CHAPTER ONE

824 52 25

by saphfix

by saphfix

Kate
June 14th, 2024

"C'mon, Rook, hurry up!" Syd shouts through my hotel room door, banging on it for the millionth time.

"I said I'm coming!" I shout back, zipping up my suitcase, and rushing to the door.

"You are not as punctual as I thought you'd be." Syd says as soon as I open the door. She makes a weird face before pointing at my hoodie. "What the fuck is that?"

"It's my hoodie." I reply, brushing past her. "And it's literally fifteen minutes before we're supposed to leave, so why am I being rushed?"

"Whoever bought you had to have been praying for your downfall." She laughs, following behind me.

I frown, looking down at it. "My girlfriend bought it for me."

"Ex-girlfriend, you mean?" Syd jokes. I hate how she is incapable of taking anything serious. I keep walking, feeling her trailing closer behind. "About that, have you tried to explain to her what happened again?" She asks.

I sigh, stopping in my tracks. "What do you take me as, an idiot?"

Syd stops in her tracks as well. "I mean, you did keep the number."

"Oh my God, I didn't—"

She raises one of her eyebrows, pointing at me accusingly. "Wasn't it in your pocket though?"

"No! Well yes, but not—" I groan, tired of having to explain this situation any more times. "You know I didn't want that girl's number; I turned her down a million times. I told her I had a girlfriend, who I love, and to leave me the hell alone. She took it upon herself to go and sneak that shit into my pocket!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. You know I'm just yanking your chain." Syd apologizes. "So I take it she hasn't talked to you, then?"

"No." I sigh. "And it's not looking like she's going to."

Syd pats me on the shoulder, offering me a sympathetic smile. "Never say never."

I furrow my eyebrows. "I didn't say never?"

"Well, I've seen the countless crazy thirst edits about you on Instagram and TikTok, so just go find another girl!" Syd says before she continues walking, leaving me to be the one playing catchup.

We get on the bus, ready to head to the airport to go back home. The place I've been dreading going. I hate going back to the apartment. Every time I do, I expect to come home and see Violetta there, waiting for me. Instead, I'm met with a dark, uninhabited space, reminding me of everything I've lost.

I miss her more than anything, but she's gone. It's not like I haven't been trying to get her back, as I've done everything under the sun and moon, but it wasn't enough. She's gone, and all because of a stupid misunderstanding.

Whenever I'm reminded of that night, I wonder where I went wrong. Why didn't she believe me? How could she not believe me? What have I ever done to make her feel as if she couldn't trust me?

It doesn't help that I just found out about how she resigned from the manager position, leaving everyone texting me and asking why she would do that. It wasn't very easy explaining to them that I didn't even know, as she had dumped me almost an entire month ago. I may have left that part out though. I'm still in denial.

It still doesn't feel real. It still doesn't make sense that Violetta is gone. This is not how it should be. Nothing is how it should be.

My transition into the W has also managed to bring a ton of surprising and out of the ordinary attention. The women won't stop coming onto me and shooting their shot. I wish I could say I feel flattered, but instead, I feel upset. I don't want any of them.

I want my girlfriend back.

・❥・

Violetta
June 15th, 2024

C-Squared
Did you see Kate's pregame fit?
She's wearing that ugly ass hoodie you
got her.

Lettie
No, why would I?
And I'm tired of the hoodie hate.
It was a heartfelt gift, and she loved it.

C-Squared
Oh stop lying Lettie, I KNOW you stalk her.
Also...heartfelt? More like hideous.

Lettie
Stop being rude.

C-Squared
Have you talked to her yet?

Lettie
No, you know that already.

C-Squared
Whatever, just make sure you watch my game
today, since I KNOW you TOTALLY won't be
watching hers...
(That was sarcasm by the way, if you couldn't tell)

Lettie
If y'all don't win AGAIN, and I end up wasting
my time AGAIN, I'll kill you.
(That was serious, if you couldn't tell)

C-Squared
Trust, I'm gonna show your city who's daddy
today AND tomorrow 😈
#ChiTownGoingDown

I thumbs down her last message; the text is not deserving of an answer.

Caitlin has been nonstop riding for Kate ever since the whole thing happened. She feels I may have jumped the gun, but she just doesn't get it. I can't lie and say I haven't thought about it—texting Kate, that is—but I'm afraid I'll just end up making a fool out of myself.

Maybe I didn't give her enough time to explain. Maybe I should've heard her out more. Maybe I should've responded to the texts.

I don't know. In that moment in time, it was like all logic had flown out the window. It felt as if I was in the situation with AJ all over again, and I couldn't let it happen. I refused to give her the chance to break my heart.

So I guess you could say that I broke my own heart myself.

It doesn't help that suddenly the entire female population has taken a liking to Kate, leaving the speculation about her relationship status to start. Just as I open TikTok, an edit of her pops up. I stupidly open the comment section, as I always do, but this time I'm immediately regretting my decision.

WbbLuvr10
Does anybody know if she's single?
   — KateMartinsGf
   I'm pretty sure she is...
   — Goat22CC
No, isn't she dating that manager girl? Yk, the one she
was making out with the whole draft night in front of
everybody...
   — User168843280
Word on the street is that she cheated on her 👀
   — KateMartinsGf
What!? Kate!? A cheater!? No way, I don't believe you...
   — WbbLuvr10
She would never! Look at those puppy dog eyes! 🥹
   — User168843280
Idk...that's what I heard! They also haven't posted each
other in a while. It's always the ones you least expect.
Never trust blondes!

My eyes nearly drop out of my head when I keep reading the thread, seeing that Kate had commented back to someone in it.

— KateMartin03
I'm single lol.

I stare at the comment in disbelief for a while before I screenshot, immediately sending it to Caitlin.

Lettie
Attachment: 1 image
???

C-Squared
Omg!?!?
Wait?
Why are we surprised?
SHE IS SINGLE! YOU DUMPED HER!

Lettie
Caitlin, that's besides the point!
I didn't go and say it, especially not to a
bunch of thirsties on the damn internet!
I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T TOLD ANYONE AT ALL.

C-Squared
Wtf do you mean you haven't told
anyone at all...

Lettie
The only people I told were you and Kayla.

C-Squared
You didn't tell the team? Your family?

Lettie
No.

C-Squared
Oh Lettie...
You're so cooked.