#final four

You already knew minutes ago what the outcome of the game is, but when the final buzzer goes off, the entire UCLA section goes insane around you. Hugging Michelle, Lo's mom, you try to wipe the tears running down her face before you attempt to make out with your girlfriend on the court.

You can barely even look for her before you feel a strong hand sliding around your waist, turning you around. Immediately, your face lights up at the sight of your girlfriend. Carelessly, you throw your arms around her as she picks you up, squeezing you tightly, her sweaty body sticking to you, but you honestly can't help but not care.

"You were so fucking amazing, Lo," You whisper into her ear, peppering her face with kisses before she pulls you away just enough to press your lips together softly.

Surrounding you, people try to talk to her, but she simply ignores them, listening to every last little comment and replay you give her on the game, nodding and smiling, giggling at certain parts, and squeezing you at others until she's forced back down to the court for pictures and such.

When families are allowed on the court with the players, you gladly follow Michelle, the two of you holding hands and quietly conversing the whole way there. Of course, you congratulate Lauren's teammates before finding her again.

"Sister-in-law!" Sienna exclaims, throwing her arms around you. Both the sisters are fucking tall, so the height difference is insane around them, like you feel so short. "You came!"

"Did you think I wasn't?" Sassily, you throw an eyebrow up, smiling before hugging her back. "I had to see my favorite player." Pretending to ignore your girlfriend's expectant giddiness, you point at her sister, nodding before you crack a smile at your girlfriend. Your favorite player.

Cheesing, you take about a million pictures with your girlfriend and the Betts', your cheeks honestly hurting by the time you're escorted off the court and into a side room to wait for Lo.

She comes out of the locker room after about 30 minutes of waiting, her hair damp from the shower, and with a fresh pair of jeans on and a tight tank top.

Non-sweaty now, you're much more inclined to open your arms for a hug.

Deciding to skip the bus, you decide to walk to the afterparty, her arm wrapped tightly around your shoulders to keep you warm as you debrief on the game.

"Oh my gosh, Lo, and there was this really stupid guy sitting next to your mom and I who would like to yell every time you got a basket and make fun of you. I was so freaking mad, like every time he opened his mouth,"

She just chuckles at your story, looking down and nodding as you walk together. "Hater's gonna hate,"

Pretending to be disgusted, you jostled her gently with your side. "Ew, you're weird,"

Smiling, she looks down to the side at you, and fuck, you melt. "Hey, you have to be nice to me tonight, I just won a natty."

Raising your eyebrow, you give her a pointed look. "But I'm still your girlfriend, I have rights to make fun of you,"

Shaking her head, she laughs. "Whatever,"

The club is, obviously, packed when you arrive, teammates everywhere, most of them already drunk, and all you can see is a sea of UCLA jerseys filling the giant room.

God, it's gonna be a long night.

Normally, you and Lo go to bed relatively early, so for the pair of you, it's gonna be longer than normal, but you're celebrating her, so you'll do it.

The night is spent with her hands all over you, on the small of your back, wrapped around your waist, gripping your hand. Just everywhere. She watches as you dance with Sienna, making eye contact every couple of seconds in a way that lets her know you're doing it for her. And you are. So you do.

Eventually, you pull her into the dance group you got going, grinding up against her in a way that you know drives her insane, teasing her beyond belief until she's pulling you away and back to a table the team has reserved.

She orders a couple of drinks for the two of you, both of you wanting to keep it light despite the partying.

Lounging now, you lean into her, your back pressing against her chest as you quietly converse, occasionally joining in someone else's conversation.

"Guess what I brought," She says quietly into your ear, her breath ghosting your neck before she pulls away.

Whipping your head around, you know exactly what she brought. "Oh yeah? The glittery one?" You smirk.

