burn for you

Down Bad

~Y/n's POV~

      It felt like the longest practice ever, but for the first time, it wasn't because of exhaustion or frustration. Today, something was different. Paige Bueckers, someone I had always hated, actually seemed to be warming up to me. She no longer sent me nasty and disgusting looks. It started with a simple pass during a drill, which she followed up with an encouraging nod. It wasn't much, but it felt like a breakthrough.

     After practice, I was gathering my things when I heard a familiar voice. "Hey, you played really well today," Paige said, the tall girl walking over to me with the smallest of smiles on her face. I looked up, slightly taken aback.

      "Thanks, Paige. That means a lot coming from you," I replied, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. I don't understand. If I hated Paige, and Paige hated me, why was I getting so excited from a simple compliment?

    She smiled, and for the first time, it felt genuine. "You've got good instincts. Just keep working on your footwork, and you'll be unstoppable."

     I nodded, rolling my eyes grinning. "I'll definitely work on that. Maybe I'll even be as good as you."

     She grinned back as we both headed towards the locker room, I felt a sense of camaraderie that I hadn't felt before. It was as if the invisible wall between us had finally started to crumble. Paige was someone I had always looked down on, and her acknowledgment felt like a validation of how far along we had actually came. We didn't absolutely hate eachother, for one.

    Once in the locker room, I noticed Nika and Ice Brady chatting animatedly. They were always so full of energy, and today was no different. I caught snippets of their conversation about some party later that evening. I was curious but didn't want to intrude.

      As I was about to leave, Nika called out to me. "Hey, come join us!" she said, waving me over.

     I walked over, a curious expression on my face. "What's up?"

     "We were just talking about this party tonight," Ice said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You should totally come with us."

    I hesitated for a moment. Parties weren't really my thing, but the invitation felt like an olive branch. "Sure, that sounds fun, only if KK's going," I said, trying to match their enthusiasm.

     "Girl, boo! Of course I'm going! And you're going too!" I heard the loud girl yell from across the locker room. I smiled.

     Nika grinned. "Awesome! It's going to be at Jenna's place. She throws the best parties. We'll pick you up around eight?"

    "Yeah, that works for me," I replied, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

     As I left the locker room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. For the first time since joining the team, I felt like I was truly part of it. Paige's encouraging words, and the invitation from Nika and Ice, made me feel like I was finally breaking through the barriers that had held me back.

     The rest of the day passed in a blur of anticipation. I couldn't focus on anything else, my mind constantly drifting to the evening's party. What should I wear? What would we talk about? Would Paige be there too? Ew.

     When I got home, I rummaged through my closet, trying to find the perfect outfit. After what felt like an eternity, I settled on a tight black mini dress. Not too fancy and not too casual. I wanted to look good but not like I was trying too hard. I settled on subtle make-up as well. I felt like this was a bad idea, but if things did end horribly, Evanii would always be there.