what happens if UCONN's most popular basketball player finds herself searching for one person in the crowd?
Jules knew who she was and what she wanted and when she gets offered a spot on the media team for UCONN's women's basketball team she takes...
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jay
present; narrative
"Jay, I'm finna head out, I have night classes." Cam said, putting his ball away and walking over to his bag. I didn't say anything, continuing to shoot around. The season was right around the corner and I had to be locked in.
Ever since I talked to Jules I stayed away, fighting off the urges to go to her house. As much as I knew I needed to let her go it was hard. I felt something for her, even after knowing she never felt the same. It was always Paige for her and I couldn't be mad about that. You can't control who you fall for.
My shots were lousy, almost always missing from how cloudy my thoughts were. I couldn't play when I wondered how things had gone for Jules. I wanted her happy, whether that be with me or Paige but you had to be blind to miss the way they looked at each other. Even when Jules was looking away Paige couldn't keep her eyes off her.
"Could I shoot with you?" A voice asked from behind me. I whipped around, not expecting anyone to be here this late, or even know I was here. It was Paige, standing there awkwardly and putting her hands around the ball Cam was using.
"Go ahead." I turned back to the net. I didn't mean to sound rude but I wasn't very fond of Paige. She hadn't done anything to me but she didn't know about all the nights Jules cried in my arms over her. Paige pulled a chair onto the court, taking a seat and dribbling the ball. I knew about her injury, I mean the whole world did. She was Uconn's most popular basketball player. It shocked all of us when we found out.
We both stayed silent, the only noises being the ball dribbling against the floor and my ball hitting the backboard and rebounding back to me. I groaned frustrated with how much my shots were lacking, it didn't help that Paige was sitting next to me, making all my thoughts even crazier.
"Why are you here?" I stopped shooting, turning to face her now. I didn't want to be mean but me and Paige weren't friends, we didn't just shoot around together for fun. She shot the ball, even from her chair it went in perfectly and she turned to me, letting her ball bounce away somewhere in the gym.
"It's about Jules." She knew that would get my attention. I grabbed another chair, placing it down beside her and facing her. "We talked and she said she's willing to give us another chance."
I knew it would happen. I removed myself from her life so it could happen, so she could be happy with the person she wanted instead of worrying about my feelings. It didn't hurt any less knowing that it really happened, that no matter how much I hoped Jules wasn't gonna run to me and love me the way I loved her.
"That's good, I'm glad you guys figured it out." Even if I loved Jules I was her friend first and I would be happy for my friend's happiness. She was happy with Paige, I knew that. Everyone knew that, you couldn't get in the way of Jules and Paige.
"Don't pretend Jay, I know you love Jules." She laughed. I knew Paige could tell. She glared at me just as much as I did to her. She had a reason to. Jules was her's, never mine. I glared at Paige because I envied that she got Jules to fall in love with her and that she managed to keep Jules in love this whole time. Despite the breakup and all my efforts Jules wanted Paige.
"Of course I do, but that's not all that matters." I shrugged. I tried to act like I didn't care but I did. I had real feelings for Jules that I could never act on because it was so obvious she loves Paige.
"She told me about what you did." Paige was laughing and smiling. She didn't come here to fight. There wasn't even a fight to have. Jules loved Paige and Paige loved Jules. I wasn't even in the picture.
"I can't stand in between you guys. It hit me at that lunch when I saw you guys looking at each other." She smiled at me, a genuine smile that I never thought I would see from Paige especially after all the tension in the air between us.
"I know you could treat her right, maybe even better than I could but I'm lucky enough she's giving me another chance, I can't mess it up."
I stayed silent, not understanding what I had to do with this. I did my part, I let Jules go so she could be happy without me in the way. I wasn't confusing her anymore. They could go back to being in their little bubble.
"Jules cares about you and I know this is hard for you but I know she wants you in her life. I might not be your biggest fan but I love Jules and so do you." She finished, looking at me hopefully.
I wanted to be in Jules' life, in no time she became one of my best friends but I didn't know if it was smart. What if I couldn't control my feelings? If I just stayed away then I would get over it at some point.
"I don't know about that." I looked away, spinning the ball on my finger to take my eyes away from hers.
"Look, you were mature enough to let her go. You guys have a bond that none of us really understand but I know you care about her, you don't wanna loose her." Paige reasoned with me.
I looked back at her. She was right. We could understand each other without words, most people said we acted like siblings. I loved Jules in the way that I wanted to protect her from any harm but maybe I was the harm. I was holding her back from who she really loved. I didn't want to loose her completely but how could I balance it.
"You love her?" I asked, now remembering that Paige had just admitted to it. Jules never told me out loud that she loved Paige but I knew it the second Jules rejected me at that party. When Paige and the rest of the team walked in, Jules kept her eyes trailed on her, barely focusing on what I was saying to her.
"More than I can even describe." You could see the love on Paige's face when she spoke about Jules. I knew it was eating her alive, loving Jules and not saying anything. The only relief I got was finally telling Jules I loved her. I knew she didn't feel the same but at least I got it off my chest.
"You're not gonna hurt her again." My protective instincts for Jules came out. As much as I wanted them both happy if Paige hurt Jules again there would be a big problem.
"Absolutely not, it broke me watching her cry in my arms."
The truth in Paige's voice calmed me down. I patted her shoulder. A little like how a big brother would to his sister's girlfriend. Jules loved Paige which meant I would too, for her sake.
"Also I kinda need help with a plan on how to win her back." She laughed, getting up and grabbing her ball. She sat back in her chair, throwing the ball and it swished perfectly in the net.
"I got you." I copied her actions, shooting from the chair and it went in. Continuing to shoot around with the blonde. We talked about ideas for Jules, mostly bursting out laughing at how cheesy some of our ideas were.
