Alyssa's P.O.V
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" My bed dips below me, waking me up from my slumber as I hear the yell.
"What the fuck.." I groan tiredly, moving to try and pull the blanket over my head more, not really registering whatever words had come from the yell. Our Saturday volleyball game had gotten canceled due to some controversy scandal with our opponents, leading to Coach giving us Friday, today, off.
The cover that was being used to hide my head from the light seeping in my windows was suddenly ripped away from me, causing me to yelp as a body lays on top of mine.
"Seriously. I let you sleep in a bit already because it's your birthday, but it's time to get up, come on." Maia lays on top of me, the older woman poking at my cheek, the action causing me to grown as I swat at the digit.
"Jesus christ, okay, okay I'm up stop poking me like I'm a foreign object." A yawn escapes me before I finally open my eyes. Maia's grinning face the first thing showing in my vision, followed by the sight of Cailtin and Kate softly laughing in the doorway.
"Hey sleepyhead." Caitlin's raspy voice greets, the girls hair wet as she had just gotten out the shower or so I assuming by the yellow/black pajama bottoms, black sports bra and white towel hanging around her neck.
"Hi Birthday girl. How's it feel to not be a teenager anymore?" Kate adds as well, I don't miss the way her eyes longer on the form slightly in front of her however, tired and all.
"The same as nineteen. Yet I'm about 5 seconds away from committing manslaughter on a 5'4 gremlin in fornt of me." My eyes squint as I glare on the laughing girl on my bed. The opposite side that Maia is sitting on dips as Caitlin sits down, hugging me from the side before laying her head on my shoulder, putting a small box in my hands. Maia jaw drops.
"Hey I was going to give her one of my gifts first!"
"You snooze you lose, Parker." The hawk laughs, sitting back into an upright position.
Curiously, I open the box revealing a gold bracelet a small clasp on the frontside of the jewelery.
"It opens." Caitlin says, reaching over to open the clasp, revealing a picture of her, myself and Maia as young teenagers. My eyes crinkled as I smile, eyes watering slightly as the memory surfaces, instantly moving to hug Caitlin in a tight embrace, thanking my friend.
"There's a second part to that gift. But not from me, I won't say who it's coming from or when though." She adds quickly, seeing my mouth open before I pout at the quick rejection. I move, gently placing the jewelery back into its container. Caitlin takes it from my hands, putting it on my nightstand as I start to get up.
"Now hurry up and get ready, we have a surprise waiting on you." Maia ushers me to my dresser before pushing me towards the bathroom.
"Okay, okay I'm going!" I laugh, closing the door behind me.
_______
"SURPRISE!" I freeze as Caitlin, Kate, Maia and I walk through Maia's fathers front door. A banner with 'Happy 20th' hanging on one of the tan walls while uconn's women basketball team and a few teammates that I had gotten along with smiled brightly at me. I turn to the three girls I had arrived with, Kate softly smiling as Caitlin and Maia laugh.
"This is where you guys kept disappearing to all week, wasn't it?" They nod their head at my question, as Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night the three were always having separate excuses for arriving to the apartment late. My eyes drift back to the spacious home, decorated with fairy lights, white and blue balloons floating on the ceiling and more decorations scattered around.
"Happy birthdayyyy." Jake engulfs ms in a hug, Maia's older brother blowing a noise maker as he pulls away before dropping a handful of confetti on my head. "How's it feel to still be young as shit?."
I glare at him jokingly, shaking my hair out to get the colored paper out before shooting back my retort, "I don't know, how's it feel to be closer to 30?"
"You wound me." He holds his heart, backing away before saluting as he disappears further into the house. "Happy birthday again squirt."
"Thanks." As I respond both Maia's father and step mother come to hug me, commenting on how much I had grown since the last time they had seen me before gesturing to the living room table, a light blue tabor cloth covering it with a few gifts littered about.
"You can take them back to open at home if you want, or you guys are free to spend the night." Her father comments, voice booming over the low music in the background. "We have 4 guestrooms, all upstairs and down the hallway to the left so you guys can split amongst yourselves." He chuckles, turning to apologize to me for not being able to stay as him and his wife had to fo due to an emergency at the hospital they both worked at.
