Paige had always lived her life like a well-drawn play in a basketball game.
Every move deliberate, every outcome clear. Growing up, she was the kind of girl who thrived in certainty. Her room might have been a mess of clothes and sneakers, but within that chaos, she always knew exactly where everything was. Her desk might look like a storm hit it, but she could find any paper in seconds. That was Paige, messy, maybe, but always organized in her own way.
Always sure.
She was never indecisive. Not about what she wanted, who she was, or where she was going. Even when she was young, Paige had this rare, unshakable confidence, a certainty that carried her through every game, every challenge, every doubt people threw at her. She wasn't just good; she knew she was good, and she worked every day to prove it.
That's why when she first met Azzi, that day during the USA scrimmage, it didn't feel like chance. It felt like something inevitable. Fate, maybe. Paige couldn't explain it, not then, not even now, but she remembered it vividly, the way Azzi moved, quiet but deadly efficient, the way she smiled politely at everyone but didn't say much. The way she carried herself, humble and focused, like she didn't even know how much she lit up the court. Paige had played with hundreds of athletes before, but none of them ever made her feel that pull — that strange, fierce recognition — like Azzi did.
Even before that, maybe she already knew. Before the passes, before the long nights of practice, before the laughter on the couch or the teasing that came too easily, and the time she hides her feelings under the disguise of being her best friend. Paige had felt it — that Azzi was it. The one. The constant she never saw coming.
It might sound cliché, but for Paige, it was the truest thing she had ever known. She'd had plans, dreams, and goals — and then Azzi came in, and suddenly everything felt like it made sense. Like all her life, she'd been moving toward this person. That God made her just for Paige, that she was meant to be in her life no matter where, when, or who gets in their way.
Her heart was meant to find love like she did with Azzi. That unconditional love people talk about in the books and movies. That kind of love you only encounter once in your lifetime.
They were opposites in almost every way. Azzi was quiet where Paige was loud, measured where Paige was impulsive, gentle where Paige was competitive. But somehow, they fit. They balanced each other in ways Paige never thought she needed. Being Azzi's best friend had already been more than enough — a gift, really — but falling in love with her? That had been the greatest, most terrifying, and most beautiful thing that ever happened to her.
And Paige was sure. She always was.
She was sure of Azzi's laugh.
She was sure of the way her hand fit perfectly in hers.
She was sure of the way Azzi's eyes softened when she was thinking, and the way she could calm Paige down without even saying a word.
She was sure of their connection, their future, of everything that came after.
Paige Bueckers had built her life on certainty.
But now — standing frozen in the middle of the apartment, the air thick with tension and worry, her teammates silent and waiting for her to speak — that certainty was gone.
Her phone felt heavy in her hand, Azzi's contact still on the screen. No dial tone. Again.
Her heart hammered painfully against her ribs as she stared at the empty hallway leading to Azzi's room.
She didn't know where the love of her life was.
The girl she was always so sure of — the one constant in her carefully built world — was suddenly gone.
And for the first time in her life, Paige felt completely, utterly lost.
The apartment that usually buzzed with laughter and music was dead silent. The kind of silence that pressed against your chest and made it hard to breathe.
Paige sat at the edge of the couch, elbows on her knees, phone in her hands, scrolling through her call history again and again like somehow the answer might suddenly appear there.
Nika paced in front of her, just as restless, her phone glued to her ear as she tried another call. "Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "Her phone's still off. I tried calling her through Instagram, Messenger—everything. It's like she disappeared."
Aubrey leaned against the counter, worry etched into her face. "I texted the others. They're on their way."
Paige ran both hands through her hair, breathing hard. Every second that passed made her stomach twist tighter. Her brain was racing, trying to piece things together — every text, every moment from the past few days. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was definitely off.
"She wouldn't just disappear," Paige said, her voice sharp with frustration — or maybe fear. "Azzi doesn't just go and not tell anyone about it. If she had something to do, she'd text. If she was mad, she'd still say something. She—" Her voice broke a little, and she dropped her phone onto her lap, gripping the edge of the couch. "She wouldn't just go."
Nika stopped pacing and knelt in front of her, placing a hand on Paige's knee. "We're gonna find her, okay? But we have to think. We need a plan, Paige."
The others gathered close, sitting on the floor or leaning against the wall. The air was thick, heavy with unspoken panic, but Nika took charge, her voice steady despite the worry in her eyes.
"Alright. Here's what we're gonna do," she said. "Paige and I will call Coach first — we need to let him know what's happening. He might have heard from Azzi or know something since they talked earlier. Aubrey, you and KK check around campus — the gym, the locker room, anywhere she might've gone before meeting someone. See if anyone saw her or talked to her recently."
