#allisha gray

girl, you loud:

summary: a fellow athlete falls for caitlin clark, becoming her partner and unwavering supporter, cheering her on through every game, every injury, and every trium

p*rnstar

summary: you were known for teasing but when you tease caitlin for two weeks she over it and fucks it out of you.

almost:

summary: two players. two teams. one rivalry that never really was—just tension disguised as it. when a trade changes everything, the line between competition and connection blurs, and caitlin learns that maybe she’s not as good at pretending as she thought.

temporary distance, permanent us.: 

summary: three years, one breakup, and a league determined to put you back in the same rooms—some stories end loudly, others linger quietly until you realize you’ve already started something new.

full-court crush (ao3 special):

summary: courtside chemistry, whispered commentary, and playful chaos turn every game—and every locker room—into a secret only they share.

temporary distance, permanent us.: 

summary: three years, one breakup, and a league determined to put you back in the same rooms—some stories end loudly, others linger quietly until you realize you’ve already started something new.

the space between shots:

summary: when a quiet french transfer arrives in iowa, caitlin clark finds herself drawn to the moments between practice, glances that linger too long, and a connection neither of you quite knows how to name—leaving the line between something casual and something real dangerously blurred.

chosen, still:

summary: one night courtside turns into something impossible to take back-caught between roaring arenas and quiet rooms, you and caitlin choose each other in ways the whole world can't stop

sugar talking:

summary: in between buzzer-beaters, draft nights, and late-night confessions, they keep choosing each other even when it’s easier not to.

test drive:

summary: in the quiet spaces between buzzer-beaters and blown leads, two teammates begin to trust each other with something far riskier than the ball—and once the line starts to blur, neither of them is quite sure where it ends.

somewhere past the rivalry:

summary: after a rivalry game between iowa and uconn, a quiet introduction arranged by paige turns into a late night diner date neither of you expected, and somewhere between teasing jokes and lingering glances across a booth, it starts to feel like this might be the beginning of something neither of you planned.

series:

(mini series) completed: after the buzzer: unclaimed:

summary: after a close game and the roar of the crowd, the space between two players becomes more than just a court-it's everything left unsaid, everything still echoing, and one last glance that could change nothing or everything.

(mini series) completed: part one —“i love you so:”  part two — “i want you:”

summary: you loved caitlin clark long before she ever looked your way, quietly and completely, like a secret you whispered into the noise of her rising fame, yet years later, when the universe finally brought her back to you, every ache and almost from before came rushing home—and this time, she wanted you too.

Azzi Fudd:

one shots: 

slow-burn under the light: 

summary: a slow-burn romance unfolds between a talented wnba player and a clever, masculine sports analyst, filled with teasing, intimacy, and playful tension as they navigate flirtation both on and off the court.

sweet thing:

summary: you'd carry her world if she let you-but maybe the hardest part is learning you can't always follow where she goes.

the way she smiles and ruins me:

summary: you should have known something was coming, but nothing could've prepared you for the way one girl's quiet intentions would unravel everything you thought you understood about love.

christmas chaos with fudds:

summary: spending the holidays with azzi’s family is louder, messier, and warmer than you ever expected—and you’re not sure you want it any other way.

tangled sparks:

summary: when the universe refuses to follow the rules, the sparks between three hearts burn hotter than anyone expected—messy, flirty, and impossible to ignore.

i said it how i say it:

summary: few careless words, a crowded gym, and azzi reminding everyone—loudly and without apology—that some things are not up for jokes.

KK Arnold:

one shots:

better boyfriend then him:

summary: feeling tired of waiting for someone who doesn't show up, you find yourself drawn to kk — confident, attentive, and unwavering. as your heart grapples with guilt, fear, and longing, you slowly realize what real love feels like, culminating in the dizzying, perfect moment you finally choose her.

stupid in love:

summary: you never meant to fall for her like this. loud, messy, and all-consuming. but then again—this is kk arnold. and you’ve never been good at doing anything halfway.

the ghosts don’t text back:

summary: two years after surviving a love that nearly destroyed you, kk's gentle hands help you rebuild piece by piece-until one night, as the past resurfaces in the form of a trembling nightmare and an unexpected text, you realize some ghosts don't stay buried.