"Anything that's mine is yours and your friends, happy birthday kiddo." He kisses the top of my head, doing the same to Maia before leaving with his wife.
Kk, Azzi, Caroline and the rest of the athletes walked up to me after Maia's family had left, all giving me birthday wishes, hugs and joking comments.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRIPPLED!" Paige pretty much yells as she pulls me into a hug, a drink already in her hand as the blonde ruffles my hair in the hug.
I grumble, playfully trying to push the girl off of me. "Hey, I don't even have to use the crutches anymore, it's only wrapped right now. And I'm cleared to play at 100%."
"Okay, half crippled." She jokes, patting my shoulder before scooping the smaller girl up into a bear hug, the junior's feet lifting off the ground slightly as Maia giggled.
"Hi Baby." Paige smiles as she puts the girl down, pecking the smaller girls lips as Maia hums, grinning back.
"Hi love."
"Gay." I chuckle as Maia hits me, starting to open my mouth to joke with my best friend again, I stopped as I feel someone tap my shoulder. Glancing in the direction I felt the tap from, a smiling Nika stands in front of me. The girl wearing an orange tank top, denim jeans with her hair pressed fully straight.
I have to stop my gaze from dropping lower than the girls mid chest as I look back up, a small smirk playing on the Croatian's face as I blush lightly.
"Happy Birthday Alyssa." She speaks, arms open as I move to hug her, melting into the other girls touch as her arms wrap around me.
"Thank you Nika." I hum, leaning back slightly to smile back at the girl. The brunettes eyes crinkles as she grins back, moving her hand as she brushes a loose strand hair behind my ear.
"Guess I can't tease you about being three years younger anymore huh?"
"Oh fuck off," I huff the comeback out with a laugh, hearing a few of the girls in the living room talking about having a pick-up basketball game in the backyard, Maia's family having a full basketball court as well as a pool. Kk runs over to us when she sees me looking, throwing a arm over both my shoulder and Nika's.
"Hey girlieeee, happy birthday. You want to start this day out right and join us for a quick game?"
"You guys came from basketball practice here.. and want to play another game?" I say with a laugh, of course they did, they loved the game just how I loved volleyball." The 5'9 guard sheepishly smiles at me. "Sure I'll join." I may not play the sport for college but I definitely still had some game.
"Are you sure that's smart with your foot Alyssa?" Nika asks, eyebrows knitting together in worry as she glances between my wrapped foot and my eyes.
"I'll be okay, if it starts bothering me, I'll pull myself out alright?"
"Okay."
Making our way outside as Maia stated she had ordered some pizza's for the party that should arrive in about 25 minutes, pretty much everyone was outside already. My teammates settling on watching the game that was about to take place, a few eyes on Azzi as she talked with Paige in the center of the court.
"Alright so who's in?" Paige asks, Kk, Nika, Aaliyah, Caitlin, Kate, Azzi, Aubrey, Ice and myself put a hand up.
"Sick. Azzi and I are caprains."
"What? What if I wanted to be one?" Kk fakes a complaint, causing Paoge to just roll her eyes, playfully waving hee off. "Freshman don't get to pick, rookie."
"Oh that's a low blow."
"You know I'm kidding KK, all love. But nah, I just said it because we're already in the middle of the court." She shrugs.
"Well I'm going first then cause I'm definitely not letting you two be on the same team." Azzi laughs, pointing at Nika. "Girl, get your ass on over here " She calls the chuckling Croatian.
"Kate, come to the husky side." Paige jokes
"Ice, girl." Azzi cheers, bringing the player to her side.
"Alyssa, let's show them that you can dunk." I roll my eyes but go to Paige's side.
"Caitlin, let's show Kate out." Azzi
"Aaliyah, come home." Paige
The picks continue with Azzi getting Kk and Paige getting Aubrey.
"I don't know about yall," I start, moving to shed the shirt I was wearing, thankfully that I was wearing leggings as Maia had told me to just dress casual. "But I don't want sweatstains on my clothes so." I fold the article, handing it to Maia who puts it on her lap for me as she watches.
