IMGONNAGETYOUBACK - NIKA MÜHL

007

Violet | April 27th, 2024

Once the meeting was finished, I fell back on my bed in my empty room, sighing as I looked around at the bare walls. This would be the last night I ever slept in this room; in this city. I reminisced on all of the memories I made here with my best friends, and felt extremely emotional.

The emotions made for a horrible sense of loneliness, wishing that my friends were still here. I called Georgia, because I figured she was the only one who would answer.

Now time zones made absolutely zero sense to me, but I knew she was considerably far ahead of me, so I hoped that it was late enough here for her to be awake. I wasn't necessarily expecting her to answer, but she did on the first ring, which surprised me.

"What's up, Vi?" She greeted, her face showing up on my phone. She looked right into the camera, smiling brightly.

My mood immediately brightened as it did every time I talked to Georgia. She was the funniest person I knew and would always be someone I loved dearly, because she had the ability to cheer you up at any given moment.

I had a lot of close basketball friends whom I loved deeply, but they were all very different in my mind. Liz was my best friend, like a sister, who I could talk to about anything. Azzi was like a mentor, always available to give me advice or even just a shoulder to cry on. Georgia was like the sun, radiant and ever-present, spreading endless joy to everyone; I had felt for the whole time I've known her, that without her, I would be lost.

"I'm just finishing packing right now, and don't want to be alone," I responded sheepishly. The empty room felt like a darkness, surrounding me without warning, but Georgia was like a light at the end of a tunnel, a promised lifeline to grasp onto.

"Sounds good, Lovey," she smiled, never asking why but always lifting my mood: "My family left me home alone anyways, which is odd considering I live in a whole other continent for most of the year but yeah, go ahead and leave during the two months that I'm home," she rambled exasperatedly, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

I laughed whole-heartedly, grateful for someone like her in my life.

"But that's just me; how was your day?" She asked.

"Pretty boring. This afternoon, I had—oh, wait," I blurted, shutting my mouth. I hadn't broken the news to Georgia yet that I was going to UConn. "I need to tell you something..."

"Oh no, what is it? Please don't tell me you have a crush on me. Look, Violet, I love you a lot but just not like that. I really value our friendship, though. Damn it, every time I talk to someone it's like they fall in love with me...what did I do to deserve this disastrous fate? I'm exhausted." She sighed dramatically.

I burst out laughing at her obviously satirical rant, incapable of seriousness around Georgia. "Close, but no."

"Oh, thank God."

"I met with Geno Auriemma, the head coach of the UConn women's basketball team a few days ago. He had requested to meet me and talk about the program with me. I really think it's gonna be a good fit, Georgia..." I trailed off, unsure of how to break the news, fearing it may be too direct. Silence sat between us like a weight, offsetting the balance of the room.

"I see what you're saying," she finally spoke, preventing me from needing to finish my thought. "I understand, you want to win, and Kentucky probably doesn't have as good a chance as UConn does. Also, I've seen the way you look at Nika Mühl, and it really would be homophobic if the two of you didn't get to continue whatever it is you have going on."

I was relieved, unsure of why I felt pressure that Georgia would react poorly upon hearing this decision. At the end of the day, she was a kind, real person who wanted whatever was best for me. I was also flustered at the mention of Nika Mühl, who confused me to no avail, even now that I hadn't seen her for days. I had definitely thought about her, and possibly stalked her Instagram a few times.