Behind The Cameras

Chapter 71

Peyton POV:

It's the next day and Paige has a home game vs. Seton Hall today. She's already at Gampel getting ready for it and I'm currently scrambling to make a poster like hers asking her to be my Valentine.

After about an hour of making it, it's finally done. I thought it would be cute if I asked her the same way she asked me so I wrote "#5 on the court but #1 in my heart, will you be my Valentine?" with a basketball in the corner and two "yes" boxes just like she did to hopefully make her laugh.

I head into the arena, getting stopped a couple of times for photos and autographs but then finally make it to my seat in the student section. I guess people have noticed that I sit in the same spot every game, because even though I got here a little late into warmups, the students here saved my seat for me which I was happy about.

Once the Huskies are done with their warmup they start jogging over to the locker room which is next to the student section. So I hold out the sign I made so Paige can see it. She was already looking my way, so when I held out the sign she smiled and made a heart with her hands as she jogs over to me, as the rest of her team went "oooooo" jokingly, continuing into the locker room.

"You didn't have to make a sign" Paige says once she's standing in front of me

"Yea but you asked me, so it's only right if I ask you too" I say handing her a sharpie

"You must be very confident I'll say yes if there's no 'no' box" she says chuckling looking up at me

"Oh shush, just answer" I say smiling

She then checks off one of the 'yes' boxes before pulling me into a hug

"I love you" she says

"I love you more, good luck in your game" I say as we pull away and Paige goes over to some people screaming her name for autographs and pictures before she jogs back into the locker room before the game starts.

UConn has had a slow start to begin the first quarter but then Paige's shot started to fall and they look like themselves again.

Seton Hall is playing sloppy and dirty which is making me nervous because I don't want Paige to get hurt but I also know she's tough so she will play through anything.

—

Uconn ended up winning 70-49. Paige had 23 points, 2 steals, and 3 assists. She's currently answering questions from the reporter on the court as everyone starts to leave the arena but I stay in my seat waiting for Paige to be done.

Paige POV:

"So Paige we saw you get asked to be Peyton's Valentine earlier, can you tell us a little bit about that?" Holly Rowe asks as I start smiling and looking at Peyton in the stands once she mentions her name

"Yea, I honestly wasn't expecting her to ask me since I already asked her, but it was a surprise. I also wanna know when she had the time to make the poster, because I made mine when she was at practice, but we are literally always with each other, so she's sneaky" I joke

"Have you guys planned anything for Valentine's day yet?" Holly asks

"No, not yet, we gotta look at our schedules and find a time our games and practices don't overlap" I tell her

"Life of a student-athlete huh?" Holly jokes

"Yea, but I wouldn't change anything for it, and I know Peyton wouldn't either, because although we are really busy people we always fit in time to be with each other" I explain

"Well, I hope you guys have a nice Valentine's day and congrats on your win" Holly ends

"Thank you" I tell her before jogging over to Peyton

"You played great" Peyton says pulling me in for a hug once I reach her

"Thank you" I say hugging her back. "Do you wanna go get ice cream after I change and then we can sit by the lake again before I have to leave for my away game at Creighton?" I ask her pulling away from the hug but still keeping my arms wrapped around her waist, as she keeps her arms wrapped around my neck.

She starts laughing which makes me confused. "What? Why are you laughing?" I say smiling at how cute she is

"So you're telling me while you were just playing a game you thought of date we could do after?" she says with a smirk on her face

"I mean yea, I always think about you" I say smiling

"Stop, you're too cute for me" she says burying her head against my shoulder making me laugh

"So is that a yes on the ice cream?" I ask

"Duh" she says picking her head back up and looking at me "I would never pass up the opportunity to get ice cream" she adds with a smile