Daylight - Paige Bueckers

prove it

June 17th, 2023

Paige's POV:

Tonight is Ice and KK's first night out at Ted's, and the excitement is palpable. All of us—me, Alex, Aubrey, Nika, Azzi, Naomi, Sarah, Maggie, Cassie, Ice, and KK—are gathered at the girls' house, pregaming before we head out to the bar. The music's bumping, drinks are flowing, and the vibe is just right.

Alex is standing across the living room in her signature style—cropped tank top and a denim skirt that hugs her hips perfectly. She's been catching my eye all night, and we've been playfully flirting in between sips of our drinks, but nothing too obvious. Just subtle glances, quick smiles, and the occasional graze of our hands as we move around the room. And of course, our friends are picking up on it.

"Paige," Aubrey says, nudging me as I finish pouring another round of shots for the group. "You've been staring at Alex for like, ten minutes straight. You good?"

I roll my eyes at her, trying to play it off. "I have not," I laugh, though my cheeks feel warm with the attention.

"Uh-huh," Nika cuts in, smirking. "Bueckers, please. You've been undressing her with your eyes."

Azzi lets out a loud laugh from the couch. "For real, Paige, you're not even subtle. We all know what's going on."

"Can you guys chill?" I say, grabbing my drink and taking a sip. "We're just friends."

"Sure, sure," Ice teases, raising her eyebrow. "Just friends who can't keep their eyes off each other."

Alex overhears, her lips curling into a knowing smirk. She saunters over, her eyes locked on mine. "You okay over here, Paige? You look a little... flustered."

I shoot her a mock glare, but I can't help the smile tugging at my lips. "I'm fine," I say, keeping my voice light. "Just trying to keep up with the drinking over here."

"Maybe you should slow down," Alex teases, her voice dropping an octave. "You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of the freshmen."

Ice and KK both let out exaggerated gasps. "Hey, hey," Ice says, throwing her hands up. "We might be younger, but we're ready for this. Ted's better be ready for us."

"We're not babies anymore," KK adds, crossing her arms in mock indignation. "We're fully initiated now."

"Well," Nika jumps in, raising her shot glass. "Let's see if you can handle the rest of the night then. To KK and Ice finally joining us at Ted's!"

The group cheers, and we all clink glasses before downing our shots. The familiar burn hits my throat, and I grin as I look around at my friends. 

By the time we get to Ted's, the place is packed, the music is loud, and the energy is electric. The air is thick with the smell of beer and sweat, but that's part of the charm of this place. It's UConn's favorite college bar for a reason. I wrap my arm around Alex's shoulders as we walk in, our friends filing in behind us.

Alex's fingers brush against my waist briefly before we both let go and head towards the bar. Aubrey and Nika immediately start ordering drinks while the rest of us claim a spot on the back patio.

Ice and KK are both wide-eyed, taking in the scene like kids on Christmas morning. "This place is wild," KK says, laughing as she watches people already dancing on the tables.