Chapter Text
The Las Vegas Aces' 64,000 square foot practice facility gym echoed with the rhythmic thuds of basketballs and the sharp squeak of sneakers against polished wood. Bianca Belair, the team's star guard, led the drills, her focus unwavering, her powerful presence commanding the court. Her teammates followed her lead, their movements synchronized and precise. They trusted her, relied on her to set the tone, to drive them toward another championship year.
Bianca's brow glistened with sweat as she weaved through the cones, her muscles moving in seamless coordination. They were in the midst of one of their best seasons yet, a testament to the strong bonds her team shared both on and off the court. Their hard work was paying off in victories and cohesion, making each practice session more intense and rewarding than ever.
As a seasoned six-year veteran, Bianca thrived in this environment. On the court, she felt at home. It was her safe place, her sanctuary. She loved what she did and took immense pride in leading her team. There was never a question about her dedication and passion for the game. "Come on, hustle!" Bianca called out as the team practiced drills.
In the mist of their practices, the double doors of the gym swung open. Bianca turned, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Jade Cargill striding in alongside their Coach Rebecca. Jade, with her chiseled physique and confident gait, immediately drew attention and shifted the energy in the room. Whispers rippled through the team, confusion etched on every face.
"I know they didn’t…" one of her teammates murmured, but Bianca's mind was already racing. Jade was a powerhouse, an aggressive forward who had been recently waived by the Atlanta Dream. It had been a shock to the league, but rumors had circulated about clashes with her head coach and her belief that she was the only one pulling her weight.
Bianca's stomach tightened. She had faced Jade on the court multiple times before, but they had only met in passing. There had been no personal connection, just a professional rivalry. Yet, there had always been something about Jade that rubbed her the wrong way, something about her cockiness and the way she carried herself.
"Huddle up," Becky signaled, drawing the team into a tight circle. Bianca moved to the front, her eyes locked on Jade, who stood with an amused smirk playing on her lips.
"Coach, what's going on?" Bianca questioned, her voice sharp with confusion.
Coach Hammon stepped forward, her expression calm but firm. "With Kierstan taking leave, we had a spot we needed to fill," she explained. “I couldn’t talk about it until the ink was dry but we’re bringing Jade to the Aces” She announced.
Bianca felt a surge of irritation. "Absolutely not," she protested, shaking her head. The idea of Jade joining their team with her reputation immediately unnerved her. Jade's smirk widened, as she crossed her arms over her chest, clearly enjoying Bianca's agitation. The tension between them was heavy in the air. Bianca knew Jade was aware of her disdain; after all, she had made a few snarky comments to the media after games when asked about Jade and vice versa.
"It's non-negotiable, Belair. It's a done deal," Coach Hammon said firmly, her gaze steady. "Welcome our new forward."
Bianca's jaw clenched. She could feel her teammates' eyes on her, waiting to see how she would react. She was their leader, and her response would set the tone for the team. She forced a tight-lipped smile, the effort of it almost painful. "Welcome to the team." She tried her best to put her best face forward. Coach Hammon cut her eyes to Bianca, silently urging her to set aside her personal feelings for the sake of the team, believing that Bianca could be a good influence on Jade. With her on the team, they would be unstoppable at winning their 3rd championship title. "I trust that we’ll make sure Jade feels welcomed," she added, a subtle warning clear in her tone.
Bianca nodded, though the forced smile never reached her eyes. "Of course," she repeated, her voice steadier this time but no less strained.
As practice resumed, Jade immediately began to assert her dominance, she didn’t wait for an invitation. She grabbed a ball and started shooting, her form perfect, each shot swishing through the net. Despite Bianca’s guidance and play call outs, she hogged the ball more than she passed, ignoring her teammates' calls for passes. Her shots were flawless, her offensive game unstoppable, but her teamwork was non-existent.
"This ain’t gone work," Naomi, another guard on the team, commented as they watched Jade shoot around during a break. Bianca remained silent, her eyes fixed on Jade. She knew the team would follow her lead in welcoming Jade, so she knew she needed to be careful in her response. Bianca hoped against what she had read and experienced on the court with Jade as opponents, maybe by displaying some showmanship, Jade would see that they were a team that worked together and would want to be a part of that versus a one-woman all-star team.
