a mistake?
volleyball azzi x baller paige
a story where azzi is not a big fan of paige. paige though? she's a big fan of azzi.
a/n: guys i feel there will definitely be a fluff epilogue... idk when but like there will be one. lol.
w/c: 3.9k
masterlist | previous part
PAIGE POV: the party is already packed when paige walks in, kk and ice in tow behind her.
the music is loud enough that she can feel it in her chest, bass thudding under her ribs, people pressed shoulder to shoulder in every direction. it smells like sweat, alcohol, and whatever perfume ice decided to put on today.
she pauses just inside the doorway not for any real reason, definitely not to scan the room for a certain 6’ tall curly hair brunette with doe eyes that makes paige want to drop to her knees.
she doesn’t see them. good. she tells herself that’s good.
she follows kk and ice blindly through the party, they lead her to the kitchen where aubrey and sarah are.
“ayyyyy pski i was wondering if you were gonna show your face tonight” aubrey greets her.
“here i am in the flesh, what are ya’ll drinking?”
sarah responds “good question. ion have a clue. try it”
paige takes a sip and immediately her face scowls. “bruh thats straight vodka with like an essence of juice”
her and kk open up the fridge, thank god it’s stocked. paige grabs herself a beer, and one for kk and ice too. she opens hers up using the edge of the counter and takes a sip.
she’s mid sip when aubrey moves towards her and puts an arm around her. “paige there’s someone her you gotta meet”
paige swallows quickly and raises an eyebrow at this “nah bro i’m tryna chill tn”
“yeah yeah you’re in your funk.” aubrey dismisses her automatically. paige wants to defend herself but aubrey continues “this girl though she’s really chill and ion even think she’s expecting that i jus think you guys would vibe. come on”
aubrey doesn’t really give her a choice. she’s already tugging at paige’s wrist, weaving them through the crowd before paige can dig her heels in and refuse.
“aubrey bro–” paige tries, but it’s useless.
they stop near the living room where a small group is gathered, and aubrey lights up. “there she is. hey, come here for a sec.”
the girl turns, and paige immediately clocks two things. she’s pretty, like objectively pretty, and she’s looking at paige like she’s already interested. paige immediately knows that aubrey lied and that this girl is in fact expecting that they’re gonna fuck tonight.
“this is paige,” aubrey says, nudging her forward slightly. “paige, this is adore”
paige repeats it back with a small nod. “adore, nice to meet you.”
“you too,” the girl says, smiling at her.
aubrey lingers for half a second, clearly pleased with herself, then slips away without another word and suddenly it’s just them. there’s a tiny pause, the kind that could go awkward but it doesn’t.
“you look like you don’t wanna be here,” the girl says, a little amused.
paige huffs out a quiet laugh. “is it that obvious?”
“a little,” she admits. “you’ve got this whole brooding vibe going on.”
paige laughs at that, shaking her head. “that’s crazy.”
“mm,” the girl hums, studying her for a second longer. “so why’d you come then? if you don’t wanna be here”
she shrugs. “my friends dragged me.”
“good friends or annoying friends?”
“both,” paige says immediately, which makes the girl laugh.
it’s light. easy. and paige falls into step with it without really thinking.
they shift a little closer so they can hear each other better over the music. adore leans in when she talks, not in an over-the-top way, just enough that paige can catch the words without asking her to repeat herself. but paige can’t help but think of another light skin girl with curly hair.
their shoulders brush once. then again. it lingers the second time.
“so basketball, right?” adore asks.
“yeah,” paige nods. “you play any sports?”
“yeah not here though, i go to trinity for volleyball,” she says
paige can’t decide if the universe is fucking with her or if aubrey is.
“ah,” paige says, tilting her head ignoring any thought of azzi. “so you’re visiting.”
“something like that.”
there’s a beat.
the girl’s eyes flick down to her drink then to paige’s hands. “i see you didn’t opt for whatever jungle juice is in the kitchen”
paige snorts. “yeah, nah. i tried it. almost died.”
“thought so.”
