18. We Are Not Alike

I got a lack of good judgment

Judging by the fact I got close to you

Time should heal, but it doesn't

Or maybe 'cause you still haven't told the truth

Paige

"Paige.. Can I ask you something?" Azzi whispers knocking softly on my door as i take my airpod out.

"wassup?" I sit up in my bed pushing my laptop and homework to the side to look at Azzi.

"when was the last time you slept with someone.."

My eyes widen in confusion as i push myself up to look at the girl clearly, my glasses sliding slightly down the bridge of my nose.

"Woah— Azzi look i'm flattered.. but you.."

"PAIGE EW NO!" Azzi groans in disgust pushing my shoulder away making me chuckle.

"aye i don't know girls be wild these fucking days! One minute they are trying to kiss me and the next they are all over a washed up boy from Florida, who may i add had a horrible free throw advantage — who the fuck knows.."

"I love how i don't need to mention Jenna for you to just bring her up in conversation."

"I never said her name."

"You didn't have to idiot."

"Now i'm an idiot— wait why the hell.."

"Answer the question!"

"I don't fucking know— here let me take out my fuck diary real quick.."

"Why don't you hit up a sneaky link?"

I looked down at the bedding, suddenly finding a piece of lint very interesting. "Uh, I kinda don't have a roster right now."

Azzi's eyes widened, "What? You?"

"Aight, chill on me! I just haven't had a lot of time. Basketball takes most of my time! I'm trying to focus!"

"Focus? or stuck on one girl"

"You know what—"

"ANSWER!"

"Probably, January or February, why?"

"You haven't slept with anyone in almost five months?! You? Miss hot shot D1 with a different girl in her bed every night haven't had anyone else in your bed since the beginning of the year?" Azzi laughed, "you know what's odd.."

"what now Azzi.."

"Beginning of the year... it lines perfectly up when Jenna transferred.."

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about — It has nothing to do with Jenna.. I can't be not interested in someone?"

"Hm.." Azzi smirks before scrolling through her phone before showing me a picture of a random brunette, "Remember her?"

"Kennedy Langston? Softball.. Last year. Halloween.."

She shows me another brunette, "and her?"

"Lindsey Powell. Rowing."

"oh and her?"

"What the fuck is this Azzi? And why do you remember all the girls i've hooked up with?"

Azzi takes a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. She looked up, exasperation clear in her eyes. She raised an eyebrow and in a tired tone she asked, "Can you think of all the girls you slept with in the past year before you cut everyone off?"

"Yeah, what about them?" I asked, confusion blatant on my face.

"What did they all have in common?" Azzi prompted.

"Uh, they were girls?" I mused, still not understanding where her friend was going with her new line of questioning.

"No, I mean looks wise."

"Oh, pretty? Great at their sport? Smart, super nice? I don't know what you want me to say. I love all women and I think my taste in them is very good," I told her shrugging.

"Paige, they all look similar. They all look like someone."

"Ok, so I have a type? What's the problem?" I roll my eyes.

"It wouldn't be a problem if your type wasn't Jenna doppelgängers," Azzi hissed, throwing her arms up trying to make her point.

"What? That's not my type!" I spluttered, shaking my head in disagreement.

Azzi simply scoffed, her tone dripping in sarcasm, "Yeah, ok."

"What just because i like brunettes with light eyes doesn't mean they all correlate back to Jenna, are you insane ? Plus i haven't talked to Jenna in years. Your argument makes no sense. I plead the fifth."

"You're so fucking annoying Paige!" Azzi chuckles throwing a pillow at me.

"Ok, so I have a type and I guess sometimes, sometimes, they happen to look kinda like Jenna," I admitted, my voice lowering in case anyone was outside and could hear them.

Azzi smirked, "Sometimes?"

My eyes narrowed, "Yeah, sometimes."

Azzi stayed quiet, just staring at me, making me fidget in the silence.

Gosh can this conversation be over soon.

A deep sigh left my lips, "Fine, most of the girls look pretty similar to Jenna. What's your point?"

A victorious smile stretched across Azzis face, "See, was that so hard?" She chuckles, "Don't you think that means something? You subconsciously go for girls that look like Jenna."

"I don't know, I guess it just happened. Like you said it was probably subconscious," I said, looking away as she shrugged.

"But a part of you still knows why," Azzi urged. Her tone changed, it was more gentle now, "Why?"

"I-" I started, pausing because I didn't know what to say. "I don't know.. I- i don't have the answer you're looking for Az i'm sorry.."

It was a cop out, an answer I knew Azzi wasn't going to accept.

"Paige..." Azzi said, sounding as if she was scolding a child..

"What? You want me to say I'm in love with her? That I'm trying to fill the void because I know I can't have her? Because that's not it!"

"Hm..." Azzi smirks crossing her arms across her chest before standing up to walk towards my door, "I'm going to make pizza rolls while you stay here and be delusional.." She chuckles.

"IM NOT DELUSIONAL!" I scream as she walks out closing my door behind her.

What. The. Fuck.

