a pillow of her own. "What are you two doing?" I ask, a little laugh slipping out despite myself.

"Don't act like you're surprised." Alanna grins, making herself comfortable at the foot of my bed, leaning her pillow against the headboard. "You've been off ever since we got here. You know we're not letting you sit in here brooding all night."

"I'm not brooding," I mumble, crossing my arms over my chest, but the way Macca looks at me says otherwise.

She plops down beside me, making herself comfy. "Sure, Cait. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Now, talk. We know something's up."

I sigh heavily, knowing there's no way out of this conversation. "And what makes you think there's something to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," Macca says with a smirk, "Maybe the fact that you and Elena kissed on the pitch in front of a sold-out stadium."

I feel my face flush immediately, heat crawling up my neck. "Oh. That."

Macca lets out a dramatic laugh. "Yeah, 'that.' Come on, we're your friends-we deserve the details."

Alanna leans in, her eyes soft but curious. "You've been quiet since then, Cait. What's going on in that head of yours?"

I groan, rubbing a hand over my face. "You two are impossible."

"And yet, here we are," Macca grins, nudging me with her elbow. "So, spill."

I take a deep breath, dropping my hands into my lap. "Alright, fine. But you already know most of it."

"Doesn't matter," Alanna says gently, her eyes filled with understanding. "We want to hear it from you."

I glance between them both, their expectant faces making it clear they're not leaving until I talk. So, I start from the beginning. "Before we got together, I didn't even realize how much Elena meant to me. She was just... always there, you know? Steady, strong, confident. I didn't know how much I needed someone like her until I had her."

Macca nods, her expression softening. "Yeah, makes sense."

"But then things started getting complicated," I continue, my voice dropping a little. "We were both under so much pressure, and I... I didn't handle it well. I started pulling away, without even realizing it. When we broke up, I told myself it was for the best. That she deserved better."

I pause, the memory of that time still stinging a little, but I push through it. "But I never really got over her. No matter how hard I tried, she was always there. In the back of my mind, in everything I did... I couldn't stop thinking about her."

"And now?" Lans asks softly, her eyes searching mine. "Now that you're back together?"

I lean back, resting against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. "Now? Now I don't know. That kiss... it felt like everything just clicked again. But I'm scared. I'm scared I'll mess it up again, that I'll hurt her. I don't want to go through that again, and I don't want to put her through it either."

Macca, surprisingly serious, reaches out to squeeze my hand. "You're not gonna mess it up, Caitlin. You're not the same person you were then. Neither of you are."

Alanna chimes in, her voice soft but firm. "You've both grown. You've been through the hard stuff, and you found your way back to each other. That means something."

I nod, but the fear still lingers. "But what if it's not enough?"

Alanna leans closer, giving me a soft smile. "It is enough. Trust me, Caitlin. Elena wouldn't have kissed you if she didn't believe that."

Macca grins again, this time with that teasing edge back in her tone. "And besides, from what I saw, that girl is head over heels for you. You've got nothing to worry about."

I laugh a little, shaking my head. "Yeah, well... she definitely caught me by surprise."

"Surprise or not, you've got this," Alanna says, her voice full of certainty. "You deserve to be happy, Cait. And so does she."

For a moment, none of us speak. We just sit there, the weight of the conversation settling around us. I feel lighter somehow, like talking about it has helped lift some of the uncertainty.

Macca finally breaks the silence, throwing herself back onto the bed. "Alright, enough deep stuff for one night. But seriously, Cait, don't overthink it. Just go with it."

I nod, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over me. "Thanks, guys."

Alanna gives me a gentle smile, fluffing her pillow before lying down beside Macca. "No worries. Now, move over-we're staying here tonight."I roll my eyes, but I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips as I make room for them on the bed.

As I layed there between two of my best friends, I couldn't stop thinking about Elena. About how everything felt different now, but maybe that was a good thing. Maybe this time, we could figure it out. Maybe this time, we could get it right.