You drafted my heart - Nika Mühl (Eng. version)

Chapter 10 - Here we go again

05:45 AM - March 23, 2022.

San Antonio, Texas.

The sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting golden patterns in my hotel room as I wrestled between sleep and consciousness. But even still immersed in dreams, my heart was already beating faster, a nervous anticipation spreading through my body.

It was the day of the game against Michigan for the second round of the regional, and I knew I couldn't afford to sleep any longer.

With a sigh, I finally forced myself to open my eyes, finding the familiar white ceiling staring back at me. I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes as I tried to shake off the sleepiness. The memory of the previous game against Middle Tennessee still echoed in my mind, a whirlwind of emotions and memories swirling around.

The 87-62 victory had been incredible, a true spectacle of teamwork. I had played with everything I had, leading Providence to victory with a performance that even surprised myself. But now, facing Michigan, I knew we needed to do it all over again, and better.

Getting up with renewed energy after a good night's sleep, I began my morning routine. I walked to the bathroom, letting the hot water from the shower calm my nerves. Each drop that fell on me seemed to wash away some of the anxiety, mentally preparing me for what lay ahead.

After the refreshing shower, I wrapped myself in a soft towel, feeling more awake and focused. I chose my travel tracksuit carefully, feeling a wave of confidence envelop me as I got dressed.

It was then that the shrill sound of my phone cut through the air, breaking the silence in my room and pulling me abruptly from my thoughts about the game. My muscles tensed automatically, my heart racing as I struggled to identify the source of the intrusive noise.

Let me tell you, it's not pleasant to be pulled out of the state of concentration and focus that I had meticulously built. But in the world of basketball, you learn to expect the unexpected, even when all you want is a moment of peace before a crucial match.

I looked around the room, trying to locate the damn phone that had interrupted my brief moment of tranquility. It was somewhere here, I was sure of it.

My gym bag! Yes, that's where I used to leave the phone when I was too tired and just came straight from practice to my bed. I got up quickly, my bare feet touching the cold floor as I crossed the room towards my bag.

With trembling hands, I rummaged through the contents of the bag, ignoring the mix of uniforms and training equipment until my fingers finally found the phone. I pulled it out with a sigh of relief, feeling a twinge of frustration at the delay this little distraction had caused.

I looked at the illuminated screen, my heart warming at the sight of the name "Nika" flashing on it. Since the day we sorted things out between us, we hadn't been able to see each other in person, but she always found a way to make herself present.

"Hello?" my voice sounded a bit hoarse, reflecting the tension that still echoed within me.

"Baby! I finally managed to catch you!" Nika's excited voice came from the other end of the line, vibrating with the same contagious energy that always made me smile.

"Hey, baby," I replied, yes, we were already using nicknames for each other, my tone instantly softening at the sound of her voice. "Sorry I didn't answer earlier, I was kinda busy."

"No problem, I know you should be getting ready for the big game today," she said sincerely, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "But I just wanted talk with you before you go into 100% basketball mode."