fresh start ; paige bueckers

✮ 16

Lily

Paige had begged me to stay over at her place last night and even tried guilt tripping me by saying that she'd wake up alone on birthday. "You won't be alone P, your roommates will be there." I reminded her before she reluctantly let me go back to my apartment.

It was 6AM on Paiges birthday and even though I was half asleep, I was buckled into my car with a trunk full of balloons and banners and Paiges gift safely in the passenger seat.

I text Azzi under her instruction to let her know I was outside once I reached their apartment. She must have been on her phone because she opened the door no more than ten seconds later.

"Morning Lils." She greets me, looking unfairly fresh faced at this time of the morning.

"Morning." I groan, hugging Azzi to the best of my ability with a handful of balloons and multiple bags in my hand.

I enter the apartment and hand Azzi the bag of decorations and balloons that have been stored in my apartment all week and she immediately begins hanging banners.

KK strolls into the living room moments later looking just as tired as me, "Morning KK." I laugh and I just get a grunt in response as she makes her way to the refrigerator, grabbing an energy drink.

"Where is the birthday girl then?" I ask wondering if Paige was awake yet, she was notoriously not a morning person so I doubted it.

"Channeling her inner sleeping beauty of course." Azzi replies as she sprinkles confetti over the table.

"Something I should be doing." KK mutters from the place curled up on the couch.

"No, you're helping me - french toast time!" Azzi chirps as she skips to the kitchen and I'm amazed at her energy this early in the day.

I leave the girls and make my way to Paiges bedroom, her door is closed so I slowly open it and step into her dim room.

I place her gift down before sitting on the edge of the bed. Paige is fast asleep, eyes shut with a slight frown on her face, hair splayed across her pillow, chest rising and falling peacefully. I almost feel bad waking her.

I run my hand down her face and along her jaw, she doesn't even stir.

"Paige..." I whisper softly as I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

The soft frown on her face deepens and her eyes flutter open.

"Good morning, birthday girl." I smile down at her.

"Morning." She replies, her voice low and husky.

"Not a good morning? It's your birthday." I say softly before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her lips. She catches me off guard, wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me down on top of her.

"Paige!" I squeal and I place a hand at either side of her head to steady myself.

"Now it's a good morning." She smirks up at me and I blush immediately, between her morning voice, messy hair and lack of clothes Paige didn't have to try hard to make me flustered.

"How about you skip classes and I skip workouts and we stay here but you take this off?" Paige says, her hands fiddling with the hem of my sweater before sneaking under and trailing up my back, her fingers grazing my skin as her hand moved up and down.

I lower myself so I'm no longer propped up but so my body is flush with Paiges, head on her chest, "I would love that," I say taking in her scent, knowing exactly what moisturiser she used last night, "but you have a season starting in a few weeks and I have assignments to write."