"I'll check the student center," Caroline said immediately. "She sometimes goes there after morning workouts with Sam. Maybe someone saw her there."
"Good," Nika nodded. "Let's cover every place she might've gone. Ask around quietly at first — we don't want to start a panic if this turns out to be something else."
Paige lifted her head, her eyes glassy but determined. "And if she's not on campus?"
Nika hesitated before answering. "Then we tell campus security. And the police. We'll have to. Geno knows what to do."
For a moment, the room fell into silence again. Everyone looked at each other, realizing the weight of what that meant — that this might be more than just Azzi running late, more than a miscommunication.
Paige's throat tightened. She didn't want to think about worst-case scenarios. She didn't want to imagine Azzi out there, scared or hurt or—
She forced the thought away and stood up abruptly, grabbing her jacket. "I'm calling Coach," she said. "Now. He deserves to know."
"Paige—" Nika began, but Paige was already halfway to the door, phone to her ear.
Aubrey watched her go, worry in her eyes. "She's not gonna stop until she finds her."
Nika sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Would you?"
Everyone fell silent at that.
Because no one would. Specially not Paige. Not when it came to Azzi.
And as they began to move — phones out, voices low, hearts pounding — the weight of it all settled over them like a storm about to break.
Something was wrong.
They could all feel it.
And Paige, more than anyone, was determined to make sure they found her before it was too late.
Paige's fingers were trembling as she held her phone to her ear, pacing the narrow hallway of the apartment. The others were in the background, quietly talking, but their voices faded into a low hum as she listened to the dial tone. Her heart was beating so hard it hurt.
When the line finally clicked, a familiar voice came through — calm, a little gruff, the kind of voice that always made her feel grounded.
"Paige? Is that you?" Geno's tone was a mix of surprise and something like disbelief. "You're back? I didn't even know you were flying in today."
Paige let out a shaky breath, forcing a small smile he couldn't see. "Yeah, Coach. Got in a few hours ago. I wanted to surprise everyone."
"Well, consider me surprised," he said, chuckling softly. "How's your brother? Azzi told me something came up."
Paige hesitated. She had wanted to ease into it, maybe talk to him about basketball, but her chest was too tight, and her voice cracked before she could even steady it.
"Coach, I— I need to ask you something. It's about Azzi."
There was a pause on the other end, just long enough for her stomach to twist. "What about Azzi?"
Paige swallowed hard, leaning against the wall, her free hand gripping her forehead. "We... we can't find her."
"What do you mean you can't find her?" Geno's voice sharpened instantly. The calm was gone, replaced by that protective edge Paige had heard too many times on the court. "Did something happen?"
"She was supposed to meet Nika earlier — at the airport — but she never showed up. We thought maybe she went to the gym or stayed with someone, but nobody's seen her. Her phone's off, her location's off. We've called everyone — teammates, friends — nothing."
Silence stretched on the line. Paige could almost picture Geno standing in his office, jaw tight, thinking through every possibility. When he finally spoke again, his voice was steady, but she could hear the concern buried beneath it.
"Alright. Slow down. You're sure no one's heard from her? No texts? No calls?"
"Nothing," Paige whispered. "It's been hours, Coach."
"Okay..." Geno said slowly, thinking aloud now. "She didn't say anything about leaving? Maybe visiting someone?"
Paige shook her head even though he couldn't see it. "No. She said she'd meet Nika at the airport to surprise me. They talked a few hours ago. She didn't mention anything about going anywhere. And—" her voice caught, "—she wouldn't just leave like that. Not without telling someone." or me.
Geno sighed heavily. "You're right. That doesn't sound like Azzi at all. I just spoke to her earlier, she didn't mention anything."
He was quiet again for a long moment. Paige could hear papers shuffling, the faint sound of a chair scraping. Then, more softly, "You did the right thing calling me, kid. I'll reach out to a few people. See if anyone's seen her. In the meantime, stay put, alright? Don't go running around by yourself or with any of the girls. Y'all need to wait for my instruction, I'll have CD let the others know too."
"Coach, I can't just sit here—" Paige started, her voice rising with panic.
"Paige." The single word stopped her cold. His tone was firm but not unkind. "I know you care about her. We all do. But we need to do this the right way. If she's really missing, we get everyone involved — the school, the police, her parents. You or any of your teammates running around in the dark isn't gonna help her."
Paige pressed her lips together, her throat burning as she tried not to cry. "I just... I need to find her. I need to know she's okay."
"I know," Geno said quietly. "We'll find her. We'll get everyone moving now."
Paige wiped at her eyes, nodding even though he couldn't see. "Thank you, Coach."
