burn for you

Obvious

~Y/n's POV~

     It had been two weeks since Paige and I started dating, and we had managed to keep it a secret from our UConn teammates. Honestly, I was surprised we had pulled it off for this long. We were always together, but we had mastered the art of blending in as just friends. Or so I thought.

     That day, we were all at Raising Cane's, celebrating after a hard-fought win. The team was in high spirits, and the conversation was lively. Paige and I sat across from each other, sneaking glances and smiles whenever we could. It felt like our little secret was safe, nestled in the chaos of our teammates' laughter and chatter.

     I was mid-bite into my chicken fingers when Paige leaned over and said, "Hey, babe, can you pass me the Cane's sauce?" It was like the world went into slow motion. I froze, my eyes widening as I looked at her. She was grinning, clearly not realizing what she had just done.

     The table fell silent. All eyes were on us. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. My heart pounded in my chest. Paige's smile faltered as she looked around, realizing her slip-up.

     "Babe?" Azzi repeated, her eyebrows shooting up. KK glanced at me the turned her head, scratching it. "Did she just call you babe?"

     I swallowed hard, trying to think of a way to play it off, but my mind was blank. Paige's eyes were locked onto mine, a mixture of surprise and apology in them.

     "Uh, yeah," Paige said, trying to sound casual. "It's just a joke. You know, like how we all have nicknames for each other."

     But it was too late. The damage was done. The team was already buzzing with curiosity and speculation. I could feel their eyes boring into us, and it made me want to crawl under the table and hide.

     "Is there something you two aren't telling us?" Ice asked, leaning forward with a mischievous grin.

     I opened my mouth to respond, but Paige beat me to it. "Nope, nothing at all," she said, her voice a little too high-pitched to be believable.

     I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over my chair in the process. "I need some air," I muttered, making a beeline for the exit.

     I heard Paige call after me, but I didn't stop. I pushed through the door and stepped outside, the cool evening air hitting my flushed face. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. How could she be so careless? I thought we were on the same page about keeping this quiet.

     A few moments later, I heard the door open and close behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Paige. She walked up to me, her footsteps echoing in the quiet parking lot.

     "Y/n, wait," she said, grabbing my arm gently. "Can we talk?"

     I pulled my arm away, turning to face her. "What were you thinking, Paige? You just outed us in front of the whole team!"

     She looked genuinely remorseful, her eyes wide and pleading. "I'm sorry, okay? It just slipped out. I didn't mean to."

     I ran a hand through my hair, trying to keep my frustration in check. "We agreed to keep this between us for a reason. Now everyone knows, and they're going to keep asking questions."

     Paige stepped closer, her voice softer. "I know, and I'm sorry. But maybe... maybe it's not such a bad thing. Maybe it's time we stop hiding."

     I shook my head. "You don't get it. It's not just about us. It's about the team, the dynamic. We can't just drop a bomb like this on them."