︵‿︵‿୨♡ Ｗｈｉｓｐｅｒｓ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｈｅａｒｔ ~ ♡୧‿︵‿Paigebueckers

Part 6

Standing Tall

The next week, the buzz surrounding Paige and Jasmine seemed to grow louder. It wasn't just Jasmine's Instagram posts or the fact that they were often spotted around campus together. People were starting to talk—whispers in the halls, curious glances in class, and more than a few teasing comments from teammates. But to Paige's surprise, none of it really bothered her.

After basketball practice one afternoon, Paige was pulling on her hoodie when one of her teammates, Kk, walked over with a grin. "So, Paige... you and Jasmine, huh?"

Paige glanced at her, a half-smile tugging at her lips. "What about me and Jasmine?"

Kk shrugged, still grinning. "You know, you two are kind of campus royalty now. Everyone's talking about how close you are."

Paige laughed, genuinely amused by the idea. "Yeah, we're close. She's a great friend."

Kk raised an eyebrow, clearly hoping for something juicier, but Paige wasn't giving in. She didn't feel the need to explain or justify her friendship with Jasmine. The attention was there, sure, but it didn't faze her.

"Well, whatever it is, people are definitely curious," Kk said with a smirk.

Paige slung her gym bag over her shoulder, unfazed. "Let them be curious. It's not my job to explain anything to anyone."

As she walked out of the gym, Paige felt a sense of calm wash over her. She had noticed the whispers, the glances, but she wasn't the kind of person who got wrapped up in what other people thought. Basketball had always taught her how to tune out the noise, to focus on what mattered. And right now, what mattered was her friendship with Jasmine, her next game, and staying on top of her classes.

Later that evening, Paige met up with Jasmine for dinner. As usual, they ended up at their favorite spot near campus, and as they sat down with their food, Jasmine was full of energy, talking about her volleyball practice and an upcoming match.

"So, I've been hearing things," Jasmine said with a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying the gossip floating around campus.

Paige smiled knowingly. "Let me guess—about us?"

"Yep," Jasmine said, leaning back in her chair. "Apparently, we're the talk of the campus."

Paige shrugged, taking a bite of her sandwich. "People are bored, I guess."

Jasmine laughed. "You're not even a little curious about what they're saying?"

"Not really," Paige replied, leaning forward. "I know what's real. That's all that matters, right?"

Jasmine's smile faltered, just for a second, but it was enough for Paige to notice. "Yeah... right," Jasmine said, her voice quieter now. She played with the edge of her napkin, her gaze dropping to the table. "I mean, people keep asking me, too. If we're more than friends."

Paige chuckled lightly, trying to keep things easy. "Let them think what they want. We're friends. End of story."

Jasmine's expression shifted, and this time it was more than just a fleeting moment of discomfort. She tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Right. Just friends."

The silence between them lingered for a beat longer than usual, and Paige felt a slight tug of unease in her chest. "Is that... is that a problem?" she asked, her voice softening.

Jasmine quickly shook her head, but Paige could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she was biting the inside of her cheek. "No, it's not a problem," Jasmine said, though her tone wasn't as light as it had been moments before. "I just—sometimes I wonder if people see us as more because... maybe they're picking up on something we're not really talking about."

Paige blinked, caught off guard. "Like what?"

Jasmine shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. "I don't know. I mean, we spend so much time together, and I guess... I just don't want to pretend that people's assumptions are totally out of nowhere, you know?"

Paige was quiet for a moment, her mind turning over Jasmine's words. "I didn't realize you were thinking about it that way," she said slowly. "I thought we were both on the same page about being friends."

Jasmine gave a small, hesitant shrug. "I don't know. I've just been thinking lately... maybe it's not just friends. At least, it doesn't always feel like it, you know?"

Paige's heart gave a strange lurch. She had always felt close to Jasmine, but she'd never taken the time to really consider what that closeness meant. The long conversations, the way they spent so much time together—it had always felt good, but she had kept it in the box of friendship. Now, with Jasmine saying it out loud, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"I... I guess I've thought about it too," Paige admitted, surprising herself with the words. "I mean, we're close. Really close. And sometimes I wonder if there's something more there, but I didn't want to mess things up between us by assuming or saying anything."

Jasmine's eyes widened slightly. "You've thought about it?"

Paige nodded, her voice more certain now. "Yeah, I have. I just... didn't know how to bring it up. I like where we are, you know? But sometimes I do wonder if there's more. If we're more than just friends."

Jasmine smiled then, the tension in her expression easing. "I feel the same way. I wasn't sure if I was just imagining it, though. But now... I don't know, maybe we should figure it out together."

Paige felt a strange mixture of relief and nervousness. This was new territory, but she wasn't scared. Not with Jasmine. "Yeah. I think we should."

The weight of uncertainty lifted between them, replaced by something lighter, more open. They weren't rushing to define anything, but for the first time, Paige allowed herself to consider that maybe what they had was more than just friendship. And maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

As they finished their meal and walked back to campus, the air between them felt different—charged with the possibility of something more, but not weighed down by it. They didn't need to figure everything out right away, but the conversation had opened a door Paige hadn't even realized she'd been hesitant to walk through.

That night, as Paige lay in bed, she replayed the conversation in her mind. There was still a lot to figure out, but for the first time, she felt like she wasn't avoiding the question anymore. Maybe there was something more between her and Jasmine. And maybe, just maybe, she was ready to explore what that meant.