Azzi

"I don't know it was fucking weird though—" I look over at KK as I open the oven to check the pizza rolls, "Why would he even be in our locker room in the first place— it's not like he'd find anything.."

"You think he was hiding something? Like a camera?"

"God no! He's a perv but not to that extent!" I laugh taking the tray out of the oven, "It's just — why was he in there, all of us were out in the gym and the guys were in their locker room.." I shake my head trying to piece together what was going on.

Or what was his plan.

KK shrugs before taking a bit off the HOT pizza roll, "Fuck HOT!"

"Are you stupid!" I chuckle hitting her hand as she runs over to get a glass of water.

"Didn't you say P and Blake have beef? Maybe he's pranking her or something?"

I sigh putting my head in my hands in utter confusion.

"I don't know... but i'm really afraid to find out."

"Do you think he's trying to torment Paige? because of Jenna?"

"I try not to even think that far into his evil plans.."

"What even happen with Blake and Paige to make them hate eachother anyway."

"To Blake there can only be one star at this school— so coming in with one of the best woman basketball players ever, he heels threatened and i'm pretty sure he hates the fact that Paige barely feels threatened by him.."

"So he's using Jenna as a ploy?"

My thoughts tangle together as i look up at KK wide eyed, "Jenna's the only thing Paige would protect besides us.. And we know the real Blake.. she doesn't" I begin before pacing around the kitchen..

"So he's using Jenna? To make Paige —"

"SHHH!!!" I run over to KK covering her mouth before looking over my shoulder at Paiges door that was still closed. Hopefully she's still listening to music.

"to make Paige feel threatened?" KK whispers with a mouth full of pizza roll.

"First swallow, second.." I shrug leaning on the counter, "It's possible.. He's been at Paige neck since we were freshmen, now he has a hold of the one girl that Paige would do anything for, what would you do if you were him.."

"Love her forever" KK smiles cheekily.

"if you were a boy..." I roll my eyes,

"Use her as a ploy to ruin Paige's season and have me on top."

"Bingo." I snap.

"But what if Blake actually likes Jenna and we are all just overthinking everything.."

"You tell me this- have you seen Blake and Jenna interact outside of when we are either walking in walking out or Paige is present ?"

"umm... now that i think about it, not really."

"We have to figure this out before Paige does.."

"Why?"

"Because she may actually kill Blake."

—

*Two days later*

"You good J? What are you looking for?" I question as the girl begins to throw things out of her locker frantically, "we have practice in 5 we need to be out on the court or Geno may make us do sprints!" I hurry her grabbing her arm.

"It's my brace — i can't fucking find it— a-and i'm not sure if i'm ready t-to practice— i-I'll have to sit out.." She tears up as she sits down in defeat with her head in her hands.

"Hey no- no crying are you sure you didn't leave it at home?" I begin to look through my things for my extra knee sleeve before handing it to her, "Maybe this will work for now before we find it i used this for a while after my surgery to keep things in place— it's super comfortable.."

Jenna looks at me nervously before she slips it onto her leg and getting up, "I'm just nervous.. i-i haven't played without my brace in months..." She nods as i understood.

"I know but it's going to be okay, we got your back— you have been killing it in practice, one light day won't hurt.."

"I just don't want to let anyone down..." She looks down at her hands as I squeeze her shoulder.

"You never will— if it starts to feel weird sit out.. If Geno is anything he's understanding" I smile before nodding towards the door, "Let's get out on the court before we have to do sprints" I chuckle leading both of us to the door and out to the gym.

—

Safe to say we didn't have to do sprints but an hour into practice Jenna started to feel uneasy making Geno force her to sit out for the rest of it.

Jenna was completely defeated— and honestly so were we.

Including Paige,

—

"I don't know where it could fucking possibly be!" Jenna groans as tears roll down her cheeks looking through her locker again as she turns to Nika, "i never bring it home because it's too big to even carry around.."

"Everyone check your lockers! Maybe you just misplaced it the other day after shoot around.." Nika puts her hand on Jenna's shoulder in a comforting way as they begin to look around.

"w-wait.." Jenna stutters as she opens the drawer to Paige's locker, only to show the missing brace. Jenna's breath hitches in disbelief before grabbing the brace and turning to Paige.

All eyes were on them.

"I— i didn't think you'd stoop this low..."

"Jenna i swear i didn't touch.."

"THEN WHY WAS IT IN YOUR LOCKER!"

"It wasn't me!"

"Oh what did it fucking grow legs and pop a squat in your locker?"

"Keep trying to sabotage my game i see? You threatened? what the fuck is it Paige becuse i'm fucking tired!"

"Jenna why would i ever do something like that?"

"I don't fucking know Paige! You're fucking full of shit!" Jenna groans as Nika steps in grabbing her shoulders before taking her outside to breath — and not cause a scene in the locker room..

"Guys i swear it wasn't me.." Paige whispers as tears fill her eyes.

I turn to KK as she was already staring at me before she mouths 'Blake'..

Blake put Jenna's brace in Paige's locker..

Blake St.James 🏀

we gotta talk.

no thanks cupcake😘

authors note...

AND I OOP— 🙃