Chapter Twenty-Two

Six months later...

A'ja Wilson-Love

The arena buzzed with an energy that made my heart race, even as I sat courtside with Halo perched on my lap. The NCAA Championship game was always special, but this one hit different. LSU and South Carolina had battled twice already this season, and both times had been absolute dogfights. This third meeting wasn't just for bragging rights—it was for the title.

"Alright, baby girl, who are we cheering for tonight?" I asked Halo, smoothing her little ponytail.

"Dawny!" she yelled, throwing her tiny fist in the air.

I grinned, giving her a high five. "That's my girl."

From the seat next to me, Angel shot me a look, her purple-and-gold LSU Tigers jacket gleaming under the lights.

"Don't act like you ain't secretly cheering for us," Angel teased, leaning over to steal some of Halo's popcorn. "You know we're taking this one."

"Yeah, right," I said, rolling my eyes. "I only tolerate y'all because of you abd Aneesah. But don't get it twisted—South Carolina runs this."

Angel laughed, shaking her head. "You forget Dawn recruited me too. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have met Raven. Or you."

I smirked. "And look how that turned out—y'all still catching L's from us in the regular season."

Angel groaned dramatically, and Halo giggled, clearly enjoying our back-and-forth.

The game tipped off, and the intensity was immediate. LSU came out swinging, their shooters hot from the jump, but South Carolina wasn't backing down. Every bucket, every defensive stop, had the crowd roaring.

By halftime, the score was deadlocked, both teams refusing to give an inch. The break gave us a chance to stretch our legs and mingle.

Halo ran ahead, weaving through the VIP lounge, her excitement contagious. I kept a close eye on her as Angel and I made our way through the crowd, stopping to chat with familiar faces.

"A'ja!"

I turned to see LeBron approaching with his signature grin.

"Wassup Bron!" I said, pulling him into a hug.

Angel greeted him too, and we fell into an easy conversation about the game, the league, and life.

"And who's this little superstar?" He asked, crouching to Halo's level.

"This is Halo," Angel said proudly. "She's my mini-me, but she likes hanging with Godmommy more."

"She's got good taste," I added, earning a laugh from LeBron.

Our chat was interrupted when my eyes drifted across the room. Standing at the far end of the lounge was Jordy.

She looked different—not in any drastic way, but in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on. Her hair was a little longer, and her hoodie-and-joggers combo was as effortless as ever. She was talking to someone, her posture relaxed, but when her eyes met mine, her expression changed.

It wasn't anger or sadness—just a kind of... stillness.

I held her gaze for a moment before looking away, my stomach knotting.

"You good?" Angel asked, her voice low.

"Yeah," I said quickly. "Let's get back to our seats."

The second half was just as intense as the first, the two teams trading buckets and momentum swings. Every time LSU looked like they were pulling away, South Carolina would answer with a clutch shot or a key defensive stop.

Halo bounced between cheering for South Carolina and clapping politely whenever Angel got hyped for LSU.

"This is basketball at its finest," Angel said, leaning back in her seat during a timeout. "Can't even be mad either way."

"Speak for yourself," I shot back. "South Carolina's taking this."

Angel smirked. "You better hope so. Otherwise, I'm never letting you live this down."

When the final buzzer sounded, LSU came out on top, their players mobbing each other on the court as confetti rained down. Angel was on her feet, yelling and clapping, while I slumped back in my chair, shaking my head.

"You see that?" Angel hollered, her phone already out to record the celebration. "That's what a championship team looks like!"

"Y'all got lucky," I muttered, though I couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips.

Later That Night

Social media was on fire.

Photos and videos of me and Jordyn being in the same arena—let alone the same lounge—had gone viral.

"A'ja Wilson and Jordyn Love Seen Together for the First Time in Months—Power Couple Goals!"

"Still Going Strong? A'ja and Jordyn Cheer on the NCAA Championship!"

The public didn't know the truth. To them, Jordyn and I were still happily married, just more private about our relationship. Our appearance at the game only fueled the narrative.

But they didn't know about the silence, the distance, the heartache.

They didn't know that the last time we'd truly been in the same room together was over seven months ago.

The echoes of the game buzzed in my ears as Angel and I left the arena. Halo was perched on her mom's hip, babbling about "the big tiger" she'd seen on the LSU cheerleaders' banner. Angel smiled softly, adjusting Halo's jacket as we stepped into the cool night air.

"You good?" Angel asked, glancing over at me.

I nodded, tucking my hands into my hoodie pockets. "Yeah, just tired. That game was wild."

