Chapter Three: Fractured Priorities (Present)

                                    

                                          
"Last-minute?" Paige repeated, her voice rising. She stepped into the room, her hands gesturing sharply. "This wasn't just any game, Tatum. It was against South Carolina. You know how important it was."
Tatum sighed, putting her phone down and standing. "I know, Paige. But I've been at almost every game this season. Can I not have one night to myself?"
Paige's laugh was bitter, filled with disbelief. "One night to yourself? You didn't even tell me you weren't coming. I looked for you out there, Tatum. I needed you."
Tatum crossed her arms, defensive now. "I'm not your emotional crutch, Paige. I have my own life, my own friends."The arena was still buzzing with the echoes of cheers and the thrill of victory. Paige Bueckers had led UConn to another commanding win, her name chanted by fans as they filed out of the stands. Her teammates-Nika Mühl, Caroline Ducharme, and Azzi Fudd-were already in the locker room, celebrating and reviewing plays. But Paige stood near the court, her phone clutched tightly in her hand, jaw set.
She had checked the stands during the game. Once. Then twice. Then a third time, just to be sure. Tatum hadn't been there.
By the time she got back to their shared apartment later that night, Paige's frustration had turned into a simmering anger. She walked in to find Tatum on the couch, laughing at something on her phone. The sight only made Paige's chest tighten further.
"You missed my game," Paige said flatly, dropping her bag by the door.
Tatum glanced up, the smile fading from her face. "I know. I was with Lexi, Riley, and Maya. It was kind of a last-minute thing."
"And I don't?!" Paige shot back, her voice cracking. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to carry this team, to have everyone looking at me to deliver, and then look into the stands and not see the one person who's supposed to be there for me?"
Tatum's jaw tightened, her expression hardening. "This isn't about me missing a game. This is about you needing everything to revolve around you. Your games. Your career. Your stress."
Paige's fists clenched at her sides, her frustration bubbling over. "You know what? Maybe I do need support. Maybe I need someone who actually gives a damn about what I'm going through!"
"And maybe I need someone who doesn't make me feel like I'm competing with basketball for their attention!" Tatum snapped, her voice sharp and trembling.
The room fell silent, the weight of their words settling heavily between them. Paige looked at Tatum, her chest heaving, her eyes brimming with unspoken hurt.
"You didn't even apologize," Paige said finally, her voice low but cutting. "You just... don't care, do you?"
Tatum's shoulders sagged, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I care, Paige. But I can't always be who you need me to be."
Paige stood there, her heart pounding, as Tatum walked past her toward the bedroom. The sound of the door closing felt like a final blow, leaving Paige alone in the silence, wondering how something that once felt so perfect could start unraveling so quickly.