What freedom feels like

Over the next few months, the attic became a sanctuary for them - A safe bubble where the noise of the world seemed to fade. The scent of old vinyl and warm wood filled the air as Caitlyn sat cross-legged on a patchwork of blankets strewn across the attic floor. In front of her was a stack of records Vi had pulled out from her carefully arranged collection.

“Alright,” Vi said, leaning back against the wall, her hands resting on her knees. “If you’re gonna hang out up here, you’ve gotta prove you’ve got decent taste in music.”

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Are you implying that I might not?”

Vi tilted her head, a teasing grin playing on her lips. “You’re British, so you’ve got a head start, but yes, implying you might not” she quipped in a mocking British tone.

Caitlyn reached for the nearest record, running her fingers over the worn edges of the sleeve. “Let’s see… Fleetwood Mac,” she read aloud, her voice softening with recognition. She looked up at Vi, her smile widening. “Good choice. ‘Rumours’ is a classic.”

Vi shrugged, but there was a flicker of pride in her eyes. “Yeah, well, you can’t go wrong with Stevie Nicks.”

Caitlyn carefully pulled the record from its sleeve and placed it on the turntable, handling it like a delicate artifact. As the needle dropped, the warm, familiar notes of Dreams filled the attic.

“This,” Caitlyn said, leaning back with a contented sigh, “this is proper music. None of that auto-tuned rubbish my cousin seems to like.”

Vi snorted, shaking her head. “Cousin, huh? Sounds rough.”

“You have no idea,” Caitlyn replied, her tone light but tinged with something deeper. She paused, her gaze drifting to the ceiling for a moment. “I always felt like I didn’t quite fit with my family. Everything had to be so… polished. Controlled.”

Vi studied her, noticing the way Caitlyn’s shoulders tensed slightly before she exhaled as if letting go of something. “Oh yeah?... And now?” Vi asked.

Caitlyn’s smile returned slowly as she turned towards Vi. “Now I’m here. Sitting in an attic with someone who climbs walls to get to lunch. It’s… freeing, in a way. No one telling me what to do or how to act. I can just… exist.”

Vi felt something stir in her chest as she studied Caitlyn’s features, an unexpected warmth that she quickly brushed aside. She wasn’t ready for anything more than friendship - not now, not yet - but hearing Caitlyn talk like that made her feel something she hadn’t in a long time: connection.

Caitlyn glanced at her, and then back at her room. “You’re lucky, ya know,” she said gently. “Up here, with all this. You’ve made something for yourself.” She gestured to the attic—the records, the posters, the little touches of Vi’s personality that made the space feel alive.

Vi shrugged, looking away. “Yeah, I guess.”

The song changed, moving into the next track, and Caitlyn shifted closer, picking up another record from the stack. “What’s this one?” she asked, holding up a scratched an warn vinyl sleeve with a faint “Q” in the top corner.

Vi’s lips curved into a faint smile. “That one got me through a lot of bad nights.”

Caitlyn studied her for a moment before setting the record aside, careful not to push too hard. Instead, she leaned back, letting the peaceful harmonies of ‘Rhiannon’ wash over them.

Their lunches became a routine after that, a quiet ritual where they could escape from the world and share bits of themselves. For Vi, it was a way to feel human again without the pressure of expectations or the weight of grief. For Caitlyn, it was a chance to feel like she was finally living life on her terms.

And while neither of them said it aloud, they both knew something unspoken was growing between them - a connection that felt fragile but undeniably real. For now, though, friendship was enough. It was all Vi could handle, and Caitlyn was content to let things unfold at their own pace.

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Vi sat slouched on the couch in Olivia’s office, her legs stretched out and her hands resting on her thighs. She hadn’t wanted to come today. It had been a long week, and the idea of sitting here and picking apart her thoughts felt like another chore. Still, she’d promised herself - and Powder - that she’d stick with it, so here she was, staring at the potted plant in the corner as if it held the answers to life’s questions.

Olivia sat across from her, notepad balanced on her knee, her pen idle. She didn’t push, she never did. Instead, she waited for Vi to speak, she knew the silence would push her thoughts out sooner or later – she was also quite content to sit for as long as Vi needed.

Vi sighed, finally breaking the solace. “There’s this girl,” she started, her voice hesitant.

Olivia’s eyebrow arched slightly, but she kept her expression neutral. “A girl?” she prompted gently.

Vi’s lips twitched into a half-smile, and she sat up straighter, resting her elbows on her knees. “Yeah, Cait. She’s new… to America. She’s British. Talks like a princess.”

Olivia chuckled softly, sensing that Vi’s mood had lifted slightly. “She sounds interesting.”

