Chapter 19

“Even silence feels loud when the truth hides behind it.”

The apartment was still. A warm glow from the TV flickered across Caitlin’s face, casting soft shadows along the curve of her cheekbones. Her legs were curled beneath her, and she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone, not really seeing anything. Her thumb swiped, paused, swiped again. Her body was relaxed, but her mind-her mind was restless. There was a weight in her chest she hadn’t been able to shake for days, since she hadn’t spoken to Sienna for days now.

Then-
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Three sharp knocks. They split the silence like a crack of thunder.

Caitlin blinked. Her brows furrowed, and she lowered her phone onto the cushion beside her, the screen going dark. 11PM. Who would be knocking at this hour?

She stood slowly, her socks padding softly against the hardwood as she crossed the room. Her heart had already picked up its pace, thudding like a quiet drum in her ribcage, quickening with every step closer to the door. She reached for the handle, hesitating for half a second, her palm hovering over the cold metal. And then she pulled it open.

Her breath caught.

Emerald green eyes.

She hadn’t realized how much she missed them until they were staring back at her-wide and unsure and glistening under the soft hallway light. And there she was, standing in front of her, just like Caitlin had imagined too many nights to count. Sienna Callaway. Disheveled in a hoodie two sizes too big and jeans that looked like she’d thrown them on without a second thought. She was fidgeting, wringing her hands together like she couldn’t quite believe she was there either.

“Hi, Cait…” Sienna whispered, her voice barely audible, trembling like a leaf in a storm. “Um… sorry to just show up unexpected like this. Can we… Can we talk? It’s important.”

Caitlin could only nod. Her throat felt too tight to form words, and her heart had started pounding against her ribs now. She stepped aside silently, letting Sienna enter.

The door closed with a soft click behind them. The tension in the air was thick-almost suffocating. Sienna stood awkwardly in the middle of Caitlin’s living room, arms crossed over her chest now like she was trying to protect herself from something invisible and looming.

They sat on the couch, two feet apart. The gap between them might as well have been an ocean.

Caitlin opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Sienna’s voice cracked through the quiet.

“Why did you break up with Connor, Cait?”

Caitlin blinked, startled by the suddenness of the question, by the sharpness of Sienna’s voice that carried both pain and urgency.

Sienna continued, breathless and shaky. “Now my boss wants me to write an article about your breakup with him, and I don’t wanna do it, Cait. So answer me. Why did you break up with your boyfriend?”

There was a long pause. Caitlin turned her head to look at her-really look. At the dark circles under Sienna’s eyes, the tension in her jaw, the way her fingers trembled as they clutched the hem of her hoodie.

“I lost feelings for him,” Caitlin finally said, her voice soft but steady. “And I was tired of lying to myself… about liking women. The breakup was mutual.”

Sienna’s eyes searched hers-digging for something deeper, something she knew Caitlin wasn’t saying. She shook her head slowly, biting her lower lip. “That’s not all of it. You’re hiding something.”

Caitlin said nothing.

And then the spiral began.

Sienna’s words started to tumble out faster, messier, tears threatening to spill. “I don’t want to write the article, Caitlin. I don’t want you to hate me. What if I do it and you never speak to me again? What if this ruins everything? I didn’t ask for this, and I know you didn’t either, but now I’m stuck, and it feels like I’m being forced to choose between my job and… and you. And I can’t breathe, Caitlin, I-“

“Hey… hey,” Caitlin murmured, reaching out, her fingers brushing against Sienna’s hand and leaned her forehead against Sienna’s. “Sunshine…”

Sienna froze.

“Breathe,” Caitlin said gently. “Just breathe, okay?”

Sienna’s chest rose and fell in quick, panicked heaves. Caitlin’s thumb grazed over the back of her hand in slow circles, grounding her, steadying her like an anchor in a sea of thoughts.

“I’d never hate you,” Caitlin whispered. “Even if you wrote an article about me, or my breakup, or even my goddamn diary, I still wouldn’t hate you.”

Sienna swallowed hard, blinking rapidly.

“I could never hate you, Sienna Callaway. Never.”

The silence between them returned-but this time, it felt warmer. Softer. Like a blanket draped over something fragile.

“Write the article, Sunshine,” Caitlin said, voice calm and low. “If you have to. It won’t change how I feel about you.”

Sienna looked at her, eyes glassy but no longer wild. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something-like there was a confession sitting on the tip of her tongue-but she just nodded slowly instead.

And for now… that was enough.

But the weight of unsaid things still hung in the room, invisible but undeniable.

Authors Note :

Hi guys short chapter because I don’t know what to write, but I tried writing this confrontation and idk if I like it, I would’ve wrote it better but I’m too tired , I’ve been studying nonstop and it’s tiring…. Anyways 2 more chapters maybe till the plot thickens, Enjoy this chapter loves and excuse all grammatical errors.

(P.s. Also Lexie Hullll is Engaged I’m so happy for my second favourite Fever Player 🥹🫶)

XoXo V 💜💜💜