from the sidelines-Paige Bueckers

PART 30

After dinner me, Paige, and the older cousins went for a night swim in the pool. Everyone was getting along great with Paige, even my little cousins who don't like any of our friends or boyfriends. The little cousins are very picky about who they like and don't like. I guess the older cousins are too but they don't say it to the persons face. 

Paige met my sisters and I could tell they were a little hesitant at first but only because they knew she cheated on me. Probably just protecting me.

"Okay no, it's me and Raelyn vs Brooks and Tegan!" Landon yelled to everyone in the pool. We were currently playing chicken but Landon was being annoying about the teams. Paige laughed as she sat on the side of the pool. She wasn't swimming with us, she had her clothes on from the airport with her feet dipped in the lit up pool.

I hopped on my cousin Brooks shoulders, "Teag wipe my hair out of my face" he yelled. I wiped his wet messy hair out of his face, and put my hands in front of me to push Raelyn. Obviously I won.

When Brooks let me off his shoulders he gave me a high five, as we laughed at Landon yelling at Raelyn. He was a sore loser. I swam over to Paige, tugging on her legs that were underwater. "You wanna get ice cream?" I asked as she looked down at me. Her face lit up, a big smile on her face.

She popped up and grabbed my towel, "where are you two going?" Meredith questioned when she saw us getting out of the pool. "We're getting ice cream, we will be back" I said, grabbing Paige's hand and leading her inside.

I know I shouldn't be holding her hand as much as I do but I can't help it. It's just an instinct. "Landon's competitive" Paige laughed as I pulled open the freezer. "Haha yeah, he plays hockey in college and he's a big sore loser" I said grabbing two bowls.

As I turned around I saw Paige sitting on the counter, her hair falling in front of her face slightly. I stepped into her legs, spreading them, as I reached my hand up to her face, sliding the hair behind her ear. "I know my family is really chaotic, you're probably really overwhelmed, I'm sorry-" I whispered before she interrupts me. Her hand cups my cheek, tipping my face up to look at her. "Don't be sorry, I love your family, they all seem so genuine. Now stop stressing your pretty mind about silly things" Paige reassures me.

I give her a soft closed lip smile, "do you want a hug?" Paige asks me. I laugh, "random but sure, why would I say no?" "Because me and Cody ate all the mint chip ice cream earlier" she whispers with a smirk on her face. "You did what?!" I scream, joking. I run out of her touch, lifting open the ice cream tub, to find its empty.

"Paigeeee" I whine, "this is my favorite flavor" I joke. She laughs and hops off the counter, reaching into the freezer. "Chill, I'm sorry. Here we can have cookie dough?" She smiles holding up another tub of ice cream. I can't be mad at her when she smiles like that.

We scooped ourselves bowls and headed back out to the pool. Raelyn, Meredith and Carson were still swimming while Landon and one of my sisters Grace were wrapping themselves in towels. "Paige! Can you read me a night time story?" little Brooklyn yells from the outside porch. "Brooklyn, leave poor Paige alone-" Meredith tried to say before Paige interrupts her. "No, no, I don't care. Sure Brooklyn!" Paige smiles, walking inside with her.

I smiled at this. Paige was always so good with little kids, but seeing her with my family just made my heart melt. The slider door shut and a moment later we all start talking again. "Okay um since when?! Didn't she cheat on you?" Meredith shouts. "Um it's a long story, but I forgave her and we're just friends" I explain, watching Landon light the fire pit. "Ya friends who flirt and hook up occasionally" my sister Grace smirks.

I playfully shove her shoulder. "T, she looks at you with goo goo eyes. She's def in love with you" Carson smiles. We all sit around the fire pit, arguing about if Paige likes me again or not. "I just want you to be careful T, she did cheat on you after all and I just don't want you to be heart broken again" Grace says, being overprotective as the big sister she is.

"Whatever, there young and in love" Raelyn laughs, sipping on some vodka seltzer. "I'm not in love with Paige" I snicker. "Hmmm I think otherwise" Carson teases. I flip him off. "I'm going up, night love you guys" I say hopping up and running inside before they could stop me.

Paige is coming down the stairs as I walked in. "Brooklyn snores like a 80 year old farmer, and sleep talks, she literally whispered 'dafuq' like seven times" Paige imitated my little cousins voice. I couldn't help but laugh. "Did you just laugh?" She asks, walking closer to me. "No, I don't know what you're yapping about" "you just did! I see you hiding a smirk" "ya because your being stupid" "I'm not stupid and don't even try to deny that I just made you laugh" "your delusional" I chuckle.

She wraps her arms around my waist, pulling me in so we're chest to chest. WOW bold. There's a moment before either one us us speaks up, "What's in your mind" Paige says staring into my soul. Huh, what's on my mind? So many things are in my mind. Me, Paige, us. I remain silent, my mind loud. "I can't tell what you're thinking if you don't talk" she says but this time I notice her eyes flip to my lips.

I'm suddenly really nervous and butterflies swam my stomach. So I did the only thing I could think of, push her way. "You're a freak" I joke, pushing her away and walking to the staircase. I hear her laugh then her footsteps following me upstairs. "Wanna watch a movie?" She asks me. "Uh sure" I say. I walk down the hallway to my shared room, when I go to close the door, she's right there behind me.

"Oh you wanna watch it in my room?" I ask "Ya, is that okay?" "Ya" I laughed at her words, she seems almost scared waiting for my response. Her face looks like she was asking me to prom or something. I chuckle, letting her in then closing the door behind us. Since Raelyn and Grace were outside still, the room was just ours.

Paige makes herself comfortable in my bed, piling blankets on top of her as she turns the tv on. I slide in next to her. Since there's three of us sharing this room, we all have twin beds so me and Paige are extra close.

I feel her hand slowly touching mine, eventually she got the confidence and intertwined my hand with hers. "Hey Paige?" "Yeah Tegan?" "You're holding my hand" I say looking down at our hands. "I know. Sorry it's just, holding your hand makes me feel better" she says, her eyes glued to the tv. Thank god she wasn't looking at me cause I swear my face turned fire engine red. "It does?" "Yeah" she says tipping her face down to look at me. "Is that okay?" she whispers. I nod slowly, then I lean my head on her shoulder, feeling safe next to her.

We stayed like that for the rest of the night, both falling asleep with the movie playing in the background. But something about Raelyn words got me thinking. Was I actually in love with Paige, again...