LOVING DAHLIA ( ᴘᴀɪɢᴇ ʙᴜᴇᴄᴋᴇʀs) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 8: The Invitation

Practice was over, and the gym slowly began to empty as the UConn girls packed up their gear and started heading out. Dahlia stood near the sidelines, carefully packing up her camera, making sure everything was in place. She had a lot to process after the day's events-bumping into Paige earlier, then spending the rest of the day wondering if she'd catch another glimpse of her during practice. And now, as the team was dispersing, Dahlia thought it was time for her to leave as well.

But before she could finish, a sharp whistle pierced the gym, making her jump slightly. Coach Geno's voice followed, commanding everyone's attention. "Alright, ladies, gather around! I've got an announcement."

The girls quickly turned their attention to the coach as he stood at the center of the gym. Dahlia paused her packing, curiosity piqued as she turned to listen.

"Everyone, listen up," Coach Geno continued, his authoritative voice filling the space. "We've got a new member of the team. Meet Dahlia Hartley, our new media photographer. She'll be around for practices, games, and all the good stuff. So be nice, give her a warm welcome, and don't give her any grief."

He gave Dahlia a warm smile before turning on his heel and heading out of the gym, leaving her standing there, a little caught off guard by the sudden introduction.

Before Dahlia could fully process what had happened, she saw Azzi Fudd, with her beaming smile, practically bouncing toward her. Azzi greeted her with a friendly hug, her energy so bright and cheerful that it was impossible not to feel at ease around her.

"Hey, Dahlia!" Azzi said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Welcome to the team! You're gonna love it here."

Dahlia returned the hug with a small smile, thinking that Azzi was sunshine personified. "Thanks, Azzi. I'm looking forward to working with you all."

One by one, the rest of the UConn girls came up to introduce themselves. Caroline, Aaliyah, and Aubrey were all equally welcoming, making her feel more comfortable with each introduction. Finally, Nika Mühl approached her, flashing a soft smile before casting a knowing glance at Paige. Nika gave her a quick greeting, her smirk growing as she turned back to Paige, leaving Dahlia a little confused but amused by the twin dynamic.

When it was Paige's turn, she stepped forward, hands in her pockets, her usual cool confidence slightly faltering as she spoke. "So, we meet again. That's twice in one day. I think we're on a roll."

Dahlia giggled, her laughter light and infectious. Hearing her giggle, Paige felt a warm flutter in her chest. There was something about Dahlia's laugh that made her want to hear it every day, like a melody she couldn't get enough of.

After everyone had introduced themselves, the team began to gather their things and head out. But Paige lingered behind, unable to shake the idea of spending more time with Dahlia. As the others filtered out, Paige found herself standing there, watching Dahlia pack up her camera gear. Without thinking too much about it, she took a deep breath and walked over.

"Hey, um, Dahlia," Paige started, her voice a little nervous as she tried to sound casual. "I was wondering if you wanted to, you know, maybe hang out? Grab some ice cream or something."

Dahlia looked up, surprised by the offer. She glanced at her watch, realizing it was getting close to the time she needed to pick up Sadie. "Oh, I'd love to, but I actually have to pick up my daughter, Sadie."

Paige's eyes lit up with an idea. "Or... we could all go get ice cream together? You, me, and Sadie. We could even take a stroll through the park afterward. I mean, I don't have any more classes today, and I'd really like to get to know you better."

There was a hint of nervousness in Paige's voice, her usual confidence wavering as she waited for Dahlia's response. She watched as Dahlia processed the idea, her expression softening with a smile. Paige's heart raced, hoping she hadn't overstepped.

Dahlia could see the flustered look on Paige's face, and it made her smile even more. She hadn't expected Paige to be so... cute when she was nervous. And the thought of spending more time with her, especially with Sadie, sounded nice.

"Well," Dahlia said, her grin widening, "why not? That sounds like fun. I'm sure Sadie would love ice cream."

Paige's face lit up with relief and excitement. "Great! Awesome. I'll follow you, then?"

"Yeah," Dahlia nodded, grabbing her bag. "We'll meet at the daycare, and then we can all go from there."

With smiles exchanged, they made their way out of the gym toward their respective cars. As Paige walked to her car, she couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation. This was more than she could have hoped for-a chance to spend time with Dahlia outside of the gym, and even meet her daughter.

As Dahlia drove off toward the daycare, her thoughts were filled with the unexpected turn her day had taken. She hadn't anticipated that bumping into Paige would lead to this-an ice cream outing with the UConn basketball star. But she wasn't complaining. In fact, the thought of spending more time with Paige, watching how she interacted with Sadie, was something she was looking forward to.

And maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something more.

Finally they're getting somewhere been waiting for them to hang out, Fate is so doing it's Job.

XoXo V ❤️❤️❤️