𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑶𝑵𝑺 & 𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑼𝑷𝑺

𝑻𝑾𝑶; 𝑫𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑫

MONDAY

The evening sun bathed the campus in a warm golden hue as Sloane made her way to the cheerleading practice field. The rhythmic sound of her footsteps echoed along the paved pathway, blending with the distant hum of student chatter and the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. Her mind, however, was far from the present moment. Thoughts of Paige Beuckers had taken root and refused to let go.

Sloane tried to shake off the lingering thoughts of her unexpected reunion with Paige. She focused on the familiar routine of arriving at practice: the echo of laughter from her teammates, the scent of fresh-cut grass, and the sharp whistle of Coach Harper signaling the start of their session. Yet, as she took off her sweatpants that had cheer shorts underneath and and tied her shoes, her mind wandered back to the library, to the moment she looked up and saw Paige's eyes.

"Alright, team, let's gather up!" Coach Harper's voice cut through Sloane's thoughts. She took a deep breath and jogged to join her squad, forming a circle around the coach. As they stretched and warmed up, Sloane tried to pay attention to the light banter and jokes being tossed around, but her heart wasn't in it.

Her mind kept replaying moments in the library. Paige's initial look of surprise, followed by a tentative smile. The way their conversation had felt both awkward and familiar, like picking up an old book and discovering new layers within the pages. Sloane wondered what Paige had been thinking, whether she had been as affected by the encounter as Sloane was.

"Focus, Sloane," she muttered to herself, snapping back to reality as they finished their warm-ups and began their first routine. The team moved in unison, performing a series of jumps, flips, and stunts. Sloane's body moved out of muscle memory, executing each move with precision, but her mind was miles away.

As she was lifted into a high stunt, her thoughts drifted to the long summers they spent together as kids, playing and exploring. Paige's laughter, her comforting presence during those late-night talks. Sloane could almost feel Paige's hand in hers as they walked side by side. The fluttering sensation she felt back then had never truly left her, only growing stronger with time.

"Sloane, stay tight!" Coach Harper's voice jolted her back to the present. She realized she had loosened her grip slightly, a rookie mistake. She tightened her core and locked her muscles, executing the rest of the stunt flawlessly, as usual. But the momentary lapse didn't go unnoticed by her teammates or Coach Harper.

"Everything okay, Sloane?" asked Alicia, one of her new friends on the team, as they transitioned to the next routine.

"Yeah, just a little distracted," Sloane replied with a forced smile. She appreciated Alicia's concern but didn't want to dive into the real reason for her distraction.

As practice continued, they moved into the pyramid formation. Sloane took her position as a flyer, concentrating on her balance and poise. She soared high above the ground, trusting her base to hold her steady. But even as she executed the routine with grace, Paige's face floated in her mind's eye.

"Okay that's all for today girls!" Sloane got her stuff and walked off the field and back to her dorm and collapsed onto her bed. Thinking about today and reminiscing about yesterday.

THURSDAY

The library was quiet, its usual hum of activity subdued as the evening settled in. Sloane arrived a few minutes early, her heart racing with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She set up at the same table as before, organizing her notes and books, trying to focus on the task ahead. But her mind kept drifting to Paige and the butterflies in her stomach refused to settle.

At exactly 5:30, Paige walked in, her confident stride and radiant smile lighting up the room. Sloane looked up, her breath catching slightly as their eyes met. Paige wore a simple white tee and sweatpants looking effortlessly stunning.

"Hey there, Einstein" Paige greeted, sliding into the chair across from Sloane.

"Hey yourself, star athlete," Sloane replied, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks. "Ready to dive into some...Chemistry?" Solana said looking down at her notes.

Paige leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "As long as you don't mind me being a slow learner. I might need a lot of... personal attention."

Sloane couldn't help but laugh and playfully roll her eyes at Paige being her usual flirty self . "I think I can handle that."

They settled into the session, but it didn't take long for the flirty banter to begin again. Paige's proximity and the playful sparkle in her eyes made it hard for Sloane to concentrate.

"So, do you have any tips for staying focused during a boring lecture?" Paige asked, feigning seriousness.

Sloane raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smile. "Well, it helps if you take good notes and write things you think you'll forget or things you don't understand. you could also maybe imagine the professor as someone you want to impress."

"Like you?" Paige teased, her gaze intense.

Sloane felt her face heat up again, and she looked down at her notes to hide her blush. "Maybe," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Paige chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. "You're cute when you blush, you know that?"

Sloane's eyes shot up, meeting Paige's. "Am I?" she asked, her heart pounding.

"Absolutely," Paige said, her tone sincere. "I've missed this, you know. Talking to you, seeing you."

Sloane's heart swelled with a mix of joy and nerves. "I've missed it too, Paige. A lot."

They shared a quiet moment, the air between them thick with unspoken feelings. Paige reached across the table, her hand brushing against Sloane's. The touch was brief but electric, sending a jolt of warmth through Sloane's body.

"Okay, back to work," Sloane said, trying to steady her racing heart as well as get the blush off her face. "We have to get through this material."

Paige smirked, reluctantly pulling her hand back knowing she had made her flustered.

They continued with the session, but the flirty exchanges and stolen glances never stopped. Every time Paige leaned in close to read something, Sloane could feel her breath on her skin, making it impossible to focus.

At one point, Paige's hand accidentally brushed against Sloane's as they both reached for the same book. Their fingers lingered for a moment, neither of them pulling away.

"Oops, sorry," Paige said, not sounding sorry at all.

"No problem," Sloane replied, her voice shaky. She looked up to find Paige watching her, a soft smile playing on her lips.

As the session drew to a close, Sloane felt a pang of disappointment. She didn't want the evening to end.

"So, same time next week?" Paige asked, gathering her things.

"Definitely," Sloane replied, her heart fluttering.

Paige grinned, leaning in close one last time. "I can't wait."

Sloane watched as Paige walked away, her heart full of hope and excitement. The sparks between them were undeniable, and she couldn't help but wonder what the future held. One thing was clear: she couldn't wait for their next session.