#pazzi

[mygaynesshasnolimits]

She ddidn't take her eyes off of azzi 🥹

[hiitsme535]

I know I could be better

Chapter five: meet the family

Collegestudent!paige x dadsgirlfriend!azzi, forbidden romance, cheating, age gap.

A/n: Hi guys! I hope you like this chapter I know it’s not a lot of fluff/interaction between Paige and Azzi but I think it moves the story along well! Please let me know your thoughts! Also I will be posting a synopsis for my new series later this week! Love you all 🩷

Word count: 12.3k

A few days later, the heavy scent of simmering garlic and pasta sauce filled the kitchen.

Peter was sitting at the kitchen island, comfortably reviewing some paperwork, while Paige occupied her usual barstool, her long legs tangled together as she aimlessly scrolled through her phone.

Azzi stood by the stove, her heart doing a nervous little flutter against her ribs. She smoothed down the front of her shirt, took a breath to steady her posture, and turned around to face them both.

"Hey, um... can I talk to you guys about something really quick?" Azzi asked, her voice carrying an easy, bright warmth as she walked over to the island.

Peter looked up instantly, a soft, affectionate smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. "Of course, beautiful. What's up?"

Paige lowered her phone, her eyes tracking Azzi’s movements with that steady, unblinking intensity that always made Azzi's skin feel electric.

"So, my family texted me today," Azzi started, her eyes lighting up with an immediate, unmistakable spark of pure joy. She loved her family more than anything in the world. "They want to come out and visit next week. I wanted to sit you both down and make sure that would be okay. They’re going to stay with me at my house, obviously, but since neither of you have ever met them before, I just wanted to check in and see how we wanted to do introductions."

"Azzi, of course that's okay," Peter said without a second of hesitation. He reached across the marble countertop, casually covering her hand with his warm palm and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I’ve been dying to finally meet them."

Azzi offered him a sweet, reassuring smile, but the underlying guilt gave a sharp, familiar tug in her stomach.

Peter’s brow then furrowed slightly as he thought over his calendar. "Wait, next week... oh, shoot. I just remembered I have that conference. I’m going to be out of town for the first few days they’re here. I won't be back until Wednesday morning." He let out a disappointed sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I’m so sorry. I hate that I won't be here the day they arrive."

Before Azzi could even formulate a response to soothe him, Paige spoke up.

"I'll be here," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into a casual, thoroughly relaxed register as she leaned her forearms against the counter. She looked directly at Azzi. "They can just hang out with me for those first two days while you're gone, Dad. It'll give me a chance to actually meet them and get to know them before you get back."

Peter’s face completely lit up at his daughter's suggestion. A look of gratitude and pride came over his features, and he shook his head with a soft chuckle.

"That is an amazing idea," Peter said, completely touched by how welcoming his daughter was being to Azzi's family. He looked over at Azzi, his eyes swimming with devotion. "That works out perfectly. Paige can hold down the fort and give them a proper first welcome, and then I'll join the party the second I get back into town."

"Yeah," Paige murmured softly, her eyes locking onto Azzi’s face with a heavy, possessive focus that sent heat straight down Azzi’s spine. "I'll make sure they're completely taken care of."

Azzi’s breath hitched sharply, her heart hammering a frantic, wild rhythm against her ribs.

"Thank you, P," Azzi whispered, as a breathless smile split her face. "That... that really means a lot to me. I’m so excited for you guys to meet."

—

The hum of the highway beneath the tires was loud.

Paige kept one hand firmly on the steering wheel, her eyes focused on the road ahead, but her composure was completely shot. It wasn't because of the traffic. It was because Azzi was being absolutely insufferable.

Ever since they had backed out of the driveway, the older woman had been completely incapable of keeping her hands to herself. The impending arrival of her family had made her beyond anxious.

Right now, Azzi’s left hand was resting heavily on Paige’s right thigh, her fingers idly tracing patterns through the fabric of Paige’s jeans. She would occasionally slide her hand up, her palm smoothing over Paige’s quad with a sudden, firm pressure that made Paige’s grip on the steering wheel tighten until her knuckles turned white. Every few minutes, Azzi would lean completely across the center console, burying her face into the crook of Paige’s neck to leave a fast, heavy kiss against her skin, before settling back into the passenger seat.

"Az, stop, I’m tryna not to crash the car," Her voice dropping into a low drawl as she tried to ignore the hot, throbbing ache coiling tight in her lower stomach from Azzi's hand and mouth. "You're driving me crazy. Sit still."

"I can't," Azzi gasped out, a smile cutting through her nerves as she reached up to gently scratch the back of Paige's neck. "I am so excited, P. My chest feels like it's going to explode. Okay, but listen, I need to brief you on them before they come out. You need to be prepared."

"Alright," Paige murmured, a confident, slightly amused smirk playing at the corner of her lips as she glanced over at the flushed woman beside her. "Lay it on me. Who am I dealing with?"

Azzi let out a long, dramatic sigh, her fingers shifting down to intertwine tightly with Paige's free hand over the center console.

"Okay, first are my brothers," Azzi said, her eyes crinkling at the corners with deep affection. "They are going to be loud and annoying. They fight constantly, it’s exhausting. But I think they are going to love you. They’ll probably try to rope you into whatever stupid argument they’re having within five minutes."

"I can handle that," Paige grinned, squeezing Azzi's hand tight. "Who else?"

"My dad," Azzi murmured. "He’s tall, and he seems really intimidating, but I promise you, he’s super sweet. Also.. I am warning you right now, Paige. He makes the absolute dirtiest, most inappropriate jokes you have ever heard in your life. He has zero filter. So when he says something awful at dinner, just laugh and ignore him."

Paige let out a laugh, her chest heaving under her sweatshirt. "An intimidating guy with a dirty mouth? Az, he sounds like my favorite person already. I think we’re gonna get along great."

"Oh god, please don't encourage him," Azzi groaned playfully, hiding her face against Paige's shoulder for a split second before looking back up. "And then... there's my mom."

The playfulness in Azzi's voice dropped into something much more serious.

"She is strict, Paige. She is very stern, and she reads people like a book the second she meets them. She doesn't fake anything," Azzi explained softly, her thumb tracing the back of Paige’s knuckles. "But... if she likes you, and she develops a soft spot for you? She is the sweetest most protective woman on the planet. I just... I really want her to like you."

Paige swallowed hard. The thought of facing Azzi’s mom while actively harboring a massive secret was terrifying.

But as they rounded the final curve toward the airport terminals, Paige tightened her grip on Azzi's hand, bringing it up to press a firm, lingering kiss directly to the older woman's knuckles.

"She's gonna love me, Az," Paige murmured, her eyes flashing with that unyielding devotion that always made Azzi’s heart stop. "I promise. Now let's go get your family."

The moment Paige parked the car at the curb, everything else blurred. Azzi practically jumped out of the passenger seat. Paige stepped out after her, leaning her body back against the driver’s side door, her hands shoved deep into her hoodie pockets as she watched the sliding glass doors open.

"There they are!" Azzi gasped.

Before Paige could even register the movement, Azzi was running. A chaotic whirlwind of a family had just burst through the doors, pushing a mountain of luggage. Instantly, Azzi was swallowed whole. Her brothers, Jon and Jose, were aggressively shoving each other out of the way and tackled her first, shouting over one another. Then came her dad, Tim, who’s face immediately cracked into a massive, warm grin as he lifted Azzi completely off her feet. Finally, her mom, Katie, stepped in, wrapping Azzi in a tight embrace that lingered a second longer than the rest.

Paige stood by the car, a soft, genuinely touched smile breaking across her face. Seeing Azzi surrounded by so much love made her chest feel incredibly warm.

"Okay, okay, let me breathe!" Azzi laughed, as she finally extracted herself from the huddle. She turned back toward the car, her eyes glittering with excitement as she waved Paige over. "Come here, I want you to meet everyone."

Paige walked over, her stride casual but her heart doing a nervous thud against her ribs.

"Everyone, this is Paige," Azzi introduced, her voice soft and proud. She cleared her throat slightly, a brief flash of caution crossing her features as she added, "Peter's daughter. She was nice enough to drive me here to pick you guys up."

"Hi Paige! We’ve heard so much about you." Tim boomed, stepping forward first. He didn't hesitate to wrap his massive arms around Paige in a giant hug. "Good to meet you, sweetheart."

Jon and Jose immediately shoved their dad out of the way, both grinning like idiots as they took turns pulling Paige into brief, loud hugs. "Hey, if you're an engineer, can you help me with some homework later?" Jose joked, earning an immediate shove from Jon. "Shut up, man, don't ask her that yet."

Paige let out a laugh, completely disarmed by them. "I can take a look," she grinned.

Finally, Katie stepped into Paige's space. She was shorter, her posture perfectly straight and her eyes incredibly sharp. She didn't say a word at first, her gaze scanning Paige’s face. But after a beat, a soft smile broke through her serious expression, and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms securely around Paige’s neck.

"It is so wonderful to meet you, Paige," Katie murmured softly, her tone carrying that sweetness Azzi had promised. "Thank you for taking care of my girl today."

"Of course," Paige murmured honestly, her voice low and respectful.

—

The process of packing the car was an absolute circus, with Jon and Jose nearly getting into a fistfight over who got the front seat before Tim shut them down and forced them both into the back with him and Katie. Paige took the wheel, guiding the car away from the chaotic airport terminal, while Azzi sat in the passenger seat.

The cabin was loud with the rustle of jackets and her brothers already bickering over the air conditioning, but after a few minutes, Katie’s voice cut through the noise from the middle row.

"So, Azzi," Katie started, her tone perfectly casual but her eyes fixed firmly on the rearview mirror, capturing both Azzi and Paige in her line of sight. "Where is Peter? I thought he was going to be joining us today."

Azzi cleared her throat, her posture tensing just a fraction. "Oh, um, Peter had a conference pop up for work. He's actually out of town until Wednesday. He was really upset about the timing, but he'll be joining us as soon as he gets back."

"Ah, I see," Katie murmured. She leaned forward slightly, her features softening into a curious expression as she looked at the back of Paige's head. "Paige... how did you end up being the one to get us from the airport?"

"I wanted to," Paige murmured, her voice completely relaxed as she flicked her eyes up to meet Katie's in the mirror. She didn't flinch under the older woman's gaze. "Azzi was really stressed about making sure everything went smoothly today, so I volunteered to drive. I wanted to make sure you guys were taken care of."

Azzi’s heart did a soft flutter at Paige’s words, but before the silence in the car could turn too heavy, Jose leaned forward from the very back seat, completely breaking the tension.

"Hey, Paige," Jose called out, smacking the back of her headrest to get her attention. "I gotta know, do you watch basketball?"

"Yeah, I watch. Closely."

"Alright, bet," Jose grinned. "Then settle a debate for me and Jon. Who's the GOAT? LeBron or Steph Curry? Choose wisely, because your answer dictates if I like you or not."

Paige didn't even hesitate."Steph. Easily. It’s not even a question."

"What?!" Jose groaned loudly, throwing his hands up and hitting the roof of the car, while Jon let out a massive yell of approval. "Oh my god, you’re one of those people? LeBron has four rings, four MVPs, and he’s dominant in every single category! Steph is just a shooter!"

"Just a shooter?" Paige mocked, her voice dropping into a smug, sharp cadence that made Azzi look over at her with a mix of fondness and exasperation. "Jose, the man literally changed how the game of basketball is played. You can't even play pickup at a local park without every kid trying to shoot from the logo because of him. Efficiency over force any day."

"Efficiency?!" Jose barked back, completely fired up as he leaned so far forward his head was practically between the front seats. "LeBron carried a trash Cavs team to the finals in 2007! Steph had a super-team with KD! If you put LeBron on those Warriors teams, they win eight straight titles!"

"If you put LeBron on those Warriors teams, the floor spacing is ruined and nobody gets a shot off," Paige countered smoothly, effortlessly merging onto the highway while completely dismantling Jose's argument. "Steph’s gravity off the ball creates the entire system. You just watch highlights, Jose. Look at the analytics."

"Don't bring math into this!" Jose whined, though he was grinning from ear to ear, completely loving the banter.

Azzi sat back against her seat, a smile splitting her face as she listened to them bicker. She looked over at Paige, watching the line of her jaw and the way her eyes lit up as she argued with Jose. The joy of having her family in the car, combined with how effortlessly Paige was fitting in with their dynamic, made the lingering guilt in Azzi's chest vanish.

The moment the front door of Azzi’s house swung open, the energy of the car ride spilled directly into the foyer. Jon and Jose immediately dropped their bags by the stairs and headed straight through the living room toward the back patio doors, lured by the afternoon sun hitting the lush green lawn. Tim followed closely behind them, already loudly demanding to know if Azzi had any beers in the fridge.

Within minutes, the house quieted down as the men and Paige moved out to the backyard. Through the large glass windows of the kitchen, Azzi could see Paige standing by the outdoor patio table, completely relaxed as Jose aggressively gestured with his hands, clearly still trying to win the basketball debate.

In the kitchen, the atmosphere was much softer, filled with the comforting, domestic sounds of running water and the rustle of grocery bags.

"Hand me those bell peppers, sweetie," Katie murmured, her voice carrying that calm, authoritative warmth.

Azzi smiled, grabbing the vegetables from the counter and placing them on the cutting board next to her mother. For a few minutes, the two of them worked in comfortable silence.

Katie stopped cutting for a fraction of a second, her eyes drifting toward the window. Outside, Jon had just handed Paige a football, and Paige caught it effortlessly, a confident grin cutting across her face as she tossed it back with a perfect, tight spiral.

"That Paige," Katie murmured softly, a genuinely touched, warm smile breaking through her serious features as she resumed chopping. "She seems so great, Azzi. Truly. She just fits in perfectly with this family. The boys are already obsessed with her, and your father acts like he's known her for years."

Azzi’s heart did a soft, dangerous flutter against her ribs, a wave of pride and affection washing over her chest. She looked out the window at the blonde girl who had completely consumed her entire life, her eyes softening with undeniable adoration.

"She really is," Azzi agreed softly, her voice carrying a quiet, emotional depth. She cleared her throat, forcing a casual, practiced brightness into her tone as she rinsed a handful of cilantro. "Honestly, mom, we’ve gotten so close over the last few weeks. We’re basically like best friends now. We do absolutely everything together."

Katie didn't interrupt. She just kept cutting the peppers, but her pace slowed down, her eyes fixed intently on the cutting board as she listened.

"Like, it's crazy how much we hang out," Azzi continued, the excitement of having Paige validated by her mother completely overriding her usual caution. Words began to spill out of her in a breathless, rapid ramble. "We started doing these little girls' nights at the house whenever her dad is tired or working late, and we just watch movies. I’ve been teaching her how to braid her hair because she was complaining about it, and we literally had a sleepover the other night because we were up so late talking. We cook dinners together all the time, and last weekend we spent the whole afternoon at the mall just walking around and trying things on. She’s just so easy to talk to, Mom. I knew everyone was gonna love her, I told her on the drive over that she had absolutely nothing to worry about because she's just perfect."

Azzi finally paused to catch her breath, dumping the cilantro into a bowl with a proud, thoroughly satisfied nod.

Katie slowly set her knife down on the cutting board with a quiet, deliberate click. She didn't say a word at first. Instead, she slowly turned her head to face her daughter, her posture perfectly straight.

The stern, all-knowing expression was firmly back on Katie's face. She let the weight of Azzi’s ramble hang in the quiet of the kitchen for a beat, her eyes searching her daughter's flushed face. But the skeptical smirk didn't stay. Instead, Katie’s features softened completely, expanding into an incredibly tender, knowing smile that carried the full weight of a mother’s unconditional warmth.

She reached out, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on Azzi’s arm.

"I'm happy you have that, Azzi," Katie said softly. "Really. Everyone deserves to have someone in their life who makes them that happy."

Azzi’s breath hitched sharply in her throat. Azzi swallowed hard, looking down at the counter as her heart hammered a frantic, wild rhythm, deeply relieved but utterly exposed by how completely her mother understood her.

Katie didn't take her hand off Azzi’s arm. She let the silence stretch for a beat, her eyes tracking the frantic pulse jumping in her daughter’s neck. Then, her voice dropped a fraction lower, turning quiet and incredibly direct.

"Does Peter make you that happy, Azzi?"

Azzi’s entire body went completely rigid, her breath hitching sharply in her throat.

"Yes," Azzi snapped out instantly, her voice sharpening as she tried to shut the conversation down. She ripped her arm away from her mother's grip, her eyes flashing with a sudden defensive panic. "Yes, of course he does, Mom. Why would you even ask me that? It’s completely different. What I have with Peter is different then Paige….she's my friend. It's different."

Katie didn't flinch at Azzi’s tone. She could hear the defensive strain in Azzi's voice, could see the way her hands were slightly trembling against the marble counter. She knew, with absolute certainty, that Azzi was lying through her teeth.

But seeing the genuine distress and rising panic in her daughter’s eyes, Katie’s protective instinct won out. She wasn't here to push her into a corner.

"Okay," Katie murmured softly, raising her hands in a gentle, yielding gesture as she stepped back toward her cutting board. "Okay, sweetie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Good," Azzi muttered, as she aggressively grabbed a head of lettuce and began ripping the leaves apart, her chest heaving. She glared down at the sink, her voice dropping into a sharp, wounded pout. "Because I'm not gonna tell you things anymore if you're just gonna make it weird. Seriously. We were having a normal conversation about my life, and you completely ruined it."

Katie just offered a quiet, completely unbothered nod, picking up her knife to finish the peppers. "You're right. I'm sorry. Let's just finish dinner."

Azzi didn't answer, still huffing as she washed the lettuce, but the tension slowly began to drain out of her shoulders. She looked back out the window at the yard, where Paige was currently laughing at something Tim said, her blue eyes bright. Azzi’s heart did that familiar, heavy ache all over again, the sweet relief of her mother's backing down doing nothing to erase the reality that she was completely transparent.

—

The tension in the kitchen was still thick enough to choke on when the screen door to the backyard creaked open, followed by the heavy, familiar thud of Paige’s feet against the hardwood floor.

"Hey, I'm just slipping past to use the restroom," Paige muttered, as she strolled into the kitchen.

She stopped for a second just behind Azzi, her eyes dropping to the counter. The simmering pasta sauce and the spread of fresh bell peppers, cilantro, and grilled chicken immediately caught her attention.

"Oh, wow," Paige murmured, a low, appreciative sound escaping her throat as she leaned her body slightly over the counter. "Az, this looks incredible. It smells so good in here."

Azzi, who was still trying to recover from the conversation with her mother, offered a tight, slightly breathless smile. "Thanks, P. It’ll be ready in a little bit."

Paige nodded, but instead of moving along to the bathroom, she lingered for just a fraction of a second too long.

She thought she was being incredibly slick, under the impression that Katie was too focused on her chopping to notice a thing.

Paige shifted her weight, leaning her hip against the counter right next to Azzi. She tilted her head down, her eyes softening as she looked at the side of Azzi’s face.

"I missed you when I was out there," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into a low, private register meant only for Azzi's ears. She reached out, her hand casually brushing against Azzi’s wrist to grab a loose slice of bell pepper from the cutting board. Her fingers lingered against Azzi's skin for a heartbeat longer than necessary. "You look so beautiful right now mama."

The casual delivery of that one quiet nickname, combined with the brush of her hand, sent a sharp, reckless bolt of heat straight down Azzi’s spine. Azzi’s breath hitched in her throat. She didn't dare look at Paige, keeping her eyes glued to the sink as she gave a quick, stiff nod.

"Thank you," Azzi whispered frantically, her voice a little too high. "Go use the bathroom, Paige."

"On it," Paige murmured smoothly. Proud of herself for what she thought was a totally undetectable, private moment, she popped the pepper into her mouth and walked down the hallway, thoroughly satisfied and relaxed.

The silence that followed Paige's exit was absolute.

Azzi stood entirely frozen by the sink, her heart hammering against her ribs. She slowly closed her eyes, praying that her mother hadn't noticed the interaction.

Beside her, Katie's knife had stopped completely.

Azzi slowly risked a glance over her shoulder. Katie was standing perfectly straight, her hands resting on the counter. The stern, serious expression was completely gone. Instead, she was looking at the empty hallway, and then back to Azzi, with an expression of pure amusement. She raised a single eyebrow, an incredibly smug smirk cutting across her face.

She didn't say a single word. She didn't have to. The quiet, knowing look she gave Azzi was confirmation Paige hadn't been nearly as subtle as she thought she was.

—

The click of the bathroom door unlocking broke the silence, and a moment later, Paige’s heavy footsteps echoed back down the hallway.

Azzi was trying to scrub a spot on the marble countertop that was already perfectly clean, her face still warm, while Katie had quietly resumed chopping vegetables with a small, knowing hum.

Instead of heading straight back out to the yard to join the boys, Paige slid onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island. She propped her elbows on the counter, her eyes tracking the way Azzi was frantically organizing a the kitchen.

A slow, teasing smirk cut across Paige’s face. She leaned her chin in her palm, looking past Azzi to lock eyes with Katie.

"So, Katie," Paige started, her voice dropping into a playful, conspiratorial register. "Has Azzi always been this messy? Because trying to cook with her is a safety hazard. She leaves cabinets wide open, drops things on the floor, and just moves on with her life."

Katie stopped her knife entirely, her stern expression instantly vanishing as she let out a loud, breathless laugh. "You have no idea. You are speaking to a woman who suffered through eighteen years of it."

"Mom, stop!" Azzi protested, as she turned around from the sink. "I am not messy!"

"Azzi, please," Katie scoffed lovingly, launching right into a dramatic, long-suffering rant. "In high school, you couldn't even see the carpet in her bedroom. I used to tell her it looked like a natural disaster occurred in her closet. I would walk in there to grab her laundry, and I’d find half-empty water bottles from three weeks prior hidden under the bed. It was a nightmare."

Paige let out a delighted laugh, as she soaked up the ammunition. "I knew it! She tries to pretend she’s so put-together, but I knew the truth."