She snorts at this comment, but nods. "Yep, baby, there's gonna be glitter all up in your belly tonight,"

to you, though, he was just dad but he was the man who woke up before sunrise on school mornings to make pancakes because your mom insisted he wasn't allowed to burn them anymore he was the one who sat through every dance recital before you realized basketball had quietly stolen your heart. 

he was the parent who somehow managed to make it home after west coast road trips just in time to tuck you and your siblings into bed, even if he looked exhausted enough to fall asleep standing up.

your mom, ayesha, liked to joke that basketball might have been the family business, but love was what kept the house together she wasn't wrong.

your childhood wasn't built around championships or trophies it was built around loud dinners where everyone talked over each other, movie nights that usually ended with canon falling asleep on somebody's shoulder, and competitive family game nights that somehow became more intense than an nba finals game.

riley had always been the dramatic one ryan had mastered the art of sarcasm before she was even a teenager, canon simply existed to create chaos and you?

you had inherited just enough of both your parents to keep everyone on their toes being the oldest meant there was never a moment where someone wasn't looking up to you. 

sometimes that felt like pressure, but most days it simply felt like home your father never pushed basketball on you not once.

the first time you picked up one of his old basketballs, you were barely tall enough to dribble without chasing it across the driveway after every bounce. 

stephen had leaned against the garage, coffee in one hand, watching as you stubbornly refused to give up after the ball rolled into the flower bed for what felt like the hundredth time. "need some help?" he'd asked.

you had shaken your head so hard your tiny ponytail whipped across your face. "i got it." he smiled. "yeah?"

"yeah." he didn't move instead, he waited he watched you stumble after the ball another five times before you finally managed three dribbles in a row.

when you looked up at him with the biggest grin he'd ever seen, he clapped like you'd just won a championship.

from that day forward, he never taught you how to become stephen curry he taught you how to become yourself there was never a conversation about living up to the curry name.

if anything, your parents worked harder than anyone else to make sure you didn't feel trapped beneath it.

"people are always going to compare you to me," your dad had told you one afternoon after a middle school game where reporters asked more questions about him than they did about your twenty-eight points.

he'd been driving home while you stared out the passenger-side window. "that's their job." you frowned. "it's annoying."

"i know."

"they keep saying i'm only good because i'm your daughter." he was quiet for a moment before pulling into the driveway then he turned the car off and looked at you.

"do you know why that doesn't bother me?" you shrugged. "because one day..." he smiled softly. "...they're going to stop saying you're stephen curry's daughter."

your eyebrows pulled together. "what'll they say?" he reached over and gently tapped your forehead. "they'll say i'm y/n curry's dad."

that sentence stayed with you through middle school through high school through every ranking, every tournament, every article that mentioned your last name before your first name.

people loved assuming your story had already been written they assumed growing up around greatness automatically made greatness easy.

they didn't see the mornings when your alarm rang before the sun came up so you could get extra shots in before class.

they didn't see the nights when you sat in an empty gym shooting free throws until your arms felt too heavy to lift.

they didn't see the tears after losses or the frustration after bad games or the days where nothing seemed to fall no matter how many shots you took.

your father saw all of it he never fixed those moments for you he simply reminded you to keep showing up. "bad shooting days happen."

"so do bad weeks."

"just don't let them become bad habits." those words became part of who you were by the time colleges started calling, your highlight tapes had taken on a life of their own.

every sports network had an opinion, some believed you should stay close to home, others thought you should create as much distance from your father's legacy as possible.

social media debated every visit, every commitment rumor, every smile caught on camera. you ignored all of it because your decision had never been about escaping your family.

it had been about finding somewhere that felt like home the first time you stepped onto ucla's campus, something clicked.

it wasn't the banners hanging from the rafters it wasn't the facilities it wasn't even the coaches it was the people.

they didn't introduce themselves by asking what it was like being stephen curry's daughter they asked who you were what kind of teammate you wanted to become.

what kind of leader you hoped to be that mattered, it mattered more than anyone realized so when you committed to ucla, the headlines practically wrote themselves.

"curry daughter heads west."

"basketball royalty joins the bruins."

"legacy continues."

you rolled your eyes at every single one because they still didn't understand this wasn't about continuing someone else's legacy.

it was about beginning your own the funny thing was, basketball wasn't the only thing waiting for you in los angeles the first time you met lauren betts happened completely by accident it wasn't some dramatic movie moment where time slowed down and violins started playing. 

there weren't sparks flying across the gym or teammates whispering, oh my gosh, they're going to fall in love instead, you quite literally walked into her hard.

your shoulder collided with hers as you rounded the corner outside the practice facility, sending the binder tucked beneath your arm tumbling onto the sidewalk. papers scattered everywhere, carried by a light california breeze before either of you had a chance to react. "oh my gosh," you blurted, crouching down almost immediately. "i'm so sorry."

