Forgiveness

"Wh-what are you doing with my blanket in my hand? Did you steal it from me? Why do you have it?" Kate's eyes were concentrated on her childhood blanket and her childhood blanket only.

"Did I steal it? No! Jesus Kate do you really think I'm that bad of a person?" The room fell silent as Nika squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, already regretting what she just said. "Don't answer that. Ugh, look Kate, can I please just explain why I have it and everything else over dinner?"

"I don't wanna be anywhere near you. Just give me my blanket back and stay the fuck away from me."

Nika paused for a brief moment. "I'll pay for dinner."

Kate felt herself sigh. She would never let down on an opportunity for free food. To add on to her revenge, this was Kate's chance to order everything on the menu. Nika has been such a shitty person towards her for the past few months. This was Kate's turn to pay the favor.

"Fine. I'm only going though because you said you'd pay."

Nika secretly jumped inside, feeling her heart beat a little faster when Kate agreed to go out for dinner with her.

"Follow me then. My cars outside."

Nika had now taken the lead on the way to her car. Kate decided to walk a few feet behind the Croatian, but Nika didn't argue. Kate had every right in the world to stay as many feet away from Nika as she wanted. Nika was even grateful that the girl had decided to even come to this dinner with her.

After a few minutes of silence, the two girls had finally reached Nika's car. Nika went to open up the passenger seat for Kate but got interrupted.

"I'm pretty sure I know how to open up a car door myself."

Nika put her hands up as an act of defense as she made her way to the other side. "I was only trying to help." Making her way over, she heard Kate scoff.

Kate opened the door to the car and as she began to sat down she looked around and started to reminisce about that one day she was in Connecticut. Back when her and Nika were still together.

The car looked the exact same as it did many months ago. Smelt clean, everything was in the same place, spotless.

Kate got distracted when at the corner of the eye she saw Nika holding up a cable, shaking it, asking if Kate wants to play her music. Kate waved her off. Why was the girl being nice and acting like she cares all of a sudden?

Kate couldn't risk looking into the Croatian's face knowing she wouldn't be able to stop herself from not looking. So instead, Kate decided to stare out the window.

As soon as Nika put her car in reverse, she found herself about to put her arm on the inside of Kate's upper thigh like she has done many times before. Thankfully Kate was looking out the window to not see the pink on Nika's cheeks.

The car ride was filled with an awkward silence-one both thought would've been unimaginable to have happened months ago. For the silence to come to an end, Nika decided to play her music.

The beginning of 'Happiness Is A Butterfly' started to play and Nika immediately forward her attention to Kate. All that Kate responded with was an eye roll and a deep sigh. Kate could hear Nika hum along to the sung as her thumb tapped on the steering wheel.

"Can you turn this off?"

Nika lowered the volume as her eyebrows furrowed wondering why the girl wanted the song off. Sure they weren't together anymore but does Kate really hate this song now?

"Why? Do you not like this song anymore?"

"I do still like it. But you're instigating right now to try and gain my attention. Well guess what Nika, it's not going to work."

Kate may have been right in the sense that Nika was trying to get her attention, but deep down both girls knew whatever Nika did would eventually work on Kate. "Fine. I'll change the song to something else then I guess."

Kate unintentionally put her hand on Nika's to stop her from skipping the song as quickly as she could. The silence in the air was loud. Nika was trying to do everything she could to not pull the car to the side of the road and kiss Kate. Kate was trying to do everything she could to not open up the car door and jump out. The car finally came to a halt at a red light.

"Sorry," Kate mumbled under her breath, immediately taking her hand away from touching the Croatian's skin. "You can...you can leave the song on."

"Have you ever seen Lana in concert before?"

"No."

"Well, would you?"

Kate had a feeling she knew exactly where this conversation was going. "Yea I would. Probably with my friends or something, y'know? Who would ever want to go to a concert with someone who makes her feel like 'The Other Woman'?"

There it was. Nika's lips pressed together. She should've seen that coming.