The rest of the girls agreeing, doing the same as I did leaving us all in sports bras. My eyes drift back over to Nika's figure before I tear them away, willing myself to calm down because was I really about to be horny playing a basketball game at my own birthday party? No.
Maybe.
Anyways, my team takes our side of the court as Paige hands me to ball to check it in. Surprisingly, they have Azzi guarding Kate, Caitlin guarding Paige and Nika guarding me. I would've thought they would've put the impressive defensive player on someone like Paige or even Aubrey, definitely not me. But nope, Ice and Aaliyah were against each other and Kk and Aubrey.
"Check." I state, smiling at Nika as I toss the ball at her for her to throw back at me.
"You want to make a bet, Knight?" She says, eyes already starting to watch the ball in my hands.
"What?" I say dribbling, already getting used to the nostalgic, but familiar feeling of the ball in my hands.
"You and your team win? I'll show you a surprise I have for you. If my team wins? I get an I owe you." I raise my eyebrow at the girl guarding me before shrugging, passing the ball to Kate on my right side.
"Sure, I'm not even scared. I. Don't. Lose." I punctuated the statement, starting to jog down the court, catching up to the rest of my pick up team.
____________
Nika's P.O.V
The moment I saw Alyssa shifting to take her slightly oversized shirt off, I knew I was fucked. Instantly buying myself with taking my own off as the other girls did, half because I very much agreed with the reason Alyssa said she was doing it, but also to busy myself so I wouldn't stare.
But now, with Azzi and Paige working together to apparently make me make a gay fool of myself, I'm in charge of guarding her.
A shirtless, sexy, distracting Alyssa.
Goddammit
After the bet we made, I finally was able to focus mostly on the game and less on the girl's toned and fit build. The volleyball player was actually really, really good despite not having really played or practiced in the last few years, she said she played a bit her freshman and sophomore year of highschool but stopped to focus on volleyball and softball.
The girl was an athlete though, and naturally athletic, I shouldn't have been too surprised. I made sure to keep a view on how the girl moves though, especially with her ankle because knowing her, she would try to play through the pain and discomfort just to win.
"Nika!" Azzi calls, throwing a bounce pass to me as I make a fastbreak towards the other team's basket, I can hear footsteps behind me trying to catch up. Catching the ball and picking up the pace, I make a simple lay up in, fistpumping and waving my finger in a 'no, no' motion infront of Alyssa's face. The action making her pout towards me before inbounding the ball.
Oh how I loved fucking with her, she was too cute not too. And even now, locked into the game how I know she was, she still was absolutely adorable.
I start backpedaling as I notice Aubrey pass the inbound right back to Alyssa who takes off down the court, I cut the girl off and slow her down as she makes it to half court, forcing her to pass it to Paige, who then shoots it to Kk who's in the corner, the girl making a wide open three.
"Pass to an assist baby," Alyssa teases to me and I let out a low chuckle, starting to move back with my team, Caitlin dribbling the ball upcourt with Paige on her.
"Alyssa!" I suddenly hear a yell, glancing over to see Paige had poked the ball away from Caitlin and grabbed it. Alyssa, having heard and purely reacted to the call, sprinting down the floor had started to pull away from me before I realized.
"Shit." I mutter, taking off after her, trying to catch up. Paige tosses the ball to my left, I miss the opportunity to swipes it away, instead it landing perfectly in Alyssa's hands as she gets closer to the basket, the girl glancing backward before taking two steps,
And apparently fucking slam dunking it with one hand. (https://youtu.be/z5OFhyr6cv0?feature=shared < like this)
Her team starts yelling, along with our friends and other teammates who were watching the game from the sidelines, either drinking or eating small party snacks while waiting for the pizza.
"I told you I could probably do it." Alyssa says with a shrug, the smug grin on her face turning into laughter as Paige and Kk run to her, despite Kk not even being on her team.
"THAT WAS SICK!" Both the girls say in sink, pretty much jumping Alyssa as the girl just continues laughing, arms around both of the players.
