Something about the fact that Tyler catastrophe and Paige and Azzi live in the same city doesnât sit right in my bones
just got shivers down my spine
Stranger Things
Game of Thrones Daily

romaâ
Show & Tell

oozey mess
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
ojovivo

Andulka
tumblr dot com


Discoholic đŞŠ
Claire Keane
we're not kids anymore.
AnasAbdin

JVL
art blog(derogatory)
Misplaced Lens Cap
Monterey Bay Aquarium

pixel skylines

seen from Germany
seen from United States

seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Italy

seen from United States

seen from Slovenia

seen from Italy

seen from United Kingdom
@numberonepartyanth3m
Something about the fact that Tyler catastrophe and Paige and Azzi live in the same city doesnât sit right in my bones
just got shivers down my spine

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
they're literally 0 years old idk what to tell y'all
this angle is killing me sheâs actually not a real personđ mind you jess got here like 2 days ago and sheâs already unfazed by her
Dallas Wings is not playing assketball today
hey so this is really gay cute

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
paige at the met was the last thing i expected today
WOAH THERE đđđ
used to dream of times like this fr đĽš
uconn era officially over đđđ
hottest couple ever iâm so serious

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Kayleigh just made me cry.
Even though we lost I still love my girls down!! K9 you too girly!!
went to cutie-patootie town and they had azzi fudd as the mayor
azzi pls

