Ceilings

Caitlyn paced back and forth across her room, arms folded tightly across her chest. Her thoughts were a mess, cycling through confusion, frustration, and something uncomfortably close to regret. She had been the one to push Vi away, to draw a line she wasn’t even sure she wanted to exist.

Her mind replayed the moment, the vulnerability, the warmth of Vi’s presence, the way her guard had slipped so effortlessly. The way she had leaned in, unthinking, unintentional.

Why had she done that? And why couldn’t she stop thinking about it?

She stopped pacing, dragging a hand through her hair with a sigh. She hadn’t planned for any of this, the strange connection that had formed between them, the way Vi seemed to see right through her usual composure. It made Caitlyn feel exposed in a way that was both terrifying and... something else she couldn’t name.

“I’m losing it,” she muttered to herself, resuming her pacing. But no matter how much she tried to shake the thoughts away, the memory of Vi’s eyes, so close and so searching, lingered.

Caitlyn paused mid step, her arms wrapping around herself as if to ward off the chill that seemed to seep in despite the warmth of her room. It wasn’t just the confusion or the vulnerability that was eating at her, it was the ache of absence.

She’d spent so many nights alone before, never noticing the quiet or the cold. But now, after the brief comfort of Vi’s arms, the emptiness felt sharper, more profound. Her chest tightened as she thought about how safe she’d felt, how steady Vi had made her feel in a way she hadn’t expected, hadn’t even known she needed.

Caitlyn picked up her phone, her fingers hesitating over the screen as she opened her messages. Vi's name sat at the top, the thread untouched since last night. Her thumb hovered over the keyboard, her mind racing with things she could say.

“Hey, about earlier”
“Vi, I think we need to talk.”
“I didn’t mean for things to get so awkward.”

Each draft felt worse than the last, too heavy or too desperate. She sighed, backspacing until the screen was blank again. Her chest ached with the urge to reach out, to hear Vi’s voice, to feel some reassurance that this chasm between them wasn’t as wide as it felt.
But she couldn’t bring herself to send anything. Not yet. Not like this.

With a resigned sigh, she locked her phone and set it down on the nightstand. Caitlyn leaned back against the headboard, staring up at the ceiling, the emptiness in the room growing heavier by the second.

“I can’t do this,” she muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair. But whether she meant the silence, the confusion, or the space she had put between her and Vi, she wasn’t entirely sure.

Caitlyn turned sharply as her bedroom door flew open, slamming against the wall with a loud crack. Her mother stormed in, her face a mask of fury, eyes blazing with an intensity Caitlyn hadn’t seen in years.

“Mother?” Caitlyn said, straightening instinctively. “What on earth…?”

“How dare you?” Her mother’s voice was sharp, almost venomous, cutting through the quiet of the room.

Caitlyn blinked, utterly taken aback. “What are you talking about?”

Her mother didn’t answer immediately, pacing the room like a caged animal. Her hands gestured wildly, but no explanation came forth. The anger seemed to radiate off her, but it was strangely unfocused, as though she were furious about something but ouldn’t say what.
“I have given you everything,” her mother finally said, her voice low and trembling with emotion. “Every opportunity, every advantage, and this is how you repay me?”

Caitlyn felt her confusion deepen, her own frustration starting to bubble to the surface. “Repay you for what? What have I done?”

Her mother’s eyes flashed, but her lips pressed into a thin line, as if she were holding back whatever it was she truly wanted to say. “You know exactly what this is about, Caitlyn. Don’t play innocent with me.”

“I don’t know,” Caitlyn shot back, her voice rising now. “You barged in here yelling without telling me why!”

Her mother pointed a finger at her, her expression tight and disapproving. “You’ve made choices, Caitlyn. Choices that reflect poorly, not just on you, but on this family. Do you have any idea what’s at stake?”

Caitlyn froze, her chest tightening as her mother’s words cut through the air like a knife. Cassandra stood in the doorway, her expression twisted with anger and disdain.