"It was an organized chaos!" Azzi defended herself, a breathless, frustrated laugh breaking through her mock offense as she pointed a soapy finger at them. "And it was high school! People change!"

"Well, some things don't change," Paige murmured smoothly. "Because she’s also a horrible driver. Seriously, Katie, being in the passenger seat with her is terrifying. She hits the breaks way too late, she gets road rage over absolutely nothing, and she can’t park to save her life."

Katie’s eyes completely lit up, a look of triumph taking over her face as she pointed a finger at Paige. "Oh my god, yes! Thank you! I have been saying this for a decade! Did she ever tell you what happened on her eighteenth birthday?"

"No," Paige said, her voice rich with amusement as she locked eyes with the older woman. "Please, tell me everything."

"Mom, do not tell her that story!" Azzi gasped out, as she tried to physically step between them, her dark curls flying.

"I am absolutely telling her," Katie insisted, completely unbothered by her daughter's panic as she smiled warmly at Paige. "We bought her a car for her birthday. It was in perfect condition. She had the keys for exactly four hours, Paige. She went to go pick up her friends, tried to parallel park on a completely empty street, panicked, hit the gas instead of the brake, and drove right up over the curb and directly into a concrete planter. Totaled the front bumper before the sun even went down."

Paige was laughing so hard she had to bury her face in her forearms against the marble island, her shoulders shaking violently. "Four hours?! Az, that is genuinely impressive. How do you total a car on an empty street?"

"The planter came out of nowhere!" Azzi whined dramatically, covering her burning face with her hands, though a helpless, watery laugh was bubbling out of her throat.

Seeing Paige sitting there so effortlessly bonding with her mother, trading embarrassing stories at her expense, made Azzi’s heart swell so tightly.

Katie chuckled softly, reaching out to pat Paige’s arm. "Paige, if she is driving you anywhere, you make sure you hold onto the handle. She has a history."

"Oh, I’m never letting her drive me again," Paige chuckled, finally lifting her head, her eyes instinctively drifting back to Azzi’s flushed, beautiful face with a quiet, private intensity that she still fully believed was completely undetectable. "From now on, I’m always behind the wheel."

Katie watched the way Paige’s eyes lingered on Azzi’s face. She quietly pushed the chopped peppers into a bowl, her smirk returning as she leaned back against the counter, crossing her arms.

"You know, Paige," Katie started. "Azzi was just telling me before you came in here that the two of you are basically like best friends now. She says you do absolutely everything together."

Azzi’s breath hitched. She shot her mom a frantic, warning look, her face instantly heating up all over again.

But Paige didn't miss a beat. She completely missed the underlying trap Katie was setting, totally convinced she was just having a normal, easy conversation with Azzi’s mom. A genuine, incredibly warm smile broke across her face, and she nodded firmly.

"Oh, yeah, definitely," Paige murmured. "We really do. Azzi is a hundred percent my best friend. Which is honestly so wild, because back when we first met? I thought for sure she was gonna be totally stuck up and rude."

Azzi let out a dramatic, breathless gasp, her jaw dropping as she whipped her head around to glare at the blonde girl. "Excuse me?! I was stuck up?"

"Oh, completely," Paige chuckled, leaning forward on her elbows and flashing a teasing, cocky smirk.

"Mom, do not believe her!" Azzi fired back, a defensive pout covering her face. She dropped her dish towel onto the counter and pointed a finger at Paige. "If we are talking about who was actually stuck up, it was her. Do you want to know what she said to me? When I told her I want to the same college as her, Paige literally looked me and said she didn’t care!"

Katie let out a surprised laugh, looking over at the blonde girl with a raised eyebrow. "Did you really say that?"

"Okay, look, in my defense—" Paige started, her face flushing slightly as she rubbed the back of her neck, a sheepish but amused grin taking over her face. "I was being pretty horrible, I admit it. I was in a terrible mood that day, and I was being a total jerk."

"You were awful!" Azzi laughed, the mock offense fading into pure affection as she looked at Paige.

"I was," Paige agreed smoothly, her voice dropping into a softer, lower register as her eyes locked onto Azzi’s. "But... my dad yelled at me for it. He made me realize what a brat I was being and forced me to apologize to her. And after I apologized we’ve been pretty much been attached at the hip."

"We really have," Azzi whispered softly, as she stared back at Paige, completely forgetting her mother was even in the room.

Katie just stood there, her arms crossed, looking between the two of them as they stared at each other with a look that absolutely no one could mistake for a simple friendship.

Katie raised her eyebrow a little higher, the triumphant, knowing smile on her face expanding as she let out a quiet, thoroughly amused hum.

—

The energy of the afternoon finally settled as the entire family gathered around a large table on Azzi’s back porch. Tim had taken a keen interest in the blonde girl sitting next to his daughter.

"Paige," Tim said, setting his fork down and leaning forward against the table, his expression melting into a genuinely curious grin. "Azzi told me you’re studying engineering. What’s the focus?"

Paige wiped her mouth with a napkin, her body shifting as she sat up a bit straighter.

"Mechanical engineering, sir," Paige murmured. "Right now, it’s a lot of testing different materials to see how much weight and pressure they can take before they snap or break. Basically, we design things and then figure out exactly where they'll fail so we can make them safer for everyday use."

Tim’s eyes completely lit up. "Ah, so you're the one making sure bridges don't collapse and cars don't fall apart when they hit a bump. Thats really cool, you must be super smart."

"I try my best," Paige chuckled, a relaxed, confident smile breaking across her face. "It's a lot of math, but it's cool to see how things work in the real world."

Tim nodded firmly, taking a sip of his beer before a teasing glint took over his eyes. He leaned in a bit closer, looking Paige up and down. "Alright, so you're smart. But let me ask you the real question, do you party? cause if you can’t hold your liquor I don’t see a place for you in this family."

Paige let out a laugh. "Oh, I definitely know how to have a good time. I keep a very healthy balance."

Tim smacked the table with his palm. "I like you, Paige."

Azzi sat right beside Paige, her heart swelling with pride as she listened. Seeing how easily Paige was holding her own with her father, and how genuinely impressed Tim seemed to be made her so happy.

Without even thinking about it, entirely driven by habit from their secret months spent side by side, Azzi reached her hand across the tabletop. Paige’s hand was resting casually right next to her plate, and Azzi instinctively went to loop her fingers through Paige's.

The second the tips of her fingers brushed against Paige’s knuckles, Azzi remembered where they were. Her eyes locked right onto her mother across the table, and her brain went into a full, panicked overdrive.

In a split-second blur of motion, Azzi violently jerked her hand back, completely changing direction. She aggressively swatted the air right above Paige’s hand, making a loud, dramatic smacking sound against the wooden table.

"Ugh, sorry! There was a huge fly right there," Azzi lied breathlessly, her voice cracking slightly as she kept swatting at the empty air for good measure, trying to look entirely casual. "Gosh, the bugs are so bad out here tonight. Just... trying to get it away from your food."

Paige blinked, looking down at her hand and then up at Azzi with a thoroughly amused, highly skeptical grin forming. She knew damn well there wasn't a bug anywhere near her plate, but she just let out a low chuckle and murmured, "Uh... thanks, Az. Preciate the protection."

Azzi quickly risked a glance across the table to see if she had pulled it off.

Katie slowly brought the wine glass to her lips, taking a deliberate, quiet sip. Her features expanded into a thoroughly amused, knowing expression, her eyes carrying a soft, silent warmth that completely validated what she was seeing. She didn't say a single word to ruin the moment, but she gave Azzi a single, barely perceptible nod that said 'Nice try, but I see right through you.'

—

The plates had been cleared from the table, leaving only the lingering warmth of a good meal and the hum of the crickets in the backyard. The family filed back into the warmth of the living room, a collective food coma finally slowing down Jon and Jose’s endless bickering.

Azzi clapped her hands together, drawing everyone’s attention as she stepped into the center of the room to establish some order.

"Okay, listen up," Azzi announced, her voice carrying a firm, organizational tone. "Here is the sleeping arrangement for the week. Mom and Dad, you guys are obviously in the guest room upstairs. It’s already made up with clean sheets and everything."

Tim nodded appreciatively, rubbing his stomach as he sank deeper into an armchair. "Sounds perfect, sweetheart. I'm ready to pass out."

"And you two," Azzi pointed a finger at Jon and Jose, who were already aggressively eyeing the massive sectional couch. "You guys are sharing the living room. No fighting over the pillows."

Jon shrugged, seemingly fine with the layout, but then he looked over at the kitchen island where Paige was leaning against the counter.

"Wait, what about Paige?" Jon asked, blinking as he looked between his sister and the blonde girl. "Is Paige leaving, or can she stay and play Fortnite with us for a bit? Me and Jose brought our PS5."

"Oh, Paige isn't leaving," Azzi replied smoothly, a completely practiced, casual brightness in her tone as she gestured toward the hallway. "She’s staying the night. She’s been helping me get the house ready all week, so she’s just crashing here."

Before Jon could celebrate, Katie chimed in from the edge of the couch. She had been quietly folding a throw blanket, but the second the words left Azzi's mouth, she stopped.

Katie slowly turned her head, her eyes locking right onto her daughter. She raised her eyebrow.

"Oh? Paige is staying the night?" Katie asked, her voice dropping into a perfectly innocent, incredibly sweet tone. "Where is Paige sleeping, sweetie? Do you have another guest room I don't know about?"

The passive aggressiveness from her mom was Azzi’s last straw. After a long afternoon of being watched like a hawk, the underlying panic in Azzi's chest instantly converted into irritation.

Azzi dropped her hands to her hips, her posture stiffening as she glared directly at her mother. "Mom, why do you have so many questions today? Seriously. What is your deal?"

Katie didn't flinch. In fact, her smirk vanished in an instant, replaced by that formidable, strict persona that made even Tim sit up a little straighter. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I have so many more questions, Azzi," Katie snapped back, her voice low. She tilted her head, a knowing look in her eyes as she dared her daughter to keep pushing. "Do you want me to start asking them right now? In front of everyone?"

The threat was clear, and it hung in the living room like a ticking time bomb. Tim, Jon, and Jose all went completely silent, looking back and forth between the two women with wide, uncomfortable eyes.

Azzi was so beyond annoyed her chest was actively heaving,m. She was entirely done playing her mom’s game.

"Paige is sleeping in my room," Azzi barked out, her voice defensive. She threw her hands up in the air, glaring at Katie with absolute annoyance. "Now mind your own business!"

Paige stood by the counter, completely oblivious to what Katie was implying. She just flashed a confident, relaxed grin and gave Tim a casual nod, completely breaking the tension. "Yeah, we usually just put pillows down the middle. Keeps things civilized."

Tim let out a forced, slightly awkward laugh, trying to defuse the room. "Smart kid! Don't let her hog the covers."

Azzi didn't say another word. She shot her mother one final, furious glare before spinning on her heel and marching toward the kitchen to aggressively scrub a plate that was already clean, her heart hammering against her ribs. Katie just calmly picked up the folded blanket, a small, thoroughly satisfied smirk returning to her lips as she watched her daughter walk away.

—

The second the bedroom door clicked shut, locking the rest of the family out, the composure Azzi had been maintaining all night completely shattered.

She began pacing the length of the hardwood floor, her hands shoved into her dark curls as she moved erratically between the bed and the window. Her chest was heaving, her breath coming in shallow, frantic gasps that made her look like a trapped animal.

Paige stood by the door, watching her with a calm, steady focus.

"Az, hey," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into a low, soothing register as she stepped into the center of the room. She reached out, trying to catch Azzi's arm as she paced past. "Breathe."

"I can't breathe, Paige! I literally can’t breathe," Azzi panicked. She ripped her hands out of her hair and gripped Paige’s forearms, her dark eyes were wide and completely overflowing with terror. "You don't understand. The questions in the kitchen, the look she gave me when I almost held your hand, her interrogating me down in the living room—"

"Azzi, stop," Paige interrupted gently, her hands moving up to cup Azzi’s cheeks. She tilted Azzi's head up, forcing her l eyes to lock onto Azzi's. She gave her a soft, reassuring squeeze. "Your mom was just teasing you. Parents do that. She thinks we’re best friends and she’s just poking fun at how close we're getting. It's fine. We played it cool."

"We didn't play it cool! You didn't see her face!" A tear leaked out of the corner of Azzi's eye, her voice cracking with vulnerability. She leaned heavily into Paige’s palms, her whole body trembling against the taller girl. "Paige... she knows. She doesn't think we're just friends. My mom knows what we’re doing."

Paige closed her eyes for a brief second, taking a slow, deep breath to keep her own head straight as she felt the rhythm of Azzi's heart hammering against her chest. She opened them, looking down at Azzi, her expression turning incredibly serious.

"Okay," Paige whispered, her thumb gently wiping away the tear on Azzi’s cheek. "Okay, so she suspects something. But hey, she hasn't even met my dad yet. She doesn't have his number, she doesn't know him, and she has no way of contacting him. She can't do anything right now, Az."

"Not right now," Azzi whined, her voice a broken, desperate pout as she buried her face directly into Paige’s neck, hiding from the reality of it. Her words came out muffled against Paige's skin, thick with a terrifying realization. "But he comes back on Wednesday. My parents are going to be here. They are going to meet him. Paige... what if she meets Peter, and she sees how sweet he is, and she just feels bad for him? What if she looks at him, realizes what we've been doing behind his back while he's away for work, and decides she has to tell him?"

Azzi gripped the back of Paige's hoodie even tighter, her voice trembling. "If she feels guilty and tells him the truth when they meet... it will completely destroy him. It will destroy everything."

Paige didn't say anything right away. She just wrapped her arms securely around Azzi’s waist, pulling her tightly against her chest. She held her close, burying her face into Azzi’s curls and letting the steady, calming rise and fall of her own chest serve as an anchor for the shorter girl's frantic breathing.

"Hey, look at me," Paige murmured softly, loosening her grip just enough to tilt Azzi’s chin back up. Her gaze was warm and completely steady. "You’re entirely overthinking this, baby. I promise you."

"I'm not—"

"You are," Paige interrupted with a gentle chuckle, her thumbs caressing Azzi’s jawline. "Your mom loves you. Even if she's picking up on a vibe, she’s not going to just blow up your entire life the second she meets my dad. You're stressed, you're exhausted from hosting, and your brain is spiraling."

Azzi let out a long, trembling sigh, her forehead resting against Paige’s collarbone. "It just feels so scary."

"I know it does," Paige whispered softly, kissing the top of her head. She stepped back, bopping Azzi lightly on the nose. "You know what you need? You need a sweet treat to get you out of your head. Works every single time. Let's go get Insomnia Cookies."

Azzi blinked, a small, helpless smile finally breaking through her exhaustion. "Insomnia? Paige, it is past eleven o'clock at night."

"Exactly. Perfect timing," Paige grinned. "But first, you need to get out of these clothes and into your pajamas. You’re too tense."

Paige didn't wait for a response. She walked over to Azzi’s dresser, pulling out a soft, oversized t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants, walking them back over to where Azzi was standing.

"Come here," Paige murmured, her voice turning incredibly soft and gentle.

With slow, deliberate movements, Paige carefully reached up to unbutton Azzi's blouse, her hands completely steady as she guided the fabric off her shoulders. There was no rush, no urgency, just a quiet, deeply intimate care that made the last remnants of Azzi’s anxiety melt away. Paige slid the t-shirt over Azzi's head, smoothing her dark curls back out of her face afterward, before helping her step into the sweatpants.

"Better?" Paige asked softly, her thumbs resting on Azzi’s hips.

"Much better," Azzi whispered.

Paige smiled, then reached into her own overnight bag to pull out her own pajamas; a pair of loose grey shorts and a worn-out t-shirt.

Once they were both completely comfortable, Paige grabbed her wallet and car keys from the nightstand.

"Alright, the hard part," Paige whispered, nodding toward the bedroom door. "We have to sneak past your parents in the hallway. You ready?"

Azzi let out a quiet, breathless laugh. "If we get caught, I'm telling them it was your idea."

The master plan of slipping down the hallway completely undetected fell apart the exact second they reached the top of the stairs.

Azzi was tip-toeing, holding onto the back of Paige’s t-shirt like a shield, when the bright, unmistakable glow of the television screen hit them from below. The sound of video game gunfire and digitized explosions echoed up the stairwell, completely shattering the illusion of a sleeping house.

Paige looked back over her shoulder, a highly amused, thoroughly defeated grin cutting across her face behind her glasses. "Well, so much for being quiet," she whispered.

They walked the rest of the way down, stepping into the living room to find the entire family exactly where they had left them. Jon and Jose were leaned completely forward on the edge of the sectional, their faces illuminated by the blue light of the TV as they aggressively clutched their controllers, playing Fortnite. Tim was still kicked back in his armchair watching them play, while Katie sat on the other end of the couch, quietly reading on her phone.

The moment Paige’s feet hit the hardwood floor, all four heads whipped around to look at them.

"Whoa, where are you guys going?" Jon asked, blinking rapidly as his eyes tracked their pajamas. "You guys look like you're dressed for bed."

"Yeah, what's the move?" Jose added, not taking his eyes off the screen for more than a second as he furiously tapped his thumbs. "Are we going somewhere? Because I'm starving."

Azzi froze as she tried to think of a completely normal explanation for why they were sneaking out in their sleepwear. But before she could stutter out a cover story, Paige stepped right into the center of the room, completely unbothered.

"Relax," Paige chuckled, her voice perfectly easy as she jangled her car keys. "Azzi was feeling a little stressed out and decided she needed a sweet treat to get out of her head. We’re just running a quick midnight drive to get cookies."

Katie slowly lowered her phone, her eyes shifting from Paige’s relaxed posture straight to Azzi’s flushed face. The highly perceptive, incredibly smug smirk returned to her lips in an instant. She raised a single eyebrow, letting out a quiet, knowing hum that made Azzi look away immediately, her ears burning with heat.

"Cookies?" Tim perked up from his armchair. "From where?"

"insomnia," Paige grinned, turning her attention to Azzi's dad. "They're elite."

"Oh, man," Tim groaned happily. "If you're going, you gotta bring me back a chocolate chip. I'll pay you back tomorrow."

"Bro, wait, me too!" Jon yelled, completely abandoning his game character for a split second. "Get me a double chocolate chunk! I need that fuel if we're gonna stay up playing all night."

"Make it three!" Jose chimed in, throwing his hands up in approval. "Get me the M&M one. Paige, if you bring us back cookies right now, you are officially the greatest person alive."

Paige let out a laugh, her shoulders shaking as she gave the boys a mock salute. "Alright, alright, calm down. I got you guys. I promise I'll bring back a whole box of warm cookies for the house."

She turned her eyes back to the couch, looking at Azzi’s mother with a polite smile. "Do you want anything, Katie?"

Katie looked up from her phone one last time, her gaze lingering on the way Azzi was subconsciously shifting closer to Paige’s side. Katie’s smirk softened into a very warm, deeply amused smile.

"No, thank you, sweetie," Katie murmured softly, her tone carrying a quiet, underlying warmth that made Azzi’s heart do a nervous flutter. "I think you’ve got your hands full taking care of Azzi’s sweet tooth. Just drive safely."

"Always," Paige smiled smoothly, completely missing the subtext as she gently placed a hand on the small of Azzi’s back to guide her toward the front door. "We'll be right back, guys."

—

The dashboard light cast a soft, ambient glow over the quiet interior of the car as Paige navigated the empty, midnight streets. The gentle hum of the tires against the asphalt was the only sound breaking the silence until Azzi shifted in her seat, turning her body fully toward the driver's side.

"You are incredible, you know that?" Azzi murmured, her voice soft but heavy with emotion. She reached across the center console, resting her hand on Paige's thigh just above the knee. "The way you just handled my entire family today. They absolutely love you, Baby."

Paige flashed a quick smirk keeping her eyes on the road as she slid her right hand down to cover Azzi’s, tracing her thumb over Azzi's knuckles. "I told you it’d be fine, Az. They’re good people. It’s easy to talk to them."

Azzi let out a slow breath, her eyes dropping to their joined hands. The warmth of Paige's touch was comforting, but the knot of anxiety in her stomach hadn't completely untied itself. She chewed on her bottom lip for a long moment.

"Paige... is it horrible of me if I say that I want them to not like your dad?" Azzi whispered, the confession coming out small and tight, almost as if she was afraid to let the words exist in the open air.

Paige didn't flinch. She squeezed Azzi's hand gently, her voice dropping into a steady, non-judgmental register. "It’s not bad, Az. You're allowed to feel whatever you're feeling right now. There's a lot of pressure on you."

"No, but it is bad," Azzi insisted quietly, guilt washing over her face as she stared out the passenger window at the passing streetlights. She swallowed hard, her voice trembling slightly with a raw, painful honesty. "I just... I feel like if my parents meet him and they don't really care for him, or if they find him annoying, it would make all of this so much easier. If they prefer you over him, it would give me a reason. It would make it easier to rationalize what I’m doing behind his back."

She paused, a sharp, self-deprecating laugh escaping her throat as a tear threatened to spill over. She looked back at Paige, her dark eyes filled with a deep, vulnerable ache. "God, I know that is a completely horrible thing to say. To wish that my family dislikes a perfectly sweet person just so I can feel less guilty about hurting him."

Paige pulled the car up to a red light and finally turned her head, her eyes locking onto Azzi with intense, unyielding devotion. She lifted Azzi's hand to her lips, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against her knuckles.

"You're navigating an impossible situation, Ma," Paige murmured smoothly. "You're trying to protect his feelings, handle your family, and figure out what we are all at the same time. It doesn't make you a horrible person to want a path that feels a little less painful. We're going to get through it together, okay? Just take a breath."

Azzi looked at her, Paige’s reassurance making her chest ache in the best way possible. She nodded softly, squeezing Paige's hand back as the light turned green and they pulled into the parking lot of the cookie shop.

