six
Waking up to about 300 texts from Paige was definitely not Athena's favorite thing.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING
r u ready for today?!?!?
it's going to be great
i can't wait
i think im going to love high school
all the older kids that im going to be friends with
finally having some competition in basketball
we are have lunch together btw no room for argument
i think the only thing im going to hate is the classes
Picking up her still vibrating phone, she turned it on, flinching at the brightness. She opened Paige's icon and briefly skimmed over the texts before responding, then putting her phone back down on her night stand. Athena just wanted to sleep until her alarm, which was still 15 minutes away.
paige please shut the fuck up
its too early for this
??
but im excited
Two minutes passed before Paige started spamming her again.
Theaaaaaaaaaaa
please wake uppppppp
athenaaaaaaaaa
wake upppppppp
we're going to be late.
Two more minutes passed.
did you silence your phone or smthing?
bro get tf up
you're the nerd here why am i the one more excited for school
wake UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
Paige kept spamming her, sending little messages begging Athena to get up. Meanwhile, the greek goddess was sleeping peacefully for her last 7 minutes. She could still hear her phone going off but it wasn't as loud since she stuffed it under her pillow.
Finally 6:30 am came around and Athena's loud alarm began blaring in her ears. She still had her eyes closed as she tried to blindly turn off her alarm, but it was no use. The vibrating stopped about a minute ago, Athena thinking Paige must have gone to the bathroom or came to her sense, but it was probably the first option. Turning on her phone, along with her lockscreen with a picture of one of her and her parents post game selfies, was 12 notifications from 'Superstar ?'
i'm not a nerd
dont lie
whatever
now let me get ready
i'll text you when i'm at school
we ride the bus together....
but ok! :)
Athena put her phone down and unwrapped herself from her warm blanket. She stood up and went to the bathroom, before leaving she splashed some water on her face to wake up. Paige had stayed up until 1am spamming her phone with texts expressing how excited she was for high school, which also meant Athena was up until 1.
Athena didn't get why she was so excited, it's just school, and Paige hated school claiming "I won't need to know how to find x when I'm shooting hoops in the WNBA." To which Athena always responded, "Well same for me with soccer but i still care."
Coming back from the bathroom, Athena opened her closet and spent a good 10 minutes just staring at her clothes, thinking of what to wear. Then when it hit the 15 minute mark, she picked up her phone and texted Paige.
what are you wearing to school?
hoodie and shorts
why?
Athena rolled her eyes, thats all she ever wears, stupid basketball players.
unhelpful
??
i don't know what to wear
i've been staring at my closet for 15 minutes
what about those jeans u like
and the sweater with the stripes
Athena thought of the two paired together and liked the outcome. She sent a thumbs up to Paige as a thank you and got dressed out of her Pajamas.
Much like the first day of 7th grade, and 8th, and every other first day of school, her father was wearing his famous apron and cooking the girl's favorite chocolate chip pancakes, "Good morning little star, you ready for today?" Her dad asked, handing his daughter a plate of pancakes.
"Yep, thanks pa. I'm tired though, Paige kept me up all night with her excitement." Athena answered, taking the plate and grabbing the syrup.
"Are you not excited? It's high school, the 'best years of you life' come on you gotta be just a tiny bit excited." Her father said, which gesturing with the spatula in his hand, "you know me and your mother met in high school right? First day actually."
"Yes i know, you and ma told me all about it every chance you could. And i am excited, but just not as excited as Paige or you, it is just school." She said, cutting up her pancakes and taking a bite.
"Yeah but it's school plus all the fun stuff you wait for when you're a kid, homecoming, prom, football games, all the fun things." He said as he walked towards his daughter with his own plate.
"I doubt i'll be doing all that." She mumbled with a mouthful of food.
"What do you mean? You don't want to go to homecoming or prom?" He asked.
"No i do, but i don't know who i'd go with. Maybe Paige, but i feel like she'd want to go with her new friends." Athen said quietly.
"New friends? It hasn't even been the first day and you're already thinking about that?" Her father said, putting down his fork to watch his daughter.
"...No. Maybe. I don't know. Anyways i gotta go, bus is almost here. Bye dad, love you." Athena rushed out, picking up her half full plate of pancakes and putting them back in the kitchen. The bus was not waiting, she just wanted to get out of that conversation.
Paige was bound to make new friends, she was outgoing, lovable, and a hell of a good basketball player. To think that months ago, when Athena was the one comforting Paige about them still being friends seems like a fever dream. She still believed they would be friends but that Paige would find more people like her, then they would spend less time together, then they would just smile at each other in the hall.
