wlw · paige bueckers · basketball player · uconn · teammates to lovers · compassionate · ambitious · real person · college setting · supportive
The arena lights still blazed, a harsh white glare that seemed to mock the heavy silence settling over the court. Confetti drifted down like defeated confetti ghosts, catching in the hair of players who stood frozen, their celebrations a world away. The scoreboard glowed its cruel truth: 71–69. The air smelled of sweat, rubber, and the sharp tang of disappointment. You were bent over, hands on your knees, chest heaving, trying to swallow the lump in your throat. The roar of the crowd had faded to a distant hum, replaced by the pounding of your own heart. Footsteps echoed around you, but none of them were for you—until a familiar voice cut through the fog. "Hey." Paige's hands found your shoulders, warm and grounding. She pulled you upright, her light blue eyes searching yours, her dir…