“I saw her,” Cassandra hissed, her voice dripping with venom. “That trencher trash sneaking into this house last night and leaving like some filthy thief. What in God’s name is going on, Caitlyn?”

Caitlyn’s stomach dropped. She opened her mouth to respond, but the torrent continued.

“Do you have any idea how this looks? How it reflects on me? On this family?” Cassandra paced furiously, her hands gesticulating as if trying to grasp something intangible. “Letting someone like her into this house… disgusting. A common criminal. A lesbo!”

The slur hit Caitlyn like a slap. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as her heart pounded in her ears.
“Stop,” Caitlyn said, her voice low and trembling.

But Cassandra didn’t stop. “Have you completely lost your mind? Associating with someone like that! What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?”

“I said stop!” Caitlyn shouted, her voice cracking as the words erupted from her.

Cassandra paused, her eyes narrowing as she stared at her daughter.

“You don’t get to talk about her like that,” Caitlyn said, her voice firm but shaking with barely contained anger. “Not in this house. Not anywhere.”

Cassandra’s expression shifted to one of incredulity. “Her? You’re defending her now?”

“Yes,” Caitlyn snapped. “Because she’s not what you think she is. She’s not some... some ‘trencher trash,’ or whatever vile labels you want to throw at her. She’s a good person.”

“She’s clearly a criminal,” Cassandra spat. “And an embarrassment. If anyone finds out about this… relationship you have with her….”

“Then what?” Caitlyn interrupted, her voice rising. “What, Mother? Your precious reputation will take a hit? People will whisper about how the great Cassandra Kiramman’s daughter dares to care about someone from the undercity?”

Cassandra’s face flushed with fury. “This is not just about me! It’s about us, Caitlyn. This family. The legacy we’ve built. And I will not have you ruin it by... by getting involved with someone like her!”

Caitlyn stared at her mother, the words hitting harder than they should have. “You don’t even know her,” she said, her voice quieter now but no less fierce. “You don’t know what she’s been through. What we’ve been through.”

“I don’t need to know her to know she doesn’t belong here,” Cassandra said coldly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, suffocating. Her mother stood rigid, her gaze burning with disdain.

"Look at her," Cassandra sneered. "That hair, those tattoos. She’s nothing but a walking warning sign. A brute. A Lesbian. Corrupting my precious daughter with her filth."

Caitlyn clenched her fists harder, her nails digging into her palms as the heat of anger rose in her chest.

“I raised you to be better than this, Caitlyn,” Cassandra continued, her voice laced with bitterness. “Better than to lower yourself to the level of someone like that. If you ever become anything even remotely close to what she is, some vulgar, lawless lesbian, I’ll never forgive you.”

Caitlyn's heart dropped, a cold weight settling in her stomach. Her breath hitched as her mother’s words sank in, the sheer cruelty of them making her head spin.

“She’s dragging you into her hell, Caitlyn!” Cassandra yelled, her voice booming. "And I won’t allow it!"

Cassandra spun on her heel, her eyes sharp and calculating as she glared at Caitlyn. “This little arrangement… this is Sevika’s doing, isn’t it?” she hissed. “She’s always meddling in places she doesn’t belong.”

Caitlyn froze, her tear streaked face pale. “This has nothing to do with her,” she said, her voice shaky but defiant.

But Cassandra ignored her, pacing furiously. “I should have known that zaunie thug would have her dirty fingers in this. I’ll see to it she’s fired. Removed from any position of influence.”

“What?” Caitlyn’s voice broke. “You can’t…”

“Oh, but I can,” Cassandra snapped, her tone icy. She turned abruptly, grabbing Caitlyn’s phone off the nightstand. “And I’m putting an end to this nonsense right now.”

“Wait!” Caitlyn lunged for the phone, but Cassandra held it out of reach with the practiced authority of someone who had always been in control.