"Hang tight," he said. "And Paige?"
"Yeah?"
There was a pause, and when Geno spoke again, his voice softened in a way that made her chest ache.
"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"
Paige closed her eyes. Her voice barely came out. "More than anything."
He sighed again, but it wasn't frustration — it was understanding. "Then trust me. We'll bring her home."
The line went dead, and Paige lowered her phone slowly, her reflection caught in the dark screen, eyes red, face pale, heart breaking.
For the first time in her life, Paige Bueckers didn't have a plan.
All she had was fear.
And the desperate hope that Geno was right — that somehow, some way, they'd bring Azzi home.
~~~
They crouched in the dim room like two shapes carved out of fear, breath barely whispering in the stale air. The plan had been simple, wait, listen, move, but in reality every second felt stretched thin, as if the abandoned house itself were holding its breath with them.
McKenzie's thumb hovered over the warped doorframe, her ear pressed to the wood. Azzi sat motionless on the edge of the mattress, knees bent, hoodie pulled over her hands to hide the raw marks on her wrists. Their eyes met once, a flash of everything they hadn't said, and then Azzi nodded almost imperceptibly. The signal they'd rehearsed.
Outside, the gravel crunched like a slow drumroll. Footsteps — heavy, deliberate — moved away from the shed and down the road. The sound was distant enough to be hopeful. McKenzie's jaw worked. Her fingers trembled as she eased the latch, listening for any change in the cadence of those steps.
"Now," Azzi breathed, voice tiny but sharp enough to slice through the hollow room.
McKenzie cracked the door open a hair and peered down the hall. The floorboard by the doorway would creak if shifted; she put her weight on the ball of her foot and tested it. Silent. The coast was as clear as it was ever going to be.
She pushed the door wider, not enough for them to be visible from the hallway, but enough for Azzi to slip through. Azzi flattened herself against the wall, muscles coiled. McKenzie moved beside her, ready to shove, to sprint, to do whatever it took.
They eased into the hall like ghosts, each sound magnified: the quick, dull beat of McKenzie's heart; the rasp of her breath; the soft slap of Azzi's sneakers against the warped floor. The house seemed to breathe around them — the hum of wind through broken panes, a distant bird calling — and then: the gravel again. Closer now. A car, maybe, or a truck.
Azzi's palms were slick, but her steps were steady. They reached the front door. McKenzie pressed her shoulder into it, the old wood protesting in a long, thin whine. For a second it held, and Azzi felt the world narrow to the small space beyond the threshold — moonlight, the ragged shadow of the tree line, the gravel road glinting like a knife.
Then the door gave.
They spilled out into the night like something exhaled violently. Cold air slammed into Azzi's face, filling her lungs with pine and diesel. They ran before they had a chance to think about the weight of what they were doing, feet thudding on gravel, breath tearing at their throats.
A single, furious shout ripped the night apart. "MCKENZIE?" Maya's voice, raw and full of rage, cut after them. "YOU TWO ARE DEAD!"
"Run!" McKenzie screamed back, and they pushed harder, boots sliding on loose stones. Azzi felt each step as if through cotton, everything amplified in her ears,her pulse, McKenzie's panting, the slap of branches as they ducked into the tree line.
A loud and a sharp, explosive crack split the air, a gunshot.
The sound ricocheted through the woods and something slammed into the ground behind them: a chunk of dirt, a spray of gravel. Azzi bucked forward hard, a hot sting bursting across the back of her hoodie where a pebble had hit. Heart in her mouth, she didn't look back.
"Keep going!" McKenzie gasped. Her voice was ragged but fierce, trembling with the adrenaline that had finally flipped her fear into action. "Left at the bend! Left at the bend!"
They hammered toward the memory of the bend in the road McKenzie had described — toward a broken wooden post she'd half-remembered, toward any human being, any light. The trees closed around them, branches slapping like hands. Roots tried to catch their ankles. They pushed through underbrush, sliding down muddy banks, breath ragged and raw.
Behind them, a second shot barked out, closer this time. The air smelled of iron and burned powder. Azzi's knees shook, but she drove them forward, the image of Paige's face flashing in her mind like a brand.
They hit the bend — a shallow curve where the gravel widened, where McKenzie's memory promised a broken fence post they could use as a landmark. There, as if conjured by desperate prayer, a rusted mailbox stood leaning at an angle. McKenzie grabbed it, slammed her shoulder against a car parked abandoned at the shoulder, and tried to flag it down.
No headlights. No open window. Just the hollow echo of night.
Maya's shouting had become a howl now, full of fury and something close to hysteria. "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you both!"
