𝑾𝑰𝑳𝑫𝑭𝑰𝑹𝑬. 𝒏𝒊𝒌𝒂 𝒎ü𝒉𝒍

final four

IT WAS FINALLY HERE, final four. Rosie and Nika hadn't spoken since Tuesday. Although, that wasn't at all the most important thing right now. What was important was winning this game and going on to the final championship.

Rosie would be lying if she said she didn't think about her and Nika's current relationship a lot during the week. It consumed her whole thought's actually and she was worried it would cause her to not perform her best. Nika also couldn't stop thinking about it, and if it costed her the win, things would not go well for anyone.

It was time for the jump ball, Rosie hugging all the games before tip off wishing them luck but also hoping it was her team that came out with the win.

UConn got first possession, Kk securing the ball bringing it up and passing to Paige as it goes out of bounds.

Nika's whole job this game was to lock up Caitlin, she was doing a phenomenal job at that. The first points of the game did go to Caitlin however.

In the third quarter, Nika went to make her first pass Rosie of the entire game. She hadn't passed the ball to her since the start of the game. However, Rosie didn't expect this at all so she started cutting and the pass went out of bounds as Rosie moved from her previous spot. "I'm sorry." Rosie went up to Nika but was ignored.

"Communicate!" Geno yelled at the girls.

Nika and Kate had both gone to their respective locker rooms due to injuries. Nika came back soon though, she was definitely a fighter.

Everytime one team scored, the other team would immediately score as well. They were constantly tied, that was until the fourth quarter. Iowa was constantly in the lead having Geno unbelievably stressed out.

Nika was able to lock in, get a steal, and bury a three which allowed for a one point game. Soon after, there was a moving screen call on Aaliyah Edwards. Geno was yelling and practically turning red. There were 3.9 seconds left, Iowa was up by 1.

Caitlin was fouled and was able to shoot two free throws, only able to make one of them. Sydney got the rebound and the possession was Iowa's. Caitlin was inbounding the ball and she bounced it off of Rosie's back causing it to go out of bounds off of Rosie.

Rosie couldn't believe it. She couldn't look Caitlin in the eye. All she kept thinking was what if she just turned around and stole the ball and scored. She knew Caitlin just wanted to win, and didn't mean to hurt her at all. Truly, that did hurt her though.

There was one tenth of a second left in the game, Iowa up by 2. They reset the clock to 0.8 as it went out of bounds at exactly 0.8. Caitlin inbounded the ball to Kate Martin who shot the ball up into the air with 0.1 seconds left as the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrated their victory.

Rosie rushed to the locker room, tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. She couldn't help but think it was all her fault. Her head wasn't fully in the game and she lost huge possessions for her team.

The locker room was silent. Even Geno didn't say a word. There were no words to be said. Paige, Aaliyah, Rosie, and Nika were forced to do a press conference right after the loss and they took the stage with teary eyes. The reporters kept bringing up the moving screen call as well as when the ball was bounced off of Rosie's back and they were honestly just making her feel worse and worse throughout the whole conference.

"We can't really blame the loss on one specific call it was the whole game that really determined the outcome." Paige spoke on behalf of Rosie and Aaliyah, putting a comforting hand on Rosie's back.

The bus ride to the hotel was silent, the flight home was silent, and for days and days after, silence. Practices that were once lively were practically dead, nobody was happy. "You should be proud you made it that far!" Rosie's dad would say, but nothing ever made her feel better.

Caitlin even reached out to the girl after the game offering her comfort, which she accepted. There was no bad blood between the two, nothing could break apart their strong bond. Two days later when Iowa lost the championship, Rosie offered the same comfort to Caitlin and the rest of the girls right back.

March madness hadn't ended quite the way UConn had wanted, at all. Rosie's only promise was to bring home the Natty for her last year of being at UConn.

Rosie had finally tracked Nika down after giving her space. She was found in the dining hall, picking at her food mindlessly.

Rosie slyly sat down in front of her, Nika not daring to acknowledge the girl's existence.

"Are we just never going to speak again?" Rosie sighed, dreading the way this conversation had been going already. Her heart was pounding as she anticipated the outcome of this talk.

Nika simply shrugged and kept eating her food. "Nika, why won't you talk to me?" Rosie begged the girl to just open up. "Is something going on? Are you okay?" She questioned eyes searching Nika's for any sign of any emotion.

"I'm fine. Kind of just lost the most important game of my life and I'm leaving this year, but I'm fine." Nika scoffed shaking her head.

"We are supposed to be here for each other, not push each other away." Rosie croaked, tears threatening to pour from her eyes.

"You don't get it." Nika scooped up her food quickly and stormed off. Leaving a heartbroken Rosie to cry all by herself. The air was cold, an uncomfortable ambiance blanketed the dining hall after the, seemingly, happiest couple just argued in public.

She practically ran to Azzi's door in tears after sitting in pure shock with red eyes, the girl scooping her up into her arms, stroking her hair. "It's okay Bellie, it's gonna be okay." She repeated softly into the girls ear before she was able to calm down.

"I don't think Nika loves me anymore." She cried, already jumping to conclusions.

a/n
WELLL DAMN

shorter chapter im sorry but i promise the next one gonna be longggg

Rewatching the final four is NOT for the weak (I cried)

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I post edits of my fics!!!!!

-love mads 🤍