—

The morning sun was cutting sharply through the kitchen windows on Wednesday, but the atmosphere inside was anything but warm. The air was thick with anticipation. Azzi was frantically moving around the stove, her dark curls pinned up hastily as she turned over strips of bacon, her movements rigid and completely driven by nerves. Jon and Jose were uncharacteristically quiet at the island, scrolling on their phones, while Tim drank his coffee in a steady, heavy silence.

Paige sat at the far end of the dining table, slouched slightly in her chair, her eyes tracking Azzi’s pacing with a quiet, intense focus. Right next to her sat Katie, who was sipping her tea, her gaze moving between her daughter and the empty space at the head of the table.

The sudden, heavy thud of a suitcase rolling up the front porch stairs made everyone freeze.

The front door clicked open, and a second later, Peter stepped into the house. He looked visibly exhausted, his hair a little messy from the red-eye flight, his jacket wrinkled as he dropped his duffel bag by the entryway. Despite the fatigue, a wide, eager smile broke across his face the moment he saw the room full of people.

"Hey, everyone!" Peter called out, his voice bright and entirely well-meaning as he stepped into the kitchen. He quickly nodded toward Tim, Jon, and Jose.

He didn't wait for a formal introduction before he moved straight toward Azzi by the stove. "Hey, beautiful," he murmured, his face softening with genuine affection. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight, lingering hug before leaning down to press a firm kiss right onto her lips.

Azzi’s entire body went completely rigid in his embrace. Her eyes flew wide open, a flash of panic darting across her features as she instinctively tried to keep her posture neutral. She shot a quick, terrified glance over Peter's shoulder toward the table.

At the end of the table, Katie hadn't broken her stare. She watched the entire greeting; Peter's eager smile, the kiss, and Azzi's completely stiff, uncomfortable reaction.

Without breaking her gaze from Peter, Katie slowly leaned her head over toward Paige.

"He is incredibly loud for eight o'clock in the morning," Katie whispered under her breath, her tone dripping with a quiet, razor-sharp judgment meant only for the blonde girl's ears. "And he puts absolutely no effort into his appearance."

Paige, who had been watching the interaction with a tight jaw, instantly let out a laugh. The sheer pettiness of the comment caught her completely off guard. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Hearing Paige laugh, Katie didn't say another word, but the subtle, knowing smirk that cut across her face was entirely triumphant. She took another quiet sip of her tea, completely validated, while Azzi stood by the stove trapped in Peter's arms, her heart hammering a wild, chaotic rhythm as she realized her mother had officially made her choice.

Peter finally let go of Azzi, completely oblivious to the tension holding her spine straight, and turned back toward the table with that same eager, wide smile. "Man, it smells amazing in here. I didn't realize how hungry I was until—"

"Peter," Katie interrupted smoothly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the room with an authority that instantly stopped him mid-sentence.

Peter blinked, his smile faltering slightly as he looked over at the end of the table. "Uh, yes?"

Katie set her mug down with a deliberate, quiet clink. She crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair as her eyes locked onto him with zero warmth. "It is considered incredibly rude to walk into a house full of people you’ve never met, skip the formal introductions entirely, and head straight for the food."

The kitchen went dead silent. Jon and Jose slowly lowered their phones, exchanging wide-eyed, terrified glances, while Tim quietly took a very slow sip of his coffee, staying entirely out of the line of fire.

Peter’s face instantly flushed a deep, embarrassed red. He swallowed hard, nervously shifting his weight as he quickly adjusted the collar of his wrinkled jacket. "Oh, wow. I am so sorry, Katie. You’re completely right. I didn't mean to be disrespectful at all, I guess I was just really excited to finally get here from the airport."

He scrambled to fix it, stepping forward and extending a hand across the counter toward Azzi's father. "Tim, it's an absolute honor to finally meet you. I've heard so many great things."

Tim gave a brief, firm nod, shaking his hand once. "Peter. Good to meet you."

Peter then turned to the boys, offering a quick wave. "Hey, guys. Jon, Jose, right? Good to meet you both." Finally, his eyes landed on Paige, who was still sitting right next to Katie. He offered a polite, slightly awkward nod. "Hey, kiddo."

"Hey, Dad," Paige murmured, her voice perfectly casual as she leaned back, a faint, lingering trace of amusement covering her features.

Before Peter could even open his mouth to try and smooth things over any further, Katie spoke up again, her tone shifting into a bright, conversational sweetness that was so entirely deliberate it made Azzi’s stomach drop.

"Well, now that we’ve taken care of the bare minimum," Katie said, a highly perceptive, incredibly smug smirk cutting across her face as she looked directly at Peter. She then turned her head, reaching out to place a warm, affectionate hand right on Paige’s shoulder. "I have to say, Peter, you have some incredibly big shoes to fill today. Because Paige has been absolutely wonderful."

Azzi froze by the stove, her heart hammering against her ribs as she watched her mother actively go to war.

"Seriously," Katie continued, practically bragging as she squeezed Paige’s shoulder, her eyes locked firmly on Peter's increasingly uncomfortable face. "Paige has been helping Azzi get the entire house ready for days. She is incredibly polite, highly intelligent, and she, my husband and my sons have just been getting along fabulously. Honestly, we have all completely fallen in love with her. She’s practically part of the family already."

Paige let out a low chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish but thoroughly confident grin. "Thanks, Katie. I appreciate that."

Peter stood in the center of the kitchen, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he offered a tight, deeply confused smile, completely sensing the bizarre shift in gravity but having absolutely no idea why he was already losing to his own daughter. Azzi quickly looked down at the bacon, her face burning.

—

The breakfast table was packed, the massive spread of bacon, eggs, and pancakes filling the center of the wooden surface. Despite the abundance of food, the atmosphere remained incredibly stiff.

"So, Peter," Jon started, pouring a massive amount of syrup over his pancakes. "Do you watch sports? Are you into basketball or football or anything?"

Peter offered a polite, somewhat apologetic smile, shaking his head as he picked up his fork. "Oh, no, not really. I was never much of a sports guy, honestly. I'm more into documentaries and reading when I have free time."

Jon and Jose’s faces instantly dropped, their expressions shifting into a look of collective disappointment. They exchanged a brief glance before quietly returning to their food, completely tuning him out.

Beside Peter, Azzi’s heart was already doing a nervous flutter, her eyes darting across the table.

Tim, who had been quietly chewing on a piece of toast, set his coffee mug down with a heavy, deliberate thud against the wood. He leaned his broad frame forward.

"Azzi tells us you've been single for a long time now. After your first marriage ended... do you ever see yourself getting married again? Setting down roots like that?"

The question made Azzi freeze entirely, her fork hovering inches from her plate.

Peter cleared his throat, nervously adjusting his posture under Tim's intense scrutiny. He gave a quiet, honest shrug. "Honestly, Tim... no, I don't. My first marriage was incredibly difficult, and after it ended, my entire world became about stability and focusing on Paige. At this point in my life, I'm really content just taking care of my career and being independent. I don't really think marriage is in the cards for me again."

Tim didn't say a word, but his jaw visibly tightened. His brow furrowed into a deep, heavy scowl, and he slowly leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and let out a sharp, disapproving grunt. As a father who deeply valued the structure of marriage and wanted nothing more than to see his daughter properly settled down, Peter's answer was the absolute wrong one.

From the other end of the table, Paige looked at her dad. Seeing him sit there looking so incredibly small, uncomfortable, and utterly isolated under the weight of the family’s judgment, a sharp pang of guilt hit her chest. No matter how messy the situation with Azzi was, Peter was still her father, and he didn't deserve to be interrogated like a criminal at a breakfast table.

Paige cleared her throat, her voice breaking the silence as she sat up straight, purposefully drawing everyone's attention away from her dad.

"You know," Paige started, her tone surprisingly soft and completely genuine as she looked across at Tim and Katie. "My dad might not be a sports guy or a traditional marriage guy, but he is genuinely the most selfless, kind person I’ve ever known."

Peter looked up, a look of quiet, surprised gratitude softening his tired eyes.

"He raised me entirely on his own," Paige continued, a proud, confident smile replacing her usual cocky smirk as she spoke from the heart. "And being a single dad to a stubborn kid like me could not have been easy. But he never complained once. He worked ungodly hours just to make sure I had everything I needed for school, he showed up to every single one of my extracurriculars, and he basically gave up his entire twenties and thirties just to make sure I grew up safe and happy. He’s a really great dad."

The raw honesty in Paige's voice acted like a sudden release valve for the tension in the room.

Tim’s scowl softened just a fraction, he gave a slow, thoughtful nod.

Across the table, Katie watched the way Paige had immediately stepped in to shield her father. Her eyes moved from Paige's protective posture straight over to Azzi, who was staring at Paige with a look of such deep, unfiltered adoration and gratitude it was practically painful.

Katie brought her mug to her lips, a very quiet, thoroughly perceptive smirk returning to her face as she took a sip, completely capturing the quiet shift in the room's gravity.

"You know, Peter," Katie started again, her voice dropping into an incredibly smooth, conversational cadence that made the hairs on the back of Azzi’s neck instantly stand up. "It really is a beautiful thing, seeing how close our daughters have gotten. Paige has actually spent the last two nights here at the house with Azzi."

Azzi’s fork scraped sharply against her plate. She shot her mother a frantic, pleading look, but Katie completely ignored it, her gaze locked firmly on a completely unsuspecting Peter.

"They’ve just been completely inseparable," Katie continued, her tone dripping with an innocent, casual curiosity. "Honestly, watching them run around the house the last few days, it’s like they are completely in their own little world together. You can barely get a word in. What do you think about that? Did you know they had become this close?"

Azzi closed her eyes, holding her breath as she prepared for the absolute worst.

But Peter didn't catch the trap at all. Instead, a genuinely warm, deeply relieved smile broke across his tired face. He looked over at Paige, his eyes shining with a sudden, thick emotion that made Paige’s chest tighten with a sharp pang of guilt.

"Honestly? I absolutely love it," Peter murmured, his voice full of sincerity. He let out a soft, heavy sigh and shook his head. "You have no idea what a relief this is for me. To be completely honest with all of you... that’s the main reason I was always so terrified to start dating again. I stayed single for so many years because I was just so worried about how a relationship would go over with Paige. She’s my whole world, and the absolute last thing I ever wanted to do was make her feel pushed aside or uncomfortable in her own family."

He reached across the corner of the table, offering Paige a soft, incredibly proud smile. "Seeing her blend into your family like this, and knowing that she and Azzi are genuinely becoming best friends... it just makes me so incredibly happy. It feels like everything is falling into place exactly the way it was supposed to."

The silence that settled over the breakfast table was completely suffocating.

Jon and Jose kept their heads down, completely oblivious to the drama, but Tim slowly lowered his coffee mug, his brow furrowing as he looked between his wife and his daughter.

Azzi couldn't even look up from her plate. A heavy knot of guilt twisting violently in her stomach. Hearing Peter speak with such gratitude about the very thing that was destroying his relationship behind his back felt horrible.

Paige’s jaw tightened, the confident, easy posture she usually maintained completely evaporating.

Katie didn't press the knife in any further. She had gotten exactly what she wanted. She slowly leaned back in her chair, taking a deliberate sip of her tea while her eyes locked onto Azzi’s tense, trembling shoulders. The look on Katie's face was one of absolute, triumphant validation, she had just left Azzi and Paige completely trapped in the reality of what they were doing.

—

The front door finally clicked shut as Peter left for his house to shower and change out of his travel clothes, taking a bit of the pressure out of the room with him. Jon and Jose immediately slipped back to their games, and Tim went out to the garage, leaving the kitchen completely quiet.

Azzi stood by the sink, her hands gripping the edge of the counter so tightly her knuckles were aching. Her chest was still tight, her breath shallow.

Katie set her empty mug down, her movements characteristically graceful and unhurried. She stood up, smoothing down her shirt, and looked over at her daughter.

"Azzi," Katie said softly, her voice missing the edge it had carried all morning. It was low, steady, and entirely grounded. "Come sit on the back porch with me for a minute. Let's get some fresh air."

Azzi’s stomach dropped into a bottomless pit. Every instinct told her to run, to make up an excuse about cleaning, but the quiet authority in her mother's tone left no room for negotiation. She followed Katie out the glass doors, the warm morning air hitting her face as they walked over to two large outdoor chairs.

Katie sat down, wrapping her sweater a little tighter around herself, and gestured for Azzi to take the seat directly opposite her. Azzi sat, her entire body rigid, her eyes glued to the ground, unable to meet her mother’s gaze.

"Look at me, sweetie," Katie murmured gently.

Azzi slowly lifted her head, her dark eyes wide and defensive, her pulse hammering a wild, chaotic rhythm against her ribs.

Katie didn't smirk. She didn't look triumphant or smug. Her features were completely softened, carrying a rare, profound gravity that was entirely stripped of malice.

"I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to just listen to me," Katie said, her voice incredibly calm. "Azzi... are you having an affair with Paige?"

The word hit the open air like a bomb.

Azzi instantly erupted, pushing her chair back with a loud, violent scrape against the deck boards as she stood up. "What?! Mom, are you insane? How can you even ask me that?!" Her voice cracked, a frantic, terrified pitch taking over. "She is my friend! She is Peter’s daughter! Why are you trying to ruin everything? Why are you trying to make me look like a monster?!"

"Azzi, stop. Sit down," Katie said. She didn't raise her voice. "Calm down. Breathe, and sit back down."

"I'm not going to sit down and let you accuse me of—"

"I am not accusing you, and I am not upset with you," Katie interrupted smoothly, her eyes carrying a warmth that completely stopped Azzi in her tracks. "Azzi, I am your mother. I am not your judge, I am not your father, and I am certainly not Peter. I am not going to tell anyone. I am not going to blow up your life. I just want the truth from my daughter. That is it."

The shield of anger Azzi had thrown up instantly disintegrated, leaving behind nothing but terror. She looked at the gentle, entirely non-judgmental look on her mother’s face, and the weight of the secret became too heavy to carry for another second.

Azzi sank back into her chair, her knees completely giving out. A harsh, broken sob tore from her throat, and she buried her face in her hands as hot, heavy tears instantly spilled over her fingers.

"I'm sorry," Azzi wept, her voice completely broken, trembling with shame as her shoulders shook violently. "Mom, I am so, so sorry. I know... I know how horrible it is. I know what a disgusting person it makes me."

Katie reached out, her warm hands firmly grasping Azzi’s wrists and gently pulling her hands away from her face so she could look at her.

"I don't think you're a monster, honey," Katie whispered softly, her eyes holding her daughter's gaze with absolute, unconditional security.

"But he's so sweet, Mom," Azzi sobbed, the words tumbling out in a desperate, panicked rush as she squeezed her mother's hands back. "Hearing him talk at breakfast... I felt like I couldn't breathe. I know how much this will destroy him if he finds out. I know how awful it is to do this behind his back, but I... I can't stop it. I'm completely obsessed with her, and I don't know what to do."

Katie didn't hesitate. She stood up from her chair, pulling Azzi up into her arms. She wrapped her daughter in a tight, fierce embrace, rubbing her back as Azzi buried her face into Katie’s shoulder, her body still shaking with heavy, broken sobs.

"Shh, I've got you," Katie murmured softly, her voice a steady, grounding anchor against Azzi’s panic. "Just breathe, sweetie. I’ve got you."

After a long moment, Katie gently pulled back just enough to look at her, keeping her hands resting securely on Azzi’s shoulders. Her sharp eyes were entirely soft, filled with a deep, maternal seriousness.

"Azzi," Katie said quietly, her tone completely calm and free of any condemnation. "I need to ask you one more thing, okay? Just so I understand what you’re dealing with. Have the two of you taken this to a physical level... or is it just emotional right now?"

Azzi swallowed hard, she looked down at the porch floorboards, her voice dropping into a raw, intensely vulnerable whisper. "It’s... it’s physical, Mom. We’ve been... it's both."

The confession hung in the warm morning air, but Katie didn't flinch, and she didn't let go of Azzi's shoulders.

Panick immediately flared back up in Azzi's eyes, and she desperately grabbed her mother's forearms, her grip tightening in a sudden, frantic plea. "But please don't let this make you hate Paige. Don't look at her differently. It’s not her fault, I swear it isn't. I'm the one who let it happen. It's completely my fault, so if you're going to be mad at anyone, just be mad at me."

"Azzi, stop," Katie interrupted gently, her voice firm but incredibly tender as she squeezed Azzi's shoulders to stop her from spiraling. She offered her daughter a soft, reassuring smile, her features completely relaxed. "I told you, I am not upset. I'm not mad at you, and I am absolutely not mad at Paige."

Azzi blinked through her tears, looking at her in disbelieving silence.

"I don't hate her, and I don't think either of you are bad people," Katie explained smoothly, her tone carrying an absolute, unconditional security. "Life is incredibly messy, and feelings don't always happen when or how they’re supposed to. I can see how deeply the two of you care about each other, and I can see how much pain this secret is causing you. I don't want to judge you, Azzi. I just want to help you figure out how to navigate this so you don't keep tearing yourself apart."

Azzi let out a long, trembling breath, the suffocating layer of isolation she had been carrying for weeks finally dissolving completely. She leaned forward, resting her forehead against Katie’s shoulder again as a quiet wave of gratitude washed over her, knowing that even in the absolute mess of her secret, her mother was standing right there with her.

—

Azzi let out a ragged, trembling breath, her forehead still resting heavily against Katie’s shoulder. The tears had slowed down, but the reality ahead seemed to press down on the porch with a crushing force.

"I just... I don't know what to do, Mom," Azzi whispered, her voice thick with exhaustion and dread. She pulled back slightly, looking into her mother's calm eyes with a desperate, searching look. "I know I have to figure something out, but telling Peter... it's going to blow everything up. It’s not just about hurting him. If the truth comes out like that, the fallout is going to be so horrific that it'll eventually just fuck up what I have with Paige anyway."

Katie listened intently, her expression serious and deeply focused. She didn't offer a quick, easy fix, nor did she sugarcoat the reality of what Azzi was facing. Instead, she gave a slow, deliberate nod of agreement.

"You're right, Azzi. It very well could put a massive strain on the two of you," Katie said, her tone level and entirely grounded. She reached up, gently tucking a stray dark curl behind Azzi’s ear before resting her hand on the side of her daughter's neck.

"But let me tell you something," Katie continued smoothly, her voice dropping into a lower, unwavering register. "If you really love Paige as much as I think you do, and if she loves you the same way... you will work for her. If she is truly the person you want to be with, you are going to have to endure the mess, and fight to protect what you two have."

Katie gave Azzi’s neck a firm, reassuring squeeze, her features expanding into a soft, encouraging smile. "It’s going to take time, and it’s going to be hard, but if she’s worth it, you don't run away just because it gets ugly. You stand up, you handle it like an adult, and you work for the life you actually want."

Azzi stared at her mother, the truth of the words sinking deep into her chest. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded softly, finally feeling like she had a solid piece of ground to stand on.

Katie kept her hand resting gently on the side of Azzi’s neck, letting her thumb smooth over the tense muscle. She watched the shifting emotions on her daughter's tear-stained face before asking the one question that had been lingering in the back of her mind all morning.

"How long, Azzi?" Katie asked softly, her voice entirely stripped of judgment, just seeking to understand. "How long have the two of you been sneaking around like this?"

Azzi swallowed hard, a fresh wave of tears welling up in her eyes. She looked down at her lap, her voice trembling and thick with emotion as she confessed. "Since... since about two or three weeks after we met. It just happened so fast, Mom."

She buried her face in her hands again, another sob escaping her throat as the sheer weight of the timeline; months of hiding, months of lying to Peter pressed down on her chest.

Katie didn't scold her. She just rubbed Azzi’s shoulder, letting her cry for a long moment until her breathing began to even out again.

"Okay," Katie murmured gently, her tone shifting into something purposeful and practical. She waited until Azzi lifted her head and wiped at her eyes before giving her a soft, encouraging nod. "Go inside. Go get Paige and bring her out here. I want to talk to her."

Azzi’s breath hitched sharply, her eyes widening in a sudden spike of panic. "Mom... please. You said you weren't mad. You're not going to yell at her, right?"

"Azzi, I'm not going to yell at anyone," Katie reassured her smoothly, a calm, steady smile gracing her features. "I just told you, if you two are going to get through this, you're going to have to work for it. And if Paige is going to be a part of this family, she and I need to be on the same page. Go on. Bring her out."

Azzi stood up on somewhat shaky legs, taking a deep, stabilizing breath. She gave her mother one last, vulnerable look before turning and walking back through the glass sliding doors, leaving Katie sitting alone on the quiet porch, waiting to face the other half of her daughter's secret.

—

(Two chapters from not is gonna pretty much just be smut so if you have anything you wanna see in that send me an ask and I’ll try to include it!)

[pizzafein]

a/n: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I was busy this weekend, and I also did not have any motivation to write. But anyway, here we are. Again, I am new to writing stuff like this so please give me your opinions, thoughts, suggestions. Thank you for reading. I appreciate it!

Warnings: sexual content (yay we all cheered!)

Word Count: 7.8k

Chapter 11: Real Romantic Shit

Azzi had been on dozens of dates. She'd dated her ex for years. If she counted all the dinners, movies, random Tuesday nights spent wandering Target for no reason, she'd probably been on hundreds of dates.

So why did this one have her feeling like she might actually throw up? She'd spent most of the day trying to breathe through it. In for three, hold for three, out for three. The technique her therapist had taught her. Usually it helped.

Today, not so much. Because the nerves weren't really about the date itself. Dinner with Paige sounded easy enough. Exciting, even. It was everything after that that kept sending her thoughts spiraling.

Azzi was very aware that she was attracted to Paige. There was no point pretending otherwise anymore. Her heart raced when Paige smiled at her. She caught herself staring at her hands, her mouth, the little cross necklace she absentmindedly played with.

And that attraction came with questions Azzi had never really had to answer before. Questions that somehow had her standing in a nail salon, trying very hard to act normal.

"Do you want me to cut them down?" the nail tech asked.

Azzi glanced at her hands.

"Uh..." Her stomach flipped. "Yeah. Pretty short."