Azzi's lungs burned. McKenzie doubled over for a second, hands on her knees, then shoved at Azzi's shoulder. "Move! There's a path over there, Azzi go!" She pointed into a tangle of trees that sloped toward a darker line — a service road, maybe, or the low curve Azzi had held in her head.
They dove into it, bodies low. For a moment Azzi thought she felt a glancing blow along her side — a sting of wind that could've been another bullet passing too close — but she kept moving, every muscle screaming, Her knee buckled but she kept going.
They ran until their lungs burned raw — until every breath felt like glass in their throats. The night was a blur of trees and shadows, gravel scraping underfoot as they sprinted toward nowhere, just away. Maya's voice still echoed behind them, her boots hammering against the dirt road like a heartbeat they couldn't shake.
"Keep going!" Azzi hissed, her voice sharp, breathless. Branches whipped against her arms, her side screamed with pain, but she didn't dare stop. Not when Maya was still there. Not when they were so close.
But then — something shifted.
Azzi stumbled. The world spun for a second, her breath catching in her throat like it couldn't find its way out. Her steps faltered, one hand flying to her side as she bent over, gasping.
McKenzie didn't notice at first, she was too busy running scared, too busy focusing on the faint glimmer of open space ahead. But the absence of Azzi's footsteps behind her made her glance back and what she saw froze her cold.
"Azzi?" she whispered, the word breaking in the night.
Azzi was hunched over, one hand clutching her ribs, the other braced on her knee. Her chest heaved violently, her shoulders trembling. Even in the darkness, McKenzie could see the panic on her face, the way her lips parted soundlessly, eyes wide and wild with pain.
Then Azzi lifted her trembling hand from her side, and it glistened darkly in the moonlight.
Blood.
"Azzi!" McKenzie choked out, sprinting back toward her. The sound of Maya's footsteps still echoed faintly behind them, a reminder that there wasn't time — but the sight of the red streak across Azzi's fingers shattered every instinct except one: help her.
Azzi saw her coming and shook her head frantically, trying to stand straighter despite the agony in her side. "No—no, McKenzie, keep running," she rasped, voice sharp with desperation. "You have to go."
"I'm not leaving you!" McKenzie's voice cracked as she reached her, grabbing Azzi's arm to steady her. "You're bleeding, Oh my god Azzi, you're hit—"
"I know," Azzi panted, eyes darting toward the direction of Maya's voice. "It's just a graze, okay? I'll be fine. You need to find a road, find someone, now. If she catches us both—" she paused, fighting through the pain, "—we're dead."
McKenzie shook her head violently, tears streaking down her dirt-smudged cheeks. "I can't—Azzi, I can't leave you like this—"
"You have to," Azzi said, voice trembling but firm. She grabbed McKenzie's shoulders, forcing her to meet her gaze. "If I slow you down, we both die. You hear me? I'll hide, I'll stay quiet, she won't find me. But you—" she pressed a hand over McKenzie's trembling fingers, "—you have to keep running until you find help."
McKenzie's throat closed, her chest aching from the sob she tried to hold in. "I—I don't know if I can."
"You can." Azzi's voice softened, though pain flickered across her face. "Hey, look at me. I'll be fine. I've been through worse practices under Coach Auriemma." She tried to smile, but it broke halfway. "It's just a scratch."
McKenzie let out a small, choked laugh through her tears — disbelief and terror mixing in her voice. "You're literally bleeding."
Azzi glanced down at her side, winced, then nodded toward McKenzie's shirt. "Rip off a piece. I just need something to wrap it with, stop the bleeding." Her voice was steady now, almost calm, as if pretending to be in control would make McKenzie believe it too.
With shaking hands, McKenzie grabbed the hem of her shirt and tore it, the sound rough and desperate in the still air. She pressed the fabric into Azzi's hand. "You better not die on me Azzi, you hear?" she whispered, voice breaking.
Azzi gave a weak chuckle, pressing the makeshift bandage to her wound and tying it tight around her torso. "Hey," she said, forcing a smirk, "I've watched enough Criminal Minds to know how to stop the bleeding. Spencer Reid would be proud."
McKenzie let out another trembling laugh that turned into a sob. Azzi reached up, brushing her arm with a bloodied hand. "Go, Kenzie. Please. Be quick. I'll hide until you're back."
For a heartbeat, McKenzie just stared at her — torn between terror and the unbearable weight of trust. Then she nodded, swallowing hard. "Okay... okay, I'll find someone. I'll come back for you, I promise."
"I know you will." Azzi smiled faintly, even as her knees threatened to buckle. "Now go before I change my mind."
McKenzie took one last, shaky look at her — Azzi crouched low behind a fallen tree, blood seeping through the torn fabric at her side, face pale but determined — and then turned and ran.
