Chapter 8

Sienna stepped into Carver-Hawkeye Arena, immediately taken aback by the electric atmosphere. The arena was packed, every seat occupied by fans who had traveled from across the country just to witness Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement. Banners hung high, and the roar of the crowd was deafening. She had covered major sporting events before, but nothing like this.

Jodi had assigned her another article on Caitlin Clark, but this time, the focus was on her Iowa jersey retirement. Sienna wasn’t thrilled at first-another piece about Caitlin?-but as she stood there, absorbing the sheer devotion of the fans, she realized why. Caitlin wasn’t just a basketball player. She was an icon. A phenomenon. An inspiration.

She took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around her notepad. The energy in the arena was contagious. Fans of all ages wore black and gold, some holding signs that read “Thank You, Caitlin!” and “GOAT Forever!” Others sported jerseys with her number 22, chanting her name like a battle cry.

“This is insane,” she muttered, shaking her head in awe.

Meanwhile, near the locker rooms, Caitlin Clark stood by herself, adjusting the sleeve of her black Nike jacket. She could hear the noise from the crowd, feel the weight of the night pressing on her chest. This place had been her home. Her sanctuary. And tonight, she was saying goodbye to it in a way she never imagined.

“Caitlin!”

She turned around, and a massive smile broke across her face.

Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall stood there, grinning at her.

“No way,” Caitlin breathed, stepping forward as they both enveloped her in a hug.

“You didn’t think we’d miss this, did you?” Kate teased, squeezing Caitlin tighter.

Gabbie laughed. “We couldn’t let you have all the attention without us.”

Caitlin shook her head, unable to stop smiling. “Man, I’ve missed you guys.”

The night continued with speeches from former teammates, Iowa staff, and Coach Lisa Bluder, who took the stage last. The crowd quieted as she stepped up to the podium.

Lisa’s voice was warm yet emotional as she spoke about Caitlin’s journey. About the late-night practices, the impossible shots, the leadership, and the fire she played with.

“There’s never been a player like Caitlin Clark,” Lisa said, pausing as the crowd erupted in cheers. Caitlin swallowed hard, willing her tears to stay put. “She didn’t just change this program-she changed the game. She changed women’s basketball.”

The arena filled with a standing ovation, and Caitlin couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears slipped down her cheeks. She wiped at them quickly, but Anne Clark, her mother, pulled her into a hug, whispering how proud she was. Her dad squeezed her shoulder, and even her brothers, Blake and Colin, looked emotional.

Then, there was Connor. He wrapped an arm around Caitlin’s shoulders, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Proud of you, babe,” he murmured.

Meanwhile, Sienna sat in the press section, watching everything unfold. She took in the way Caitlin’s family held her, the way her former teammates looked at her with admiration. And then her gaze landed on the mystery guy beside Caitlin.

Her chest tightened unexpectedly. Is that Caitlin’s boyfriend? How come I’ve never seen him before?, but she quickly shook it off, blaming it on journalistic curiosity.

Then, it was Caitlin’s turn to speak.

Caitlin stepped up to the microphone. The crowd erupted into cheers so loud that the entire arena shook.

Sienna was prepared to take notes, but as Caitlin began speaking, she found herself unable to look away.

“This place…” Caitlin began, her voice thick with emotion. “This place was my home for almost five years. I won championships here. I lost games here. I grew here. But more than anything, I found family here.”

Her words resonated through the arena. Sienna couldn’t deny it-Caitlin had an undeniable presence. She owned the room, commanded attention effortlessly.

And under the bright arena lights, Sienna couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she looked. The black Nike jacket, the blue jeans , the white sneakers-it was simple, yet on Caitlin, it was stunning.

And God, she looked good in black.

Sienna’s breath hitched in her throat. She quickly looked away, willing herself to stay professional. trying to regain focus. Get it together, Callaway.

After the speech, she decided to leave early to prepare for the post-ceremony press conference. A few minutes later, Caitlin walked in, taking her seat in front of the microphones.

But as she scanned the room of unfamiliar faces, her hazel eyes landed on someone she never expected to see.

Her breath hitched.

Sienna Callaway.

She was here. Here, in Iowa. In Caitlin’s world.

A smile spread across Caitlin’s face-one so big that a few reporters even took note of it.

Sienna, noticing feeling a lingering stare, met Caitlin’s gaze. Her emerald green eyes widened slightly. Caitlin smirked at her reaction before turning back to answer a question.

When it was finally her Sienna’s turn, she straightened in her seat. “So, Ms. Clark, how did you feel seeing your jersey being hung up on the rafters? What were your exact emotions?”
Caitlin smiled. “I felt a lot of emotions, honestly. This place has been my home for almost five years. I spent so much time winning championships, pushing myself beyond my limits, and creating lifelong friendships. This is where I found my second family. So yeah, I was happy but also sad. Happy that my legacy will live forever, but sad that it’s officially over.”

There was something so genuine about the way she spoke that Sienna couldn’t help but smile, too. She thanked Caitlin for her answer and sat back, watching the rest of the interview unfold.

When it was over, Sienna packed her things and made her way to her car. She was halfway there when she heard her name.

“Sienna, wait!”

She turned, eyebrows raised as Caitlin jogged up to her, hands shoved into her jacket pockets.
Caitlin stopped right in front of her, hands stuffed in her pockets. Her eyes flickered over Sienna’s outfit-a purple blouse tucked into a black pencil skirt, paired with white heels.

God, she looked good.

“Now who’s doing the stalking, Sunshine?” Caitlin teased, a smirk tugging at her lips.

Sienna rolled her eyes. “In your dreams, Clark. I was just here for work.”

Caitlin’s grin widened. “Oh, baby, you are in my dreams.” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “Every night.”

Sienna’s face heated up. “Whatever, Clark.” She turned, opening her car door. “Congratulations on your jersey retirement. It was fun to watch.”

Caitlin hesitated. She didn’t want Sienna to leave-not yet.

Without thinking, she reached out, holding the car door open.

“Wait, Sunshine,” Caitlin blurted out. “My friends and I are going out tonight, and I’d like for you to join us. You could meet them. Just as friends-No pressure.” Caitlin hesitated before adding, “You have a boyfriend, and I have a boyfriend, so we’re even. Just friends. I promise.”

Sienna studied her for a moment before sighing. “Fine. Pass me your phone.”

Caitlin quickly pulled out her phone, handing it over. Sienna typed in her number and returned it without a word.

“Text me the address,” she said, Without another word, she smiled softly and got into her car.

As she drove off, Caitlin stood there grinning like an idiot.

When she turned around, she was met with Kate, Jada, and Gabbie-all smirking.

“Oh, we’re so talking about this,” Kate teased.

“Oh, shut up,” Caitlin groaned.

Jada laughed. “Oh, we’re saying everything, Cait.”

Caitlin sighed. She was never going to hear the end of this.

Authors Note :

Hi guys I hope y’all are doing well…. My mind is officially a disaster…. someone call a therapist pleaseeee…. Anyways idk if anybody is reading this book….I might just discontinue it….the pictures above are my favourite Caitlin Clark photos, they’re so Majestic…. Caitlin in Black is 😫…. Don’t be ghost readers, Please vote and Comment.

XoXo V 💜💜💜