I'm awoken today not by the sound of my alarm, or the sunlight on my face, but from a text-tone coming from my phone. My eyes flutter open and I orient myself to my surroundings, which is just my same old room that I wake up to almost every morning. I would say all the time, but there have been times where I awake in other peoples beds, mostly Lizzie's. 

Hailee: good morning, just wanted to check in with you so I know you got home safe!

I sit at the edge of my bed smiling at my phone, slightly kicking my feet. No one should already be swinging their feet back and forth this quick, I mean, we just had a small conversation last night but how can you blame me?

Jayden: hey thanks for asking, i am currently responding to you from the comfort of my own bed, if that answers your question. 

I press send and wait to see if the grey bubble indicating that she's typing pops up, and it doesn't, making me feel like I need to send something else. My mind travels back to last night, recalling her complimenting me as she left Lizzie's party, so I decide to return the favor. Is this okay to send? Double texting is bad Jay, gosh this is so hard already. It's only been 5 minutes since I woke up and my internal dialogue is already going crazy.

Jayden: you looked great last night by the way

Hailee: you're so sweet :) 

Hailee: and i guess you can say we are twins because im here in my bed too. except im not alone.

What? Did she sleep with someone last night? And why would she be sharing this with me? I thought we hit it off last night.

Jayden: Is that so?

Hailee: [Attachment 1 Image]

I feel my cheeks lift closer to my eyes as I smile at the picture Hailee just sent. I've never wanted to be a dog so bad. 

Jayden: who am i looking at here?

Hailee: martini! or teenie as i like to call her. shes my little baby

Jayden: shes a cutie, and youre hearing that coming from a cat person

Hailee: ill tell her you said that lol!

Hailee: hey i also wanted to ask if you were going to the People's Choice Awards tomorrow night? I saw you were nominated for female athlete of the year congrats!! 

The People's Choice Awards. An event I dread going to. This is the third time I'm invited and my past two experiences have been far from great. I'm not quite the fan of award shows, as they consist of literally just sitting at a table while names are read and speeches are made. Big woop. And no, I'm not salty because of my lack of awards, I'm salty at the unfairness and bias of these events, at least thats what my Dad told me when I was young. He was a pretty well known producer for many artists in his day. 

Jayden: oh uh thanks, yeah ill be there. wbu?

Shit. I didn't even check to see if she's nominated for anything being too busy hating on award ceremonies, and it's not even like I check the nominees anyways. I pull to Safari to quickly search the nominees. 

Nominees:

The Bachelor

Outer Banks

This is Us

Dickinson

Tiger King

Grey's Anatomy

Nominees:

Dynamite - BTS

Blinding Lights - The Weeknd

Rain on Me - Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande

Life is Good - Future & Drake

Holy - Justin Beiber & Chance the Rapper

Afterlife - Hailee Steinfeld

She's nominated for two categories, and I am not even surprised. She's so talented, so there's no doubt I'll see her at the ceremony tomorrow. For my own pleasure, I go to check the nominees for Female Athlete of the Year. 

Nominees:

Simone Biles

Serena Williams

Alex Morgan

Naomi Osaka

Jayden Carter

When I read the last name after mine, pinch the bridge of my nose. 

Maya Higgins

It comes to no surprise to see her name here. She's a great athlete I'll give her that. But she plays for our rivals, Phoenix Mercury. We were both in the same class for the 2016 WNBA Draft. She was the #1 pick and I was the #2 pick, which means nothing to me, but I hate the way she always comes out on top. What the fans and people watching at home don't see is her poor sportsman ship for anyone who gets in her way, which most of the time is me who she decides to pick on. I don't blame her I guess, theres a lot to pick on about me. Starting with the fact that I have a third leg down there, oh and I'm not straight. Oh right and I have childhood and family issues, something I don't talk about often but it somehow still bites me in the face. It takes a lot in me not to deck her in the face when we play against the Mercury, but I believe in being the bigger person and not hitting back. 

I'm distracted from my thoughts when Hailee answers me back.

Hailee: yeah i'll be there, so excited to see you i hope we have the chance to say hi. 

Jayden: so do i, and congrats on the two nominations!

Hailee: thanks jay :) see you tmrw!

With that, I long press on the message and give it a heart. I love that feature. The People's Choice Awards wasn't something I thought I would be thinking about this early in the morning, and this conversation with Hailee only added to my mixed feelings about the event. Of course I'm excited to see her, but being nominated in the same category as someone I very much dislike is making me feel angry as well. 