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
(1) LOOKING DOWN AT YOU LOOKING UP AT ME
contains: vet!paige x rookie!azzi. age gap (ten years). yearning. azzi fangirling over everyone. paige staring at azzi like idek what. pretending like you don't want something except it's all you've ever wanted. alcohol/drunkness. the word "nodded" an egregious amount of times
word count: 10.3k
niyah speaks: chapta one hope ya enjoy itttt! proofread (not really) inspired but trouble.
azzi was not ready for training camp. sheâd nearly gotten whiplash from the speed of which her life was going. sheâd just wrapped up her collegiate career, been drafted, moved across the fucking country, and now she was about to walk into the next four years of her life.Â
she felt like she was a kid again. sheâd spent four years at college and became head huncho there. here she was a little fish again. she had no rank here, no one cared about who she was.Â
the california sun beat on her as she stood outside of the sephora performance center. it was hugeâ bigger than anywhere sheâd practiced or played before. she knew it used to belong to the warriors and azzi kept thinking about the fact that steph fucking curry used to be in this building every day.
she told herself that steph had been the seventh pick and he changed the game of basketball. that was number one and she had nothing to worry about and that it was ridiculous for her to be standing outside of this place, questioning her entire life.Â
she felt like she was going to faint, and she didnât know if it was because of the weather, or because she was about to meet her new co-worker, paige bueckers. (it was for sure because of paige, but that was neither here nor there.)
she could do this. sheâd played this game before. sheâd had sixteen first days of school and had too many new teams to count.Â
a hand clutched her shoulder from behind. âwe can do this.âÂ
it was kk arnold. she was a guard for UConn and famous for giving azzi a run for her fucking money. she would die a defensive legend, and azzi was glad their rivalry was finally over. she smiled at the shorter girl, thankful that she was willing to comfort azzi.Â
she shrugged her shoulders and repeated kkâs words. âwe can do this.â
and then they walked in the building like they both belonged there.Â
the building was shiny with black and purple interior, and the AC was bumping. it was clean and it smelled like lemons and billionaires. the arena was was built for legend. it demanded success, not encouraged it. you didnât train here so you could lose.Â
when they got down the hallway, azzi froze and kk kept walking like she didnât see the giant photos on the walls.
on the left wall of the hallway was the picture of steph celebrating with the team. they were cheering under falling confetti while he presented their trophy. azzi knew the photo had been taken when GSV won their first championship because sheâd been watching that game, wearing paigeâs jersey for good luck.
on the right wall, was a picture of paige. she must have just done something big because she was mid-scream with her fist on her chest. you could see every muscle in her neck, every vein in her bicep.Â
azzi shook her head because eye fucking a photo of her vet had to be against a moral rule. she wasnât doing that anymoreâ she couldnât do that anymore.Â
she made her way into the locker room and walked in there like she was the calmest person ever. like she was Normal about this whole situation.Â
she wasnât. all she could think was donât stare at her, donât touch her, donât say weird shit to her.Â
someone had an oil diffuser. it smelled like cloves and something sweet and everyone was laughing and talking like this was a scene from Remember the Titans. when they registered that someone had entered, every single head turned.Â
âwell, if it isnât ms. number one!â angel reese was the first person to speak. âhey, fudd.â
âh-hi.â azzi stuttered because angel reese knew her name. âhey!â
of course angel knew her fucking name. she wasnât a nobody. she was azzi jazlyn fudd, and she deserved to have WNBA legends know her name. she would be a damn WNBA legend.Â
rae burell stalked over to azzi and smiled like she wasnât lording over her. âyour lockerâs next to kkâs.âÂ
no one else said anything. they all just watched azzi walk through the room like she was performing the walk of shame. she didnât know why she was so fucking shy, but she was trying to hype herself out of it.Â
aneesah morrow walked by her when she sat down and looked up from her phone. she grinned at azzi and said welcome to the league, like this wasnât the scariest day of her fucking life.Â
azzi smiled at her and turned to kk, who was tying her shoes like sheâd already made the damn team. she scanned the room, looking for the root of all her nerves, but it wasnât hard to tell that there was no paige bueckers in sight.Â
âyou okay?â kk asked, like she could see azzi felt mildly disappointed. âyeah iâm just,â azzi forced herself to stop searching. she looked at her kneeâs instead. âiâm soaking it all in. i feel like iâm just processing that this is my life now.â
there wasnât a big part of azzi that was truly stressing, but that seemed like a better answer than iâm looking for the woman that i once named as my celebrity crush during a slam interview, but iâm media trained now so sheâs no longer my celebrity crush.
âyeah, me too. but,â kk shrugged. âweâre here for a reason. you worked for this shit. enjoy it. donât ruin it for yourself.âÂ
azzi nodded and thanked kk and told herself to re-fucking-lax. she reminded herself that nothing was ever this serious and that paige would have to come eventually. she even started gaslighting herself into believing that she honestly was just excited to learn from the woman, and she wasnât going to have to restrain from drooling all over her. Â
she audibly spoke to herself out-loud while she changed into her training shorts. when it was time to change her shirt, her necklace got caught in the elastic of her tanktop, and she was stuck with her arms in the air.Â
and then, because the universe fucking hated her, she heard kk go âoh shit.â and angel say âhey paigey.â and azzi suddenly knew what every character in every movie felt when they said âsheâs right behind me, isnât she?â
azzi tugged her elbows down and turned around to see paige. fucking. bueckers. dapping angel up. she wasnât even looking in azziâs direction, but still, azzi was frozen. shirt bunched up at her wrists, hair probably disturbed from itâs bun, toes out in the wind.Â
for most of azziâs life, paige seemed⌠unattainable. like a comic book characterâ like superwoman. sheâd been this big figure in her life. an idol, a crush, the figment of azziâs dreams. and now, she was looking dead at her.Â
paige madison bueckers, in the flesh. she had on black sweats and a white tee with her practice backpack on. she probably didnât even know that azzi was literally about to die at the sight of her. how was paige supposed to know that this exact moment had played as a daydream in azziâs head over and over since she was twelve?
paige dropped her bag at her locker and sat down to take off her shoes and when she bent to untie them, she looked right at azzi who was still tragically frozen and tracking her every movement.Â
azzi stopped breathing when her eyes locked with paigeâs. they were so blue and she was so pretty and much bigger than azzi thought. she was only an inch or two taller than azzi, but she was so broad. paige took up space. even hunched over at her locker. she looked at azzi like she was trying to telepathically say stop fucking staring at me, you half naked rookie creeper.Â
or maybe azzi was looking too far into things.Â
either way, she pulled her tank all the way off and unclasped her necklace before shoving her training shirt on and burying her face in her own duffel. the goal was to pretend that she wasnât caught eye fucking someone sheâd never even had a conversation with. she told herself it was okay. that it wasnât that bad.
she grabbed her water bottle and then dropped it back in her bag and buried her face in her hands because it was that bad.Â
you said you wouldnât stare. you literally had one damn job, azzi.Â