Nika and Kate finally made it to the restaurant Nika wanted to go to. The restaurant was reservation only but Nika already had that covered. The day prior, Nika called the restaurant in case this had happened, for the hostess to not mention anything about needing a reservation here.

The two girls got sat against a window which looked out to the leafless trees. As the two girls began to sit down at the booth, it became clear on Kate's face that she was already regretting coming here.

The waiter poured water into their glasses not looking at their faces at first and immediately left. "So start talking." Nika was caught off guard seeing how quick and serious Kate was to jump into getting information out of Nika like it was an interrogation.

"You want to hear about your blanket first?"

Kate scoffed, "Uhm yea. That's the only reason I came to dinner with you. I don't give a fuck about 'everything else.' Why the fuck are you a damn stealer?"

This Kate was not a Kate Nika had ever known. Not once has she seen the blonde have such an attitude like this besides the incident the other day. But Nika didn't want to push any of her buttons so she was just going to ignore the tone of voice.

"Well uhm so after...you know, happened in the front yard, I chatted with Jana because she was also out in the front- but the other side for clarification, and after I chatted with her I went inside. Once I went inside I went over to where some of the girls were playing beer pong and at the corner of my eye I noticed there was a blanket laying on the table. I didn't take me one second to recognize that it was yours."

Nika took a sip of water from her glass before continuing. "I asked them if you were still at the party and they said that you left and so I took it so nobody could destroy or steal it or make it disappear. And I would've fought off anyone who tried to touch it-."

"You guys ready to order drinks first?" Both girls look up at the waiter with his iPad in both of his hands. Nika signaled for Kate to go, making the waiter look at Kate, but Kate reflected the hand signal back.

"No. We're fine with waters thanks. We'll just go straight for entrées. I'll take the Wagyu Burger, medium rare, no tomatoes." When Nika finished her order, she noticed the waiter's eyes were still directed at Kate. "Hello?! Stop eye fucking her and place in my fucking order."

"You're right. I'm so sorry." The waiter who's name read 'Falcon' fingers seemed to be typing as fast as they could on the iPad. "And for you, pretty lady?"

Nika felt herself throw up in the mouth. Why the fuck was this dude calling her girl 'pretty lady'?

Clearly uncomfortable, Kate quietly stated her order. "Well this woman right in front of me said she would pay for my dinner so I would like to order Bolognese, a Caesar salad with chicken, a filet mignon, medium rare, and a tuna roll."

"Wow a hungry lady, I like that." The waiter winked and immediately walked away.

Nika's face began to turn read and the only thought in her mind was ripping that man apart to shreds. Her fists were growing white from the nails going into the palm of her hand, and eyes watching every step the man walked. No one should ever have the audacity to talk to her girl like that.

"I'm going to kill that man."

"Why? Because he was paying attention and flirting with me? Nika you don't own me. We're not together anymore I can do what I want."

"Yea but you would never date a man. You said you're not attracted to them and that you always feel trapped when you're around one. Like the one time you said you were in the 3rd grade and a boy tried to give you a chocolate milk box but you didn't take it because he touched it."

Kate was impressed by how much Nika paid attention. Nika just recalled something that Kate has only ever mentioned one time to her in the time they've been together. Some men still forget what Kate's last name was. Nika knew Kate, and Kate loved that. No man or woman could pay attention in a million years to Kate as much as Nika did.

"Yea well you said you would never get back with Dayton but here we are. Now finish what you were saying."

"Oh right. Sorry I was a little side tracked. So anyway, I took the blanket with me because I knew everyone else was too drunk to pay attention to it. I took it home and put it in my basketball bag this morning so I wouldn't forget to hand it to you today, in case this game was the last time that I would see you for a while."

"Well thank you for taking care of it for me Nika. I really appreciate that. Sorry I was angry before it's just that I didn't know why you had my blanket and if you stole it from me or something. I knew I forgot something at the party."

"It's fine Kate. You have every right to be angry at me considering all the harm that I caused to you." Nika took another sip of her water, noticing that Kate's was untouched. "Why aren't you drink your water?"

