It was a few days  later and Victoria and Jada arrived at the barbecue that they had been invited to, Victoria's heart sank at the sight before her. There, standing next to Connor, was Caitlin, the very person who had said she wasn't gonna be there. Originally Victoria and Caitlin were supposed to go together but Caitlin, having found out it was a public event, backed out and told Victoria she wasn't going to go. 

A surge of anger welled up inside Victoria as she clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on Caitlin and Connor. "Are you fucking serious?" she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with frustration and betrayal. 

Jada, sensing Victoria's distress, nodded in agreement. "Dude, that's low," she whispered, her expression mirroring Victoria's indignation. Feeling a mix of hurt and anger, Victoria took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside her. 

She knew that confronting Caitlin in public would only escalate the situation, but the sense of betrayal cut deep nonetheless. With a heavy heart, Victoria followed Jada into the crowd, trying to push aside the hurt and focus on enjoying the event. But as she glanced back at Caitlin and Connor, the image of them together burned into her mind, leaving her questioning the sincerity of Caitlin's promises and the strength of their relationship.

As Caitlin spotted Victoria in the crowd, her heart sank at the hurt and anger etched on her  face. Determined to make things right, she followed Victoria, hoping to find a moment to speak to her and explain. 

However, before Caitlin could catch up to Victoria, she was intercepted by Connor, his expression stern and disapproving. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his tone sharp with accusation. 

Caitlin hesitated, torn between her desire to mend things with Victoria and the looming confrontation with Connor. She glanced back at Victoria, who was now walking away with Jada, her shoulders tense with frustration. "I... I need to talk to Victoria," Caitlin replied, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart heavy with guilt. 

Connor's eyes narrowed as he followed Caitlin's gaze. "You're still hung up on her, aren't you?" he spat, his words dripping with disdain. Caitlin flinched at the accusation, her mind racing with a million thoughts and emotions. 

"I need to talk to her, Connor. Please." But Connor's expression remained cold and unforgiving as he blocked Caitlin's path, his presence a constant reminder of the tangled web of emotions and obligations that threatened to tear them apart. And as Caitlin searched for the right words to bridge the divide between them, she couldn't help but wonder if their relationship was truly worth fighting for.

As Caitlin tried to navigate the tense exchange with Connor, his demands only added to her mounting frustration. "You have to pretend you like me," Connor insisted, his tone firm and unwavering. 

Caitlin's jaw tightened as she met Connor's gaze, her resolve hardening. "I will, Connor," she replied, her voice tinged with determination. "But I need to talk to Victoria first." Connor scoffed dismissively, his skepticism evident. 

"She's not gonna talk to you," he retorted, his words like a dagger to Caitlin's heart. Caitlin's heart sank at Connor's words, but she refused to let his doubts deter her. She knew that she needed to reach out to Victoria, to explain and apologize for the misunderstanding. 

Their relationship deserved that much, regardless of the obstacles in their path. With a sense of resolve, Caitlin made a silent vow to find a way to speak to Victoria, to bridge the gap that had formed between them. And as she watched Victoria disappear into the crowd, she knew exactly what she had to do. 

As Victoria and Jada sat at a table, engrossed in conversation, Jada's sharp observation caught sight of Caitlin approaching. With a subtle warning, she leaned in towards Victoria and whispered, "Incoming." 

Victoria's gaze flicked in the direction Jada indicated, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of Caitlin drawing near. 

"Thanks, Jada," Victoria murmured, her voice tinged with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. As Caitlin drew closer, Victoria squared her shoulders, steeling herself for whatever conversation lay ahead, unsure of what to expect but determined to face it head-on.

As Caitlin approached, her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, "Vic, can we talk?" Victoria's heart raced at the sound of Caitlin's voice, her emotions swirling. She couldn't deny the pang of hurt that lingered beneath the surface, the sting of Caitlin's absence at the event still fresh in her mind. 

"You came in the end," Victoria replied, her tone tinged with a hint of bitterness. "Thought you weren't gonna come."

 Caitlin's face fell at Victoria's words, her expression filled with guilt and regret. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat, unable to convey the depth of her remorse. "I'm sorry, Vic," Caitlin finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

 "Vic, can we go somewhere private?" Victoria's brows furrowed in confusion at Caitlin's request, but she nodded in agreement nonetheless. Without a word, they made their way to a secluded corner of the event venue, away from prying eyes and curious ears. 

