LOVING DAHLIA ( ᴘᴀɪɢᴇ ʙᴜᴇᴄᴋᴇʀs) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 14: Tipoff Party

Dahlia felt a wave of calm wash over her as she left Sadie with Carla’s roommate, Lauren. Lauren’s warm, kind smile and the way she promised that nothing would happen to Sadie had reassured her. Even Carla, who was usually the more laid-back of the two, gave her confidence. "She's in good hands," Carla said with a grin, adding that it was even better Sadie was staying in her dorm with Lauren instead of at Dahlia’s apartment.

As they got ready for the evening, Dahlia chose a simple red t-shirt paired with ripped black jeans, accenting the outfit with some silver rings around her fingers and her trusty Air Force Ones. Carla went for comfort with a sweatshirt and leggings paired with boots. After a final look in the mirror, Dahlia gave a nod of approval. "Let’s go," she said, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness.

The walk to the tipoff party was full of chatter about Sadie and, for some reason, Paige. When they arrived, the venue was already packed. Fans gathered around the UConn team, taking pictures and getting autographs. Dahlia scanned the crowd and spotted Paige kneeling beside a little girl, a huge smile on her face as she talked to the young fan. The sight warmed Dahlia’s heart. She couldn’t help but smile at how good Paige was with kids, especially considering how Sadie had taken a liking to her.

Just as Dahlia was lost in thought, Paige’s eyes met hers from across the room. A grin spread across Paige’s face as she motioned for Dahlia to come closer. Without a second thought, Dahlia made her way toward her. When she reached Paige, she was pulled into a warm hug, Paige’s arms wrapping around her tightly.

“Hi,” Paige whispered softly, still holding Dahlia close.

Dahlia smiled, feeling a bit flustered but happy. “Hi.”

Paige sighed, squeezing her even tighter. “I missed you today, Flower. All I wanted was to hug you and never let you go.”

Dahlia laughed softly, leaning into the hug. “Paige, we literally see each other every day.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same,” Paige said with a playful pout before reluctantly pulling away. “You can hold me later. Right now, Azzi’s calling you over.”

Dahlia chuckled as she watched Paige glare dramatically at Azzi. Just before she walked away, Paige left a lingering kiss on Dahlia’s forehead, leaving her feeling both flustered and warm. “See you later,” Paige murmured with a wink before heading off.

Meanwhile, across the room, Nika was supposed to be taking pictures with fans, but she was distracted. Her gaze kept drifting toward Carla, who was standing nearby talking to a guy from the men’s basketball team. Nika’s jaw clenched as jealousy surged through her. When the photo session finally ended, she made a beeline for Carla.

Standing behind Carla with her arms crossed, Nika glared at the guy, who quickly noticed the look on her face. His bravado seemed to vanish as he swallowed nervously, raising his hands in surrender before excusing himself and walking away.

Carla, confused, turned around to see Nika standing there with a triumphant smirk. “What the hell did you just do?” Carla asked, crossing her arms.

Nika shrugged, all casual, as if she hadn’t just scared a grown man away with a single look. “Well, hello there, lijepa,” she greeted in Croatian, her voice smooth.

Carla waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t ‘lijepa’ me, Nika. Why’d you scare off my future boyfriend?”

At the mention of “boyfriend,” Nika’s eyes darkened. In a flash, she pulled Carla roughly into her chest, her arms locking around her like a vice. Carla gasped at the sudden contact, feeling sparks shoot through her at the touch.

“Nobody’s going to own you, baby,” Nika growled softly into her ear. “You’re mine, angel. I’m not letting you date some loser who isn’t me.”

Carla’s heart raced as Nika’s words sank in. Nika leaned in, pressing her lips to Carla’s cheek in a soft kiss before pulling back, a smug grin on her face. “You’ve been mine since the first time I saw you,” Nika added, giving her a wink before strutting off, leaving Carla completely stunned and speechless.

While Carla tried to process what just happened, Paige had taken a break from signing autographs and was looking for Dahlia. She found her sitting with Jana and KK, chatting comfortably. Paige smiled and quietly sat beside Dahlia, draping an arm around her shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Dahlia continued talking to Jana, her hand gently resting on Paige’s knee as she spoke. The comfort and ease between them was undeniable, and Paige couldn’t help but smile as she leaned into Dahlia’s warmth.

Later, Paige would ask Dahlia if she and Sadie wanted to hang out at her dorm for a sleepover sometime, but for now, she was content just being by her side. Jana had mentioned earlier that Paige was only clingy when drunk, but with Dahlia, it was different. She didn’t need alcohol to want to hold her close.

Dahlia smiled to herself, her heart fluttering at the thought of Paige being clingy just for her. As the night went on, Dahlia couldn’t help but wonder what else the evening might bring.

Guys if there's some grammatical errors please don't be afraid to remind me, I'll fix them when I have time, also I love how Nika is already possessive over Carla, Next chapter will be a cute scene between Paige and Dahlia I think it's time for them to have their moment.

Note : I have my English paper tomorrow, it's a 3 hour paper so an update will be maybe on Saturday and maybe Sunday during Paige's birthday.
Wish me luck I hope I pass English.

XoXo V 💜💜💜