Angel smirked. "Three times this year, and y'all still can't handle us."

"Don't start," I warned, though a grin tugged at my lips. "Y'all got lucky. Next time South Carolina's running through LSU."

Halo perked up. "I like South Carolina and LSU" clapping her hands.

"Traitor," Angel said, feigning betrayal as she bounced Halo gently. "You can't root for her and me!"

"Can too!" Halo declared, her small voice decisive.

Angel and I both laughed. It was moments like this that reminded me why we all called her "Little Halo." Her bright spirit could light up a room, even after a heated game.

The crowd was still buzzing as we made our way to the parking lot, a mix of fans, athletes, and media milling about. I kept my head down, hoping to avoid any cameras, but of course, that was wishful thinking.

"Yo, Angel Reese! A'ja!" someone shouted, and before I could react, a group of kids swarmed us, holding out phones and Sharpies.

Angel handled it like a pro, smiling and taking pictures while keeping Halo securely on her hip. I followed her lead, signing jerseys and snapping quick selfies.

"Your mama's a superstar," I said to Halo, who grinned up at me.

"She knows," Angel replied with a laugh, before nudging me. "Speaking of stars, look who's over there."

I followed her gaze to the far end of the court, where Jordyn stood near Kah.

Jordyn.

Even from a distance, she looked the same—poised, confident, and completely unaffected by the chaos around her. For a moment, our eyes met, and I felt that familiar pang in my chest.

"You gonna say something?" Angel asked, her tone light but curious.

"Nope," I said quickly, turning my attention back to Halo.

Angel raised an eyebrow but didn't push. Instead, she shifted Halo to her other hip and started walking toward the car.

"Come on," she said. "Let's get out of here before they start asking about y'all."

———

Halo was out cold in the backseat by the time we hit the highway. I stared out the window, my mind drifting as Angel hummed along to the soft music playing on the radio.

"You alright?" Angel asked after a while, breaking the silence.

"I'm fine," I said, though my voice lacked conviction.

Angel glanced at me, her eyes narrowing. "You know, you don't have to pretend with me, right?"

"I'm not pretending," I said, a little too quickly.

"Uh-huh." She didn't sound convinced.

I sighed, leaning my head back against the seat. "It's just weird seeing her, that's all."

Angel nodded, her hands steady on the wheel. "Yeah, I figured. It's been what? Seven months?"

"Something like that," I muttered.

To everyone else, it probably looked like nothing had changed between Jordyn and me. We'd been quiet, private, the way we'd always been. But the truth was, we hadn't spoken since September.

"I don't know how you do it," Angel said after a moment.

"Do what?"

"Keep it all in," she said, glancing at me briefly. "I'd have cracked by now."

I shrugged. "What's the point in talking about it? What's done is done."

Angel didn't reply right away, but I could feel her thinking.

"Well," she said eventually, "if you ever decide you wanna talk, you know where to find me."

When we got back to Angel's place, I carried Halo inside, careful not to wake her as I tucked her into bed.

"She's getting so big," I said softly, brushing a curl from her forehead.

"Tell me about it," Angel replied, leaning against the doorway. "She's gonna be running the world before we know it."

We both chuckled, but the weight of the night lingered in the air.

"You want a drink or something?" Angel asked as we headed to the kitchen.

"Water's fine," I said, sitting at the island.

Angel grabbed two bottles from the fridge and handed one to me before sitting across from me.

"So," she said, her tone casual but her eyes sharp. "You gonna ignore what happened tonight, or are we actually gonna talk about it?"

I groaned. "Can we not?"

"Nope," she said, popping the "p" with a smirk. "You know me better than that."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Fine. What do you wanna know?"

Angel tilted her head, studying me. "What did you feel when you saw her?"

I hesitated, my fingers tracing the condensation on my water bottle. "I don't know," I admitted. "It was... complicated."

"That's not an answer," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's the truth," I said with a shrug. "I mean, yeah, it hurt seeing her. But it's not like I wasn't expecting it. We both knew this would happen eventually."

Angel nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful.

"And what happens now?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing. We go back to doing what we've been doing—living our lives."

Angel didn't look convinced, but she didn't press further.

"Alright," she said, standing up and stretching. "But don't think this conversation is over."

I chuckled softly. "Wouldn't dream of it."

As I headed to home that night, Angel's words stayed with me. What happens now?

I didn't have an answer. But for the first time in months, I found myself wondering what it would be like to find one.

Excuse all errors Ajah 🤍