Later, she had a hair appointment, which she had been meaning to do for a while, but didn’t have the time. Four simple cornrows, two on each side of her center part, while the rest of her curls stayed loose and defined.

Luckily, she'd gotten waxed the weekend before, one less thing to worry about. By the time she got home, it was just after four, leaving her plenty of time to get ready.

She showered longer than usual, exfoliating her legs and scrubbing her lavender and vanilla body wash all over. Afterwards, she moisturized practically every inch of herself. Totally normal behavior.

She worked through her skincare slowly before moving on to makeup. Her skin had been behaving lately, so she skipped foundation, using only a little concealer beneath her eyes. Then she attempted the smoky eyeliner Caroline had taught her. Mascara. Lip stain. Gloss.

When she finally stepped back from the mirror, she barely had time to admire the finished look before her phone lit up on the bathroom counter.

P (heart emoji) 5:35pm

The reservation is at 7:30, but Ill be there at 6:15

A little bit of a drive

Im excited

Butterflies erupted instantly. Azzi stared at the message for a full minute before smiling helplessly at herself in the mirror. Maybe that was the problem. This wasn't just another date. She liked Paige. Enough that the possibility of messing it up made her nauseous.

She picked up her phone, reread Paige's text one more time, and tried the breathing exercise again. Then she opened Paige's contact, grinning despite herself as she typed back. Okay. Maybe she was terrified. But she was excited, too.

Azzi texted back that the time sounded perfect and that she was excited too. The second Paige liked the message, Azzi set her phone on the charger and walked toward her closet.

That was when the real problem started. What the hell was she supposed to wear? It had gotten colder out, which meant she could finally justify wearing her favorite trench coat. She considered pairing one of her newer tops with a skirt, but that felt too casual.

Paige had texted her the name of the restaurant earlier, so naturally Azzi had looked up the menu. The photos made it seem really fancy.

Fancy enough that Azzi suddenly wished she'd known sooner. She could've gone shopping. But between her nail appointment, getting her hair done, and spending half the day trying not to have a nervous breakdown over the fact that she was going on a date with Paige, there hadn't been time.

She shuffled through hangers with growing frustration. Eventually, she stepped back from the closet and pressed both hands against her cheeks. She could feel herself spiraling. Her chest tightened slightly. Okay. Breathe. This was supposed to be fun.

As she pushed a few more hangers aside, her eyes caught on something tucked farther in the back of the closet.

Her brows furrowed. "Oh." She carefully pulled the dress free. The one she'd bought when she'd gone shopping with Paige. Caroline had reorganized her closet, and Azzi had completely forgotten it was there. She held it up against herself, turning slightly toward the mirror.

Then she remembered the way Paige had looked at her that day. Not glanced. Looked. The memory sent warmth flooding straight into her stomach.

At the time, Azzi had brushed it off. Now? She was definitely wearing this tonight.

She carried the dress over to her dresser and opened the top drawer, reaching automatically for one of the bras she usually wore. Then she paused. Folded neatly off to the side was the lavender matching set Caroline had talked her into buying.

"For no particular reason," Caroline had insisted.

Apparently, Caroline's definition of no particular reason involved lace. Azzi stared at it for a second. Then quickly grabbed both pieces before she could overthink it. She got dressed carefully, checking herself in the mirror more times than she cared to admit. The dress fit just as well as she remembered.

She slipped on her Louboutins before adding her jewelry piece by piece, a silver twist ring on her right hand, a simple silver band on her left middle finger, diamond studs, and a delicate tennis bracelet.

When she looked back into the mirror, though, she found herself lingering. Not studying the dress. Studying herself.

A year ago, her life had looked entirely different. A different relationship. A different future. A different version of herself. Back then, she'd been settling. Making herself smaller. Accepting things she knew she deserved better than.

Now, she was standing in her own apartment, dressed for a date with someone who made her feel excited and terrified in equal measure. Someone who made her laugh. Someone who made her feel seen. Azzi smiled softly at her reflection. She was proud of herself. Proud that she'd taken the leap. Proud that she'd chosen herself.

She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and slipped it into her black purse. After making sure her lip gloss was safely tucked inside, she headed into the living room.

As she reached for her trench coat hanging by the door, a knock echoed through the apartment. Immediately, her stomach erupted into butterflies. Excitement. Nerves. Panic.

Azzi closed her eyes briefly and took a slow breath. She was fine. This was fine. This was just Paige. They hung out all the time. Nothing new. Another knock sounded through the apartment.

Azzi opened her eyes. Her pulse skipped. Okay. Maybe it wasn't exactly the same.

But when the thought of seeing Paige sent a smile tugging at her lips anyway, Azzi knew one thing for certain. Whatever this was between them, it was worth being nervous for.

She took a deep breath before opening the door. The moment she did, her breath caught. Paige stood on the other side holding a bouquet of flowers.

The smile on her face was priceless, soft and a little uncertain, like she wasn't entirely convinced Azzi would actually want them. The slight embarrassment written across her features made Azzi's chest tighten. It was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. Her gaze dropped briefly, taking in Paige's outfit.

Black trousers that fit her perfectly. A black belt with a silver buckle. A fitted white ribbed top tucked neatly into the waistband. Instead of her usual hoodie, she wore a sleek black leather jacket that made her look both polished and effortlessly cool.

Her hair was down, Azzi's favorite. Soft waves framed Paige's face, and Azzi couldn't help but wonder if she'd curled it herself. The thought made her smile. When Azzi looked back up, she caught Paige's eyes moving over the dress she'd chosen. Recognition flashed across Paige's expression. Azzi's stomach fluttered.

"Hi," Paige breathed, looking momentarily speechless before a smile spread across her face. "You look amazing." She took a small step forward before holding out the bouquet. "These are for you."

Azzi accepted them carefully, allowing Paige to step inside before closing the door behind her.

"Let me just put these in water."

She moved toward the kitchen counter, grabbing the tallest glass she could find. She filled it quickly, mixed in the flower food, and carefully arranged the bouquet.

"I guess I should've gotten you a vase too," Paige teased from behind her.

Azzi laughed softly. "Shut up."

Turning back toward Paige, Azzi found herself taking her in all over again. The nervous smile that still hadn't fully disappeared.

"Thank you," Azzi said warmly, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around Paige's shoulders.

"You look..." Azzi trailed off.

Paige's mouth curved into a knowing smirk. "Sexy?"

Azzi rolled her eyes, though the smile tugging at her lips gave her away instantly. "Yeah," she admitted, her voice quieter than she'd intended. "You look really sexy."

The confidence in Paige's expression faltered for just a second. Then her hands settled carefully at Azzi's waist.

"Thank you, ma," Paige murmured. The teasing edge in her voice had softened into something gentler. Paige leaned forward slightly, giving Azzi plenty of time to pull away. Instead, Azzi closed the distance between them.

Their lips moved slowly. Azzi tangled her hands in Paige's hair pulling a little. She let out a quiet groan, causing heat to pool low in Azzi’s stomach.

Azzi nipped at her bottom lip before pulling back still in between her teeth before letting go. Azzi lightly wiped some gloss off Paige's lip before taking a step back, unlocking her hands from Paige's shoulders.

"We should probably go," she said, reaching for her purse. "We dont want to be late."

She turned back around only to find Paige still standing exactly where she'd left her. Her expression had gone pleasantly dazed. Azzi crossed her arms.

"You good?" she asked, fighting back a grin.

Paige blinked once before shaking her head slightly, like she was trying to remember what planet she was on.

"Perfect," she answered. Then she smiled, a warm confident smile Azzi had come to know so well. She walked toward the door before holding it open for her.

Azzi shook her head, unable to stop smiling as she stepped past her. The butterflies hadn't gone away. If anything, they'd multiplied. Paige reached over to gently brush her fingers against Azzi's hand on their way out the door. She was having trouble controlling the smile on her face.

Paige guided her toward the car, opening the passenger door before Azzi even had the chance to reach for it herself. Azzi couldn't help but smile as she slid into the seat. Paige closed the door gently before rounding the front of the car and climbing into the driver's seat.

"Are you comfortable?" Paige asked almost immediately, adjusting the vents before fiddling with the temperature controls. Azzi glanced over at her. The slight furrow between Paige's brows. The way she kept readjusting things that didn't actually need adjusting. It was adorable.

"Yeah," Azzi assured her, her voice light. "I'm good."

Paige nodded once before putting the car into drive. Soft music filtered through the speakers as they pulled away from the curb. A few minutes later, Paige settled back into her seat a little more comfortably before resting one hand on Azzi's thigh. Azzi's breath caught. The warmth of Paige's palm seeped through the fabric of her dress, sending an embarrassing amount of awareness racing through her body.

Neither of them spoke much during the drive. The silence wasn't awkward. It was comfortable. Paige's thumb began moving absentmindedly back and forth against her thigh. Azzi stared straight ahead. The slow sweep of Paige's thumb repeated. Azzi swallowed. Maybe she needed to stop paying attention to it. She shifted slightly in her seat, resisting the urge to glance over. Another stroke of Paige's thumb. Maybe Paige needed to stop. Or maybe Azzi needed to get a grip. Beside her, Paige hummed softly along with whatever song was playing on the radio, completely unaware of the internal crisis she was causing.

By the time they pulled up in front of the restaurant, Azzi had finally convinced herself she'd regained some level of composure. At least until a valet attendant approached the car.

"One sec," Paige murmured. She climbed out before handing over the keys and exchanging a few polite words with the attendant.

Then, without hesitation, she walked around to Azzi's side. The passenger door opened. Paige held out her hand. Azzi stared at it for half a second before placing her own in it.

"Thank you," she said softly as Paige helped her out of the car.

Paige's hand shifted to rest gently against Azzi's hip as she guided her toward the restaurant entrance. The gesture felt so natural that Azzi barely thought about it. Until she realized how much she liked it. The hostess greeted them immediately and led them through the dining room. Azzi glanced around as they walked.

The restaurant was beautiful. Low lighting cast a warm glow across the room. Small candles flickered on each table, accompanied by simple floral arrangements. Conversations drifted quietly through the space, mixing with the soft music playing overhead. It was elegant. And definitely expensive.

Azzi shot Paige a look over her shoulder. Paige suddenly seemed very interested in the hostess's directions.

The hostess stopped beside a small table tucked away near the windows. Before Azzi could react, Paige stepped forward and pulled out her chair. Azzi stared at her for a moment before shaking her head with a helpless grin.

"Thank you," she said, for what had to be the hundredth time that evening.

A faint flush spread across Paige's cheeks. "No problem."

Paige settled into the chair across from her. Azzi glanced around the restaurant once more. When her attention shifted back to the table, she noticed Paige fidgeting with something in the pocket of her leather jacket. Her fingers tapped nervously against whatever it was. Azzi frowned slightly. Before she could ask, the waiter appeared beside their table.

"Good evening," he said warmly. "Can I start you both off with something to drink?"

Paige ordered a Cabernet for the table along with two waters. Azzi smiled to herself. Paige remembered.

It wasn't something Azzi had mentioned often, but it was the wine she'd gravitated toward whenever they went out. The fact that Paige had remembered something so small made warmth settle in her chest.

As they waited, conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about their days while skimming through the menus. Well. Paige skimmed. Azzi had already looked up the menu hours ago. She'd studied it enough to know exactly what she wanted before she'd even walked through the restaurant doors. Still, she flipped through the pages thoughtfully, pretending to debate her options.

"What do you think you're going to get?" Paige asked casually. "I heard the shrimp scampi is really good."

Azzi glanced up from the menu. Then smiled. For two reasons. The first being that Paige definitely wasn't recommending it for herself. Paige hated shrimp. The second being that Paige was trying to steer her toward something she thought Azzi would enjoy. It was such a small thing. And yet somehow, it made Azzi's heart squeeze.

"Yeah," Azzi said, glancing back down at the description she'd practically memorized earlier. "I was looking at that." She traced the words with her eyes before looking back up. "I think that's what I'm gonna go with."

She closed her menu and set it on the table. "What about you?" she asked. "What are you getting?"

"Probably the steak," Paige answered with a shrug. "Apparently the mashed potatoes are supposed to be incredible."

She glanced down at the menu again before looking back up. Only to find Azzi staring at her.

"What?" Paige asked, a hint of nervousness slipping into her expression.

Azzi tilted her head slightly. "Nothing."

Paige narrowed her eyes. "Azzi."

A smile spread slowly across Azzi's face. "You just look really nice."

The faint pink that dusted Paige's cheeks was immediate. "Oh." The confidence Paige carried so effortlessly seemed to falter for a moment. "Thanks."

Azzi's smile widened. "Like..." She paused, letting her gaze flick briefly over Paige's leather jacket before meeting her eyes again. "Way too good."

Paige's blush deepened instantly. Her lips parted slightly, as if searching for a response. Before she could find one, the waiter appeared beside their table.

"Are you both ready to order?"

Paige blinked once before tearing her attention away from Azzi. "Uh, yeah."

Azzi bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. They placed their orders before handing back their menus.

"Excellent choices," the waiter said with an easy smile. "I'll get those started for you."

Once he walked away, silence settled over the table again. Paige reached for her water glass. “You did that on purpose."

Azzi lifted an innocent shoulder. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

Paige let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. Then, unable to stop herself, she smiled. "You really don't make this easy, do you?"

Azzi leaned back slightly in her chair, her grin growing. "No," she admitted softly.

Paige held her gaze for a moment before looking away. "I had a question I wanted to ask."

Something in her tone made Azzi sit up a little straighter. "What?"

Paige's fingers tapped once against the side of her water glass before she wrapped her hand around it. She looked down at the table. "Well..."

Azzi waited.

Paige let out a quiet breath through her nose, almost laughing at herself. "I wanted to ask officially."

Azzi's brows furrowed.

"Officially?"

"Yeah."

Paige glanced up, then immediately back down again. For someone who could talk to thousands of people without breaking a sweat, she suddenly seemed weirdly interested in the pattern of the tablecloth.

Azzi felt her stomach flip. "Paige."

Paige laughed nervously. "Sorry." That definitely wasn't helping. A second passed. Then another. Azzi watched Paige rub her palms against her jeans before finally looking back up.

"Would you be my girlfriend?"

For a moment, Azzi forgot how to speak. Everything else seemed to disappear, the restaurant, the conversations around them, the music playing somewhere overhead. Just Paige. Waiting. Looking more nervous than Azzi had ever seen her. Her heart skipped once. The smile that spread across her face was immediate.

"Yeah," she whispered.

Paige blinked. Like she hadn't expected her answer to come that quickly.

Azzi laughed softly. "Yes," she repeated, stronger this time. "I would love to."

The change in Paige was instant. Her shoulders loosened. The tension disappeared from her face. She ducked her head, a smile breaking across her lips that she couldn't quite hide. Something warm settled in Azzi's chest. Across the table, she reached for Paige's hand. Paige's fingers intertwined with hers immediately. Neither of them said anything for a few seconds. They just sat there smiling like idiots.

"That's why you were so nervous..." Azzi teased.

Paige's smile faltered. Just slightly. She glanced down toward her lap.

Azzi noticed the way her thumb kept moving against the back of her hand. "Hey." She squeezed gently. "If anyone should be nervous, it's me."

Paige shook her head. "You don't even know."

"What?" Azzi asked with a small laugh.

Paige was quiet for a beat. Long enough that Azzi thought she might not answer.

"You're just..." She stopped. Searched for the words. "You're amazing."

Azzi felt her teasing expression soften.

Paige looked down again before continuing. "I don't want to mess this up."

The honesty in her voice caught Azzi off guard. She frowned. "I should be the one saying that," she said honestly. "I'm the one who just figured out I'm a lesbian. I've never done any of this before."

"It's not about that," Paige said quickly.

"Then what is it?"

Paige let out a breath. "You've made things better for me."

Azzi blinked.

Paige gave a small, self-conscious laugh. "I've been happier." Her thumb brushed across the back of Azzi's hand. "I've been taking care of myself more."

Azzi stayed quiet. Listening.

"I'm just saying..." Paige's voice softened. "I really like you. For you."

Warmth flooded Azzi's chest. For once, she couldn't think of anything clever to say. The silence settled comfortably between them. Then, eventually, the corners of her mouth lifted into a smirk.

"You sure you're not just trying to get into my pants?"

Paige rolled her eyes immediately. "Shut up, bro."

Azzi raised an eyebrow. "Calling me bro definitely isn't helping your case." That finally earned the laugh Azzi had been looking for.

The waiter arrived then, balancing their meals effortlessly. The conversation shifted easily back into their familiar rhythm. They teased each other between bites. Made fun of each other's food choices. Azzi took her time eating, savoring both the meal and the fact that Paige was now officially her girlfriend.

The shrimp scampi was good. Not life-changing. But good. Across from her, Paige worked through her steak much quicker. As Azzi noticed Paige nearing the end of her mashed potatoes, she opened her mouth to ask for a bite. Before she could speak, Paige slid the bowl across the table.

Azzi blinked.

Paige shrugged. "I saw you eyeing them since they brought the food out."

"I was not," Azzi mumbled.

Paige just looked at her. Azzi happily accepted the potatoes.

The first bite made her pause.

Paige's grin widened. "They're good, right?"

Azzi pointed her fork toward Paige. "You don't get to be smug."

Paige looked entirely too pleased with herself.

Dessert followed not long after. A slice of chocolate cake to share. Azzi only managed a few bites before she was full, but she couldn't help smiling every time Paige dramatically offered her another spoonful before eating it herself instead.

By the time the check arrived, Paige had already reached for it. Azzi didn't even bother protesting. Mostly because she knew Paige wouldn't let her pay. But also because she'd left her wallet at home. Her purse contained exactly two things of importance: Lip gloss and a piece of gum.

As they walked out of the restaurant, Paige waited for Azzi to step ahead before resting a gentle hand against the small of her back. The simple touch made Azzi smile. Paige opened the car door for her. Then closed it once she was settled inside. It was such a small thing. But after everything, the flowers, the nervous question, the way Paige had looked at her all night, it made Azzi's heart feel impossibly full. She glanced through the windshield as Paige rounded the front of the car. Her girlfriend. The thought alone was enough to make her smile all over again.

On the drive home, Paige let her hand linger on Azzi's thigh again. But after the night they'd had, Azzi couldn't handle the constant awareness that came with it. She reached down and intertwined their fingers instead, settling Paige's hand safely in her lap.

As they got closer to Azzi's apartment, she could feel her nerves starting to creep back in. She'd managed to keep them under control most of the evening, but now they were bubbling back to the surface. She took a deeper breath. Everything was going to be okay.

When they got back to the apartment, Paige took Azzi's keys from her hand, jogging up the steps first to unlock the door. Azzi followed behind, moving almost on autopilot. She dropped her purse on the table before shrugging out of her trench coat and hanging it neatly on the rack.

As she started toward her bedroom, she glanced back over her shoulder.

Paige was still standing near the front door. Watching her carefully. Almost cautiously.

"Can you help me with my dress?" Azzi asked softly, her voice betraying a little more nerves than she'd intended.

Paige hesitated. Then nodded. "Yeah."

Azzi walked toward the bedroom, her heartbeat picking up with every step. She stopped near the edge of the bed, turning her back toward Paige as she lifted her hair out of the way. She felt Paige step closer. Close enough that Azzi became aware of every little thing. The warmth radiating from her. The faint scent of her perfume. The brush of her fingertips as they found the zipper.

Paige slowly pulled it down. Azzi wasn't sure if Paige was intentionally moving carefully or if her own mind had stretched the moment into something much longer than it actually was. She held her breath until the zipper settled at the small of her back. Paige's hands lingered for only a second before resting gently against her waist.

A soft kiss pressed against Azzi's shoulder. "I'll let you get changed," Paige murmured.

Azzi blinked. She turned slightly, confusion flickering across her face.

"I'll be in the living room," Paige added, nodding toward the doorway before stepping away.

Azzi stood there for a moment. Maybe she was just overthinking things. With a quiet sigh, she changed into a pair of loose boxers and an oversized college T-shirt that slipped off one shoulder.

When she stepped back into the living room, she found Paige sitting on the couch. Her jacket had been draped over one of the kitchen chairs, her shoes kicked off nearby. One arm rested along the back of the couch while she flipped through something on the television.

When Paige looked up and saw her, her entire expression softened. "There you are," she said quietly.

Azzi walked over. Paige reached for her hand, gently tugging her closer. Azzi climbed onto the couch beside her, settling comfortably against her side. Paige wrapped an arm around her waist automatically, pulling her close. Azzi rested her head against Paige's shoulder.

For a while, neither of them said anything. Eventually, Azzi glanced up. Paige was already looking at her. Paige leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before reaching for the remote again.

"Let's watch something."

Azzi paused. That wasn't what she'd expected, but she nodded anyway.

As she shifted to sit more comfortably, Paige tightened her hold around her waist, keeping her tucked securely against her side. Azzi glanced over. Paige smiled before pressing another brief kiss against her temple. Then she turned back toward the television. A few seconds later, the familiar opening notes filled the room.

Azzi stared at the screen. Then back at Paige. "...Frozen?"

Paige shrugged. "What?"

Azzi laughed, unable to stop herself. "What the hell?"

Paige's arm squeezed around her keeping her eyes on the tv.

Azzi looked at her skeptically. "I thought this was a kids movie?" She said in a mocking tone.

Paige avoided eye contact. “Just watch the movie” She said, settling further into the couch.

Beside her, Paige seemed to relax too. They sat quietly as the movie played, neither of them paying much attention to what was actually happening on screen. For the first time since they'd left the restaurant, Azzi let herself stop overthinking. Paige wasn't rushing her. Wasn't expecting anything from her. She just wanted to be here. With her. The realization settled warmly in Azzi's chest as she sank further into Paige's side, content to let the silence stretch between them.

A few minutes passed. Then a few more. Eventually, a familiar feeling prickled at the back of her neck.

Azzi smiled slowly, she tilted her head back. "What?"

Paige looked almost guilty. "What?"

Azzi lifted an eyebrow. "You're staring at me."

