𝙻𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚢 : ᴘᴀɪɢᴇ ʙᴜᴇᴄᴋᴇʀꜱ

7-Heart-to-Hearts

Paige sat on the worn leather bench in the UConn locker room, staring at her phone. The screen was dark, but her mind was racing with thoughts of Emma. For weeks now, they had been spending more and more time together—casual dates at their favorite café, long walks through campus, quiet evenings in each other's company. And with each passing day, Paige found herself falling for Emma a little more.

But something had been weighing on Paige's mind for the past few days. She wanted to make things official with Emma. They weren't just casually dating anymore, at least not to Paige. She couldn't stop thinking about her—Emma was constantly on her mind, and the way Paige felt every time she was around her was unlike anything she'd felt before. But how was she supposed to ask Emma to be her girlfriend? Would Emma want that? Paige was used to being confident on the court, but when it came to matters of the heart, she found herself feeling uncertain and out of her element.

Paige let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her blonde hair. Her usual go-to when she was feeling stuck was Azzi, her best friend and teammate. Their friendship grown stronger when they both ended up at UConn, and Azzi had become Paige's confidante for just about everything.

And then there was Kk, her other teammate and roommate. Kk always knew how to make Paige laugh when she was overthinking, and Paige definitely needed a dose of Kk's humor right now. She pulled herself off the bench, tossing her phone into her gym bag, and decided to find her friends.

The locker room was quieter than usual, most of the team already out on the court warming up for practice. Paige knew Azzi and Kk would be among them. She made her way to the court, her heart still heavy with the question that had been lingering in her mind.

When she reached the court, she spotted Azzi and Kk shooting hoops and laughing about something. She smiled at the sight. No matter what was going on, seeing her friends always managed to lift her spirits.

"Paige !" Azzi called out when she noticed Paige approaching, her bright smile infectious as always. "What's up? You look like you've got something on your mind."

Kk jogged over, dribbling a ball, her playful grin widening. "Yeah, Paige, you've been quiet all morning. What's going on? You finally met someone who can beat you in a game of one-on-one?" she teased.

Paige laughed, shaking her head as she joined them at the hoop. "Not exactly," she said, tossing the ball back to Kk. "But I do have something I need your advice on."

Azzi raised an eyebrow, her expression curious. "Advice? You? This must be serious," she said, her tone teasing but filled with genuine interest. "Spill."

Paige hesitated for a moment, glancing around the court to make sure no one was listening in. She didn't usually talk about her personal life in front of her teammates, but this was different. This was about Emma.

"It's about Emma," Paige admitted, her voice soft but steady. "You guys know we've been spending a lot of time together lately, right?"

Kk smirked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, we've noticed," she said, nudging Paige with her elbow. "You've been all smiles and daydreams since you started hanging out with her."

Paige blushed, but she couldn't help smiling. "Yeah, well... I really like her," she said, her voice growing more serious. "I've never felt this way about anyone before, and I want to ask her to be my girlfriend. Like, officially. But... I don't know how to do it. I'm nervous, and I don't want to mess it up."

Azzi's expression softened, her playful demeanor fading as she sensed how important this was to Paige. "You've got nothing to worry about," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "If you're feeling this way, chances are Emma's feeling it too. She's been spending all this time with you for a reason. Just be yourself, and ask her. You don't need to make it a big production. Emma already likes you for who you are."