"How you doing, Ta?"Â Ava finally came to a stop after pushing us through the crowd of cheering fans.
"Thinking," I honestly was out of it.
"That doesn't really answer my question, " She finds a bench for us to sit on while waiting for Paige and her friend Nika. Which was driving me crazy, cause I wanted to talk to her but didn't want to at the same time.
"Sorry, I'm just trying to put myself together before Nika comes, " Ava smirks.
"Don't overthink it, everything will go smoothly," she gave me a playful shove, "But only if you let it though."
We sat there awhile, waiting for the basketball players to come out. Instead of giving me time to think, Ava shoved edits of Paige and Nika down my throat. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, some of those edits were fine, but it did feel weird watching them knowing I was gonna have to talk to them.
"Like look, I pulled that," Ava pointed to Paige on her phone.
"Nah, I pulled you," A voice came from behind us, making us jump. Paige and Nika were standing right behind us.
"Oh, uh," Ava seemed flustered, exiting TikTok, shoving her phone in her pocket, "I didn't know you were there."
I wanted to burst out laughing, Ava's face was blood red. Her confident exterior breaking a moment around Paige. I've never seen her like this.
"It's alright, we wanted to sneak up on you guys," She made a gesture between her and Nika.
My gaze held on Nika, her bright smile, her beautiful eyes, her dark hair. She was literally perfect, how am I supposed to talk to her.
Paige and Ava watched as Nika and I just stared at each other, "So, Ava, you wanna introduce us to your friend?"
I finally looked away from Nika, feeling her eyes still on me.
Ava smiled, "Tate this is Paige, Paige this is Tate."
Paige stuck out her hand for a handshake, "Hey Tate, nice to finally meet you. Tate this is Nika by the way. Nika, Tate."
Paige released my hand, Nika held her's out, "Hey, I'm Tate."
Nika shook my hand, "I've heard. Can I just say that you're very pretty."
My face flushed red, "Oh, uh, thanks. I mean, you're really pretty too."
Nika's smile grew, "Thanks," she was blushing a little.
I felt myself staring at her, but I couldn't stop. Well, until she looked back at me. My eyes darted to Ava, who was already watching.
"So, you guys wanna come to dinner with us?" Paige asked.
"Who's all coming?" Ava asked, finally looking away from the stressing mess that was me.
Nika answered, an accent slipping more on some words than others, "Some of the team. I think KK, Ice, maybe Ashlynn."
"Yeah, some of the team already headed back to the dorms," Paige finished.
"Is it okay with your teammates that we come? I wouldn't want to be an inconvenience," I spoke up a bit.
"They wouldn't mind one bit, plus, it'd be nice to get to know our biggest cheerleaders," Paige winked in Ava's direction, it clearly had an effect on her.
"Of course we'll come. I'd like to get to know some of your friends Paige," Ava was really trying her hardest to stay calm and collected.
"Awesome, I could drive us all," Paige added, her cheeks had a pink tint.
We followed Paige to her car, Ava walking beside her, talking her head off. She did that when she was nervous, and she must've been really nervous after being caught watching edits of the girl she's talking too. Nika walked beside me, a part of me wanted to start a conversation, I just didn't know where to start. So I blurted something out.
"Hey, you played really good tonight. I mean, you stole the ball like 20 times," Mind you, I know nothing about basketball. I just heard Ava say Nika was stealing like crazy.
"Thank you. I mean, I gotta play good to show off for a pretty girl in the audience," She smiled and winked at me.
Every part of my body wanted to stop working. She just winked at me, "Come on, the only pretty girl there was you on the court."
Nika seemed caught off guard, "Dang, beating me at my own game."
"And what is that?" I asked, kind of confused.
"Tryna make someone blush a lot, and you've made me blush more than I've been able to talk," Nika flashed me a smile.
Butterflies, only thing I felt. My God, what does this girl do to me. I've said a totally of 20 words to her and I feel head over heels for her.
The rest of the walk was quiet, a weird tension between Nika and I as Paige and Ava's conversation never halted. Paige drove, Ava in the passenger seat. Paige's hand rested on Ava's leg. Ava fidgeting with Paige's fingers. Nika and I sat in the back, a seat open between us.
"Their so cute, it's disgusting," Nika leaned closer to me, her minty breath finding it's way into my nose.
"Have they even made things official?" I asked, she was Paige's friend, she might know.
"Not yet, but Paige wants too," She chewed her gum, her jaw flexing. Oh my God, Tate, stop staring.
"You have anymore gum?" Nika nodded, grabbing a pack from her bag, handing me a piece.
"Here you go," Nika seemed to pause for a second, a smirk appearing, "Pretty girl."
I know she knows what she's doing, but it still affected me like nothing ever has, "Thanks, Niks."
"Oh I see, I gotta nickname now. I'm making progress," I felt my stomach turn, she's doing this on purpose.
"Better get use to it," I smile through how flustered I was.
"So we'll be seeing other more? I see," Nika sat back up, sitting and facing the window.
I just stared, I couldn't take my eyes off her. The way she tapped her fingers to the music playing softly in the background. Her jaw flexing as she chewed her gum. I noticed a tattoo on her neck, Loyalty. It was small, but God was it hot.
"Tate, stop staring," Ava said pulling me from my thoughts, "She's gonna get a restraining order if you keep acting like this."
My face was as red as I think it could get.
"I would never, I like the way she looks at me. It's kinda cute," Nika said out of nowhere.
Some how my face was even more red than before. I now faced my window, I didn't want her to see what she was doing to me. I literally met her like 20 minutes ago.
"Come on, I like seeing your face Tate," Nika said as she was inches away from my face.
"I think you might be winning your game now," I said as I faced her.
"Just how I like it," she went to move, but moved back, "By the way, you're cute when you blush."
She sat back in her seat, the rest of the drive my mind raced. Only thoughts that happened to occupy my mind were about Nika. She had me wrapped around her fingers, and I can't say I'm mad about it.
*****************************************************
We finally made it to the restaurant, thank God. The tension in the car was overpowering. I'd go to look at Nika a couple of times, and she'd already be looking at me. I've just met the girl and I already need her.
We walk into the restaurant, finding KK and the rest of the teammates who decided to come.
"Aight guys, so this is Ava and her friend Tate. Ava, Tate, this is KK," KK jumped up giving both of us a hug.
"Girlypops, y'all so cute," I blushed, any kind of compliment made me do it, "Like if Paige and Nika didn't already have dibs, you bet I'd be trying to date y'all."
I looked over at Nika, color stained her face. Dibs, huh? Interesting.
"Okay KK, sit down," KK listened as Paige introduced the rest of them.
Paige sat down beside KK, dragging Ava to sit beside her. Nika sat down in an open chair, and only one that was open for me to sit in was beside Nika. I took a deep breath, It's fine, just sitting beside her, that's all.
When I finally got situated, Nika moved her seat closer to mine. I leaned closer to her, "You have dibs on me, huh?"
Nika turned to me, a smirk on her face,. "Gotta make sure I make you mine right?"
I leaned back in my seat, blush colored my face, butterflies in my stomach. She just shoots me one of her big, bright smile, placing her hand on my thigh. This was gonna be an interesting night.