she, caitlin clark

50. waitin' down the hall from me

CHAPTER FIFTY.
narrative and instagram

march 23, 2023: seattle, washington

"Baby," I hear someone say gently, shaking me awake. I don't know how long I slept. Monika is now in the room too and I only know that because I can hear Hozier playing in the bathroom.

I hum softly, lifting my head. I look up at Caitlin, "How're you feeling?" she asks.

I only notice now that my headache has subsided, "Better," I tell her, sitting up. She keeps her hand on my back.

"You wanna go to dinner with the team?" she asks and I nod. The two of us start getting ready. The only thing I really do is trade my sweats in for a pair of leggings and brush my hair out.

I'm not even that hungry, but I love the girls and I want to spend time with them. I probably would've gone if I still didn't feel well.

"How are you still so beautiful even when you're sick?" Cait asks as she wraps her arms around my waist.

"I'm not sick," I mumble, wrapping my arms around her neck.

She chuckles softly, running her hand up and down my back, "God, I love you when you're like this."

I smack her gently, "You're so mean," I tell her, fake pouting.

"Whatever," she says with a smile, pressing a kiss to my head then my temple and then my cheek. Though she's done it plenty of times, I still find myself blushing.

Caitlin pulls away, keeping her hand on my back as Monika comes out of the bathroom, slipping her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, "Hey, sleepyhead," she says with a small smile, "Your headache gone?"

I nod in response, ready to get going so we can come back to the hotel as soon as possible, "That nap saved me and so did the Ibuprofen."

Caitlin smiles and her eyes lock with mine when I glance at her. I grab my own phone to check the time. It's almost 5:15, I'm not sure what time everyone was planning on leaving. Caitlin rubs my back gently, "You guys ready to go? Kate and Jada found a restaurant not too far from the hotel, so we're going to walk," Caitlin says. I'm sure Monika knew we were walking, so she was informing me.

Monika and I nod our heads and the three of us start for the door of our room. Cait's hand wraps around mine and I couldn't help but smile up at her, "I love you." I whisper.

She shakes her head, "Not as much as I love you."

"I am not third wheeling right now you two," Monika says as we close the door behind us.

I raise my free hand in fake surrender, "Yes, ma'am," I joke and I see Monika roll her eyes as she presses the buttons for the elevator.

Mon's phone goes off when we get out of the elevator, on our way out of the lobby, "Kate, Sydney, and Jada are already there," she informs. Caitlin and I both nod, knowing to drop the other's hand when we get outside, but we walk close together, our shoulders brushing from time to time.

"Can we go on another roadtrip soon?" I ask, looking up at Cait and her face lights up.

"Of course we can, my love," she says this and my heart flutters. My love. I'm hers, fully hers.

I smile, "Okay, I know Paige wanted us to go to Connecticut," I say. I met Paige during my freshman year because of Caitlin and we had been friends ever since. We weren't super close or anything, but we talked whenever we saw each other.

We made it to the restaurant rather quickly, but it was close to the hotel. Caitlin nods as she steps into the restaurant in front of me, Monika holding the door for us, "It'll have to wait until the semester is over, but I think we should."

I nod, smiling when we find the table where Kate, Sydney, McKenna, and Jada are already sitting, "Hi, guys," Jada says with a smile. We say our hellos as the three of us sit down. Caitlin is to my left, McKenna on my right. I feel Caitlin press her hand to my kneecap discreetly.

Soon enough a waiter comes by and takes our drink order. When they bring the drinks, Caitlin ties the paper of her straw wrapper around my finger. After ordering food, I tie mine around her finger too. Paper rings.

I order pasta, a dish on the smaller side. I wasn't super hungry, I really just came to see the girls since I left practice early. Not all the girls came either, but it was okay.

I only ate a little bit of the food once it came out, receiving some looks of concern from my girlfriend and Kate, but I always just said I wasn't hungry.

lilyssecretspot

liked by linnygrant and others
lilyssecretspot, jada taking a picture of her food and then the paper rings caitlin and i made :))
tagged, jadag  notcaitlinclark22

view comments. . .

linnygrant, this is cute

jadag, gotta get the aesthetic 💪🏾
comment liked by lilyssecretspot

monc25, the paper rings >>>
comment liked by lilyssecretspot

taylorclarkgrant, moms!!
— notcaitlinclark22, hi daughter!

notcaitlinclark22, i love you more than anything 🤍
— lilyssecretspot, i love you!! 🤍

meanarina, so so so cute🥰

authors note
i like shiny things but i'd marry
you with paper ringsssss