Pazzi: 

one shots:

falling into her:

summary: two athletes discover love in fleeting moments on and off the court, falling for each other again and again until they surrender to it.

sails, secrets, and shenanigans: 

summary: paige and azzi embark on a chaotic, romantic, and magical cruise adventure that leads them from playful shipboard antics to a secluded port cove filled with laughter, intimacy, and connection.

sing me something true: 

summary: at a messy reunion night out, paige surprises her old uconn friends with a raw karaoke performance that leaves azzi seeing her in a whole new light

sugar, smoke, and sparks:

summary: a playful cooking date between paige and azzi spirals into a chaotic, flirty disaster, proving that their chemistry is far sweeter than any dessert.

!! i don't write for pazzi anymore unless mentioned in other stories !!

Kate Martin:

one shots: 

sweet desire:

summary: you and kate had met due you being the team's photographer and yet you just wanted to be hers yet like a sweet desire

always your shield: 

summary: after a win and a tense club encounter, kate's protective instincts melt into soft domestic warmth-until an unexpected knock at the door leaves both of you on edge, hearts racing, and the night suspended between comfort and suspense.

he wasn’t man enough:

summary: one night, a stolen moment and quiet closeness leave everything hanging on the edge of what could happen next.

love you like a love song:

summary: you’ve written dozens of songs before, but none have ever felt like this—none have ever sounded like her. what starts as a class project turns into a confession you never meant to sing out loud.

late again:

summary: it’s a pattern by now—blame the alarms,blame the matcha, blame her. mostly her.

caught in 4k (again, again):

summary: being mic'd up was never a good idea-especially when your girlfriend's patience is already hanging by a thread but you swear you're not trying to drive her insane. it just...happens.

trouble never looked so familiar:

summary: she swears she’s changed, you swear you won’t fall again, and everyone else swears the tension between you is going to burn the whole season down—only one of you is right, but neither wants to admit which one it is.

the art of shutting you up:

summary: after practice turns into an argument you absolutely refuse to stop fueling, kate finds the one way to quiet you—leaving the two of you standing in the echoing gym, suddenly unsure what comes next… and why it feels like everything just changed.

temporary distance, permanent us.: 

summary: three years, one breakup, and a league determined to put you back in the same rooms—some stories end loudly, others linger quietly until you realize you’ve already started something new.

where we left off:

summary: months apart, one reunion, and the quiet realization that some connections don’t fade with distance—they wait.

crybaby:

summary: she’s always been nervous, and kate doesn’t ask why—but tonight, nothing breaks between them, and something finally shifts.

casual:

summary: in a city full of almosts and what-ifs, one night forces the two of you to stop pretending you don’t want exactly what you’ve been avoiding.

2 hands:

summary: three months in, kate learns that some nights need less talking and more hands—and that quiet might be the loudest way to want someone.

sober thoughts:

summary: a confession meant to end in rejection becomes something far more dangerous when silence, proximity, and one unforgettable kiss begin to rewrite everything kate thought she understood.

sweet & sour:

summary: two exes, one courtside seat, and a game that ends with everything they never said standing far too close to say it now.o

my fav seat:

summary: after a hard-fought win, the real tension doesn’t happen under arena lights — it waits in the quiet spaces afterward, where pride, possession, and something deeper start to blur.

under bright gym lights:

summary: what starts as a secret crush exposed on a careless live stream turns into something neither of them expected—and now distance, timing, and stolen moments under stadium lights might be the only things standing between almost and forever.

baby I'm jealous:

summary: after a quiet flicker of jealousy beneath arena lights, kate makes it clear that some choices aren’t up for debate and neither is who she walks toward when the game ends.

endlessly:

summary: on a brand-new expansion team in the bay, two former rivals discover that the chemistry making them unstoppable on the court might be leading them somewhere far more dangerous off it.

stay with me:

summary: when a routine practice shifts into something neither of you can control, rivalry fades and only one truth remains—she will always come when someone says your name.

one way or another:

summary: kate has never been the type to back down from a challenge — but when one quiet stranger at a gala becomes the most interesting competition in the room, she realizes some wins start with a napkin, a number, and a kiss that might mean more than either of them planned.

loving you:

summary: somewhere between the wnba draft and their first rivalry game between the last vegas aces and the dallas wings, kate realizes she’s been paying a little too much attention to the wrong player.

nothing to hide:

summary: when kate and veronica try (very unsuccessfully) to keep their relationship quiet from the rest of the valkyries, the locker room starts noticing things they definitely weren’t supposed to notice, and once the team starts paying attention, the two of them realize hiding might have been the easy part.

all i can say:

summary: what starts as a quiet secret between you and kate turns into the breeze’s favorite running joke, and with paige leading the investigation—and the trolling—not even a date in miami is safe.