Kate looked at the glass then back at Nika. "I'm just not that thirsty."

"You don't have to lie Kate. Is it because of the lemon floating on top?" Kate nodded, seeming to be a little embarrassed. "Excuse me miss?" Nika called down the first waiter or waitress that she could see. "Can you get me a water with no lemon or lime?" The waitress replied back and Nika focused her attention back to Kate.

When Nika looked back at Kate, she noticed how soft the girls eyes grew. "You didn't have to do that for me."

"Well maybe I didn't but I wasn't going to let you die of thirst." Kate wanted to smile or laugh so hard right now but she needed to keep her tough, nonchalant face on.

"So since you brought it up, I guess now maybe I'm wondering about what 'everything else' is and what you mean by it."

"Well I'd talk about the Dayton thing but I'm sure you don't want to hear about that."

"Let's just wait until I get my food in case I need to choke myself."

So that's what they did. Not one word went by while they were waiting for the food. Nika was looking at Kate the whole time not daring to give anybody else her attention. Kate was glued to her phone doing whatever on it. Why should Kate give Nika attention that she doesn't deserve?

Nika had no idea what Kate was doing on her phone but she wasn't going to ask. She would go from laughing one minute to then seeming furious the next. Given that it was winter time and the sun set early, Nika tried to see if she could see Kate's phone reflection from the mirror. It was no use until the moment Kate had her glass in her hand and her phone in the other. Kate was favoriting something on TikTok which meant her hand and phone were leaning towards the window. Nika was able to see the phone in the reflection for a quick minute and she could've sworn it was an edit of her and Kate.

"Okay and the Wagyu Burger for you and the 4 entrees for you, pretty lady." The waiter leaned down towards Kate and began whispering to her loud enough to where Nika could hear. "If you aren't full from this, I can get you dessert and it will be free, if you know what I mean."

The waiter began walking away smirking at Kate one last time.

"Okay what the fuck Kate I'm actually gonna beat that bitch, Falcon, up so badly he won't be able to fly anymore." Kate couldn't hold it in and let out a small giggle which made Nika's eyes light up.

"Okay okay calm down Nika. I'm not interested in him like at all and he was like hella sweaty it was so disgusting I wanted to throw up."

"So when you liked me did you think I was disgusting y'know, being all sweaty in my jersey when I guarded the shit out of Caitlin."

"It was different towards you and you know that Nika."

"But who the fuck names their kid Falcon? They must've really hated they had a boy instead of a girl."

Kate playfully rolled her eyes as she began taking a bite first out of the salad. "I don't disagree with you. Now stop going off track and start explaining whatever you need to explain."

Nika let out a big sigh before beginning. "So like a few days after we broke up, like right when we got back to Connecticut from the Bahamas, I couldn't live with the fact that we weren't together anymore. And I know that I was the one who broke up with you but it seriously killed me. I felt trapped, like I couldn't breathe. To know that you wouldn't be there whenever I needed somebody. Needed you. So I went over to Dayton's and did things I regret but I was only thinking of you, through everything."

This was a lot for Kate to take in. Kate was feeling all kinds of emotions and feelings running through her body. Anger, forgiveness, everything.

"And so up until last night me and Dayton have been like on and off. I swear on my mom and dad I don't feel anything for him, I just needed to forget how I felt about you. But its no use because you're here right now and all I want is to be yours again. I regret everything. Every fucking thing I ever did to hurt you."

This was even more for Kate to take in. She wasn't sure how much of what Nika said was true but Nika was probably the most honest person in the world. She tells it how it is. If she thinks you look ugly in a certain outfit, she will tell you. Kate knows every tone of voice of Nika and Kate could tell Nika was telling the truth. But Kate didn't want to believe it's true.

"I just think it was absolutely selfish of you to break up with me then go straight to Dayton because you needed a warm body underneath you and I couldn't provide that for you."

"I know Kate, I know. I see that now."

