Twenty Two

The gym was quieter than usual when I arrived the next morning, the hum of the fans in the background mingling with the sound of sneakers scuffing the polished floor. I was late—just a few minutes—but I couldn't help the rush of nerves that hit me as soon as I walked in. I didn't know why, but something about today felt different.

The team was scattered across the court, going through individual drills and stretching. Paige was off to the side, deep in conversation with Nika, both of them laughing at something I didn't quite catch. I couldn't help but watch her. It wasn't just the fact that she was gorgeous—though, let's be honest, I didn't mind looking at her for long stretches of time—it was the way she held herself. That effortless confidence. The way people gravitated toward her, like she was the sun and they were the planets.

The fact that I couldn't stop thinking about her... well, that was something I wasn't ready to face.

I shook my head and moved toward the sidelines, trying to get my bearings. I knew I had to focus. The practice today was critical. It was one of those days where everything needed to fall into place. Coach had already warned us that this week was going to be heavy, with everything leading up to the game this weekend.

I had a job to do, and I needed to do it well. Focus.

But the minute I glanced back at Paige, everything else seemed to disappear.

"Inds, you look like you're about to faint," Nika teased, sauntering over with that smug grin I had come to love.

I shot her a glare, though I was sure my cheeks were flushed. "I'm fine. Just... ready to get this practice over with," I said, trying to keep my cool.

"You sure? Or are you just ready to see P?" Nika waggled her eyebrows, making me roll my eyes.

"I'm not even answering that."

Nika laughed, unbothered. "I'm just saying, you're practically glowing. And every time P walks by you, I see a little spark in your eye. It's cute."

"I'm not cute," I muttered, setting up my camera. "I'm focused."

She laughed even harder, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing.

Before I could get another word out, Paige approached us, cutting through the conversation with that signature confidence. She stopped next to Nika, casually tossing her towel over her shoulder.

"You ready to get this practice started, India?" Paige asked, her tone teasing but laced with that hint of seriousness that made it impossible to ignore.

I nodded, heart skipping a beat. "Always ready, P," I said, trying to sound casual, but my voice betrayed me. The way her name rolled off my tongue felt like an admission of something I wasn't sure I was ready to explore.

Paige smirked, clearly catching the tension in my tone, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she leaned down, brushing a hand lightly over my shoulder as she passed by.

The touch was fleeting, but it burned.

I felt my breath catch in my throat, my chest tightening. I wasn't sure if she meant it to be anything other than a friendly gesture, but in that moment, it felt... intentional.

Focus. I repeated the word in my head like a mantra, adjusting my camera and positioning myself at the baseline. This was not the time to let my mind wander.

The drills started, and I forced myself to get into the rhythm. The ball thudded against the court, bouncing from one player to the next. Paige was all over the place, quick on her feet, her movements sharp as a blade. She was everywhere at once—controlling the flow of the game, making strategic passes, and driving to the basket with power and precision. She was a beast on the court, no doubt. But there was something about watching her that made it difficult for me to keep my professional distance.

It wasn't the first time I had seen her in action, but today, everything felt different. Her confidence was magnetic, and I was caught in its pull. I tried to keep my focus, snapping photos of the drills, but all I could see was her—how she moved, how she made everything look so effortless.

As the drill shifted into a scrimmage, I positioned myself near the corner of the court, capturing shots of the players weaving between each other. Nika was in the middle of a fast break when Paige appeared out of nowhere to block her shot. The crowd of teammates erupted into a cheer, and Paige shot a quick wink in my direction.

It wasn't a flirty wink, but it felt like one. And it did something to my insides.

I couldn't help but chuckle to myself, hoping the camera would mask the way my body responded.

But as I adjusted the focus on my lens, my heart skipped again. Paige's eyes were locked on me as she jogged back down the court. That look she gave me—the one that was so full of... unspoken understanding—was more than just a friendly acknowledgment.

I snapped a few more shots, but I couldn't shake the feeling that she was watching me as much as I was watching her.

After practice wrapped up, I was still reeling from the intensity of it all. The players were huddled around Coach, going over notes for the upcoming game. I was packing up my gear, but my mind was elsewhere—on the way Paige's gaze lingered on me, on how her touch felt on my shoulder, like a spark that had lit something inside me I wasn't sure how to extinguish.

I wasn't the only one who had noticed it, though.

"You're walking around like you've seen a ghost," Nika observed with a sly smile, leaning against the locker room doorway. "Or maybe you've seen something else."

I shot her a warning glance, but it didn't do much to hide the way I was feeling. The truth was, I was losing my grip. I'd been holding back for so long, pretending like everything was fine, but now it was starting to eat at me. I was attracted to her. I couldn't deny it.

But that didn't mean I knew what to do with it.

"Just... tired," I muttered, avoiding her probing gaze.

Nika didn't buy it for a second. "Come on, Inds. Don't play dumb. You're falling for her, aren't you?"

I stiffened at the words, feeling a flush creeping up my neck. "I'm not falling for anyone," I said quickly, though the lie didn't sit well with me.

Nika just raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Keep telling yourself that."

Before I could respond, Paige walked by, her presence filling the room like it always did. She was laughing at something one of the other players had said, but when she caught sight of me, her expression shifted—just slightly. It was as though she could sense the tension between us, the weight of everything left unsaid.

"Hey," she said, her voice low but warm. "You good?"

For a moment, I froze. The softness in her voice made my heart skip, and all I could think was how much I wanted to say something—anything—but nothing came out.

"Yeah," I finally muttered, the words feeling insufficient. "Just tired. Big game coming up."

She nodded, her gaze lingering a little longer than necessary before she offered a half-smile. "We'll be ready. You ready?"

I nodded, though I wasn't sure what I was ready for. "Always."

As she walked away, the air seemed to crackle with the unspoken words between us. And for the first time, I couldn't ignore it anymore. Something was happening between us, and I wasn't sure where it was going, but I couldn't pretend I didn't feel it.

The question was, did she?

That night, as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I reached for it, my heart racing as I saw a message from Paige.

Paige: You good?

It was simple. No frills. But it was enough to send a flutter through me.

Me: Yeah. You?

A moment passed before she replied.

Paige: Couldn't be better

I smiled at the message, but it wasn't the end of it. I wanted more. Wanted to know where this was going. Wanted to know what we were.

But for now, this was enough.