Once practice had ended, Bianca approached Jade, hoping to extend an olive branch. The team settled into the locker room gathering their things to shower and head out for the day. She watched as Jade stood in front of her cubby, her back to Bianca. Jade's muscular arms flexed as she reached up, releasing her silver strands from the ponytail she had worn during practice. "Hey” Bianca made her presence known. “The team is going to grab food. You should come, get to know everybody," she proposed, moving closer to Jade.
"Nah, I’m good," Jade declined without turning around, her tone dismissive. Bianca stood in silence for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Everybody on the team is pretty close. We try to make sure we stay connected off the court too; it helps us play better on the court. You sure you don’t want to at least grab a drink, break the ice?" she tried again.
Jade finally turned around, her gaze coolly assessing Bianca from head to toe. There was no denying Bianca's beauty, coupled with a confident and powerful aura that commanded respect. Jade had always relished the challenge of playing against her; their matchups were intense, and Bianca consistently brought her A-game to the court, but despite that Jade didn't see herself as needing friends or guidance from her new teammates. Instead, she needed them to respect her space and trust her to do what she knew best.
"Thanks for the invite, but... I'll pass," Jade declined again, her voice dry and tinged with a hint of detached professionalism. Bianca's patience was already wearing thin, but she decided to compliment her plays, hoping to bridge the gap. "You made some great plays out there," she said, her voice sincere. "Even though they weren’t part of the original drills, they were impressive."
"Did you expect anything less?" Jade replied curtly, clearly uninterested in hopes of thwarting the small talk. “I already said I’d pass your invitation, did you need something else?”
Bianca wasn't used to someone frustrating her this much on sight. Jade's presence was a new challenge, one she hadn't anticipated. She took another deep breath, steeling herself. "Well, since you’re in a passing mood, maybe keep that in mind when on the court when it comes to the ball," she warned, her tone firmer.
Jade's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don’t like me, do you?" she asked directly with an already knowing smirk.
"I don’t even know you, but I do know we have a good dynamic on this team. Nobody is going to disrupt that." Bianca replied.
Jade smirked, a challenging glint in her eyes. "Listen, just worry about doing your job and I’ll do mine. I’m not here to make friends; I’m here to play ball."
They stood in a silent standoff, the air between them crowded with unresolved tension. Bianca refused to back down, her gaze steady and unyielding.
"Yo B, Coach is looking for you," Syd interrupted, breaking the tense moment. Bianca tore her gaze away from Jade, nodding at Syd. She cut her eyes back to Jade, signaling that this wasn’t over. Jade gave a slight wave, knowing it would agitate Bianca even further. Bianca walked away to find Coach Hammon, she couldn't shake the frustration gnawing at her while Jade gathered her gym bag and exited the practice center.
Bianca knew this was only the beginning. Jade's presence would challenge the team's harmony, and it would take all her strength and leadership to keep her from interjecting her attitude in what they had. She knew it wouldn't be easy. Jade was a force to be reckoned with, but Bianca had never met a challenge that she had backed down from and she wasn’t going to start with Jade.
“Aye, did you see this?” Naomi asked, her eyes wide as she held up her phone. They were seated at one of their favorite spots in Las Vegas, the trendy restaurant "Sage & Honey." The dim lighting and soft buzz of conversation around them usually provided a relaxing atmosphere for the team to unwind but the presence of their new teammate had made the mood a bit more tense.
Bianca looked up from her plate, curiosity piqued. Naomi passed her the phone, and Bianca leaned in to watch the video playing on the screen. It was a live stream of Jade, fresh off her announcement about joining the Aces.
“When people say they don’t like me, I gotta put on glasses... to see if I give a fuuuuuck,” Jade laughed, her tone dripping with mockery. Her viewers loved it, the comments section filling with laughter and applause emojis. It was clear Jade was aiming this dig at Bianca, a reaction to their earlier conversation.
Bianca felt a surge of irritation, her jaw tightening as she handed the phone back to Naomi. “Did Coach Hammon say why she was waived? She was literally their best player,” Kate, one of the rookies, asked, her wide eyes reflecting the curiosity and concern of the whole team.
Bianca took a deep breath, trying to temper her frustration. “I didn’t ask, but you see how she acts. I’m sure that has something to do with it.” Her voice was controlled, but the underlying annoyance was hard to miss. Jade’s attitude was going to be a thorn in her side, and the last thing she wanted was that negativity infecting their team.
She glanced around the table, noticing the unease on her teammates' faces. They looked to her for reassurance, and as their leader, it was her job to provide it. She couldn’t let her personal feelings cloud her judgment or spread any negativity among them.
