meet again? - paige bueckers

reconnected

IN THE PRESENT, NOT A FLASHBACK - Storrs, CT - UCONN ----------------------------------------------------

We had finally gotten ready after SJ made me try on about 37 different dresses. She was probably more nervous to see a certain someone than me, and I haven't seen her for four years. SJ and I were the type of friends who are polar opposites, she is very outgoing, bold and loud, whereas I tend to keep to myself, but we both loved volleyball and moved at the same time for freshman year in high school, which is how we became friends. The new kids. 

After high school, me and SJ both knew we wanted to go D1, but my parents wanted me to stay a bit closer and I had gotten an offer from USC so I went there for my first four years. However SJ had gotten an amazing offer from UConn and she obviously took that. What we both didn't realise until after she accepted her offer was that SOMEONE had also decided to go to UConn. 

The jump from high school to college was where I hit rock bottom. It all happened quite quickly to be honest and the person I trusted the most left me. My best friend and the person I thought would be there at the aisle had just completely vanished. There would be days where I didn't think I would wake up and that pain in my heart held me down for years. But I need to move on with my life, if she wanted to, she would.

SJ returns from the kitchen, snapping me out my thoughts. She's holding two shots in her hands. Oh no I am not going to remember tonight. "Mahaaa!! You know what time it is!!" she giggled, bending down to hand me one of the shots in her hand. 

I can't help but laugh as I down it. She always knows how to get me hyped before going out. 

The loud hype music plays through the walls of my dorm room as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the straps of my black satin dress. It hugged my body in all the right places, the silky fabric catching the dim light from the nearby lamp. 

A part of me wanted to look good because it was my first UConn party, my unofficial initiation as part of the volleyball team, but if I was being honest with myself, a much bigger part of me wanted to look good because Paige was going to be there. 

The thought of her sent a mixture of anxiety and something far more complicated bubbling up inside me. It had been four years since she ghosted me, and I was supposed to hate her for it. I did  hate her for it, or at least that's what I kept telling myself. But beneath the anger was a raw longing I couldn't shake. The memories, the feelings, they hadn't gone anywhere, no matter how hard I tried. 

"Hey, you ready to go?" SJ's voice cut through my thoughts. My best friend looked at me through the mirror, dressed in a sleek red halter top with low rise black flare pants that made her look like she belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine. Her short, dirty blonde hair framed her face, as her warm smile made me feel a bit better about this party.

I gave her a half smile. "Yeah, I guess." I grabbed a gold necklace from the dresser and fastened it around my neck. "I'm not sure I can handle seeing her again though, SJ. I mean, it's been years. She cut me off completely. Like I was nothing to her."

SJ crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, her expression sympathetic. "Look, you're allowed to feel however you feel tonight. If you want to hate her, hate her. If you want to talk to her, do that too. I got your back either way. Plus, Imani and Levi are picking us up. And I'm here for you always, trust me, you won't be alone."

I nodded, grateful for her unwavering support. SJ had been by my side through everything, including the confusing mess Paige left me in. Even though she was also on the other side of the country, she always checked up on me everyday, and even surprised me for my birthday with Imani and Levi. Lets just say the years at USC were pretty rough... which is mostly the reason I transferred.