Beyond The Court

5. Feel Your Weight

Oh, I feel your body falling

Oh, but hold on when it's raining

Feel your weight

We're breaking the waves

Ooh, ha-ha, like a prayer

We're breaking the waves

***

The next morning, the dorm room was quiet, except for the soft ruffling of sheets and the occasional distant sounds of campus life outside. Paige's eyes fluttered open, the sunlight casting a warm glow across the room. The weight of the brace on her leg was still there, a constant reminder of the injury that had turned her world upside down. But this morning, something else consumed her thoughts.

Azzi was lying beside her on the narrow dorm bed, her body close, their limbs tangled in the sheets. Their lips locked in a slow, heated kiss, the world outside of their little bubble completely forgotten. Paige's hand gently cupped Azzi's cheek, her thumb brushing along her skin as they moved together, their breath coming in soft, quick bursts between kisses. It wasn't rushed or urgent, just quiet, deliberate, like they had all the time in the world.

Paige's heart pounded in her chest, but it wasn't from fear or anxiety. This time, it was something else—something electric. The warmth of Azzi's body against hers, the soft pressure of her lips—it was all-consuming, blocking out the lingering thoughts of her injury and the uncertainty of her future. Right now, in this moment, nothing else mattered.

They broke apart for a brief moment, their foreheads resting together, breaths mingling in the stillness of the room. Azzi's eyes were half-closed, her lips slightly swollen from the kisses, a soft smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Paige felt her own smile mirror it, a warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with the sunlight streaming through the window.

Azzi leaned in again, her lips brushing against Paige's with a kind of lazy affection that felt natural, effortless. But as their kiss deepened, Paige's mind began to drift back to last night—the moment when everything had started.

Well, again.

It had been late when they finally turned off the TV the night before. After spending the day together, talking, eating pizza, and laughing at old memories, Paige's exhaustion had started to catch up with her. The stress of the injury, the looming surgery, and the constant throb of pain in her knee had worn her down, and eventually, she'd surrendered to the fatigue.

Azzi had stayed with her the whole time, sitting beside her on the couch, offering quiet support. When it became clear that Paige wasn't going anywhere for the night, Azzi had helped her into bed. Paige was thankful to have her there; she couldn't imagine facing any of this without her by her side.

They had climbed into bed together, the room dark and quiet. The dorm wasn't huge, and with another roommate, privacy was usually a luxury. But Jana was gone for the night, leaving the two of them alone. Paige lied on her back, the brace on her knee making it hard to find a comfortable position, but the exhaustion quickly overtook her discomfort.

Azzi had slid into bed beside her, lying on her side facing Paige. Neither of them had said anything at first. The room was filled with a comfortable silence, the only sound the gentle rise of their breathing. It was the kind of moment that didn't need words.

After a few minutes, Azzi shifted closer, her hand resting lightly on Paige's arm. Paige had turned her head to look at her, their eyes meeting in the darkness. There was something there—something unspoken but heavy with meaning. Paige's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat.

They had shared kisses before, moments of closeness that blurred the line between friendship and something more. But this time, the air between them felt different, charged with a tension neither of them had acknowledged until now.

Azzi's hand moved slowly, gently brushing along Paige's arm, her touch soft but deliberate. Paige felt her pulse quicken, her body responding to the closeness, the intimacy of the moment. She could feel Azzi's breath on her skin, warm and steady, and for a split second, she hesitated, unsure if she should move, unsure if they were really crossing that line now.

But then Azzi leaned in, her lips ghosting over Paige's in a tentative, testing kiss. It was soft, almost shy, as if she was waiting for Paige to pull away, waiting to see if this was okay. But Paige didn't pull away. Instead, she kissed her back, her hand coming up to Azzi's cheek, her thumb brushing along her skin in a silent answer.

The kiss deepened slowly, their movements gentle, careful, as if they were both afraid to break whatever had shifted between them. But there was no hesitation now—just the quiet hum of connection, the warmth of their bodies pressed together in the dark.

Azzi's hand slipped under the blanket, her fingers tracing the curve of Paige's waist, her touch light but filled with a kind of reverence that made Paige's heart flutter. The brace on her knee was forgotten, the pain in her leg pushed to the back of her mind as the world narrowed down to just the two of them.

They kissed for what felt like hours, slow and steady, the weight of the day melting away with each press of their lips. There was no rush, no urgency, just the simple, quiet intimacy of being with someone who knew you better than anyone else. Paige felt a kind of peace settle over her, a contentment she hadn't felt in days, maybe even weeks.

Eventually, they had pulled away, their breathing heavy, but the tension between them had softened into something warm, something real. Azzi had rested her head on Paige's shoulder, her arm draped over her waist, and they had fallen asleep like that—tangled together, the room filled with the quiet promise of whatever was to come next.

Now, as the morning light spilled into the room, that same warmth lingered between them. Paige kissed Azzi again, her hand slipping into her hair, their bodies pressed close. It was slow, unhurried, like they had all the time in the world to explore this new territory.

There was something different about this kiss. It wasn't just the physical connection—it was the quiet understanding that had blossomed between them, the unspoken shift that had happened last night. They didn't need to talk about it yet. They didn't need to label it. It was enough to just be in this moment, together, feeling safe and cared for.

Eventually, they pulled apart, both of them breathing softly, their foreheads resting together. Neither of them said a word, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was full, charged with the knowledge that things between them had changed, but in a way that felt right.

Azzi smiled, her fingers tracing small patterns on Paige's arm. "What time is it?" she whispered, her voice barely audible in the quiet room.

Paige glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "Almost ten"

Azzi let out a soft sigh, resting her head back on the pillow. "We should probably get up, but..."

"But what?" Paige asked, her lips twitching into a teasing smile.

"But I'm kind of enjoying this" Azzi's smile mirrored Paige's, and she leaned in to press a soft kiss to her cheek.

Paige laughed, the sound light and easy. "Me, too"

For the rest of the morning, they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, their bodies tangled together under the sheets. There was no rush, no pressure, For the first time in days, Paige wasn't thinking about her knee or the surgery, or the months of recovery ahead of her. She wasn't worried about what came next or how this new dynamic between her and Azzi would unfold.

For now, they had this. Just the two of them, in the quiet warmth of the morning, together.

A/N:

this one was slower than the others and took me a bit, i was going over it, but got lazy, so forgive me if it's messed up or sum.

also, do you think im over-explaining stuff? cs idk i feel like im over explaining stuff or repeating myself but my mind wont let me think of it as a good chapter without all that explaining. thoughts?

also, these notes are for my one reader, you know who you are, because you are the only one here 🫶