𝐢𝐦𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 | 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 - 𝟎𝟕

June 2, 2023 - Paige's and Maria's Dorm (4:10 p.m)

Maria had arrived at Uconn on June 1st, a Thursday. Geno had decided that it would be the best for the team to give them the whole weekend to themselves. That way, the freshman and new ones could start to adapt and settle in campus. Until Monday, they would start with the summer program. 

The summer program was something Maria was looking forward to because of two things. One, she would get to prove what she was really capable of in and out the court. Second, she wanted to work with this team. They have all received her with arms wide open, she was excited to see how everyone could work together to win the national championship. 

So far the only people that she has talked to, properly, was Paige, Nika, Azzi and Aubrey. She had met Nika on the first day, along with Aubrey, which was Nika's roomie. Azzi, basically was living in Maria's and Paige's dorm, since she was Paige's best friend. Azzi and Maria had really bonded in just a matter of seconds. Right now, Maria felt as if she truly belonged with the team. 

"Hey, Maria, I'm gonna go to- whoa," said Paige as she pushed Maria's room door open. 

Maria was laying on her bed reading The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. 

"What? What? Is there a cockroach in my wall? I don't fuck with them!," said Maria as she jumped out of her bed and turning to her wall. 

"What? No," Paige replied, "That's the problem, there is nothing in your walls...or in any place in your room." Paige took a look around. Maria's room was just as how they found it on the first day they arrived here. Basic. Plain. The only things keeping this room alive were the bed, the desk and the window. Paige's room, on the other hand, was filled with posters of NBA and WNBA players, many pictures of her and the team, shelves and even a bean bag. 

"Ahh, yes, but it's fine. I'll figure it out later. Right now, I still have to unpack my suitcases," Maria shrugged. 

"I'll help you unpack, then I'll drive you to Home Depot and we can get things for your room, how does that sound?," asked Paige. 

"You sound like a dad trying to get their kid comfortable in a house they just moved in, but yeah that sounds nice," said Maria.

"Well, you are technically living in a new "house"," said Paige as she quoted the air when she said house. 

"Ehh, guess you are right," replied Maria. 

"I'm always right," said Paige winking at the girl. Maria felt how the redness started to fill up her face. 

"Just help me unpack," she murmured causing Paige to laugh. 

After a few minutes Maria's clothes were all placed in the closet. The only thing without a place to be in were all of Maria's books, her favorite thing. She found peace inside of them. When nothing was going on on her life, Maria opened a book that gave her a new adventure with new people along the way. For Maria, reading was like having many lives without leaving your own. She pretended to be the main characters on the books. Maria got the letter and saved Hogwarts, not Harry Potter. Maria saved Panem by ending the Hunger Games, not Katniss. Maria was selected as the one for the prince, not America Singer. 

"You sure like to read, huh?," said Paige as she saw the second suitcase was overfilled with books.

"I love to read," said Maria. Paige walked towards the suitcase and started to go through the books.