Beyond The Court

4. Movies As Friends

So for the last time it's fine

I'd love to do as you like

You hesitate, I'll sit satisfied

It heats up and gives in

Into my head once again

I guess I turned up, or something, right?

***

Paige awoke to the soft rustling of blinds swaying gently in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over the dorm room. For a moment, everything felt calm. She blinked her eyes open, the ache in her knee immediately reminding her of the reality she was facing. The weight of the past few days hung over her like a heavy blanket, but today, she wasn't alone.

Azzi had stayed over last night. They hadn't talked much after their initial conversation—there wasn't much to say. The surgery was looming, her knee was injured, and the road to recovery seemed endless. But having Azzi close had made the night bearable. The two of them had fallen into an easy silence, watching TV for hours, Paige resting her head against the couch, and Azzi nearby, her presence comforting.

Paige shifted slightly on the couch, grimacing as her knee pulsed beneath the brace. She glanced over at Azzi, who was sitting in a chair nearby, scrolling through her phone. Azzi must have felt her gaze because she looked up, offering a soft smile.

"Morning," Azzi said quietly, setting her phone down on the coffee table.

"Morning," Paige replied, her voice a little groggy.

"How are you feeling?" Azzi asked, leaning forward slightly, concern etched in her features.

Paige let out a long breath. She had been asked that question more times than she could count in the last 24 hours. "Same. My knee hurts, but what else is new?"

Azzi nodded, her eyes flicking to Paige's knee for a moment. "Do you need anything? Food? Ice?"

Paige hesitated, the vulnerability of the question hitting her harder than it should have. She wasn't used to needing help. She wasn't used to feeling... helpless. "I'm good," she said quietly, though even as the words left her mouth, she knew it wasn't entirely true.

Azzi wasn't buying it either. "You need to eat," she said firmly, standing up and stretching. "I can make something. Or we can order in, whatever you want."

Paige sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I don't know if I'm even hungry."

Azzi crossed her arms, giving her a mock stern look. "You have to eat. You're about to have surgery—you need to stay strong."

Paige couldn't help but crack a small smile at Azzi's persistence. "Okay, okay. Let's order something then. I'm not in the mood to try cooking anything."

Azzi sat back down, picking up her phone again and scrolling through the local food delivery options. Paige watched her for a moment, grateful for the distraction. The awkwardness she had felt earlier, the uncertainty of what was happening between them, had melted away in the quiet simplicity of just being together.

After a few minutes, Azzi looked up. "Pizza?"

Paige nodded, feeling a bit more like herself. "Pizza sounds good."

Azzi tapped away on her phone, placing the order, while Paige leaned back against the couch, her mind drifting. The quiet of the dorm room was comforting in its own way, but it was also a stark reminder of how much things had changed. Her roommate, Jana El Alfy, was probably at practice right now, going through her normal routine while Paige sat here, sidelined.