#full circle

The screen lights up.

Big.

Bright.

Impossible to miss.

Everyone’s looking at it.

Because it’s her.

Azzi.

Number one.

Standing on the stage.

Holding the jersey.

Smiling.

The cameras love her.

The crowd loves her.

Everything feels loud.

But Paige—

isn’t looking at the screen.

Not yet.

She’s looking at Azzi.

Down there.

Right there in real life.

Because last time—

that wasn’t the case.

Last year

It was flipped.

Paige standing on that same stage

Same lights

Same cameras

And Azzi—

was the one in the crowd.

Looking up at the screen.

Watching Paige.

Not even realizing she was on it too.

Just—

watching her.

Like nothing else existed.

Now

It’s different.

But it’s also not.

Because Azzi—

isn’t really looking at the cameras either.

Not really.

She glances up.

Sees the screen.

Sees herself.

And then—

her eyes shift.

Instinctively.

Back to the crowd.

Back to Paige.

And that’s when it happens.

Paige finally looks up.

At the screen.

And Azzi—

is already looking at her.

Not the cameras.

Not the stage.

Her.

Same as last year.

Just reversed.

For a second

It lines up perfectly.

The screen showing them both.

One looking up.

One looking back.

Like a mirror.

Like a loop.

Like something that was always going to come back around.

Paige’s breath catches.

Just a little.

Because she remembers that feeling.

Being up there.

Looking for her.

And now—

she’s the one being found.

Azzi’s smile softens slightly.

Not the media one.

Not the practiced one.

The real one.

The one Paige recognizes immediately.

Even from across the room.

Even through a screen.

Paige shakes her head a little.

Almost laughing.

Because of course.

Of course they did this again.

Of course—

it’s still them.

After everything.

After all the time.

After all the changes.

Still—

this.

Still looking for each other in a room full of people.

Still finding each other anyway.

Azzi finally looks away first.

Because she has to.

More photos.

More cameras.

More everything.

But it lingers.

That moment.

That look.

Paige watches her a second longer.

Then looks back up at the screen.

Just for a second.

Sees them both there.

And this time—

she knows Azzi saw her too.

Not just the cameras.

Not just the moment.

Her.

Later

When everything settles

When the cameras pull back just enough

They end up close again.

Like they always do.

Paige nudges her lightly.

“…you saw me.”

Azzi smiles without even looking at her yet.

“…you looked up.”

Paige huffs a quiet laugh.

“…you were already looking.”

Azzi finally turns her head.

“…I always am.”

That—

that does something.

Paige looks at her.

Really looks.

“…I know.”

A small pause.

Then softer—

“…I was too.”

Azzi smiles again.

That same soft one.

The real one.

And this time

They don’t need a screen

Or a stage

Or a moment to line it up

Because they’re right there

Next to each other

Exactly where they were always going to end up.

—

If yall don’t know what I’m talking about im talking about this photo, well screenshot but same thing😭