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"Jules c'mon we have to leave." Rosaline screamed at me from our front door. It was our first day of sophomore year at Uconn and Rose hated being late. Me on the other hand didn't really mind. I liked to take my time getting ready, that's why I had woken up early and was savoring the two full hours I had saved to get ready stress free. Of course my best friend is always radiating stress, it's like she couldn't do anything without anxiously overthinking it.

"I'm coming, calm your tits." I screamed back, walking to the door as I put my earrings in. Most of our mornings went like this so I became the master of shoving anything I needed in my pockets, or managing to finish getting ready on the drive to class.

She just huffed before walking out of the door and to the car, I sped up to catch up with her after I put my shoes on and locked the door. We made it to her car and I jumped into the passenger seat, she rushed off, not even giving me time to put my seatbelt on.

"Rose it's 8:40, class doesn't start till 9." I exclaimed as I applied lipgloss to my lips, she just rolled her eyes as she continued driving. Seriously this woman needed to chill for one day, it's not like she really liked school anyways.

Class wasn't far from the dorms and we went our separate ways. Me to my photography class and her to finance. I was majoring in physical therapy but taking photography on the side since I loved it so much, but mom said it would never get me a good enough job. I was fine just taking it on the side though, it still gave me the opportunity to pursue what I loved while majoring in my passion since I was a little girl. Physical therapy was always a weird major, I definitely got a few looks when I decided it. I wanted to be a sports physical therapist, travelling with teams and taking care of them. Boys just didn't like that a girl could be involved in sports without playing them.

I walked into class and took a seat in the middle. There were a few students inside but not many since there was still 10 minutes till class officially started. Thanks to Rose and her unnecessary morning stress I just sat there, watching the clock tick.

"Ms Bronson, glad to see you in my class again." Professor Beckett said as she walked into class. Professor Beckett became like my mom at Uconn. When I had applied for this class last year I was always asking questions, annoying my classmates but always making her smile. Eventually I came to her outside of class time, just enjoying her advice about any problems I had.

"I wouldn't miss it." She knew that. Even if Beckett taught a cooking class I would take it.

Class finally started, mostly introductions since it was the first day and majority of the students were freshman's. I waited for class to end, checking the time so much that I swear it went backwards. I loved this class but god did I hate first days. Some professors don't care, jumping right into the work but than there were the few that liked introductions or ice breakers. After what felt like an eternity of waiting the bell rang ending the class and I gathered my things to head out.

"Ms Bronson, stay for a second." Professor Beckett stopped my packing. It was only me and her in the class now. Maybe she could tell how uninterested I looked all class. I was really hoping she wouldn't ask for ice breaker ideas like she did last year.

"So at the end of the year we had someone from the media team of the women's basketball team quit and since then they've been looking for a replacement. They asked me to find someone who I really thought deserved the job and whose pictures were good enough and well I think you're the perfect person." She said and my jaw dropped. Not only was this a paying job but also a way to get my photography out there and noticed.

"Oh wow that's amazing thank you." I stumbled over my words, still shocked that she picked me, and that I would get to work with a team the way I wanted to.

"So you'll take it?"

"Yes absolutely." I exclaimed and she just smiled at my reaction. I continued packing up, mostly stuffing things into my bag without a care in the world and I jogged out of the class to find Rosaline.

I found her walking to her next class and ran up behind her, grabbing her shoulders which made her jump. Rose was the jumpiest person I knew. You could be sitting next to her and move to fast and she would jump. You could see her soul leave her body sometimes if you scared her well enough.

"Holy fuck Jules." She sighed, bending over to put her hands on her knees.

"Beckett just gave me a spot on the media team for the women's basketball team." I squealed excitedly and she just looked at me shocked.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" She screamed, making a few heads turn to look at us. I winced, another thing about Rose is she was never taught the difference between indoor and outdoor voice. Most of the people we passed in the hallways always heard our conversations.

"Sorry. That's amazing Jules. I'm so happy for you." She said quieter and hugged me.

"Ok I have to get to class, I'll see you later." I mumbled before rushing the other way to my next class, realizing how late it had gotten. From my talk with Beckett to finding Rose I was already cutting it close to being late to my next class, of course I managed to pick classes right after one another, the one thing I had planned on avoiding.

I only had 2 classes left for the day and when those were done I went back to me and Rose's shared dorm and layed in bed, exhausted after the first day until I shot up, remembering the basketball team practices today, with some stalking of the Uconn website I found the practice times, taking a mental note to ask one of the coaches about that but I had some time to spare thankfully.

Rosaline burst into the dorm not long after, sighing and falling onto my bed next to me.

"How do I have homework on the first day?" She complained and stuffed her face into a pillow.

"Good luck with that, I have basketball practice." I smirked and she looked over at me with the same look on her face.

"You better tell me which one you have a crush on." She laughed and I hit her shoulder making her lay flat on my bed.

"I'm not gonna have a crush on any of them." I defended and she continued laughing.

"Yeah right it's a bunch of hot girls." She said and I just rolled my eyes, checking the time and decided to head out, better to be early than on time for my first day. I grabbed my cameras before throwing a pillow at Rose and telling her to get her homework done before I left, getting in my car and driving to the basketball facility.

The drive wasn't long and I got there ten minutes early, walking in and seeing a few girls on the court shooting around. They looked over at me confused as I walked in before Geno, the coach, sighed happily seeing me. I didn't look like a basketball player, my lack of direction could definitely tell anyone that.

"Finally took Beckett long enough." He walked over to me as I walked onto the court. "Girls huddle up." He ordered all the girls and they listened, more coming out of the locker room. "This is?" He started then stopped realizing he didn't know my name.

"Juliette but most people just call me Jules." I finished his sentence and he nodded.