“Hey, look,” Bianca began, her voice firm yet calm, “we’re going to continue to do what we do, make sure we continue to dominate this conference. Jade is either going to have to fall in line with what we have going on, or she can bounce. Coach isn’t going to let anybody bring this team down, no matter how good they are, so don’t worry.”
Her words had the desired effect. The team nodded, their expressions easing as they absorbed her confidence. Bianca forced a smile, trying to project the optimism she knew they needed. Inside, though, she was wrestling with her own doubts. Jade’s arrival threatened to disrupt the harmony they had worked so hard to build, and Bianca wasn’t sure how to handle it.
The rest of the meal passed in a blur for Bianca. She laughed and chatted with her teammates, but her mind kept drifting back to Jade’s smug face and the challenge she represented.
After dinner, as they walked out into the cool Las Vegas night, Naomi fell into step beside Bianca. “You okay, B?” she asked softly, her concern evident.
“Yeah,” Bianca replied, though the word felt hollow. “I just... you know it’s hard for people to get under my skin but..Jade is about to test that, I can feel it..”
Naomi nodded, understanding. “Listen, if anybody can charm somebody into submission it’s you. Don’t worry about her. We’ve got your back and we follow your lead. And if Jade wants to be part of this team, she’ll have to adjust like you said.” Bianca nodded appreciating her supportive words.
“Switching gears to a more pleasant topic, how is it going with Sasha? You haven’t been saying a lot, and we know that’s not like you,” Naomi teased her friend.
Bianca sighed softly, the tension of practice still lingering in her muscles. “It’s only been a couple of months, but it’s been really good so far. She’s cool, smart and beautiful…”
“But…” Naomi prompted, raising an eyebrow and what she felt were lingering words in the air.
Bianca chuckled, trying to brush off the unspoken question. “But nothing, really. It’s been nice getting to know her. She’s thoughtful, too. Last weekend, she planned this amazing dinner date for us, just the two of us under the stars. It was... really special.”
“Sounds romantic,” Naomi remarked, her tone light but eyes searching.
“Yeah, it was,” Bianca agreed with a smile, though Naomi's probing gaze didn't go unnoticed.
Naomi studied her teammate for a moment longer, sensing there was more beneath the surface but choosing not to press further. “Well, I’m glad to hear it’s going well.”
“Thanks, Nay,” Bianca said genuinely, grateful for her support. As they parted ways for the evening, Bianca couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease. Sasha was everything she could want in a partner—kind, understanding to her demanding schedule. Sasha was the best option she’d had in a while, and Bianca was determined to see where it could lead. She checked off all the boxes she had for a partner, and she genuinely liked her. A lot of her friends were getting engaged or starting families and she was hoping that her turn had finally arrived.
Meanwhile, in the private gym of the lavishly furnished home Jade had rented in Las Vegas, the faint echo of bouncing basketballs filled the air. Alone on the court, Jade moved with purpose, her movements calculated and controlled. The rhythmic sound of the ball hitting the hardwood was punctuated by the occasional swish of a successful shot.
She had always prided herself on her dedication to the game. Being waived by the Atlanta Dream, her former team, had stung—not because she doubted her skills, but because of the perception that she lacked in some kind of way. Her former coach had taken heat for the decision, but Jade still felt a pang of embarrassment.
Despite her outward confidence and bold demeanor, Jade was acutely aware of how perceptions shape careers. She was outspoken, driven, and sometimes aggressive—a byproduct of her relentless pursuit of excellence. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about team dynamics or camaraderie; she simply believed that winning was the ultimate validation.
As she dribbled the ball down the court, her mind replayed the critiques and accolades she had received throughout her career. People might not like her, but they could never say she wasn’t one of the best in the game. That’s what mattered most to Jade—the legacy she would leave on the WNBA, the imprint of her dominance etched into the league’s history.
She paused, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Jade knew she had a reputation for being hard to deal with, both on and off the court. She had mastered the art of keeping people at arm’s length, of deflecting scrutiny or judgment with a well-timed smile or a dismissive comment.
Moving to Las Vegas and joining the Aces was a new chapter in her career, but Jade had no intentions of changing her approach. She didn’t need friends to achieve greatness. She didn’t have to soften her edges or play nice to win games. As long as she showed up on the court and delivered, that was all that mattered.