she couldnât believe sheâd failed so easily. but honestly, it wasnât her fault. itâs just⌠it was paige bueckers. azzi wasnât a statue. she was just a girl. she wouldnât give up on herself so easily. she told herself that sheâd do better next time and that country girls made due.Â
she grabbed her water bottle and zipped her duffel shut with much more force than necessary because if she couldnât keep her corneas off of paige, she could at least get some shots up before anyone else got in the gym.
â
azzi missed thirteen shots before the rest of the team slugged into the gym, nothing but basketball walks in sight. kk came up to her immediately, and she didnât say anything, but azzi knew she was still nervous by the way she was literally bouncing on the balls of her feet.
azzi wouldnât speak on it, because she felt like she was going to throw up. she was bricking on her first day of training camp. she had two and a half weeks to prove that she belonged on this teamâ paigeâs teamâ and she would never make the roster if she kept fucking up.Â
she took a few steps, finding her calm in the sound of her sneakers squeaking against the floor. but then, just when her heart was beginning to slow down, she saw paige again.Â
now clad in her practice uniform, she was shooting from the corner, and of course she was making every shot. azzi felt sick all over again because for one, she was watching paige bueckers warm up, and two, she couldnât remove this training camp from the paige bueckers of it all.Â
she had to stop thinking of this as paigeâs team and imagining herself as paigeâs rookie. no matter how much she wanted that, she was psyching herself out, and she was going to ruin any chance she had, number one pick or not.Â
âyouâre staring.â kk came up behind azzi, âwhat do you think sheââÂ
âdonât.â azzi shut her eyes, like maybe that would hide the fact that she was actively ogling a woman in public. âcan we just like⌠not acknowledge it?â she turned to kk and smiled her most humiliated smile. âi gotta get through this without embarrassing myself.â
but there was no way that was going to happen. she was so in tune with everything paige was doing, even behind her back. she knew that paige still hadnât missed from the sound of the net still swishing. she knew a practice player was feeding paige the ball faster because just before every swish, she heard a grunt. she was way too aware of a woman she still hadnât had a vocal conversation with, and she hated it.
âletâs just stretch.â she said, grabbing kk and pulling her to the cart with the resistance bands.Â
she repeated her mantra over and over as she settled into warm ups.
i can do this.Â
i can do this.Â
i can do this.Â
i can do. this.Â
she found a rhythm, eventually. she put her beats on and pressed play on an old kehlani album. her warm-up got better as she re-found her mojo and for a blissful moment in time, azzi was just hooping. playing the game she loved with no distractions. she was sinking everything she threw out, and nothing could break that relationship between her and the ball.Â
and then out of nowhere, she heard, âFUDD!âÂ
she turned around, ripping her headphones off her ears like sheâd just been caught watching porn on the library computer. it was rae, waving her over to the huddle. paige walked up to the group and azzi had to force her eyes to stay on the ground under her, rather than the sweaty woman directly across from her. paige wasnât looking, but azzi really wished she was. she wanted to hit herself for the thought.Â
coach natalie nakaseâ a legend in her own rightâ went off, listing off whatever sheâd written on her clipboard and azzi took note of it all, because she was going to be a valkyrie and she was going to be rookie of the year and she was going to be a fucking legend her own damn self.Â
when the huddle broke. azzi put her headphones back in her duffel and watched everyone get ready. everyone except paige, who was standing on the sidelines, arms big and crossed over her chest, biceps poking out of the sleeves of her GSV practice tee. azzi promised herself that she wouldnât do thisâ stare and want and panic. but thatâs all sheâd been doing.Â
regardless, she was determined and ready for whatever was about to be thrown at her. she was a basketball player. a great one. she had a fucking ESPY and held national records and now was the time to act like it. so when coach called on her, paige, and kk to run one of the three plays that she went over, azzi thought back to the huddle, and remembered what she had to do.
on the way to their position, kk elbowed her, a silent reminder to calm the hell down. azzi was anything but calm, but sheâd fake it till she made it. she shook her head and smiled at kk, silently saying iâm fine.Â
they got into position and paige called the play in her deep leader voice that azzi hadnât taken into account until that very moment
stop. azzi said to herself. focus.
she closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose. she felt her shoulders fall with the exhale.Â
i can do this.Â
she opened her eyes, half expecting everyone to be staring at her in wait. obviously, no one cared that she was taking a breath. kk was on one knee tying her shoe and paige was still staring at the court like it held the answers to all life's questions.Â
then coach blew the whistle and the ball was tossed to paige. kk was on her like a gnat at a barbecue. her defense was top tier, itâs what she was known for and why she was GSVâs second pick. paige played with her a little, grinning as she side stepped to escape kk, but eventually, like the play called for, she passed the ball to azzi.Â
the concept of bueckers to fudd flashed through azziâs head just as she took the shot. she knew the shot was off before it left her hands, and she mentally winced before it clanged off the rim.Â
kk made a hissing sound and physically flinced. azzi stayed frozen in place. her body was suddenly too heavy to move after horrendously failing in front of her idol and all her peers.Â
no one actually said anything about it. they all just kept playing and practicing and that was almost worse than chastising azzi. but she told herself sheâd adjust and that it was only once. that everyone misses and it was only the first day.Â
except she shot like that for the rest of practice. miss after miss, humiliation after humiliation. every shot she missed felt heavy. like no matter how much azzi tried, she was getting pulled further and further under.
after practice, she watched everyone file out of the gym, and tried to act like she didnât care if they were staring or not. they werenât, but she kind of wished they were because that would mean they were expecting something of her. they all just walked out, patting her on the back and talking about their lunch plans, like they knew she wasnât worth her hype. Â
 she stayed on the bench cursing herself out. she was so mad, and she couldnât blame anyone but herself. because sheâd done this before. shooting was her bread and butter, and she couldnât get her fucking shot off.Â
she stood at the free throw line, dribbling a ball and trying to remember that feeling from earlier. when she had her headphones on and couldnât hear anythingâ wasnât aware of anything. she loved basketball because it required a certain numbness that azzi didnât feel for anything else.Â
she felt everything, yes. the adrenaline and the competition and the speed of it all. but it was natural. she didnât have to pretend for this. it didnât come with any expectation besides get more points than the other team. and win or lose, azzi knew she was good at this.Â
she threw a shot up, missed. she got her own rebound and tried again. over and over and over, she shot and missed but she was determined to leave this building having fixed whatever was going on.Â
a voice behind her made azzi turn towards the doors. âthis is the definition of insanity.â
sheâd heard that voice on tv. sheâd heard it on her phone, and her laptop. sheâd even heard it on the radio. but sheâd never heard it in real life. sheâd never heard it directed at her. sheâd never felt its attention.Â
she looked at paige, who was making her way across the court. suddenly, azzi fudd- yapper extraordinaire had nothing to say. âhuh?â
âto do the same thing repeatedly while expecting a different result,â paige was closer now. not as close as azzi would always want her to be, but as close as she was going to get. a respectable distance between two co-workers.âis the definition of insanity.â