"Why'd you break up with me? What's the real reason? Was it really because of long distance?"

Nika sighed. "Everyone knew long distance between us would work, it's not rocket science. And it was working. I just felt so lonely with the absence of you and I needed to get everything I had built up out of my system. Never in a million years would I have ever cheated on you. I just needed to break up with you then, in case things between us did get worse or if I slipped up and maybe did things I would regret."

"And your regret now?"

"Breaking up with you."

Kate severely hated how much Nika had a chokehold on her. Those months of going to therapy seemed to be worth nothing every time Nika looked at Kate. It was only them two in the world, nobody else. The only way to move on though, was to pretend you were.

"Well I'm sorry Nika but I don't think we could ever pursue a relationship anymore. You really damaged my mental health. I'm willing to build a friendship with you though."

Nika shook her head side to side rapidly. "No. Nope if its not a relationship then I don't want it."

"Well I'm sorry then Nika but this is where our road ends."

Fuck all Nika wanted to do was cry right now. "I guess I'll try giving it a shot. Why is there somebody you're seeing?"

Kate didn't know whether she should tell Nika about the person she's been seeing. To be fair, Kate didn't even know what her and Ice were. They weren't dating or anything but they definitely seemed to be more than friends."

"Okay would you guys like any dessert?" Kate went to reply to the waiter who's eyes were already on her, but Nika had something to say first.

"Uhm no we will take the check please. And if you ever talk to my girlfriend like that ever again, I will beat the fuck out of you and make sure you could never work here again you fucking pervert. So get me the fucking check and make her most expensive meal for free or I'll let the world know you like to hit on other women's women and try to force them to be straight which is so wrong and homophobic of you."

"Ye-yes ma'am. I'll hand the check to you as fast as possible." The waiter went scurrying away as fast as he could, crashing into multiple people along the way.

Yea so Kate was definitely not going to tell Nika about Ice.

"Thank you Nika but I'm not your girlfriend anymore."

"Not yet. Besides I just saved your ass from a nasty straight man. So tell me who you're seeing."

"Uhm, I'm not seeing anybody currently. Still recovering from you no offense. Besides I know you, and I know that you would try to kick whoever's ass I'm seeing and I'm not willing to take that risk so I decided to just focus on basketball and being single."

"Yea because nobody in the world deserves someone as amazing as you. I fucked it up so if its not me then its nobody."

The check came and Nika had to make sure that the filet mignon came free. It was no surprise it was charged $0 because Nika was sure that man wouldn't want to get beaten up. Before standing up to leave, Nika left a $1 tip while Kate was out of sight.

They made there way back to Nika's car, Nika almost fucking it up again by almost opening up the passenger door for Kate. It seemed like things between the two of them were going to get better. But Kate still felt a lot of hate for Nika and what she did and all Nika wanted to do was cry in her room and never exit it.

Nika put in the direction to the hotel the Hawkeyes were staying at, driving the fasted she could to arrive so Nika could be alone in the car with her thoughts.

So many truths unfolded during this dinner yet all of the emotions were fake. Kate acting forgiving knowing it would take very long for Kate to try to forgive Nika, and Nika trying to act all care free after Kate said that they could never be together again.

Nika isn't a pussy, she's a fighter. And she was going to do anything it took to get Kate back into her arms.

But for now Nika was left alone with her thoughts as Kate exited the car, wondering how this is somehow more painful then the break up was. As Nika began to drive away, the tears began to flow out. Right now Nika was just going to let out all of the anger and pain she had inside of her. But soon she would be focused on getting Kate back. Because she was going to get her back. No matter what it took.

Authors Note:

Sorry this chapter was ass yall

And Ik yall sick of me putting Happiness Is A Butterfly but it adds to the sentimental feeling just trust

I doubt I will but Ill try to get another chapter out befofe tuesday bc I have monday off

Uhm Liberty u better lock the fuck in or I will become a Connecticut Sun fan (that would never happen)

Once again hope yal enjoyed