"no, that's my fault," another voice answered just as quickly you reached for the same piece of paper at the exact same time your hands bumped together both of you froze for exactly half a second before laughing. "well..." she smiled sheepishly. "this is embarrassing."

"a little." she handed you the paper she'd picked up before extending her hand. "Lauren." you took it. "y/n." there was a brief pause, her eyes widened. "...wait."

you sighed dramatically.

"please don't."

"you're—"

"yeah."

"steph curry's—"

"unfortunately, yes." she immediately laughed.  "i wasn't gonna say it like that."

"everyone says it like that."

"fair point." you couldn't help laughing with her it was easy surprisingly easy before either of you realized it, ten minutes had passed while the rest of your papers sat forgotten on the sidewalk.

by the end of the conversation, neither of you remembered why you had been in such a hurry to begin with neither of you could have guessed that one accidental collision outside the practice gym would eventually become the best thing that had ever happened to either of you.

months later, the two of you had become inseparable then came dating then came winning and now, with an entire season behind you, one final game stood between ucla and history.

the national championship.

the lights inside the arena hadn't even dimmed yet, but the energy already felt electric students in blue and gold packed one side of the stands, waving signs and homemade posters that had taken days to finish. 

opposite them, south carolina's faithful answered with deafening cheers of their own, dressed in garnet and black as they waited for their team to take the floor. 

every seat was filled, every aisle crowded with camera operators, photographers, and arena staff making last-minute preparations before the biggest game of the season back in the tunnel as you bounced lightly on the balls of your feet as you adjusted the black compression sleeve on your shooting arm. 

music echoed through the concrete hallway, but it was muffled beneath the sound of your own heartbeat around you, your teammates stretched, laughed, and tried to shake off the nerves in their own ways. some wore headphones, others danced to whatever song was blaring through the speakers. lauren stood only a few feet away, calmly tying the laces of her shoes as though this were just another practice instead of the national championship.

you watched her for a second before walking over, bumping your shoulder against hers. "you nervous?" she looked up, pretending to think about it. "a little."

"that's it?"

"a healthy amount." you laughed quietly. "i think i'm gonna throw up."

"no, you're not."

"i might." she stood, smoothing her jersey down before reaching over to fix the collar of yours. "you're y/n curry." you groaned immediately. "don't start."

she smiled. "i'm serious." her hands rested gently against your shoulders. "you're also the hardest-working person i've ever met." she tilted her head. "trust yourself."

you stared at her for a second before leaning forward just enough for your forehead to rest against hers. "how do you always know what to say?"

"it's one of my many talents."

"your biggest talent is being taller than everybody."

"that's definitely number one." a laugh escaped you before the tension sitting in your chest eased, if only a little from somewhere farther down the tunnel, one of your teammates whistled dramatically. "save the cute stuff for after we win!"

more laughter followed, and you immediately stepped back, covering your face with one hand while lauren only grinned. "they're never gonna let us live that down," you muttered.

"probably not."

"worth it?" she didn't hesitate. "always."

far above the tunnel, the espn broadcast had already begun, cameras swept across the sold-out arena before settling on a familiar face sitting courtside as stephen curry smiled as the crowd recognized him, lifting a hand in acknowledgment while ayesha laughed beside him. 

riley and ryan waved enthusiastically at the giant jumbotron, and little canon, wearing a miniature ucla jersey that nearly reached his knees, sat happily swinging his feet from his seat, completely unaware that half the arena had just collectively melted at the sight of him.

cameras floated effortlessly through the sold-out arena, capturing every corner of the building as anticipation settled over the crowd like electricity before a summer storm the sea of blue and gold on one side answered every chant from the wall of garnet and black on the other, neither fanbase willing to be drowned out on the biggest night of the season. 

homemade signs stretched high above heads, students bounced in place despite the game still being minutes away, and every time the jumbo screen flashed across another section of the stands, thousands of people erupted simply because they knew the entire country was watching.

the opening montage rolled across television screens from coast to coast, highlighting both teams' journeys to the national championship clips of dominant defensive possessions, game-winning shots, emotional embraces after buzzer-beaters, and celebrations from earlier rounds filled the screen while the familiar voice of the play-by-play announcer welcomed viewers into the broadcast.