“switched to beer,” paige adds, lifting it slightly. “safer option.”
“smart.”
they both take a sip at the same time, and for a second it feels…normal. easy.
the girl nudges her arm lightly. “you always this quiet at parties?”
paige raises an eyebrow. “quiet?”
“maybe not quiet, but like reserved.”
“am i?” paige questions, even though she’s right, she’s being kinda dry.
“or maybe,” the girl says, stepping just a little closer, “you’re waiting for something better to happen.”
the tone shifts just slightly. not heavy just intentional. paige feels it.
she meets her eyes, lets a small smile pull at the corner of her mouth. “and is that supposed to be you?”
the girl smiles back, unfazed. “could be.”
it’s smooth, confident and paige responds automatically, “bold,”
adore tilts her head and squints her just the slightest bit “honest.”
there’s a beat where neither of them look away, the noise of the party kind of fades into the background for a second, like everything narrows down to just this space between them. paige could lean in right now, usually she would. it’s not often a girl chats he up and she doesn’t find something immediately wrong with her, but she’s not azzi and paige for some fucking reason can’t let go of that. it should feel good. it does feel good. the attention, the ease, the way the girl is looking at her like she’s already decided she likes what she sees. it should feel normal.
adore is talking, saying something about classes or travel or something paige should be listening to but she’s not. her brain, the traitor that it is, flashes to someone else and suddenly this easy, good thing in front of her just feels hollow.
pre-azzi she would be in it. she’d flirt back bolder and initiate contact, now it’s just like she’s going through motions. like she’s pretending.
“you good?” adore asks, finally catching on to paige’s demeanor.
paige blinks, refocusing. “yeah– yeah, sorry.”
“you spaced out,” she says, not accusing, just noticing.
paige lets out a small breath, dragging a hand through her hair. “my bad. it’s loud as hell in here.”
“we can go somewhere quieter,” the girl offers, easy, like it’s no big deal. like she’d be down for that.
and paige knows what that means, instead she steps back, just enough to create space.
“i’m actually gonna step outside for a minute,” she says, lifting her beer in a small, apologetic gesture. “get some air.”
the girl studies her for half a second, then nods. “yeah, i get that. it’s packed.”
“i’ll–” paige gestures vaguely. “i’ll be back.”
she knows she won’t.
the girl doesn’t call her out on it. just gives her a small smile. “i’ll be around.”
paige nods once, then turns before she can overthink it.
she pushes through the crowd, faster this time, like she needs out now. like if she stays any longer, she’ll either say yes for the wrong reasons or think too hard about why she can’t. either way, she doesn’t want to deal with it. she finds the back door, slips outside into the cool air and finally breathes.
she digs into her pocket for the joint she had stashed earlier, it’s a little smushed from being in there but paige ignores that. she rolls it between her fingers a couple times, straightening it out, her hands are steadier than her head feels.
she leans forward, arms resting on the rails to caroline’s porch. the bass from inside now muffled, distant. it’s still there, still vibrating through the floors, but out here it doesn’t feel like it’s sitting in her chest anymore.
paige flicks her lighter once. it doesn’t catch. “of course,” she mutters, shaking it. second flick, the flame sparks to life. paige brings it up, cupping the end of the joint, inhaling slow until the tip glows. she holds it for a second, then exhales, smoke curling out in front of her, disappearing into the cold air. it hits quick. not enough to make her feel anything crazy, just enough to take the edge off. just enough to quiet everything down a notch.
paige is blowing out smoke when she hears the sliding doors open up. she doesn’t bother to turn around to see who it is, but then–
“so that’s what we’re doing now?”
paige’s eyes open. that voice. her stomach drops before she can stop it, something instinctive and annoying and completely out of her control. she hates that it still does that. hates that azzi still does that.
azzi’s made her way to lean against the rail next to paige. her back resting on the edge, standing a few feet away. paige turns her head slowly, and yeah. azzi fudd.
paige takes another drag before she answers, she’s unsure how to navigate this. what are you supposed to say to a girl who made you feel like a fucking idiot for being vulnerable. she settles on the only thing that feels safe. being mean.
