Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains (Victoria and Elijah) novel Chapter 191

What Are You Hiding?

Victoria’s POV

“I read your diary when we were twelve,” Caleb said, his voice dropping. “That weekend I came over to your house for a movie night and a sleepover. You left the room to get snacks, and I found it under your pillow. That was the day I knew you liked me as more than just a best friend.”

Tears sprang to my eyes instantly. I squeezed them shut, letting two warm tracks run down my cheeks in the dark.

I kept my posture still, remembering Coach’s explicit instructions.

Tonight was about listening. It was about giving people the space to speak their truth so healing could start.

But sitting across from Caleb, I knew forgiveness wasn’t going to come easily–if it came at all.

I had a sickening feeling that this diary confession was just the tip of the iceberg.

Still, I forced my mouth to stay shut. I would follow Coach’s rules. I would sit and listen.

Caleb reached across the small table, his hand extending toward mine, but I pulled my arms back into my lap, keeping my gaze fixed on the dark outline of the trees.

He drew a long, heavy breath into his chest, his shoulders lifting before settling back down.

“I’m sorry, Tori. Truly. After I read it back then, I honestly thought it was just some flimsy twelve–year–old crush. I thought it would just fade away with time. I didn’t know it was going to develop into something deep and real.”

I scoffed, turning my head to glare straight into his eyes.

“And when it didn’t?” I demanded, my voice tight and strained. “When you realized it wasn’t just a flimsy crush–when we -And were in high school, when we were in college–why didn’t you step up and tell me? Why didn’t you just address the fact that we were never going to be anything more than best friends? Why did you drag my heart through the mud for years, Caleb? What did you gain from doing that to me?”

My lips began to tremble, the painful memory of all those years of waiting surging up to my throat.

Caleb sucked in a sharp breath, his own eyes turning glossy under the faint yellow light of the lamp.

I’m sorry, Tori,” he whispered, shaking his head slowly.

“I don’t… I don’t have a reasonable explanation. I can’t sit here and make up a noble excuse for you. It all boiled down to the feeling of… being invincible. Knowing I had someone who was always ready to run to me at my beck and call. Having a backup plan. A safety net.”

The words were brutal. They were ugly, stripped of any polish or gentle phrasing, but I sat there and took every single | sentence.

I didn’t want a sugarcoated apology. I wanted the raw, ugly truth of what he felt.

“Your love made me feel worthy,” Caleb continued, staring down at his knuckles.

“When my dad and Dominic made me feel worthless at home, I knew I always had you in my corner. You validated me. And the worst part? I loved having your support without any of the obligation. I felt like I could explore my options, mess around, and figure things out, all while knowing you’d be sitting right there waiting for me when I got tired. It’s messed up. Tori. It’s deeply selfish.”

He paused, letting out a rough exhale that sounded like a fracture in his chest. He lifted his head to look at me.

“It broke my heart when you found Carter,” he said softly. “But it feels like the universe finally decided it had seen enough of my bullshit and decided to reward you instead.”

Hatook a slow breath, his green eyes raw with an emotion I had never seen in him before.

“Whatever you prayed for during those dark nights, Tori… whatever you manifested, I am genuinely glad it came through. I’m glad your prayers were answered. I’m glad you found someone who loves you the way you deserve to be loved- someone who worships the ground you walk on. I fought against you dating Elijah because of pride and selfishness, because I couldn’t handle losing my safety net. But I’m glad he fought for you too. I’m so sorry, Tori.”

Tears were streaming down my face now, spilling over my eyelashes faster than I could wipe them away.

The pain was heavy, pressing down against my lungs. This was the guy I had called my best friend for over a decade.

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