Paige sighed dramatically before reaching into the pocket of her jeans. "Okay."

Immediately, Azzi sat up a little straighter. "What are you doing?"

"Hold on."

"Paige."

Paige laughed quietly. Then she pulled out a small box.

Azzi froze. "Paige." Her voice came out softer this time.

Paige suddenly looked almost as nervous as she had in the restaurant. "I know it's probably too much, but I already bought it."

That made Azzi laugh.

Paige's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Just open it."

Carefully, Azzi took the box from her hands. The second she lifted the lid, her breath caught. Inside was a delicate silver cross necklace, tiny diamonds catching the light from the television. For a moment, she just stared. Because she knew that necklace. She'd stopped in front of that display more than once.

She looked up. "How did you..."

Paige's smile turned almost shy. Azzi wasn't sure she'd ever seen that expression before. She looked back down at the necklace. Then back at Paige. And before she could stop herself, she leaned forward and kissed her. Paige made a surprised sound before immediately kissing her back. When they finally pulled apart, Azzi was still smiling.

"You're ridiculous."

Paige grinned. "That's not a thank you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She closed the box and set it carefully on the coffee table in front of them.

Without thinking too much about it, she turned and pressed another quick kiss to Paige's lips before settling back into her side.

For the next half hour, they stayed curled up together on the couch. At some point, Paige's thumb began tracing absentminded circles against her side.

It was such a small gesture.

But once Azzi noticed it, she couldn't stop noticing it.

Every slow pass of Paige's thumb sent a little shiver through her. She shifted against the couch, trying to focus on the movie instead.

It didn't help.

The television continued playing in the background while Azzi became increasingly aware of the warmth of Paige's arm around her waist and the steady rhythm of her touch. She was constantly shifting to distract herself from the ache between her legs. At some point Azzi got fed up, and turned to face Paige.

“Wassup” Paige glanced down immediately.

Azzi swept the back of her hand across Paige's cheek before brushing her fingers through her hair. Paige's eyes fluttered shut. Azzi felt herself smile. She liked seeing her like this. Relaxed. Comfortable. The tension she'd carried throughout the evening seemed to melt away beneath the simple touch. Paige leaned into her hand instinctively. The movement was small, but it made something warm twist in Azzi's chest. Her fingers caught lightly in Paige's hair, giving a gentle tug. Paige let out a soft sound that made Azzi's breath hitch.

Slowly, Paige opened her eyes again. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Azzi found herself studying her. There was something different in her expression now. Softer. More open. The bright blue of her eyes seemed darker in the dim light of the living room, her gaze fixed entirely on Azzi. The look sent a nervous flutter through her stomach.

“Az-” before she could say anything, Azzi pulled Paige's in by the neck, crashing their lips together. The kiss was intense, it felt like neither one was being careful anymore. They both needed this.

Azzi felt Paige's tongue slid against her lip, prodding her to open hers wider. When she finally licked inside her mouth, Azzi moaned at the feeling. Hearing this, Paige hand slid to her waist pulling her closer. Azzi was quick to swing her leg around Paige's legs, settling against her lap.

Azzi lightly pushed her back against the couch leaning down, sinking into the kiss. Azzi shifted her hips slightly against Paige's, causing Paige to groan slightly. She felt Paige grip her waist, pulling her down slightly. It was getting harder to breathe but it felt too good. Azzi pulled back slightly, lips still ghosting over Paige’s.

“Bedroom” Azzi basically breathed.

“Are you sure?” Paige said carefully, but Azzi could hear the restraint in her voice.

Azzi nodded, connecting their lips again. “Please fuck me” she said into Paiges lips.

That must've motivated her, because Paige quickly readjusted her hands and was standing up off the couch.

Azzi squealed a little, not expecting that.

“Hold on” Paige mumbled readjusting her hold. She slowly made her way to the bedroom, careful not to bump into anything on the way. They kept their lips together, but Paige wasn't as focused as before.

When Paige got to the edge of the bed, she gently lowered Azzi till she was laying. She climbed onto the mattress, her knees bracketing her legs. Azzi reached up and pulled her down causing Paige to laugh into her mouth. Their kiss was a little slower this time, Paige mapping out her mouth. Azzi just let her, she felt her body relaxing into her touch.

She felt Paige’s fingers slide up her sides, lifting her shirt in a silent question. Azzi was quick with a head nod, Paige sat back on her heels while Azzi ripped her shirt off before laying back on her elbows. Paige took a second to just look. Azzi breathed slowly, looking at Paige's face. She looked needy, almost hungry. That lit a fire in the bottom of Azzi’s stomach.

Paige leaned down, lightly kissing her before tracing along her cheek and down along her jaw. Azzi couldn't hold herself up any longer falling back against the pillows. Paige followed, connecting her lips to her neck. Azzi could only let out a soft breath. The kisses on her neck sent shivers throughout her body. She couldn't think of a time when she felt this good.

Paige made her way farther down stopping right above the edge of her bra line. She pulled back to look at Azzi.

“I love this bra” She said leaning down kissing her once, then a little further down over the bra. And then finally found her nipple biting at it over the bra. Azzi let out an embarrassing loud moan at this. She could feel pleasure shooting through her body. Paiges one hand slid up grabbing at her other breast lightly kneading it as she sucked on her nipple.

Azzi lasted six seconds before she was pushing at Paige's shoulder sitting up and reaching behind her back to un hook her bra. She pulled at the straps, grabbing it in her hand and throwing it somewhere across the room before laying back down and grabbing Paige to follow her. Paige went right back to work on her breasts. Switching sides kissing her way to Azzi's other nipple.

“You're so beautiful,” Paige said into the skin of her breast. She could only let out a sigh. Not sure what words would come out. Paige kept working at her nipple, while her other hand started exploring the skin of her abdomen. Trailing her finger up and down.

She could feel herself getting wetter, the ache growing, and she was doing anything she could to cause friction. Paige must have caught on, coming back up to her lips.

“What do you need?” Paige said in a husky voice.

Azzi hesitated, not sure what to say.

“Tell me what you want” Paige whispered again, causing goosebumps on Azzi’s skin. She was nervous to say it. She never really talked during this. She never had to say what she wanted. But then again, she never ended up getting what she really wanted. That gave her a boost of confidence.

Azzi grabbed Paiges hand that was on her stomach, sliding it over her boxers between her legs. She bit Paige's lip before pulling back.

“I need you to touch me” Azzi could hear how desperate she sounded, but she didn't care. She had been wanting this, dreaming about this for so long, she thought she might combust.

Paige smiled at this slowly reaching for her waistband pushing past her underwear. She was slowly moving her hand over Azzi’s center exploring.

She heard Paig’s breath catch. “Your so wet Az”

“About time” Azzi joked. “Ive been like this for weeks” She breathed out before a moan. Paige had started moving her finger pads over Azzi clit, rubbing small circles. Paige leaned down kissing her slow, listening to Azzi’s breathing and how her body reacted to her touch.

“Yeah” She sounded almost taunting. “You need me that bad?” All Azzi could do was nod her head. Paige moved her hands farther down feeling the wetness as Azzi’s center. “Fuck” Paige huffed out. She gathered her slick, bringing it back up to Azzi's clit, rubbing tighter circles.

“That okay? You like that?” Paige whispered in Azzi’s ear.

“Mhm, yeah” Azzi choked out. “It's good” was all she could say. Her breath stuttered. Azzi reached down grabbing at the bed sheets needing to hold something. She was feeling the ache start to build. She bucked her hips up into Paige's hand causing her to smile into a kiss. Paige sped up slightly from that.

“Please” Azzi breathed “dont, dont stop” She got out.

Paige just smiled into another kiss. She circled her fingers a few more times before she was easing her hand off and pulling it back.

“Mghu” Azzi mumbled out grabbing at Paige’s hand that was pulling out of her shorts.

“I gotta taste you,” Paige said, kissing her jaw and then biting the lobe of her ear. That effectively shut Azzi up. Her breath caught in her throat and just gave a tiny nod. Azzi could feel Paige’s smile from her lips traveling down her neck. Taking her time to nip and suck on ever part of skin she could. When she got down to her belly bottom she lightly tugged at the ring which sent another shiver down her body. Azzi brought her hand up lightly combing her fingers through Paige’s hair, grounding herself. Paige trailed a little farther down before looking up and locking eyes with Azzi.

“This okay?” she emphasized with her fingers pulling at the waistband.

Azzi nodded feverishly “please” she barely breathed out. What can she say, she was needy. She was pent up. For weeks. She didn’t care at this point. No nervousness, no hesitation, just pure straight want. Paige could see it in her face, that only made her smile more.

Paige pulled her boxers down way too slow for Azzi's liking, she kissed along her legs as she got further down. Azzi helped once they were at her ankles, quickly kicking them off the bed which made Paige chuckle.

Paige took a second just admiring, lightly messaging Azzi’s calf before leaning down kissing right above her knee. She peppered kissing along her leg moving closer to where Azzi needed her. She started squirming a little bit, which only made Paige's grin grow.

“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Azzi said with a huff reaching down to run her hands through Paige’s hair.

“Maybe a little” Paige mumbled into her skin, right by her hip bone. She kissed further down in the crease of her leg. She ghosted her lips over her center blowing a little causing Azzi to shiver.

“Stop” Azzi whined. She sounded ridiculous but she was on the verge of exploding.

“Ask nicely,” Paige said, pressing the lightest kiss on Azzi’s clit.

Azzi’s breath hitched. She could feel her pulse around nothing. “Please” she said in a breath. Her hand in Paige's hair tightened. “Please” she said a little louder with more urgency.

“Good girl” Paige mumbled before pressing a firm open mouthed kiss against her clit. Azzi let out a shaky breath at the feeling. Paige took her time, licking lightly from her entrance up to her clit, then lightly sucking between her lips.

Paige lightly hummed at the taste causing a drawn out moan from Azzi. Paige was slow, and attentive, listening to what made Azzi’s breath louder, what made her squirm. Paige was taking her time.

Paige kept one hand wrapped under her leg and was lightly rubbing the outside of her hip. The other was holding her right leg down. Every pass over her clit, Azzi felt herself buck her hips up slightly, lightly tugging Paige closer. That only made Paige’s tongue move faster, swirling around her clit in a devastating rhythm.

Azzi could feel a finger lightly prodding her entrance causing her to look down. Paige was already looking up at her with her eyebrows raised asking a silent question.

Azzi nodded, “yes please” she said breathly. Paige immediately complied sliding her finger in agonizingly slow. She pumped a few times before she felt Paige add another finger, moving a little faster and curling perfectly hitting that spongy part inside. Paige continued sucking on Azzi’s clit causing Azzi's moans to get embarrassingly loud.

“Fuck”- she choked out hips rocking to the rythym of Paige’s mouth and fingers. Her grip tightened in Paige's hair keeping her locked in place. Not that she was going anywhere, but just in case.

It was only a minute or two before Azzi started to feel her body tense, her clit pulse feverishly. Her hand clamped roughly on Paige's scalp. Azzi felt the moment the band snapped, pleasure shooting through her body. She came apart with a cry, her pulse pounding in her ears. She felt Paige slow her fingers, still working her through it. Azzi's body slowly melted into the bed.

Azzi’s breath started to return to normal, and she loosened her grip on Paige's head slowly moving her hand down to Paige's shoulder, weakly pulling at her to come closer. Paige complied immediately climbing back up Azzi’s body leaving kisses as she made her way up. Her hand stayed at Azzi's center leaving her palm flat against her clit, putting pressure for any lingering pulses.

Paige brushed a kiss over her lips slowly, But Azzi pulled her down connecting their lips with a little more passion. Paige just smiled into it. They kissed for a few minutes, Azzi just fully settling into the peace. Paige leaned back slightly to look her in the eyes.

“You okay?” Paige asked lightly

“Mhm” Azzi said with a small smile. “That was-” She nodded looking away, “really good”

Paige just smirked, leaning in for another kiss. “I aim to please” She said against her mouth.

Azzi laughed for a second before it came out as a choked moan. Paige had pressed her palm down in a circular motion, before letting up and sliding her fingers through her folds. Before she could say anything Paige kissed her again, her hand moving a little faster against her clit. Azzi could feel the tightening in her stomach come a little quicker this time. Her hand reached down to Paige's wrist, not to stop her but to have something to ground her. Azzi could barely breath with how Paige’s hand was moving, and how she was kissing her.

Azzi leaned her head away to get a breath in, Paige just moved her head down to her jaw, kissing her way to her neck. Azzi just closed her eyes and leaned into the feeling. As Paige's movements got quicker Azzi squirmed.

“I dont-” she breathed out. “I cant-” she could only get out before Paige was moving back connecting their lips. Paige mumbled against her mouth

“You can” she rasped out, almost sounding out of breath herself. Azzi clenched at the noise. Even though she was sensitive, wanting to be good for Paige, she let go giving into the feeling. She was so lost in the pleasure she could barely register what Paige was whispering in her ear. All she knew was something about a good girl. Which only made her clench more.

It was only a few minutes before she was cumming again. This time it caught her by suprise. One minute she was clenching, the next she was hit with pleasure. It felt like her body was slowly lighting on fire.

Paige slowed her hand kissing back up her neck and connecting their lips. Azzi lightly pushed at Paige's hand from the feeling. Paige smiled before placing one last lingering kiss against her lips. Azzi closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She felt the bed dip on her side, Paige laying down on her side, her head propped up by her elbow.

Paige placed her hand across Azzi’s stomach, lightly rubbing her thumb along her skin. Azzi just layed there with her eyes closed for a minute before slowly peeling them open and looking over at Paige. She brought her hand up against Paige's cheek pulling her in for another kiss.

“Thank you” she mumbled. Her body felt like jello.

“Anytime.” Paige punctuated it with a kiss to her shoulder before leaning her head back in her hand.

They just stared at each other for a few seconds, Azzi taking in Paige's appearance. Her hair slightly tousled from Azzi gripping at it. The witness on her chin, and the slight red surrounding her lips. She looked a little crazy, but it made Azzi’s stomach flutter. She looked so good. Like she could go another ten rounds.

Paige must’ve been reading her mind, she placed her hand fully on her stomach, almost stopping her from moving.

“You look tired,” she said with a grin. “Let's just chill for a second” She said, sitting up slightly to pull the blanket over them.

“Wait” Azzi said but stopped herself. She wasn't sure what she was trying to ask.

“I-” She hesitated. “Can I- I wanna do that to you” the heat immediately rose to her face. She sounded like an idiot that's for sure.

“Why don't we just relax for a sec” Paige said, laying against the pillows, holding her arm out for Azzi to lay against her side. She looked at her for a second before giving in and laying her head on Paige's chest. Paige started rubbing her back slowly.

Azzi tried to keep her eyes open, but after everything, she felt her body relaxing every trace of Paige's hand. Her eyes started slowly shutting. She held out as long as she could but before she knew it, sleep pulled her under.

[user57896322]

🥹🥹 iglooie

[elleaitch222]

Chapter 3 – Game Day

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A/N: WINGS UP MOTHERFUCKERS!!!! Azzi was almost perfect from the field! Whoever jinxed her...you will start coughing in three days. Anywho, here's Chapter 3! I hope you love it!!! xx Elle

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Azzi was proud of the outfit she’d thrown together. It still satisfied her parents’ rules for modesty, but it was one of the cuter pairings she’d made in a while. The spaghetti strapped, gingham dress was a piece that was only supposed to be worn under a cardigan, but she slipped a white, short-sleeved t-shirt under the navy dress. She finished her outfit off with a pair of stark white ballet flats.

For the first time in her four years at Hays County High, Azzi wore a War Hawks gameday button. It wasn’t something that would matter to anyone else, but it meant everything to her.

She wasn’t wearing it because Jake was on the team or because he was expecting her to show up or because her parents expected her to support him.

She was wearing it because she wanted to.

And that – doing what she wanted no matter the expectations of others – that made her smile.

Then, she looked in the mirror again.

And for a second, all she could see where the things she didn’t have.

Everything she couldn’t have.

All the other girls wore denim shorts and tank tops when the September days felt like a sauna. She wished she could wear an outfit that she wouldn’t overheat in. That she could have a jersey number painted on her cheeks and thighs. That she could cover herself in blue glitter and take fun pictures with her friends.

She’d spent the last four years watching them. Wishing. Wondering what it would be like to do something because you wanted to, and not just because you were expected to.

Her eyes drifted back to the button she’d been so proud to wear.

It should’ve been a 5 – she wanted it to be a 5.

She wanted it all.

The joy. The belonging. The freedom.

Freedom to live.

Freedom to love.

Freedom to just…be.

Freedom to just exist without having to mold herself to someone else’s expectations.

That was what she wanted. More than anything.

Her eyes met her reflection's.

The girl staring back looked exactly the same as she always had.

Same dress.

Same fake smile.

Same life.

Maybe one day she would be brave enough to get more.

For now, she grabbed her backpack and headed for the door.

It was a Friday, which meant Jake wanted to give her a ride to school, something she tried her best to avoid. But since she’d politely declined for the last two weeks, Azzi knew she’d have to suck it up today.

She looked at her Apple Watch and sighed for the fourth time – he was late again, and Azzi already knew he’d have the world’s dumbest excuse.

When Jacob’s blacked out Jeep Wrangler swerved around the corner – a record seventeen minutes late – she had to remind herself that slamming the door would be disrespectful. Probably disrespectful enough to reach out to her dad. But still, it didn’t stop the quiet groan that passed her lips.

“Sorry I’m so late, Z. I wanted to bring you a coffee.”

Jacob had always been a terrible liar, but Azzi acted none the wiser as she looked at the empty cup holders. “That was so sweet of you, Jake. May I have it please?”

His hazel eyes widened as he scrambled to make an excuse. “Oh, well I remembered Mr. Smith’s bio lecture about caffeine being a drug, and I know Pastor Fudd would kill me if I gave you drugs, so I threw it out.”

Azzi suppressed a frown, trying to think of something her mom would advise her to say. “Well, thank you for thinking of that. I didn’t even realize my dad could think of it like that.”

She left off the fact that she hated the taste of coffee as he mindlessly rambled about the upcoming game. Azzi was content to stare at the trees as he sped to school – that is until he said something that got her attention.

“– Bueckers just thinks she’s better than everybody, but she’s not even supposed to be on the team!” He complained.

Paige may not be better than everybody, but she sure is better than you.

“She thinks she’s so good because she’s got all them offers, but anybody could get those schools.”

That’s odd, because I’m pretty sure you have one Division III offer and one junior college one. And the same scouts who have seen Paige have also seen you.

“You know what I mean, baby?” He asked, finally acknowledging his girlfriend.

Azzi turned to him, adjusting her game day pin. “I’m sorry, Jacob. I know how hard you’ve been working.”

His pitiful pout was wiped off his face as his eyes dropped to the button she had pinned to her chest. “I see somebody is taking what Pastor Woody said at Bible study into account.”

The smirk he wore irritated her, but Azzi had no clue what he was talking about. “What do you mean?”

It could’ve been anything. Pastor Woody was probably Azzi’s least favorite minister at her dad’s church. He wasn’t always so bad, or maybe she was just starting to notice – but his rhetoric was always hateful and harmful. He’d always been homophobic, misogynistic, and a little racist – the last one was the most surprising, considering he served under a Black pastor, but a lot of things didn’t make sense to Azzi.

“When he was talking about being a good girlfriend and wife – how you should be obedient, submissive, and supportive. So we can be a strong, godly couple.” He paused, gesturing to the button. “I appreciate you supporting me. I don’t know why it took you so long.”

Azzi didn’t remember that part of Pastor Woody’s talk, but she didn’t put it past him. “Of course,” she started. “I’m sorry I wasn’t being supportive enough earlier.”

“It’s okay, Z. That’s why it’s so important that you’re with a strong man like me. I’ll lead you well, and you’ll be my perfect little wife after we graduate.”

Those words made her skin crawl so much that she had to force herself not to shiver. But she heard the truth in his words – even if she didn’t marry him right after high school, both of their parents were going to make sure she ended up Mrs. Jacob Gibson.

And maybe for a normal girl, they’d be able to just not do whatever they were told, but Azzi had never done anything else. She told her parents no once or twice when she was little, but the spankings she got quickly shut down any thought of disobedience.

But as much as she didn’t want to upset her parents, she didn’t want to keep living a lie. She didn’t want her kids to think it was good to settle for someone they didn’t love just to keep their parents happy.

Azzi wanted out – she wanted freedom more than anything in the world, but she had no clue how to get there.

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The morning passed in a blur of AP Literature, Calculus, and Economics. Azzi had always loved school, so it was odd that she couldn’t really remember any part of her classes before lunch.

She was on her way to the cafeteria when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

[phone]: hey its paige. i got your number from jackie, who got it from caroline

Azzi smiled to herself – she’d finally had Paige’s number, something she’d been wishing for since she was in sixth grade. She was so happy she ignored the horror caused by her grammar

Paige Bueckers: since it’s gameday, can we do a session during free per

Paige Bueckers: i have a quiz on interest today, and i just wanna make sure I’m good

Azzi: Hi Paige :) Sounds good! I’ll be heading to the library at the end of lunch

Paige Bueckers: actually, can we work in coach’s office

Paige Bueckers: i’m just anxious and i wanna be locked in

Azzi: Of course! I’ll meet you there

She wondered if Paige was ashamed of needing a tutor. It was more common than most people thought, but Azzi had always felt like asking for help made you a better person. But being ashamed of being tutored didn’t mean that Paige was ashamed of being seen with Azzi – at least that’s what she told herself.

She just shrugged her shoulders and continued to the cafeteria – content smile soft on her face.

When she finally made it to the cafeteria, she heard a loud laugh, and she knew exactly who it was. Paige’s face was lit in glee. She sat at a table with her normal crew. Natasha Cloud was one of her closest friends. She was always nice to Azzi, always tossing a friendly smile her way when they passed each other in the halls. Her arm was around her girlfriend, Izzy’s waist. Izzy and Azzi had been lab partners in physics last year. She was funny and kind, but her parents yelled at her when they found out she was befriending a lesbian.