“you stalking me now or something?” paige says, her voice wrapped in a thin veil of hostility. it’s just easier to sound annoyed than it is to sound hurt. it’s easier to act like she doesn’t care than to admit she still does.
azzi huffs out something between a laugh and a scoff. “you wish.”
there’s a beat.
azzi’s eyes flick down to the joint, then back up to paige’s face. “since when do you smoke?”
since i needed to stop fucking thinking of you, she thinks, but obviously doesn’t say that.
paige looks away this time. “you don’t know anything about me, let alone my smoking habits. what’d you come out here for?” paige asks, blunt.
azzi shrugs like it’s nothing, leaning back against the railing again, paige can track her movements in her peripheral. “needed some air.”
there’s a part of paige that already knows the answer isn’t going to be honest. azzi doesn’t do honest when it matters.
she lets azzi’s response sit for a second. “you could’ve gone literally anywhere else,” she says, taking another drag, voice flat. “front porch, side yard, bathroom window if you really wanted.”
azzi huffs, a quiet, irritated sound. “okay?”
“okay,” paige echoes, nodding slowly. “so try again.”
azzi’s jaw tightens. “i just needed air.”
now paige’s head is turned to the side, watching her. “you don’t look like someone who just needed air.”
“and what do i look like?” azzi shoots back.
“like you’re annoyed,” paige says easily. “like you’ve been annoyed”
azzi’s jaw tightens slightly, her gaze dropping for a second before coming back up. “i’m not annoyed. just happy to see that i was right about you” a fake ass smiled is plastered on her face.
paige pauses mid-exhale, “the fuck are you talking about?”
“i saw you found your target for the night, you definitely have a type”
paige sees red. she actually laughs, short and disbelieving. she can see the tension in azzi’s shoulders, the way her arms are crossed like she’s holding herself back from something, the way her eyes keep flicking to paige’s mouth then back up like she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it.
paige’s scoffs “no fucking way you’re jealous right now” she pushes her arms off the rail and brushes her hair back with both hands before dragging them over her face, making her frustration crystal clear. the joint is still burning in between her fingers, she doesn’t even care if she accidentally burns herself, her anger boiling too hot.
azzi’s expression shifts immediately. “i’m not–”
“you are,” paige cuts her off, softer now but way more certain. “that’s crazy.”
“it’s not crazy,” azzi snaps, then catches herself, jaw clenching. “i’m not jealous.”
paige takes one last drag, then flicks the joint to the ground, crushing it under her shoe.
she steps in closer again, closing the space between them for real this time.
“so you came all the way out here,” paige says quietly, “to ask me about a girl you don’t care about.”
azzi doesn’t move, doesn’t answer. her breathing is a little heavier now though, and paige notices that too. she doesn't know what happened. one second she’s staring at azzi waiting for her retort, the next second azzi’s lips are on hers
paige stiffens for half a second, then melts.
it’s natural, the way her body recognizes her. the way her hands come up without thinking, gripping at azzi’s hoodie, pulling her closer, kissing her back like she’s been waiting for it.
azzi’s hand slides up to her jaw, thumb brushing her cheek, tilting her head just right. it’s familiar in a way that hits too deep, too fast. for a second, paige lets herself fall into it. like nothing ever went wrong, like she didn’t spend the last however many days feeling like an idiot for caring more.
that’s what snaps her out of it.
paige pulls back abruptly, breath catching, her hand pushing against azzi’s chest to create space. “no” she shakes her head, taking another step back. “i can’t.”
azzi blinks, clearly thrown off, still leaning forward slightly like she hasn’t caught up yet. “what–?”
paige drags a hand through her hair, frustrated with herself more than anything. because part of her wanted to keep going and she hates that.
“don’t do that,” paige says, voice sharper now, the softness gone as quick as it came.
“do what?” azzi asks, brows pulling together.
