You Know How To Ball · Taylor Swift [EN]

II

It was nearing seven in the morning in Wellington, and Tori's alarm was blaring loudly, the sound cutting through the pre-dawn hours with an unmistakeable urgency.

Groaning, the woman reached for her phone on the bedside table and hit the snooze button, then dropped back against the pillows, stretching her arms above her head in an attempt to clear the last remnants of sleep from her mind.

For a few minutes she just lay there, taking in the soft, pre-dawn light seeping through the curtains, her mind still a bit fuzzy with residual sleep. She let out a heavy yawn, and then stretched again, her body feeling a little sore from the previous day's match, the exhaustion from the last few days still evident in the slight heaviness in her limbs.

After a few more moments of half-conscious lounging, she forced herself to sit up, letting out a soft groan as her muscles protested the movement. She glanced around the dimly lit room, letting her eyes roam over the unfamiliar surroundings for a few seconds before letting out another yawn and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

As her bare feet touched the cool floor, she made a mental note to herself to take an ice bath and perhaps some physio time after training and the team meeting later that day, the thought sending another wave of soreness through her legs. But there was no time to worry about that now. She got up, making her way to the hotel bathroom to splash some cold water on her face and brush her teeth.

As she was rinsing her mouth, her phone, still left on the bedside table in the other room, buzzed with a new notification. The sound jerked her out of her half-asleep daze, and with a frown she made her way back into the bedroom and picked up the device.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the notification, her mind still a little fuzzy with sleep as she unlocked the screen and opened the message.

The words on the other end managed to both jolt her to full wakefulness and set off a wave of giddy anticipation, the simple greeting making something flutter in her chest.

Emily Dickinson
Morning, sunshine

A soft smile tugged at her lips as she reread the words, a sudden burst of affection warming her insides despite the early hour.

With a quick flick of her finger, she opened the reply box and typed her response, heart still fluttering with unexpected anticipation.

Tori
Morning, nightingale 😁

The reply was quick and instinctive. There was a moment of hesitation, a few seconds of silence, and then her phone buzzed again, a new message flashing on the screen.

Emily Dickinson
Nightingale, huh?

Tori
Too cheesy?

Emily Dickinson
Very 😂
However, it's kinda endearing so I'll let it slide

Tori
Just kinda endearing? I had to think real hard for that one yk

Emily Dickinson
Did you now?

Tori
Damn right I did.
I spent like five whole minutes thinking of a nickname. Then boom! Nightingale. Cuz you sing. And you're obviously very pretty. Couldn't be more fitting. Show some appreciation here