Finishing out the table was Jackie Young and her girlfriend DiJonai. Jackie was quiet – a silent assassin who had broken 25 school records on the basketball team. Her girlfriend, DiJonai, was one of the prettiest girls in the whole school. She literally looked like a barbie doll. Azzi had never talked to her, but she figured she had to be nice to be in that group.

Azzi longed to have friends where she could be herself without worrying if they would accept her. Instead, her smile faltered as she headed to her table.

Teagan and Chrissy were the closest things Azzi had to best friends. Tegan’s dad was the college pastor, Pastor James, while Chrissy’s dad was Pastor Woody. Obviously, that meant they had to be best friends.

Outside of not feeling like she fit in, Azzi was the only Black person in their friend group. Teagan and Chrissy’s boyfriends, Silas and Harrison, were both white boys who played golf. And Azzi was convinced they were both a little racist, and they only put up with her because her dad was their pastor.

When she sat, they were already going into their prayer-wrapped insults.

"Do you see those dykes over there? Laughing and making sure all the attention is on them," Chrissy sneered, shaking her head in disgust. "It's like they're trying to recruit people into their lifestyle."

They're just eating lunch.

Silas leaned back in his chair, his voice dripping with false concern. "My dad says it's a spiritual sickness. We should pray for them. Pray that God heals them before they corrupt more people."

Loving someone isn't a sickness – it's beautiful.

"Especially Natasha," Teagan added, her voice taking on that sanctimonious tone Azzi hated. "She's the quarterback. She has so much influence. And she's using it to normalize sin. The Bible is very clear about this."

The Bible also says to love your neighbor.

Harry jumped in quickly, his jaw clenched. "It's an abomination – two women being together. It's right there in scripture. There's no gray area."

Two people loving each other shouldn't be an abomination.

"And Jackie," Chrissy continued, her eyes narrowing as she watched the basketball player laugh with her girlfriend. "Breaking all those records, getting all that attention – and for what? To flaunt her sin? She's making a mockery of what it means to be a woman."

Silas nodded in agreement. "My dad says women like that are rejecting God's design. They're supposed to be nurturing, submissive. Not out here playing sports like men and corrupting young girls."

Jackie is just playing basketball.

"Paige and Natasha want to be boys so bad. May the Lord have mercy on their souls," Teagan held her hand to her heart as she shook her head. "And now they've got DiJonai wrapped up in it too. That girl could have any boy she wanted, but instead she's choosing to live in darkness."

Being masculine didn't mean they wanted to be boys. Maybe they were just more comfortable that way.

"Exactly," Harrison said, his voice low and venomous. "DiJonai's beautiful. It's such a waste. She's throwing away her future, her chance at a real family, real children. All because she's been influenced by those perverts."

DiJonai looks happy.

Jacob wore a cold smirk, and Azzi knew that whatever came out of his mouth would be absolutely vile.

"It's sad because Paige, Natasha, and Jackie are actually pretty. They just need someone to fix them. Someone to show them what real love looks like. How they should be with a man. They're confused, that's all."

Chrissy nodded eagerly. "My mom says we should distance ourselves from them. That being around that kind of behavior could influence us. She says Azzi should especially be careful, since she's lab partners with one of them. We don't want people thinking she's –"

"Exactly," Silas interrupted, his eyes landing on Azzi with an intensity that made her skin crawl. "You'd be smart to stay away from them, Azzi. Your dad would be disappointed if people thought you were associating with those people."

I'm not associating. I'm just existing in the same space.

"Pastor Woody preached about it the other day," Teagan said, her voice dropping to a whisper as if sharing a secret. "He said that homosexuality is a choice. A rebellion against God's order. And that those who enable it are complicit in their sin."

How is love a sin? They aren't even hurting anyone.

Harrison leaned forward, his voice dripping with false pity. "We should pray for them. Pray that they turn from their wicked ways before it's too late. Before they face God's judgment."

"And we should pray for you too, Azzi," Chrissy added, reaching over to pat her hand. "That you stay strong in your faith. That you don't let their influence pull you away from what's right."

What's right is letting people live.

Jacob's smirk widened. "My mom says Paige's dad is divorced. That's probably why she turned out like this. Broken home, broken person. No wonder she's so messed up."

Silas nodded solemnly. "Generational sin. That's what my dad calls it. It gets passed down. Those girls never stood a chance."

That's not how this works.

"We're not being mean," Teagan said, her voice taking on that defensive, righteous tone. "We're being honest. We're being faithful. The Bible says to speak truth in love."

This isn't love. This is cruelty dressed up in scripture.

"And honestly," Chrissy continued, her eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of her own piety, "I feel sorry for them. They're going to hell, and they don't even know it. We're the only ones brave enough to say it."

Azzi dropped her sandwich, stomach rolling with nausea.

"I –" Azzi's voice cracked. She pressed her hand to her mouth. "I have to go. Tutoring session."

She didn't wait for a response. She grabbed her bag and practically ran from the cafeteria, her ballet flats squeaking against the linoleum. The bathroom was mercifully empty when she burst through the door. She barely made it to the first stall before her body rejected everything – the sandwich, the hatred, the cruelty wrapped in scripture.

They're talking about Paige. About the girl I –

She couldn't even finish the thought. Her hands shook as she gripped the cold porcelain. Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. If she started crying, she wouldn't stop.

Fix them. Like they're broken. Like loving someone is something that needs to be cured.

Azzi flushed and stumbled to the sink. Her reflection looked pale, mascara slightly smudged. She splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth, trying to wash away the taste of bile and self-loathing.

I sat there. I didn't say anything. I just sat there and let them.

She gripped the edge of the sink until her hands shook.

I'm such a coward.

🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈

Coach Franklin's office smelled like old leather and coffee. Azzi had arrived five minutes early, spreading out her color-coded materials on the small table in the corner. Her hands were still trembling slightly, but she forced them steady as she organized the practice problems she'd prepared.

The door swung open, and Paige walked in wearing her football jersey – number 5 in navy and silver – and white shorts that hit just above her knee. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, a few blonde strands framing her face.

"Hey." Paige spoke immediately. "You okay?"

Azzi's heart stuttered. "What?"

"In the cafeteria. I saw you basically run out of there." Paige dropped into the chair across from her, leaning forward with genuine concern in her blue eyes. "You looked upset."

She noticed. She actually noticed me.

Nobody noticed Azzi anymore. She'd perfected the art of being invisible – blending into the background, never making waves, never drawing attention. But Paige had seen her. Paige had noticed.

"I'm fine," Azzi managed, feeling warmth bloom in her chest. "Just needed some air."

Paige studied her for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. "Alright. But if you need to talk or whatever..."

"Thank you." Azzi's voice came out softer than she intended. She cleared her throat and pulled out the practice problems. "So, I pulled a few problems to get you ready for your quiz."

"Yes, please." Paige groaned dramatically, but there was a smile playing at her lips. "I need to be locked in."

They started with simple interest, and Azzi was impressed by how quickly Paige worked through the problems. Her handwriting was messy but confident, and she talked through her process out loud.

"Okay, so if it's simple interest, I just multiply principal times rate times time." Paige tapped her pencil against the paper. "So $2,000 at 5% for 3 years is... $2,000 times 0.05 times 3, which is $300 in interest."

"Perfect!" Azzi beamed. "You got it! I knew you would."

Paige grinned, and Azzi found herself distracted by the way the fluorescent lights caught the definition in Paige's arms as she reached for her calculator. The jersey's sleeves were cut short enough to show the curve of her biceps, the smooth lines of muscle that came from hours of training.

Focus, Azzi.

But it was hard to focus when Paige shifted in her seat, the white chinos pulling slightly across her thighs. Azzi had never really looked at anyone like this before – had never let herself. But there was something about the casual confidence in the way Paige sat, legs spread slightly, which bothered her when Jake did it. The veins in her hands were visible as she gripped the pencil, and Azzi wondered what it would feel like to –

"Azzi?"

She snapped her attention back to Paige's face, heat flooding her cheeks. "Sorry, what?"

"Is this right?" Paige turned the paper around, showing her work for a compound interest problem.

Azzi leaned in, grateful for the excuse to focus on something concrete. "Let me see... Yes! That's exactly right. You even remembered to divide the rate by the number of times it compounds per year."

"Hell yeah." Paige pumped her fist, and Azzi couldn't help but laugh.

"You're doing so well, Paige. Seriously."

Paige's expression shifted, something vulnerable flickering across her face. She set down her pencil and looked at Azzi directly. "You know, you've given me more encouragement in one week than I've gotten from my teachers in the last year."

Azzi's heart cracked open. "What?"

"I'm serious." Paige shrugged, but there was weight behind the gesture. "Most of them just – they see my grades and assume I'm not trying. Or that I'm stupid. And maybe I wasn't trying for a little while, but they didn't care enough to ask why. They never really care why I'm struggling."

"Paige." Azzi reached across the table without thinking, her hand hovering near Paige's. "You're not stupid. You're actually really smart."

Paige huffed out a laugh. "I appreciate the lie –"

"It's not a lie. I don't lie." Azzi's voice was firm. "Your brain just works differently than the way most teachers teach. But different doesn't mean bad. It just means you need someone to explain things in a way that makes sense to you."

Paige stared at her, and Azzi watched something shift in those blue eyes – surprise, maybe, or gratitude. Or something else entirely.

"Thank you," Paige said quietly. "Really."

Azzi smiled, pulling her hand back before she did something stupid like actually touch Paige's skin. "You're welcome. Now let's do a few more problems so you can ace this quiz next period."

🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈

The library was nearly empty when Azzi settled into her favorite corner after school, pulling out her French assignment. She'd been working through a translation of Tartuffe for twenty minutes when she heard footsteps – fast, urgent footsteps that didn't belong in a library.

The door burst open, and Paige ran in wearing her full football uniform, shoulder pads, cleats, and all. Her face was split by the biggest smile Azzi had ever seen, and she had a paper clenched tightly in her fist.

"Azzi!"

Several students looked up, annoyed, but Paige didn't seem to care. She jogged over to Azzi's table, practically vibrating with excitement.

"An 82!" Paige thrust the paper toward her, the red number circled at the top. "I got an 82! I haven't gotten a B on anything since like middle school!"

Azzi's face broke into a matching grin. "Paige! That's amazing!"

"Thank you!" Before Azzi could process what was happening, Paige pulled her up from her chair and wrapped her in a hug so tight that Azzi's feet actually left the ground. She smelled like grass and sweat and something rich, maybe cologne or shampoo, and Azzi's brain short-circuited.

Oh my God. Oh my God. She's hugging me. Paige Bueckers is hugging me.

When Paige set her down, Azzi felt dizzy.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Paige said, still beaming. "I checked the stadium first, but you weren't there yet."

"I waned to finish my French assignment." Azzi gestured weakly at her abandoned notebook.

"Right, yeah. Sorry." Paige didn't look sorry at all. "Can I walk with you to the stadium?"

"Sure."

They packed up Azzi's things and headed out into the hallway. The school was mostly empty now, just the echo of their footsteps and the distant sound of a janitor's cart. It felt intimate somehow, just the two of them in this big empty space.

"I really can't thank you enough," Paige said as they walked. "I know tutoring me is probably the last thing you want to do with your free time."

If only you knew.

"I don't mind," Azzi said honestly. "You're easy to work with. You actually want to learn."

Paige bumped her shoulder gently against Azzi's. "That's because you're a good teacher."

Azzi's entire body felt warm.

🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈

Friday night at The Nest was electric. The stands were packed, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs thick in the air. The War Hawks were playing their biggest rival, and the energy was infectious.

For the first time in four years, Azzi wasn't reading a book.

She sat in her usual spot, front row, right behind the team bench, but her eyes weren't on Jake. They were on number 5.

Every time Paige caught the ball, Azzi jumped to her feet. Every time she broke a tackle or made a cut that left defenders grasping at air, Azzi's heart soared.

It was a blowout game. The War Hawks were up 42-14 by the fourth quarter, and Paige had scored four touchdowns. Four. Azzi had screamed herself hoarse, clapping until her palms stung.

On Paige's eighth strong run, a 35-yard gain that had the entire stadium on their feet, Azzi found herself grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. She didn't care that Teagan and Chrissy were probably judging her from wherever they were sitting. She didn't care that Jake kept shooting her confused looks from the sideline.

She only cared about watching Paige play.

When the final whistle blew, Coach Franklin called the team together at midfield. Azzi watched as he held up the game ball, saying something she couldn't quite hear. Then he handed it to Paige.

The team erupted in cheers, and Paige held the ball above her head, laughing. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and then –

They locked on Azzi.

Time seemed to slow. The noise of the stadium faded to a dull roar. Paige's smile softened into something else, something private and just for her. She nodded once, a small acknowledgment, and Azzi felt it in her chest like a physical thing.

She sees me. She really sees me.

In that moment, with Paige's eyes on her and the cool night air on her skin and the taste of freedom on her tongue, Azzi felt something she hadn't felt in years.

She felt free.

🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈📖💙🏈

[emeqem]

take me to church - chapter 5: Lonesome Dreams

masterlist | ao3

<- previous chapter | next chapter ->

Word Count: 6,838

YAYYYY DALLAS 30PT WIN OVER THE ACES sometimes i worry that i make this too internal monologue-y, but then i remember that's like lowk the point of what i'm trying to write so?? i hope it's not too think-y lol. also reminder that everything written is paige's POV as someone raised very catholic and trying to navigate that!!

TWs: Internalized homophobia, Catholic guilt

but i don’t really know this place

and it’s lonesome here in the wide-open space

can it be as real as it seems?

maybe this time, i won’t wake from the dream

what am i destined to be? it’s a mystery, baby

just please don’t leave me alone

“Mom, look what I can do!” the boy said. He couldn’t have been older than five years old. His damp dirty blonde curls were smushed to his forehead. His blue swim trunks were littered with an array of dinosaurs and his arm floaties sported images of Super Mario–both dripping water all over the concrete as he walked backwards to place his back against the fence, winding up to show off his “epic cannonball”.

It was hot out. The sun was beating down onto her shoulders and reflecting blindingly off the surface of the pool.

The boy ran towards the pool and leaped, jumping into the water and creating a small splash.

Once he resurfaced, he paddled over to her, pushing his curls out of his face with the palm of his hands. His brown eyes were squinted as he looked up at her, wading in the water.

“I didn’t do it right,” he pouted.

She held her arms out at him. “Wanna try again?”

He nodded vigorously, swimming close enough that she could lift him up under his arms and set him on the ledge of the pool.

“You got it, buddy. Try to make sure you keep your legs tucked. Then you’ll make a bigger splash.”

He notted, biting his lip in concentration as he stepped back, brows furrowing. He took his cannonballing very seriously.

He sprinted towards the pool and leaped, this time perfecting his tuck and keeping it long enough to create a respectably-sized splash when he made contact with the surface of the water.

When he finally resurfaced, she cheered, “That was great, bud! You did it!”

He had a bright smile on his face as his cheeks reddened from the praise. He swam back over to her and she playfully grabbed him and blew a raspberry on his chest.

The boy giggled loudly, playfully pushing back at her. Her heart swelled at the sweet sound.

“Lunch is ready.”

She startled, looking up and meeting warm brown eyes.

Paige woke with a start, sitting up and breathing heavily, bringing her hand up over her heart as adrenaline shot through her veins. What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck.

She gripped the sheets as she forced herself to take controlled breaths. She tried to focus on what she could see and hear around her: the ceiling fan making gentle clicking noises as it spun above her, her little volleyball keychains hanging from a lanyard wrapped around the door handle to her closet making gentle clanking noises as the airflow moved them. The pink and purple lava lamp on her desk that she’d left on last night, illuminating a purple glow around her room. The beautiful, ornate cross hanging on her wall across from her bed.

The clock on her nightstand, reading 5:35 a.m.. Which was just cruel.

Get a grip, Paige.

She fisted her shirt where it laid over her chest and forced herself to take deep, measured breaths. She felt insane. What kind of creep dreams about having children with a friend. Azzi would probably think she was disgusting if she knew.

Paige tried to redirect her thoughts to anything else. Volleyball. College recruitment. What she was going to eat for breakfast. Puppies. What kind of dog she wants one day. Which tests she had coming up next week.

A few hours passed of Paige just laying in her bed, staring at her ceiling, trying to regulate her breaths as she inevitably rolled over the same handful of thoughts in her head.

Eventually, the sun rose. It was light outside now: sun shining, birds chirping. There was something almost upsetting in such a beautiful morning being illuminated outside of her windows when she herself felt so torn apart.

She heard running coming from down the hall, which was shortly followed by her bedroom door flying open, rattling the picture frames on her wall. Drew stood there, still holding onto his blankie that he swore he outgrew but never slept without, curls wild, face brimming with excitement.

“Paigey,” he whined, standing at her doorway. “I wanna get breakfast.”

“Not today, Drew.”

“What?!” he exclaimed, standing there with his mouth agape, like he couldn’t fathom what he was hearing.

Paige felt guilt fester in her chest as she tightened her blanket around her shoulders. “I don’t feel like it today.”

He crossed the room to stand right next to her bed, prying under her blanket to loop his hands around her arm, leveraging all of his body weight to tug on her. “Get up.”

“Quit it!” she snapped at him, ripping her arm out of his grasp.

His face fell, and she instantly felt regret. His brows furrowed as his eyes flew all over her face, searching her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she mumbled. “I jus’ wanna be left alone today.”

He studied her, far more perceptive than an eight year old should’ve been. His gaze softened as he crawled up over her and onto the center of her bed, sitting criss-cross right next to her, his knee touching Paige’s thigh. He leaned over to poke her cheek. “Why’re you sad?”

“Just am,” she said as she rested her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes.

It was silent for a few moments, before Drew asked, “We could watch a movie?”

She squinted an eye open to look at him where he sat with a hopeful expression on his face. “What movie?”

“Lego Batman?” he asked.

Paige thought about it for a second. “Okay, fine.”

He pumped his fist in celebration. “Yes!” He scampered out of her bed and reached to grab her arm again, this time successfully getting her out of bed.

Paige’s moping was then relocated to their couch downstairs. It did little to take the previous day and the dream off of her mind, but Drew’s excitement over the movie was contagious and allowed her to feel a little better, just for a few hours.

——

Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 — St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, Anderson, SC

She didn’t know what to do with the feelings that had taken permanent residence in her chest. Ever since waking up that morning, Paige had been really, truly struggling. So, she did what she always did when things got too much—she went to God.

Sitting and praying in her room hadn’t been offering her any relief, so she’d decided to drive to a Catholic church in the area. She’d tried attending service at a more affirming non-denominational church that past Sunday, but the guilt of betraying what she was raised to believe was the one true, apostolic Church throughout her whole childhood had eaten her alive, and the last thing she’d needed in that moment was more guilt.

Despite how beautiful the early morning was when she woke up, it was now pouring outside. She had elected to leave her own Bible in the car, lest it get drenched on her way into the building. She (an idiot that had not grabbed an umbrella) made a sprint for it once she got out of the car, and her hair still ended up sopping wet by the time she made it inside the building.

Awesome.

Her shoes were squeaking with every step as she trudged herself towards the main entrance.

The inside of it was beautiful. The stations of the cross were beautifully embellished in stained glass along the walls of the nave, along with intricate wood carvings to match. She wished so desperately that it wasn’t raining, so she could have the chance to see what she was sure would be beautiful rays of light streaming through the stained glass.

Paige’s stupid squeaky footsteps echoed throughout the room as she walked to a pew, kneeling and doing the sign of the cross before moving to sit down and kneel in the row, resting her elbows on the back of the back of the pew in front of her as she clasped her hands and bowed her head.

She was the only one in the room. It was quiet. All she could hear was the thrum of the rain hitting the rooftop. Usually, the sound would relax her, but today it just added to her nerves.

She let herself sit in silence, just breathing in God’s presence.

I’m sorry.

She felt awful. Like she had betrayed God by feeling the way she did, and betraying Him even more by being so upset about it.

She thought she’d come to terms with being gay and Christian and she thought she’d been steadfast in her belief that the Bible didn’t actually condemn homosexuality. That God was love and He loved her for who she was. But, she’d also grown up being taught the notion that feelings of guilt and shame were the truest forms of conviction. That, when she felt this way, it meant her conscience was recognizing her sin as morally wrong, and it was God’s way of calling her home. She’d never felt it this strongly before.

I’m sorry.

She took a shaky deep breath, forcing herself to focus on her breathing and nothing else, letting herself sit in her feelings.

After sitting and just letting herself feel for who knows how long, she eventually came to the conclusion that she was just going to have to force herself to get over it and just see the other girl as a friend. To just be normal even if, deep down, she knew she wasn’t. Even though she hadn’t known her very long, she didn’t want to lose Azzi as a friend, or lose her trust. Everyone had their own cross to carry, and she vowed that this would always be hers.

She sat in the pew for probably another hour or so, just trying to clear her mind. A few people came and went in and out of the church, but none of them paid her any mind–something she found herself quite grateful for. Being there definitely did help a little.

It was still raining when she left, but not as hard, so she wasn’t as soaked when she reached her car. Just medium-soaked.

After getting home from the church, she’d tried her best to keep herself busy to keep herself centered. She’d done a mini-workout in her room, she’d gone for a run (even though she usually hated straight cardio), and now she was just reading random verses in the Bible, hoping that maybe she’d find something that would ease everything she was feeling.

Halfway through one of the verses, her phone buzzed.

Azzi: Hey, is everything ok? I noticed you weren’t yourself yesterday and wanted to check in 💗

Paige felt her heart fall out of her chest. She didn’t know what to say besides just brushing it off. The truth was certainly off the table. The girl had a boyfriend, for crying out loud. She probably thought being gay was a sin and wouldn’t want to be Paige’s friend anymore if she knew, and Paige would rather be her friend than be nothing at all, as pathetic as it sounds.

Paige: yeah. just got tired

The typing bubble showed up, then went away, then showed back up.

Azzi: Let me know if you need anything!

