Kai Slade was good at sports. But her heart, it wasn't in it. One day she picks up a camera, it's history from there. Now she's walking into UConn, as their media director and photographer. Kai has never been a media director before but it can't be that hard—hopefully.

Originally, Kai was just supposed to take pictures but they decided to appoint her as media director too. "Kai Slade?" Someone asks and Kai looks over to see the head coach of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team. "Hi—yes! it's Geno Auriemma, right?" Kai said while switching her bag to the left hand to hold out her right.

"Yes, Ms. Slade. It's good to have you here. I've seen your work—I'm impressed." Geno said while shaking Kai's hand. Kai smiles as Geno starts walking towards the gym. Kai speeds up to match his pace. "You'll have your own office here, it's pretty cool."

Kai nods as the bouncing of basketball fills the air. "This is the main gym." Kai looks around the gym and sees the players running around doing drills. "Alright, everyone! Gather round!" Geno yells and all the girls stop and immediately surrounds the coach. "Everyone, this is our new media director and photographer: Kai Slade."

The girls give a small clap before Geno starts introducing everyone by numerical order. "This is KK, #2. Aaliyah, #3. Qadence, #4. Paige, #5. Nika, #10. Ashlynn, #12. Inês, #21. Jana, #24. Ice, #25. Caroline, #33. Ayanna, #34. Azzi, #35. Amari, #42. Aubrey, #44."

Kai blinks at the surplus of information, "well, I'm glad I have a roster printed out so I'll learn all your names as soon as possible." Kai says and the team laughs. "I do actually have the schedule for media shots I've planned, there will be a copy in each of your lockers." Kai adds and the team nods before Geno makes them get back to work. "Come, I'll show you your office."

The office was big, big for Kai. She could host a small meeting in her office if necessary, let's hope she doesn't have to scold any players. "I'll leave you to get settled, come out and take some pics if you'd like." Geno says with a smile. Kai nods looking around, she would definitely need to go to target to get some decor.

Kai sighs and puts her bags down containing her camera equipment, her babies. Kai grabs one of her cameras and a lens. Grabbing her SD cards, she walks out of her office. Her office. That's so surreal to Kai Slade.

Kai wasn't watching where she was going until she bumped into something—someone. Kai immediately protected her camera, it was unnecessary as the force of the impact was soft? "I'm so sorry!" Kai said as she finally looks up to see one of the basketball players, "I know the coach just told me your name but could you remind me?" Kai asks embarrassingly.

The basketball player laughs before answering, "I'm Nika." Nika tells her and Kai nods. "I'm Kai, in case you didn't know." Nika nods with a smile before stepping to the side to continue walking down the hallway. "I'll see you on the court, Slade."

Kai laughs and walks to the court to see all the girls taking a break and having fun together. When they don't know the camera is there, it makes for the perfect shot. Kai snaps a few fifty photos of the girls laughing and having conversations. Geno blows a whistle startling Kai making her almost lose her grip on her camera—thank god she didn't.

It was nice watching the girls practice, Kai was also getting practice with angles and lighting. There was thirty minutes left of practice, perfect time for Kai to go and put the media schedule in their lockers. She steps into her office to grab the papers before heading into the locker room. The locker room was big compared to the other locker rooms Kai has seen.

She gets right to work by making sure everyone had a calendar. Kai looked down at her phone to see practice was over with. She hurried out of the locker room just before the girls start walking into the locker room. Kai doesn't wait around and heads to her office to pack up.

Kai reaches her office and unpacks some of her lenses onto the shelves in the office. A knock at her office door broke her trance of organizing her belongings. "Uhm, hey?" Kai turned around to see a blonde basketball player in the doorway. "Hi! Sorry, still learning names." Kai says as the girl walks into the office. "Paige, I just didn't get one of those calendars."

"Oh! I'm so sorry about that. I really thought I gave everyone a calendar." Kai says while frantically looking for the lost paper. "Here it is!" Kai says presenting the calendar to the basketball player. Paige grabs the paper, her hand going over Kai's. "Okay, this is gonna be really weird but do you happen to know where a target is? I need to make my office more me." Kai asks while bringing her arm back to her side.