"good evening, everyone, and welcome to the national championship. i'm thrilled you could join us because tonight we've got two of the very best teams in college basketball battling for a title. it's ucla and south carolina, two programs that have spent the entire season proving exactly why they deserve to be here."

his partner smiled as another camera angle revealed both teams waiting inside their respective tunnels.

"you couldn't ask for a better matchup. you've got experience, you've got star power, you've got elite coaching, and maybe most importantly, you've got two teams that genuinely believe they're walking out of here with a championship trophy."

the production crew cut away from the tunnel and immediately searched the crowd for familiar faces it didn't take long before the cameras landed courtside and a murmur swept through the arena before growing into loud applause.

stephen curry looked up at the giant screen overhead, immediately realizing exactly why the cheers had grown louder he laughed to himself before offering a small wave to the crowd, never one to make a moment about himself when his daughter was preparing to play the biggest game of her career. 

sitting beside him, ayesha leaned comfortably against the back of her seat, smiling warmly as she noticed canon waving enthusiastically toward the camera without having the slightest clue that millions of people were now watching him.

the little boy's oversized ucla jersey nearly reached his knees, the sleeves hanging well past his elbows as he proudly held a tiny foam finger in one hand every few seconds he would point toward the tunnel, completely convinced his sister could somehow see him through several concrete walls. "y'see?" he asked excitedly, tugging on stephen's sleeve. "sissy gonna win."

stephen looked down at him before smiling. "i think she likes our chances." canon nodded with complete confidence, as though there had never been another possible outcome. "she make lotsa threes." that earned a laugh from everyone sitting nearby.

"she probably will," ayesha agreed, reaching over to smooth down the curls poking out from beneath his miniature championship cap they'd bought before the game. "but she's got to play defense first." canon gasped dramatically. "defense too?"

riley couldn't help laughing from the seat beside them. "yeah, buddy. that's kind of important." ryan leaned forward just enough to tease him. "you think all she has to do is shoot?" he thought about it very seriously before answering.

"...yeah."

their entire row burst into laughter across the aisle, lauren's family watched the interaction with matching smiles; they'd spent enough time around the currys throughout the season to know that this was simply who they were. 

despite the cameras, despite the celebrities scattered throughout the arena, despite the magnitude of the night, they still felt like a family first there was constant teasing, conversations overlapping one another, and an endless amount of laughter that somehow made one of the loudest arenas in the country feel surprisingly intimate.

the broadcast returned to the commentators, both of whom smiled after watching the exchange. "that's a family that's been here before," one of them said. "stephen curry has played in some of the biggest games basketball has ever seen, but tonight he's just dad."

his partner nodded. "that's something people forget. we've all watched y/n curry grow up from afar, but what she's done at ucla has been remarkable. yes, she'll always be connected to one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen, but she's earned every bit of this moment on her own. she's become one of the best guards in college basketball because of countless hours in the gym, not because of the last name stitched across the back of her jersey."

another camera found the tunnel just as the arena lights began to dim inside, the music grew louder, the conversations became quieter one by one, every player instinctively turned toward the entrance leading onto the court.

the moment had arrived the arena lights faded until only a handful of spotlights remained, sweeping across the lower bowl as thousands of fans lifted their phones into the air a deep bass line echoed through the speakers, vibrating through the hardwood beneath your shoes, and for a brief second everything around you seemed to slow. 

the chatter from your teammates disappeared into the background, replaced by the steady rhythm of your own breathing this was the moment every player dreamed about when they were little, not the trophies or the headlines, but the walk out of the tunnel knowing there was one game left and everything you had worked for came down to forty minutes.

coach cori close stood at the front of the group with her arms folded across her chest, waiting until every pair of eyes settled on her she didn't raise her voice she didn't need to after an entire season together, the room naturally grew quiet whenever she spoke. "look around." as everyone did.

