✧˖*°࿐ CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN!
❪ social media & in real life ❫
⎯⎯⎯ 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌,
@ KATEMARTIN03
liked by gabbie.marshall and 13,286 others
katemartin03 forever thankful 🩵
view all comments
user1 those cinnamon rolls 😫
⎯⎯ katemartin03 whipped up by me👩🏼🍳
gabbie.marshall I LOVE YOU MORE THAN LIFE KATE MARTIN🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰!!
⎯⎯ katemartin03 awe i love you too gabs😇
caitlinclark22 what a cutie in the first pic😍
⎯⎯ isabelporter thanks CC! happy thanksgiving!
⎯⎯ caitlinclark22 i was talking about the dog
⎯⎯ caitlinclark22 sorry happy thanksgiving issie ❤️
user2 oh to be isabel
sydney.affolter ugh my girls💗💗 see u both tonight!!!!!
⎯⎯ isabelporter i'm gonna give u the biggest hug ever
⎯⎯ sydney.affolter im so excited
mollydavis14 happy thanksgiving 🤍
⎯⎯ isabelporter i'm most thankful for you molly
⎯⎯ katemartin03 #cancelmollydavis she steals my girl on the daily 😔
⎯⎯ mollydavis14 i'm just like that sorry. it's not something i can control
kyliefeuerbach kate im so thankful for you🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻 ty for being a girls biggest mentor!
⎯⎯ katemartin03 kylie you're going to make me cry i love u so much 💗💗💗💗💗
georgiaamoore happy thanksgiving guys!🦃
⎯⎯ katemartin03 vt's favorite holiday?
⎯⎯ georgiaamoore of course 🤣
⎯⎯ isabelporter HAPPY THANKSGIVING MATE!!! 🤎🤎🤎🤎
⎯⎯ georgiaamoore wow isabel you're a true aussie now with that slang 🔥
⎯⎯ isabelporter yes😎😎
hannahstuelke happy thanksgiving to my favorite couple everrr 💘
⎯⎯ isabelporter in love w u hannah
⎯⎯ katemartin03 love you big hannah!!
iowawbb Happy Thanksgiving, Cap!💛
⎯⎯ user3 isabel is always on the work grind
⎯⎯ isabelporter ALWAYS💪🏼💪🏼 (this is the easiest part of my job)
addi.ogrady happy turkey day🦃
( liked by katemartin03 )
user4 yall need another dog? i can bark.
⎯⎯⎯ 𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄,
A KNOCK AT THE DOOR MADE ISABEL DRAG HER ATTENTION AWAY FROM FOLDING HER CLOTHES. Kate was in the doorway, both hands behind her back. Isabel shot her a small smile, not paying too much attention to the girls awkward stance, before turning back around to zip up her suitcase. She huffed as she lifted it off the bed and onto to the floor next to Kate's.
"You all ready?" Kate asked, coming up behind Isabel and wrapping one arm around her waist. Isabel craned her neck back to look at Kate, accepting the kiss that was quickly planted onto her lips.
"Yeah, I just got to get my toiletry bag from the bathroom," The girl responded, running her fingernails along Kate's arm that was secured around her midriff. Kate sighed at the feeling. It was something she would make Isabel do every time they were with each other.
After holding the girl for a few more minutes, Kate finally withdrew her arm, bringing her hand behind her back again. Isabel narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend suspiciousness. "Why are you standing so weird?"
Kate grinned. "I got you a present."
"I don't think people typically give presents on Thanksgiving, Kate," She laughed, though her heart sped up at the thought of Kate getting her something. They had only been dating for a few weeks but no other part of her life could compare to the way it was right now. She was the happiest she had been in ages thanks to Kate.
Isabel bit her lip as Kate slowly began to reveal the object in her hands. A gasp fell from the girls mouth as she caught sight of the box and the picture on it. "Kate Martin!" She screeched, carefully taking the boxed up camera from her hands. "You're fucking insane."
"I figured since yours got broken, I would replace it," Kate shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "Thanks to Dara, really, otherwise I would've gotten you a Polaroid."
"Do you even realize how much money you spent on this?" Isabel asked, completely astonished. "This is a Nikon."
"Yeah, so? Dara said it's the best one for sports photography."
"Yeah, it is the best one," Isabel said, "Which is why they cost a fortune."
Kate waved her off, "It's not a big deal, Is. As long as you like it. And if it makes my game pictures ten times better in quality, then that's just another plus." Isabel laughed, blinking back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She sat the box on Kate's bed before throwing her body into her.
"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," Isabel whispered into Kate's neck.
"Aw, how nice of you to say," Kate joked, though her heart sped up at the words.
Isabel pulled back slightly, looking into Kate's eyes. She mulled over her next words carefully. It could either go greatly or horribly wrong, and she was really hoping it wasn't going to be the latter. Isabel swallowed roughly, her throat suddenly feeling dry. "Kate, I mean it. I love you."
