Daylight - Paige Bueckers

i'm lucky to have you

May 4th, 2023

Alex's POV:

The library is quieter than usual, the muted hum of students studying making it feel almost like the calm before a storm. Finals week in May always has this tense, jittery energy, like everyone is holding their breath until it's over. And honestly, I feel it too.

I glance over at her from where I'm sitting, books and notes scattered across the table between us. Paige's brow is furrowed, her blue eyes focused intensely on whatever concept she's trying to nail down for her psych class. Her determination is one of the things I love about her. I've always been more of the "wing it" type, but Paige? She's meticulous, thoughtful, determined to master every little detail.

And right now, she's adorable. The way her pencil taps rhythmically against her iPad as she thinks, the little creases forming between her eyebrows when she's concentrating—it's impossible to look away.

I lean back in my chair, stretching my arms over my head as I stifle a yawn. "Hey, genius," I tease lightly, watching her lips quirk up in response. "How's it going over there?"

Paige glances up at me with a tired smile. "I'm getting there," she says, rubbing her eyes. "But if I have to read about cognitive dissonance one more time, I think my brain's going to melt."

I chuckle, leaning forward to rest my elbows on the table. "Such a drama queen, Bueckers."

She laughs softly, shaking her head. "And what about you? How's cramming for chem going?"

"Eh," I shrug, glancing down at my notes with a playful smirk. "I'm basically just hoping for divine intervention at this point. I keep waiting for the knowledge to just, you know, magically appear in my brain."

Paige rolls her eyes, but her smile stays. "That's not how studying works, Alex."

"Hey, a girl can dream," I say with a grin, making her laugh again.

There's something about being around Paige that makes everything seem easier, even finals week. We've been through so much together this year—late nights, tough games, even tougher moments—but she's always there, solid and steady. And somehow, even when I'm stressed out of my mind, she knows how to ground me. I don't know what I'd do without her.

"Okay, break time," Paige announces suddenly, setting her pencil down and stretching her arms above her head. "My brain is officially fried."

I couldn't agree more. I push my chair back and stand up, rolling my neck to work out the tension from hours of sitting. "Thank God. I was about to suggest the same thing."

We gather our things and make our way outside, leaving the library's stuffy silence behind. The air is warm, the kind of perfect spring evening that makes you want to forget about exams and just enjoy the moment. The campus is beautiful in May—flowers in full bloom, trees swaying gently in the breeze. It almost makes me forget about the impending doom of finals.

We find a bench near the quad, the sun just beginning to set, casting a soft orange glow over everything. Paige sits down next to me, leaning back and letting out a content sigh. "This is way better than staring at my notes," she murmurs.

"Agreed," I say, my gaze lingering on her as she closes her eyes for a moment, soaking in the warm air. I can't help but smile to myself. She's beautiful, even when she's exhausted from studying. Especially then, actually.