azzi didnât have to catch the tone of paigeâs voice to know that she wasnât being condescending. she seriously thought azziâs non-stop shooting was useless. azzi felt a pang in her chest that she had never felt before.
she looked down at the ball that she held in her hands. âiâm trying to fix it.â
she didnât need paige to tell her that she was doing something wrong. she knew thatâ everyone in the gym today knew that. she just didnât know what, and having this womanâ this fantasy of azziâsâ pop her bubble wasnât going to help her.
paige shook her head, like she found azzi ridiculous. âyou can't fix it if you donât know whatâs broken about it.â
maybe paige did think azzi was ridiculous. maybe she found azzi unworthy or whatever. that would be warranted. she hadnât proven her worth today. nothing sheâd done was representative of the past eight years of her life.
the realization that paige bueckers thought she was a fraud made azziâs chest burn. she feltâ she didnât know what she felt but she knew that it hurt. but she couldnât be hurt in front of paige beuckers. that wasnât respectable, it was weak. so she squared her shoulders and put as much conviction in her voice as possible.
âyeah, i know.â she blinked, as if to say duh. âiâm working on figuring that out.âÂ
paige looked at her and maybe azzi was hallucinating but she could have sworn paigeâs eyes twitched. like she was royally pissed offâ like azzi had royally pissed her off.Â
âyouâre favoring your left.âÂ
azzi shook her head off instinct. she was defensive without reason. âno, iââ
paige put a hand up, âi know you know everything and no one can tell you anything, but today youâre nervous.âÂ
she sounded so calm for someone who was invalidating someone elseâs argument before they could even get it out. she didnât look calm, though. her jaw was tight and her eyes were like hard, blue stones being thrown at azziâs face.
she continued her explanation, shrugging her visibly stiff shoulders. ânew team, new court. you got the jitters so just slow down a bit.âÂ
azzi stared. she didnât realize it, but she was full-blown, flat-out staring at her veteran like she hung the moon and stars.Â
it wasnât lost on her that paige had to know how azzi usually shot to know that she was favoring her left. with that much bass in her voice, paige knew what she was talking about. that meant sheâd watched azziâs film.Â
so maybe she didnât think azzi was worthless, or undeserving. maybe she expected more because she knew what azzi could do. for a single second, azzi felt a sense of pride in the fact that sheâd been significant enough for paige to watch her film, but then she began to internally deflate because sheâd obviously disappointed her.
âi promise you thatâs what it is.âpaige took a step back with her hands in the air as if to say believe me or donât, i really couldnât give a fuck less.Â
azzi snapped out of it, blinking back into the moment. she got into position the way she always had. shoulders square, elbows tucked, hips square, feet square. she let the ball fly, and it banged off the iron the same way it did all day.
paige put her hands on her hips, shaking her head as she got azziâs ball.Â
paige bueckers was rebounding for her.
âstop thinking about it.â she approached azzi, ball in hand. she stood directly in front of her with those same hard, blue eyes. she handed the ball to azzi, but never took her hands off it. it sat between the two, in four hands, pressing into azziâs belly. âlook at the hoop. feel the ball. position your body in the way you know is effective.â
the strictness in her voice and the hardess in her demeanor made azziâs heart boom in her chest. do what she said streamlined in her head as she set herself up again, this time paying more attention to her body. she shot, she scored.Â
she could have cried.
âthere you go.â paige didnât sound the least bit impressed. âyou feel that?âÂ
azzi looked down at her feet, still planted in position. she looked back up at an expectant paige and nodded. paige got the ball again and passed it to her from under the net.
ânow shoot.â
azzi shot again. she made it. paige passed her the ball.
âagain.â
shoot. swish. ball..
âagain.â
shoot. swish. ball.
âlast time.â
shoot. swish. ball.
âgood.â paige voice was the slightest bit higher, and azzi caught it. she held onto it and smiled. âthatâs my number one pick.â
my number one pickâŚ
azziâs lungs may as well have dropped from her body because they were not working. theyâd magically lost their function at the idea of azzi being paigeâs anything.Â
her voice got stuck in her throat as she squeaked out âthank you.âÂ
âyouâre gonna be my rookie, fudd.â paige stated like it was gospel. âyour misses are the teams missesâ my misses.â
âright. yeah.â she agreed because what else could she do when her brain was actively malfunctioning? âwell, still. thank you.â
paige cut her eyes and looked at azzi for a second longer than comfortable, and then turned to the door. she brought one finger in the air, twirling it.Â
âwrap it up fudd.â
and azzi did end up leaving after that, but it took all of five minutes to process what just happened to her. sheâd been planning to stay a while longer and shoot some more, but that didnât matter anymore.
she was paigeâs rookie. paigeâs number one pick.Â
paige had said that herself. and logicallyârealistically, azzi knew that paige didnât mean it in the way azzi was picturing. she knew paige would never mean it that way. that she couldnât.Â
but it was okay for azzi to imagine, right? to hope
â
training camp felt like it came faster than it usually did. it wasnât like paige was waiting for it to come, it was quite the opposite.Â
she was excited to meet her rookies, that much was true. she always looked forward to seeing them, basking in that youth. paige remembered that feeling. of vincibility. of not knowing if she belonged.Â
sheâd been the first player to ever be drafted to the valks, but of course, vets had been traded there. she had tiffany hayes to guide her through the trenches of her rookie year, and that was nice. but paige has always been a leader. sheâd never been okay with being anything other than the big fish, so it didnât take more than two seasons for her to start calling shots.Â
so yes. she was looking forward to meeting the rookies. but also, there was a nervousness.
the night of the draft, she laid in bed with her covers up to her chin, googling azzi fudd.Â
sheâd seen the highlight reel, but paige wanted to see the bad. she wanted to see azziâs misses and how she reacted to a loss. she needed proof that azzi was just like every other twenty-three year old. she needed to see her angry and reactive and irresponsible because then paige wouldnât be so⌠interested.Â
but she didnât find what she was looking for.Â
azzi almost never reacted when she missed a shot, and if she did, she did it with a bat of her lashes and a drop of her jaw.Â
when she lost a game, she didnât cry during the presser, she spewed out positive-hunky-dory bullshit about learning from the loss.Â
even her taunting was neutral. in heated games, azzi would score big points and smile at her defender as if to say iâm prettier than you and better than you, so thereâs no need to beat my chest because clearly youâre already a loser.Â
azzi wasnât angry, she wasnât reactive. she was as pure of a player as it got. and paige didnât know what to do with that, so she did nothing.
she didnât answer any questions about azzi. she didnât allow herself to google her anymore. she swiped when azzi came up on her social media.Â
she told herself that it didnât matterâ that azzi didnât matter. she was just another rookie.Â
paige walked into the locker room and dapped up angel. she said hi to aneesah and rolled her eyes at rae. it was routine. it was usual.
she knew the rookies were in the building because she heard oh shit come from kk, who sheâd met a few times when she attended uconn games. she was fast and sheâd be good. paige was sure sheâd be added to the roster.Â
paige knew azzi would be an issue before she even got to the gym. so, like any responsible adult, she kept an eye on her.
 she watched azzi fight her way out of her shirt. watched her talk to herself. watched her walk out of the locker room like she didnât look like she wanted to fall into the floor two minutes prior.Â
