Twelve

The next morning, I was running late.

My alarm had betrayed me, and I didn't even have time for coffee before grabbing my camera bag and sprinting out the door. By the time I made it to the gym, I was breathless, my ponytail barely hanging on, and my mind a tangled mess of regret over skipping breakfast.

The gym was alive with the usual chaos of the UConn women's basketball team—balls bouncing, sneakers squeaking, and voices raised in competitive banter. I slipped in through the side door, hoping to go unnoticed, but of course, I wasn't that lucky.

"Look who decided to grace us with her presence," Paige's voice rang out, smooth and teasing.

I turned to see her standing near the baseline, arms crossed, her smirk firmly in place. She was in her practice gear, the usual black shorts and a white tank top, and the sight of her made my stomach flip in a way that was becoming annoyingly familiar.

"Morning, Mama," I shot back, keeping my tone casual even as my cheeks heated.

Her smirk widened. "Late night?"

"Maybe," I replied, slipping my camera out of its bag and avoiding her gaze.

"Doing what?" she pressed, stepping closer.

"None of your business," I said, glancing up to catch her grin before she jogged off to join the team's warm-up drills.

Practice was intense, as always. The team was gearing up for a tough game against Tennessee, and the energy in the gym was palpable. Geno was in full coach mode, barking orders from the sidelines, while Chris and Jamelle worked with the players on positioning and strategy.

I moved around the court, snapping pictures of the action. Azzi and Aaliyah were locked in a fierce one-on-one drill, their movements sharp and precise. Nika was talking smack to anyone who would listen, her laughter ringing out even as she nailed a deep three. Lou and Aubrey were running defensive drills, their focus unshakable.

And then there was Paige.

She was everywhere—leading the charge on offense, diving for loose balls, and pushing her teammates to give just a little more. There was a fire in her today that I couldn't look away from, and my camera lens seemed to find her automatically.

At one point, she caught me watching and raised an eyebrow. I quickly pretended to adjust my settings, but the damage was done.

"You good over there, Inds?" she called, her voice laced with amusement.

"Always," I replied, lifting my camera to hide my face.

After practice, the team gathered at center court for a cooldown, their laughter and chatter filling the space. Paige wandered over to me as I packed up my gear, a towel slung over her shoulder and a water bottle in hand.

Paige approached with that familiar, easy confidence, her eyes glinting as she surveyed me. "You look like you've got something on your mind, Baby Girl."

I smirked, zipping up my camera bag and avoiding her gaze. "I'm just trying to get through another day without completely embarrassing myself in front of the team."

She let out a laugh, the sound warm and genuine. "You don't embarrass yourself, Inds. You're one of us. Besides, I've seen you handle worse."

I rolled my eyes, but there was a hint of warmth spreading through me at her words. Paige had a way of making me feel like I belonged here, like I wasn't just the photographer trailing behind them, capturing their victories and their frustrations. She made it feel like I was a part of the team, too, even though I was technically an outsider.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I replied, throwing a glance at her as I adjusted my camera bag strap.

Paige leaned in a little, her hand brushing mine, and I instantly felt a jolt of warmth shoot up my arm. Her touch was casual, but the effect it had on me wasn't. "You know I got you, Inds," she said softly, her eyes lingering on mine for just a beat longer than usual.

Before I could process the sudden heat in the air between us, the moment was broken by Nika, who appeared beside us with a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Okay, okay, we all know you two are the cutest, but can we focus on the fact that we're about to play Tennessee?" Nika teased, nudging me in the side. "Save the flirting for after the game, alright?"

I blinked, heart still pounding, and shot Nika a playful glare. "We're not flirting," I said, though my voice wasn't convincing at all.

"Sure you're not," Nika replied, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Whatever you say, Inds. But if you're gonna keep looking at her like that, we might need to start charging admission for the show."

Paige chuckled under her breath, giving Nika a sidelong glance. "You're annoying," she muttered, but the smile on her lips softened any bite the words might have had.

Nika shrugged, unfazed. "I'm just saying—don't make me pull out the video evidence." She waved her phone in front of us, clearly ready to record any further "incidents" as she liked to call them.

"Oh, you're such a pain," I groaned, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "You're lucky I like you, Nika."

Paige's eyes flicked to mine, that same soft smile playing at the corners of her mouth, and I couldn't help but feel like there was something unspoken between us. It was a look that made my heart race, but just as quickly, she turned to Nika and shot her a playful glare.

"Alright, enough with the drama, Nika," Paige said, her tone easy but with a hint of finality. "We've got work to do."

"Fine, fine," Nika said, stepping back. "But you two seriously need to get your act together before I start doing interviews about your 'relationship.'"

I couldn't suppress a laugh, shaking my head as Nika bounded off to join the rest of the team. Paige, however, lingered for a moment longer, her eyes softening as she watched her teammate go.

"Ignore her," Paige said quietly, turning back to me. "You and I both know she doesn't know how to mind her business."

"I'll try, but she's got a point," I teased, unable to help the way my lips curled upward when I looked at her. "You and I do have a thing, don't we?"

Paige leaned in a fraction, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "We'll figure it out, Baby Girl. But for now, let's get through the game, and then we can talk about the rest."

A shiver ran down my spine at her words, the weight of them sinking in deeper than I expected. There was something about the way Paige said it—so sure, so certain—that made me believe her. We were already dancing around the lines, figuring out the spaces in between, but for now, she was right. We had bigger things to focus on.

And right now, that bigger thing was Tennessee.