coconut:

summary: after a game, a quiet arena tunnel, and a tunnel fit kate can’t stop staring at, five promised minutes turns into something that lingers a little longer than either of them planned.

please me: (on masterlist i under veronica)

summary: what starts as a quiet night and a long-awaited moment between them slowly unfolds into something softer, deeper, and far more vulnerable than either of them expected.

hrs & hrs:

summary: newly dating kate meets liam, your three-year-old whirlwind of giggles, lisped confessions, and endless curiosity, and suddenly what started as nerves and sick-day chaos unfolds into a messy, tender, and utterly captivating kind of love that feels like home—but nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

motion sickness:

summary: she thought distance would make it easier, but some things don’t fade—they just wait until you’re brave enough to stop running.

kissing in public:

summary: after days of holding back, kate finally gives in, teasing and testing, turning a quiet Iowa afternoon into a storm of stolen kisses and lingering touches, leaving only the two of them tangled in heat and desire.

sweat:

summary: a quiet morning meant for discipline slips into something softer, where every pause feels intentional and every touch says more than either of you ever quite put into words.

casual:

summary: in the middle of training camp chaos and media-day lights, kate keeps telling herself nothing is changing until veronica starts treating silence like it belongs to both of them, and kate can’t tell anymore where distance ends and wanting begins.

mini series: (on masterlist i under veronica)

l&w: summary: a late-night tiktok edit wasn’t supposed to mean anything, but once the video starts looping, veronica can’t stop watching, and the quiet conversation that follows leaves both of them standing on the edge of something neither of them is ready to name.

w&l: summary: what starts as a jealous argument about a tiktok edit turns into something neither of them meant to admit, and somewhere between frustration, silence, and late-night confessions, kate and veronica realize the fight might actually be about something much bigger than either of them expected.

Rhyne Howard:

one shots:

unrequited love:

summary: you’ve loved her from the very first moment, every glance, every pass, every shared victory, but some hearts don’t beat the same way—and sometimes the hardest game to win isn’t on the court

always in my court:

summary: three years in, rhyne thinks she knows everything about you—but one unexpected game day might just prove her wrong.

kiss me:

summary: two people who loved each other once, meeting again just long enough to remember why it hurt.

Aubrey Griffin:

one shots:

chasing pavements:

summary: caught between the rhythm of the wnba and the ache of long-distance love, you and aubrey keep running toward each other, chasing pavements that may never end—but the moments you steal together make every mile worth it.

ego:

summary: after years of almosts, inside jokes, and missed timing, one reckless kiss at center court forces two girls who have always known to finally decide what happens when falling stops being a game.

the girl is mine:

summary: you wore a dress to a uconn game and ruined two people’s lives—the only question is whose you’re going to save.

KWN:

nothing yet :(

Nika Mühl:

one shots:

the gravity between us:

summary: nothing at uconn was supposed to change—until one hoodie mix-up, one jealous glare, and one late-night confession shifted everything, leaving the team whispering and you wondering how far you’re both willing to fall.

Sonia Citron:

one shots:

only for you:

summary: everyone knows soni doesn’t talk much—until you walk in; then suddenly she’s all laughter, soft eyes, and the kind of warmth that could ruin you if you’re not careful.

in the stands:

summary: a quiet fight, an empty bed, and a jersey that still smells like her-when the buzzer sounds, and the world is watching, she only sees you.

something there:

summary: in the midst of teasing, stolen glances, and unspoken feelings, two longtime rivals turned teammates navigate a fragile, electric tension that could finally spark—or shatter—everything between them.

slowly yours:

summary: two childhood best friends spend a decade circling the truth they’re both too scared to touch—until heartbreak, bad timing, and one stolen kiss.

salt in the air, your hand in mine:

summary: miami is hot, the season is new, and finally, she’s here—close enough to feel every heartbeat and hold every moment you’ve been waiting for.

how deep is your love:

summary: years after a childhood rivalry in a small gym in new york, a championship win brings you and sonia back to the same quiet question neither of you has ever been brave enough to answer.

floor burn:

summary: you take a brittney griner foul to the back of the head and call it a compliment sonia holds your hand through the whole fourth quarter and has not forgiven you.