“She is,” Vi admitted, her tone softening. “She’s… different. Like, she doesn’t try to pry or push me to talk about stuff. But she’s still just there all the time, y’know? She’s not afraid to sit in the quiet.”

Olivia nodded, jotting something down in her notebook. “It sounds like you feel comfortable around her.”

“Yeah,” Vi said, leaning back against the couch. “It’s easy with her. She doesn’t look at me like… like she knows something’s broken. She just gets it. And she’s funny - snorts when she laughs, got this little tooth gap that shows up when she’s really lost it.” Vi was getting lost in her attic memories with Cait – How every new vinyl prompted a heated discussion on whether it topped the previous vinyl.

Olivia smiled knowingly, her pen pausing mid-air. “She sounds like she makes you happy.”

Vi hesitated, her brow furrowing. “Yeah, I guess she does.”

The room fell quiet for a moment, Olivia letting Vi’s words settle. She could see the flickers of emotion on Vi’s face - the subtle shift from guarded to contemplative.

“Have you introduced her to your family?” Olivia asked carefully, breaking the silence.

Vi’s posture stiffened slightly, her gaze darting away. “No. I mean, why would I?”

“Well,” Olivia said gently, “you’ve told me how important your family is to you, even when things aren’t perfect. So, I’m curious why you haven’t brought this Cait into that part of your life.”

Vi let out a sharp breath, running a hand through her hair. “It’s not that simple. Powder’s been through enough already, and Vander… I don’t need him hovering, asking a bunch of questions – if I’m okay. And Claggor and Mylo - they’ll just tease me.”

Olivia tilted her head, watching Vi closely. “Tease you? About what?”

Vi shrugged, her walls starting to creep back up. “I don’t know. Stuff. Like… like why I’m hanging out with someone new. Or why she’s British. Or why she’s not…” She trailed off, biting the inside of her cheek hard, not wanting to think about her ex.

Olivia waited patiently. “Why she’s not what?”

Vi huffed and shook her head, her voice dropping. “Why she’s not like the people I used to hang out with.”

The weight of the unspoken hung between them. Olivia could tell Vi wasn’t just talking about her old friends - she was talking about her ex, about the pain and guilt that still clung to her.

“It’s okay to let new people into your life, Vi,” Olivia said softly. “Caitlyn isn’t a replacement for anyone you’ve lost. She’s someone new, someone who seems to care about you. And from the sounds of it, you care about her, too.”

Vi looked down at her hands, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her hoodie. “Yeah, but what if it messes things up? What if Powder doesn’t like her, or she’s scared ill isolate myself from her again? or Vander doesn’t like her? What if…” She trailed off, her voice cracking slightly.

Olivia leaned forward, her voice steady and warm. “What if it goes well? What if introducing her to your family helps you feel even closer to her - and to them? You’ve told me you want to rebuild your connection with Powder and the others. Maybe Cait could be part of that - if you let her.”

Vi swallowed hard, her throat tight. She didn’t answer right away, her thoughts swirling. She felt fond of Caitlyn perhaps too fond, maybe - but she wasn’t ready to put all of that into words yet.

Olivia leaned back, sensing the need to ease the moment. “Vi, no one’s asking you to have it all figured out. You don’t have to rush this. But maybe think about why you’re holding back. And whether keeping Cait separate from the rest of your life is really what you want - or just what feels safer.”

Vi nodded slowly, her jaw tightening. “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I ask,” Olivia said, her tone lightening. “And for what it’s worth, it sounds like Cait’s lucky to have you as a friend.”

Vi smiled faintly, though her heart was a mess of emotions. “Yeah, well, she’s been putting up with my antics for the past 4 months, so I guess that counts for something.”

As the session ended, Vi walked out of the office feeling lighter but no less conflicted. She cared about Caitlyn - she couldn’t deny that anymore. But letting Caitlyn into her world, into her family, felt like stepping into uncharted territory. And Vi wasn’t sure if she was ready for that yet.

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Thursday afternoon, as the end-of-day bell rang, Vi was lingering by the door of the classroom as students began filing out. Caitlyn was packing her bag meticulously, as always, her movements precise and deliberate. Vi watched her for a moment, her nerves unusually frayed. It had been just over four months of their quiet, consistent routine - lunches together, teasing jokes in the back of the classroom, and shared music in Vi’s attic - and Vi couldn’t shake the growing feeling that she wanted more. She didn’t fully understand it yet, but she knew Caitlyn had slipped past her defences in a way no one else had.

Clearing her throat, Vi leaned against the desk beside Caitlyn. “Hey,” she started, her voice casual. “So, I was thinking…”

Caitlyn looked up, her expression warm and curious. “Careful, that could be dangerous.”

