☆ New Star ☆ - Emily Engstler

Nicknames

I get home, and I'm in a good mood stemming from this morning and my very pleasant interaction with Emily. I decide to FaceTime Paige to update her while getting ready. The apartment feels empty without her constant chatter, and I miss our late-night talks.

"IVYYY, how are you?" she exclaims with a massive smile on her face.

"I'm good, P. Everyone here is so nice, and I'm already becoming friends with this girl on my team Emily" I reply, feeling the warmth of the morning still lingering.

"You better not forget about me for them more specifically for Emily, Ivy. I will always be No. 1," Paige declares, her playful jealousy evident.

"I would never forget about you, Paige. Don't be jealous," I say, smirking at her dramatics.

"Well, tell me about your new friends already," she demands eagerly, her eyes sparkling with genuine curiosity.

"Okay, well, I talked to these two girls in practice, Didi and Britney. They're both super nice and added me to the team group chat!" I explain, my excitement bubbling over.

"Aww, Ivy, I'm so happy for you! I feel like I'm watching my child grow up," she teases, a proud look in her eyes.

"Um, we are the same age, and I am literally older than you," I remind her with a raised eyebrow, remembering how she always insists she's more mature.

"Only by a few months," she retorts with a pout. "Anyway, stop bickering with me. Have you met anyone else?"

"Welllllll... I am also getting closer to Emily, this girl on my team. She's super cool, and we even go to the same café. I really want to get closer to her bec—"

"Okay, I'm cutting you off because, 1) I can't believe you didn't tell me about all of this sooner, and 2) you definitely like her. You only yap when you like people," she says with an all-knowing smile.

"I don't like her! I just want to get closer to her to have a close friend here, and I yap all the time, so I don't know what you're talking about," I defend, feeling my cheeks heat up. Is she right? Do I like Emily?

"Even if you are just friends now, I am stating now that you won't be later," she predicts with certainty.

"Stop jumping to conclusions. I barely know her. I'm smarter than liking someone right as I meet them," I argue, though a tiny part of me wonders if she's right.

"Also, I don't even know if she is gay, Paige."

"Well, I am currently looking at her Instagram, and she is most definitely gay," she says triumphantly.

"Ok stalker, and how are you so sure about that?" I ask, curious despite myself.

"I mean, just look at her. I never knew you were into the tatted, piercing look, Ivy. DAMN!" she exclaims, feigning shock.

"Actually, shut up."

I finish getting dressed for practice and walk over to my bathroom, bringing Paige with me. I'm touching up my mascara from earlier when Paige says, "Ivy, wearing mascara to practice... that's new."

"Well, it's the WNBA, Paige. I have to look good," I explain, feeling a bit self-conscious, hoping Emily might notice.

"Are you looking good for the WNBA or a certain someone whose name starts with E?" she teases, her eyes twinkling.

"Goodbye, Paige. I am done getting ready, and you are pissing me off," I say, trying to sound annoyed but failing to hide my smile.

"Mhm, you can be mad at me, Ivy, but we both know the truth," she says smugly.

"Tell Azzi I say hi," I say, ignoring her comment and hanging up. I miss her already.

I finish checking my gym bag for everything and fill up my water bottle before heading out to my car. The air is crisp, and the city hums with life. I get in, shuffle my pre-practice jams, and enjoy my own company and the beauty of the capital. The drive calms my nerves, and I feel a sense of anticipation for the practice ahead. I get to the building, parking in the same place I did last time. Walking in, I hope to have a good practice to finish off my day. Today, I don't arrive early, and by the time I'm in the locker room, I only have enough time to put my bag away. I walk into the gym, exchanging hi's with all the girls.

"IVY!" Didi exclaims, running up to me and embracing me in a hug. Her warmth is infectious, and I can't help but smile.

Coach begins to talk, and everyone quickly falls into place, gathering around to listen. He explains what we will be doing today: small team scrimmages. He details how it will work, and every now and then, I catch Emily's eye. We exchange smiles or a nod, a silent understanding passing between us. Coach assigns the teams: Me, Emily, Didi, and Aaliyah against Britney, Jade, Julie, and Ariel.

We get started, and our team is off to a good start, winning 25-20. Didi passes to me, and I dribble up the court, passing to Emily, who's at the 3-point line. She shoots, and it goes in with a satisfying swish. We high-five and continue to score, feeding off each other's energy on the court, becoming unstoppable. This obviously pisses Jade off, who shoves me to the floor after I make a rebound. I hit the floor with a boom, the impact knocking the wind out of me. Didi, Emily, and Aaliyah rush over to me.

"You good?" Aaliyah asks, her hand steady as she helps me stand up.

"Yep, we can keep playing," I say, trying to catch my breath but smiling to reassure them.

"I wish you weren't," Jade mutters under her breath, loud enough for Emily and Didi to hear.

"What the fuck, Jade?" Emily and Didi say in unison, their voices full of annoyance and anger.

"LADIES, CUT IT OUT!" Coach yells at all of them, his voice booming.

"But Jade—" Emily starts, her eyes blazing.

"I don't want to hear it from any of you," he says sternly, shutting down the argument.

"I'm fine, really. Let's just keep playing," I insist, not wanting the attention.

"Are you sure, Ivy?" Emily asks, her concern evident.

"Yes, Em, I wouldn't lie to you," I say with a smile, feeling a warmth spread through me at her care.

We continue playing, winning the game 52-40. For the next half of practice, I get to relax, watching the girls who didn't play first. The camaraderie and energy of the team lift my spirits, and I feel a sense of belonging.

Practice ends, and we all gather up again to listen to Coach's final announcements. "Next time we meet, we won't have practice; we will have a team meeting since there are obviously some tensions that need to be resolved," he says, his tone serious.

I walk to the locker room, grabbing my stuff, and saying my goodbyes to the girls.

"See ya, New Star," Emily says with a wave and a smirk.

"Star, that's new," I say with an eyebrow raise, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.

"Well, you needed a nickname from me eventually, and this is only the first of many," she says, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Yeah, yeah. See ya, Em, and thanks for standing up for me earlier" I say.

"Anything for you Star," she says her smile genuine, my heart fluttering at her words.

I walk out to my car, and as I drive back to my apartment, I think about what Emily said earlier. Anything for me? What did she mean by that? The thought lingers, filling me with a mix of curiosity and excitement.

An:

Ahhhhh I hope you guys enjoy this chapter I literally speed-wrote this trying to get a chapter out before today so sorry if there are any spelling mistakes I'll fix that soon.
Also I know Hailey hasn't come up yet but she will eventually I swear. Also lmk if you want any chapters from Emilys pov.
Don't forget to vote and comment!
Lots of love,
S