she watched azziâs shot bounce off the rim for the entirety of the practice, and she watched azzi not complain about it once. she watched azzi stay after practice. watched her try and fail to lock in.Â
paige only stepped into the gym when the second hand embarrassment became too much. when she helped azzi with her shot, it was because she was her vet and azzi just kept doing the same thing over and over and it was ridiculous.Â
it was her job and azziâs shooting was pitiful. that was all.
so paige helped and she even rebounded for her. she felt an unnatural sense of pride when azziâs shot went it. she felt an unnatural sense of accomplishment when the twenty-three year oldâs smile grew with every shot she made.Â
when azzi thanked her, paige noticed that twinkle in her eye had returned, and she decided it was in her best interest to leave the gym.Â
sheâd done her job. sheâd fixed azziâs shot. that was all.
â
paige didnât know what happened after that first day, but she knew azzi seemed to have a battery in her back.
coach had put her all over the floor and she excelled. she passed every test, just like paige knew she would. for the rest of camp, azzi had proven why she was the number one pick. no one questioned it, even that day but paige still felt like azziâs success over the camp was something to be noticed.Â
she only ever noticed it in public though. she only ever allowed herself to think about azzi when it was appropriateâ when it applied to basketball or to the team. sometimes sheâd see azzi on her social media, and sheâd scroll at the sight of those big brown eyes. she didnât even let the videos play because for some reason, it felt wrong.
paige wasnât shocked that azzi and kk were picked to be added to the roster. theyâd practically forged themselves into valkyries by the time camp was over.
 paige had mild concern for the overall unseriousness of her team, but she wasnât too worried. kk and angel were already calling themselves biggie and smalls, azzi and aneesah had shared hair and nail info, and the group chat had already been renamed âstrong black women + paigeâÂ
but that was all fine. that was chemistry. that was bonding, and paige was the biggest team bonding advocate that ever lived. which is why before every season, she took her team out and let them be in the wild for the last time for the foreseeable future.Â
she remembered being a rookie on the newest team in the league and feeling so scared to breathe wrong in front of her elders. she didnât want that. fear to ask questions opened the door for fuck ups that paige didnât have time for.Â
she got ready on the phone with angel. theyâd been drafted the same year, but they werenât on GSV together until three seasons later. she was the closest thing to a best friend that paige had besides drew.Â
she had angel on speaker with her phone tucked into her sports bra, mic side up. they ran over the plan for the night as paige looked through her closet.Â
she froze when angel asked, âyou gonna stop being mean to fudd tonight?â
âwhat?â she responded, her voice too high to be convincing of the fact that she had no clue what angel was talking about. âiâm not mean to her.â
angel laughed, âyou donât talk to her.â
âi donât talk to anyone.â
that was true. paige was a talkative person, but not to people who werenât in her immediate circle. sheâd learned the hard way that being on her team didnât make someone a member of her circle.Â
âyeah but you for sure donât talk to her.â angel scoffed. âthe girl adores you. sheâs always looking for you when she does something good and you just donât do shit.â there was silence because paige had no idea what to say to that. and of course, angel took the silence as a chance to add insult to injury. âyouâre like a deadbeat daddy.â
âiâm not her fuckin parent.â paige spat out.
agitation was an easier route to take than admitting to herself that she purposely avoided azzi. anything was an easier route to take than trying to figure out why she purposely avoided azzi.
âshe doesnât look for me, and even if she did, she shouldnât be looking to me for validation. sheâs an adult. she should be confident in her abilities.â
she sounded like an asshole and she knew it. sheâd never said that about any rookie ever, and she knew it was bullshit. she was more worried about the fact that her distaste for azzi was noticeable.
she could hear angel smacking her lips through the phone. âwere you confident in your abilities your rookie year?â
angel knew the answer to that question, and paige knew the only reason she asked it was so that paige would have no leg to stand on. still, paige grumbled. âitâs not about me.â
âyou canât put expectations on her when you couldnât even do it yourself.â angel argued, her baltimore accent wrapping around every vowel. âat the very least, she looks up to you, and youâre hurting her feelings.â
paige sighed, fed up with the argument that she was clearly going to lose. âbroââ
angel cut her off. âyou are hurting. her. feelings.â
âokay.â paige put her hands up like angel could see her. âokay, iâll talk to her.â
âthank you.â angel sounded much sweeter than she actually was.Â
â
the bar (it was really a club and it was chosen by angel, of course) was big and crowded and loud, and it was the perfect vibe for the night. there was enough people and noise for everyone to be more focused on not getting lost or roofied than the WNBA team hoarding in their section.Â
the team had taken advantage of the fact that paige put her card down for the tab. there were three different bottles of tequila and four pitchers of some fruity, mixed drink being passed around and paige realized that she was entirely too old for this shit.Â
she poured herself baby shots and swallowed them in sections instead of taking them to the head like rae and kennedy. she wasnât drunk. she wasnât even tipsy, but she had enough that she was warm all over and felt comfortable enough to order wings for the whole table.
outside of the club, azzi sat in the back of an uber elbow to elbow with kk, who was taking a million selfies of them. she smiled and posed for the camera like she hadnât nearly given up on the whole night because she couldnât pick an outfit.Â
her indecisiveness would probably be the death of her, but sheâd worry about that when she had to.Â
when she facetimed jana to show the final fit, jana asked if she was going to something stupid. azzi promised she wouldnât, though she knew jana didnât believe her.
but azzi was serious. she promised herself that she wasnât going to make a fool of herselfâ not anymore. sheâd solidified her spot on the team and signed her contract. there could be no bad days.
when she got out of the uber, she hooked her arm with kkâs and showed her ID to the bouncer who was too busy looking at azzi to confirm whether she was old enough to enter the building. he let them in anyway, with a smirk in azziâs direction and a scowl to kk whoâd been mean mugging him the whole time.Â
she felt the heat of the building the second she stepped into it. you could tell that everyone in the building was having a good time. the moisture in the air could only come from lack of personal space and shared body heat.
every step she took towards their section, azzi felt her doubt creep in.was her skirt too short? did her boots look dumb with the outfit? should she have just worn her hair down instead of up?
she shook her head and put her chin up because she should only care about how she looked to herself. she thought she looked hot when she left home, and silly things like anxiety werenât gonna change that. not tonight.Â
tonight, sheâd have fun and not care about who was paying attention to her. (she only wanted the attention of one person, but againâ she told herself she wasnât doing that anymore.)
paige knew azzi had arrived before she even saw her. angel and aneesah let out a collective âdayumâ with their heads whipped toward the stairway of their section.Â
when she turned around to see what had drawn such a reaction, she nearly choked on the drink sheâd been nursing. the reactions had been valid because azzi looked absolutely fuckingâ nice.Â
