offsides | c. clark

seven.

"Okay so we've had our intentional public appearances," Alex says into the phone, pacing her apartment. She tugs open the fridge, grabs a protein drink, and cracks it open. "Now we need to have our accidental one where we're caught together."

"Meaning?" Caitlin's voice hums through the speaker, curious but clearly distracted.

Alex rolls her eyes, already knowing Caitlin's probably half-listening, probably doing something else entirely. "Meaning," she says, emphasizing the word, "You and I will both be in New York – well, technically I'll be in New Jersey for my match, but it's close enough. You have your game against the Liberty, right?"

"Yeah..." Caitlin trails off, clearly waiting for more.

"So I'll come to your game," Alex continues, her words crisp with the kind of confidence she uses when she's thought through every angle. "After you play the Liberty, you'll need to head up to Connecticut, but we'll be seen photographed together leaving my hotel and going to dinner."

Caitlin lets out a short laugh, "And how is that different from any of the other times we've been seen together? We've already had a bunch of photos taken at games, and even that night we got ice cream."

"Because we're moving from 'best friends' territory into romantic territory," Alex explains, leaning against the counter now, the phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. "We've done things that friends do—like go to each other's games, hang out at bars, get ice cream—but this? This is a shift. We'll be seen at a fancy restaurant. A place that screams 'date night.' That's what people are waiting for."

There's a pause on the other end, and Alex can almost hear Caitlin smiling before she responds, "You know, you've thought through this a lot."

Alex feels her face flush, "Because I'm curating a narrative," she says, brushing off Caitlin's teasing with a huff. "And I know you like to wing things. This is not something you wing."

Caitlin's laugh comes through, warm and familiar, "You're making art right now."

Alex bites her lip, the slight embarrassment still there, but she shoots back with, "No, I'm saving you. So, pack something nice for New York."

Caitlin hums again. "Okay, okay. I'll pack something decent. Just for you."

"You should be grateful," Alex shoots back, smiling as she straightens up and takes another sip of her drink. "This is me helping you out of your PR nightmare. Plus, you need me to keep things from spiraling."

"Oh, do I?" Caitlin teases and Alex can practically see her smirk through the phone.

"Yeah, you do," Alex insists, but there's no bite behind the words. She softens a little as she asks, "So... how are you doing? With everything?"

"I'm good," Caitlin replies, her voice dropping a little, the playfulness from before still there but now mixed with something softer, "I miss you."

Alex rolls her eyes, though there's a smile tugging at her lips, "Shut up," she mutters, laughing despite herself.

"No, really," Caitlin presses and Alex can hear the sincerity slipping through, something unspoken beneath the surface, "I do."

"Stop being sappy, Caitlin Elizabeth. It's weird," Alex's voice is lighter now, a little softer, as she glances down at her feet, feeling the weight of those words more than she'd like to admit.

"Okay, fine," Caitlin laughs again, "I'll see you in New York."

"Yeah," Alex says, leaning back against the counter, "See you in New York."

As the call ends, Alex stands there for a moment, before she places her phone on the counter and finishes off her protein drink. Alex's phone buzzes on the counter and she expects a text from Caitlin but she's surprised to see that it's from someone else.