Paige hearted the message before turning her phone off, letting it fall forward and hit her chest. She stared up at the ceiling, urging herself to just stop feeling this way. Please.

A few hours later, Azzi texted again.

Azzi: Do you want to practice tomorrow?

The pit in her stomach widened. Fuck.

What was she even supposed to say? “Nah, sorry, I cant because I’m obsessed with you and want to marry you and live happily-ever-after with you and you’re apparently straight and have a boyfriend and I’m scared you’ll hate me for it, sorry, whoops!” 

Yeah, she’s sure that would go over well.

She ended up sending her the most believable lie she could think of.

Paige: i’m sorry, i cant :( i have to watch my brother

Azzi: Aw! Well I hope you have fun with your brother

Paige felt so guilty about lying to her. So guilty. She used to lie a lot as a small child, but the habit had been extinguished when she had been called out for it in front of the whole class in the first grade by her teacher. For some reason, that experience had stuck with her, and she’d been a shit liar ever since.

Paige: thanks!

She didn’t know why the short text exchange had brought tears to her eyes, but it did. She sighed as she put her phone down and turned over onto her back, squeezing her eyes shut. If this is how I am just texting her, how am I going to survive actually talking to her?

——

Monday, September 23rd, 2024 — The Bueckers’s, Anderson, SC

The thought of seeing Azzi at school the next day filled her with dread. What if she talked about her boyfriend? Paige was almost confident she wouldn’t be able to keep her emotions off of her face. And then that’d probably raise questions. Questions that she absolutely would not be answering.

She was convinced she just needed more time. To process and compartmentalize. Maybe do some more soul searching.

So, as a last resort, she walked down the hallway from her room to her dad’s room, knocking lightly on the cracked door as she walked in.

He was sitting at his desk, laptop open, glasses sitting low on his nose as he read over a document sitting in front of him on the screen. He looked up when he heard her enter. “Hey, kid, what’s up?”

“‘m not feeling well,” she said, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, avoiding his eyes. “Can I stay home tomorrow?”

He got up from his desk and walked over to her, putting the back of his palm on her forehead. “You don’t feel warm,” he pointed out, adding “But you don’t look great.”

She choked out a short laugh. “Thanks.”

“We’ll see how you feel tomorrow, alright? Go get some rest,” he said gently, returning to his desk.

“Okay.”

She ended up convincing him to let her stay home.

She ended up spending the day researching the likes of “Christian books that argue for inclusion” and “what Christian denominations are the most LGBT friendly”.

There were plenty of books out there. God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines, The Widening of God’s Mercy by Richard and Christopher B. Hayes, Changing Our Minds by David Gushee, Why the Church of Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQ Affirming by Thomas Jay and Alexa Oord. She was scared to purchase one, lest her dad see the charge on the credit card or see it come in the mail and ask about it. It was at least comforting to her that there were people out there that cared enough about inclusion in the church that they devoted their time to writing full books about it. She ended up pirating a few of them, vowing to buy real, physical copies once she could.

The results for the most affirming church denominations were primarily the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the Episcopal Church. She really wanted to find one that felt similar to the Catholic Church, but was inclusive.

The first two options seemed great in their own rights, but they both had something about them that differed from the views she’d developed through her own study. The United Church of Christ seemed wonderful in its extremely progressive views and social justice efforts, but it was a lot more local-based, with each individual church having its own autonomy rather than having unified beliefs. The Presbyterian Church in America believed in salvation from faith alone, but it had been drilled in Paige’s head since she was a child that salvation needed works. The Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Episcopal Church were very similar, and ended up having the core beliefs that matched Paige’s–similar to Catholicism, but with less judgment and guilt.

She started looking into churches in her area that she could go to. She didn’t want one too small, as she really wanted to have a bigger church community to be involved with. She was determined to get into more volunteer work and public service, because she knew having a purpose in life besides setting a volleyball and moping about an unrequited crush would be beneficial to her. There ended up being only one Episcopal church and one Lutheran church near her that fit what she wanted.

After what was probably several hours worth of laying on her bed with her iPad scrolling through the different details about the denominations and different theological stances on sexuality in the Church, her phone buzzed. She rolled over and reached for it off of the nightstand, freezing when she saw the name. Azzi Fudd.

Azzi: Hey, Paige! I hope you’re feeling better. Here’s the notes you missed! Lmk if you want me to explain any of it

Attached were about ten pictures of different pages of notes from the day, featuring the slanted, rushed handwriting she always wrote with when she was trying to keep up with when the teacher was talking fast. She was so sweet. Paige’s chest squeezed.

Paige: thanks azzi i rlly appreciate it

Azzi: No problem!

She felt terrible for lying about being sick. And hadn’t even been able to practice to burn some energy because she had to look like she didn’t feel well.

It was like, no matter what she did, she still felt guilty about something. Guilty about being gay, guilty about hiding feelings from Azzi, guilty about brushing her off for practice.

So she just put her phone down and laid in bed, praying over and over again that she’d stop feeling the way that she did, and that, one day, it would all work itself out.

——

Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 – Westview Rec Center

Paige steeled herself and said a quick prayer for strength as she opened the doors to the rec center for practice.

She’d been dreading it all day. She’d spent the entire morning doing wall sets against the side of her house and she’d spent the afternoon at the gym lifting. Her hips and shoulders were aching, and her car Advil was out and she hadn’t had time to buy more, which meant that she’d likely continue to ache for the duration of practice.

When she turned the corner to the court they always practiced on, Azzi was the first person she saw. Hair in a messy bun, leg sleeve in place on her right leg, wearing another Elevation practice shirt. She was standing with the other girls engaged in conversation. Paige’s heart constricted at the sight of her, the pit in her stomach magnifying tenfold.

Paige walked up to the group, squeezing in next to Kayla.

“Hey, P, how’re you feeling?” Lainey asked.

“Good, thanks,” Paige responded, trying not to outwardly fidget too much. “Just had a cold or something.”

“Well we’re glad you’re back,” Azzi said, offering her a gentle smile that made Paige’s palms feel sweaty. You’re just friends. Just focus on being a good friend.

“Thanks, glad to be back,” Paige replied softly before bending down to change to her practice shoes.

Once practice began, it was clear that Paige was off. Late reaction times, sloppy sets, mistimed hits. Paige’s heart was hammering and she couldn’t shake the thought that everything felt wrong. On top of that, she was pissed at herself for letting her emotions get in the way of her playing. After what was probably her tenth shitty set to Azzi, the girl walked over to her, concern written all over her face.

“Hey, you good?” she asked as she reached a hand out, gently resting against Paige’s arm.

Paige’s throat felt tight as she avoided her eyes. “Yeah, guess I’m still not one hundred percent yet.”

She looked back up at her almost sheepishly as Azzi searched her eyes, eyebrows furrowed. “Well, let me know if you need anything,” Azzi said, supportedly, as she gave her arm a squeeze before letting go.

“Thanks,” Paige replied, moving to return to position.

After the completion of practice—fifty shitty sets and thirty shanked passes later—Paige’s right shoulder was pulsing in complaint and she had a headache forming.

Ava walked up to her, water bottle in hand, practice shoes still on, oblivious to Paige’s misery. “We were talking in school yesterday and decided we wanted to stay later and practice a bit more if you wanna join us.”

Despite how she was feeling, Paige’s eyes lit up and a smile formed on her face. “Oh, yeah, absolutely!”

Never in a million years did she ever think the other girls would take volleyball seriously enough to want to put in extra reps. It was honestly a dream come true for her sport-wired mind.

Well, everyone but Marissa. But Paige thought they could cope with one person being sub-par if the rest of them could pull their weight.

Chris left pretty quickly after practice—he definitely wasn’t the most sociable person on the planet. But he did leave the net up for them, since Paige and Azzi had worn down the staff enough to let them use it on their own anyways.

They started with some basic serve practice. Paige parroted off a lot of what she’d been taught herself. She demonstrated a serve, showing them exactly why theirs all ended up smack-dab in the center of the net.

“A lot of you guys serve with your elbow too low,” she pointed out, positioning her elbow low to show them what she meant. “If you keep your elbow and hand high, you’ll keep the ball high. Like this.” She showed them what she meant, doing a regular overhand serve.

Azzi added, “You want your elbow at least as high as your eye-level. You want to keep your elbow at that height the whole time.” She did a slow motion version of the movement, before also demonstrating a regular overhand serve. She grabbed another ball from the bin, handing it to Lainey. “Here, you try.”

After having everyone practice what they’d shown them, all of the girls seemed to improve–even Ava, who hadn’t made a single serve over the net yet all season.

“We did good,” Azzi pointed out on their way out of the rec center.

Paige smiled, holding the door open for Azzi as they walked out. “Yeah, we did.”

Azzi muttered a thanks for the door before asking, “Do you wanna practice after school on Friday with me?”

Paige’s heart was in her throat. “I can’t, I’m sorry,” she claimed, “my dad needs me to watch Drew again.”

“Oh, okay,” Azzi said quietly, looking down at her hands as she fidgeted, sounding disappointed. She looked back up at her, chewing on her bottom lip awkwardly. “Well, have a nice night.”

“Thanks, Az. You too,” Paige gave her a small wave before parting to head to her car, chest feeling wrecked with guilt.

——

Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 – Buc-ee’s, Florence, SC

“Awww, baby’s first Buc-ee’s!” Lainey cooed as she forced Paige to pose next to the giant beaver statue by the front entrance and angled her phone in a plethora of different ways to take pictures. Azzi stood next to her, giggling as she watched the camera screen from the side.

“We are the same age,” Paige retorted, rolling her eyes, but posed for the picture nonetheless.

When they finally walked in the store, Paige’s eyes were assaulted with the image of cartoon beavers. Everywhere.

And, when she said everywhere, she meant it. One featured on every shirt, hat, bag, and food item in the gas station. A beaver face littered every wall, employee shirt, and surface. Everywhere you looked, there was a beaver.

There was a family of eight with matching mullets, rat tails, and camo shirts to the right of her. A gang of bikers to her left. What looked to be an entire high school football team grabbing fresh hot briskets in front of her.

When her teammates insisted that going out of their way to stop at Buc-ee’s was a crucial core memory she had to experience, this is not at all what she was envisioning. It was so southern, for a lack of better words. They were right about the bathrooms being nice, though. A+ as far as any public restroom went.

She ended up getting herself a giant root beer slushie, a pack of beaver-themed beef jerky, and beaver chips. Really staying properly fueled in preparation for their game that night.

They’d played Lakeside–Christian’s school–at home last Thursday and he had been there to cheer Azzi on. He’d brought her flowers and worn a St. Anne’s t-shirt in support. She’d kissed his cheek after they’d won the game. Paige had been trying all week to forget the memory.

The team had continued doing extra practices together over the weekend. Everyone was steadily getting better with the drills Paige and Azzi had come up with for them to do. It had made Paige feel actually excited for the quickly approaching South Carolina Volleyball Tournament–the results of which determining who gets to play in the South Carolina All-Star Games and who gets Gatorade Player of the Year.

Azzi had reached out a handful of times to ask about practicing more just the two of them, and Paige had brushed her off every time. Though being near her had gotten easier for Paige to bear as of late, she still just didn’t feel ready to face her one-on-one. Was too worried that her feelings would become obvious and was terrified of what Azzi would think.

She knew Azzi had noticed something was up between them. She’d even asked Paige if they were alright the other day—to which Paige said yes, why wouldn’t they be? The look on her face that Azzi had given her when she said it made it clear that she didn’t buy into her excuses, but Paige must’ve put on a good enough performance when they interacted around the team because hadn’t brought it up since.

Speaking of Azzi: somehow, in her pursuit of beaver-themed food, she’d managed to lose track of both her and the rest of her teammates. She was standing aimlessly by the entrance that they’d come in, hoping that the rest of the girls would pass by her on the way out.

As she was standing around waiting for everyone, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked her notifications. Anxiety clogged her throat as she caught eyes on her mom’s name on the screen.

Mom: Hey.  Why haven’t you committed yet?  Any new offers?

Mom: NIL pays a lot of money nowadays.

Her mom had been nagging her ever since this summer to make a choice. Which was rich coming from someone that always complained about how much time Paige was gone practicing, how expensive the traveling and coaching fees and equipment was, and how you know you’ll need to find a real job eventually, right?

Typically, top recruits verbally committed the summer after their sophomore year. Paige was already two months into her junior year and had yet to announce any type of commitment and had yet to go on a tour. Planning a tour was rough for her–she didn’t want to go alone, but her dad worked full-time and she would die before she met a prospective coach with her mom by her side. 

She’d had plenty of offers from all over the nation. Almost all of the top coaches in the country had reached out to her on June 15th. Dawn Staley from South Carolina, Cori Close from UCLA, Vic Shaefer from Texas, Kim Mulkey from LSU. Geno Auriemma from UConn.

It was overwhelming. She’d responded to and talked to all of them, either through emails, Instagram DMs, text messages, or phone calls. They were all serious about her.

She knew, deep down, there was only one school she actually wanted to go to. UConn was the best in the nation, played exactly how she wanted to play, and consistently produced the type of player she wanted to be. But the thought of fully committing and it ending up being the wrong choice was terrifying.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as the rest of the girls found her.

“So did beaver-land live up to your expectations?” Azzi asked as they started their walk back to the car. The sun had just started to set. It made her eyes sparkle and caused her hair to reflect an almost reddish tint. She was beautiful.

“I’m not sure what I expected, to be honest,” she replied with a laugh. God almighty, there were so many gas pumps. She turned to look back over at the bag Azzi was carrying, gesturing to it. “Whaddya get?”

“Sour ropes and glazed almonds.” Azzi opened the beaver-stamped bag to show her. “What about you?”

“Root beer slushie and beaver jerky and chips,” Paige said, proudly, like a true southern transplant.

“Taking eating clean really seriously I see,” Azzi deadpanned.

Paige blanched, immediately rising to her own defense. “Bro, you literally have sour ropes and sugary almonds. At least jerky has protein and the chips are freshly made.”

Azzi scoffed as she reached to open her car door. “Don’t insult my almonds like that, they’re freshly made too.”

Paige opened her door too–the one directly behind Azzi–and got into the car. As she got herself situated in her seat, Paige continued her case. “Being freshly made doesn’t mean your almonds are healthy.”

“That doesn’t mean your chips are healthy either, Paige,” Azzi retorted, turning her head back to glare at Paige–which was truly her favorite Azzi expression. “And stop hitting my seat, it’s annoying.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Paige lied as she leaned up against Azzi’s seat to reach over her shoulder and grab an almond out of Azzi’s bag.

“Thought you said my almonds were too sugary,” Azzi said as she snatched her almonds out of Paige’s reach after she grabbed one.

“Never said that.”

“You guys bicker like an old married couple,” Ava interjected, amused, as Virginia started the car and began her trek out of the crowded gas station.

Paige huffed, crossing her arms and leaning back against her seat with a beet red face, the comment immediately shutting her up. Azzi just shrugged. “Paige started it.”

“Whatever, bro,” Paige shook her head, feigning annoyance.

——

Thursday, October 10th, 2024 – Westview Rec Center

Somehow it was already senior night–which had really just turned into “Virginia Appreciation Day”, as she was their only senior. They’d surprised her with a picture frame with handwritten notes from everyone on the team etched onto the margins with an image of her competing in the previous year’s SCIS Volleyball Tournament in the center. They’d also brought her flowers and celebrated her during halftime of their match.

They’d won the game. This late in the season, and with all of the extra practices, the other girls had actually managed to sort of learn how to get the ball to Azzi and Paige, which was really all they needed to do in order to win games. Azzi and Paige were lightyears above anyone else in the 1A class in the league–the next best player might sign Division III at best. Not that playing Division III was bad at all. It was plenty respectable. But Paige had played for the country and she’d bet everything that Azzi would’ve, too, if she hadn’t torn her ACL.

The championships were only a week out, and Paige was definitely starting to feel the pressure. Enough so that she was willing to push aside her Azzi-related feelings and seek out the girl to ask about practicing together again.

“Hey, Azzi, wait up,” Paige called, running to catch up to her across the parking lot.

Azzi slowed her steps, turning to meet Paige’s eyes. “Yeah?”

Fuck, she was still just so pretty. Hair a mess from the game and drenched in sweat.

“Wanna practice with me this weekend? To prepare for the tournament next week?” Paige asked, hopeful.

Azzi looked apologetic. “I can’t, I have plans with Christian. Maybe sometime next week?”

The sinking feeling in her chest magnified. Why did you even expect her to want to practice with you anyways when you’ve been brushing her off all month. She was so mad at herself for not manning up and just practicing together before–because now who knows if she’ll even want to practice again. She wanted to smack herself for having been so stupid.

“Okay, no problem. Have a nice night.” Paige offered a small smile as she turned to head back to her own car, not waiting to see Azzi’s reaction.

What would she even be doing with Christian for a whole weekend anyways?

She played her music low on the drive home, too busy replaying every time she’d brushed Azzi off to actually listen to any song. Once she got home, it was pretty late–nearing ten o’clock–but she knew if she went to bed, she would be stuck in her head all night. So she did the thing she always did when she needed to stop thinking: she played volleyball.

She grabbed the wooden rebounder she’d made for herself with some wood she’d begged her dad to let her buy, bringing it out into the driveway and grabbing one of her outdoor volleyballs from the bin she kept them inside of in the garage. She definitely wouldn’t have long before her dad would tell her to come inside and go to bed, but any little bit would help.

So she stood there, hitting the ball against the rebounder, receiving it, and hitting again. On repeat, for over an hour. Her shoulders had already ached from the game, but now they burned, and her body felt like lead. She was so used to the toll the sport takes on her body that, while she’s practicing, she can almost forget about how it feels. But it’s a welcome feeling when it burns strong enough to keep her mind from spinning.

———

Monday, October 21st, 2024 – John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center, Myrtle Beach, SC

Paige wiped the sweat off of her brow, lowering her center of gravity as she got into position, ready for Azzi to serve.

Third set. 24 to 20, down four.

Azzi’s hand made contact with the ball as she sent it flying across the net. It was received by the other team’s libero. Everything moved in slow motion as the setter set it right side, their hitter leaving the ground and reaching up over the net.

Their blockers were too slow to catch it. The ball smacked into the ground and, for a moment, it was like the world stopped. Paige looked up and saw the girls across the net cheering, all smiles and laughter.

Her jaw clenched as she straightened. They had been so close.

The other girls on the team had really given it their all this season. Not perfect by any means, but they’d come a long way since the beginning of the year when no one could get the ball across the net during a serve except Paige and Azzi. They’d fought with heart and Paige had really let herself hope that they’d had a chance at the 1A State Championship.

They lined up to shake hands with the other team and all Paige registered was the sting of the loss.

Once handshakes were over, Azzi didn’t even look at her as they walked off of the court together.

They really hadn’t been themselves on the court ever since Homecoming, but after Azzi blew her off for Christian, they’d been downright awful together and it’d cost them the championship, despite all of the effort the other girls had been putting in. Paige felt awful about it.

As soon as it was acceptable, she’d headed straight back, clearly upset about the loss. Paige went looking for her and found her sitting around a corner in one of the back hallways of the sports center, hands around her knees and head leaned back against the wall, tears rolling down her cheeks. Even crying, she looked beautiful. Paige’s heart constricted.

She quietly walked over and sat next to her, close but careful not to touch. Azzi sniffled and roughly wiped at her face.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Paige said gently.

Azzi nodded, bottom lip wobbling as another tear slid down her cheek. Paige leaned over and gently wiped it away with her thumb. Her hand lingered for a few seconds before she pulled it away, damp cheek soft under her touch.

She turned back to stare at the wall in front of them as she leaned to her side to push her shoulder into Azzi’s. “You played great.”

Azzi took a shaky breath as she rubbed at her eyes, chin wobbling. “Wanted to win so bad.”

Paige’s chest felt tight. The sting of the loss was still so fresh. “Today wasn’t our day, but we’re going to. I promise.” She playfully nudged Azzi with her elbow, a small smile on her face, trying to lighten the mood. “I think we did pretty good with what we were given this year. The girls tried really hard.”

Azzi nodded, cracking a small, tearful smile. “They did.”

Paige looked back over at her, eyes trailing over her face. She was still shaking, eyebrows furrowed. “You wanna talk about it?”

Azzi brought in another shaky breath, tears starting to brim over again, shaking her head no. 

“You sure?” Paige pushed, because clearly there was something still bugging her aside from just the loss.

Azzi’s shoulders tensed. She replied, harsh note to her voice, “You wouldn’t get it,”

“I mean, maybe not,” Paige responded with a small shrug. “Still here if you wanna talk.”

“I just–” Azzi started. “I’m just worried about recruitment, I guess. Like…I sat out for my ACL and I lost so much time. Fell off a lot of people’s radar. And now I have to make up for it. I dunno, it just sucks.” She lightly knocked her head against the wall as she looked up at the ceiling, blinking away tears.

Paige sat for a second, watching her, mulling over how she wanted to word what she was going to say. “I dunno, I always try to tell myself that being good is something that no one can take away from you,” she said, contemplative, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “Like, regardless of what everyone else thinks, your game is yours and it will always speak for itself. Your work ethic is insane and it’s going to pay off.” On a lighter note, she added, “Like that one song says: you get what you give. You’re going to get what you give, I promise.”

“Why’re you so good at that,” Azzi hiccuped with a wet laugh.

Paige shrugged. “It’s a gift.”

“Thank you,” she said, gently, giving Paige a gentle nudge.

“Anytime.”

They both sat there, shoulders pressed together, the only noises were Azzi’s couple of sniffles and the low hum of the air conditioning running.

After a few minutes of just sitting in one another’s company, Azzi asked, so quietly Paige almost missed it, “Why have you been avoiding me?”

“I haven’t been,” Paige responded immediately, heart beginning to thrum in her chest.

Azzi leveled her with a glare. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I just had some family things going on, it wasn’t on you, promise,” Paige muttered. “I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Azzi, promise.” Paige assured her. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Okay,” Azzi said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “You’d tell me if I ever did?” she asked, looking over at Paige.

