October 30th, 7PM
Nika P.O.V
I wait for Uconn's bus to pull up from picking the team up from the airport. My hand tapping against the steering wheel, Paige and Maia were back at the girls apartment, supposedly making cookies and ice cream for Alyssa's mini celebration for the win but who really knows with that couple.
When I see the large blue, gray and white bus pull up, I step put of my car, starting to walk slowly towards it. The vehicle coming to a stop in front of the volleyball facility, the team and coaches starting to unload.
A few of the girls who know me from hanging around Alyssa and our other friends stop and talk to me for a bit, while the others just say hi or acknowledge me with nods that I return.
Eventually I see her, Alyssa slowly walking out with Ryan holding both of their sports bags, the girls arm in a sling and a grimace on her face from the change of light from the dark bus to moonlight.
I almost forgot concussions make your eyes sensitive as fuck. Jogging back to my car quickly, I grab a pair of sunglasses before coming back over to the two.
"Hey Nika." Ryan greets, causing Alyssa to look up before softly smile, face instantly changing after though.
"Hi N.." Alyssa starts, using her non-slinged armed to rub at her head. "This fucking migrane will not go away..."
"You have a concussion, Lyz... It's going to be there for a while." I comment, handing her the sunglasses that she thanks me for, putting them on. "Did they give you anything for it?" I take the bag from Ryan with a nod of thanks.
"Yeah.. there's some painkillers in my bag, I have to eat with them though cause they're apparently strong as shit, so I haven't had mine for the day yet because I haven't really ate." I nod at the explanation, Ryan waving to us as the blonde left, wanting to get back home and in a shower from thr long flight and drive.
"How are you feeling?" I ask finally as we get in my car, the girl taking the sunglasses back off and leaning her head against the headrest, closing her eyes.
"Like shit with a championship under her belt." She jokes with a small laugh, "Seriously though, I don't feel good. My arm isn't much in pain as it's an inconvenience.. it wasn't a big fracture but definitely enough that I need the sling to restrict movement. But my head man... none stop migranes and the naseous I get from it is so bad. I hate it."
"How long are you out for?" I ask, making Alyssa'a face shift slightly. "3 to 4 weeks... at least, so, if we make it that far I'd be able to join back in during states.."
I nod with a small hum, making sure to keep the music low for her head. I speak up, "Paige and Maia are back at your guys apartment making cookies, they got you ice cream too."
Alyssa smiles at that, her eyes still closed as she rests one of her arms on the center console. "Thank you for getting me tonight."
"Of course."
"And I'm really am sorry ab-"
I wave my hand before returning it to the wheel, "It's okay, I understand the reaction. I may have done the same thing. We can talk about it tomorrow but for right now, I want you to get some food in your body, your medicine and this dessert so you can feel a bit better, deal?"
Alyssa cracks an eye open slightly, glancing over at me with a grin. "Deal."
________
"What's up killer?" Paige spoke as we walked in, moving to hug Alyssa carefully as to not trap her slingged arm between them.
Alyssa returned the hug with a laugh as I moved to drip her backpack on the living room floor.
"Please never say that again, you sound like my dad." Alyssa joked, causing Paige to look with fake hurt and shock before looking at me.
"Do you hear this craziness?" I hold my hands up at the blonde's words.
"I'm not in this." An amuse smirk on my lips as I speak.
"Glad to see you still have your humor." Maia speaks, coming out of the kitchen before doing her best friend routine check of the injured girl. Causing Paige and I to hide our laughter
"You're going to make her run away from home, love." Paige jokes, gently pulling Maia away from Alyssa, arms around the girls waist from behind as she leans head on top of the brunettes. The blonde just sending a wink Alyssa's way, preassumingly distracting the other from being fussed over even more.
"Thank you." Alyssa laughs, moving to sit down on the couch before fully laying on it. "God it feels good to be home, this weekend was not it..."
"We assumed." Paige speaks up again and I blink, I don't know what I missed but a pouting Maia was thrown across her shoulder now, my twin laughing as she goes to the other couch, sitting the both down and holding the smaller girl in her lap. Maia quiet.
"Were you silent or were you silenced." Alyssa says, giggling at the scene and making Paige laugh harder as I join in.
"How does it feel to help bring Uconn a tournament title though?" Paige asks, still holding to Maia who ends up sinking back into the girl's chest, a smile on her face.
"Okay, first." Alyssa says, pointing at the couple, "That's gay. Stop being gay I'm homophobic." She finishes causing the room to erupt with laughter. I look at her with an amused smile. "And second. "Really good, besides, well the obvious." She gestures to herself and her injuries, "I won't lie though. I was really nervous when I had to switch positions in the middle of the game."
"I was going to ask how that was for you." I pipe up, sitting on a stool near the kitchen that looked into the open living room. "You didn't seem too bothered when it happened."