"this group," she said, gesturing toward the circle of players surrounding her, "is the reason we're standing here tonight. not rankings. not predictions. not statistics. each other."

she paused, allowing her words to settle. "there are going to be moments tonight when south carolina punches first. they're too good not to. they're going to go on runs. they're going to make shots that don't seem possible. they're going to test everything we've built together."

her gaze landed on lauren before shifting toward you. "but we've spent months proving something to ourselves." another pause passed. "we don't break." a chorus of determined nods answered her. "they're going to throw double teams at lauren." lauren smiled.

"good." coach laughed softly. "yes, good. because we've practiced for it every single day."

she looked directly at you. "and when they collapse inside..." you finished the sentence without thinking. "...i'll be waiting." coach pointed at you.

"exactly." she moved the whiteboard into the center of the huddle, sketching quick circles and arrows across it while explaining the opening rotation lauren would establish position early in the paint, forcing south carolina's defense to make a decision. 

if they stayed home, she would go to work inside if they doubled, the ball would swing around the perimeter until it found an open shooter you already knew where that pass was supposed to end up coach capped the marker before looking around one last time. "trust your preparation." she tapped the center of the whiteboard.

"trust each other." then she smiled. "...and have some fun." the tension that had filled the tunnel only moments earlier seemed to dissolve as several teammates exchanged grins and someone started clapping as another player slapped the side of a locker before long the entire tunnel echoed with applause and encouragement. "family on three!"

coach shouted and everyone instinctively stacked their hands together in the middle. "one..." every voice joined hers. "two..." the noise from the arena outside somehow grew even louder. "three..."

"family!" the word exploded through the tunnel before the entire team broke apart and the public address announcer's voice boomed throughout the arena.

"ladies and gentlemen..." the crowd immediately answered with deafening cheers. "...please welcome your ucla bruins!"

the first player sprinted through the curtain to a roar that shook the building blue and gold lights flashed across the court as introductions continued one by one every teammate received thunderous applause, but as your name echoed through the speakers, the volume somehow climbed another level. "starting at guard... standing five foot ten..."

the announcer paused just long enough for anticipation to build. "...y/n curry!" your heart hammered against your ribs as you burst through the tunnel, jogging onto the court with a wide smile despite every nerve in your body reminding you exactly how important this game was. 

you pointed toward your teammates waiting near half court before clapping your hands together, feeding off the energy pouring down from every corner of the arena high above the floor, the camera immediately found the curry family again. "there she is!" riley shouted as she jumped to her feet.

ayesha couldn't stop smiling. "look at her." stephen watched quietly for a moment, his smile softening as you looked toward the stands you couldn't make out individual faces beneath the bright arena lights, but somehow you still found your family almost instantly.

you pointed toward them as canon gasped. "she sees us!"

he bounced excitedly in his seat before waving both arms over his head with absolutely no rhythm whatsoever. "hi, sissy!" the camera caught the entire exchange, prompting laughter throughout the arena.

one of the commentators chuckled. "i'm not sure who's more excited for this game, y/n curry or her little brother." his partner laughed. "canon has complete confidence."

"well, if you've watched y/n this season, it's hard not to."

across the court, south carolina emerged from their tunnel to an equally thunderous reception from their fans. every player carried the confidence of a program that had been here before, walking toward the opposite bench without looking rattled by the atmosphere they understood championship basketball they expected to win championships.

that confidence was exactly why tonight's matchup had everyone talking the teams met at center court for final instructions while officials reviewed the opening tip procedure sneakers squeaked against freshly polished hardwood as players settled into position, each of them bouncing lightly on their toes to stay loose.

you adjusted the tape wrapped around your fingers before glancing beside you lauren caught your eye immediately without saying a word, she reached out and lightly bumped her fist against yours a simple gesture one the two of you had shared before every game that season you bumped her fist back. "let's do this."

she smiled. "together." the referee stepped into the center circle with the basketball tucked beneath one arm the arena gradually grew quieter, not silent.

it never could be but quiet enough that anticipation replaced conversation every player locked into position the official looked around one final time before gripping the basketball with both hands the national championship was finally about to begin.

the referee's whistle pierced through the arena as the basketball rose into the air, spinning beneath the bright championship lights before reaching the peak of its climb. for one suspended heartbeat, twenty thousand people seemed to hold their breath alongside the ten players standing on the hardwood. 

then lauren exploded upward, extending every inch of her six-foot-seven frame to meet the ball first her fingertips redirected it cleanly toward the backcourt, where you stepped into the pass without breaking stride.

the roar that followed rattled through the arena and every bruin fan rose to their feet, clapping and shouting before the offense had even crossed half court you slowed your dribble just enough to let your teammates settle into their spacing, your eyes darting across the floor as south carolina quickly settled into their half-court defense. 

they wasted no time showing exactly what they had prepared for two defenders shaded toward lauren before she even reached the low block, while another remained close enough to discourage the entry pass they weren't going to let the nation's most dominant post player establish position without a fight.