“Yeah, promise.” Paige met her eyes, and they just stared at one another, searching each other’s eyes. Paige could only keep it up for a few seconds before she felt herself flush and she looked back down at her hands.

“We should probably head back,” Paige said, standing up from where she was sitting and leaning down to offer Azzi a hand.

Azzi took her hand, letting Paige use her bodyweight to pull her up. “Sorry you had to spend your birthday at the tournament just for us to lose.”

“Nah, it’s ‘aight. Winning would’ve been nice, but I wouldn’t wanna spend my birthday doing anything else,” Paige smiled, giving her a gentle nudge as they walked back to join the rest of the team.

[mygaynesshasnolimits]

I don't know what to caption this lol

[pboogersworld]

“ still love us even if you don’t love me “ chapter 8

Arthur note hey guys last chapter I hope you enjoy this book maybe I can write a part 2 of book if yall want when her kids grow up

Word count

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Azzi didn't hesitate. She stepped fully into the kitchen, her heavy work boots striking the linoleum floor with a deliberate, echoing thud that cut through Chloe’s hushed conversation like a knife.

Chloe spun around so fast her heels slid on the floor, her face draining of color as her eyes went wide with panic. She frantically brought the phone down from her ear, her fingers scrambling to hit the end-call button, but it was already too late. The guilt was written all over her face.

Azzi closed the distance between them in three long, unyielding strides, her posture rigid and her eyes flashing with a dangerous, protective fury. She stopped just two feet away, towering over the counter, and stared down at Chloe with a look of absolute disgust.

"What do you think you're doing?" Azzi demanded, her voice dropping into a low, lethal whisper that carried more weight than a scream.

Chloe tried to pull her usual bubbly, innocent mask back over her features, but her hands were trembling as she hastily shoved her phone into her back pocket. She let out a forced, high-pitched laugh that sounded incredibly guilty in the quiet kitchen.

"Azzi! Oh my god, you scared me," Chloe stammered, her eyes darting nervously toward the back door, terrified that Paige might walk in next. "What do you mean? I was just talking to a friend from home, just checking in—"

"Don't lie to me, Chloe. I heard every single word you just said," Azzi cut her off fiercely, stepping even closer until Chloe was backed up flat against the kitchen cabinets. Azzi reached out, her hand slamming onto the counter right next to Chloe’s hip, effectively trapping her. "You're waiting to leave tomorrow so you can steal from Paige's mom? The woman who literally just cooked you breakfast? The woman who opened her home to us?"

Chloe’s fake smile completely crumbled, her expression turning sharp, defensive, and ugly. "Az, come on, look around this place. They have plenty of money. That watch has just been sitting on the vanity gathering dust upstairs for months, she clearly doesn't even care about it. It’s worth thousands. It could pay off my entire credit card debt in one second."

"I don't give a damn about your debt," Azzi hissed, her knuckles turning white against the countertop. A protective rage she didn't even know she possessed was surging through her veins. Nobody messed with Paige's family. Nobody disrespected this house. "You are going to go upstairs right now, you are going to put that watch exactly back where you found it, and then you are going to pack your bags and get the hell out of here."

"And if I don't?" Chloe snapped back, trying to summon some bravado, though her voice shook. "What are you going to do, tell Paige? Go ahead. Tell her. Let's see who she believes."

Before Azzi could even respond, the heavy thud of the back screen door opening echoed through the mudroom. The air in the kitchen instantly shifted, growing heavy and charged.

"Believe what?" Paige’s deep, gravelly voice rumbled from the doorway.

Paige stood there, her tall frame filling the entryway, her dark eyes scanning the tense standoff between Azzi and Chloe. She had a heavy wrench in one hand, her sleeves still rolled up, and the look on her face was pure, dangerous curiosity. She didn't know what was happening yet, but she could see the fierce, The second Paige's massive frame filled the doorway, Chloe's sharp, defensive posture completely dissolved, replaced instantly by a fragile, trembling innocence. She let out a soft, choked sob, her eyes welling with sudden tears as she shrank back against the kitchen cabinets, looking small, helpless, and entirely victimized.

"Bae, she hit me!" Chloe cried out, her voice pitching into a watery, desperate wail as she reached out blindly toward Paige. "I was just standing here, waiting for you to come back inside. I was literally just asking her how her day was going, and she completely snapped. She started yelling at me out of nowhere, and then she shoved me so hard into the counter! Look—look, I already have bruises forming on my arm!"

Chloe frantically pulled back the short sleeve of her t-shirt, pointing a shaking finger at a faint, pale shadow on her skin that was clearly just a natural imperfection, but in her desperate play for sympathy, she spun it into a violent injury.

Azzi’s jaw dropped, a cold shock paralyzing her for a fraction of a second before a hot, furious disbelief surged through her veins. She ripped her hand off the counter, spinning around to face Paige fully, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.

"She's lying!" Azzi barked out, her voice raw with a dangerous mixture of anger and utter betrayal. She looked directly into Paige’s dark, unyielding eyes, her own flashing with a fierce intensity. "Paige, look at me. She is lying through her teeth. You know me you know I would never hit anybody. I have never laid a hand on her in my life!"

The kitchen became suffocatingly quiet, the only sound being Chloe’s quiet, dramatic sniffling.

Paige didn't move. She stood perfectly still in the entryway of the mudroom, the heavy iron wrench held loosely in her right hand. Her broad shoulders masked the light coming from the back door, casting a long, intimidating shadow across the linoleum floor. Her dark eyes, usually filled with that heavy, possessive amusement when looking at Azzi, had gone completely flat and unreadable.

Slowly, deliberately, Paige’s gaze slid from Chloe’s tear-stained face, down to the supposed "bruise" on her arm, and then finally snapped over to Azzi. She looked at Azzi’s rigid, defensive posture, the furious flush creeping up her neck, and the desperate, protective fire burning in her eyes.

Paige took a slow step forward, the heavy thud of her work boots echoing with terrifying finality against the quiet of the house. The casual, relaxed country girl was gone; in her place was something much larger, darker, and infinitely more dangerous. She stepped right into the space between them, her presence effectively cutting Chloe off from Azzi’s line of sight.

"Az," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into a low, gravelly register that was entirely devoid of emotion, making the hairs on the back of Azzi’s neck stand straight up. She tilted her head, her sharp jawline tightening as she kept her gaze locked exclusively on Azzi’s face. "Tell me exactly what just happened in my kitchen.""She was on the phone," Azzi said, her voice steadying as she looked directly into Paige’s dark eyes, refusing to let Chloe's drama shake her truth. "I walked in to get a drink, and I heard her talking to someone. She found your mom’s expensive watch upstairs on the vanity, Paige. She was bragging about how your mom is 'so dumb' for leaving it out, and she’s planning on stealing it when we leave tomorrow to pay off her credit card debt."

Chloe gasped loudly, a look of simulated, horrified shock crossing her face. "That is a complete lie! Paige, she’s making things up because she got caught hitting me! Why would I ever do that?!"

Paige didn't even look back at Chloe. Her eyes remained completely fixed on Azzi. She watched the way Azzi stood her ground, the raw honesty and protective fury vibrating through her frame. Paige knew Azzi—she knew her pride, her fierce independence, and she knew that Azzi would never stoop to a physical locker-room brawl in a kitchen, let alone lie about something as serious as robbing her mother.

Slowly, Paige set the heavy iron wrench down on the kitchen island with a loud, metallic thud that made Chloe flinch.

Paige’s patience entirely ran out. The heavy thud of Paige's work boots echoed fiercely against the hardwood as she stormed out of the kitchen and caught up to Chloe at the landing, completely cutting off her escape.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Paige roared, her voice booming through the house with a terrifying, raw authority that made the windows practically rattle. She towered over Chloe on the steps, her face rigid with a dangerous, protective fury.

Chloe spun around, her back hitting the banister as she looked up at Paige's massive, imposing frame. Realizing her sob story in the kitchen hadn't worked, she frantically doubled down on the manipulation, her voice pitching into a desperate, watery plea.

"Bae, you know I would never do anything like that!" Chloe cried, reaching out to try and touch Paige's arm, though Paige instantly stepped back, avoiding her touch like poison. "She's lying! You know she doesn't like us together! She’s been jealous of us this entire trip, Paige. She’s making up this horrible story about your mom just to tear us apart and get you to hate me!"

"One thing about her—she would never lie," Paige said, her voice dropping into a low, deadly register that cut right through Chloe’s frantic excuses. There was absolute, unwavering certainty in Paige's eyes as she looked down at her. "Leave. Now."

Chloe’s fake, tearful expression instantly vanished, her face hardening into something bitter and ugly. Realizing she had completely lost her grip on Paige, she let out a sharp, cynical laugh and threw her hands up in the air.

"Fine! I'm done anyway," Chloe snapped, her voice dripping with venom as she backed up the remaining steps toward the guest room. "Have fun with her. And by the way—I saw the hickey on her neck. Explain that."

She shot a vicious, knowing glare down the stairs at Azzi before turning on her heel and slamming the bedroom door shut to pack her things.

The hallway fell into a sudden, suffocating silence.

Azzi froze at the bottom of the stairs, her hand instinctively flying up to cover the side of her neck. Her heart did a violent flip against her ribs. She had completely forgotten about the marks Paige had left on her in the dark of the bedroom, the fierce, branding kisses she thought were safely hidden beneath her collar.

Slowly, Paige turned around on the landing. She looked down the staircase at Azzi, her dark eyes tracking the way Azzi was desperately hiding her neck with her fingers. A slow, highly amused smirk began to tug at the corner of Paige's lips, the dangerous fury from moments ago melting right back into that heavy, possessive heat.

She walked down the stairs slowly, her heavy boots taking one step at a time until she was standing on the bottom rug, towering right over Azzi.

"Well," Paige murmured, her voice a low, gravelly rasp that vibrated right through Azzi’s chest. She reached out, her large, warm fingers gently but firmly grasping Azzi's wrist, pulling her hand away from her neck to expose the dark, violent mark for both of them to see. "Looks like our little secret isn't so secret anymore, sweetheart."

Thank you for letting me know," Paige said smoothly, her eyes never leaving Azzi's face

She expected Paige to be flustered, or at least a little tense about their secret being thrown out in the open like that, but Paige didn't care at all. In fact, she looked almost relieved that she didn't have to pretend in front of Chloe anymore.

"You're not even worried," Azzi whispered, her heart hammering against her ribs as Paige’s thumb gently traced the edge of the dark mark on her skin. "She’s going to tell everyone when we get back to the city."

"Let her," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into that deep, gravelly register that always made Azzi’s knees go weak. She leaned in a fraction closer, her broad shoulders completely blocking the view of the staircase. "What is she gonna tell them? That you belong to me behind closed doors? They're gonna find out sooner or later anyway, Az."

Azzi bit her lip, house.

"Come on," Paige murmured, her large hand sliding down from Azzi's neck to wrap firmly around her wrist. "Let's finish working."

The low, gravelly vibration in Paige's voice made it clear that "working" out in that secluded shed was going to be anything but ordinary now that the house was completely empty.

She led Azzi back through the kitchen and out the mudroom door. The morning sun was higher now, casting bright, heavy heat over the gravel path, but the air inside the shed was just as dim, quiet, and isolated as they had left it. The wooden folding chair was still sitting right in the center of the floor, right where Azzi had been trapped just moments before.

Paige closed the heavy wooden door behind them, the latch clicking into place with a terrifyingly final sound. She turned around slowly, tossing the heavy iron wrench onto the workbench, and leaned her hips back against the wood, crossing her strong arms over her chest. Her dark eyes locked onto Azzi, burning with a fresh, unchecked intensity.

"Now," Paige said, a slow, devastating smirk spreading across her lips. "Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

think you were threatening me," Azzi whispered, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts to sound defiant. She crossed her arms, trying to reclaim some of that untouchable armor she usually wore, but her eyes kept dropping to the broad width of Paige’s shoulders under that flannel.

"Threatening you?" Paige chuckled, a low, gravelly sound that vibrated right through the quiet spaces of the shed. She uncrossed her arms and took a slow, heavy step forward. The work boots thudded against the floorboards, closing the distance between them until she was towering over Azzi, trapping her against the door. "I don't make threats, sweetheart. I make promises."

Paige reached out, her large, warm hands anchoring flat against the wooden door on either side of Azzi’s head, effectively caging her in. The heat radiating off her body was overwhelming.

"You defended my family in there," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into a rough, quiet register as she leaned down, her dark eyes scanning every inch of Azzi's flushed face. "You stood up for my mom. You have no idea what that did to me, Az."

"She was stealing," Azzi breathed, her chest rising and falling sharply against the suffocating proximity. "I wasn't going to just let her—"

"Shh," Paige whispered, tilting her chin up with one long finger, forcing Azzi to look directly into the heavy, possessive fire burning in her gaze. "I'm trying to say thank you."

Before Azzi could think of a sarcastic comeback, Paige leaned in and captured her lips in a deep, fierce, and entirely unyielding kiss. It wasn't the tentative, careful kissing from their high school days; this was demanding, heavy with the adrenaline of the morning, and completely authoritative.

Azzi gasped into the kiss, her hands instantly flying up to grip the fabric of Paige’s flannel shirt, pulling her closer as her knees threatened to give out. Paige groaned, her grip shifting from the door to wrap firmly around Azzi’s waist, hoisting her up slightly until Azzi was pressed flush against her chest.

"You're mine out here, remember?" Paige broke the kiss for a fraction of a second, her breath hot against Azzi's lips, her thumb rubbing possessively over the dark mark on Azzi's neck. "No more hiding."

After they cleaned up out in the shed, Paige and Azzi finally walked back toward the main house, their fingers loosely intertwined until they reached the back porch. Stepping into the quiet kitchen, they found Paige’s mom standing by the counter, wrapping up some leftovers.

Azzi looked around the empty room, the tension from earlier still lingering in the air. "Where's Chloe?" she asked.

Paige’s mom sighed, setting a container down. "She left. I kicked her out."

"Why?" Paige asked, acting surprised to shield how they found out.

"She stole something from us, and you know we hate a thief," her mom said firmly, shaking her head.

Azzi looked over at Paige, receiving a supportive nod. It was time to stop hiding. Azzi took a deep breath, stepping closer to Paige and taking her hand tightly right in front of her mom. "Mom, I want to let you know... me and Paige... we want to say we're in love with each other."

Paige's mom looked at them, but there was no shock on her face. Instead, she just smiled warmly. "We've been knew that," she said, chuckling. "Yeah, I knew the second Paige came downstairs with her lips all swollen."

Paige flushed red, rubbing the back of her neck while Azzi laughed, the heavy weight finally lifting off their shoulders. The rest of the night was filled with laughter, card games, and teasing from her mom. Two days later, when it was finally time to pack up the car for real, Paige held Azzi tightly on the porch, whispering, "I don't want you to leave." But they both knew it was just the beginning.

Two days later, the reality of the city caught up to them. Standing by the trunk of the car as they packed the last of their duffel bags, Paige held Azzi tightly against her chest, her chin resting on top of Azzi's head as the country wind swept through the trees.

"I don't want you to leave," Paige muttered into her hair, the low, gravelly vibration full of a sudden, heavy reluctance.

"I'm not leaving you," Azzi whispered back, wrapping her arms tightly around Paige’s waist. "Not anymore."

12 Months Later

The soft, warm glow of a dinosaur-shaped nightlight illuminated the cozy bedroom, casting long, gentle shadows across the brightly colored walls. The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic, steady breathing of two toddlers tucked tightly into their twin beds.

"And that’s how I met your mom," Paige said softly, her deep voice dropping into a hushed, gravelly rumble as she reached down to pull the heavy comforter up to her son and daughter's chins. She smoothed down the fabric, a soft, incredibly tender smile on her face. "Kinda rocky at the start, but we made it."

"Can you read it again, mommy?" her daughter, Madison, pleaded from beneath the covers, her wide, dark eyes looking up at Paige with total fascination.

"Yeah!" her twin brother, Leo, chimed in, bouncing his head against his pillow. "Read the part about the big boxes again!"

Paige let out a low chuckle, shaking her head as she leaned over the edge of the mattress. "Mom's gonna get us if you guys aren't asleep right now. You know the rules."

"But mommy—" the twins protested at the exact same time, their little voices echoing in unison through the quiet room.

Before Paige could respond, the bedroom door creaked open, moving with a slight, wobbly unevenness. Azzi walked into the room, her hand resting heavily on the beautiful, high curve of her belly. She was seven months pregnant now, her face glowing in the dim light, a look of exhausted but immense love softening her features as she looked at her family.

"Sleep time, kiddos," Azzi murmured, her voice a gentle, commanding purr that instantly silenced the room. She walked over to the edge of Leo's bed, leaning down carefully to press a warm kiss to his forehead.

Leo smiled up at her, his eyes bright with mischief as he looked from Azzi over to Paige. "Mommy, I'm gonna pick up heavy boxes just like you did when I grow up."

Madison rolled over, clutching her stuffed animal tight to her chest as she looked up at Azzi's pregnant belly, then up at Paige's adoring face. "And I wanna be in love just like you did."

Azzi’s eyes softened, catching Paige’s gaze across the small space between the beds. Paige reached out, her large, warm hand finding Azzi’s, wrapping her strong fingers around her wrist just like she had in the mudroom a year ago.

"You will, sweetheart," Azzi whispered, leaning her head against Paige's shoulder as they watched the twins finally close their eyes. "You definitely will."Azzi let out a long, slow sigh, the weight of her seven-month pregnancy making her lower back ache with a dull, heavy throb. She leaned back against the wall for just a second, her hand resting over the high, round curve of her belly where the new baby was kicking up a quiet storm.

Paige didn't miss a beat. She closed the distance between them with those same slow, unhurried strides that used to terrify Azzi back in the country, but now brought nothing but a deep, grounding warmth. She slid her large, calloused hands around Azzi's waist, lifting her slightly to take the pressure off her aching feet, and pressed a tender, lingering kiss right against the side of her neck—exactly where that first fierce mark had been left a year ago.

"Come on," Paige murmured, her voice a low, gravelly vibration against Azzi's skin. "Let's get you off your feet, sweetheart."

They walked down the carpeted hallway into their own bedroom, where the large king-sized bed was already turned down, looking incredibly inviting under the soft lamp light. A basket of freshly laundered little shirts, tiny socks, and Paige’s dark flannel shirts sat on the bench at the foot of the bed, smelling of lavender and clean linen.

Instead of climbing straight under the covers, Azzi sank heavily onto the edge of the mattress, pulling the laundry basket toward her. She began smoothing out one of Leo’s tiny t-shirts, her fingers moving with methodical care, though her eyes were narrowed playfully at her wife.

"You are a terrible influence, Paige," Azzi said, her voice dropping into that familiar, dry whisper that always made Paige’s lips twitch. She tossed a neatly folded pair of toddler jeans into the stack. "I mean it. Telling them stories about us fighting in the kitchen and lifting heavy crates in the shed? Now Leo thinks he’s supposed to go around hoisting furniture to find a wife, and Madison thinks romance is a wrestling match."

Paige chuckled, the deep, rich sound rumbling from her chest as she unbuckled her heavy leather belt and tossed it onto the dresser. She kicked off her boots, pulled her dark shirt over her head, and climbed onto the mattress behind Azzi. She crawled forward until she was sitting right behind her, her long, muscular legs bracketing Azzi's hips, her chest pressing firmly against Azzi’s back.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Paige murmured, her strong arms wrapping completely around Azzi’s front, her large hands resting protectively over the heavy curve of Azzi’s stomach. She leaned down, resting her sharp chin right on Azzi’s shoulder, her dark eyes watching the way Azzi’s fingers paused over the laundry. "The boy wants to be strong. The girl wants a love that actually means something. I don't see the bad influence there, Az."

"You skipped the part where Chloe almost had us arrested for domestic violence," Azzi reminded her, a soft, amused smile betraying the mock severity in her voice as she leaned back against Paige’s solid chest, completely surrendering to the heat radiating off her. "And the part where your mom almost caught us doing things we shouldn't have been doing behind a closed shed door."

"My mom knew anyway," Paige whispered, her lips brushing the sensitive skin behind Azzi’s ear, making a delicious, familiar shiver run straight down Azzi’s spine. Her hands began to rub slow, soothing circles over Azzi’s tight belly, feeling the sharp, tiny kick of their third child against her palm. "She told me three weeks ago she's still waiting for me to fix that lock on the vanity. Said she left that watch out on purpose just to see if that girl was as rotten as she looked."

Azzi let out a soft laugh, her head dropping back against Paige’s shoulder as she let the laundry basket slide away. "Your family is completely insane. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Paige murmured, her grip tightening possessively as she pulled Azzi completely down onto the pillows, rolling them both over until they were tucked tightly under the heavy comforter. She looked down at Azzi, her dark eyes burning with that same heavy, unyielding intensity that had trapped Azzi in the wooden chair a year ago. "But we're your family now, sweetheart. You're stuck with us."

"I wouldn't change a single thing," Azzi whispered fiercely, her fingers tangling in the front of Paige's hair, pulling her down for a deep, slow kiss that tasted like home, safety, and everything they had fought to build. aige pulled back just an inch, her lips breaking away from the kiss,

"It’s still us," Paige murmured, her voice dropping into a low, gravelly whisper that held the absolute weight of the world they had built together. She brushed a stray lock of hair away from Azzi's forehead, her large thumb gently tracing her cheekbone. "Even if you didn't love me, Az... it would always be us."

Azzi’s breath hitched, a warm, tearful smile breaking across her own face as she looked up at her wife. She knew it was true. From the quiet country shed to this chaotic, beautiful bedroom filled with their children's laughter, there was never any other path for them.

"I do love you, Paige," Azzi whispered fiercely, pulling Paige down by the nape of her neck to seal the promise. "Always."

Paige smiled against her lips, tightening her strong arms around Azzi and their unborn baby, pulling her close as the quiet of the night finally settled over their home. They were safe, they were whole, and they were exactly where they belonged.

The End