BETWEEN OUR LIPS. paige bueckers

thirty six

Kai gulps as the bus groans to a stop in front of the dorms, the brakes hissing like a warning in the icy, brittle air. She sits still for a moment, fingers gripping the strap of her bag as she watches her breath fog the cold glass of the window. Outside, the world looks sharp and unforgiving, the faint glow from the dorm entrance barely enough to pierce the dark.

Beside her, Paige doesn't move right away. She stares straight ahead, her jaw tight, her eyes distant and unreadable. The silence between them is louder than the rumble of the engine or the chatter of teammates further back. When Paige finally shifts, it's with clipped, deliberate movements. She snatches her bag from the seat beside her and rises in one fluid motion, her height giving her an effortless command of the narrow aisle.

Kai watches her step off the bus, her coat flaring slightly in the wind before she disappears into the bitter night. For a second, Kai doesn't move. Her throat feels tight, and her chest aches—not from the cold outside but from the anticipation of what's to come. Or who's to come.

The hiss of the bus doors jolts her into motion. She stands, her legs feeling unsteady beneath her as she lifts her bag. The weight isn't much, but tonight, it feels heavier. As she steps off the bus, the wind hits her like a slap, sharp and biting. She pulls her coat tighter around herself and tucks her chin down, trying to shield her face from the cold.

Paige is already halfway to the dorm, her long strides eating up the distance. The wind doesn't seem to bother her, or maybe she's too focused to notice. Her shoulders are stiff, her figure dark against the faint light ahead.

Kai trails behind, her pace slower, the chill creeping into her fingers. She knows Paige is upset—the game didn't go the way she wanted, and Kai didn't exactly help. There was nothing she could do but capture it from her lens. But it's not just the loss weighing on her; it's the way Paige hasn't said a word to her since they left the plane.

By the time Kai reaches the door, Paige is already there, her hand resting on the handle. The wind howls around them, tugging at their coats and stinging their faces. For a second, Kai wonders if Paige will just go inside, leaving her to fumble with her own bag and the unforgiving cold. But Paige doesn't go inside.

The door creaks open, and warm air spills out like a balm against the harsh night. Paige holds it there, not looking back, but waiting all the same. It's such a small thing, a flicker of care buried beneath her frustration. Kai swallows hard and picks up her pace, the cold and the tension pushing her forward.

Paige might be mad—furious even—but she's still Paige. And Paige won't leave Kai out in the cold.

"Thank you," Kai whispers as the door closes behind them. Paige gives a small smile, her hand finding the small of Kai's back. Kai's body shivers at the contact as Paige forces Kai to the dorm room. "Any chance I can relive your anger in a way that I can still walk tomorrow?" Kai asks with a fearful smile.

Paige doesn't even smirk. "Not a chance, ma."

Kai groans dramatically, her frame sagging as they near her dorm room. She's tempted to make one last-ditch effort to talk her way out of this. But when they reach the door, an idea sparks, and she plants her feet firmly on the ground.

Paige's grip on her back tightens slightly as she comes to an abrupt stop. She glares down at Kai, her brow furrowed. "Move," she says, her tone a warning.

Kai shrugs, crossing her arms over her chest. "No."

Paige tilts her head, her voice dropping. "Kai. I'm not playing with you right now."

Kai lets out a dramatic sigh, leaning back against the door. "Maybe you should play with me. Wouldn't that be more fun than... whatever this is?" She gestures vaguely at the tension simmering between them.