burn for you

Team Bonding

~Y/n's POV~

      I could hear the laughter before I even opened the door to the team lounge. The sound of my teammates' voices, mixing with the faint hum of the TV in the background, made me smile. Paige squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring smile. We were about to join the rest of the UConn women's basketball team for a team bonding session, something Coach Geno insisted on to build our chemistry both on and off the court.

     "Ready?" Paige asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

    "Ready as I'll ever be," I replied, squeezing her hand back before pushing the door open.

     Inside, the room was a whirlwind of activity. Azzi was sprawled on one of the couches, her legs draped over the armrest, while Nika and Ice were huddled over a board game on the coffee table. KK was leaning against the wall, scrolling through her phone with a relaxed expression.

     "Hey, lovebirds!" Nika called out as soon as she saw us. Her grin was mischievous, and I could already tell we were in for some teasing.

     Paige and I exchanged a look before walking over to join them. "Hey, everyone," I greeted, trying to keep my voice casual.

     "Finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh?" Ice teased, looking up from the board game. "We were starting to think you two got lost on your way here."

     "Or maybe they were just too busy making out with each other in the hallway," Azzi added with a smirk.

     Paige rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Very funny, guys. We were just making sure we had everything for the bonding activities."

     "Yeah, sure," KK said, putting her phone away and joining the conversation. "So, what's the plan for tonight girly pops?"

     I cleared my throat, feeling a bit nervous but also excited. "Well, Coach thought it would be fun for us to do some team-building exercises. You know, to strengthen our bond and all that."

     "Like we need any more bonding," Nika said with a laugh. "We're already practically sisters."

     "True," I admitted, "but it never hurts to spend more time together. Plus, we've got some fun games planned."

     Paige nodded in agreement. "Exactly. And who knows, maybe we'll learn something new about each other."

     "Alright, alright," Ice said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Let's get this bonding session started. What do we have to do?"

     I pulled out a small notebook from my bag and flipped it open to the list of activities we had planned. "First up, we're going to do a trust fall exercise."

      "Classic," KK said with a grin. "Who's going first?"

     "I'll go," Paige volunteered, stepping forward. She turned to face me, her back to the rest of the team. "Y/n, you ready to catch me?"

     "I don't know, Paige, you're kinda big," I face palmed, positioning myself behind her. "Alright, Paige, fall when you're ready. Don't crush me."

    Paige let out a chuckle and closed her eyes before letting herself fall backward. I caught her, stumbling a little, and the room erupted into cheers and applause.

     "Nice catch!" Azzi said, giving me a thumbs-up.

     "Your turn, Y/n," Paige said, stepping aside so I could take her place.

     I took a deep breath and faced the rest of the team. "Okay, I'm ready."

     "Don't worry, we've got you," Ice said, standing behind me with her arms outstretched.