( 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘹 𝙁𝙀𝙈!𝘖𝘊 )
When a season-ending injury strikes UConn's star, Paige Bueckers, she finds herself using one of her teammates as an outlet for all of these emotions racing through her mind.
◜ THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION...
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PARASITICAL RELATIONSHIP.
IN NATURE, ORGANISMS SHARE RELATIONSHIPS. In a symbiotic relationship, both organisms benefit each other — you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Competitive relationships speaks for itself. Then there's parasitism. Where one organism leeches off the other and the latter gets nothing in return. You could say that Paige and Quitéra's relationship fell in between parasitical and symbiotic, the way they uplifted each other with the other's company while also tearing down each other's consciousness by using each other like objects, constantly demanding attention from one another.
It became a natural, every day thing for Paige to see Quitéra. And the two of them would do anything along the lines of just hanging out or participating in activities that involved them getting in the back of Paige's car together. The UConn girls would be blind not to notice the glow Paige walked around with after situationally being with the girl after about a week. They took notice of it one afternoon in particular where the upperclassmen of UConn got together at a bar near campus.
"Damn, girl! Slow down," Ice laughed as Paige downed her fifth (maybe sixth) shot of tequila. "I don't want to have to drag you out of here again."
"We're celebrating! It's almost the first game of the season!" Paige said loudly, having a tendency to do so when she got drunk.
Azzi sat next to Paige and furrowed her eyebrows, eyeing the blonde suspiciously. She noticed something on Paige's neck as the girl leaned against Ice's shoulder.
"Paige, is that a hickey?" Azzi leaned in closer to look at it, the question catching the attention of Ice and Nika, who was walking back with drinks in her hand.
"Huh?" Paige groaned and covered her neck with her hand, squinting her eyes drunkly. "Nah."
"That was definitely a hickey!" Azzi gasped and pulled Paige's hand off, the blonde not putting up much of a fight. Nika and Ice inspected it, the Croatian squealing in excitement.
"Who is Paige Bueckers getting nasty with?" Nika asked with a cackle as she sipped her drink, handing Azzi hers.
"No one! It's just a bruise." Paige insisted with another groan.
"I hope y'all are being safe." Ice shook her head like a disappointed mother. Paige rolled her eyes in response as Azzi and Nika laughed hysterically.
"I'm getting some more shots." Paige hummed and stood up from her seat, walking sloppily through the crowd of college kids laughing and dancing around, maneuvering smoothly thanks to her height. She walked to the bar and leaned against it, resting her folded arms against the wooden surface.
"Three shots of tequila please." Paige dragged out her words as she gave the bartender a lopsided smile. The bartender poured her shots and slid them down the bar to her. "Thanks!"
Paige started to down them quickly, stopping after her second one when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She squinted her eyes and moved close to her phone to see the notification. It was an Instagram DM from Quitéra.
Quitéra B. Castillo @ qcastillo13
wyd right now ?
Paige Bueckers @ paigebueckers ✔️
nthoing jus hanging out wit hte girl s
Quitéra B. Castillo @ qcastillo13
are you drunk?
Paige Bueckers @ paigebueckers ✔️
naww
im sbor
didnt even touch s drink tonghit
are u drunk ??
Paige shut her phone off for a moment and finished off the last shot, setting it down on the bar. She looked over at the bartender and held up three fingers for another round, bringing her hand back to scratch her hair as she hummed and blinked slowly. Her phone vibrated against the bar, Paige letting out a huff and shutting it off to ignore Quitéra before sliding her phone into her back pocket.
"Thank you!" Paige cheesed at the bartender as she grabbed her shots. She nodded her head to the music blasting over the speakers while she made her way through the crowd again, walking back to her friends and plopping down in her seat.
"How much have you had to drink?" Ice looked Paige up and down with a quirked eyebrow.
"I don't know," Paige slurred, gulping down one of her shots. "Maybe like...ten shots?"
"Oh, yeah, you're done." Ice took the two shots Paige had left and set them off to the side, ignoring the blonde's whines as she reached out for them. "Come on, I'm taking you home."
"Why?" Paige whined like a child throwing a tantrum. Ice grabbed Paige's wrist and dragged her out of the bar, Azzi and Nika taking notice but not questioning it. It was their usual pattern to take Paige out of bars like this.
The ride back to Paige's dorm — shared with Nika — was silent aside from Paige's constant complaining about how she could've gone for another drink. Ice dragged Paige into her room, helping her lay down in her bed, the blonde lying back and snuggling with her blankets as she let out a peaceful hum. Ice huffed and put her hands on her hips.
"Goodnight, Paige." She shook her head and walked out.
"Goodnight Ice!" Paige giggled, blinking slowly as she fell in and out of sleep.
Her phone buzzed repeatedly in her back pocket, but Paige was slowly starting to fall asleep, the many drinks taking over her.
Quitéra B. Castillo @ qcastillo13
do you think i can see you tonight ?
my parents are being really annoying about this entire situation