Georgia Amoore:

one shots:

capital letters:

summary: a midseason trade sends you from dallas to washington. you already have history here—friends that feel like home. what you don’t expect is an australian point guard with a soft smile, a sharper game, and an accent that tangles beautifully with yours.

weak for your love:

summary: seven hundred and thirty days of telling yourself one handshake didn’t mean anything, and then you’re her teammate, and she says things like depends what you’re hungry for and waits until you get inside and then three words after a preseason win make you wonder if you imagined all of it.

the lady in my life:

summary: she flirts with everyone the barista, the ball boy, the woman at the hotel front desk at eleven at night she has never once, in your entire time as her teammate, looked directly at you and said something easy. you've been trying to figure out what you did wrong turns out you didn't do anything at all.

Sarah Strong:

twelve hours from you:

summary: you're paige's, which means you're always around, which means sarah strong has to figure out what to do with someone who fits everywhere they're not supposed to—including, eventually, with her.

Juju Watkins:

one shots:

holding court:

summary: you grow up being measured against someone else—until love, loss, and the space after rivalry teach you who you are when no one is watching.

loving you is easy:

summary: two athletes, two worlds, one connection—what happens when the easiest love becomes the hardest to hold onto?

contracted love:

summary: what starts as a harmless agreement between rivals slowly turns into something neither of you planned for, forcing you to choose between loyalty, secrecy, and the kind of love that was never supposed to be real.

wgft:

summary: a late-night drive, a song said a little too confidently, and the quiet realization that some moments don’t end when the car stops—they follow you home.

don’t play with us:

summary: a camera gets turned on at the wrong moment, and suddenly love, trust, and boundaries are tested under bright lights—leaving juju to show everyone exactly what she protects, and who she never lets go of.

love language:

summary: when the moment that was never meant to be seen becomes impossible to ignore, juju and naomi—a sports med assistant who knows her body as well as her heart—must learn how to heal, love, and protect something sacred while the world listens in, even though some languages are only meant to be spoken in private.

honey:

summary: two rivals share something they’re never supposed to name, and when the line between love and competition finally snaps, neither of them walks away untouched.

afterthought:

summary: two people who learned how to love each other in pieces are forced to decide whether choosing each other—again and again—will be enough when everything around them keeps trying to pull them apart.

taboo:

summary: what starts as a ruthless rivalry between two players who refuse to lose slowly turns into something far more complicated, something that lingers long after the buzzer sounds and leaves both of you wondering if the game was ever the only thing at stake.

when you were mine:

summary: you don’t notice the exact moment love leaves—you only realize it’s gone when she starts giving the parts of herself that used to be yours to someone else.

something like a rivalry:

summary: she’s your rival, she’s in your city now, and she’s been watching your tape for months—the question was never if, only when.

dandelion:

summary: the song comes on as a joke juju doesn't take it as one you spend the rest of the night paying for it.

mini series:

eyes on me:  eyes on you:

eom: summary: in a game where the crowd’s roar is only the beginning, one fleeting moment of danger changes everything, leaving two hearts tethered in ways neither expected—and you can feel the tension before the first whistle even blows.

eoy: summary: when the arena erupts into chaos and tragedy strikes, juju and you finally confess everything in a single devastating moment—but the story lingers in every glance and every heartbeat on the court thereafter.

Kennedy Smith:

silent signals:

summary: she notices the way you move through the world quietly, the small gestures no one else sees—and somehow, that’s enough to pull her in closer than you ever expected.

Grace Knox:

one shots:

between lanes and lines:

summary: two athletes from rival schools learn that distance isn’t measured in miles alone, and the hardest races are the ones you run toward each other.

beyond the final buzzer:

summary: returning to what once broke you is easy. choosing something new—quiet, steady, and unexpected—is harder. at lsu, love, loss, and recovery blur together, and not every turning point happens on the court.

two in a row (but who’s counting):

summary: you’ve been courtside for every high and low this season—so when grace drops two straight, you show up the only way you know how: support first, jokes second, love always.

i hate that i love you like this:

summary: after a fight that ends in silence instead of resolution, the space between you and grace grows loud enough for everyone to notice—until she shows up with all the things you love, hoping it’s not already too late to be chosen.

jealousy:

summary: when jealousy lingers longer than it should, you and grace are forced to confront what it really means to choose each other—and what happens when love is quiet, but certain.

time machine:

summary: after months of silence and a breakup built on fear rather than absence of love, a single lingering glance beneath arena lights forces two exes to decide whether “almost” is enough—or if they’re finally ready to try again.