“that,” paige gestures between them, frustrated. “you don’t get to just kiss me and reel me back in after ignoring me for fucking weeks”
“i wasn’t–” azzi starts.
“you weren’t what azzi?,” paige cuts in exasperated.
she watches azzi’s expression shift. the way her arms drop to her sides and the way her eyes widened the tiniest margin.
paige continues when azzi doesn't answer her. “you ghost, you act like i don’t exist, you don’t talk to me, you barely even glance at me in public, but the second we’re out and you have a couple drinks in your system, suddenly you remember i exist?” paige exhales sharply, shaking her head. “i’m not doing this. i’m not being that for you.”
she sees the way azzi flinches at that, sees the way it lands because they both know it’s true.
“paige–”
“no,” she cuts her off again, but her voice wavers just slightly this time. “i mean it. i like you” she stops, correcting herself, quieter, “i liked you. enough to look stupid, apparently.” azzi flinches at that. “but you made it clear that whatever this is was never gonna mean anything, and its cruel to me to keep letting you pick me up and put me down whenever you want.
silence. thick. heavy. azzi looks like she wants to say something. like she’s trying to find the words, but nothing comes out fast enough.
paige nods once, like that tells her everything she needs to know. she takes a step back, then another.
“i’m done with this,” she says, quieter now, but final. this time when she turns, she doesn’t look back.
~
it’s three days later when it happens. paige is back in the training room, laid out on the table with her knee hooked up to stim again. kk is talking about something loudly to both her and ice. but she’s been zoned out for like ten minutes and ice is playing block blast on her phone, so no one really is paying attention. it’s good, it’s normal.
until the door opens and kk stops talking mid sentence.
paige doesn’t look up at first. she doesn’t need to. she knows exactly who walked in. the room shifts in that way it always does when azzi’s around, like her skin can feel the air change pressure or something.
kk glances up, then immediately looks between the two of them, her expression going “oh?” real fast.
“i’m gonna–” kk starts, grabbing ice’s arm. “we’re gonna go. actually.”
“we are?” ice says, confused.
“yep,” kk nods, already dragging her toward the door. “urgent. very urgent.”
the door shuts behind them and just like that, paige’s alone. with azzi.
“hi paige”
paige finally looks at her, she’s standing a few feet away, not too close, not crowding her space. hands shoved in her hoodie pocket, shoulders a little tense, but she’s not avoiding eye contact.
that’s new.
“what do you want?” paige asks, straight to the point a little sharper then she means to.
azzi nods slightly, like she expected that. “that’s fair.” she takes a small breath. “i’m not here to argue,” she says. “or to… do what i did the other night.”
that makes paige pause. just slightly.
azzi reaches into her pocket, pulling something out. it’s small. folded. she holds it out, but doesn’t step forward to force it.
“i know you said you’re done,” she says. “and i’m not gonna try to talk you out of that right now.”
paige eyes the paper, then looks back at her. “then what is this?”
“just take it,” azzi says, softer.
there’s a beat. paige sighs, pushing herself up slightly on her elbows, then reaches out and takes it and unfolds it.
i’m sorry you were right about everything. i’ve been acting like a complete asshole, honestly worse than that, and i know you felt it.
i didn’t ignore you because you don’t mean anything. i ignored you because you do. and i didn’t know what to do with that, so i did what i always do and avoided it. i avoided you.
after that night i kept telling myself it didn’t mean anything. that it was just reallllllyyy good sex and nothing else. but then i couldn’t stop thinking about it and you, and i kept trying to convince myself that i wasn’t thinking about it. which means that i kept thinking about it, and instead of talking to you like a normal person, i panicked and made it worse.
the way i acted in public, like you didn’t exist wasn’t because you didn’t matter. it was because i was scared. scared of what people would think, what they’d say, how fast it would turn into something where i couldn’t control the narrative. and i was scared that it mattered more to me then it did to you. i convinced myself that you did this with every girl and that i was just someone you wanted to check off your list.
i didn’t handle anything right and i should’ve talked you instead of shutting you out.