And there's no better way to help deal with my emotions with the greatest escape I know, which is basketball, the sport that I love with my whole heart. I lay my phone on the bed and head into my walk-in closet to put on some athletic clothes when I see my phone light up. Almost tripping on my boxers, I hover over my bed to see who it is, secretly hoping it's Hailee. 

Lizzie: my head.. is pounding.. can you come over i feel like i just got hit by a truck....

Jayden: someone's hungover 

Lizzie: no shit. happy birthday to me

Jayden: ill be there after practice, ill bring you medicine and hangover food

Lizzie: you're the best what would i do without you

Jayden: dont get all gushy now.... just a thank you is sufficient

Lizzie: <3

---

Practice went well, succeeding in drowning out the thoughts of tomorrow night. I got to see some of my teammates, having a little extra fun away from the routine drills. I got to rebound for a while, switching on and off between my team members. 

On the way home, or should I say on the way to Lizzie's, I stopped by Walgreens for some medicine and some bagels and orange juice from Einstein Bagels for her. I let myself in since I have a key and find a small Lizzie curled up in her bed, face pale and eyes bloodshot. 

"Your hangover cure has been served, Olsen." I say while bowing down like a knight in Medieval times. 

"I can't thank you enough Jay, thank you a million times." She says while sipping on the orange juice. 

We catch up a bit and reminisce about the party and I almost choke on my water when she gasps out loud. 

"Oh my god Jayden!! I was so caught up in everything last night I forgot to introduce you to-"

"Hailee, I know." I cut her off. 

"You guys met last night?" 

"Yeah I took a breather outside and found her out there on the phone, she was talking to some guy name Gavin? Garrett?"

"Griffin Jay, her older brother." She informs me while giggling. 

"Yeah yeah I was too focused on something else. And no not like that."

"Whatever you say, Jay." She says while rhyming. 

Theres a silence between us that isn't quite comfortable, and I can't help but wonder how Lizzie would feel if Hailee and I really do become something, meaning Lizzie and I couldn't mess around anymore. 

"What are you thinking of?" Lizzie asks me while staring. Thankfully I'm not talking to Wanda right now, and my mind is not able to be read. 

"Oh um nothing, just thinking about meeting her last night. Yeah. She was really sweet, we only spoke for a little while though but we texted this morning."

"Isn't she so pretty Jayden. Tell me I did a good job!" Lizzie says while looking at me with a fake pout face. 

"I'll get back to you on that one, and yeah.. she's real pretty. But for now so far so good, I'm seeing her tomorrow at the People's Choice Awards, and I would hope to eventually see her again just us two." I tell her honestly. 

"Omg the PCA's! I'm so excited, I'll be cheering for you from home!" She says while doing a little clap. 

"Sure. But next year you're joining me, I know WandaVision is gonna be such a powerhouse at award shows." 

The silence grows again, yet this time there's a feeling of pride and proudness in the air.

"Who would have thought, Jay." She looks up at me.

"Thought what?" I ask confused.

"The two of us. Sitting here talking about the awards we are going to win. It seems like yesterday we were in high school studying for chemistry together on my bed. You were quizzing me with my note cards, telling me we should study human anatomy instead." I jokingly rolled my eyes at the last part. Nothing sexual happened between us until college but there were times in high school were we just wanted to go all the way, but we were young and scared, scared for what it would do to the friendship we cherished so much. 

"I'm proud of you, Lizzie. Proud of us. We've come a long way." I tell her lovingly, noticing happy tears forming in her eyes. 

"I love you Jay, so so much. I'm so happy you've been such a constant thing in my life. I know I tell you this all the time and you're probably sick of hearing it but I'm so lucky to have you. Even just on days like today where I can rely on you to bring me Tylenol and a bagel for crying out loud."

"I love you too Lizzie, lots. Friends before anything." I say while sticking out my pinky.

"Friends before anything." She replies, while looping her pinky into mine. 

1792 words

ANGELS in the early morning

May be seen the dews among,

Stooping, plucking, smiling, flying:

Do the buds to them belong? 

 Angels when the sun is hottest

May be seen the sands among,

Stooping, plucking, sighing, flying;

Parched the flowers they bear along.

- Emily Dickinson