"Yeah... honestly I had a feeling it was going to happen, our libero was having a really tough time in warm ups so I guessed it prepared me a little bit."
I nod, watching as Alyssa tries the adjust her sling in a more comfortable position.
"Sucks huh?" Paige asks and the girl just nods.
"You have one before?"
Paige looks at her, answering. "Yeah when I was younger. My little brother drew also had to have one before, he was super bothered by it."
"I don't blame him." Altssa grunts out, "Like I want to move my arm, stretch it out, anything. But I know I cant." I see Maia stand up from Paige's hold, the girl going to get the cookies from the oven.
Turning to face Alyssa on my stool, I start talking. "What do you want to eat so you can take your painkillers?"
"Anything honestly, just something so I can take them." She chuckles, already moving to try and find the medicine in her bag.
"Sandwhich and chips?" I ask, Maia holding the ingredients up at me out of their fridge.
"Delicious."
"Alright I'll make it," I say standing up, "Here." I toss a water bottle near Alyssa, the item bouncing on the cushion next to her. "Take the meds so they can start cooking, you'll be able to eat in a second so it won't be a problem."
Alyssa grabs the bottle, locking eyes with me with an unreadable expression before just softly smiling at me, I return the look.
"Thanks Nika."
"You're welcome." My smile grows.
_________
Paige P.O.V
"So.." I mumble, having deciding to stay for the night with Maia, not off from usual. Nika not having any move to go back to our dorm either.
Not surprising from her either.
Maia and I were curled up in her room, watching a movie off of the girl's laptop as I had my arms wrapped around her waist. The girl sitting between my legs with the laptop on her outstretched ones. She pauses the movie.
"So?" She quirks an eyebrow.
"So how do you feel with Alyssa being back?" I ask, the girl having been worried sick when her best friend, pretty much little sister had been injured on national television.
"Better now that I know she's good enough that her humor is her." She laughs softly, "Just feel bad... she's going to be out pretty much the remainder of the season." I nod at her words, my hold on her getting tighter by just a smidge.
"Better than needing surgery or something though right?"
Maia hums in agreement, leaning back further into me at the touch, causing me to grin and kiss her cheek which she laughs to.
"What are you doing this weekend?" I asked her, knowing that between classes, practices, and her having to help Alyssa out a bit more with tasks she'd be quite busy during the week. Same with me, the closer to season we got the harder the practices.
"Nothing that I know of, probably just editing a tiktok or two for you guys and then that's it. How come?"
"Let's go out. Let's go watch a movie or something, I heard a new Ghostbusters flick just came out."
Maia laughs at the excitement in my voice, I loved Ghostbusters.
"Sure," Maia leans her head up slightly, kissing the underside of my jaw before I move my head, connecting my lips to hers as she smiles into the kiss. We stay there for a minute before Maia pulls away, adjusting herself into a more comfortable position.
"You know I'm more than happy to go anywhere with you, love. Just let me know."
"Just let me know." I mock, laughing, "You're making this sound like a business meeting."
"Last time I checked, Bueckers. Business partners don't cuddle or kiss, unless I'm missing something?" My girlfriend shoots back with an amused expression, eyebrow raised.
"I mean.... you're my teams photographer, I'm on the team... your business is to take pictures of me and my business is to pose so I make sure I look great." Maia lets out a short, amused laugh at that, the sound making me smile.
"You, are a piece of work Paige."
"Yeah yeah, you like it."
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't."
I feign hurt at that, moving to pull away before Maia brings my arms back around her waist, "Don't you even dare."
I smirk, "I told you, you liked it."
"Yeah yeah whatever, don't let it get to your head." She jokes, but just kisses the bottom of my jaw again as she gets ready to start the movie back up. I speak up again before she does.
"Do you think we should invite Nika and Alyssa?"
"What do you mean?"
"To the movies. I mean, they have this whole week to talk and make up, I think a double date could be fun."
Maia laughs, "I mean... I wouldn't be against it no, a double date would be fun but you're jumping the gun here Paige, we don't even know if they're going to get together or how the tall is going to go." I give her a blank stare that basically says 'are you kidding me'.
She glances over her shoulder at me before laughing, shifting to face me as she holds up her hands. "We both know they like each other a lot but obviously they haven't noticed that babe, we can't really rush or assume that somethings going to happen when it doesn't."
I look at her thinking for a second, "Wanna make a bet?"
"Hm?"
"If they dont get together by the end of this week, I'll do something for you that you want. If they DO get together, you have to wear one of my jerseys to our first game of the year."
Maia laughs again, "I was already planning to do that P," We had definitely talked about it before, knowing it would cause a bit of speculation in the media but could always be played off as friends supporting friends. "But you've got a deal," She says, moving to curl back into me.
"Now are we good to watch the movie again? Because I was comfy." It's my turn to laugh as my arms wrap back around her again.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry pretty girl. Continue."