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𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟭𝟵 | 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥

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TRACK 18: WILDFLOWER - BILLIE EILISH

"i should put it all behind me shouldn't i? but i see her, in the back of my mind all the time.."

february 2023.

THE HUSKY LOGO BENEATH HER FEET FEELS NATURAL. She was supposed to be here. To play here. Hockey was never her true calling for as good as she was. She thinks she would've retired from hockey early anyway, even if the PWHL was a thing now, she would've been their first overall pick too, on top of that, she would've gone to Minnesota. It would've been a picture perfect career for her, hockey wise, but she wasn't done with basketball yet.

"Can I ask you something?" Paige asks, passing her a basketball.

"Depends on what you're asking," Cameron replies, beginning to dribble the ball before she shoots it, watching it go into the basket with ease.

"That's why I asked first. I wanted to ask you about Boston," Paige passes her another ball.

"Ask away," Cameron shoots it again.

"Why did you hate it there?" Paige passes her another ball, Cameron doesn't shoot it just yet.

"A lot of different reasons," Cameron moves to another spot on the court, "Mainly a lot of people just thought I sucked. It messed with my confidence a lot. Even if I won the Patty Kaz two years in a row."

Paige raises an eyebrow at the unfamiliar named as Cameron shoots the ball again, another three going in.

"Oh, right. The Patty Kaz is given to the best player of year for women's hockey."

"And people still thought you sucked?" Paige keeps their routine up, passing a ball after she asks a question. Cameron will shoot and answer. Cameron had dragged them to the gym today, even if it was Saturday. She missed playing, and she was bored. Paige wanted to do something else, like watch a movie or go shopping, which was a first since Paige needed basketball or she'd die.

"Yeah, I mean, everyone thought, and probably still thinks I'm a quitter since I just left basketball in the dust," Cameron says with a shrug as she goes for a layup, the ball landing at her feet shortly after.

"But that wasn't your fault," Paige says softly.

"Right. I'm pretty sure if I didn't do what my Dad wanted he would've kicked me out. I didn't want that."

There's silence between them as Paige tossed her another ball. They look at each other, Cameron realizing she's never told Paige the full story.

"You could've stayed with me," Paige says after some time.

Cameron swallows, her mouth feels dry, "Didn't want to seem like a burden. Plus, I would've had to get all of my stuff again. He threw most of it away except for my medals and trophies. Or maybe he hid it. I don't know. I haven't had time to search for anything."

"You wouldn't have been a burden."

"I wish I knew that when I was 16," Cameron replies quietly, going for another layup. The ball stays at her feet this time, "Anyway, Boston sucked. The fans were nice, some weren't, but that's not something you can change. But then there was this girl on the team I couldn't fucking stand. Have I told you about her?"