paige thought azzi looked nice in her tight, cropped brown tee and denim mini skirtâ so mini that with every step she took up the stairs, paige could see her soft pink panties. she had on black knee-high boots and a purse that matched her shoes. her curls were in a ponytail that looked like it was gonna fall loose with the slightest movement of her head.Â
her eyes followed azzi from the entrance to the table where kk began preparing her and azziâs welcome shots. she watched azzi take the shot and lick the salt from the back of her hand without making a face. she realized sheâd been staring when rae got up and plopped between azzi and kk with the fakest smile paige had ever seen.Â
âi love your boots!â rae gushed, drawing azziâs attention so that her back was to paige.Â
the night went on from there. azzi did a great job of not looking at paige. she learned it was easier when her back was turned because it was literally impossible to turn her neck one hundred and eighty degrees.Â
eventually, sheâd drank enough that she didnât have to remind herself not to look. sheâd been too caught up in everything else.Â
like keeping an eye on kennedy and rae, who left their section to dance. they were pressed against two guys who were noticeably shorter than them. azzi watched them in amusement because they were drunk enough that they didnât care.
kk elbowed her gently, âyou want another drink, fudd?â
she looked at the table in front of her, littered with discarded earrings, cellphones, bottles and an empty basket of wings.Â
she shrugged, deciding that sheâd be fine. she didnât drive and she knew her teammates wouldnât let anything happen to her. âum⌠sure!â
kk picked up a glass. âshots?âÂ
azzi smiled, clapping to herself like sheâd never drank in her entire life. âyes, please!â her tipsy-ness was making her giggly.
kk poured the shots and the two rookies cheers-ed for the fourth time that night. the alcohol burned itâs way down azziâs throat and warmed her chest, but she didnât need a chaser. she was a good drunk and sheâd always done her business like a pro.
when kk was done grimacing and shaking her head, she looked towards the other couch where angel and aneesah were talking. âweâre fucked up in front of our elders.â
azzi turned to the pair. they were so⌠grown up. like they had not a care in the world because they knew theyâd be okay regardless. azzi envied that. the security in it all.Â
kk was nervous around them, and she was finally talking about it. and azzi didnât have much to say to her because she was still nervous, too. especially when it came to paige, who azzi thought was staring at her when she arrived. or maybe that was wishful thinking. maybe she had imagined the heat of paigeâs gaze and the sound of her throat clearing when azzi turned.Â
she shook her head because kk was already feeling nervous and allowing herself to spiral wouldnât help anything.
âtheyâre our co-workers.â she said.
kk shook her head, clenching her fists. âthey still scare the shit out of me.â
they scared azzi too, but now wasnât the time for that. now was the time to be a leader. an inebriated, tequila brained leader.
âtheyâre our teammates, kk.â she gestured towards the table. âtheyâre fucked up too.â
it was true. not everyone was capital-D-Drunk but no one was sober enough to drive home.
âPSKI WITH THE WIIIINGGSSSS!â
azzi and kk snapped their heads toward angel at the same time, and followed as she danced to paige who was approaching with two baskets of food.Â
it was just wings and fries, but she could have been carrying baskets of slop and azzi would have still felt pinned to her seat. she was almost in pain from trying to keep it together, but paige was so beautiful that azzi convinced herself it wasnât just a her thing.
 anyone would nearly salivate at the sight of a beautiful woman in baggy jeans and a tight black tee with her silver rope chain resting against her collarbones. anyone would look at the bun sitting snug at the back of her head and wonder what that hair would feel like between their fingers. and anyone would stop breathing in a drunken stupor if said beautiful woman smiled(?) at them in a rowdy club section.
paige looked like she was smiling. at azziâ or in azziâs direction which technically counted as smiling at her.
paige watched azziâs face fall to her lap the second their eyes locked. she hadnât spoken to the rookie all night, and azzi hadnât tried to speak to her. paige figured that angel had blown azziâs admiration out of proportion. she seemed perfectly fine in her corner with kk.Â
she hadnât even noticed paige leaving the section, and she wouldnât have noticed her return if angel hadnât hollered like a maniac. but she hadâ azzi looked. and paige looked. and for just a second they were looking.Â
she couldnât help the smile that crept on her face at azziâs slight panic. before she looked away, azzi looked like a spooked deer with her big eyes growing even wider. sheâd drank enough to still have control of her face, but she still had that gloss in her eyes. the one that made the twinkle there brighter than anything in the room.Â
paige was grateful to azzi for looking away because paige wasnât confident in the fact that she would have. she didnât offer azzi foodâ she didnât offer anyone food because she didnât want to have to ask azzi if she wanted some.Â
sheâd promised angel sheâd talk to the girl, but she didnât fucking want to. she was mildly pissed off by the noise of the building, by the heat, and for some odd reason; by the fact that azzi didnât get any food.Â
paige didnât know why she suddenly gave a fuck about what the twenty-three year old girl from fucking indiana was or wasnât doing, but something in her wanted to hand azzi a flat and say eat it.Â
she couldnât do that, though. that was weirdo shit, especially because paige hadnât said so much as ten words to azzi since her first day.Â
so she sat in her seat and watched everyone have the time of their lives.Â
ken, rae and the rest of the younger women were all dancing either on the couch or on the floor with the rest of club. angel was lip syncing to neesah, who was recording. kk had brought a digital camera and was snapping pictures of everything and everyone.
when she got to azzi, she spent more time on her than anyone else. azzi hadnât hardly moved the whole night, but paige wouldnât apply that logic because that would mean she had to look away.
azzi wasnât turned away, but she wasnât facing paige either. her attention was being held by kk, who was snapping pictures of her and telling her how to pose. she was looking at kk like she was a real photographer. following her every instruction like she had put all her trust in this creative genius.Â
over the weeks of camp, paige learned that azzi was good at thatâ making anyone speaking to her feel like the most important person in the world. whether it was press, coaches, teammates, media team. azzi gave them everything she had.Â
paige hated that she had caught on to that. she wasnât supposed to notice small things about her rookie. but she had. she had the slight feeling that azzi wasnât giving her much of a choice in the matter, but still. paige was supposed to have discipline.Â
sheâd stared at azzi fudd long enough to hate herself. eventually, she told herself she was done for the night. no more drinking because apparently clear liquor made her want to do stupid shit like walk up to azzi and talk to her. made her want all of that attention for herself. made her want to feel like the most important person in the world.
as the night went on and paige declined more shots, she began to sober up. youâd have thought the alcohol leaving her system would have made her more upset because who enjoyed being sober around a bunch of drunk women?
paige. paige enjoyed it.Â
everyone was happy and getting along and the stress of the pre-season schedule wasnât forcing everyone to be boring. she would do this every week if she could. she didnât mind being the mother hen of the group if it meant the group had a good time.Â
she checked all of them off her list, making sure she remembered who was where and what they were doing. and when sheâd mustered enough willpower to look at azzi again, she learned azzi had finally left her seat. the problem was, kk, who had remained glued to azzi all night, hadnât.
paige looked over the entire section, trying to make sure she wasnât tripping but no. azzi was no longer among the group. sheâd wandered and sheâd wandered alone.Â
