𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙎𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙞𝙭. 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘬𝘺

Caitlin's POV

I lay flat on the rooftop of my London apartment, the cool air brushing against my damp skin. It had been a long day, another one of those sessions where every muscle ached and yet nothing felt quite right. We were nearing the end of the season, and I could feel the weight of it—on my body, my mind, and, worst of all, on my heart.

Elena's voice cracklea through my earphones, grounding me for the first time all day. She was still in London too, but not close enough. Never close enough.

"So, you sure you don't miss getting run ragged in training?" Elena's teasing voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back into the moment. I could hear the laughter on the other side of the call, soft and familiar.

I smirk, adjusting the camera so she can see the faint shimmer of stars above me. "Miss it? Nah, mate, I'm absolutely thriving over here. Haven't you heard? I'm practically coasting."

"Yeah, sure," she shoots back. "You and your coasting. Bet you haven't won a single sprint all week."

"I'll have you know I left everyone in the dust yesterday," I counter, trying to suppress a grin. "Not that you'd know, seeing as you're hiding out in the wrong part of London."

Elena's eyes narrow, and even through the screen, I could see the playful glint in them. "Hiding? Nah, just keeping out of your way so I don't embarrass you."

"You're so full of it," I say, laughing as I tilted my head back to stare at the stars. This had become our thing lately, sneaking up to the rooftops of our buildings and just... being together, under the same sky. Even though we were in the same city, the loan had made it harder to see each other. But this, this helped. Even when it didn't feel like enough.

Elena sighs dramatically, angling her phone up to give me a view of the sky above her. "These stars aren't half as nice as the ones I usually see but I'll take it."

"Maybe that's 'cause you've spent too much time cooped up in training," I tease. "You need to get out more. Fresh air does wonders."

"I'm getting plenty of air, thank you very much." She pauses, her voice softening just slightly. "But I do miss this. Us."

Her words hit me square in the chest, and for a moment, I couldn't think of a witty comeback. Instead, I just lay there, letting the quiet stretch between us. We were both still in the thick of the season, but it was winding down. Every day brought us closer to the end of the WSL, and to the next thing: the World Cup.

"You ever think about the World Cup?" Elena's voice breaks the silence, and I could hear the weight behind her words. "Like... what it's going to be like? Playing against each other?"

My throat tightens, but I force myself to answer casually. "Yeah, I've thought about it." I keep my voice light, but deep down, I know it's a conversation we can't avoid forever. "I don't know. It's weird, isn't it? Working so hard, then maybe having to be on opposite sides."

Elena hums softly. "I want us both to do well. But I also want to win." She let out a small laugh, but it's tinged with something more—uncertainty, maybe. Or is it fear?

"I know what you mean." I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck as I stare up at the stars again. "But no matter what happens... you know I'm proud of you, right?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, just long enough for me to wonder if I'd said too much. Then, softly, Elena speaks again. "I'm proud of you too. Even if you somehow manage to score against me."

I grin, relief washing over me. "Oh, 'if'? You mean when."

She laughs, that light, breathless sound that always seems to make everything feel a little less heavy. "You're so cocky, Foord."