The sound of her footsteps faded into the woods, leaving Azzi alone with the echo of her heartbeat and the rustle of leaves.
Somewhere in the distance, Maya's voice carried through the night again, calling her name — sharp, furious, unhinged.
Azzi pressed her back against the tree, gritting her teeth through the pain, whispering under her breath to keep herself steady.
"Come on, McKenzie," she muttered, eyes fluttering toward the dark sky. "Please be quick."
~~~
The gym was nearly empty now, but the team hadn't stopped moving since that afternoon. Phones buzzed, sneakers squeaked against the tile floor, and anxious voices filled every corner of the space as they tried to trace Azzi's steps.
Nika was at the whiteboard, scribbling down names and locations. "Okay," she said, steadying her voice, "Carol called the café—she never showed up there. Aaliyah checked the practice court; she hasn't been in since this morning. And nobody's seen her at the library or the student center either."
Caroline paced near the benches, phone pressed to her ear. "No, she didn't stop by, not since Wednesday," she said into the line, before hanging up with a frustrated sigh. "Nothing. Nobody's seen her, not even security."
Everywhere they looked, every person they asked—it was the same. No one had seen Azzi Fudd since the afternoon.
Paige stood near the doorway, arms crossed so tight her nails dug into her skin. She wasn't used to this kind of helplessness. She wasn't used to not knowing. Her world, always so perfectly balanced between basketball, focus, and control, was unraveling one hour at a time.
"We'll split up again," she said finally, voice low but firm. "If she's out there, we'll find her. Someone has to have seen her."
Nika nodded, worry shadowing her eyes, but she said nothing. She knew Paige was holding herself together by a thread.
By late afternoon, they'd checked every route, every familiar spot—cafés, gyms, Ted's, even the quiet little park Azzi liked to run in when she wanted to clear her head. Nothing.
Paige's chest felt hollow as she drove back toward their apartment with Nika in the passenger seat. Storrs passed in a blur through the window—lights, people, sounds—all meaningless noise against the storm building in her chest.
When she turned onto their street, she almost missed it at first: a tall figure standing just outside the apartment building, pacing fast, hands running through his hair, muttering to himself.
Nika frowned, squinting. "Is that... Alex?"
Paige slowed the car, heart suddenly thudding hard against her ribs. Alex Karaban. Azzi's ex. Uccon's Men basketball Forward.
"What's he doing here?" Nika murmured, already sensing something was wrong.
As soon as Paige parked, she stepped out, slamming the door behind her. The cool air hit her face, but it did nothing to steady the growing pit in her stomach. "Alex?" she called out.
He froze—then turned toward her. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot and wet, tears streaking down his cheeks. He looked completely undone.
"Paige—" His voice cracked, breaking her name in half.
Paige stopped a few feet away, her pulse roaring in her ears. "What...happened?" she asked quietly, but her voice already trembled.
He shook his head, swallowing hard, his breaths uneven. "I—God, I didn't know it would go this far. I didn't think she'd actually—"
Nika stepped closer. "Alex," she said carefully, "what are you talking about?"
He looked between them, panic twisting his expression. His hands shook. "It's Maya. Maya Johnson."
The name hit Paige like a punch. She blinked, confused. "Maya? like one of the managers at the team?"
Alex nodded, tears spilling over. "She—she took Azzi." His voice broke completely now. "She was obsessed, Paige. She wouldn't stop talking about what Azzi 'did to her,' how she ruined her life. I thought it was just talk, I swear, I didn't think she'd actually—"
The world seemed to tilt around Paige, sound falling away until there was nothing but the faint hum of traffic and the sound of her own breathing—sharp, shallow, disbelieving.
"What do you mean took her?" Paige whispered, stepping closer, her chest tightening painfully.
Alex pressed his palms to his eyes, shaking his head. "She said she wanted to make Azzi 'pay.' That she was gonna confront her after picking her up. But I just got a call from her, she said it will end today. I didn't know what she was talking about until Coach called for a team meeting regarding an urgent matter and said that one of the women's basketball player is missing and I knew it was Azzi. I—I din't know she was actually gonna do it, Paige, I swear I—"
Nika's face drained of color. "Oh my god..."
Paige felt everything inside her collapse. Her knees nearly gave out, her voice cracking as she asked, "You're telling me Maya kidnapped her?"
Alex didn't answer right away—he didn't need to. The look in his eyes said it all.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I should've stopped her. I should've said something sooner."
Paige's world went quiet. For a heartbeat, it felt like time itself stopped. The noise, the street, the world—it all faded. There was only the ringing in her ears, the sound of her pulse, and the image of Azzi's smile—flashing through her mind like a cruel memory.
