𝙻𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚢 : ᴘᴀɪɢᴇ ʙᴜᴇᴄᴋᴇʀꜱ

18- Relief

Paige sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone, the screen dimming before her thumb would inevitably swipe it back to life. Each time she refreshed her messages, she felt a pang of anxious anticipation. She knew Emma had been meeting her mom that day, telling her the truth about their relationship. Emma had been brave enough to share the weight she'd carried for so long, but now Paige's heart was heavy with her own uncertainty about what had happened after Emma had sent her last message: I told her.

That was it. Just those three words.

Paige's response had been swift—an onslaught of supportive emojis, heartfelt messages promising they'd talk later—but there had been no further word from Emma. It gnawed at her. She imagined the conversation Emma had with her mother in a million different ways, and no matter how she framed it in her mind, she couldn't shake the worry. What if Emma's mom hadn't taken it well? What if Emma was heartbroken, sitting somewhere alone?

Paige had spent most of the afternoon trying to focus on practice, but her thoughts had been only half there. Every dribble, every pass felt mechanical as her mind wandered back to Emma. When she finally left practice, she found herself going over every worst-case scenario. The waiting was unbearable.

Her phone buzzed beside her, and Paige practically lunged for it, her pulse quickening as she saw Emma's name light up the screen.

Emma: Can I come over?

Relief flooded Paige's chest, though it was quickly replaced by the nervousness that had been lurking all day. Whatever had happened, she was about to find out.

Paige: Of course. I'll be waiting.

She sent the message and set her phone down, exhaling a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. This was it. She wasn't sure what kind of state Emma would be in when she arrived, but whatever it was, Paige was ready to help her through it. Whether Emma was upset, relieved, or simply exhausted from the emotional toll of the day, Paige would be there for her.

The minutes seemed to stretch endlessly, each second ticking by slower than the last. Paige kept glancing at the door, her nerves twisting in her stomach. Finally, after what felt like hours, she heard a soft knock.

She sprang up, crossing the room in two quick strides to open the door. When she did, her heart gave a little leap at the sight of Emma standing there. Emma looked tired, a little worn down, but she was smiling—a soft, tentative smile that told Paige everything she needed to know.

Without a word, Paige reached out and pulled Emma into a tight hug. She could feel the tension melt from Emma's body as she sank into the embrace, and Paige held her close, her chin resting on Emma's head. They stood like that for a long moment, neither of them speaking, just soaking in the warmth of each other's presence.

Finally, Paige spoke, her voice soft and full of emotion. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, pressing a kiss to Emma's temple. "You did it."

Emma let out a long, shaky breath, her arms tightening around Paige's waist. "It was hard," she admitted, her voice muffled against Paige's shoulder. "I didn't know what to expect... but I think it went as well as it could have."

Paige pulled back slightly, her hands still resting on Emma's shoulders as she searched her eyes. "What did she say?"

Emma's lips curved into a small, uncertain smile. "She was... surprised. I don't think she knew how to react at first. But she wasn't angry. She just said she needed time to process everything. She told me she loved me, though, and that's all I really needed to hear."