19. Don't

Be damned if I let him catch up

It's easy to see that you're fed up

I am on a whole 'nother level

Girl he only fucked you over 'cause you let him

Paige

My jaw clenches as i shoot another free throw and it not making it... again.

104 shots — not made.

"Looks like someone a little rusty now.." a voice yells over the speaker that blasted through the loud gym making my eyes roll.

"You know the musics loud for a reason.."

"Thought you'd want some good luck.."

"Trust me you're the last person i need in here." I say bluntly before shooting another, finally going in.

"Looks like your minds somewhere else Bueckers"

"Looks like your heads up your ass St. James." I grit through my teeth before turning to the boy, "Honestly do you ever get tired of being just... around"

"Woah now puppy relax"

"Your one to talk."

"You know— we need to settle this one sides beef we got going on.."

"I have to fucking problem with you? so the one side must be you." I chuckle gripping the ball as he walks closer to me.

"Your funny Bueckers.. too bad.."

"Too bad what?"

"I came here thinking we are going to be friends — buds.. just think me and you running this basketball city."

"There's no me and you. ever."

"You'd do it for Jenna."

My breath hitched at the mention of her name making me dribbling the ball lightly to distract my face from telling what i wanted to really say.

"I got nothing to worry about — let alone Jenna."

He hits the ball from my hands making me groan rolling my eyes, "You sure about that.. you know your something Bueckers— sabotaging your one bestfriends game to make you look better.. Don't you think she's been through enough, expecially with you."

He's trying to get to your head Paige.

"You have no idea what you're talking about Blake."

"That's why Jenna came home crying the other day? Didn't someone steal her brace— making her skip out on practice."

The brace wasn't what made my heart drop — it was him saying "home".

"Jenna's been staying with you?"

"My girl should stay with me shouldn't she?" He smirks wigging his eyebrow at me before throwing the ball back towards me catching my thumb bending it back sighly.

"Fuck.." I groan holding my hand before looking up at him.

"Face it Bueckers, i won.. The girl, the game— it's all mine."

"You don't know the last THING about Jenna. Let alone have her — quite frankly, the last girl that should be a competition is Jenna"

" so now you're all about respect huh?"

" when it comes to her absolutely."

" looks like paige has a soft spot, took me a while to find it, too bad I was looking other things, not actual people — who would've thought it was some girl"

" you have no idea what you're talking about — and Jenna is not some girl — let alone my weakness."

"We'll see about that." He begins to walk away as I stand up straight.

"What's her favorite color." I begin, making him turn swiftly on his heels, "What's her favorite fruit."

"Blue and Strawberries."

"Wrong."

"Don't act like you all of a sudden know her Paige.. it won't get you anywhere."

"Purple — because it was her mom's favorite color before she passed away, that's why she wears purple shoe laces on only her right shoe because that was the leg her mom had cancer in, and she's allergic to strawberries, every time she eats them her throat closes and her tongue goes numb — her favorite fruit is mangos, everyday at the cafe she gets a mango protein smoothie with a hint of chocolate protein and penutbutter even though it taste weird to others she absolutely loves it."

"Okay? I got two questions wrong — don't sit here and —"

"What's her coffee order? Who's her best-friend? what was her game average points before she tore her ACL at Iowa" I smirk crossing my arms across my chest, knowing he knew none of what i said, "and who was her first kiss."

"Easy. Carmel Iced with expresso. Her bestfriend is Clark. and ..." He trails, "She was a good shooter at Iowa but Clark shot better then her so i'll say she's 20 average.. and her first kiss? i don't fucking know but i'll be her last."

" first if you get her an espresso let me know how that goes. She has a really sensitive stomach. Second yes her best friend can be Cait, but back home she met a girl at summer camp when she was 10 her name is Anna. They don't talk much now but she would consider her, her best friend. And she is a better shooting than you could ever be. She was averaging 26 to 30 a game. and lastly, I was her first kiss."

"What point are you trying to prove."

"I don't need to prove anything to you, you can sit here and pretend you know every single thing about Jenna, but remember who came first, remember who she kissed before she even looked your way, St. James — you may have the game but you'll never have my girl."

He chuckles as he walks towards me getting up and personal with me.

"Let's see who she chooses when the times right Bueckers, if it's me— i get the game, the girl, and your title."

I let out a confident breath clenching my jaw, "Deal."

Jenna

"Hey guys?" I ask making my teammates look up at me as we sit in the cafe.

"Where's P?"

Not like i cared...

"I think after class she went and took a few shots up, she was trying to fix her form or something" Azzi shrugs taking a bite of her pasta.

"On an off day?"

"It's Paige— if she didn't have to go to class she'd stay in that gym for her entire life.." Nika chuckles handing me the crust of her PB and J.

"What kind of —"

"It's grape — don't worry, Paige engrained into our heads that you can't eat strawberries."

"She did?"

She remembers?

"Yeah — she told us about that one time at AU when you took at bite of her sandwich and almost—"

"WHO EATS STRAWBERRY JAM!" I chuckle tossing a napkin at Nika.

"Apparently P—" KK laughs shaking her head, "But yeah she made me throw out my strawberry salad the day before you showed up."

"KK that salad was disgusting AND three weeks old! She didn't just make you throw it out bc of J.." Nika laughs pushing KKs shoulder.

"Let's not mention how most of us get strawberry protein shakes and you get chocolate— who made that accommodation?"

"The chef?"

"Paige."

I nod laughing softly she really did that.. for me?

"Hey guys i'm gonna head back home.." I smile softly squeezing Azzis knee before getting up from the table.

"Do you wanna ride?"

"No — i think i need to stop somewhere before i go.." She nods knowing exactly what i was talking about before I let out a shaky breath and walking towards the door.

—

Two muffled voices argue through the gym walls as i walk silently into gym hiding behind a partly closed door to not interrupt.

I glance through the slightly opened door as i recognize the two players,

Paige... and Blake?

I couldn't exactly make out what they were saying as I got closer to the door,

"i get the game, the girl, and your title."

"Deal."

what the fuck?

leaning on the door too much I accidentally close it making the two snap their heads towards the door quickly I run away as fast as I could.

What were they talking about?

And what was paige making a deal to?