𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 ☆ Paige Bueckers

XVII

-Flashback-

3rd person ༄
Narrative

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The young blonde quickly came out of her state of fear when she realized the person who spoke was a girl, and spoke in English.

Evelina quickly picked up her book then turned back to the frightened girl. "Are you lost?" She spoke trying to make her voice sound gentle. This wasn't the first time she had helped a lost child. So at this point in her life she was a pro at helping people find their destination.

It took her a moment to respond but she eventually stuttered out her words. "Y...Yes I'm lost, I was with my school group and then they were just gone." The dark haired girl saw the panicked look on the blondes face, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, no need to freak out, I will help you." She could feel the tension in the girls shoulders and it didn't seem like her words were working to ease them. She didn't really think much about her next words and just spoke, "my name is Vienna, and you could say I know this city like the back of my hand."

The introduction from the native girl did seem to act as a sense of relief for Paige causing her to become aware of her surroundings. "Are you okay now?"
The blonde nods her head. "Okay good, let's go find your people!" She starts to walk realizing she has no idea where she is going. "By any chance do you know which way they went?"Paige shakes her head. "Okay Ragazza bionda let's just start walking." Evelina starts walking in the directions she was headed, not paying attention to if the girl behind her was following. "What does that word mean?" Paige says Catching up to Evelina. "What word?" "Ra..Rag..." she tries to repeat her lack of pronunciation failing her. "Ragazza bionda?" She laughs at the girl's fail to say the word. "It means blonde girl, when I first looked at you all I could see was your blonde hair and your bright eyes." "Oh."

They continued to walk in silence, Evelina occasionally interacting with random people.
"So what made you want to leave your group?"
Paige was a bit shocked that this girl thought she chose to leave instead of accidentally getting lost, but she wasn't wrong. "I didn't choose to leave the group, I just got distracted...." The Italian nods her head in understanding agreement. The tension between the two grew thick again, and Evelina hated it. She liked having things easy between people, and it not being easy was never really a problem for her. Even at a young age she always knew how to make things less awkward. Or maybe people in Italy were easier to talk to.

"Do you know what the name of your hotel is?" She asks skipping ahead so she can turn around and face the blonde. "No, but I will know when I see it."

She internally sighs. This girl knows nothing.

"So what do you like about Italy so far?" She changed the topic. "Uh it's cool, but I would like it more if I wasn't lost and missing out on the cool sites." Evelina smiles holding in her laugh. She forgets that things her aren't normal for people unlike her. "Well when do you have to be back at your hotel?" "I think we have dinner at 7, so probably 6." "Okay perfect let's go." "Go where??"
She doesn't answer, and instead grabbed the blonde's hand.

The pair were now running through the streets, leaving Paige alone with her thoughts as she got pulled. She thought about her parents, and how they would kill her if they knew she was wandering down the streets of a foreign country with some stranger. She can't lie to them, that would be wrong.

As Evelina pulled her, they weaved through groups of people accidentally bumping into some. "Uhm....Vienna?" She struggled to remember her name."Yes?" Her voice steady as if she hadn't been running. "I'm going to get in such big trouble if my family found out I wasn't with the group right now." "They don't have to know, if you don't tell them technically it's not lying." Her accent was making it hard for young Paige to decipher her words. "Yeah, but-" "you'll figure it out later, after I show you the sights you came to see." She sighed and allowed the girl to continue dragging her.

They came to a stop abruptly making Paige almost trip. "This probably isn't on your list of sites, but this is one of my favorites."

Tucked away in a small corner of the village there lay a concealed look out of the ocean. In this tucked away cave leaves had grown there creating an arch that was cascaded with flowers, hiding it from the outside world. Just beyond the cave the small beach met with the ocean that seemed to sparkle in the sun making it hard to see.

"I know it isn't much to look at, but it's my favorite spot to just come and I guess think."
"This is so cool." The blonde was in awe. There had never been anything this beautiful in Hopkins Minnesota. The City she solely focused on basketball in. If there was it's not like she knew. This trip was the only time she hadn't thought about basketball.

"Did they ever give you anything that lists off the things you were seeing?" Paige digs in her small backpack her blonde ponytail swinging to the front with it. Evelina noticed a small basketball keychain on her bag and needed something more to talk about with the girl, so she spoke again. "Do you like basketball?" her finger pointed at the keychain. "I lovee basketball. When I grow up I'm going to be a basketball player." "Oh that's cool, maybe I will come watch one of your games." They both laugh. "When I grow up I'm going to be a famous singer. I'm already learning how to play my Nonno's guitar." "What's a Nonno?" "A Grandfather." Paige feels her cheeks heat up at how stupid she felt for not knowing that.

When Paige pulls out her small book Evelina immediately takes it waisting no time to look through it. "Hey, maybe one day we can team up. You a famous basketball player and me a famous singer.And then! You could be front row at all my concerts and I could be front at all your basketball games." She said her excitement getting the best of her. "That would be so cool. We should definitely do that." They both weren't sure what to say next so the brunette starts to look through the small book.

"I know where this place is, maybe we will run into your group, so let's get moving." She moves swiftly and in one motion out of their hidden cave. "Do you want me to sing you a song? to maybe pass time and to show you my skills." Young Evelina was never one to be embarrassed of anything she did. Her outgoing charm helped her easily make friends and that's where she hoped this was going to end.
"Sure." "Okay, it's in Italian so you won't understand, but if we have enough time I will teach you."

As they continue to walk down the back streets, all that can be heard is a young Evelina's voice as a young Paige Bueckers listens, taking in the sights along the way.

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Half asleep when I saw this. Immediately woke right up.

-J