Caitlin stood in front of her mirror, her fingers fumbling with the hem of her shirt. She had changed outfits three times already, and each time, she felt less confident than before. Tonight was Claire's birthday, and a part of her desperately wanted to be there to celebrate her friend. But another part, the part that had been avoiding pain for weeks, was screaming at her to stay home.

It had been two weeks since the breakup. Two weeks since the silence between her and Sam had grown louder and more suffocating with each passing day. The pain of their last conversation still hung over her like a dark cloud, and she wasn't sure if she could face Sam tonight without breaking.

Her phone buzzed on the dresser, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Kate.

Kate: You coming? Claire's asking about you.

Caitlin hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen. She had been second-guessing her decision to go to the party all day. Finally, she typed out a response.

Caitlin: I don't know, Kate. Maybe this isn't a good idea.

The reply came almost immediately.

Kate: Cait, Claire really wants you here. She talked to Sam, and she's cool with it. Besides, it won't be the same without you. Just come. You don't have to stay long if you don't want to.

Caitlin sighed, feeling the familiar tug of guilt. She didn't want to disappoint Claire. After all, Claire had become one of her closest friends since Sam introduced them, and now she was dating Kate, which made their bond even stronger. The idea of missing her birthday because of her own insecurities felt selfish. But the thought of seeing Sam, of potentially reopening wounds that hadn't even begun to heal, terrified her.

She looked back at her reflection, her mind made up, albeit reluctantly. Caitlin grabbed her jacket and keys before heading out the door. "I can do this," she muttered to herself. "It's just a party."

As she drove toward Claire and Sam's apartment, her heart pounded in her chest. She focused on the road, trying to push away the thoughts that were clawing at the back of her mind. By the time she pulled up to the building, the knots in her stomach had tightened into a painful ball.

She parked and sat there for a moment, gripping the steering wheel, her mind racing. She could still turn back. She could text Kate and say she wasn't feeling well, make up some excuse about needing to study or not wanting to deal with crowds. No one would hold it against her. But as much as she wanted to avoid the confrontation, she knew she couldn't keep running forever.

With a deep breath, Caitlin got out of the car and started walking toward the apartment building. The sound of laughter and music drifted through the air as she approached the entrance. She could already hear the party in full swing, the noise a stark contrast to the chaos in her mind.

She made it to the front door, hesitating just as she reached for the handle. Her heart pounded in her chest, a wave of anxiety crashing over her. What was she thinking? She wasn't ready to see Sam, not after everything that had happened. She wasn't ready to face the awkwardness, the potential hurt, the memories that were still too fresh.

She turned to leave, to escape before anyone noticed she was even there, but just as she did, she heard someone call her name.

"Caitlin?"

She froze, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she looked up to see Sam walking up the path, struggling to carry several large bags of ice. The sight of her made Caitlin's heart skip a beat. She looked almost the same as the last time Caitlin had seen her—confident, beautiful, and completely out of reach.

"You came," Sam said, her voice filled with surprise, but also something else Caitlin couldn't quite place.

"Yeah," Caitlin replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She could feel her resolve crumbling, the anxiety building up inside her. "I was actually about to leave."

Sam looked at her, the weight of their shared history hanging heavy in the air between them. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Then, Sam shifted the bags of ice in her arms, her expression softening.

"If it's because of me, stay," Sam said, her tone gentle but firm. "Claire really wants you here."

Caitlin noticed the way Sam emphasized Claire's name, the subtle way she avoided saying that she wanted Caitlin there. The sting of it cut deep, but Caitlin swallowed the hurt and nodded.

"Okay," she said, stepping forward to help Sam with the bags. "Let me take one of those."

Sam hesitated, then handed Caitlin one of the bags. Their fingers brushed briefly, and Caitlin felt a jolt of electricity at the contact, the memory of what they used to have flashing through her mind. She quickly looked away, trying to keep her emotions in check as they walked to the door together.

The apartment was bustling with activity when they stepped inside. The familiar faces of their friends greeted them—teammates, classmates, and a few new people Caitlin didn't recognize. Claire was in the center of it all, laughing and chatting with everyone, a bright smile on her face. When she spotted Caitlin, her face lit up even more.

"Caitlin! You made it!" Claire exclaimed, rushing over to give her a hug. "I'm so glad you're here."

Caitlin forced a smile, hugging Claire back. "Wouldn't miss it," she said, hoping her voice didn't betray the nerves still fluttering in her chest.

Claire pulled back, her eyes flicking between Caitlin and Sam, as if sensing the tension. "Everything okay?" she asked, her tone cautious.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Sam said quickly, before Caitlin could respond. "Just got a little delayed with the ice."

Claire nodded, though she didn't look entirely convinced. "Well, I'm glad you're both here. Come on, let's get this party going!"

Caitlin followed Claire into the living room, trying to blend into the crowd. She stuck close to Kate and the other basketball girls, hoping to keep a low profile. Sam, meanwhile, moved around the room, talking to different people, though Caitlin could feel her presence like a magnet drawing her attention.

As the evening wore on, Caitlin noticed that Sam had been drinking. At first, it was just a beer in her hand, but as the night progressed, she saw Sam with a drink that seemed stronger. Caitlin tried to ignore it, focusing on her conversations with the others, but she couldn't help but notice the slight slur in Sam's words or the way her movements became a little less steady.

Caitlin had found herself in a group with Kate, Claire, and some of her friends, laughing and reminiscing about their friendships. Someone asked Claire how she had met Caitlin and Kate, and Claire launched into the story with enthusiasm.