Furious, Cassandra typed rapidly, her lips pressed into a thin line. Caitlyn watched helplessly as her mother composed a message to Vi:
“We can’t spend time together anymore.”

Cassandra hit send before Caitlyn could stop her, then blocked Vi’s number with a few swift taps. The finality of the action felt like a knife twisting in Caitlyn’s chest.

“You have no right.” Caitlyn choked, her voice rising, but Cassandra silenced her with a withering glare.

“I have every right,” she said coldly. “I’m protecting you, Caitlyn, whether you like it or not.”

Cassandra pocketed the phone and began gathering Caitlyn’s other devices. Her tablet, her personal laptop, anything that could serve as a lifeline to the outside world.

“You’re confiscating my things now?” Caitlyn asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.

“You’ve shown you can’t be trusted to make decisions for yourself,” Cassandra said, her tone unforgiving. “Consider this a lesson in accountability.”

Caitlyn stepped forward abruptly, her knees shaking as she tried to muster what little strength she had left. “Mother, please,” she begged, her voice breaking. “This isn’t fair. You can’t do this.”

Cassandra turned back, her expression cold and unyielding. “Fair? Do you think life is about fairness, Caitlyn? I’m doing what’s best for you. What’s necessary.”

Caitlyn took a shaky step toward her. “Vi is my friend…”

“Friend?” Cassandra interrupted with a sharp laugh, her eyes narrowing. “That’s what you’re calling it? Don’t insult my intelligence, Caitlyn.”

“It’s not what you think!” Caitlyn’s voice cracked under the weight of her desperation. “You’re jumping to conclusions!”

“Enough!” Cassandra’s voice was sharp as a whip, silencing Caitlyn instantly. “You think I didn’t see the way you looked at her on those cameras when you snuck her out? The way she looked at you? It’s disgusting, Caitlyn. Unnatural. I won’t have it. I won’t have her corrupting you.”

Caitlyn clenched her fists, her tears blurring her vision. “You can’t control how I feel!” she blurted, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh, can’t I?” she said, her voice icy. “You’re my daughter, Caitlyn, and I won’t allow you to disgrace this family. Not like this.”

Caitlyn could only stare, her heart pounding, as Cassandra continued, her voice dripping with authority. “I’ll be arranging meetings with proper suitors,” she said. “Respectable young men who can steer you back to the path you’re supposed to be on. And you will meet with them, Caitlyn. You will learn to think like a Kiramman again.”

“No,” Caitlyn whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. “You can’t force this.”

“I can, and I will,” Cassandra snapped, her voice cutting like ice. “You’ll thank me one day when this ridiculous phase is behind you.”
Caitlyn’s pleas died in her throat as Cassandra turned on her heel and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Left alone, Caitlyn collapsed onto her bed, her body wracked with sobs. The room felt suffocatingly silent, her mother’s hateful words echoing in her mind.

She felt a crushing emptiness settle over her. Vi was gone. Her autonomy was gone. And now, her future was being dictated to her as if she had no say in it at all.

Caitlyn buried her face in her hands, her sobs shaking her body violently. The tears came in waves, raw and relentless, as the storm of emotions consumed her.

She cried for Vi, the one person who had made her feel seen, made her feel alive in ways she didn’t understand until now. She cried because Vi was gone, because her mother had ripped her away before Caitlyn could even make sense of what they had.

More than anything, she cried for herself.

The words her mother had spat, disgusting, unnatural, played on a cruel loop in her mind. She felt like a broken thing, shattered into pieces she couldn’t begin to put back together.

“I like her.” Caitlyn whispered into the silence, her voice barely audible through her tears. Admitting it felt like tearing open a wound. “I… I love her.”

And with that admission came the shame, curling in her stomach like a venomous snake. She thought of her mother’s words, the slurs, the accusations. It clawed at her, making her feel dirty, wrong, like a disgrace to her family, to herself.

