Chapter 10

Kazzi got weird looks all day.

The play ended at around 1. Apparently it was just a rehearsal run-through, but Kazzi concluded that it was probably just as good as the real play since the actors didn't make any noticeable mistakes. She enjoyed it more than she thought she would. She almost forgot whose jumper she was wearing until Bea pointed it out once they were out of the theater, waiting for her friend.

"So...why are you wearing Nika Mühl's basketball jumper?"

Bea had a teasing smile on her face, and Kazzi rolled her eyes, shoving her away, "It's a long story."

"Well, we have plenty of time, don't we?"

Kazzi dutifully ignored the suggestive looks Bea shot her, "I bumped into her this morning. She spilled iced coffee all over my shirt and gave me her jumper to wear while she went to wash mine."

"Oh, Bea slumped, "Boring."

Kazzi jostled her side, leaving the other giggling.

An unfamiliar voice spoke, "Yo, Bea!"

Bea brightened, waving excitedly at a male who was walking towards them. Kazzi recognised him as the guy that played the villain's right hand man, he was pretty good. The male came to a stop in front of them, smiling, "Thanks for coming."

"No problem," Bea grinned, "Oh! Tyson, this is Kazzi. The friend I said I would bring."

Tyson's eyes flickered to Kazzi, a polite smile on his face as he held his hand out for her to shake. She took it. "Nice to meet you, Kazzi."

"Likewise."

Tyson's eyes glanced at the jumper, mouth twitching a little higher as he commented, "Nika's jumper?"

Kazzi released his hand, and raised a brow, "Is everyone gonna keep making a big deal out of this?"

"Yes." Both Bea and Tyson answered in unison, before turning to giggle to each other, much to Kazzi's exasperation.

"Isn't there merch for this?" Kazzi muttered dryly, "Maybe I'm just a diehard fan."

Tyson shook his head, "You couldn't buy that even if you wanted to, it's their sport jumper. Merch is different."

"Oh."

"Yeah, you're gonna get a lot of looks parading around in that."

Kazzi bit her inner cheek, refusing to acknowledge the implications of that. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, suddenly hyper focused on the rumbling in her stomach.

"Enough of that. How does lunch sound?"

She was met with matching grins, and wondered where Bea found her other half.

The brunch place was packed with students milling around, even though it was already hours past the appropriate time for brunch. It was one of the best places on campus, so it wasn't really a surprise when the trio had trouble finding a spot to sit at. Kazzi kept having people doing double takes on her, eyes wide as they stared at her jumper. She was getting a bit tired of it, to be honest.

They finally found a recently vacant booth, and Bea slumped into it dramatically.

"It's like fighting a war here."

Tyson chuckled, eyeing the menu as he patted Bea's head, "We made it out alive."

"Barely," Kazzi murmured, tipping her head back to wait since she already knew what she wanted.

Loud, obnoxious laughter erupted from the restaurant's corner, and Kazzi scrunched up her nose in distaste. Bea peeked her head over, spotting the large group crowding around a table near the back.

"I wonder what's going on there. I wanna see."

Kazzi laughed, "Your FOMO is something else."

"I'm just curious!"

Tyson leaned over, trying to see past the large mass of bodies, "Don't worry, I am too."

"Wait..." Bea squinted, leaning forward and almost off the seat, "Is that Paige?"

Kazzi's heart jumped.

"Paige?" Tyson perked up, "As in Paige Bueckers?"

"The one and only," Bea murmured, transfixed as Paige stood up from the corner table, the crowd parting to let her through. She was walking towards the counter, reaching out to grab a couple tissues. Kazzi stared unblinkingly as a worker struck up a conversation with the blonde, the two laughing before Paige seemingly excused herself. As she turned, her eyes locked with Kazzi's, making Kazzi's heart drop. She jerked, as if being caught red-handed doing something illegal, while both Bea and Tyson – who were not so secretive about their eyeballing – immediately jumped back into the seat.

"Holy fuck she saw us." Tyson breathed, "I hope she doesn't think we're stalkers."