3005: (wattpad exclusive):

summary: a crowded off-campus party, a quiet balcony, and a misunderstanding that has grace convinced you belong to someone else—until the truth starts slipping out between late-night laughter and the realization that your lives are closer than either of you thought.

nobody like u:

summary: you stay late after practice just to see grace, and somewhere between a lucky shot and a quiet challenge for tomorrow, the night turns into something that feels like the beginning of more than either of you planned.

mosquito:

summary: some nights, grace stays behind after practice for the quiet of the court—but tonight, it isn’t the gym that lingers in her mind. it’s the sound of your laughter from the bleachers and the way her hand finds yours in the parking lot like letting go was never really an option.

love affair:

summary: what was supposed to be a quiet night in your apartment after practice turns chaotic when a casual team live stream accidentally catches you and grace in the background—revealing a relationship neither the lsu gymnastics team nor the lsu women’s basketball team knew existed, and suddenly everyone is watching.

Bella Hines:

one shots:

off courts foul:

summary: enemies on the court, chaos off it, and every stolen moment makes the game-and their hearts-harder to play.

beyond the final buzzer:

summary: returning to what once broke you is easy. choosing something new—quiet, steady, and unexpected—is harder. at lsu, love, loss, and recovery blur together, and not every turning point happens on the court.

right in front of you:

summary: some love doesn’t arrive loudly—it waits, aches, and lingers until the moment you finally turn around and realize it’s been choosing you the whole time.

toxic gas & true love:

summary: bella goes live after practice expecting chaos from the comments—not from her girlfriend. what starts as harmless payback turns into an lsu-wide disaster, an ended instagram live, and a very public reminder that bella hines may be a menace…but she’s your menace.

like I want you:

summary: bella loves you softly and too late. you belong to someone else—someone who doesn’t deserve you—and bella learns what it means to want without taking.

when the quiet girl looks up:

summary: she thrives in silence and steals momentum under arena lights; you fill every quiet space with warmth—and somewhere between debate podiums and fourth-quarter steals, you both realize being chosen goes both ways.

everyone d*es:

summary: sometimes the hardest part of loving someone isn’t the love itself, it’s everything outside of it, the silence, the fear, the moments where holding her hand feels simple but the world around you doesn’t.

lipstick lover:

summary: bella thought she was getting used to the distance between baton rouge and los angeles, until one night in the middle of a packed arena she looks up and realizes the one person she’s been missing the most might not be as far away as she thought.

worth it anyway:

summary: a quiet night turns into something softer than expected, and the moment bella forgets to let go might end up meaning a lot more than either of you planned.

Olivia Miles:

one shots:

clearer than 20/20:

summary: you didn’t expect covering one unfamiliar shift to put you face-to-face with betrayal, healing, and the woman who would change how you see everything.

Jada Richard:

one shots:

after the first l:

summary: two back-to-back losses, one courtside girlfriend, and a superstar trying to find her footing—sometimes the hardest battles happen off the court.

Lauren Betts:

one shots:

home is where you are:

summary: after one late practice confession under humming gym lights, you’re forced to confront the difference between where you’re expected to belong and where your heart has already decided to stay.

girls like girls:

summary: in the city where everything finally aligns, two former rivals learn that winning together is easier than surviving alone, but some ghosts from the past still know how to linger in the quiet moments between games.

my moon my man:

summary: you lied to her just to be there but by the end of the night, she asks you to stay in a way that changes everything.

on purpose:

summary: she knew exactly what she was doing when she said yes, and so did lauren, and that's the thing about three years of careful—eventually you both stop pretending the word means anything at all.

Flau’jae Johnson:

come thru:

summary: what starts as flau’jae lingering a little too long after practice slowly turns into something neither of you are really pretending not to notice anymore, especially once she decides she’s done waiting.

Angel Reese:

lish's hands are everywhere, sliding up your thighs with purpose, her breath hot against your neck as she presses you back against the mattress. her twists fall forward, brushing against your collarbone, and you can feel the heat radiating off her skin.

"been wanting this all day," she murmurs against your throat, teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. her fingers hook into the waistband of your jeans, tugging them down with an urgency that makes your stomach flip.

you help her, lifting your hips, and she tosses them somewhere across the room without looking. her eyes are dark, focused entirely on you, taking in every inch of exposed skin like she's committing it to memory.

when her hand slides between your legs, palm pressing against the fabric of your panties, she lets out a low sound of approval. "fuck, you're already so wet."

you can feel yourself throbbing under her touch, hips rolling up to meet her hand, desperate for more friction. she gives it to you, rubbing slow circles that have you gasping, fingers digging into her shoulders.

but then she's pulling back, trying to hook her fingers under the elastic to pull them aside, and the angle isn't working. she tries again, frustration flickering across her face as the fabric snaps back into place.