I’m a dirty lesbian, Caitlyn thought bitterly, the words branding themselves into her mind. She hated herself for it, for how her heart fluttered around Vi, for the warmth she felt in her arms, for the way her thoughts had lingered on her lips.

She hated herself for loving Vi.

And yet, beneath the self loathing and the shame, there was a quiet, fragile ache. A longing for something she couldn’t allow herself to have. Something her mother would never let her have.

Caitlyn curled tighter into herself, the sobs coming slower but no less painful. She didn’t know how to fix this. She didn’t know if she even could.

All she knew was that she was alone, lost in a world that didn’t feel like hers anymore, with nothing but the weight of her mother’s expectations and the ache of wanting what she could never have.

She pulled herself out of bed. No matter how much pity she felt for herself, she couldn't stay here, not right now. Not in this house.

Caitlyn’s heart raced as she slammed the door to her room behind her. she heard her mother’s furious shout from behind her. “Caitlyn, get back here right now!” Cassandra’s voice was sharp, filled with rage, but Caitlyn couldn’t, wouldn’t, let herself turn back.

The heavy thud of her boots echoed in the hallway as she rushed down the stairs. She didn’t stop to think. Every step felt like a defiance, a break from the prison her mother had built for her. When she reached the front door, her fingers fumbled with the handle for a moment before she flung it open, stepping into the cool afternoon air.

Her breath hitched as she stood on the doorstep, the weight of her mother’s anger behind her, but the promise of freedom ahead. Her car was parked just a few steps away. She couldn’t bring herself to care about the mess she was leaving behind.

"Don't you dare leave this house!" Cassandra’s voice crackled from behind her, but Caitlyn didn’t even flinch. Her mom had no power over her anymore. Not tonight. Not when Caitlyn had already made her decision.

Without looking back, Caitlyn slammed the door behind her and bolted for the car, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her hands shook as she reached for the keys, but she didn’t hesitate. She turned the engine on and was gone.

As she sped through the streets, the familiar landmarks of her neighborhood blurring past her, Caitlyn’s mind raced. Her heart still pounded with the echoes of her mother’s words, but there was something else there, too. A flicker of hope, of defiance. It was a dangerous feeling, but it was hers.

Caitlyn’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as the world around her blurred, her mind spinning with everything she was running from. The rush of wind through the cracked window was nothing compared to the chaos inside her. She pushed the pedal harder, the car’s engine growling as she sped through the unfamiliar streets she turned onto, her thoughts too chaotic to settle.

50… 60… 70… 80… 90.

Her speed climbed with each passing second, the numbers on the dashboard blurring into a single, reckless motion. She wasn’t sure where she was going, didn’t care about the destination, just that she was moving. Moving away from her mother’s suffocating grip, away from the hurt and the shame. The thumping of her heart matched the beat of the car’s tires, each pulse telling her to go faster, to escape further.

As Caitlyn's foot pressed harder on the accelerator, the world around her became a blur, a whirl of lights and shapes that didn’t matter. A twisted, dark satisfaction flickered in her chest as she let herself think the unthinkable. It could all just end here. She’d end up flat against a telephone pole, let everything fade away, and break free from the suffocating weight of her everyone’s expectations.

A dangerous, reckless smile tugged at her lips, born from the pain and anger that had festered inside her for so long. She imagined her mother's face when the news came, the shock, the guilt, the way it would tear through her. Good, Caitlyn thought bitterly. Let her feel it. Let her see how it feels to lose me.

The speedometer ticked past 100, the wind whipping through the car, the sound of the tires screaming against the road, but Caitlyn didn’t care. She welcomed the danger, the chaos. It felt like she was finally in control, even if it was just for a moment.

Caitlyn imagined herself dead. Lying cold and still, her body broken, her mother’s tears. The freedom.

She reached 120.