Kazzi's heart was beating a mile a minute, and she didn't dare look in Paige's direction again after the direct eye contact with her. "You guys are so nosy," Kazzi remarked, trying not to sound breathless.

"Paige looked at us," Bea gasped, clutching her chest dramatically, "She looked at us."

Kazzi opened her mouth to say something, when an amused voice broke their conversation.

"That I did."

The speed in which Bea and Tyson swiveled around must have broken multiple world records, and Kazzi watched in horror as her companions both gaped at Paige standing next to them with stars in their eyes.

"Bueckers," Kazzi acknowledged, "Did you need something?"

Bea and Tyson then swiveled around to gape at Kazzi, obviously put-off by the latter's blunt words.

"Nah, not really, just came over to say hi. So..." Paige smirked, and Kazzi couldn't shake the feeling she was being teased. "Hi, Kaz."

Bea's eyes bulged out of her skull, mouth dropping as she tried to non-verbally communicate with Kazzi. It must've worked, because Kazzi could almost hear Bea's voice in her head screaming 'you know her?!'.

"Are we that close?" Kazzi questioned, and Tyson slumped deeper into his chair, beyond shocked at the exchange. Kazzi ignored him.

"Hm, probably not. I do distinctly remember helping you though. The least you could do is be nice."

Kazzi sighed, "Okay then. Hi, Paige."

Paige's eyes widened, before a winning smile stretched across her face. Her eyes then flickered towards Kazzi's jumper, and her smile faltered.

"You're wearing Nika's jumper."

Kazzi looked down, and hummed, "Yeah, I am."

"Why?"

Kazzi snorted, about to crack a joke when she noticed the troubled expression on Paige's face. The other was borderline glaring at the article of clothing, looking as if she wanted to rip it off. Kazzi shivered.

"Why do you need to know?"

"Humor me."

"I don't want to. Again, why do you need to know?"

Paige's eyes darkened, "Just making sure you didn't steal it or anything."

"What?" Kazzi scowled, disturbed by the mere idea, "As if, who do you take me for, Bueckers?"

"I don't know," Paige snarked, placing her hands on the table, leaning over and closing the distance between them. Kazzi gulped. "Who should I take you for, Kovers?"

"A law-abiding citizen?" Kazzi bit out. Paige looked unamused, and Kazzi was suffocating under the weight of her gaze. The other seemed to be searching for something in Kazzi's eyes, and she was determined to not let the other find it. A couple seconds passed, before Paige pulled back.

"You're being difficult on purpose." Paige concluded, straightening up.

"I'm not being difficult. You're just being nosy."

"Nosy," Paige repeated, eyebrows raising, "I'm just looking out for my teammate."

"Oh, totally," Kazzi scoffed, "Hey, bright idea! Why don't you go ask Nika why I'm wearing her jumper instead of interrogating me."

"I'm not interrogating you."

"You so are."

Paige 'tsk'ed, narrowing her eyes, "Whatever, just make sure to return it to her."

"I don't need you to tell me that."

Kazzi knew she was being especially difficult for no reason, but she couldn't really bring herself to care when a fire lit on her gut from the way Paige's jaw ticked as the blonde stared her down.

"Watch it, Kaz."

"Or what?" Kazzi blurted, unable to hold her tongue around the basketball player. This seriously needs to be studied.

Paige only shook her head lightly, not bothering to answer as she stepped back. "You're so irritating." She turned around to retreat back to her table, and Kazzi watched asthe others welcomed her with cheers and excited chatter.

Kazzi's eyes returned back to her own table, where Bea and Tyson were gaping at her. Kazzi shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the two did nothing but just stare.

"What the fuck was that?" Tyson breathed, bewildered and seemingly still in shock.

"What?"

Bea swallowed, pointing between Kazzi and spot Paige was occupying just moments prior, "The sexual tension was so high–"

"Bea!" Kazzi shouted, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "Shut the fuck up, it wasn't."

"No, no," Tyson tacked on, "She's right. Are you two fucking?"

"What? No–"