"these fucking—" she mutters, trying to maneuver around them, but they keep shifting, getting in her way. you can see her jaw tighten, that impatient energy building in her shoulders.

"lish, just—"

"nah, hold on," she cuts you off, sitting back on her heels. she grabs the waistband with both hands, trying to slide them down, but you're pressed so close together that there's not enough room. she huffs out a breath, her twists swaying as she shifts position.

you start to move to help, but she's already yanking at them again, and this time the fabric twists around your thighs, caught and tangled.

"are you fucking serious right now?" she says, and there's something almost funny about how genuinely annoyed she sounds, except you're just as desperate as she is and the delay is torture.

she tries to unwrap them, fingers fumbling with the twisted material, and you can see the muscle in her jaw working. "why are these so—these need to just—"

"lish, baby, just rip them," you breathe out, and her eyes snap up to meet yours.

"yeah?"

"yes, please, just—"

you don't even finish the sentence before you hear the fabric tear, the sound sharp in the quiet room. she rips them clean off, tossing the ruined panties over her shoulder, and the look on her face is pure satisfaction.

"that's better," she says, voice rough, and then her hands are on you again, skin to skin this time, nothing in the way.

her fingers slide through your wetness, and you both moan at the contact. she doesn't tease now, doesn't make you wait—she's done waiting. two fingers push inside you, and your back arches off the bed, a broken sound escaping your throat.

"that's it," she murmurs, her other hand gripping your hip to hold you steady as she sets a rhythm that has you seeing stars. "should've just done that from the start."

you can't form words anymore, can only hold onto her as she works you over, her thumb finding your clit while her fingers curl inside you, hitting that spot that makes your thighs shake.

"look at you," she says, and there's something possessive in her voice, in the way she watches your face. "so fucking pretty like this. all mine."

the tension builds fast, coiling tight in your belly, and she can feel it, the way you're clenching around her fingers. she leans down, mouth finding yours in a messy kiss, swallowing your moans as she fucks you harder.

"come on, baby," she breathes against your lips. "let me feel it."

and you do, falling apart under her touch, pleasure crashing through you in waves that leave you trembling. she works you through it, fingers gentling but not stopping until you're whimpering from oversensitivity.

when she finally pulls out, she brings her fingers to her mouth, holding your gaze as she tastes you, and the sight alone nearly makes you come again.

"worth the wait," she says with a smirk, leaning down to kiss you again, letting you taste yourself on her tongue. "but next time? no panties."

you laugh breathlessly, pulling her closer. "deal."

you and rhyne had just gotten out of a long day of practice, and you guys decided to go get dinner together.

you guys got your food, you’re eating and talking about random stuff. practice, teammates, social media drama.

then somehow allisha comes up.

rhyne’s laughing at something you said, then she slips up and says, “allisha talks about you more than she talks about basketball.”

you pause.

“what?” you say, a little bit of shock in your tone.

rhyne pretends she doesn’t hear you and continues to eat.

“i didn’t say anything,” she says, trying to dismiss it.

“no, you said something alright,” you say, pointing your fork at her. “what do you mean she talks about me more than basketball?”

rhyne is still silently staring at her plate.

rhyne still remains silent before she puts her head up, looking hesitant.

“i wasn’t supposed to tell you. she only told me and naz. she told us to keep it to ourselves,” she says.

“what does she say about me?”

“nothing.”

“just say it, rhy. i won’t tell her you told me,” you say, knowing you don’t plan on not telling her.

“rhyyyy, come on. i promise,” you say, dragging out her name.

rhyne caves, knowing you won’t let it go until she tells you. that’s just how you are.

“fine. don’t bring it up to her though. she’s gonna get me.”

you sit back.

“she mentions you whatever chance she gets. about how you’re pretty, how nice you are, your laugh, your smile, your fashion sense. everything.”

“allisha thinks i’m pretty?” you say loudly.

“is that the only thing you heard?” rhyne says, rolling her eyes.

“but i mean, who doesn’t think you’re pretty? look at you.”

your lips slowly curl into a smile after hearing what rhyne said.

“you’re so sweet. thank you, rhy!”

rhyne shakes her head.

“never met someone so unaware.”

“uhm, that was a bit rude.”

rhyne smiles, laughing a little.

“she has a huge crush on you.”

you pause.

