Can't Seem To Hide It

The Dream

Chapter 8: 

Paige's week had been a rollercoaster of emotions. She was pushing herself harder in practice, feeling the pressure of the upcoming games and her evolving relationship with Azzi. But it was at night when her mind really started to race, and one evening, after an exhausting practice, it all caught up to her.

And Paige had fallen asleep on the couch in the common room, enjoying the quiet after a long day. As Paige drifted into a deep sleep, her subconscious took over, pulling her into a vivid dream about Azzi.

In her dream, they were back in the gym, but this time, it was different. The lights were dim, and there was a certain intensity in the air. Paige could feel Azzi's presence close to her, could almost hear her voice in her ear. "You're mine, Azzi... only mine," Paige murmured in her sleep, her dream-self reaching out to Azzi, her emotions raw and unfiltered.

Unbeknownst to Paige, her words weren't just confined to her dream. She was talking in her sleep, her voice carrying softly across the room.

At that moment, KK and Azzi were out grabbing a late-night snack, but as they approached the dorm, KK's phone buzzed with an alert. She glanced down at the screen and then burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Azzi asked, noticing the mischievous look on KK's face.

KK smirked, showing her the phone. "We've got a live show going on back in the common room. The camera's picking up something interesting."

Azzi looked at the screen and saw the video feed from the camera they had set up in the living room for security purposes. Paige was on the couch, sound asleep, and clearly talking in her sleep. "You're mine, Azzi... only mine," Paige's voice echoed softly through the speakers, causing Azzi's cheeks to flush.

"Oh my God," Azzi muttered, torn between embarrassment and amusement. "She's going to die of embarrassment when she finds out."

KK grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "This is gold. We've got to mess with her a bit when we get back."

They hurried back to the dorm, and when they walked into the living room, they found Aubrey, Ice, and Jana already there, snickering as Paige mumbled more in her sleep.

"You're all terrible," Azzi said, though she couldn't help but smile.

Aubrey shrugged, clearly enjoying the situation. "We're just having a little fun. Besides, this is too good to pass up."

A few minutes later, Paige woke up to the sound of muffled laughter. She blinked her eyes open, disoriented, only to find herself surrounded by her teammates, all grinning from ear to ear.

"What's going on?" Paige asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Ice couldn't hold back her laughter. "You were having quite the dream, Paige. Really letting your feelings out."

Paige's heart skipped a beat as she remembered her dream. "Wait... what did I say?" she asked, sitting up quickly, her pulse racing.

KK, barely containing her laughter, imitated Paige's dreamy voice from the video. "You're mine, Azzi... only mine."

Paige's face turned a deep shade of red as the realization hit her. "When did I say that?!"

Azzi, trying to hide her own embarrassment, decided to jump in before the teasing got out of hand. "Paige, can we talk for a minute? In private?"

Paige looked at Azzi, her embarrassment shifting to nervousness. "Uh, yeah, sure."

They headed to Paige's room, closing the door behind them. Azzi pulled out her phone and showed Paige the video feed from the camera, which had captured every moment of Paige's sleep-talking.

Paige's eyes widened in horror as she watched herself mumble in her sleep. "Oh my God... this is so embarrassing!"

Azzi couldn't help but smile, finding Paige's reaction both adorable and endearing. "It's not that bad, Paige. I mean, it's kind of sweet, actually."

Paige buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I said that out loud... and on camera!"

Azzi gently pulled Paige's hands away from her face, forcing her to meet her eyes. "Hey, it's okay. You were just dreaming. No one's going to hold it against you, least of all me."

Paige sighed, her cheeks still burning. "I just didn't want everyone to know... you know, how much I care about you. It's embarrassing."

Azzi leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Paige's forehead. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Paige. I care about you too, a lot. And honestly, it's nice to know how much you care."

Paige smiled, her embarrassment fading a little. "Thanks, Azzi."

They stayed like that for a moment, the tension easing between them, until Paige finally took a deep breath and said, "I guess I'll have to deal with the teasing from the others now, huh?"

Azzi grinned. "Yeah, probably. But don't worry, I'll have your back."

The next morning, Paige was up before everyone else, determined to push herself harder than ever in practice. The embarrassment from the previous night was still fresh in her mind, and she channeled all that energy into her training.

By the time the team arrived at the gym, Paige was already drenched in sweat, working through an intense shooting drill. She moved with a determination that hadn't been there before, her focus razor-sharp.

As practice continued, Paige didn't slow down. She pushed herself harder and harder, determined to prove something—to herself, to her teammates, and maybe even to Azzi. She lifted her personal records, sprinting faster, shooting more accurately, and refusing to take a break even when Coach called for one.

Her teammates started to notice, exchanging confused glances as Paige drove herself to the brink of exhaustion.

"What's gotten into Paige?" Caroline whispered to Aubrey as they watched her from the sidelines.

"I don't know, but she's on a mission today," Aubrey replied, equally perplexed.

Even Azzi noticed the change in Paige's behavior. She watched as Paige pushed herself to the limit, a mix of concern and admiration growing inside her.

After practice, as the team headed to the locker room, Paige lagged behind, her body aching from the intensity of her workout. She barely had the energy to lift her water bottle, but she didn't regret it. She needed the distraction, needed to push the embarrassment out of her mind.

As the team gathered in the locker room, Azzi approached Paige, her concern evident. "Paige, you were killing it out there today, but you don't have to go so hard. What's going on?"

Paige looked up at Azzi, her eyes filled with determination. "I just... I needed to push myself. After last night, I needed to prove to myself that I can still focus, that I can be strong, no matter what."

Azzi softened, understanding what Paige was trying to say. "You don't have to prove anything to me or anyone else, Paige. We all know how strong you are—on and off the court."

Paige smiled weakly, her exhaustion catching up to her. "Thanks, Azzi. I just needed to get out of my own head for a bit."

Azzi nodded, reaching out to squeeze Paige's hand. "Just remember, you don't have to do it alone. We're all here for you."

As they sat together in the quiet of the locker room, Paige felt a sense of relief. The embarrassment of the night before might not have entirely faded, but with Azzi by her side and her teammates' support, she knew she could handle anything that came her way.

And as for the teasing? Well, that was just part of the deal when you had teammates who doubled as your closest friends—and sometimes, that made it all worth it.