Only On Camera | Paige Bueckers GirlxGirl

4

The Seattle summer sun beat down on the outdoor basketball courts as Paige and Camilla arrived for the youth clinic they were hosting. Colorful banners announcing "Dream Big Basketball Camp" fluttered in the light breeze, and excited chatter from the gathered kids filled the air. Paige stepped out of the car, adjusting her Seattle Storm practice jersey. She immediately skied around to the passenger side and opened Camilla's door, as She glanced at the girl, who was checking her reflection in her phone's camera. She was sporting the Seattle green jersey with 'Bueckers' written across the back. "Ready for this?" Paige asked, offering a small smile. Camilla nodded, slipping her sunglasses on. "Let's give them a show," she replied, her tone professional but distant.
As they approached the courts, a cheer went up from the waiting kids and their parents. Paige waved, her megawatt smile firmly in place. Camilla, the sucker she is for kids, awed at them before smiling and waving.
"Uh oh. We got Paige Bueckers and Camilla in the building!" The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. The kids absolutely lost their minds when he announced Paige's name.
"Who's ready to play some basketballlll!" Paige instinctively reached for Camilla's hand, intertwining their fingers as they walked to the center of the court. Camilla tensed for a split second before relaxing into the touch, her media training kicking in.
"Thank you all for coming out today," Paige addressed the crowd. "Camilla and I are so excited to share our love of basketball with you!"
Camilla nodded, adding, "And remember, whether you're on the court or off, always believe in yourself and chase your dreams!"
As the kids broke into groups for drills, Paige and Camilla split up to oversee different stations. Paige found herself enjoying the enthusiasm of the young players, offering tips on shooting form and dribbling techniques. Across the court, Camilla was surprising herself with how much fun she was having. She might not be a pro athlete, but she knew enough about basketball to help the kids with basic skills. Plus, her natural charisma had the children hanging on her every word.
During a water break, Paige sidled up to Camilla, wrapping an arm around her waist for the benefit of the watching parents and cameras. "Having fun?" she asked, her breath warm against Camilla's ear.
Camilla fought back a shiver. "It's not bad," she admitted. "These kids are pretty adorable."
Paige beamed. "See? I told you it would be fun. Maybe next time we can—"
"Next time?" Camilla interrupted, her voice low. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Bueckers. This is a one-time thing."
Paige's smile faltered. "I just thought—"
"You thought wrong," Camilla snapped, then immediately regretted her harsh tone. She softened her voice, aware of the eyes on them. "Look, let's just get through today, okay?" Paige stepped back, hurt flashing in her eyes before she masked it with a neutral expression. "Fine. Whatever you want, Camilla." As they returned to their stations, tension simmered between them. Paige threw herself into demonstrating complex dribbling patterns, while Camilla focused on helping kids perfect their shooting stance. An hour into the clinic, Paige found herself working alongside Tessa, one of the Storm's assistant coaches. Tessa was closer to Paige's age than most of the coaching staff, and they had always gotten along well.
"Nice work with the kids," Tessa complimented, bumping Paige's shoulder playfully. Paige grinned, grateful for the positive interaction after her tense exchange with Camilla. "Thanks! They're a great group." As they worked together, Paige found herself laughing more, her mood lifting. She didn't notice Camilla glancing their way, a slight frown creasing her forehead.
"So, how about we grab coffee after this?" Tessa asked, her voice lowered. "I'd love to pick your brain about some new offensive plays I've been working on." Paige hesitated, her eyes involuntarily flicking to Camilla. To her surprise, Camilla seemed engrossed in conversation with one of the other volunteers, not paying them any attention. A flicker of annoyance sparked in Paige's chest.