Then, without a word, Paige turned and ran toward her car again, Nika calling her name.
But Paige wasn't listening.
Azzi was out there somewhere, hurt—or worse. And nothing in the world could've stopped her now.
Paige's hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. Nika sat beside her, still trying to reach someone—anyone—on her phone, but Paige's mind was already somewhere else, racing miles ahead, replaying Alex's words on a loop that made her stomach twist.
Maya took Azzi.
It didn't sound real. It couldn't be. But the way Alex said it—the tears, the panic—it tore through her denial like glass.
When they arrived back at campus, the team and coaches were already gathered, the tension so thick it was almost hard to breathe. Paige stormed into the locker room where Geno was waiting, Nika following right behind her.
"Paige," Geno started, his voice a mix of concern and command. "Alex just called me—what's going on? What did he tell you?"
Paige's breath came out ragged. "He said Maya. She—she took her. She took Azzi." Her voice cracked as the last word broke into a sob. "And I wasn't here—I wasn't here to stop it."
For once, Geno didn't have his usual stoic calm. His brow furrowed, his jaw tight as he exchanged a glance with Nika. "We're already alerting campus security," he said quickly. "The police are on it now. Paige, you have to let them do their job."
But Paige shook her head violently, pacing, her chest heaving. "You don't understand—Azzi's out there, she could be hurt. I can't just sit here, Coach. I can't."
Geno took a step closer, his tone firm but fatherly. "Paige. Listen to me. You're no good to her if you're not thinking straight."
That was when she broke.
"Thinking straight?" Paige's voice trembled, her eyes glistening. "How am I supposed to think straight when this is happening again?"
Nika's head snapped toward her. "Paige..."
Paige shook her head, the words spilling out between sobs. "Just like that time at the camp—when she got lost in the woods trying to save one of the campers. And I wasn't there. I wasn't there to help her, to protect her. She could've died then, and now—" Her voice cracked, and she covered her mouth to stop the sob that tore through her. "Now she's gone again, and I'm still not there. How can I keep letting her down like this?"
Her words fell heavy in the room, the raw guilt cutting through every heart present. Paige pressed her palms into her eyes, shaking her head. "I was supposed to be the one who always showed up for her. I was supposed to protect her. And now—now I don't even know where she is."
Nika stepped forward immediately, her voice steady even through her own tears. "Paige, stop. None of this is your fault."
"You don't know that—" Paige started, but Nika didn't let her finish.
"No, I do," Nika said, gripping her shoulders firmly. "You didn't do this. Maya did. You couldn't have known, you couldn't have stopped it. Azzi knows you'd do anything for her, but this—this isn't on you."
Paige's breath hitched, the weight of guilt still pressing on her chest like stone. Geno finally spoke, quieter now. "Nika's right. You think Azzi would want you to fall apart right now? She'd want you to fight for her—smart, not reckless."
Paige's lip quivered, and she nodded faintly, though tears still streamed down her face. "I just want her back," she whispered.
"We will find her," Geno said firmly, and everyone around nodded in agreement.
After a long silence, Geno turned to the rest of the team. "We're forming a search team. Half of you stay here in case she contacts anyone. The rest will go with the police to check every road, every property out by the lake."
Paige straightened up, wiping at her tears. "Then I'm going," she said immediately, no hesitation.
Geno sighed, but there was no point arguing. "Fine. But be careful. Don't try to play hero."
"I'm not," Paige said quietly, her voice steady now but laced with fire. "I just need to bring her home."
The sun had already dipped below the horizon when the parking lot outside the campus gym filled with flashing red and blue lights. Police cars lined the street, radios buzzing as officers coordinated search routes toward the woods and the lake road. The rest of the team huddled near the curb, their faces pale and drawn, whispering in disbelief.
Paige stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, trying to steady her breathing as she watched Alex speak to one of the detectives. His hands shook as he talked, his words coming fast and uneven, guilt dripping from every syllable.
"She'd been talking about Azzi for weeks," Alex was saying, voice hoarse. "About how she wanted to 'make her pay.' I thought she was just venting, you know? She kept saying Azzi ruined her life—took everything from her—scholarships, rankings, scouts. I didn't think she'd actually do something this... this insane."
Paige's stomach turned. Every word felt like another cut to her chest.
"She mentioned going out near the lake," Alex continued. "Said she knew a place. Some old property she used to go to when she skipped class. She said she wanted to 'talk' to Azzi—just talk—but when I saw how obsessed she was getting, I tried to call her." He paused, rubbing his face. "She never answered."