Paige laughs, "yeah, I do. Would it be weirder to come with you?" Paige asks as her tongue darts out to lick the side of her lips. "No, no it would not. You can give me all the tea on your teammates." Kai says with a wink while grabbing her things. Paige's cheeks go pink at the wink Kai gave her. Kai grabs her keys and locks her office behind the both of them.

"Come on, I'll drive." Kai said as she starts walking down the hallway, "Kai, that's the wrong way." Paige said and Kai turned on her heel, seeing Paige start laughing. "Alright, it ain't that funny, Bueckers." Kai retorts, making Paige laugh more at the mispronunciation of her last name.

"It's pronounced beckers. The 'U' is silent, Slade." Kai raises her eyebrows before playfully flipping the blonde off.

-

"You have, your music taste. It's definitely something." Kai giggles out as they exit her big white jeep. Paige rolls her eyes at the girl and grabs a target cart. "Oh, wow. I didn't realize how much of a gentleman you were." Kai teases before immediately getting distracted by all the cute things in target.

"Alright, Slade. You're not moving into an apartment, it's just an office." Paige reminds Kai as she wants to put everything she finds cute in the cart. Kai mocks Paige before selecting things that would fit—and work in her office. "Bueckers, how do you know I'm not moving into an apartment, hm?" Kai questions as they continue calling each other by their last name. Paige smirks at her before looking to the side.

"I've been asking around, ya know." She says sheepishly with a shrug of her shoulders. Kai raises her eyebrow at her as she puts another item in the cart. Paige looks at the cart filled to the brim with pointless stuff that Kai definitely doesn't need or will use, but she keeps her mouth shut.

"I can sense your judgment from here, P. Bueckers." Kai snorts as she puts a fourth candle in the cart. "Okay, K. Slade. You don't need all of these candles." Kai gasps at the girl.

"I'll have you know I love candles." Kai retorts while putting three more candles into the cart just to spite Paige. Paige playfully scoffs before pushing the cart into the back of Kai. Kai gapes at the blonde, "alright Goldilocks." She teases as she tries to get close to Paige.

"Fuck, how are you so quick?" Kai questions breathing heavily. "I'll have you know, I'm a pretty good basketball player." Paige replies with a smug face and a fuckboy pose. Kai stays in place while gawking at her. "Okay, wrap it up."

-

Kai pulls into the parking lot of Paige's dorm house, "holy shit, I live in this one too." Kai says in disbelief while they both hop out of the car. Paige jogs up to the doors and scans her id. Paige opens the door and lets Kai go in first, "see, you're such a gentleman." Kai says playfully while stepping inside the building. Paige rolls her eyes at Kai.

"I'm a gentlewomen, actually." Paige corrects Kai with a smug grin. Kai laughs at her while pulling out a piece of paper to find her room. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bueckers." Kai winks while disappearing into the elevator to go up to her room. "Bye, Slade."

Paige grins softly while unlocking her door to see Ice in the room. Ice looks at Paige and has an immediate smirk on her face. "And where were you at?" Ice asks. Paige rolls her eyes, "I was with the new media director." She puts simply while shedding her high ponytail. Paige groans rubbing her head to fix her hair. "Nika ran into her today, she said that she seems nice." Ice tells Paige with a sigh.

"Yeah, she's nice." Paige responds, "she's cute too." She adds making Ice look up from her phone. "Don't go fraternizing with the media director." Ice warns with a smirk, Paige laughs at her roommate. "I'm not fraternizing with her."

Ice hums and goes back to her phone. Both of their phones pinged.

UNKNOWN NUMBER HAS ADDED YOU TO A GROUP CHAT.

unknown number
hello everyone! it's kai slade, the new media director. i just want to get to know you all better before the season officially starts.

Paige smiles at the text message before making Kai a contact in her phone. Everyone in the group chat started to respond to Kai. Paige doesn't respond, she watches as the other players start to ask Kai questions and whatnot. Paige sighs and goes to start an individual conversation with the brunette.

bueckers
hi kai :)

kai
wow, can't believe you didn't call me by my last name, bueckers.

bueckers
that can be arranged, slade.

kai
there's the paige bueckers i know :)

bueckers
oh yeah? you just meet me and you think you know me ;)

kai
i will slap you.

bueckers
promise?