paigeâs heartbeat began to thrum in her ears as she tried to remain subtle. she turned her neck to face the club. azzi wasnât in the line for the bathroom and as far as paige could see, she wasnât dancing with the other girls.Â
but then she found her. at the bar, with all of that valuable attention being given to a man. if he was taller than azzi, it wasnât by much and paige had dubbed him an asshole based on the fact that he had on a wife-beater and jeans in a bay area club.
she looked away because it wasnât her damn business. her jaw was suddenly tight and her blood was pumping even harder, but it was not her business. paige felt something. something she refused to acknowledge but it kept dragging her gaze back to the bar.Â
every time she looked toward them (unwillingly), the man had gotten closer. at some point, a drink appeared in azziâs hand and the man was basically staring down at her like she couldnât bench press him if she wanted to.Â
âoh shit.â angel spoke, but paige never moved her eyes. âfuddâs stuck.â
azzi laughed at whatever the man said, but it wasnât her real laugh. paige could tell because her shoulders didnât shake.Â
âwhat?â she asked, because she wasnât sure if angel had caught the same thing.Â
âsheâs at the bar and that manââ angel stopped mid-sentence and began smacking paige on the shoulder. she pointed, âyou never talk to her!â
paige wanted to take herself out back and end her misery. the man reached a hand out towards azzi.
she shook her head and muttered, âweâre in a club, angel.â
whatever was said after that, was lost on paige.
azzi didnât take the manâs hand. instead, she said what looked like âno, thank youâ and pointed to the section. the man looked up towards the team, and then looked back down at azzi with a smirk. he began speaking again and paige wished like hell that she could read lips.
she wanted to know exactly what was being said because she just needed reason. justification for getting up and doing something stupid.Â
if the man was doing what paige thought he was doing, then paigeâs actions wouldn't be stupid. they could be buried under the guise of protecting her teamâ protecting women in general. sheâd never have to explain that she wanted to get up long before azzi began to look uncomfortable.
but azzi did begin to look uncomfortable. paige was trying to let her handle itâ she was minding her business. but then azzi stood up and the man didnât step back. he stayed in her space, crowding her to the point where she lost her balance and plopped back onto the bar stool.
paige rose from her seat then, not looking at angel when she said âiâll be right back.â
she looked away because it wasnât her damn business. her jaw was suddenly tight and her blood was pumping even harder, but it was not her business. paige felt something. something she refused to acknowledge but it kept dragging her gaze back to the bar.Â
every time she looked toward them (unwillingly), the man had gotten closer. at some point, a drink appeared in azziâs hand and the man was basically staring down at her like she couldnât bench press him if she wanted to.Â
âoh shit.â angel spoke, but paige never moved her eyes. âfuddâs stuck.â
azzi laughed at whatever the man said, but it wasnât her real laugh. paige could tell because her shoulders didnât shake.Â
âwhat?â she asked, because she wasnât sure if angel had caught the same thing.Â
âsheâs at the bar and that manââ angel stopped mid-sentence and began smacking paige on the shoulder. she pointed, âyou never talk to her!â
paige wanted to take herself out back and end her misery. the man reached a hand out towards azzi.
she shook her head and muttered, âweâre in a club, angel.â
whatever was said after that, was lost on paige.
azzi didnât take the manâs hand. instead, she said what looked like âno, thank youâ and pointed to the section. the man looked up towards the team, and then looked back down at azzi with a smirk. he began speaking again and paige wished like hell that she could read lips.
she wanted to know exactly what was being said because she just needed reason. justification for getting up and doing something stupid.Â
if the man was doing what paige thought he was doing, then paigeâs actions wouldn't be stupid. they could be buried under the guise of protecting her teamâ protecting women in general. sheâd never have to explain that she wanted to get up long before azzi began to look uncomfortable.
but azzi did begin to look uncomfortable. paige was trying to let her handle itâ she was minding her business. but then azzi stood up and the man didnât step back. he stayed in her space, crowding her to the point where she lost her balance and plopped back onto the bar stool.
paige rose from her seat then, not looking at angel when she said âiâll be right back.â
she was basically on autopilot as she made her way to the bar. embodying the term walking walking with a purpose, every stride was long, and she felt the muscles in her calves flex with every step.Â
she tried to remind herself that this was to protect azzi. that she was doing this because azzi was uncomfortable and as her vetâ as a womanâ she was responsible for getting azzi out of her situation.Â
âhey.â she said, chest to shoulder with azzi. she was looking down at her side profile, and when azzi looked up at her, paige almost forgot what sheâd come over for.
azzi let out a sigh at the sight of paige. whether it was a sigh of relief or a sigh of humiliation would remain unknown, but something in her lightened at the sight of that chain sparkling in the darkness.Â
âhi?â she squeaked out, still staring up at the older woman.Â
but paige wasnât look at azziâ at least no anymore. sheâd turned her head and was now staring at the man that had been talking to azzi. his name was eric or maybe derrick. azzi couldnât really hear but sheâd been smiling and nodding her way through the entire interaction.Â
eric/derrick had finally stopped talking, which azzi was thankful for. but he looked hurtâ offended almost. maybe he was pissed about being interrupted or maybe he was pissed because paige was staring at him like he was her villain origin story.Â
she blinked at the man who, once again, hadnât taken the hit. âdo you mind?â
eric/derrick wagged a finger between him and azzi. âwe wereââ
âdidnât ask.â paige shook her head.Â
he pointed to azzi, who had been trying to figure out how she got here. âshe didnât ask me to go.â
i literally told i had to get back to my friends and you wouldnât let me go.
azzi didnât think saying that would go well for eric/derrick but she thought it. she didnât know what to sayâ if she could say anything at all. paige looked mad. like she was two seconds of losing all that nonchalance and grace she was known for.Â
âshe didnât have to ask.â paige stepped n front of azzi now so that there was a modicum of space between her and eric/derrick. âiâm telling you.â
eric/derrick stood there, looking up at paige. the whole thing felt a bit like a pissing contest, and unsurprisingly, paige won. he left, and paige stayed in place, waiting for him to disappear in the crowd.
only when he was out of sight did she turn around.
azzi, still confused, went to speak. âyouââ
paige cut her off, nodding towards their section. âi saw you try to walk away.â she shrugged like she hadnât probably saved azzi. âgave you an out.â
âyeah.â azzi was amazed. âthanksâ thank you. paige.â
paige nodded like it was truly no big deal. she was still standing over azzi, but she didnât make azzi feel like eric/derrick did. she felt crowded, but she wasnât complaining. this was as close as theyâd been in weeks, and azzi would stay on that stool forever if it meant she could smell paigeâs cologne.Â
âyou donât have to talk to him just âcause he bought you a drink.â paige cut her eyes at the cup azzi was still holding. âthat doesnât mean he deserves to be entertained by you.â
âi wasnâtâ that wasnâtâ â she dropped the glass on the bar like it was on fire. the vodka cran sloshed over the edges, puddling around the bottom. âi wasnât entertaining him.â
paige raised her brows and put her mouth in a condescending pout that azzi enjoyed more than she should have. âoh for real?â
âfor real.â azzi deadpanned. she leaned forward and told herself it was so paige could hear her, and not because she wanted to smell her more. âand even if i was, how would you know?â
