PRESENTING THE PAST - Paige Bueckers x Nika Muhl, Diana Taurasi x Sue Bird

CHAPTER 7

PAIGE

A long break from UConn before school officially starts doesn't feel really long. I go on a Miami trip with Cadence and Kayla before heading home to Arizona to watch some of Mom's home games and catch up with some other friends from high school.

Grandma tries to ask for another week from my break to go back to the countryside, but Mom and I refuse with burning passion. Once a year is enough torture. Hoping next year I will have enough alibi not to go back.

A week before actually going back to UConn is the only time I have the guts to really respond to Nika's story.

She's been out and about too. She uploads a week recap of her trips on her IG story every Friday. On her first week, she goes to New York with Ava, a friend of hers who lives in Connecticut. Her second week, she's in LA, I'm not sure who she's with. And her third and fourth week, she's mainly in the west coast. Most of it is her Mom's home games.

Now it's only a Wednesday but her icon on IG already lights up with pink around it indicating that she's got some stories uploaded.

"Okay, whatever this is we're going to shoot our shot..." I say, pressing her icon.

It's a cute photo of her inside a plane. Awww such a cutie pie.

@paigemadison: cutie pie

I reply. Oh, how I miss those early days where we would flirt...

Yes, we did! I will fight whoever says it wasn't flirting because we sure did, even my mom called it flirting!

@nika_10: u think so?

Oh so we're pushing now huh? I grin at that.

@paigemadison: i know so

I giggle at my reply. Damn, a newfound confidence we have here, Paige Madison.

@nika_10: where is this courage coming from ma'am? Sure I didn't see this during the summer session

I laugh a little at her response.

@paigemadison: which one do u like then?

I push back.

@nika_10: i'd say i like the one who snuck out Capri Sun for me.

Luckily, Mom's inside her room because she will be damned to see how red I am.

@paigemadison: what u up to?

@nika_10: just landed in Iowa

I roll my eyes. What is she doing there?

@nika_10: i'm going to see Kate and Caitlin before coming back to Storrs

@paigemadison: oh right, sure, you take care

I say and just leave my phone on the couch and go to get snacks anyway. I don't even know how many times I rolled my eyes the whole time.

Tss. Kate Martin? Fine.

I'm gonna break her ankles the moment we face each other.

"Paige, did you—— what on earth?" Mom asks, coming into the kitchen when she sees me doing my thing.

"What?" I ask unconsciously.

"Why did you put orange juice on your cereal? Are you insane?" Mom asks, making me look at the snack I was making.