Paige POV
"Go ahead, tell us everything, P," Nika says, starting the car.
I felt myself become nervous, "Where do you want me to start?"
"Just tell us everything," Tate insisted, I took a deep breath in.
"Okay," After that one word, everything spewed out. The way that Ava was thrilled about me sitting her up with Nika. How she managed to talk me into buying her tickets for my game.
"Wait," Tate stops me, "You didn't invite her?"
I shook my head, "No, she said she'd love to go to one of my games. Then she continued to tell me that it was gonna be the way we made you guys meet."
Tate huffed in disbelief, "Okay, keep going."
"Well, she texted me before the end of the game, telling me to ask y'all out to dinner. Which I did mainly because I thought it was to set you guys up. A little part of me also liked her, even though she was so...pushy. So, when we meet up with you guys, I asked you two to come to dinner. Ava thought y'all were cute. How flustered you were around each other. But that changed when she saw the way KK looked at you. The way she automatically went in for a hug. She thought KK would be a better fit."
"Why?" Tate and Nika both asked, their curiosity getting to them.
I shrugged, "She would just say that KK was more your type. I didn't believe her. The way you would already look at Nika, it was a sign. But she said you were just in awe of her."
"I thought she was beautiful, she seemed cool, and nice, and everything. Everything about her seemed perfect. Even the way she teased me when we first meet. It almost seemed to just make sense being with Nika," Tate ranted, Nika blushing at the girls words, "I actually hate Ava, I can't."
"Do you want me to keep going? I mean, I can stop if it's upset-" She cut me off, "No keep going."
So that's what I did, "Umm, she texted after we dropped you off, saying that you thought Nika didn't like you because she didn't ask for your number or anything. She was furious with Nika, and that's what set off the 'KK being better' stuff. I tried to tell her that Nika was freaking out that she hadn't asked for anything that she could reach out to you on. Ava didn't want to hear it, she said Nika was just a big flirt. She thought she was gonna hurt you. I think she started off with good intentions, but it just turned into a game to her."
Nika's eyes widened with every word that happened to be about her, "I would never hurt Tate."
"I know, I tried to explain to her. She just didn't want to listen," I said, Tate huffing out loud again.
"I can't believe her. Keep going, P," Tate said, making me feel a little better. She hadn't used a nickname for me, I don't think she ever has.
"She said she wanted us four to go out for lunch. It was her way to see how you guys acted around each other. It was like y'all were an experiment to test her match-making skills. But, I agreed, I honestly just really liked her, she was the first girl I've talked too since like high school," My throat seemed to shut, not allowing words to come out of my mouth. The thought of her, it did that.
Tate looked back, looking me in the eyes, "You, okay?"
I smiled, throwing the thought of the first girl I ever loved out, "Yeah, just something in my throat."
Tate nodded, I continued, "Um, the rest of the day hadn't gone as planned, she wanted all of us to go back to the team dorms and hangout. She wanted to see you around KK, but we went to the movie instead. She seemed to forget about the little side mission she was on for a while. She seemed happy, and that made me wanna ask her out. She seemed like the person I had been talking to. I mean, before she became all obsessed, then obsessed with y'all. Anyway, when I asked her out, she was over the moon. That's kinda the reason why she set you up with Nika again. For the first time in the two days you guys were talking, she was truly rooting for you. After both of you left to meet up, she called me telling me she screwed it all up. She said that KK wasn't gonna have a chan-"
"She never had one," Tate mumbled, rolling her eyes.
"She thought it, KK wasn't really gonna do anything. Even if she really liked you. She thought you two were cute, but Ava started putting things in her head. That's what made her agree to text you. All those awful things they made up, all Ava's idea. She told me right before you called me to see if I knew who it could be what she was planning to do. I told her not to interfere, but she didn't listen."
"Okay, then why didn't you tell us about it? Why didn't you tell us the truth when we asked you?" Nika looked through the mirror, eyeing me down, waiting for an answer.
I sighed, "I thought I had to save Ava and I's relationship."
Tate looked back again, "Why? It obviously wasn't a good one."
I felt myself break a little, "It was the first relationship I've had since high school. I messed up the first one and didn't want to mess this one up."
Tate's eyes soften, "I'm sure you didn't do anything wrong, P."
"I did," Tears began to fill my eyes, I pushed them back down, "You want me to keep going?"
Tate nodded, so I continued, "She threaten to break up with me if I had told you guys. I wasn't ready for it; I still had some feelings for her. But when everything went down, I couldn't take holding it in anymore. I couldn't hold onto someone who was hurting you guys in anyway. So, when she came over to the dorm this morning after practice, I broke it off. She wasn't worth it."
Something in me was breaking, maybe the reminder of the girl I loved years ago. Maybe it was just everything in the last couple days catching up to me. Nika and Tate's tones changed, their body language, the vibe in the car changed. They felt bad for me, maybe not completely forgiving me, but they felt pity.
"Can I ask who you're talking about?" Tate's voice was low, soft.
Nika's eyes darted to her, she knew who I was talking about. She knew everything, but she hadn't told anyone because I told her not too.
"Abby, she was my first girlfriend. I still think about her to this day. Everything about her, the way she made me feel. She was perfect, and I broke it off before going to college," Nika pulled into the dorms.
