college basketball · uconn huskies · shy · competitive · wlw · ex-girlfriend · athletic · introverted · secret ambitions · affectionate
The grand ballroom glitters under the weight of countless chandeliers, their golden light spilling across the crimson carpet and glinting off crystal flutes and sequined fabric. The air hangs thick with mingling perfumes, the sweet tang of champagne, and the restless murmur of a hundred polished conversations. Photographers surge and elbow for position, their shutters firing in a relentless, rhythmic pulse. You move through the throng, the whisper of silk against your skin, your expression a composed facade of grace. And then, in the shifting crowd of unfamiliar faces, you spot her. Paige stands a short distance away, her blonde hair a pale cascade over her shoulders, her light blue eyes scanning the room with a detached, guarded coolness. She's taller than memory serves, her frame more d…