Beyond The Court

11. BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Birds of a feather,

We should stick together,

I know I said I'd never

Think I wasn't better alone

Can't change the weather,

Might not be forever

But if it's forever,

It's even better

***

The morning sun streamed softly through the windows of the dorm, casting a warm, golden light over the room. Paige stirred awake slowly, her body still heavy from the lingering soreness in her knee. She carefully shifted under the covers, mindful of the stiffness in her leg, and blinked the sleep from her eyes.

Azzi was already awake, sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, her phone in hand as she scrolled through something, looking calm and peaceful. Paige smiled at the sight of her—Azzi had been her rock these past few days, helping her with everything, making sure she was comfortable, and most of all, keeping her company through the long recovery.

"Morning," Azzi said softly, noticing Paige was awake. She smiled, putting her phone aside, her full attention now on Paige.

"Morning," Paige replied, her voice still groggy from sleep. She stretched a little, wincing slightly at the pull in her leg but thankful that the worst of the pain was behind her.

Before Paige could say anything else, there was a sudden sound of the front door opening. She turned her head toward the door, confused for a moment, and then came the unmistakable sound of multiple footsteps and familiar voices filtering into the room.

A split second later, the door to her room swung open, and in rushed Aaliyah, Aubrey, Caroline, Nika, Dorka, Ice, Jana, and Inês—all talking over one another, their excitement filling the air as they spilled into the room with smiles and laughter.

"Paige!" Aaliyah exclaimed, rushing over to her bedside with her arms full of snacks. "We missed you!"

"You look great!" Caroline grinned, already dropping a bag of goodies onto the floor next to the bed. "We've got all your favorite snacks and stuff."

"Finally! It's about time we got to see you!" Nika added with a smirk, leaning over the bed and playfully ruffling Paige's hair. "How's the knee? Surviving?"

Aubrey chimed in, setting down a pile of magazines and treats. "We brought everything you'll need for the day—snacks, movies, the works."

Paige blinked in surprise, overwhelmed by the sudden burst of energy. Her teammates surrounded her bed, all talking at once, their faces glowing with excitement. She smiled, feeling her heart swell at the sight of them, their presence immediately making the room feel warmer, more alive.

For a while, Paige just laughed and let them settle in, grateful for their energy. But as the initial excitement wore off, a thought tugged at the back of her mind—why hadn't they come earlier? They were usually all over each other in moments like this, always the first to show up after a tough injury or surgery. Why had it taken a few days?

Paige glanced at Azzi, who was sitting quietly beside her, smiling knowingly at the group. The question that had been lingering in the back of her mind finally surfaced. She looked at Azzi, then back at her teammates. "Why didn't you guys come sooner?"