Athena shoved those thoughts away, grabbing her backpack, double checking she had everything she needed, then walking towards the door. She stood in the cold morning breeze waiting for the bus. When it pulled up at 7:40 and she got on, the first thing she saw was Paige Bueckers' charming smile, "Good morning sunshine! Saved you a seat."
Athena responded with a groan and took her seat next to the blonde, then she leaned forward to rest her head on the seat in front of her. The girl next to her was ranting about her excitement yet again but Athena was only half listening, the other half of her mind occupied with nerves and running thoughts. She wondered how Paige could be so happy about entering a new school with double the students, double the work, double everything, and still have a smile on her face. Athena could only wish for that superpower because right now her was overthinking.
"Are you even listening to me?" Paige asked, momentarily stopping her rant to look at the half asleep girl next to her.
"Mhm, yep." The brunette said, her words muffled by her hand that was resting on her knee and supporting her head.
"Hat trick trust me, these are going to be the best years of our lives, just you wait." Paige said, placing a hand on the girls shoulder and slightly shaking her awake.
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The first few classes weren't bad, just loud. Paige was half right, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, but it still wasn't great. The hallways were more crowded and louder than middle school, and with Athena being 5'4 she was getting shoved around like a rag doll. The kids were bigger, ranging from shorter than her at 5'2 or almost touching the ceiling at 6'5.
Paige was thriving, just like she thought she would. She had already made some new friends in her alegbra class, met some basketball players in her physics class, and now she was going to have lunch with her best friend. So yeah, she was happy, but her happiness dimmed when she saw the shorter brunette sitting alone in a corner with her nose buried in a book. Paige had gotten invites from people to sit with them at lunch, and assuming Athena had the same because who wouldn't want to sit with her, she's amazing.
Walking over to her table with a tray of food in hand, she sat down right across from the soccer player, patiently waiting for her to notice. Two minutes later, Athena finally looked up, "Oh hey, when did you get here?" She asked surprised.
"I've been sitting here for the last two minutes but you wouldn't know you bookworm." The blonde stated, "So how has your day been so far, make any friends or have you just been reading all day?"
"Mostly reading, but i did briefly talk to this guy, but that was just because he wanted me to move seats so he could sit next to his friend." Athena said, placing her bookmarker on her page then closing it, "how's yours? Living up to the expectations?"
"Eh kinda." Truth is, it was, but she didn't want to tell Athena that. She didn't want to make her feel bad, so she lied for her, "Maybe they were too high but I'm still enjoying myself."
"That's good, I'm not. My math teacher already gave me homework." Athena said, rolling her eyes.
"That's what you get for being in honors."
"Whatever, i want to go home now. I'm at a really good part in my book and i don't think i can wait 2 more hours until i can read it again."
"You can read it now if you want, i can keep myself occupied." Paige wasn't lying, she could always find something to do. Most of the time they were hanging out was Paige telling Athena she could read while she does whatever.
"Really? I don't want to leave you alone, people might think i don't like you. Which is not completely inaccurate but still." Athena winced when Paige kicked her shin under the table.
"Thought you were a soccer player, tough legs."
"Yeah well that's why i wear shinguards."
"Anyway i don't mind, but first you have to tell me what the book is about." Paige stated, and Athena had no problem talking about it, she loved when Paige asked about her books. She loved when she was able to talk about a thing she loved so dearly.
That's how lunch went, Paige asked about her book and then Athena wouldn't shut up about it, forgetting about reading and ranting until the bell rung. Even then when they were walking to their next class, which they had together, she was still talking. Paige had a smile on her face the whole time, it was rare when Athena would non stop talk unprovoked but every time she did, Paige was very careful not to interrupt.
The day after that passed quicker, with the two having the last 3 classes together and sitting next to each other of course. When the final bell rung, the pair took their time walking out, they were mid conversation and wanted to keep it going as long as possible before they were inevitably interrupted by the rowdy hallways.
Taking their same seats on the bus home, their moods were better than in the morning. Somehow Paige was even more happy, and Athena was pleasantly surprised with how well it went.
When the bus pulled up to Athena's stop, she said bye to Paige and told her she would text her, but Paige laughed and stood up with her, "Uh what are you doing?"
"Our code requires a sleepover twice a week, and I'm cashing in one now."
"Paige it's monday."
"So?" Paige said, walking past Athena off the bus and towards her house. "Hurry up slowpoke!" She called from outside, waiting for her friend.