"they're already loading up on betts," the play-by-play announcer observed as the offense unfolded. "look how quickly that second defender slides over."

"that's been the game plan all week," his partner replied. "make someone else beat you. force the ball out of lauren betts' hands and hope the perimeter shooters don't get comfortable."

you heard coach close call out the first set from the sideline, raising two fingers into the air the movement was immediate, gabriela sprinted through the lane, dragging a defender with her while kiki flared toward the wing.

lauren sealed her defender beautifully, planting one foot deep in the paint before raising her hand for a split second, the passing lane opened, but it disappeared just as quickly when another garnet jersey collapsed into the lane.

you didn't force it instead, you swung the ball around the perimeter, resetting the possession, patience had become one of the greatest lessons your father ever taught you not every possession required a highlight, sometimes the smartest basketball was the simplest basketball.

the shot clock continued to wind down as south carolina's defense moved together with remarkable precision every pass was met by quick closeouts, every cut was tracked, every screen was communicated. 

they looked exactly like the disciplined team everyone expected them to be with only five seconds remaining, you rose into a contested jumper from just inside the arc it bounced softly off the back rim before falling away the rebound belonged to south carolina.

"excellent defensive possession," one announcer said. "they never allowed ucla to get comfortable."

before anyone in blue could retreat, south carolina was already sprinting the other direction their transition offense was as dangerous as advertised, pushing the pace before the bruins had a chance to organize defensively. 

the ball swung from the point guard to the right wing in one fluid motion before finding tessa johnson in rhythm everyone inside the building knew exactly what she wanted she rose without hesitation swish the net barely moved.

south carolina's section erupted into deafening cheers as tessa backpedaled with quiet confidence, pointing toward a teammate who had delivered the pass. "and that's exactly why she's so dangerous," the color commentator said. "you give her even a sliver of daylight, and she'll make you pay." you caught the inbound pass from the baseline official and immediately glanced toward coach close. 

she remained calm, hands resting on her hips as she motioned for everyone to settle down there wasn't the slightest trace of panic on her face, and seeing that steadiness helped quiet the frustration beginning to creep into your own thoughts.

the next possession flowed far more smoothly lauren caught the ball near the free-throw line before turning her shoulders toward the basket almost instantly, the double team arrived exactly as coach had predicted. 

without trying to force a difficult shot, she pivoted away from the pressure and fired a crisp pass toward the opposite wing you caught it cleanly for the briefest instant, the defender hesitated and that was all the opening you needed.

your knees bent instinctively as years of repetition took over the release felt effortless, the follow-through freezing high above your shoulder as the basketball climbed through the air with perfect rotation inside the front row, stephen didn't even realize he had stood until ayesha reached over and laughed softly. "you're doing it again."

his eyes never left the ball. "i know." the shot looked perfect from the moment it left your fingertips it struck the back iron and popped straight into the air and spun out a collective groan rolled through the bruin crowd.

you exhaled sharply before turning to sprint back on defense, refusing to dwell on the miss. your father had spent years reminding you that confidence couldn't disappear every time a shot refused to fall. "next one," you whispered to yourself.

south carolina attacked again, they worked the ball around the perimeter with patience before finding tessa once more coming off a staggered screen your defender fought through the first pick, but she created just enough separation to receive the pass in rhythm.

another release, another clean look, another three the arena erupted again south carolina's bench leaped to its feet, waving towels overhead as their coaches applauded from the sideline.