I spare a glance at Cailtin who seemed equally as shocked as me that she just casually pulled that off.
"So I'm guessing you didn't know she could do that?"
"Fuck no. What the fuck if I did I would've been working with her to learn." Caitlin laughs, still looking at the scene in front of her.
"Okay, guys, it's 37-32 with Piage's team winning and the food just got here. I don't know about you guys but I think that's a pretty nice way to end out the game." Maia claps standing up, dusting herself off as the rest of the girls agree. Those who were playing moving to put their shirts back on.
"I expect my surprise after we eat." Alyssa passes by me, turning around to face me with a wink before turning back around, the birthday girl following Maia into the house, my team and the few from Alyssa's team trailing in behind them. My mind keeps the image of the athlete winking at the forefront, face heating up at the action before Paige comes behind me, slapping my back before putting her arm around my shoulder as we walk in.
"So... are you going to give her the..?" She trails off, looking at me with the unspoken question, I just nod.
"Duh, I bought it for her and planned it with Cailtin."
"I just didn't know if you were going to chicken out, Twin." I roll my eyes, shoving her slightly as she holds her hands up in surrender.
"Hey, hey nothing against it if you did honestly. I know how you feel about her, and it's the same with Maia and I, you don't know how many times I almost didn't give her the card and husky yesterday."
I smile at the newfound couple, happy for the blonde girl in front of me. "I told you it was going to play out just fine, didn't I?"
Paige gives a short laugh, "You did, you did. Maybe I should've listened to you earlier."
"Maybe?"
"Alright, I should've. I was wrong and that's the only time you're hearing that so you better cherish it." She jokes, making a motion like she's watching me before disappearing through the front door, assumingly to help Maia bring the pizza's in.
Looking around I see Maia hanging out with some of her own teammates around the kitchen table, Kk changing the song playing on the stereo speakers by her phone, and Azzi and Caroline glancing over at a fee of the girls standing near Alyssa.
"Oh that's new.." I mutter to myself with a smirk, seems like the same people with the eyes on the duo were missing the returned looks.
"Say hi to the live, Nika. They were asking about you." Ice's voice registers next to my ear as a phone is held infront of me, laughing as I respond with a wave.
"Hey live."
"And there's your infamous Nika Muhl everyone. Hope you're satisfied." Ice states in a joking manner, moving to prop up the phone in a way in which the entire living room was captured, when Kk notices the live up she instantly comes over, starting to do tiktok dances causing both myself and Ice along with the Instagram comments to laugh.
"We're at Alyssa's birthday party." Kk comments after reading one of the sentences that had appeared on the screen, "Uh... where is she? One second." The freshmen says, looking for her fellow athlete before perking up at the sight of her. I laugh at her expression.
"Lyz! Come over here, the people wanna see you."
"The people?" Alyssa asks with a raised eyebrow, coming over and standing next to me before her face turns into one of realization as she sees the phone, "Oh you're live, that makes more sense, hey guys." She waves, and I can see the comments turn into a mix of Happy Birthday's and people trying to flirt or ask if she was for the girls.
Alyssa's eyes scan the comments before a small smirk shows om her face, "I don't know... I'm whatever this is." She jokes, wrist falling limp before acting like she never did it, instantly talking to Kk, causing the comments to go crazy.
I feel my heart sore at the official confirmation, I mean yeah she was with Caitlin before but that didn't mean it wasn't an experiment or phase for her you know?
I smile softly as I watch the three interact infront of the camera, missing the comments asking who I was looking at like a lovesick puppy until I see Alyssa glance back at me, an unreadable expression on her face before turning back to the camera.
Huh?
__________
@TheRealKnight Two decades around the sun 🌞
Liked By @KKArnold, @NikaMuhl, @CailtinClark and 11,000 others
@KKArnold You can't tell me I didn't eat with the cake
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@TheRealKnight KKArnold LMAO you did I can't lie
@Parker.M *In a high voice* You're 20???
@Nika.Muhl Go shawty, its your birthday
@CaitlinClark 💛🖤
@TheRealKnight CaitlinClark get yo hawk colors out my damn Instagram comments 🤨