Chapter Thirteen: The Texts (Present)

                                    

                                          
Paige had just returned to their shared dorm room after a long, grueling practice. The team had been preparing for an upcoming game against Iowa, and the intensity of the last few days had worn her thin. As she entered, she expected to find Tatum curled up on the couch, like usual, her phone in her hand and a soft smile on her face when she looked up.
But tonight was different.
Tatum wasn't on the couch. She was sitting by the window, her back to Paige, her phone resting on the table in front of her. Paige hesitated for a moment, but then the tension that had been building between them over the past few weeks surged again, making her feel anxious, restless, and slightly irritated. She didn't know what it was-maybe the constant distance, maybe the way Tatum had been avoiding her lately-but something in the pit of her stomach told her this wasn't just another one of those nights.
The phone buzzed.
Paige glanced over, half expecting Tatum to pick it up, but she didn't. Instead, Tatum was staring out the window, her face unreadable.
Before she could think too much about it, Paige's gaze drifted to the screen of the phone. She caught the name of the contact. It was a name she hadn't seen in a while: Kate Martin.
Paige's heart skipped a beat.
Kate Martin. Iowa's captain. Paige's rival on the court. The very same person who had once exchanged a long handshake after their tense games with UConn. They were both competitors, both intense, both passionate about their sport. But something about this-seeing Kate's name on Tatum's phone-sent a surge of suspicion through her.
A feeling of unease washed over her, like the storm clouds before a downpour. She tried to push the thought aside, but it kept gnawing at her. Tatum had always been open with her about everything, but lately... Paige hadn't been so sure. The last time she'd seen Tatum talk to Kate was during a game, a quiet exchange in the hallway after the buzzer sounded, brief but charged.
Paige took a deep breath and picked up the phone. The texts were visible at the top of the screen-three messages in a row, sent within the last few hours. Her fingers trembled slightly as she unlocked the phone, the name still glaring at her.
She read the first one.
Kate Martin: "You looked great out there today, Tatum. We need to talk after the game. I'll be at the hotel."
Paige's pulse quickened. There was no mistaking the tone. It was friendly, professional, but something more was simmering underneath.
She read the next.
Kate Martin: "Can't wait to see you. Maybe we can grab dinner before the game?"
Dinner. Before the game? Paige's mind raced, the words blurring together. She felt a pang of jealousy she couldn't shake. It wasn't about Kate being on the opposing team-it was the connection between them, something that felt like it had gone unnoticed by Paige. She didn't like the thought of Tatum and Kate spending time together outside of the court. She didn't like it at all.
Paige swiped to the next text.
Kate Martin: "I miss the way we used to talk. Let's catch up soon. You know where to find me."
The last message stung. Miss the way we used to talk. Paige's heart clenched, the words sinking deep. Something about it-the way Kate had phrased it-felt like more than a simple friendly gesture. It felt intimate. Like something Paige wasn't a part of.
She stared at the phone for a long moment, her chest tightening as the words replayed in her mind. The quiet undercurrent of doubt that had been growing between her and Tatum surged forward, loud and impossible to ignore. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the texts... they didn't sit right with her.
Tatum's footsteps behind her made Paige's heart skip. She didn't want to look up, didn't want to face the reality of what she had just read. But she couldn't stop herself.
"Paige?" Tatum's voice was soft but uncertain. "What are you doing?"
Paige looked up, her gaze searching Tatum's face for any signs of guilt. Tatum's eyes flickered for just a moment, before settling back into their usual guarded expression.
"I-I was just..." Paige swallowed hard, her voice betraying her anger and hurt. She held up the phone, the texts still visible. "Why is Kate Martin texting you like this? What's going on, Tatum?"
Tatum's face shifted, her eyes widening. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her gaze darted away, and for a moment, Paige thought she might run.
"Paige, it's not what you think," Tatum started, her voice shaky now. "It's just... we've been talking about basketball and stuff, just catching up."
"Catching up?" Paige's voice was sharp now, her chest tightening with hurt. "You're texting her like this? Outside of the games? It doesn't feel like 'just catching up,' Tatum. This feels like something else."
Tatum took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging. "I didn't want to hurt you, Paige. I really didn't. It's just... I didn't know how to tell you. It's not what you think. I promise."
Paige took a step back, the weight of the situation crashing over her. The texts, the secrecy-it was all too much. She didn't know what to believe anymore. "I don't know what to believe, Tatum. I don't know if I can trust you."
Tatum's face twisted with pain, her hands trembling slightly. "Paige, I swear, it's nothing. You're the one I want. You're the one who matters to me."
But Paige wasn't sure anymore. The words felt empty, like they were just filling the space between them. She couldn't escape the feeling that something had shifted, and that trust-once the foundation of their relationship-was slipping through her fingers.
Without saying another word, Paige turned and walked out of the room, her heart heavy with doubt and confusion. The door clicked shut behind her, and the silence in the room was deafening.
She didn't know where this would go, but one thing was certain: things between her and Tatum would never be the same.