"This is Juliette and she's going to be replacing Chris on the media team. She'll be here for practices and games and I expect you will all make her feel a part of the team." He looked between the girls, a stern look on his face and they all looked at him nodding. Like scared little kids getting scolded by their dad.

"We're happy to have you Jules." Said one girl with long brown hair, she had an accent I couldn't put my finger on but it was definitely european of some sorts.

"So I thought today we could take the day and get to know each other." Geno said and everyone agreed sitting in a circle in the middle of the court. I was taking a seat next to Geno when another girl burst into the facility.

"Sorry I'm late guys. One of my professors just kept talking and talking like holy shit." She said, setting her bag down on one of the chairs and walking over to our circle we had formed in the middle of the court.

"You're good Paige, take a seat." Geno waved her off and she took the empty spot next to me. "This is Juliette, she's a new member of the media team." He said directly to this new girl and I turned to face her.

Her blonde hair was braided into a ponytail that framed her face perfectly, her blue eyes were piercing and her smile lit up the whole room. I couldn't take my eyes off her. If I saw this girl at an airport, I would spend my whole vacation thinking about her.

"Paige." She introduced, sticking her hand out to shake mine.

"Jules." I copied her actions as we shook hands just staring at each other.

"Ok, let's get started." Geno clapped his hands together, pulling me out of my trance and tearing my hand away from Paige's.

We learned everyone's names, hometowns and hobbies. Turns out Paige is from Minnesota, that's where her accent comes from.

"So Jules, any chance you're into women?" Amari asked and all the girls laughed, agreeing with her questions.

"Girls! Don't feel like you need to answer that." Geno gave Amari a glare, trying not to get too heated with me around.

"It's all good. I'm bisexual." I replied, not offended by the question and the team erupted in cheers and clapped their hands.

"Good to know." Azzi said, winking at me jokingly. I blew a kiss in her direction, already liking the vibe of this team.

"Ok that's enough for today, practice is done." Geno got up and walked to his office, obviously very tired of our chaotic behavior. All the girls started walking back into the locker room and I started packing up my camera. I got a few pictures from practice today, mostly of the girls laughing with each other, not much basketball being involved today.

"Yo Jules." I heard someone say from behind me. I turned around and saw Paige jogging my way.

"Paige. What's up?" I asked when she stopped in front of me.

"Well I was wondering if you wanna hang or anything. I like getting to know all the girls on the team." She smiled at me. Her smile made my knees weak I learned. All the times today she would send me a smile or bite her bottom lip to contain a laugh helped me come to that resolution.

"Yeah, sounds great." I shrugged, no harm in getting to know Paige. I could tell the other girls looked up to her. Even older girls still saw so much wisdom and knowledge in Paige. She smiled again, biting down on her bottom lip, surprising.

"Ok, let me just change and I'll be right out." She started jogging back to the locker room before even finishing her sentence. I sat on the chairs as I waited for Paige. My camera now back around my neck in case any good picture opportunities come up. If when I wasn't being asked to take pictures I usually was. Rose had gotten annoyed with me luging my camera all over so sometimes I had to settle on my phone's sad camera. She didn't take long, walking over to me in a matching gray nike tech tracksuit. If only all of us could pull gray off like that.

"Let's go." She got straight to the point and I got up, following her. We weren't heading to the doors but she started walking around in the facility.

"What are we doing?" I asked laughing and she turned to look at me.

"Well I assume you've never been in here before." I just nodded. I never had any reason to come here, me and Rose weren't big on sports. "Well then I'm showing you around." She finished and continued walking away.

We walked side by side talking about random things, getting to know each other better. She showed me some history of UCONN's sports team and some trophies. We had been walking around for an hour before we decided to leave.

"Do you need a ride back to your dorm or anything?" I asked and she stayed silent, thinking.

"I mean if it's not too much to ask." She looked at me shamelessly and I just shook my head, motioning her to get in the car. She got in and I started driving. The radio quietly played in the back to fill the awkward silence that surrounded us. I sang along to some of the lyrics, trying to ignore how Paige watched me.

The drive wasn't long, thanks to all too well ten minute version and we both got out since we figured out at some point that we lived in the same dorm building.

"What floor you on?" She asked as we walked to the elevator. We stood on opposite ends of the elevator and even with her hunched over she still stood much taller than me.

"6th. How 'bout you?" I asked the same question, hoping to keep the conversation going until I got inside.

"10th." The elevator stopped at my floor and I started walking out, ready to say my goodbye to Paige. "I'll walk you." She interrupted my plans, following me out of the elevator.

We got to my door and stopped in front of it, awkwardly standing in front of it as she stood in front of me. "Thank you for today Paige." She smiled again, keeping her gaze on the floor. Something about her smile made me feel smiley too. She just had such a bright smile that even if I was having the worst day seeing it would make me smile too.

"Nah don't thank me, let's do it again ok?" She finally looked up at me, her gaze strong and I felt myself shrinking under it, but I kept cool and just nodded. "So..." She hesitated, looking around nervously to see if we were supposed to hug, shake hands, fist bump. Honestly I didn't know either. I had been trying to figure it out the whole car ride.

"Come here." Something in me took over, pulling her into a hug. My arms went around her neck and hers around my waist. I was a very touchy person so hugs were definitely my thing but usually not with hot blonde basketball players I'd just met.

She pulled away with a huge smile on her face. "See you next practice." She said before turning around and walking back to the elevator. I took a few deeps breaths as I tried to control the smile on my face, Rose couldn't see it or I would never hear the end of it. I walked inside, seeing Rose on the couch. Her head shot up when she heard me enter.

She took a long look at me, examining my face and my whole body before she cracked a smile.

"Who's got you all giddy?" She teased. Fuck. She read me like a book.