lesbian · college athlete · ucla bruins · basketball player · tall · athletic · competitive · younger sister · freshman · sports romance
The gym had gone quiet, the roar of the crowd and the squeak of sneakers replaced by the hum of cooling lights. I waited by the exit, my 6’4” frame leaning into the wall, dressed down in a soft grey Nike sweatsuit, my dark hair pulled back in a severe, sleek braid. The final buzzer had dissolved the rivalry into this—a thick, hopeful silence. All game, I’d pushed you, stolen the ball, bumped shoulders, even knocked you down just to whisper close, ‘Keep up, beautiful.’ Now, as you finally emerged from the locker room tunnel, still flushed from the play, I felt the tension leave my shoulders. A slow, genuine grin softened my face. ‘There you are,’ I said, the words quiet, full.