Caitlyn's thoughts spiral as she grips the wheel, feeling an overwhelming emptiness. She convinces herself that no one would care if she were gone. No one to miss her, no one but her parents to grieve. The thought justifies her.

She reached 130.

Suddenly, the image of Vi flashes in her mind. She can almost see it: the confusion in Vi’s eyes when she read the text, the hurt in her voice when Caitlyn never explained. It stabs at her chest, pulling her out of the dark thoughts she'd been lost in. She suddenly realizes how reckless she’s being, how much she could hurt someone who never deserved it. The guilt floods her, quick and overwhelming. She glances at the speedometer. She was full of pain and self loathing, but now, with a clearer mind, she realizes the damage it could do.

The car slows as Caitlyn’s foot instinctively lifts from the gas pedal. The blur of the road becomes sharper, the world coming back into focus as her thoughts shift from her own mangled, bloody body to Vi. How must she feel right now? She imagines Vi, maybe sitting in her room, confused and hurt, wondering what happened, wondering if Caitlyn really wanted to cut her out of her life. Caitlyn shakes her head, wiping away the tears she hadn't even realized were falling. She couldn’t let herself hurt Vi. Not like this.

The speedometer ticks down, and Caitlyn takes a deep breath, pushing the image of herself, broken and lifeless, Even farther from her mind. She needs to get control of herself, to make things right.

As the car slows down to almost a crawl, a thought pierces through the fog of her mind. She thinks about the people who would care if she crashed, the ones who would mourn her, and instantly, Vi's face comes to the forefront of her thoughts.

She imagines Vi’s expression. confused, hurt, maybe even angry, but most of all, she sees the concern in her eyes. Vi would care. She would be devastated. And the realization hits Caitlyn like a punch to the gut. Vi had been her rock, her confidante, the one person who had seen her for who she truly was, and she couldn’t let herself hurt her like this.

For a moment, Caitlyn feels a weight in her chest, the realization that she’s not alone, that there is someone who cares about her. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave Vi, not like this. Not when she had so much left to fix, so much left to say. The guilt hits harder now. How could she have ever thought she could make Vi feel the way she did in those final moments of desperation?

She knew Vi was probably gone from her life. She knew that they would probably never have contact again, and that she would go on to marry some high class boy her mother sets her up with.

But that doesn’t mean Caitlyn would do anything that would hurt the girl she loved.

—————-

Vi’s steps thudded against the worn floorboards of the living room as she paced back and forth, running her hands through her hair. Her face was a storm of confusion and frustration, and her voice carried a sharp edge, though it was tinged with something softer. Hurt.

“Why would she just block me?” she muttered, partly to herself, partly to her brothers sitting on the couch. “What the hell did I do? I thought we were… I don’t know, fine? Things were fine!”

Mylo exchanged a glance with Claggor, both of them visibly concerned. Mylo leaned forward, trying to lighten the mood in his usual way, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. “Maybe she just needs space, Vi. Fancy topsiders are weird like that, right? They probably have rules about texting or whatever.”

Vi shot him a glare that silenced him. “This isn’t just her needing space, Mylo. She blocked me. She sent some cryptic message and then just, poof. Cut me off. That’s not Cait. That’s not like her.”

Vi stopped pacing, her shoulders slumping as Claggor’s calm voice cut through her storm of thoughts.

"Vi, tell us what happened. Start from the beginning," Claggor said gently, patting the couch beside him. Mylo scooted over to give her space.

Vi hesitated, biting her lip. Talking about her feelings wasn’t exactly her strong suit, but the weight of it all felt unbearable. With a frustrated sigh, she sank onto the couch, running a hand through her pink hair.

“Alright,” she muttered, her voice low. “Last night, I went over to Cait’s place after an argument we had. I wanted to resolve things, and I was worried about her. We had ended on a pretty bad note earlier. Her place is… well, it’s something else. Big, fancy, the kind of place where you don’t think someone like me belongs.”