you didn’t deserve any of that so i’m sorry. i’m sorry for making you feel like you didn’t matter. because you do. a lot more than i acted like.
none of that excuses anything. i should’ve talked to you. i should’ve been honest. instead, i shut you out and made you feel like you didn’t matter, and you didn’t deserve that. i’m not expecting this to fix anything, and i’m not asking you to just forget it. i just wanted a chance to do this right and hopefully earn your trust.
so… paige bueckers will you go on a date with me? (like an actual date where i plan everything and you just have to show up. i promise it will be worth your while)
☐ yes :)
☐ no :(
paige’s chest tightens a little despite herself.
she looks back up at azzi.
“you wrote me a note?” she says, but there’s no bite in it. just genuine surprise.
azzi shrugs a little, clearly trying to play it off and failing. “talking didn’t really go great last time.”
that pulls the smallest huff of a laugh out of paige.
she sits up a little more, the stim pads buzzing through her skin, but she ignores it. she looks back down at the paper, specifically the bottom.
☐ yes :)
☐ no :(
her lips press together.
“you’re so annoying,” she mutters.
“i’ve been told.”
another pause.
this one feels different though. heavier, but not in the same suffocating way as before. more like… something waiting.
paige finally looks up at her. really looks at her. azzi looks nervous.
not in the way she usually gets, where she covers it with attitude or deflection. this is quieter. realer. she’s standing there like she knows she messed up and isn’t trying to pretend otherwise.
“you ignored me for three days,” paige says.
“i know.”
“you acted like i didn’t exist.”
“i know.”
“you made me feel like i was insane for thinking any of that meant something.”
that one hits. azzi’s jaw tightens slightly, but she nods anyway. “i know.”
paige swallows. “that doesn’t just go away because you wrote a good apology.”
“i’m not expecting it to.”
“then why ask me out?”
azzi shifts her weight a little, finally taking one small step closer, but still giving her space.
“because i don’t want to do that again,” she says. “and i know saying that doesn’t mean anything unless i actually do something different.” paige watches her carefully while she tries to fond the right words “so this is me trying to do something different.”
paige hates how much she believes her.
she looks back down at the paper one more time. then, before she can overthink it, she grabs the pen sitting on the tray next to her.
azzi’s eyes flick down, tracking the movement.
paige hovers for a second.
“this doesn’t mean i’m over it,” she says, without looking up.
“i know.”
“and if you pull that again–”
“i won’t.”
paige finally glances up at her. “you don’t get to say that like it’s guaranteed.”
a beat.
“you’re right,” azzi corrects quietly. “i’ll try. and you can call me out if i don’t.”
that’s… better. paige looks back down. and checks the box.
☑ yes :)
☐ no :(
she doesn’t make a big deal out of it. doesn’t hand it over dramatically or anything.
she just folds the paper once and holds it out.
azzi takes it like it’s something fragile.
she opens it immediately, of course she does, and when she sees it, she smiles. one of those azzi smiles where her teeth show and her dimples flex.
“okay,” azzi breathes, almost to herself.
paige watches her for a second, then shakes her head lightly. “you’re still on thin ice.”
“yeah,” azzi nods. “figured.”
“like… very thin.”
“noted.”
another pause but this one feels lighter.
“so,” paige says, leaning back slightly, trying and failing to sound casual, “what’s this ‘actual date’?” the smile on her face is evident in her tone.
azzi glances up, and there’s a flicker of something familiar now. not cocky, exactly. but a little more like her.
“if i tell you, it ruins it.”
“or it lets me decide if i actually want to go.”
“you already said yes.”
paige narrows her eyes. “i can rescind.”
“you won’t.”
“…you’re so sure.”
“a little.”
paige fights it, but a small smile slips through anyway.
“you’re insufferable.”
“you said yes.”
paige rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling now, actually smiling, and she can’t really stop it.
“get out,” she says, gesturing toward the door. “i have ten more minutes of this stupid stim.”
azzi takes a step back, but she lingers for just a second.
“i’ll text you?” she asks.
paige smiles a little “okay.”