"back-to-back triples for tessa johnson!" the announcer exclaimed over the growing noise. "she has come out absolutely fearless in this championship game."

you looked up at the scoreboard for only a second south carolina 6 and ucla 0.

the game had barely begun, yet momentum had already found its way to the defending powerhouse the building felt different now louder and faster every possession carried just a little more weight than the one before it.

coach close stepped closer to the sideline, clapping her hands together as loudly as she could. "heads up!" she shouted. "keep playing!"

you nodded immediately, signaling to your teammates as you crossed half court once again there was still an entire game left to play and somewhere deep inside, you could already feel that familiar rhythm beginning to settle in.

the same rhythm your father always said came right before everything slowed down.

the basketball reached the top of its arc before beginning its descent, and the instant the referee's hand disappeared from view, the noise inside the arena returned with enough force to make the hardwood beneath your feet feel as though it were vibrating. 

lauren got just enough of the opening tip to redirect it toward the backcourt, where you collected it cleanly before immediately settling into the offense your heartbeat was still racing, but years of playing under bright lights had taught you how to hide it no one watching from the outside would have guessed your stomach was tied into knots.

you crossed half court with your left hand, your eyes moving from one side of the floor to the other as south carolina settled into its defensive shell they weren't scrambling they weren't overcommitting. 

every player moved with purpose, communicating through quick hand signals and short calls that barely rose above the crowd the scouting report had clearly been drilled into them all week, because before lauren had even established position on the block, two defenders were already leaning toward her side of the floor.

"look at that attention," one of the commentators observed as the overhead camera zoomed in. "betts hasn't even touched the basketball yet, and they're already sending help."

"that's respect," his partner replied. "you don't wait for a player like lauren betts to beat you. you try to stop her before she ever gets comfortable."

you dribbled patiently near the top of the key before signaling for a screen lauren stepped up, planting her feet just long enough to create a sliver of daylight before rolling hard toward the basket. 

the defense collapsed exactly as expected, forcing you to pull the ball back out rather than threading a risky pass into traffic instead, you swung it around the perimeter, trusting the offense to find the better shot rather than forcing the first one available.

the possession lasted nearly twenty seconds before gabriela rose from the corner with a hand in her face the shot caught the front rim and bounced away, where south carolina immediately secured the rebound and took off in transition. 

they wasted no time pushing the pace, sprinting down the floor before ucla could fully recover. the ball moved from one side to the other in a matter of seconds before finding tessa johnson beyond the arc.

she didn't hesitate, the shot looked effortless and the net barely moved the south carolina section erupted into cheers as tessa jogged backward with a calm smile, raising one finger toward a teammate who had found her in rhythm.

"she is fearless," the play-by-play announcer said. "that is exactly the start south carolina wanted."

you accepted the inbound pass and immediately brought it back the other direction, refusing to let one possession dictate the next your father had repeated the same lesson so many times growing up that it had become an instinct but basketball had no memory unless you gave it one the last possession was over, this one deserved your full attention.

lauren established a deeper position this time, using every bit of her frame to pin her defender beneath the rim you looked inside, ready to feed her, but another garnet jersey slid into the passing lane before the ball ever left your hands. 

you quickly reversed it to the opposite wing, where kiki attacked off the dribble before kicking it back out to you with only a few seconds left on the shot clock.

the defender closed hard you stepped inside the three-point line and elevated the release felt clean the ball struck the back iron and it bounced high into the air before falling harmlessly into south carolina's hands.

"good look," coach close called from the sideline before you could even lower your head. "keep shooting it." you nodded once, already turning to sprint back on defense there wasn't time to think about the miss south carolina had already crossed half court again.

they flowed into their offense with remarkable discipline, making the extra pass whenever the first option wasn't there one swing became two, then three, until the basketball found tessa curling around an off-ball screen near the right wing as your teammate fought over the pick, but the smallest opening was all she needed.

another release, another splash the garnet section exploded for a second time as the scoreboard changed once again.

south carolina 6 and ucla 0.

the energy inside the building shifted almost immediately; every made basket seemed to fuel one side of the arena while quieting the other as you could hear the gamecocks' bench celebrating every defensive stop, clapping and shouting encouragement after each successful possession.

from the front row, stephen leaned forward with his forearms resting on his knees he wasn't worried if anything, his expression was almost familiar, like he'd seen this exact beginning play out hundreds of times before riley glanced toward him. "you're weirdly calm."

he smiled without taking his eyes off the floor. "she's feeling the game."