We all got out, Tate made her way to me, pulling me into a hug. I haven't felt more comforted in a while, she rubbed my back as she told me it was okay. I took it in, falling more into the hug as the seconds passed. Once she pulled away, Nika pulled me into one.
"P, you're gonna find someone. Don't worry," She pulled away, sending a small smile.
"Thanks guys," I haven't felt so heartbroken and happy at the time since the last time I saw Abby. I missed her, I wanted to talk to her, but I had no way too. I wish I had never left her.
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Tate POV
After Paige's explanation on everything, I couldn't be more dumbfounded. At Ava, at the situation, and at Paige's insecurity on finding love. Ava had played with me like a doll, throwing me wherever she wanted me to go. Bad thing is, I let her. I thought she was helping me, but really, she was just doing it out of personal enjoyment. KK joining in confuses me still and will until I get a straight answer from KK.
Then there was Paige. The sweet, loving person who got stuck into this mess, believes she'll never find love again and was settling for Ava.
"I didn't know Paige felt like that," I said, closing Nika's door to her room.
She sat on the bed, motioning for me to come closer, "I know, bebo. I didn't even know it was that bad."
Her hands made their way to my waist, pulling me closer, "I wanna help her, Niks."
She looked up from her spot on the bed, her eyes almost sparkled with hope, "I'll do anything with you, even if it's helping her. You just lead the way and I'll follow."
I smiled, my hands holding onto her shoulders, "I love you, Nika. I'm so glad we found each other."
Her smile was so bright, it brightens mine, "I love you too, Tate. I'll forever be grateful for us, and everything that might happen in the future."
I felt my heart flutter, leaning down to kiss her. She pulls me on top of her deepening the kiss. Straddling her, my arms snake around her neck, trying to pull us as close as possible. She pulled away for a sec, a smirk taken place on her lips.
"What's that look for?" I laugh out.
She shrugged, "Nothing. Just looking at my beautiful girlfriend, ya know."
I pull her into a hug, "You're such a hopeless romantic."
She pulls me closer, "Only for you."
After a little while, we just laid in her bed. The TV off, music playing for her phone, my head on her shoulder, her arms wrapped around me and our legs intertwined. Perfect. Everything with her was. But, my thoughts made its way back to Paige.
"Do you know the girl Paige used to date?"
Nika hummed in response, "Kind of, she used to talk about her a lot. She was clearly in love with her, but she broke things off with her. No one knew why, and she never told anyone."
"What's her full name?"
Nika lifted her head up a bit, "Why, you gonna go stalker mode?"
I laughed, "Maybe, but seriously, what is it?"
She told me, and I automatically found a girl. She goes to UCLA, she said something about breaking it off before college, maybe the distance.
"Is this her?" Showing the phone to Nika, her nodding.
"How'd you do it so quick?" I shrugged.
"Luck I guess."
"That's so funny too," Nika blurted out, catching me off guard.
"Why?"
"We play UCLA Friday," My mind was racing with ideas, but I wanted to ask Paige first.
"Okay, I might have an idea."
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Nika POV
I honestly had no clue what Tate was up too. She said she'd tell me when she told Paige too. So, I followed her to Paige's room, knocking on the door.
A smile was stuck to Tate's face, God she was so cute, the way she looks somewhat proud. I just know this is going to be good.
"Hey, guys? What's up?" Paige answered the door.
"I have an idea, but I wanted to ask you about it first," She grabbed for my hand, intertwining our fingers.
"Uh, sure, what is it?"
"I found Abby on insta, and I wanted to send her message of some sort to try and get her to come to your next game," Tate rambled on, I just listened.
"Why would she come?"
"You guys play UCLA Friday; she goes to UCLA. It's like perfect timing. I won't do anything if you don't want me too though. I know how stressful that could be," She looks at me, almost as if she's talking about how we meet.
Paige runs her hands through her hair, thinking through it, "Fine, but I don't think she'll answer."
Tate's smile came back, "That's totally fine. I'll send one message, and if she doesn't answer, then she'll never get another one from me."
"Alright, just...don't be weird in it. Please."
"Yes, ma'ma," she saluted, dragging me back to my room, our room.
She got on my bed, I shut the door behind me. I turn to face her, sending her a smile.
"What?"
I shrugged, "Just admiring how beautiful you are."
Her cheeks flushed red, "Me? Beautiful? Are you sure you're not looking in a mirror," She smirks, "I see the most drop-dead gorgeous woman to ever exist standing in front of me."
My cheeks heat up, "Stop, I'm gonna fall even deeper in love."
"Maybe that's what I'm tryna do," She stands up, walking over to me. Her arms snake around my neck.
"What is it pretty girl?"
She sighs, "I just love you."
A/N: I LIED, i'm gonna try to update as much as i can because i honestly can't get enough of this. I feel like the more consistent I am with writing on it, the better it gets. Like, come on, I actually love this chapter so much.
Paige being sad is not fun but.....bringing in other characters from my other works? Maybe? Possibly? (Just saying Abby is from my Paige book.)
The way i make Nika and Tate say 'I love you' more than they breathe is crazy, but i love that they love each other. (I need a Nika in my life fr, maybe even Nika...)
Anyways....
Peace y'all, 'til the next chapter....