"Well, it was actually Sam who introduced me to Caitlin," Claire said, glancing fondly at both of them. "Sam and Caitlin had already known each other, and one day Sam brought Caitlin along when we were all hanging out. We hit it off right away. And then Caitlin introduced me to Kate, and you know how that turned out," she added with a grin, reaching over to squeeze Kate's hand.

The group chuckled, and Caitlin felt a warmth in her chest, remembering how seamlessly their friendships had formed. It was a comfort to think about those early days, when everything had felt so simple and full of possibility.

"So, Caitlin and Sam became friends, and then their best friends started dating. How cute!" one of Claire's friends remarked, smiling as she looked between them.

Sam, who had just joined the conversation, drink in her hand, looked over at Caitlin, her expression clouded. "Friends? Yeah, we were... something like that."

The words were heavy with implication, and the room fell into an awkward silence. Caitlin's heart sank as she saw the familiar pain flash in Sam's eyes, quickly masked by a bitter smile. Before anyone could respond, Sam walked away, heading toward another group of friends on the other side of the room.

Caitlin watched her go, feeling a knot of anxiety twist in her stomach. The night had been tense from the start, but now it felt unbearable. The guilt and sadness she had been trying to suppress all evening came rushing back, overwhelming her.

"I think I'm going to head out," Caitlin said quietly, standing up and avoiding everyone's eyes. "I have to be up early tomorrow."

Kate shot her a concerned look, but Caitlin gave Claire a quick hug, forcing a smile. "It was a great party, Claire. Happy birthday."

Claire's expression shifted to one of worry as she glanced toward where Sam had gone, but she didn't press Caitlin on it. "Thanks for coming, Cait," Claire said, her tone gentle. "I'm really glad you made it."

Caitlin nodded, trying to keep her composure as she hugged Kate as well. "I'll see you later," she murmured, before quickly making her way toward the door. The weight of the evening was pressing down on her, and she needed to escape before she broke down completely.

As she stepped outside into the cool night air, Caitlin took a deep breath, hoping the chill would clear her head. But the tension in her chest refused to ease. She started walking toward the stairs, the urge to just get away, to flee from the emotions swirling inside her, growing stronger with every step.

But just as she reached the stairs, she heard the door behind her open and slam shut.

"Caitlin!"

She winced at the sound of Sam's voice, loud and unsteady. She kept walking, hoping Sam would give up, but the footsteps behind her quickened, closing the distance.

"Caitlin, stop!" Sam called out, her voice slurring slightly as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Caitlin froze, her heart pounding. She didn't want to do this, not here, not now. But she knew she couldn't keep running from Sam forever. Slowly, she turned around, facing her.

Sam stood there, swaying slightly, her eyes glassy and filled with a mixture of anger and pain. The drink in her hand was almost empty, and Caitlin could see the strain on Sam's face, the battle between wanting to confront her and the haze of alcohol clouding her judgment.

"You're just going to leave?" Sam asked, her voice dripping with bitterness. "Not even a goodbye?"

Caitlin felt a lump form in her throat. "Sam, I—" she began, but Sam cut her off, stepping closer.

"You always do this," Sam snapped, her voice rising. "You run away when things get hard. You hide, Caitlin. You hide from everything, from everyone, because you're too scared to face the truth!"

Caitlin recoiled at the harshness in Sam's tone, the words cutting deep. "That's not fair, Sam," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "You're drunk. Let's not do this right now."

But Sam wasn't hearing it. "No, let's do this right now!" she shouted, finishing the last sip of her drink. "Let's talk about how you never wanted anyone to know about us. How you kept me a secret because you were too afraid of what people would think!"

Caitlin felt the sting of tears in her eyes, but she blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. "You're the one who said you didn't care," Caitlin shot back, her voice breaking. "I told you I didn't want our relationship to be public from the start, and you said you didn't care, that you just wanted to be together."

Sam's eyes flashed with anger, and she took another step closer. "Yeah, I said that," Sam spat, her voice laced with frustration. "But I thought you would make progress, Caitlin. I thought you would stop being ashamed of who you are—of who I am. But you didn't. You're still too scared to be who you truly are and you always will be, and that's on you, not on me."

Caitlin felt the words hit her like a punch to the gut. She opened her mouth to respond, to defend herself, but the truth in Sam's words left her speechless. Instead, she took a step back, shaking her head as the tears finally spilled over.

"I'm leaving, Sam," Caitlin said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Goodbye."

Without waiting for a response, Caitlin turned and walked away, her heart heavy with the weight of their argument. She didn't look back, even as she heard Sam's voice calling after her, the sound filled with pain and anger.

As she walked down the street, Caitlin felt the cold night air biting at her skin, but she barely noticed. All she could think about was the way Sam had looked at her, the hurt in her eyes, and the truth in her words.

She had lost Sam, and it was because of her own fear—fear of being seen, fear of being known, fear of being herself.

But as much as it hurt, Caitlin knew she couldn't change what had happened. She had made her choices, and now she had to live with them.

When she reached her car, Caitlin paused, taking a deep, shaky breath as she tried to steady herself. The night was silent around her, but her mind was anything but. She had walked away from Sam, but the weight of what had been said still clung to her, heavy and suffocating.

But more than that, Caitlin felt a deep, simmering anger boiling inside her—anger at the argument, at the things Sam had said, and at herself for letting it get to this point. She was mad that they had hurt each other so deeply, mad that she couldn't find the right words to fix it. She knew everything Sam said was just because she was drunk, but drunk words always had true meanings behind them.

As she got into the car and drove away, Caitlin couldn't shake the mix of pain and anger swirling inside her. She had lost something important, something that might never return, and the thought of it made her grip the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles white against the leather.

Only this time, she wasn't just hurt—she was angry, but she didn't want to be angry with Sam, after all she knew it was her fault they ended up here.