Chapter 10

PAT‘s POV:

I didn’t understand.

Not at first.

After Kat left Raven University, I kept thinking about one thing.

Her question.

“Do you like Matthew Villanueva?”

The words kept replaying in my head.

And the more I thought about it…

The more it bothered me.

Not because she asked.

But because she asked about him.

—

Mathew Villanueva had only been in my life for a short time.

A few weeks.

Maybe a month.

He was someone I met because of basketball.

Someone I talked to because we trained in the same place.

Someone who became a friend.

That was it.

So why did Kat look at me like he was something more?

Like she was afraid of losing me?

Like I would suddenly forget everything we had?

—

“You’re distracted.”

I looked up.

My teammate was sitting beside me.

I frowned.

“I’m not.”

She laughed.

“You really need to stop saying that.”

I rolled my eyes.

But I knew she was right.

Because even during training…

My mind wasn’t on basketball.

It was on Kat.

On the way she looked at me.

On the way she asked that question.

—

I understood jealousy.

I had felt it too.

Every time someone made Kat laugh.

Every time someone tried to get close to her.

Every time someone saw the parts of her that I loved.

I knew that feeling.

But hearing it from Kat?

That was different.

Because if anyone should know…

It should be her.

She should know that no matter how many people I meet here…

No one could replace her.

—

My phone lit up.

A message.

**Kat: Did you eat?**

I stared at it.

A small smile appeared before I could stop it.

Of course.

Even after everything.

Even after making me overthink.

She was still Kat.

Still caring.

Still checking on me.

I typed.

**Pat: Yes.**

A few seconds later:

**Kat: Promise?**

I sighed.

She really never changed.

**Pat: Promise.**

—

But I couldn’t let it go.

Not this time.

So I called her.

She answered quickly.

“Pat?”

Her voice immediately softened something in me.

And that annoyed me.

Because I wanted to be mad.

I wanted to ask why she thought that.

Why she didn’t trust me.

But the moment I heard her…

I remembered.

This was Kat.

The person I never wanted to hurt.

“Can I ask you something?”

There was a pause.

“Sure.”

I took a breath.

“Why did you ask me if I liked Matthew Villanueva?”

Silence.

Long enough that I knew she understood.

“Pat…”

“Because I don’t get it.”

My voice became quieter.

“Why him?”

Another pause.

“He’s been around you for a month.”

I swallowed.

“Just a month, Kat.”

—

“I know.”

Her voice was small.

And suddenly, my anger started disappearing.

Because I knew that voice.

That was the voice she used when she was scared.

Not angry.

Not upset.

Scared.

“Then why?”

I asked.

This time softer.

—

“Because you’re different there.”

She finally said.

I stayed quiet.

“What?”

“You have a life there.”

She laughed sadly.

“Friends. Teammates. People who know you.”

My chest tightened.

“Kat…”

“And Matthew is one of those people.”

I didn’t know what to say.

Because she wasn’t accusing me.

She was admitting something.

A fear.

The same fear I had.

—

“You think I would replace you?”

I asked.

“No.”

Her answer was immediate.

Too immediate.

But then she whispered:

“I think you could.”

And that hurt.

More than I expected.

Because after everything…

How could she think that?

How could she not know?

—

“Kat.”

“Yeah?”

“You know how long I’ve known him?”

She stayed quiet.

“Not even close to how long I’ve known you.”

I looked out my window.

At the Raven campus lights.

A place that was supposed to become my new home.

“But you?”

I smiled sadly.

“You’ve been there my whole life.”

—

She didn’t say anything.

Neither did I.

For a moment, we just stayed on the call.

Like we used to.

Two people too afraid to say what mattered.

Finally, she whispered:

“I just got scared.”

I closed my eyes.

Because that was the truth.

Not jealousy.

Not anger.

Fear.

The same thing that stopped me from confessing.

—

“Kat?”

“Hm?”

“I don’t like him.”

A quiet breath.

“I mean…”

I corrected myself.

“Not like that.”

Silence.

Then:

“Okay.”

But I could hear the relief.

And it made my heart hurt.

Because why was she relieved?

Why did she care so much?

Unless…

—

“Can I ask you something too?”

Her voice was nervous.

“What?”

She hesitated.

Then:

“Why did it bother you that I asked?”

My heart stopped.

Because she turned the question back to me.

And suddenly…

I had no answer.

Because the truth was too obvious.

It bothered me because I wanted her to know.

I wanted her to understand.

I wanted her to realize that the only person I ever looked at that way…

Was her.

But I still couldn’t say it.

Not yet.

So I whispered:

“Because you should know me better than anyone.”

And that was the closest I could get.

—

After the call ended, I sat there.

Thinking about Kat.

Thinking about Matthew Villanueva.

Thinking about everything we were too afraid to say.

Maybe the problem was never distance.

Maybe it wasn’t other people.

Maybe it was the fact that two people who loved each other…

Were still waiting for the other one to admit it first.