“You’re not exactly subtle, Vi,” Mylo quipped, earning a sharp elbow from Claggor.

“Let her talk,” Claggor said.

Vi nodded appreciatively, her gaze fixed on the floor. “We talked for a bit, resolved our differences, whatever. But then we just… I don’t know, something shifted. I could feel how nervous she was, but she didn’t push me away or anything. And then… I stayed the night.”

Mylo’s eyes widened, but he kept quiet this time. Claggor leaned in, frowning slightly. “Stayed the night? Like… slept there? Together?”

Vi nodded, her cheeks warming. “Yeah. Not like that, though. I mean, we slept. That’s it. But it was… close. She woke up in my arms. And for the first time in forever, I felt like… like maybe I could breathe, you know?”

Her voice cracked slightly, and she cleared her throat, looking away as if embarrassed by her own vulnerability. “It was so good, guys. Just being there with her, holding her. It felt right. Like, more right than anything I’ve ever felt before.”

Claggor’s expression softened, and even Mylo looked at her with something close to understanding.

“And then… this morning,” Vi continued, her voice dropping, “it was a little awkward. I don’t know if I read her wrong, or if I made her uncomfortable. She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she was overthinking it. I left because I didn’t want to make things weird for her. Thought I’d give her space.”

She clenched her fists, her voice shaking with frustration. “And now this… this stupid text, like I’m some kind of problem she needs to get rid of. But it doesn’t make sense, because… because I know she felt it too. Whatever this is. It wasn’t just me.”

Claggor placed a hand on her shoulder. “You like her. I mean, really like her, huh?”

Vi’s face softened, and she gave a small, almost bitter laugh. “Yeah. I really, really like her. More than I’ve liked anyone. And now she’s just… gone.”

Silence settled over the room as Mylo and Claggor exchanged another look. Mylo finally spoke, his voice unusually sincere. “Then maybe you need to fight for her, Vi. Figure out what’s really going on. If you like her that much, don’t let her go without a damn good reason.”

Vi’s jaw tightened as she looked between them, determination flickering in her eyes. “Yeah,” she muttered. “You’re right. I’m not giving up on her. Not like this.”

Vi grabbed her jacket, her mind racing as she headed for the door. The cool night air greeted her as she stepped outside, the weight of her determination grounding her. She climbed into her truck, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly.

As she pulled onto the road, her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of nerves and resolve flooding her. She’d been here before, pulling up to Caitlyn’s place, feeling like she didn’t belong. But this time was different. This time, she wasn’t just visiting; she was fighting for something, for someone who meant more to her than she could put into words.

The drive felt longer than usual, the dark streets stretching endlessly before her. Shadows danced under the dim glow of the streetlights, but her focus remained fixed on the road ahead. She didn’t know exactly what she’d say when she got there, but she knew she couldn’t stay silent.

Finally, the towering gates of the Kiramman estate came into view. The grandeur of the place, illuminated by soft lights, only made her feel more out of place. She parked the truck just outside, turning off the engine and sitting in the quiet for a moment.

Her hands trembled slightly as she rested them on her knees, taking a deep breath. "Alright, Vi. You’ve got this," she whispered to herself.

She stepped out of the truck, the cool night air biting at her skin. The weight of the moment pressed down on her as she approached the gate. Memories of the last time she was here flashed through her mind. Caitlyn’s warmth, her smile, the way she’d felt so safe and right in her arms.

As Vi stood there, staring up at the imposing structure before her, she clenched her fists. No matter what, she was ready. She wasn’t leaving without answers.

Vi froze as the front door swung open, the harsh glow of the porch light spilling out onto the driveway. Cassandra Kiramman stepped out, her expression sharp and unrelenting.

“What are you doing here?” Cassandra’s voice sliced through the night, cold and furious.

Vi tensed, her frustration boiling over. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I just need to see Caitlyn. She blocked me, and that’s not like her. Something’s wrong, and I’m not leaving until I find out what.”