Once they were alone, a heavy silence settled between them, thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. Victoria's heart raced as she waited for Caitlin to speak, her mind buzzing with questions and uncertainty. Finally, Caitlin broke the silence, her voice quiet but determined. 

"Vic, I know things have been complicated between us lately," she began, her gaze fixed on Victoria's, searching for some sign of understanding. 

As Caitlin hesitated, struggling to find the right words, Victoria's frustration boiled over, her pent-up emotions spilling out in a rush of words. "Yeah," Victoria replied, her tone clipped with irritation. "Things have been complicated." Caitlin winced at Victoria's response, her heart sinking at the hurt in Victorias voice. 

Victoria's heart clenched at Caitlin's words, a wave of emotions washing over her. She nodded slowly, urging Caitlin to continue, her eyes never leaving Caitlin's. "I just... I need you to know that I'm trying to figure things out," Caitlin continued, her voice tinged with vulnerability

As Caitlin hesitated, struggling to find the right words, Victoria's frustration boiled over, her pent-up emotions spilling out in a rush of words.  Caitlin took a deep breath, steeling herself to explain, but before she could speak, Victoria cut her off with a sigh. 

"I'm not mad at you because of that," Victoria continued, her voice tinged with resignation. "I'm mad because you continue leading me on. I mean, come on, Caitlin. If you want to have a fake relationship, be my guest. But you can't have that and me on the sidelines." 

Caitlin's eyes widened at Victoria's words, the weight of Victorias accusation hitting her like a punch to the gut. She opened her mouth to respond, but Victoria wasn't finished. 

"I mean, you ask me to go out with you, then you pull back as soon as you find there are cameras and tell me you're not going, but show up with Connor," Victoria continued, her voice rising with each word. 

"You're acting as if what's between us is completely casual." Caitlin's heart clenched at Victoria's words, the truth of her accusations hitting home. She swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion as she searched for the right words to convey the depth of her feelings.

 "It's not casual, Vic," Caitlin finally managed to say, her voice trembling with sincerity. "I love you." 

Victoria's breath caught in her throat at Caitlin's confession, her anger momentarily replaced by a swell of conflicting emotions. 

"Looks pretty casual if you go from fucking me to posting on Instagram how happy you are with Connor," Victoria shot back, her voice laced with bitterness and hurt. Caitlin's heart shattered at Victoria's words. She reached out to grasp Victoria's hand, desperate to convey the depth of her love and regret, but Victoria pulled away, her eyes brimming with tears.

As Caitlin attempted to explain herself, Victoria's resolve remained firm, her heart heavy with the weight of their fractured relationship. "Listen, Cait," Victoria interrupted, her voice steady but tinged with sadness. 

"I'm not going to beg you to choose me. If you want to stay in this stunt, then that's fine. Do what you want. But don't think for a second that by doing this, you're choosing your career and prioritizing your future. By doing this, you're just choosing your fears and letting them decide what you do." 

Caitlin's eyes filled with regret as she listened to Victoria's word. She opened her mouth to respond, but Victoria wasn't finished.

 "And I just don't know what's so wrong with me and us that you have to hide it," Victoria continued, her voice trembling with vulnerability. 

"I thought we had something real, Cait. But if you're not willing to fight for us, then maybe it wasn't meant to be." A heavy silence hung between them, thick with unspoken regrets and shattered dreams. 

Caitlin searched Victoria's eyes, her heart breaking at the pain she saw reflected there. She wanted to reach out, to hold Victoria in her arms and promise to make things right, but the words caught in her throat, swallowed by the weight of their unresolved issues. 

As the heavy silence lingered between them, Victoria took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she knew she had to do. With a heavy heart, she finally broke the tension, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"I'm gonna go," Victoria said softly, her tone tinged with resignation. Caitlin's heart clenched at Victoria's words, a pang of regret coursing through her as she watched her turn and walk away. 

She wanted to reach out, to stop her from leaving, but the words caught in her throat, choked by the weight of their unresolved issues. As Victoria disappeared into the crowd, Caitlin was left standing there alone, grappling with the harsh reality of the situation.

And as she watched her girlfriend walk away, a sense of regret washed over her, leaving behind a hollow ache in her chest and the haunting echoes of their shattered dreams.

AUTHORS NOTE:

how are we feeling guys!