“wait, you’re serious?”

“so serious.”

“allisha gray has a crush on me?”

“yes.”

“an actual crush?”

rhyne slowly nods her head.

“since when?”

“a few months now.”

and boy was that news for you.

you couldn’t wait to ask her about this at practice tomorrow.

you barely got any sleep last night, seeing that you spent the whole night thinking about what rhyne told you.

you’ve been hesitating to talk to allisha about what rhyne told you. you’re super nervous when you finally gain the courage to go ask her about it.

you scan the gym looking for allisha and you spot her.

you run over to her.

allisha smiles upon seeing you.

“hey lish, i wanted to ask you about something.”

“yeah, what’s up?”

you don’t waste any time.

“do you have a crush on me?”

allisha drops the basketball she’s holding and she freezes.

“excuse me?”

“do you?”

“wait, who told you that?”

you don’t say anything. you stand there waiting for her to answer your question.

allisha stops to think which of the two people she told about it told you, and she has a big feeling it was rhyne.

“did rhyne tell you?”

“so it’s true?”

allisha covers her face.

“this is embarrassing as hell.”

“allisha gray.”

“yes?”

“do you have a crush on me?”

allisha just looks at you for a few seconds, then she sighs.

“yes.”

once it’s out, she starts spilling about everything because she’s been holding it in forever.

she tells you everything.

how long she’s liked you, how you make her nervous when you come around, how she stares at you when you’re not looking, how she gets excited when you text her, how naz and rhyne get annoyed when she brings you up.

you’re just smiling the entire time, which only makes her more nervous.

“stop smiling.”

“why?”

“uhm, maybe because i’m spilling my heart out to you right now.”

you laugh.

she has a serious expression on her face.

“oh, you’re deadass. my bad.”

“exactly.”

allisha shakes her head, then she takes a deep breath.

“can i ask you something?”

“shoot.”

“would you maybe wanna be my girlfriend?”

you don’t even hesitate.

“of course!” you say excitedly, jumping up as you wrap your arms around her waist, pulling her into a hug.

allisha blinks and wraps her arms around you too, still processing what just happened.

she smiles.

later, allisha goes over to rhyne and naz, who are both in the corner obviously gossiping.

allisha walks over to them.

“rhyne, i told you not to tell,” allisha says.

“well, you have the girl you’ve been wanting for the longest now, don’t you? say thank you, rhyne.”

“whatever, thank you, i guess.”

“oh well, good enough,” rhyne says, and her, allisha, and naz burst out laughing.

The game had been physical from the opening tip.

Not dirty.

Just one of those games.

Bodies flying over screens, jerseys getting tugged, loose balls ending with three people on the hardwood.

You and Allisha had already spent three quarters making each other’s jobs miserable.

“Quit reaching,” you muttered after she slapped at the ball again.

She grinned.

“Quit dribblin’ so high.”

“You are so annoying.”

“Still got the ball though.”

“Unfortunately.”

The ref shoved the ball back into your hands before either of you could keep talking.

“Let’s go.”

⸻

Midway through the fourth.

Tie game.

Every possession mattered.

You caught the ball on the wing and attacked immediately.

One hard dribble.

Spin.

A second defender stepped over.

Contact.

The whistle echoed through the arena before your second foot could hit the floor.

Your momentum kept carrying you forward.

Your balance disappeared.

For a split second it looked like you were about to plant face-first onto the hardwood.

Except…

You never got the chance.

Two arms wrapped around your waist.

Firm.

Easy.

Like she’d done it a hundred times.

Instead of crashing forward—

You were lifted.

Literally.

Both feet left the floor for half a second as Allisha caught your momentum and pulled you upright before setting you back down on your sneakers.

The two of you were already looking toward the referee.

“So whose ball?” you asked, brushing your shorts off like nothing had happened.

“Looked like they got you on the reach.”

“Mhm.”

“Aight.”

She gave your hip one absent pat, the same absent-minded kind someone gives a teammate after helping them up.

Then jogged toward her bench for the timeout.

Neither of you even acknowledged it.

Because neither of you had.

It had happened before your brains could catch up.

⸻

The first person to say something…

Wasn’t the internet.

It wasn’t the commentators.

It was your own teammate.

The second you reached the huddle she stared at you.

“…Girl.”

“What?”

“…Did she just pick you up?”

You blinked.

“What?”

“Like…”

She mimed wrapping both arms around someone’s waist.

“…Pick you up.”

“I was falling.”

“So?”

“…So she caught me.”