 the club was loud and packed and the only way paige would have noticed azzi from the section was if she was lookingfor her. internally, azzi beamed at the thought of paige noticing her all the way across the building.Â
paige stepped backâ away, reallyâ and sat on the stool closest to her. she grabbed the vodka cran that azzi had discarded and took a sip, wincing at the taste. azzi grinned as she turned to the bar and folded her arms over it.Â
âi was heading over.â paige raised the glass. âneeded a chaser.â
azzi was way too invested in this conversation for someone whoâd been telling herself she didnât care about who was paying attention to her. but paige was lying and it was low hanging fruit, but azzi was gonna grab it anyway.Â
âyou havenât used a chaser all night.âÂ
had exposed the fact that she was paying that much attention to her, she didnât show it.
âneither have you.â she took another sip, not making a face this time. âyou drink don like itâs water.â
if azzi were of sound mind and body, she might have felt embarrassed. sheâd have thought that alcoholism of any kind is nothing to be proud of and it was shameful thatâd drank so much that her vet noticed.Â
but azzi wasnât of sound mind nor body, and the only think she felt was pride. she rested her head on her palm, putting the weight of her upper body onto the bar.
âi wanted to seem cool in front of my vets.â she grinned. âdidnât wanna seem soft.â
âyou are soft.â paige responded quickly, like it was waiting in the back of her throat.
âiâm really not.â
âyou are,â she took a big drink this time. âand you not knowing that is precisely your problem.â
âwell then,â azzi blinked at the harshness in paigeâs tone. she wouldnât be deterred though. âi guess i need someone to toughen me up then, huh?â
she didnât know where sheâd crossed the line from slightly drunk to motor mouth drunk, but azzi couldnât find an ounce of regret. she actually was proud of herself for standing her ground against paige who was looking at her like she knew a secret azzi wasnât yet aware of.
she didnât know if this was flirtingâ it probably wasnât and sheâd probably be paying for this conversation for the rest of her careerâ but it felt like a power play. like game and azzi didnât know the rules, but she figured sheâd fucked up when paige tucked her lips into her mouth and looked at azzi like she was trying to restrain herself from an act of violence.
she snorted, shaking her head before taking another sip of azziâs drink and facing forward. âgo back to the section.â
azzi squinted and turned her whole body so that it was facing paige. she was trying not to be soft. she was trying to win without the secret and the âmake meâ left her mouth before she had time to fully strategize.Â
her eyes widened at herself, and paigeâs did too. but paige didnât seem as panicked by azziâs words. no, she seemed⌠bored? paige seemed bored and that made azzi want to spontaneously combust.Â
she turned her head towards azzi, looking buzzed and lazy with her low eyes and pink cheeks. azzi could have stared at paige forever. sheâd been in the same room with paige for weeks but tonight was different. maybe it was the alcohol, but azzi was concerningly aware of the fullness in paigeâs bottom lip and the slant of her nose and the crinkles in the corners of her eyes.
paige stood up and stepped back into azziâs space, cup still in hand. azzi tilted her head up so that she could make eye contact and Establish Her Dominance. but paige had something in her eyes that made azzi wanna jump back.
she looked azzi for several long, breathless seconds before she ran her tongue along her front teeth as she peered down at azzi. âiâm sure youâd enjoy that.â
azzi opened her mouth to say something to keep up the banter. except this didnât feel like banter anymore. it felt like sheâd lost the power play. she wasnât even sure that this was actually happening, because the way paige was looking at her couldnât be real.Â
âw-what?â she stammered, suddenly feeling like her tongue was too big for her mouth.Â
paige smirked at azziâs discombobulation and took the last sip of the vodka cran and paige watched her tongue dart out to lick the rest off her lips. she felt dizzy like she was one of those people being entranced.Â
like with those snakes in the baskets, she thought.
paige stepped back, and azzi felt like she could breathe again. âthink youâve had enough, hm?â
azzi opened her mouth to argue, but she couldnât because maybe paige was right. maybe she had had enough. she snapped her mouth shut and watched paige walk away like none of that happened.Â
azzi wanted to scream at the clusterfuck of emotion swirling within her. but she couldnât do that. she wasnât supposed to fucking care.Â
she laughed to herself because she couldnât even believe her own lies.Â
of course you fucking care, you drunken idiot. how could you not?
â
paige hadnât given azzi an instruction, but azzi listened regardless. she didnât drink for the rest of the night and by the time the team was ready to go, the lights were no longer blurry. she was still drunk but not tell-a-hot-woman-ten years-older-than-her-to-make-her-do something drunk.
she tried not to replay their conversation. tried not to think about what it meant. tried not to obsess over that fact that that was only their second conversation.Â
sheâd done good for the most part. paige hadnât caught her the few times she let herself look and no one noticed her vibe switch.Â
outside of the club, azzi stood looking at her dead phone, waiting for kk to exit the building so she could order their uber. she pretended to be doing something, silently praying that everyone would respect the face buried in phone = donât want to be bothered rule.
she felt someone behind her, and she knew it wasnât kk. she was too drunk to be stealthy. azzi shut her eyes and inhaled in preparation for whatever was coming, but when she did, she smelled that smell. that cologne from earlier. or maybe it wa perfume. it was floral but it still felt strong and masculine and azzi knew exactly who it was.Â
âyou alright?â paige asked, side stepping so that they were nearly shoulder to shoulder.Â
azzi let out an âmhm.â and wished that a vortex would open beneath her.
âyou need a ride?â
azzi bit her tongue so hard she was scared it was going to slice in half.Â
this. fucking. woman.
why couldnât she just let azzi be done for the night? why couldnât she just take her fucking win and leave it at that?
azzi knew paige was probably just being a responsible team leader, but she was losing her drunk and she was getting a headache and she was so. damn. embarrassed. and paige was looking at her like a damsel in distressâ like she was soft.
 âno.â she grit out, trying and failing to sound sweet.
âbutââ
âi said no.â azzi almost stomped like a fucking toddler. âwhy would i get in a car with you? weâve talked likeâ twice.â
paige furrowed her brows like her feelings were the ones hurt. like sheâd taken a hit to her ego tonight. but before she could respond, kk slung her arm around azziâs shoulder for behind.
âyou ready to go?â she was smiling and her breath smelled like tequila, but she guided azzi down the sidewalk anyway. âthe uberâs gonna pull up to the baskin robins down the street so itâs not so packed.â
paige watched the rookies walk away, still speechless from azziâs outburst. it wasnât unjust, and paige knew that but it was still unexpected.
she knew sheâd been an ass. but azzi caught her off guard and she had to retaliate. she couldnât lose to a fucking twenty-three year old.Â
she hadnât meant to make her mad, though. Â
azzi repeated the word no like it was the only thing sheâd been born to say. with sterness and no room for argument. paige had no right to be offended, mostly because azzi was completely right. objectively speaking, azzi had no reason to want to get into a car with paige
.and she didnât even want to give azzi a ride. it was just the nice thing to do.Â
but azzi told her no.
âyou talked to the rook?â angel leaned into her side.Â
paige could have fallen to floor laughing at the question. she didnât know what sheâd call what sheâd done to azzi that night, but she knew it didnât count as talking.Â
âyeah.â she sighed, adjusting her chain. âi talked to the fucking rook.â
đˇď¸ @kehlaniscript @thaatdigitaldiary @hcneymooners @summer3walker @comeeatts

