Daylight - Paige Bueckers

a real date

June 18th, 2023

Paige's POV:

As soon as I step outside, I take a deep breath, the cool morning air filling my lungs. I start walking back to my dorm, my thoughts racing. I don't even know what I'm feeling, but it's this weird mix of excitement, confusion, and maybe even a little bit of fear. Alex and I have been flirting for months, and things have clearly escalated, but we've never had an actual conversation about what's going on between us.

Is this just a fling? Are we more than friends now? Does she want more, or is this just fun for her?

The questions keep swirling around in my head, and by the time I reach the dorms, I'm feeling even more unsettled than when I left Alex's. I need someone to talk to.

Without thinking twice, I make a beeline for Azzi's room. I knock softly on the door, hoping she's awake, and after a few seconds, I hear her groggy voice on the other side.

"Come in," she calls.

I push the door open and find Azzi sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes. She looks at me with a sleepy but concerned expression.

"Paige?" she asks, blinking at me. "What's going on? Why are you here so early?"

I close the door behind me and sit down on the edge of her bed, letting out a deep sigh. "I... I don't know," I admit, running a hand through my hair. "I just needed to talk to someone."

Azzi sits up straighter, her eyes sharpening with concern. "Okay, spill. What's up?"

I pause for a moment, trying to find the right words, but nothing feels right. So, I just say it. "It's about Alex."

Azzi raises an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "What about Alex? About the video? I thought things were going great with you two."

I shake my head, feeling the knot of confusion in my chest tighten. "I don't know, Azzi. That's the thing. I don't know what's going on between us. We've been... I don't even know how to describe it. We've been spending all this time together, we've gotten really close, and now... we've crossed a line, but we haven't talked about it. Like, are we just messing around, or is this something more?"

Azzi looks at me thoughtfully, then pats the spot next to her on the bed. "Sit down and tell me everything. I'll try to help you figure this out."

I scoot up the bed and sit next to her, my back against the headboard. "It's just... I really like her, Azzi. I've liked her for a while, and being with her feels so right, but I'm scared I'm getting in too deep. What if this is just fun for her? What if she doesn't want more than what we've been doing?"

Azzi leans back against the pillows, crossing her arms over her chest. "Look, Paige, I'm no expert in relationships, but from what I've seen, Alex cares about you. She wouldn't be spending all this time with you if she didn't. But the only way you're going to get answers is if you talk to her. I know it's scary, but you have to figure out where she's at. Otherwise, you're just going to keep driving yourself crazy."

I nod, knowing she's right. "Yeah, I know. I just... I don't want to ruin things by pushing too hard, you know?"

Azzi smiles gently. "I get it. But I think you owe it to yourself to know where you stand. You deserve clarity."