Beyond the Basket - Paige Bueckers

part 21 - from the sidelines

Before I start this chapter, this is a big time jump just cause I want to write about paige in the league and other things you'll find out later

 

Friday April 4, 2025

Kiera POV

I'm sitting in my dorm, watching the NCAA Final Four game on TV. It's been months since we broke up, but every time someone mentions Paige's name, it feels like a knife to my chest. At UConn, basketball is everywhere, and with Paige as the star player on this powerhouse team, I can't escape it.

I haven't said a word to her since that day in the coffee shop, but here I am, sitting in the jersey I bought to support her, hoping she has the game of her life.

I don't even know if she ever thinks about me anymore or if she's moved on and started dating someone else. But I promised her I'd be her cheerleader forever, and nothing in me can break that promise. UConn's up against LSU, another powerhouse team.

The tension in the arena is palpable, even through the screen. I catch glimpses of Paige, laser-focused, leading her team like she always does. It hurts to see her like this—so close, yet so far from me.

As the game heats up, I can't help but wonder if she even remembers the moments we shared, or if I'm just another face in the crowd now. But regardless of the pain, I'll be here, watching, supporting her silently, because that's the one part of us I can't let go.

The crowd roars, drowning out the commentator for a moment, and I sit back, hugging my knees to my chest. I should be there, cheering for her in person, like I used to. I remember sitting courtside, the way her eyes would find mine before a game, just a brief moment where it felt like I was her anchor. Now, I'm just watching from the sidelines, invisible.

As the game heats up, I can't help but wonder if she even remembers the moments we shared, or if I'm just another face in the crowd now. There's this gnawing ache in my chest, the kind that tells me I'm still holding on to something that's gone. I want to believe she thinks about me, maybe in quiet moments, the way I think about her. But I'm not naïve. She's Paige Bueckers—she can have anyone she wants.

The game clock ticks down, and UConn and LSU are neck and neck. Paige has the ball, and I can tell from the look in her eyes she's about to take control. My heart races as she crosses half-court, the crowd roaring. This is the Paige I know—the one who can take a game over and bend it to her will.

I can't stop watching her. Every move she makes is burned into my memory, like the way she used to smile at me after a win, the way she used to hold me in those quiet moments after the crowd had gone home. I miss her. God, I miss her more than anything, and it hurts to know that while she's out there playing the game of her life, I'm sitting here in the dark, wondering if she's even thought about me once.

The final seconds tick down. Paige makes a pass, the ball flies, and UConn scores. The crowd erupts, and I feel this surge of pride for her. She did it. But then that pride is swallowed by the familiar pain of knowing I'm not part of her world anymore.

I sit there in silence as the celebration on the screen unfolds, players hugging and fans screaming. I wonder what it would've been like if things were different—if I were there, running onto the court to hug her, telling her how proud I am. But that's not my reality. Instead, I'm here, alone, wearing the jersey of a girl I'm not even sure still remembers me.

But no matter what happens, no matter how far apart we are, I'll always be her biggest fan. Even if she never knows it.

A/N - Shortest chapter of the story so far

It's still kinda sad but its slowly improving

Also how would you guys feel about another book from me coming out at the same time as this one, only thing is i wouldn't update this one as much just lmk by replying this