Paige could barely hear the detective's questions anymore. Her fists clenched, nails biting into her palms. The anger came in waves—sharp, suffocating, overwhelming.
She wanted to talk? Paige thought bitterly. She wanted to ruin her. To hurt her. And now Azzi's gone because of it.
Nika stood beside her, quiet but watchful, sensing the shift in Paige's breathing—the tremor in her hands.
When the detective asked Alex for a description of Maya's car and the possible route she could've taken, Paige snapped. "So you knew," she said, her voice trembling with rage as she took a step forward.
Alex froze, looking up at her. "Paige—"
"You knew she was obsessed!" Paige's voice rose, sharp and furious. "You knew she was planning to do this to Azzi! And you still didn't say anything? You didn't warn her?"
"I thought she was bluffing!" Alex's eyes filled with tears again. "I didn't think she'd actually do it, Paige! I swear, I didn't—"
"That's not good enough!" Paige shouted, her voice cracking. "You let this happen! You let her take her!"
Nika quickly stepped between them, grabbing Paige's arm before she lunged any closer. "Paige, stop—"
Paige shook her head violently, her voice breaking. "She's out there because of him! Because of that psycho! And now—now we don't even know if she's—" Her words faltered, caught on the lump in her throat.
Nika tightened her grip, her voice firm but soft. "Paige. Hey—look at me."
Paige did, her eyes burning, her whole body trembling with adrenaline.
"We're going to find her," Nika said quietly but fiercely. "You can hate him later. Right now, Azzi needs you focused."
Paige's jaw locked, tears brimming. She looked back at Alex—broken, guilt-ridden, unable to meet her eyes—and for a long moment, the only sound was the hum of radios and the far-off bark of orders as search teams mobilized.
Then Geno's voice cut through the air. "Paige. Let's move."
Paige turned toward him, her expression hardened by fear and fury. "Where are they searching first?"
"The lake," Geno said. "The police are heading out now. If Maya took her there, that's where we'll find something."
Paige didn't hesitate. She grabbed her jacket and started toward the line of cars, her voice shaking as she spoke without looking back. "Then what are we waiting for?"
The night air was cold and sharp, filled with the wail of sirens and the hum of engines as search teams spread out across the backroads leading toward the lake. Paige sat in the passenger seat of Geno's car, her knees bouncing restlessly, eyes glued to the dark stretch of highway ahead. Nika followed close behind in another car with Aaliyah and Aubrey, their headlights slicing through the fog.
No one spoke. The silence was too heavy.
Geno's phone buzzed, and her head snapped up. Geno answered, his voice clipped and serious.
"Yeah, this is Coach Auriemma."
He listened for a few seconds, his expression shifting from focus to disbelief. "Where?" he said, eyes narrowing. "Are you sure?"
Paige's heart stopped. "What is it?"
Geno looked at her, his tone low but urgent. "They found someone."
~~~
When they arrived, the flashing lights painted the dirt road in streaks of red and blue. Two police cars and an ambulance were parked on the side of an old truck stop road, where a massive semi-truck idled nearby.
Paige barely waited for the car to stop before she jumped out, her breath fogging in the cold air as she sprinted toward the commotion.
There, sitting on the edge of the road wrapped in a blanket, was McKenzie. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears, her hands trembling uncontrollably as a paramedic tried to calm her down. She looked completely shattered—like she'd seen something she'd never forget.
"Oh my god," Paige whispered, slowing down, her heart pounding.
The truck driver stood nearby, nervously rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke to an officer. "I was just driving down from the main road when I saw her running out of the woods, waving her arms like crazy. I stopped, and she just started screaming for help—said someone had been shot, that her friend was still out there."
Paige's breath hitched. "Shot?" she whispered.
The word sliced through the noise like glass.
Nika reached her side, her expression pale. "Paige—"
But Paige was already walking toward McKenzie, her steps uneven. "McKenzie," she said quietly, kneeling in front of her.
McKenzie looked up, her eyes wide with fear and guilt. "Paige?" she croaked, her voice breaking. "I—oh my god—I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't mean to—"
Paige grabbed her shoulders gently. "Where's Azzi?" she demanded, voice trembling. "Where is she?"
McKenzie shook her head frantically, sobbing harder. "She—she told me to run. She told me to find help—she got hit—Maya shot her—I tried to help but she wouldn't let me stay—she said if we both got caught, Maya would kill us—"
"Where?" Paige shouted, her voice cracking as she looked around like she could somehow see Azzi through the trees. "Where did you leave her?"
McKenzie pointed shakily toward the dark stretch of forest behind them. "Somewhere in there—she's hiding—she said she'd wait for me."
