Love for the Game- Paige Bueckers

C H A P T E R 2

After dinner, you drove to your dorm building. You stayed in a hotel last night, because your dorm check-in was tonight. All of the athletes stayed in one building, so you would be living right next to all of your teammates.

While you were unpacking your car, you heard footsteps approaching and turned around to see who it was. Paige was standing with her hands in her pockets, a cheeky smile on her face and her head slightly tilted. "Need any help?" She asked, noticing you struggle to lift boxes out of your trunk. You nodded your head, gladly accepting the much needed help.

She easily grabbed the box that you had been struggling to pick up and you watched the way her biceps flexed. Before you knew it, she had set it down on the sidewalk and had caught you staring at her. You felt your face heat up before you quickly looked away, focusing back on the task at hand.

After a while, you and Paige had moved all of your stuff up to the dorm, and you were getting your first look at your new room. Paige had obviously already moved in, her side of the room looked lived in and very cluttered. She had a blue comforter and pillows, along with lots of plushies piled on her bed. There were also many posters hung up on her walls, many of them about basketball, and a few of SZA and Drake. Her desk was about average, but very messy.

You only put out the basics for now, meaning making your bed and putting your toiletries in the bathroom, deciding to fully decorate another day since it was getting late.

"So," Paige said, flopping down on her bed. "We should probably get to know each other, since we're gonna be roommates and teammates."

"Ok," you replied, laying down on your bed as well, facing her.

"Let's do the basics first," she thought for a moment. "Favorite color?"

"Hmmm, green. What about you?"

"Purple," she spoke confidently. "Now, favorite food?"

"Pasta," you replied, waiting for her to answer her own question.

"Pizza," she said as if she could read your mind. "Ok, what kind of music do you like?"

You shrugged, "R&b, pop, rap, basic stuff. Do you like SZA and Drake?"

"How'd you know?" She exclaimed, surprised. You pointed to all the posters of them behind her, giggling. "Oh," she said, laughing as well. "Alright, I have to ask," she changed the subject, and you nodded, inviting her to continue. "What's it like in France?"

You smiled brightly, eager to tell her all about it. However, you weren't sure if you could find the right words in English to tell her. After a moment, you decided on saying, "My English is not very good." 

She thought for a moment, before hopping off her bed and grabbing her computer. "Can I sit here?" She inquired, asking if she could come on your bed. You nodded, scooting over to make room for her.

"What are you doing?" You asked as she typed away on her computer.

"Google translate," she replied happily, seemingly satisfied with herself, showing you her computer.

"Oh," you said, equally as happy, touched by how much effort she was putting into talking to you.

The rest of the night you told her about France and what it was like there, and the two of you found out more about each other as well. You learned that Paige loves golf, her family, and Dory from Finding Nemo. She even helped you with your English, and promised to continue doing so.

You ended up not being able to fall asleep that night. Finding it impossible to stop thinking about the girl only several feet away from you. But what you didn't know, is she was struggling to sleep as well, her mind swimming with thoughts of you.