This Love (Paige Bueckers)

23

narrative and insta

five years earlier

Iris pov

"mom," I get my moms attention.

"yes sweetheart?"

"I think," I pause. "I think I like girls."

"you think or you know?" she asks.

"I know," I confirm.

tears run down my cheeks.

"don't cry sweetheart," she brings me in for a hug. "I'll support you no matter what."

"you will?"

"of course," she smiles. "does anyone else know?"

"just Caitlin," I tell her.

"oh yeah," she pauses. "make sure you tell her that we will support her no matter what as well."

"why?" I ask.

"a mother has her instincts," she says.

"alright," I laugh.

"how did you realize that you like girls?" she asks me.

"um- if I say this, will you be mad?"

"of course not, hun," she assures.

"I kissed madi at our last sleepover," I tell her.

"wow," she says. "I wasn't expecting that."

"because she's boy crazy, I know," I laugh.

"no," she says. "because I've seen the way you looked at that one girl when Caitlin played for team USA."

"huh?"

"well, I assumed you were more into mascs," she says.

"who was I looking at?" I ask.

"Paige Bueckers," she says.

"she was cute," I smile.

"she's very pretty," she says.

I want her to stomp on me.

"thank you for support me mom," I hug her.

"im happy for you, hun. I'll always support you."

back to original time.

"you have to get up, Iris," Claire shakes me.

"I can't," I groan.

"you have to," Claire says.

"I don't even have classes today," I say.

"I know you don't," Claire says.

"then why do I have to get up?" I ask.

"we're going for a girls day."

I spring up. "you better be paying."

"yes, im paying," she laughs. "I would never tell you that we're going for a girls say if I weren't paying."

"YAY!" I jump up and run to put on clothes.

I open my dresser drawer and see Paige's sweatshirt.

"can you leave while I get changed?" I ask her.

"sure," she says, closing the door as she walks out.

I grab the sweatshirt out of the drawer and toss it onto my bed.