"she's zero for two."

"i know."

"doesn't that concern you?"

"not really." ryan looked between them before laughing. "dad has that look." ayesha smiled knowingly. "the 'don't worry, she'll figure it out' look." canon frowned as he stared up at the scoreboard. "why they got more points?"

stephen finally looked down at him. "because basketball's a long game, buddy." canon thought about that for a moment before nodding very seriously. "sissy fix it." stephen chuckled quietly.

"i think she will." back on the court, you wiped your palms against your shorts before meeting lauren's eyes across the lane as players lined up for an inbound.

she didn't say anything, she simply tapped her chest twice before pointing toward you a habit the two of you had developed sometime during conference play.

i trust you. you answered with the slightest nod. i know.

the next possession unfolded more patiently than the first few nobody rushed nobody tried to erase the deficit with one spectacular play; the ball moved from side to side until lauren finally received it near the elbow almost immediately, the double team arrived.

she had expected it without even turning toward the basket, she pivoted and fired the ball back out to you this time, the defender hesitated only for a fraction of a second but at this level, a fraction of a second was everything.

your feet were already set your shoulders squared naturally the basketball left your fingertips with perfect rotation everyone in the curry family's row stood before it reached the rim.

the shot looked perfect until it drifted just long enough to catch the right side of the iron the collective groan from the ucla crowd echoed around the arena you closed your eyes for the briefest instant before turning and jogging back on defense. "keep shooting!" coach close yelled.

"don't think!" you inhaled deeply, don't think just play.

the words sounded almost identical to something your father had told you years ago while the two of you stood alone inside an empty gym after one of the worst shooting nights of your high school career.

"confidence isn't built on the shots you make," he'd said while rebounding for you. "it's built on believing the next one's going in, even after the last ten didn't."

you hadn't understood how powerful that advice would become until moments exactly like this on because somewhere beneath the nerves..beneath the bright lights...beneath the expectations that had followed your last name your entire life...you could feel your rhythm beginning to return.

the flash of the camera lingered for just a moment longer than everything else, freezing the entire group in a frame that somehow felt too small to hold what the night meant the championship trophy sat at the center, reflecting the arena lights in soft gold tones while arms, laughter, and exhausted smiles wrapped around it from every direction. 

canon was still in the front, barely holding himself upright beneath the oversized championship hat, while riley and ryan leaned into each other laughing at something nobody else could hear. 

stephen and ayesha stood just behind them, their expressions quieter but no less full, the kind of pride that didn't need words to exist and right at the center of it all, you stood beside lauren.

not separated, not distant, not hidden behind implications or glances or unfinished sentences just there her arm was around your waist like it had always belonged there, steady and familiar even in the chaos of confetti and celebration. 

your fingers were loosely intertwined with hers, a small detail that didn't draw attention because it didn't need to nobody around you treated it like a surprise or something to explain it simply was what it was, the same way everything else in that moment simply existed without question.

lauren leaned slightly closer, her shoulder brushing yours as she smiled toward the camera, still trying to catch her breath from everything that had just happened when she glanced at you, it wasn't for the crowd or the photo or the trophy. 

it was for you and you met her look just as easily, like it was the most natural thing in the world to find each other in the middle of everything."you okay?" she asked quietly, barely audible over the noise still lingering in the arena you nodded, squeezing her hand once. "better than okay."

her smile softened at that, and she didn't say anything else she didn't need to because there was nothing complicated about it anymore no hiding no guessing no space between what you felt on the court and what you felt standing next to her off it.

just two people who had started as teammates, turned into something neither of you planned for, and somehow ended up here on the biggest stage of college basketball still choosing each other in every moment that mattered.

the photographer called out one last time. "perfect. hold it right there." another flash and then the image was gone but what it captured stayed.

afterwards, as the crowd slowly began to thin and families started to make their way out, lauren didn't let go of your hand. not even once. instead, she leaned in slightly as you both started walking back toward the tunnel, shoulder brushing yours again like it had become second nature. "so," she said with a small grin, "national champion girlfriend, huh?" you laughed under your breath. "that what you’re calling me now?"

"it has a nice ring to it." you bumped her shoulder gently. "you’re insufferable."