𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑶𝑵𝑺 & 𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑼𝑷𝑺

𝑺𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑵; 𝑵𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑨

As the day went on, the sound of car doors slamming and muffled voices filled the house. Sloane's family began trickling in for Thanksgiving dinner. Her grandparents were the first to arrive, followed by aunts, uncles, and a scattering of cousins ranging from all ages. The living room buzzed with energy as everyone greeted each other, hugs and laughter echoing around the room.

Paige stayed close to Sloane, her arm slipping around her waist as new faces appeared. Sloane's grandmother, a petite woman with a sweet smile, was the first to approach them. "Oh my goodness, Sloane, who is this beautiful young lady?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.

Paige smiled warmly and extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Paige," she introduced herself.

Grandma's face lit up with recognition. "It's nice to meet you Paige!" She pulled Paige into a gentle hug, surprising her with her enthusiasm.

Paige hugged her back, feeling a little flustered but happy. "It's great to meet you too, ma'am."

"Oh, call me Nana," Grandma insisted before turning back to Sloane. "You've got yourself a keeper here, Sloane."

Sloane's cheeks turned pink, and she nodded. "Yeah, Nana, I do."

More introductions followed. Paige was greeted with smiles and a flurry of compliments. Sloane's aunts and uncles took turns welcoming her, each of them giving Sloane a little wink or nudge. It seemed everyone already adored Paige, and the feeling was mutual. Paige felt at ease with Sloane's family, and she fit in naturally, engaging in conversation and laughter like she'd known them for years.

As they moved to the dining room for dinner, Paige found herself sitting next to Sloane and across from her cousin Nadia, a tall, beautiful woman with a confident demeanor. Sloane shot Paige a quick look, an almost imperceptible flicker of concern in her eyes, but Paige gave her a reassuring smile.

Dinner began with the usual Thanksgiving chaos — passing dishes around, compliments on the food, and warm chatter going around saying what they're thankful for, as Paige and Sloane both said each other which earned 'awes' from around the table. As soon as they began eating Paige jumped right in, complimenting Sloane's mom on the stuffing and laughing at jokes her dad made.
Everything felt light, easy, comfortable to Sloane.

But as the meal went on and the conversation started to split into smaller, more intimate groups, Nadia leaned closer to Paige. "So, Paige," she began, a sly smile playing on her lips as Sloane felt her eyes automatically roll hearing her voice, "how did you and Sloane meet? I mean, really meet."

Paige raised an eyebrow, amused by Nadia's sudden interest. "We met as kids but I moved away, so we lost touch over the years, But I applied for a tutor, and of course with Sloane being so smart she was specifically chosen for me, and it brought us back to each others  lives." she replied with a friendly smile.

Nadia nodded slowly, her eyes sharp with curiosity. "Oh, interesting. And you're on the UConn team, right? That must be a lot of work. How do you find time to balance everything?" she asked, her tone wasn't rude but you could tell she was prying.

Paige chuckled. "Yeah, it's a lot, but I love it. I'm pretty good at managing my time," she replied casually. She could feel Sloane tense awaiting to hear everything that came from this conversation and Paige gently brushed her hand against Sloane's knee under the table, a small gesture of reassurance.

Nadia didn't seem to notice. "That's impressive. So, have you ever thought about what comes after college? Like, long-term plans?" She tilted her head slightly, her tone innocent, but Paige could sense the animosity.

Paige smiled, unfazed. "I've got a few ideas, but right now, I'm just focusing on basketball" she replied. She glanced over at Sloane, who was still watching and listening with a mix of pride and concern.

Nadia leaned in a bit closer, her voice dropping to a more secretive whisper. "So, Paige, what's it like dating Sloane? I mean, she's kind of... intense, isn't she?" The way she said it was almost teasing, a hint of something playful but nothing about this conversation was funny.

Paige's smile didn't falter, but her eyes flicked to Sloane, who was now staring at Nadia with a furrowed brow. Paige could sense the tension building in her girlfriend. "Intense?" Paige repeated, her voice calm but firm. "I'd say Sloane's passionate. She knows what she wants, and I love that about her."

Nadia shrugged, leaning back slightly. "Oh, I'm sure. But sometimes she can be a bit much, don't you think?"

Sloane opened her mouth to respond, her face a mix of frustration and anger, but Paige squeezed her hand under the table, cutting her off gently. Paige turned her gaze back to Nadia. "No, in factI love everything about Sloane I wouldn't change any thing. " she said with a making direct eye contact with Nadia. "And honestly, it seems like maybe you're trying a bit too hard to find flaws about her when there aren't any."

The table around them seemed to quiet slightly, a few heads turning toward their end of the table. Nadia blinked, surprised by the directness of Paige's response. "I—"

"I know you're her cousin," Paige continued, still smiling but with a firmness that left no room for argument. "But I'm not going anywhere, so stop trying to start problems where there's none to be had."

Nadia's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly looked away, muttering something under her breath. Paige felt Sloane relax beside her, her hand squeezing Paige's under the table.

Sloane's mom, sensing the tension, quickly changed the subject, asking their Grandpa about his recent trip, and the hum of conversation filled the air once more. Paige leaned closer to Sloane, whispering softly, "You okay?"

Sloane nodded, her heart swelling with adoration and gratefulness. "Yeah," she whispered back, her voice low. "Thank you."

Dinner wrapped up with laughter and satisfied sighs from being full. The family began to trickle out slowly, each relative saying their goodbyes. Sloane's grandparents hugged them both tightly, and the cousins waved as they piled out the door.

Finally, it was just Paige and Sloane again, the house settling into a quiet calm. Sloane tugged Paige's hand gently. "Let's go upstairs," she murmured, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Once in Sloane's room, they changed into their pajamas, the mood relaxed and easy. Sloane slipped on a pair of soft shorts and a tank top, while Paige chose a sports bra and basketball shorts. Sloane watched her with a small smile, her heart feeling fuller than ever.

Paige looked up, catching her gaze. "What?" she asked, amused.

Sloane shrugged, her cheeks warming. "I just... I really liked how you defended me" she admitted, moving closer. "It meant a lot."

Paige smiled softly. "No one gets to talk to about you like that" she replied, like it was nothing, as she reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Sloane's ear.

Sloane's breath hitched slightly at the possessiveness in Paige's tone. She stepped closer, her hand finding Paige's waist, pulling her in.

Paige's eyes softened, her hands sliding up to cup Sloane's face. Their lips met in an aggressive kiss, full of expression.

They lingered in the kiss, savoring the moment until finally, they pulled away, their eyes connecting again.
"Come finish what you started earlier."

love u allll

lea

september 8