Midnight love {Nika Muhl}

Part 36

Violet Montgomery

"You're going where with who?" Azzi said spinning around to face me. As I sat on her bed and she did her hair for practice. "I'm going to Croatia. With nika. Tomorrow. Well technically today our flight leaves at 11pm." I said matter of factly.

"But you two aren't a thing again. Yeah right." Azzi said turning back to her mirror. Swishing her hair over her shoulders. "We're not we haven't even talked about the whole situation." I said moving my hands dramatically in the air around me. "Well just let me know when the wedding is." Azzi said as she began to put her things back into there place.

"Oh shut up." I said sitting up off her bed. As we both began to make our way to the door. "Do you have practice?" Azzi asked grabbing her basketball bag off the couch where we now stood in the living room. "No I had my last one before break on Monday. But I need to finish packing." I said grabbing my Stanley off the counter.

"Hey pretty girl." I heard her voice before I seen her face I turned around to be stopped by her stiff chest. Her hands draping their way around my waist. Mine instinctively wrapping around her neck. "Hi nik." I said smiling far to widely. "You excited?" She said referring to our trip. "Very but also nervous." I said leaning further into her touch.

"Come on Hana will love you. And so will my mom and dad. Just be you. And they'll love you because you're so amazing." She said matter of factly. Causing a bright red blush to cover my cheeks. "You ready for your last practice?" I said quickly changing the subject.

"I wish I could just stay with you. But yeah I guess. When I'm done I'll come here and get my bags and shower then come over to your place." She said smiling widely. "Sounds good. I should probably get going I need to finish packing." I said gently brushing a few stray hairs away from her.

"Mmmmm. Ok I guess I'll let you go." Nika said as we began to walk over to the door. She pulled me in for a hug and I could see Azzi giving me a suspicious look from across the living room. When I pulled away I said a a quick goodbye to Azzi and nika before I began to make my way back to my dorm.

............

Violet Montgomery

I've always thought flying was stressful and my nerves were even more intense considering this is my first time flying out of the country. But nika made the whole ordeal so easy. She brought coffee after practice and we took a nap from 8-10 before we left for the airport. It's not far from campus only about a 15 minute drive.

She checked my bag for me and thank god it wasn't overweight. She TSA prechecked us so we didn't have to go through security. And she bought us business class tickets so we board first and have access to a lounge conveniently right next to our gate.

Now that we're boarded she insisted that I get right to sleep as we have a 14 hour flight ahead of us and a 6 hour time difference once we land. She held my hand as we took off as she knows it can cause my anxiety to get worse. Soon enough I was fast asleep with the most beautiful girl in the world right next to me.

When I woke up we only had 2 hours left of our flight and nika had ordered me food. We ate and talked lots catching up on all the things we've missed out on. After being at an awkward spot in our relationship for far too long.

"So what do you miss most about Croatia?" I asked sipping on my coke. "Probably my family. My family was everything to me growing up. The day before I left my freshman year I cried to my parents begging them not to go." She said laughing lightly.

"But I love Connecticut. Paige and Azzi and all of my teammates are like my second family. And of course you. I would have never met you if I didn't go to that party that night. I'm very glad I did." She said smiling looking up at me.

I feel very conflicted. All I want to do is live in the moment and be happy with nika and let our relationship blossom into the amazing relationship I know it could be. But then a voice in the back of my mind is screaming at me to not let her in. To run as fast as I can and not get hurt again.

"I'm glad you came to that party too. Not only because I got to meet you but because you practically saved me from Austin." I said remembering back to that first night we met. "Yeah I'm glad I got to save you from that duché." She said smiling. "I know we joke about it but really nika thank you. If it weren't for you I would probably still be with that asshole. You helped me get away from a very toxic abusive situation and I don't think I'll ever be able to express how grateful I am." I said changing the tone of the conversation to a bit more serious.

"I just helped you realize your worth. You were an amazing person stuck in a hard situation and I'm glad I got to be the one to open your eyes to how amazing you really are." She said softly. Causing a warm feeling to spread throughout my chest.

Once we landed nika led me to bagage claim before we hopped in a cab headed for nikas childhood home. As we drove I stared out the window entranced in the beautiful historic cityscapes covered in a light dusting of white snow. When we arrived her mother swung open the front door and ran to nika scooping her up into a big hug.

"Djevojka moja." Nikas mom said softly against her hair. When the pulled away from their hug she looked to me. "You must be Violet. You are so beautiful. I'm sorry my English is not very good." Her mom said her accent rich and cultural. "It's so lovely to meet you Mrs.Muhl." I said as she pulled me in for a hug as well.

"Please call me Roberta." She said as she pulled away and began helping us with our bags. Once we stepped inside the smell of pine and sweets wafted through my nose reminding me very much of my own home during the holidays. Her father said a quick hello introducing himself as Darko.

We were talking small talk when we heard someone rush down the stairs. Nika turned around right as her younger sister practically barreled over her nocking both of them onto the couch. "NIKA I MISSED YOU." Hana hollered loudly. "Hana get off me. But I missed you too." Nika said as she attempted to pry Hana off of her.

She turned to me gasping loudly. "You must be Violet. You really are as beautiful as she said." She said as she pulled me in for a hug before pulling me away keeping me at an arms length and looking at me very intensely. "Is this your natural hair color. If it is I'm so jealous. I love this. You are gorgeous." She said making me blush intensely.

"Alright Hana. Calm down sweetie." Nikas mom said gently pulling Hana away from me. She was right her family is so sweet. "You girl head upstairs and get some rest I'll call you down when dinners ready." Her mom said smiling sweetly before nika began to lead me upstairs. She showed me to the guest room which was right next to her room before showing me to the bathroom.

Where I showered washing off all the airport from me. Before I changed into a comfortable sweat set and as I tossed in turned in the stiff bed I wondered if nika was napping already. My curiosity got the better of me and I began to wonder to her slightly ajar door.

When I pushed it open she was lying there in bed starring blankly up at the ceiling. She sat up quickly looking to me. Before letting out a relieved sigh and opening her arms widely.

"Finally there you are. Come here pretty girl."