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CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN. narrative and instagram
march 26, 2023: seattle, washington elite eight: iowa v. louisville climate pledge arena
The girls were in great spirits before the game, all hyped up and everything. There wasn't a nerve in sight, except for me. I was a ball of nerves, anxiety eating away at my insides, but that was just because I was a nervous person.
Before the girls left to go out to the court, I go into the locker room to talk to Caitlin. When I walk up to her, she immediately wraps me into a hug, kissing my head.
"You ready?" I ask, looking up at her.
She nods, "We've got this," Caitlin says confidently and it makes me smile.
"You're going to do great," I tell her, "Let's go to Dallas."
A smile breaks out on her lips, "I like the sound of that," she says, hugging me again. A soft chuckle escapes my lips when she does and I look up at her again. She gives me a quick kiss before they have to go, "Glad to have my good luck charm tonight," she tells me, making blush even though it's probably not true. She does amazing if I'm at the games or not.
The girls shoot around for a bit while we wait for the game to start. I mostly talk to Isaac and Raina (a little, she's too busy working out stuff with Bluder). Bluder goes over what they're going to do in the beginning before all of the players head to the middle of the court for the game.
Louisville wins the jump ball, Hailey missing the shot she takes right out of the gate. Louisville gets the rebound and Hailey makes her shot this time to put the game 2-0.
McKenna misses the three she shoots, Louisville getting the rebound. Hailey makes another shot when they get to the other end of the court. 4-0. They continue to make a few more shots too.
We get our first points of the game from Caitlin, three minutes in bringing the score to 8-2. When I told Caitlin that she's going to do great in the locker room, she took it and ran with it.
By the end of the game (that we won 97-83), she had 41 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds. That racked in her 11th career triple-double, while being the first person in NCAA Tournament history to record a 40-point triple-double. To say she was great would be an understatement.
After the game, everyone clapped hands with the other team (Hailey even gave me a hug which I wasn't expecting) before really celebrating the win on the court with everyone.
Caitlin wraps her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into her side as she kisses my head, "I told you, you were my good luck charm," she whispers, her lips close to my ear.
I look up at her. Caitlin has a smirk on her face and I can't help but smile at her. She looks like she wants to kiss me. I want her to. There's no point in hiding it right now, not when the news is fresh and everyone knows. I nod before she has a chance to ask.