Paige turned toward the woods, ready to bolt, but an officer stepped in front of her. "Ma'am, you can't go in there yet—our team's already starting a search."
Paige tried to shove past him. "Move, I need to find her!"
"Paige," Geno's voice cut through, stern but soft. "Let them do their job."
Paige froze, tears spilling over as she looked back toward the trees, her chest heaving. She could almost hear Azzi's voice, that quiet laugh, the way she said "You worry too much, Paige."
Nika stepped beside her and placed a hand on her back. "We'll find her," she whispered. "She's strong. She's still out there."
Paige nodded numbly, but her eyes never left the woods. Every siren, every beam of light moving deeper into the trees felt like a thread pulling her heart tighter.
Because somewhere in that darkness, Azzi was alone—hurt, bleeding, scared.
And Paige had never felt so helpless in her life.
~~~
The forest was cold. Every breath Azzi took burned like fire in her chest. She pressed herself deeper against the thick brush, her hand clamped over her side, the shirt McKenzie had tied around her torso already soaked and sticky with blood.
Her entire body trembled. Each second stretched like an hour.
McKenzie's footsteps had long disappeared into the distance, swallowed by the night. Azzi prayed she would find help. She had to.
But as the minutes dragged on, the silence became unbearable. Every sound — a snapping twig, the rustle of wind through the trees — made her heart jolt in terror.
She tried to stay still, her breathing shallow, but the pain made it impossible to ignore. Her head throbbed. Her vision swam. She could taste blood in her mouth.
Please, God... just let me hold on a little longer, she thought. Let me see Paige again.
Then she heard it — footsteps.
Slow. Crunching through leaves. Deliberate.
Her heart stopped.
Azzi froze, clamping a hand over her mouth as tears pricked her eyes. She wanted to believe it was McKenzie coming back. She wanted to believe it was help. But the sound was wrong. Too heavy. Too slow.
And then a voice.
"Azzi..."
Her blood ran cold. That voice. That calm, mocking tone that now carried something twisted.
Maya.
Azzi's lungs seized. She pressed lower to the ground, her trembling body hidden under the fallen branches. But her blood — the dark trail she'd left behind — betrayed her.
"There you are," Maya's voice sing-songed through the dark.
The next thing Azzi felt was a hand gripping her arm, yanking her up so violently she almost screamed. The barrel of the gun pressed against her ribs, and she froze, her knees nearly giving out from pain.
"Please," she rasped, her voice hoarse. "Maya... please don't—"
Maya shoved her against a tree, her face twisted into something Azzi barely recognized. "You think you can hide from me?" she hissed. "After everything?"
Azzi's breath hitched. She could barely stand. Blood seeped between her fingers. "You don't have to do this—"
Maya looked down, then laughed — that cold, manic laugh that sent chills through her spine. "You're lucky, you know that?" she sneered, tilting her head as she pointed the gun toward Azzi's stomach. "My aim's bad tonight. You should be dead already."
Azzi flinched, her entire body shaking as Maya jabbed the gun toward her, forcing her to move. "Walk."
"Maya—please—"
"Walk!" Maya screamed, shoving her again.
Every step was agony. Azzi could barely keep her balance as Maya pushed her along the forest path, the muzzle of the gun pressing into her back. Her mind raced with fragments — Paige's smile, her laugh, the way her hand felt when she'd hold hers during long flights. The way she kissed her, the taste of her skin, the look in her eyes when she's watching her when she thought no one was watching. Her voice, the way it softens whenever she's telling Azzi how much she loves her.
Hold on, Azzi. Just hold on. Paige is waiting for you.
When they reached the abandoned house, Maya shoved her forward again. The old wooden structure loomed like a ghost in the moonlight, the car parked beside it.
"Get in," Maya ordered.
Azzi froze beside the passenger door, trembling. "Please, Maya... you don't have to do this. Whatever this is—Paige has nothing to do with it. Just let me go."
Maya's grin widened. "That's where you're wrong."
Azzi's heart dropped.
Maya leaned in close, her breath hot and cruel against her ear. "If you don't do what I say, she's next. You understand me?"
Azzi's world tilted. "No—please, don't—"
"Get. In. The car."
There was no choice. Her entire body screamed in pain, but she forced herself to move, climbing into the passenger seat. Maya slid behind the wheel, keeping the gun trained on her as the engine rumbled to life.
The abandoned house disappeared in the rearview mirror as they drove off into the darkness.
Azzi pressed her hand against her side, whispering silent prayers between shallow breaths.
Please, let me survive this. Let me see Paige again. Just one more time.
The road ahead vanished into the night, and all she could do was hold on — to hope, to fear, to the thought of the person she loved most.