overtime | clark & martin

sixty-five.

The Olympic break was finally here. They were flying out to Turkey for the opening ceremony. Jessica was excited to be coming back to Turkey where her basketball dream had been revived and it seemed poetic that it would be where she'd announce the end.

As they were boarding the plane, Jessica tapped Caitlin on the shoulder and she looked over at her.

"Who are you sitting with?" Jessica asks.

"Angel," Caitlin responds, "And let me guess, you're sitting with Paige?"

Jessica had not intended to sit with Paige. In fact, her plane had been to sit with Caitlin, but apparently, that was not her plan anymore.

"What's up with you and Angel?" Jessica asks casually but she gets the feeling that it sounds less casual and maybe slightly jealous and insane.

Caitlin shrugs, "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Jessica asks.

"Nothing," Caitlin responds with a smile before walking off to sit beside Angel.

Jessica watches her and decides to be calm. She walks over to Paige and falls into the seat beside her. Paige looks at Jessica with a frown and Jessica knows she's about to tell her to move so Azzi can sit there, but Azzi isn't sitting there. It's Jessica's seat now and Caitlin was to blame.

"Is there a reason you're sitting here?" Paige asks.

"I'm ten seconds from losing my shit," Jessica says as she looks at Paige.

"For what?" Paige asks, "It's the Olympics! We're supposed to be happy! We're getting a gold medal out of this."

"Caitlin is pissing me off," Jessica responds as she leans her head against the seat.

"What is she doing?" Paige asks, "Spending time with Angel?"

"Yes!" Jessica says, "She and Angel can play together in four more years. This is my last Olympics! You'd think she'd at least want to sit beside each other on a plane."

Paige laughs and shakes her head, "Jessica, you are the funniest person I know."

"Normally I'd enjoy hearing that, but not in this context," Jessica states as she looks at the blonde.

"You're jealous. And your jealousy is funny. Usually, you assert yourself when you want something and yet whenever it comes to Caitlin you don't. What is it about her that makes you so chicken shit?"

"How am I chicken shit?" Jessica asks.

"Because if you want to sit with Caitlin, tell her you want to sit with her. Don't just sit around expecting her to know what you want," Paige states.

"Okay but what's the deal with Angel and Caitlin?"

"Did you ask?" Paige asks.

"Yes," Jessica answers, "And I was told that it was 'nothing' but I'm not insane because there's no fucking way that Angel and Caitlin have just spontaneously become besties. And why does no one know if she's engaged or not! She's a celebrity!"

"Jessica," Paige says as she reaches out and grabs her shoulders, "None of that matters. Caitlin does not want Angel. Caitlin wants you. You, however, are stupid. Stop being difficult and just tell her you want her."

Jessica sighs frustrated, rubbing her temples as if that would somehow calm the swirl of emotions brewing inside her.

"I know, I know," Jessica mutters, staring out the plane window, "I just... I don't know how to say it without sounding needy."