This Love (Paige Bueckers)

34

narrative

Paige pov

"faster!" geno screams at us.

"that's what she said," I whisper.

"Paige?!" geno yells. "Enough with those jokes! everyone, two extra laps!"

"PAIGE!" everyone yells.

"I LITERALLY WHISPERED!! YOUR 70 HOW WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HEAR ME?" I yell.

"that's three laps for you," geno says.

I look up to see Iris holding in her laughter. I make a peace sign in front of my mouth and stick my tongue through it. she laughs and looks back down at her clipboard.

"what was that?" geno asks.

"what was what?" I ask, still running.

"the thing you just did at Iris," he clarifies.

"it means I love you," I tell him.

"four more laps," geno turns around.

"homophobe?" I whisper.

"five!" he yells.

"HOW CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

"girls! our first game is tomorrow. get sleep. please don't get drunk," geno says.

"we won't," azzi laughs.

"im talking to Paige," he glares at me.

"I no longer feel loved," I sigh.

he brings his hand to his mouth, making a peace sign. he sticks his tongue through it.

"COACH!!" azzi screams.

"what?" he asks confused. "im just showing that even though I give her a hard time, I still love her."

"IN THAT WAY?!" kk yells.

"what do you mean?" Geno asks. "Paige told me it meant love."

"that's not what it means," Ice laughs.

"what does it mean?" he asks.

I scratch my neck.

"um," kk says.

"this is very uncomfortable to explain to our coach," azzi says.

"what does it mean?" he asks.

kk walks over to him and whispers in his ear.

his eyes widen. "Paige," he says. "a word with my in my office after this?"

"okay," I say.

"alright," he sighs. "huskies on three, one, two, three, huskies!"

I walk into coaches office and sit down.

"hey," I say. I slouch down into the chair.

"Paige," he starts. "you seriously need to stop. it's gone way too far."

"you're the one who asked what it meant!" I argue.

"you shouldn't be doing it at practice in the first place!" he yells.

"I understand if you're gay, but please keep it out of practice."

"what?" I laugh.

"keep it out of practice," he repeats.

"would it be different if I were straight?" I ask.

"Jesus, Paige," he says. "im not homophobic. you just act like being gay is the most interesting thing about you. you are always making dirty and gay comments."