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Camille
My chest ached, for nearly as long as I've ever known I've always had Paige. Whether it was in high school and we were competing for the number one draft spot or playing together on Uconn. We somehow in a way had each other. But now everything was different, now I had to pretend like she didn't exist and that nothing happened between us. Now I lost the girl that I thought I would be spending the rest of my life with and it hurt like hell, it had only been three days since we "broke up" but to me, it felt like ten years of sitting and rotting in bed whilst not going to practise or my classes.
March madness was only a week away so I had to go back to training today, but the thought of seeing her made my whole body ache and made me want to burst out in tears, although I didn't even know if I had any tears left to cry. When we broke up it felt like a piece of my soul shattered.
But we want...wanted different things.
I'm still in love with her, I think some part of me always will be
I keep replaying our memories in my mind, the way she used to smile, the sound of her laugh, and how everything felt so right when we were together. It's as if a part of me is stuck in those moments, unable to move forward while my heart remains anchored to a time that's gone. I know I have to focus on my training, on the games ahead, but every dribble, every shot, feels hollow without her beside me, usually, we were partners in crime on the court. What would I do now that I have to pretend she doesn't exist? Her absence has left a void that no victory or accolade can fill, and the future seems dimmer without her in it, I never imagined a world where we didn't talk to each other.
I felt numb without her.
Suddenly I heard a creak in the door, a familiar face walked in with a tight-lipped smile and sat on my bed where I was rotting. She gently placed a Crumbl cookie in front of me to lure me into sitting up, it worked.
"Cammy, how are you doing?" Nika asked softly as she tucked my hair behind my ears, bless Nika.
"As good as I can be I guess" I croaked as I wiped my eyes.
"Okay, so Cammy when you're ready start getting your things together and we can head to practise" she added. Her presence had been such a comfort to me over the breakup, she was there to hold me whilst I cried.
"What's the time?" I asked, I guess I was so caught up in my emotions...or lack of emotion I didn't even realise that time was passing.
"twenty past 4..." she said. Fuck we had to leave in twenty minutes.
"Fuck okay ill do my hair and then let's go" The thought of seeing Paige anxiously waited on my chest, pressing down like a weight. I knew it had to happen eventually. I just didn't want it too.
**
When I arrived, the familiar buzz of activity in the gym only heightened my anxiety. I shuffled through the hallway, barely registering the chatter of teammates and the echoes of bouncing balls. But then, as if on cue, I saw her. Paige, with her blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, was standing by the court, talking plainly with Aaliyah, Aaliyah saw me and gave me a small smile, her eyes clearly sad at the state I was in. My heart sank. Seeing her again was like a punch to the gut; it felt as though time had stopped and every emotion I'd been trying to bury came rushing back.