"You know what? That sounds great," Paige replied, her voice a touch louder than necessary. She placed a hand on Tessa's arm, leaning in conspiratorially. "I have some ideas I've been wanting to discuss too." Tessa's eyes widened slightly at Paige's sudden enthusiasm, but she nodded eagerly. "Awesome! It's a date then." Paige tensed at the word 'date,' half-expecting Camilla to materialize beside them. But Camilla remained across the court, apparently oblivious to their interaction. As the clinic progressed, Paige found herself seeking out more opportunities to interact with Tessa. They demonstrated plays together, their on-court chemistry apparent to everyone watching. Paige laughed a little too loudly at Tessa's jokes, touched her arm more than strictly necessary, and made sure to stand close whenever they were talking. Part of her felt guilty for using Tessa like this, but a larger part was irritated that her efforts seemed to be having no effect on Camilla. Every time Paige glanced her way, Camilla was focused on the kids or chatting with other volunteers. Just as Paige was considering giving up on her ill-conceived plan, she noticed a new arrival to the court. Jordyn Houston, her teammate and sometimes-rival, sauntered onto the court like she owned it. Paige's eyes narrowed. She and Jordyn had a complicated history, filled with on-court competition and off-court tension. Seeing her here, at an event she wasn't even supposed to be part of, set Paige's teeth on edge. Her irritation turned to anger as she watched Jordyn make a beeline for Camilla. Jordyn's body language screamed flirtation –coy smile, the not-so-subtle way she invaded Camilla's personal space. To Paige's dismay, Camilla didn't seem put off by Jordyn's attention. In fact, she appeared to be enjoying the conversation, laughing at something Jordyn said and playfully swatting her arm. Paige's grip on the basketball she was holding tightened, her knuckles turning white. She was so focused on Camilla and Jordyn that she didn't notice Tessa calling her name until the other woman tapped her shoulder.
"Earth to P," Tessa said, concern evident in her voice. "You okay? You kind of zoned out there." Paige blinked, forcing herself to look away from Camilla and Jordyn. "Yeah, sorry. Just... got distracted for a second." Tessa followed Paige's gaze, understanding dawning on her face. "Ah. I see. You know, if you want to go say hi to your girlfriend, I can handle things here for a bit." Girlfriend. Right. Paige swallowed hard, the reality of her situation crashing back over her. This whole thing with Camilla was supposed to be fake, just for show. So why did seeing her laugh at Jordyn's jokes make Paige's stomach twist with jealousy?
"No, it's fine," Paige said, plastering on a smile. "Milla's busy. We should focus on the kids."
As they returned to running drills, Paige couldn't help but steal glances at Camilla and Jordyn. They seemed to be getting along far too well for Paige's liking. At one point, she saw Jordyn demonstrating a shooting technique, standing close behind Camilla to guide her arms through the motion. The sight made Paige's blood boil. She knew Camilla didn't need help with her shot – they'd practiced together enough times for Paige to know Camilla was a decent player in her own right.
Without thinking, Paige called out, "Hey Camilla! Can you come here for a sec? I need your help with something."Camilla looked up, surprise evident on her face. She said something to Jordyn before jogging over to Paige. "What's up?" she asked, her tone neutral.
Paige faltered, realizing she didn't actually have a reason for calling Camilla over. "I, uh... I thought maybe you could help demonstrate this passing drill," she improvised. "You know, show the kids that you don't have to be a pro to have good form." Camilla raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Sure, I guess." As they ran through the drill together, Paige couldn't help but notice how in sync they were. Despite the tension between them, their bodies seemed to move in perfect harmony on the court.
"Nice pass," Paige complimented as Camilla delivered a crisp chest pass to one of the kids. A ghost of a smile flickered across Camilla's face. "I had a good teacher," she replied softly. For a moment, the rest of the world faded away. It was just Paige and Camilla, sharing a private moment amidst the chaos of the clinic. Then reality intruded in the form of Jordyn's voice.
"Hey Milla!" Jordyn called out. "Want to help me with the layup station?"
Camilla hesitated, her eyes flickering between Paige and Jordyn. "I should probably..."
