𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒.

eighteen.

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chapter 18: Taking back the narrative.

3 months later...

"Stevie! Stevie what can you say about the people calling you gay?"

"Stevie is it true that you had an affair with Caitlin Clark?"

"Stevie! was your relationship with Louis real? or was it a cover up for your sexuality??"

Stevie Santana ignored all the shouting from the bloodsucking paparazzis and headed inside the building to her recording studio

Even 3 months later since the article's came out and 4 months since Caitlin broke up with her, the singer was still being plagued with reminders of the basketball player and their short-lived relationship

The whole month in between Caitlin breaking up with her and when the tabloids flooded the media was the probably the worst month in Stevie's life— she was unable to eat, sleep, and perform properly because all she wanted was to cry under her covers or crawl back inside Caitlin's arms despite how the player treated her

It was a nightmare for the singer to do interviews and smile for the cameras all the while nursing a broken heart behind closed doors but she had no choice— There were so many people counting on Stevie Santana to keep going and be the pop rock icon that she was

The only people who knew about what she was actually going through were Don, Conan, and Louis.

As much as Stevie wanted to avoid Louis because for some reason he was serving as a reminder of her tragic breakup with Caitlin, she couldn't really avoid the actor forever because they were working on collaborations together and beneath all the professional blanket that covered their relationship— they truly were genuine friends and one look at Stevie's face and Louis immediately knew that something bad has happened to the singer

But Stevie kept quiet

She kept quiet over everything, she never lashes out on social media or made indirect jabs towards Caitlin

The singer simply kept her pain to herself and continued on doing what she was supposed to be doing

The only thing Stevie stopped doing after their breakup was attend basketball games. She didn't expect some fans to notice her absence in Caitlin's games but they did but just like with everything else— Stevie ignored those comments and paid them no mind.

If this was what Caitlin wanted then Stevie would respect that no matter how much it broke her heart to do so

She was embarrassed to admit that even after a month later, she was still so in love with Caitlin Clark that she secretly still kept up with her games and interviews

Stevie wanted to see how the girl was doing and if there were any chances that maybe she was going through the same pain Stevie was but the singer knew better than that because she knew that even if Caitlin was reeling over their relationship as well, she would never allow the media to see that on her.

Stevie could perfectly recall where she was and what she was doing when news about the articles spreading all over the media came out— the singer was in the middle of tour rehearsals when her manager suddenly bulldozed her way into the arena and pulled the singer shoving her phone right in front of her face