Paige didn't get a response from Kai after that last text. Kai smirks at the text message when a knock sounded at her door. Kai's eyebrows furrow together wondering who could be at her door. Kai gets up from her bed and opens the door to reveal one of the players, "Wassup, I'm KK." The player says. Kai stifles a laugh. "How did you find out where I live?" Kai asks while opening the door to let KK inside.

"I have my sources." She answers vaguely, "you're lucky you're a player or I would've fucked you up." Kai says seriously but jokingly as well. KK snorts as she looks around the dorm room. "So, you got a dorm room all to yourself." KK said making conversation with the media director.

"Is there a reason you're here, KK?" Kai asks with a laugh knowing KK has something else going on. "I was about to head to Paige and Ice's room, do you wanna come with?"

Kai raises an eyebrow before nodding. KK smiles and shoots out of the door, "KK!" Kai yells after her, quickly grabbing her keys. KK was already down the hall and waiting by the elevator, these players are too fast for Kai's liking. Kai pants as she catches up to KK just as the elevator doors were opening. "I have no stamina." Kai points out as if KK didn't notice already.

"I'm just saying, she's so mesmerizing." Kai hears Paige's voice as KK doesn't bother to knock on the door. "Who's so mesmerizing?" KK asks while flopping onto Paige's bed. "Oh, just the new-"

Ice gets cut off by a pillow thrown by Paige. "Hi, Kai." Paige says making it known to Ice that the girl they were just talking about is in their dorm room. "Hey?" She questions in response at the weird behavior from the blonde. Kai awkwardly stands in the room not wanting to intrude on the players space. "KK, get off my bed. Let Kai come on." Paige says while kicking the back of KK. KK falls off the bed dramatically before trudging over to Ice's bed.

Paige pats the bed for Kai to take. Kai smiles before climbing onto the raised bed. "So, Kai, what's your story?"

-

An alarm clock blasts in the room startling Kai awake. She never uses alarms, so where was this coming from. Kai groans as she sits up in the bed. There was a blonde girl next to her, she must've fallen asleep in her bed. "Paige." Kai whispers while poking her. Paige groans but stays asleep.

"Bueckers!" Kai yells in Paige's ear making her jolt up and collide with Kai's forehead. "Fucking idiot!" Kai says while holding her forehead. "You're the one that screamed in my ear, Slade!" Paige retorts as she silences the alarm coming from her phone. "Shit, we have early practice today." Paige curses and throws the bedding off of her body revealing the boxers and sports bra she wore.

Kai's cheeks go red at Paige's body, she didn't realize how good Paige looked. "Kai!" Ice yelled pulling Kai out of her trance. "What?" Kai questions.

"You have to be at all of our practices." Paige finishes for Ice, "I'm not gonna have time to get ready!" She retorts to the blonde. Paige sighs and grabs some sweatpants and a UConn shirt before throwing it at Kai. "Hurry up!"

Kai grumbles but shimmies out of her clothes and into Paige's. Kai is immediately engulfed in Paige's scent. She didn't have much time to bask in it as Ice, KK, and Paige were already heading out the door. Kai rushes out behind them as they start jogging to the gym, even though they were gonna be late either way. Kai falls behind as cardio was never her strong suit.

The three players stop to wait for her but Kai fans them on to go. Kai walks sluggishly into the gym seeing all the players already warming up for practice. The players stop as they watch Kai walk in clad in Paige's clothes. Kai doesn't realize that everyone was gawking at her. Kai waves at the players while walking into her office before noticing that she forgot to bring all the stuff she bought at target with her.

Kai sits down in her office chair finally getting able to take in her outfit of Paige's grey sweatpants and a black short sleeve shirt with a husky on it with UConn below it. Kai smirks knowing she's never gonna give this back to Paige.

After about an hour of chilling in her office and getting things ready for the season she heads out to the gym to see the girls taking a break. "Hello, ladies. Don't forget that we have a media day coming up soon. So that means to show up in your uniforms, makeup done, and hair done. Do not be late!" Kai says and puts a lot of emphasis on the 'do not be late' part.

The girls nod with a laugh at Kai's attempt of being stern.

The UConn's women basketball team was going to be the death of Kai Slade.