BETWEEN OUR LIPS. paige bueckers

six

KAI RUNS A HAND OVER HER FACE. She hasn't talked to Paige since she stormed out of the hotel room when Kate called her. That was three days ago and they've already have had five practices. Paige wouldn't even give Kai the time of day.

It was affecting Kai, she couldn't focus on editing the pictures or anything. Kai had told Ice to come to her office after practice today. Kai was pacing in her office, waiting for the girl.

"Hey, what's up?" Ice asks while softly knocking and coming in. "I need you to stay out of your dorm room, I need to talk to Paige. She hasn't been speaking to me." Kai explains making the girl across her smile.

"Yeah, I can do that." Ice says and Kai gives her a quick hug as a thank you. Ice leaves the office to gather her stuff and whatnot. Kai locks up her office and heads to Paige's dorm room. Kai rubs her hands together, accumulating sweat from how nervous she was. Kai knocks lightly then hears shuffling from inside. "Did you forget your key or something?" Paige asks opening the door expecting Ice to be behind the door.

"Can we talk?" Kai questions, standing awkwardly in the hall. She didn't want to barge into Paige's room and make her uncomfortable by any means. Paige nods and opens the door wider for the girl to walk through.

Kai steps inside and closes the door behind her, "you know, you were my first friend here at UConn." Kai informs, she didn't know why she felt the need to say that but it felt right.

The corner of Paige's lips turn up before she makes her face plain. Paige doesn't make any sign to speak so Kai goes in again. "When me and you, my first friend in a new state, are fighting— it's hard to focus."

Paige looks up at Kai to notice her eyes welling up with tears, it was slight but it was still apparent. Paige's face softened and a pang of guilt hit her in her chest. "I'm sorry." She says.

Kai nods, before continuing. "I'm not looking for a relationship with Kate Martin. I can't do long distance relationships." Kai explains making Paige hopeful once again. "So, you're into closer relationships?" Paige says with some cockiness to it.

Kai smiles and nods, Paige takes a step closer to the brunette. "Like this close?" Kai shrugs her shoulders. Paige takes another step and is now looking down at the girl she's been enamored by since the first day.

"Usually they're closer." Kai whispers into the tension. Paige pushes a strand of hair behind Kai's ear and angles her head upward. Kai holds her breath and closes her eyes, not before looking at Paige's lips.

They were centimeters apart, just one more centimeter and their lips would connect. The loud bang on the door makes them jolt back from each other. The door opens revealing Ice and Amari.

"Hey, Kai." They both say, not paying attention to the blonde. "Am I chopped liver?" Paige questions with an offended look at her teammates. Kai sighs, glad that her and Paige were good again.

-

It was already the next game day. It was against Maryland. The Huskies were looking for redemption, they were buzzed and ready. Especially since Geno ran them like a rented mule. Kai was sat in the locker room behind Paige, who was seated in front of her.

While Kayla was still healing from her finger injury, Kai was doing the braids on Paige. Kai was being extra hard on Paige's hair this time. "Fuck, Kai!" She winces and tries to pull away. "Hey, consider this punishment for ignoring me for three days." Kai retorts shutting Paige up immediately.

It was also jersey night, Kai forgot, of course. "Do you have a jersey I can wear?" Kai questions while starting the second braid. Paige smirks and goes to nod, her hair wrapped up in Kai's fingers causing a tug on her head. "That was all you!"