Beyond the Basket - Paige Bueckers

part 37 - uncharted territory

Thursday May 22, 2025

Kiera POV

Paige and I are chilling at In-N-Out, savoring the last few quiet moments before the whirlwind of her game later tonight. She sits across from me, absentmindedly picking at her fries, her eyes occasionally flickering up to meet mine with that playful sparkle I love. It's a rare moment of calm, just us and the background hum of the busy restaurant.

"We need to figure out this internship situation," Paige says, pushing her food aside and leaning back in her seat. "I can't believe you're almost done with uni."

I nod, fiddling with the straw of my drink. "I know, right? It feels surreal. But yeah, I really need to lock something down for my final year." I glance at her, a smile tugging at my lips. "We've been through this before, but it feels bigger now, you know? More real."

Paige smirks. "That's because it is real. No more safety nets."

We laugh softly, though there's an undercurrent of nerves. The weight of the next steps hangs between us. I'm applying to a few schools in the area to finish my studies, with Stanford as the dream—my north star. But before any of that, I need to secure one more internship to fulfill my graduation requirements. And with the right agency, the one that could set up my career in sports management, it feels like everything is riding on this decision.

"I've been thinking about some agencies," I say, pulling out my phone to show her a few names I've bookmarked. "Haven't heard back from most yet, but there's this one—Sierra Sports Management—that seems promising. It's a smaller firm, but they handle some top-tier athletes in the Bay Area."

Paige leans forward, scanning the screen, her eyebrows furrowing in thought. "I like the sound of that. Smaller agencies usually mean more hands-on experience, right?"

"Exactly. I don't want to just be another intern making coffee runs. I need to be involved, learning the ropes, making connections."

Paige smiles, that look of pride in her eyes I still can't get used to. "You'll kill it, baby. You always do."

Her words make my heart flutter, but I try to stay focused. "I just hope I get the chance. Stanford's tough to get into, and juggling school and an internship isn't going to be easy."

She reaches across the table, resting her hand on mine. "When have you ever taken the easy route? You'll handle it. And hey, no matter what happens, I'll be right there with you."

Her words, as simple as they are, ground me. Paige has always been my rock, even when my mind starts spinning with all the 'what ifs' and uncertainty.

"And if Stanfords doesn't accept me, there are tons of great schools here, and we can spend the rest of our lives together," I add, squeezing her hand, "we'll be unstoppable."

Paige grins, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight filtering through the window. "Damn right, we will."

Paige chuckles, standing and stretching her arms overhead. "No pressure or anything."

I roll my eyes playfully, but there's a hint of pride in my voice when I say, "You've got this."

As we walk out into the warm evening, I feel a sense of calm settle over me. Even with all the uncertainty about the future, I know as long as Paige and I are navigating it together, we'll figure it out. One step at a time.

a/n - long distance<<<<

a/n - i love her so much i just wish i could hold her