“It was her decision, Violet, and I fully support it. She doesn’t want to see you anymore, and frankly, it’s for the best. You don’t belong in her life.” Cassandra hissed, eyes narrowing.

Vi’s pulse quickened, her anger threatening to show. “That doesn’t make sense. Caitlyn wouldn’t just cut me off. I know her, better than you seem to think.”

Cassandra’s lips tightened, her voice dripping with venom. “You think you know her? You’ve known her for what, a month? Two? She’s spent her entire life building a future, with responsibilities, and you…” she gestured toward Vi, “...you’re just a distraction. A messy, chaotic part of her life that has no place here.”

Vi clenched her fists, her chest tight with anger. “You’re wrong. You don’t know Caitlyn like I do. I care about her, more than you could ever understand. I’m not walking away until I know why she’s pushing me out.”

Cassandra took a step forward, her eyes narrowing even more, her voice lowering to a menacing tone. “The truth is simple, Violet. Caitlyn is better off without you. She doesn’t need you and your... baggage. She doesn’t want to be like you.”

Vi flinched, the words hitting harder than she expected, but she stood her ground. “You don’t get to decide who Caitlyn is or what she feels.”

Cassandra scoffed, her voice rising in fury. “Oh, I am deciding, because I’m her mother! You think you’re special? That your ‘feelings’ mean anything? Caitlyn is not some confused, messed up girl who needs saving. She’s not like you. She’s not going to throw her future away on some delusion.”

Vi’s jaw tightened, the heat of anger running through her veins. “Caitlyn deserves to make her own choices. You’re suffocating her, and you’re blind if you think this is what’s best for her.”

Cassandra’s face contorted with disgust, her voice low and poisonous.“She doesn’t need your choices, Violet. Caitlyn doesn’t feel that way about you. I said, she’s not like you. She doesn’t have some... twisted attachment to you, and if you truly care about her, you’ll leave now. You’re done here.”

Vi’s hands trembled at her sides, but her resolve only hardened. “You don’t get to control her life. You don’t get to tell her who she can care about.”

Cassandra stepped closer, her voice biting with finality. “I’m her mother, Vi. And if you think for one second you’re going to worm your way back into her life, you’re wrong. You’re nothing but trouble. She’s better off without you.”

Vi’s heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in sharp bursts. “No, you’re wrong. I’m not giving up on her. Not like this. And I’m not leaving until I hear it from Caitlyn herself.”

Cassandra sneered, her words like daggers. “Suit yourself, but if you have any respect for her at all, you’ll get out of here. Now.”

Without another word, Cassandra turned and went back inside, slamming the door hard behind her. Vi stood there for a moment, her heart heavy and her mind clouded with doubt. Something didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t ignore the pit forming in her stomach.

She glanced up at Caitlyn’s window, hoping for some sign, some clue, but the house remained dark and silent. Feeling defeated but not broken, Vi turned and headed back to her truck, her thoughts consumed with how to find the truth.

As Vi stormed away from the estate, her fists clenched at her sides, the words Cassandra had thrown at her still echoing in her mind. Her chest burned with a mix of anger and heartbreak, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the end. No matter what, Vi wasn't going to give up on Caitlyn. She had to know why she was being pushed away, why everything had changed so suddenly.

She couldn’t let the fear of rejection, or even the weight of Cassandra’s words, stop her. Vi loved Caitlyn. More than she had ever loved anyone, and that was something worth fighting for. No matter how many walls Caitlyn’s mother put up, no matter how many lies were thrown her way, Vi wasn’t backing down. She had to find Caitlyn and figure out what had caused this shift.

Her heart raced as she gripped the steering wheel, pushing the gas pedal harder, determined to make things right. She wouldn't stop until she had the answers, even if it meant facing every obstacle in her path.

No matter what, she wasn’t giving up on the girl she loved.