nostalgia | paige bueckers

never thought i'd be here

ISABELLA DIAZ

AS ISA PICKED UP her bags and carried them towards the dorm house she'd been assigned, a regretful feeling washed over her again. Was this a mistake? She was in Storrs, miles away from Chicago. A new school, a new life, no one she knew. It was still the last few weeks of June, slowly moving towards the month of August. And yet Isa had no idea what she would do here.

She paused at the door, looking down the street and seeing the house the members of the women's basketball team stayed at. She knew she'd be staying near the athletes she would help. That was what she was here for, after all. But it felt wrong, putting herself in this position when Isa knew she would just feel sad about it. She would miss everything she used to do.

Just as Isa was about to start walking again, the door opened in front of her to reveal Azzi Fudd, a girl she hadn't seen in years.

Azzi looked up at her, startled. "Oh, hey. You must be the new trainer Geno wanted me to help." she held a hand out for her. Isa took it, smiling softly. "I'm Azzi, what's your name?"

She wasn't surprised that they wouldn't remember her. After sophmore year of high school, she had kind of just disappeared. "Isabella. My friends call me Bella." Azzi smiled.

"Nice to meet you. Let me help you out?" Azzi looked down at her bags and tilted her gaze upward a bit to look at her clothes. She wore a pair grey sweatpants and her high school basketball shirt, which probably confused her considering Isa's high school wasn't too well known for athletics.

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Its alright, I can do it." Isa picked up a few bags and tried to balance herself.

"I insist." She laughed as Azzi picked up a bag and led her inside, motioning for Isa to follow her. She lugged her bags behind her, dropping them in the hall near the couches she saw.

Isa started looking around the living room.  There were a few couches and beanbags set up near a TV, and a couple tables scattered around. A few other doors seemed to lead other places. "Its nice."

She faced Azzi as she looked her up and down. "You look so familiar." she had her hands on her hips trying to figure her out. Isa looked down, scratching her neck and fixing her hair. No way they would remember her that quickly, right?

"I guess I just have one of those faces." she muttered, taking out her phone and shutting it off the minute she saw the stream of notifications. Isa flexed her left leg, the muscles around her knee cramping and sending shooting streams of pain around it.

Azzi started talking about who she'd be staying with. "The house has two bedrooms upstairs and a small athletic facility down here. No one's in the second bedroom right now, but I think Coach got a student to be the new assistant media girl so she'll be here in a few days."

Isa didn't mind staying with someone else, considering how nice this place was. Guess her parents really did pull some strings, no matter how much she told them not to.

"So what are you studying?" she looked up at Azzi as she asked her. "Kinesiology and a minor in fitness science. I want to be a physiotherapist and an athletic trainer." She answered,

"Thats cool. I'm studying communication." she smiled. "Well, when you're done settling in, drop by the dorm. We're right next door." She gestured to where Isa had seen the house earlier.

"Thank you, thats really sweet." She took her bags from the girl and placed them next to the others.

Azzi shrugged. "Of course. Can I get your insta? I'll text you if we head out." Isa nodded, unlocking her phone and ignoring the messages that streamed through. Azzi showed her private account and Isa gave her public one so she wouldn't realize she already followed hers. She waved goodbye as Azzi headed out and collapsed on the couch the second the door clicked shut.