"Go," Paige said, her voice tight. "Wouldn't want to keep Jordyn waiting." Confusion flashed across Camilla's face at Paige's tone, but she just nodded pressed a kiss to Paige's cheek, carrying on the facade, before she jogged back to Jordyn's station. As the clinic wound down, Paige found herself emotionally exhausted. The constant push and pull between her fake relationship with Camilla and her very real feelings was taking its toll. During the closing ceremony, Paige and Camilla stood side by side, waving to the cheering kids and parents. Paige's arm was around Camilla's waist, and to anyone watching, they looked every bit the happy couple. But Paige could feel the tension thrumming between them, the unspoken words and confused emotions creating a palpable barrier. As they made their way to the car, surrounded by security to keep the lingering fans and paparazzi at bay, Paige finally broke the silence.
"So, you and Jordyn seemed to hit it off," she said, trying and failing to keep the bitterness out of her voice. Camilla glanced at her, surprise evident in her expression. "I guess? She's pretty funny. Why do you ask?" Paige shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. "No reason. Just making conversation."
They rode in tense silence for a few moments before Camilla spoke again. "Actually, Jordyn mentioned you two are teammates. She had some interesting stories about you."
Paige's head snapped towards Camilla, her eyes narrowing. "What kind of stories?" Camilla raised an eyebrow at Paige's reaction. "Nothing bad. Just some funny practice moments, team dynamics. She seems to think highly of your skills."
"I'm sure she does," Paige muttered, her jaw clenching. Camilla studied Paige's face, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "You two don't get along, do you?"
"What gave you that idea?" Paige said sarcastically.
"Oh, I don't know," Camilla replied, her tone light. "Maybe the death glares you were sending our way during the clinic? Or the way you're practically grinding your teeth right now?" Paige felt her cheeks heat up, a mix of embarrassment and anger swirling in her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said stiffly. Camilla leaned back in her seat, a small smirk playing on her lips. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be my 'FAKE' girlfriend, you seem awfully bothered by me talking to other people."
"I'm not bothered," Paige insisted, even as she felt her irritation growing. "I just think you could be a little more... discreet."
"Discreet?" Camilla repeated, her eyebrows shooting up. "That's rich, coming from you. What about all that flirting with Tessa?" Paige felt a jolt of surprise. So Camilla had noticed after all. "That was different," she said weakly.
"How?" Camilla challenged.
"It just was," Paige snapped, frustration getting the better of her. "Look, can we just drop it?"
"Oh, now you want to drop it?" Camilla scoffed. "You're the one who brought it up in the first place. If you can't handle seeing me talk to other people, maybe you're not cut out for this whole fake relationship thing."
Paige's temper flared. "Maybe I'm not! Maybe this whole thing was a mistake!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Paige regretted them. She saw a flash of something – hurt? surprise? – in Camilla's eyes before it was quickly masked by indifference.
"Fine," Camilla said, her voice cool. "If that's how you feel, let's just call it quits now. I'm sure we can come up with some PR-friendly breakup story." The car pulled up to Camilla's building, the tension inside reaching a breaking point. Without another word, Camilla grabbed her bag and reached for the door handle.

"Milla, wait—" Paige started, but Camilla cut her off with a sharp look.

"It's Camilla. Save it, Paige. I'll have my agent contact yours to sort out the details. Thanks for the ride." With that, Camilla slipped out of the car, leaving Paige alone with the weight of her words and the sinking feeling that she'd just made a terrible mistake.
As the car pulled away, Paige leaned her head against the cool glass of the window, closing her eyes. What had started as a simple PR stunt had somehow become a tangled mess of real emotions and hurt feelings. And now, Paige wasn't sure if she'd ruined not just their fake relationship, but any chance of a real connection with Camilla. The Seattle skyline blurred past as Paige tried to sort through the chaos in her mind. One thing was becoming painfully clear: her feelings for Camilla were far from fake. And now, she might have lost her chance to explore them before they'd even really begun.

Excuse all errors
Ajah 🫶🏽