Pacify Her | Paige Bueckers

six | discover

"Azzi," Paige called out to her teammate, "let's do a TikTok together." Azzi wondered in the moment if Paige wanting to do a TikTok was genuine, or if it had more to do with fans complaining about "Pazzi"—Paige and Azzi's ship name—being distant. Ever since her intimate interaction with Ava, which had occurred two more times since, Azzi had been questioning a lot about herself and the people around her.

At the very least, Azzi doesn't think that Ava is an overtly bad person anymore. That isn't to say that she thinks she's innately good, either, however. But she can read Ava better and sees that Ava clearly cares for Azzi to some degree, as she probably also does Paige. Ava actually offered to help Azzi with schoolwork so that Azzi can focus more on basketball and ultimately have more time with Ava. How cute is that?

But what Azzi did not know was that Ava was a juggling act. While she did manage to carve out much time for Azzi, Ava also did the same for Paige. Both Azzi and Paige having intense basketball, NIL deals, and workout camps meant that their schedules didn't align much. Many times, Azzi would be off campus while Paige was on and vice versa.

That made Ava's job a little easier. To appeal to Paige, Ava keeps a stack of TruFru in her apartment at all times. Considering Ava and Paige have hooked up nearly every day that Paige has been on campus, (not everyday, but every day that she is on campus) I would say it's working.

Azzi had been painting her nails. She was done, but had been resting them under a lamp in the lounge of the headquarters, trying to speed dry them. "Are we doing a dance?" She got up, approaching Paige.

"Sure, do you know the 'I love the way you work it' dance?" Paige asked Azzi. The energy was off, slightly. When Paige and Azzi were alone, Paige was usually super touchy and lovey-dovey. But right now, it was clear that something was occupying Paige's mind. But it wasn't in the sense that Paige was disturbed or stressed by something, rather in the sense that she was distracted.

"Yeah," Azzi looked down to check her footing. Almost immediately, she felt a light pinch on her neck. She jerked back, "what was that?"

In response, Paige pointed at Azzi's neck. "Is that a hickey?" She asked her. Azzi often allowed Ava to kiss up on the sides of her neck. And since Azzi usually wore her curly hair down, her neck was often covered. But today, while going through the motions, Azzi had completely forgotten and tied her hair up.

"Are we doing the dance or not, Paige?" Azzi asked, rather rudely as she took her hair out of a bun. Paige gave her teammate slash finger buddy slash part-time girlfriend a befuddled look.

"I asked you a question, Azzi," she stood firm.

Azzi hated confrontation, especially with somebody like Paige. Paige always wanted to win and would stop at nothing to, in an argument was no different. Only in a moment where Azzi is incredibly charged, like the time at Ava's door when she addressed the fan club, can she face conflict.

"I'm gonna take a shower," Azzi completely deflected, brushing past Paige. Paige waited in the lounge for a moment, thinking of who Azzi could possibly be hooking up with. To Paige's knowledge, Azzi wasn't a full-fledged, recognized lesbian...yet. So that meant that she could not rule out men. But what man does Azzi even fucking talk to?

It was funny, really, because Paige wanted to be free but couldn't stand to see Azzi free. She sighed, hearing the shower water. There was only one thing she could do...as morally wrong as it may be.

Paige slipped off her navy blue UConn x Nike slides so that she could make limited noise. Azzi always showered in the furthest back stall in the locker room, for some reason, but then left her phone beside the sinks, next to the door.