Vi rolled her eyes, smirking. “Ha-ha. No, seriously. I was thinking maybe, I don’t know - if you’re cool with it - we could hang out, like, after school sometime. Or on the weekend. Outside of the whole sneaky lunch thing.”

Caitlyn’s hands froze mid-motion, gripping the strap of her bag. Her heart skipped a beat, and she hoped it didn’t show on her face. “Oh?” she said, trying to sound unaffected, though her voice wavered slightly. “That’s… that’s a lovely idea.”

Vi caught the hesitation in Caitlyn’s tone but pressed on, not wanting to lose her nerve. “Cool. I mean, no pressure or anything. I just thought it’d be nice to hang out outside of school, y’know? Maybe we could, perhaps, trade numbers, and I can text you or something.” ‘Perhaps?’ – Caitlyn’s Britishisms were rubbing off on her.

Caitlyn’s stomach twisted. She’d known this moment would come eventually, but now that it was here, she felt utterly unprepared. Royal protocol, her mother’s voice echoed in her mind. Never give out your phone number. She managed a small smile, though it felt stiff.

“Of course,” Caitlyn said, her voice overly polite. “That sounds… wonderful. But could I - would it be alright if I gave it to you tomorrow? I, um, need to double-check something first.”

Vi blinked, caught off guard. “Uh, yeah, sure, of course,” she said, scratching the back of her neck. “I didn’t mean to, like, push or anything.”

“No, no,” Caitlyn said quickly, shaking her head. “You’re not pushing at all. I just… I’ll give it to you tomorrow, alright?”

Vi nodded, though something about Caitlyn’s tone felt off. “Okay. Tomorrow, then.” She tried to keep her voice light, but a flicker of doubt crept into her chest. Maybe she’d overstepped. Maybe Caitlyn wasn’t as comfortable with her as she’d thought.

As Caitlyn left the classroom, she felt a pang of guilt for her awkward response. But there was no way she could give Vi her current number. The royal security team routinely swept her phone, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. If they found a number that wasn’t on their approved list, alarms would go off, and her mother would be alerted. That’s the last thing she wanted right now.

That evening, Caitlyn made a decision. She slipped out of the Kiramman estate, with the help of Elora, the kitchen hand, and went to a small electronics store across town. The clerk didn’t recognise her – probably due to her overly cautious beanie and trench coat in the middle of Arizonan summer - and she purchased a basic phone with a prepaid plan. It wasn’t fancy, but it was perfect for her needs: a way to keep in touch with Vi without the risk of anyone finding out.

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Vi sat in the back of the classroom, Air pods in (it's her only constant), her mind still replaying the awkwardness of yesterday. Maybe she’d been too forward. Maybe Caitlyn didn’t want to take their friendship beyond school lunches and casual banter. Vi shook her head, trying to focus on her notebook, but her thoughts were swirling and sinking.

Then Caitlyn walked in. She was smiling - a bright, genuine smile that immediately eased the tension in Vi’s chest. She moved gracefully, weaving through the desks to take the seat beside Vi as always. The class had now seemed to leave her alone, having come to terms with the fact that the princess of England was in their class and nothing else really changed.

“Good morning,” Caitlyn chirped, pulling out her notebook and placing her bag inside the desk.

Vi glanced at her, pulling out her left air pod upon her arrival, slightly surprised by her upbeat mood. “Morning,” she replied, her tone cautious.

Caitlyn turned to her, holding out a small, sleek phone. “Here,” she said, her cheeks faintly pink. “Your number. You can put it in now.”

Vi blinked, caught off guard by Caitlyn’s sudden confidence. “Oh. Uh, yeah, okay.” She pulled out her phone and handed it to Caitlyn, watching as her fingers tapped across the screen with practised ease.

“There,” Caitlyn said, handing it back. “All set.”

Vi stared at her phone for a moment, Caitlyn’s name (¨Cait¨) now sitting at the top of her contacts. A small smile tugged at her lips. “Thanks,” she said, glancing up at Caitlyn. “So… does that mean you’re cool with hanging out? After school or whatever?”

Caitlyn hesitated for the briefest moment, then nodded. “I’d very much like that.” Her voice was soft but sincere, and she quickly turned away, pretending to rummage through her bag.

Vi caught the faint blush on Caitlyn’s cheeks and felt her own stomach flip. There was something about the way Caitlyn smiled, the way her voice softened when she spoke to her, that made Vi feel things she wasn’t quite ready to put into words.

Caitlyn, meanwhile, could feel her heart racing. She hadn’t meant to get so flustered, but the way Vi looked at her - like she was the only person in the room - was enough to send her thoughts spiralling. She turned her attention to her notebook, determined not to let her feelings show.