Your teammate looked at everyone else.

“Y’all saw that, right?”

Another one snorted.

“I know damn well I don’t pick up nobody from the waist professionally.”

Laughter broke out around the huddle.

You frowned.

“Y’all are making it weird.”

“We’re making it weird?”

“She lifted you.”

“So I didn’t eat hardwood.”

“I’m just saying…”

She leaned closer.

“That was a domestic save.”

⸻

Across the floor…

Atlanta’s bench wasn’t doing much better.

As soon as Allisha sat down, rhyne bumped her shoulder.

“…You good?”

“Hm?”

“You just…”

Another teammate stood up and demonstrated the motion.

Scooping someone clean off the floor.

“You know…”

Allisha stared.

“…She was finna bust her face.”

“So?”

“So I caught her.”

“With both arms?”

“Girl, how else was I supposed to catch her?”

The entire bench dissolved.

One player wiped imaginary tears.

“I’m cryin’.”

Another shook her head.

“Lish…”

“What?”

“You ain’t help her up.”

“I know.”

“You picked her UP.”

“I wasn’t thinkin’.”

“No kidding.”

⸻

The timeout ended.

The game resumed.

Neither of you mentioned it.

In fact…

You forgot about it completely.

Until after the game.

You were halfway through changing when your phone started vibrating.

Again.

Again.

And again.

“…What now?”

You unlocked it.

Thirty-seven notifications.

Forty-two.

Sixty-eight.

Your group chat had exploded.

Girl…

EXPLAIN THIS.

A screen recording.

You tapped it.

The broadcast angle caught everything.

The whistle.

You stumbling.

Allisha immediately wrapping both arms around your waist.

Lifting you completely off the floor before gently setting you back down.

Then…

The funniest part.

The two of you continuing your conversation like she’d just handed you the basketball.

No embarrassment.

No pause.

Nothing.

Just…

“So whose ball?”

You laughed out loud.

“Oh my God.”

Across the room your teammate looked over.

“You finally watched it?”

“…Yeah.”

“I told you.”

“You made it sound worse than it was.”

She looked offended.

“Worse?”

She walked over and replayed the clip.

“Lemme ask you something.”

She paused on the exact frame where your feet weren’t touching the floor.

“…Do those look like professional coworker activities to you?”

You started laughing harder.

Meanwhile…

Across town…

Atlanta’s locker room was having the exact same discussion.

Someone had connected the locker room TV to social media.

The clip replayed.

Allisha walked past carrying her bag.

“…Can y’all quit watchin’ that?”

“No.”

“Lish.”

“No.”

A teammate paused the video.

“You literally scooped her.”

“I caught her.”

“You cradled her.”

“I absolutely did not cradle—”

“You almost bridal carried that girl!.”

“I did not!”

Another teammate leaned back.

“I ain’t never seen somebody prevent a common foul from turnin’ into a romcom movie.”

The room erupted.

Allisha covered her face.

“Lord…”

Someone from the back called out in the thickest fake Southern accent imaginable,

“Aw, bless your heart. Reflexes don’t usually come with that much tenderness.”

“Oh, hush.”

By the next morning…

The clip had escaped basketball Twitter.

Not because it looked romantic.

Because it looked…

Oddly intimate.

People kept replaying the split second after the whistle.

Noticing how automatic it was.

No hesitation.

No awkwardness.

No checking to see who was watching.

Just instinct.

Most fans chalked it up to sportsmanship.

Others weren’t convinced.

One viral tweet read:

“Either Allisha Gray is the nicest opponent alive… or there is a LEVEL of familiarity here I cannot explain.”

Another replied,

“She caught her like she knew exactly how she’d fall.”

Then someone slowed the clip down.

Frame by frame.

Showing how Allisha’s hands found your waist before you even started going down.

Someone simply wrote:

“That wasn’t a decision. That was muscle memory.”

Neither of you liked the tweets.

Neither of you addressed them.

You just texted each other later that night.

You: Apparently you saved me a little too professionally. 😂

Three dots.

Then,

Lish: Girl…

Another message followed almost immediately.

Lish: …you almost kissed the floor. What was I supposed to do?

You: Not pick me up like I weigh twelve pounds.

A minute passed.

Then

Lish: …can’t promise that won’t happen again.

You stared at your phone, smiling before typing back.

You: looking forward to it.

Because that was the thing.

Neither of you had meant to tell on yourselves.

Your bodies just had.

And somehow, that made the whole thing even sweeter.

————