Kate felt her breathing stop for a moment, trying to process what Isabel had just said. It felt just like when the girl had confessed she did in fact like Kate back. Everything Isabel did took Kate's breath away, but this was by far the best moment. There was not a day that had went by in the last year where Kate hadn't suppressed the urge to tell Isabel those exact words. So, to hear them coming out of her mouth almost sent Kate into tears.
Isabel blinked rapidly as she awaited Kate's response. Did she not love her back? Was it too early on in the relationship to say it? Why the fuck is she not responding? Should she just run away?
The brunette began to pull away from her girlfriend, embarrassment ridiculing her entire being. She should've just listened to her mind instead of her heart. Though, Kate was quick to pull her back in, capturing her lips in a rough and sloppy kiss.
"I love you," Kate said in between breaths, "so much." Isabel let out a relieved sigh as they unconnected from each other, only to let out a gasp as Kate's lips began to move to her neck.
"Kate, do not give me a hickey right before we say goodbye to your parents!" Isabel laughed, taking Kate's face in between her hands and pulling it back up to her face. She laid one last kiss to her lips before untangling herself from Isabel.
"Yeah, that's probably not a good idea," Kate responded, also smiling. "I'll get our bags if you want to head on downstairs." Isabel nodded her head, grabbing her purse and the camera off the bed.
The chatter of Kate's family was still loud. Unfortunately, their basketball game scheduled right after Thanksgiving was all the way in Florida, meaning the team would have to leave late tonight to still get there the day before. Bluder hated traveling on the same day as a game, claiming that jet lag was not something you want draped over your team when playing such a physical game. Isabel definitely couldn't argue with that, as she too liked being able to sleep peacefully the night before their games, it just sucked that they had to leave Kate's so soon. And that she couldn't be with her family.
Kate's family had graciously agreed to eating Thanksgiving lunch instead of Thanksgiving dinner in favor for the girls' schedule. They were all just happy to have Kate home and Isabel joining them.
And though Isabel had already met Kate's parents at multiple games, it felt different this time. More important, almost. As if she needed to make a good impression.
Kate's Dad had become Isabel's biggest fan over their stay. He even ditched Trevor for Isabel when picking partners for Kemps, which according to Kate was huge deal, as the two of them had been each other's loyal game partners for years. Trevor had purposely watched only them extra closely every round. Though, they ended up winning three out of the five rounds regardless.
Jill, Kate's Mom, had been very welcoming to Isabel from the moment they stepped out of the car. Both girls were greeted by warm cups of hot chocolate upon their arrival and tight hugs. Though, what really made Isabel's heart melt was the fact that the mug had her initial on it, as everyone in the household had their own special mug with their initial carved into it. Meaning Jill must've went and picked one out so she would have one as well.
"Ah, Issie!" Jill said as she spotted her walking down the steps. She sat down her glass of wine on the coffee table in front of her, gesturing for the girl to join them in the living room. Kennedy patted the spot on the sofa next to her, to which Isabel accepted. "I assume you and Kate are about to head out on us?"
"Yes, ma'am," Isabel nodded, "We have to be back in Iowa City by 8:30."
The woman frowned, "I hate that the schedule was lined up this way, but I understand. I would just like to see you both more often."
"Whatcha got there?" Matt spoke up, gesturing to the camera sitting in Isabel's lap.
"Matt, don't be nosey," His sister joked, slapping his upper arm. A chorus of laughter sounded, Isabel, too, giggling.
"It's a new camera." Isabel held it up. "Kate actually got it for me. My last one unfortunately no longer functions." She gulped, remembering the altercation that went down between her and Austin only a few days ago. Nothing since then had happened, and he hadn't tried to get in contact with her in any way. However, it was released that Eli had been temporarily removed from the team, and Austin had been permanently suspended for the intake of steroids—which is considered a form of cheating.
"Well, that's Kate for you," Jill said proudly.
A few moments later, Kate finally made her way down the stairs with all of the bags. Isabel and Trevor hoped up, taking some of them from her. The brunette laughed at her girlfriend thinking she could carry two suitcases and two bags at once down a flight of stairs.
"Big muscles," Isabel laughed. Kate rolled her eyes jokingly, giving a small pinch to Isabel's hip.
As Kate said her goodbyes to her family, Kennedy helped Isabel load the luggage into the trunk. "So, um, don't tell Kate this, but the family is all coming down for the Iowa State game. It's supposed to be a surprise but I figured I'd just let you know in advance."
"Cool. She'll be really happy," Isabel said, shutting the trunk once everything was inside.
Kennedy pulled Isabel into a tight hug, "Thank you for being so good to her. It's been a rough couple of years ever since she, you know, came out. She really needed someone like you."
"I really needed her, too." They pulled apart, both giving each other small smiles.
Kate and the rest of her family exited out of the front door. Kennedy gave Isabel one last little hug before joining her family.
"You ready?" Kate asked, coming up to Isabel.
"Yeah," She answered.
"Bye baby! Bye Isabel, come back soon, darling!" Jill shouted, waving her hand in the air.
"Thank you for having me! And I will, I promise!" Isabel waved back.
Kate sent them one final smile before getting into her car. She laid a hand on Isabel's thigh as she pulled out of the driveway.
𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞,
in luv w this chapter tbh