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

Chapter 33 - Where is she?

Seeing Nika cross through the arrival gate was like breathing again after holding my breath for three whole weeks. All that time, I had only wished for her to be by my side, but now that I saw her there, my heart tightened in a different way—a mix of longing, sadness, and the urgent need to heal the pain she was carrying. Seeing her so worn, her face a bit paler, her body visibly thinner, and her shoulders slightly slumped, made every second of that distance weigh even more.

When our eyes met, I felt my chest crumble, and an uncontrollable urge to run across the lobby took over. She didn't have to walk far before I was already wrapping my arms around her, as if that embrace were the only remedy that could fill the emptiness we both felt. I felt Nika release a heavy sigh against my shoulder, and her arms clung to me as if holding on to whatever strength remained.

"I missed you so much," I murmured in her ear, my voice barely escaping my lips. I wanted those words to be a promise, an anchor. "More than you can imagine."

Nika shook her head slightly and whispered back, her voice frail and vulnerable in a way I'd never heard before. "It was horrible, Livie... I wanted you there with me so badly. There was too much to process, and without you... it was all so much harder."

I ran my fingers through her hair, trying to offer some comfort, however small. "Babe... I know," I replied, feeling a tightness in my throat. "I wanted to be there with you too, every second. I was counting down the days to have you back."

She pulled away slightly, just enough for our eyes to meet. Nika looked so fragile that I felt an even stronger protective urge. "I saw we won the Big East," she commented, trying to smile, but I could see the sadness lingering in her eyes.

I shook my head, feeling a pang in my heart. "Having you there would've made it worth it. Without you, the victory lost its shine. Nothing had the same taste, babe."

The silence between us was heavy, but in a way that connected us. I could see her pain, and I knew she could see mine too. It was a shared feeling, one that didn't always find words, but somehow brought us even closer.

"Come on, let's go home," I said finally, holding her hand firmly. It didn't need to be more complicated than that—I just wanted to be by her side, to show that now there was no more emptiness, no more distance.

The week that followed was a constant attempt to balance classes, practices, and the worry that only grew each day as I looked at my girlfriend. Seeing my favorite person in the world that way—distant, lost, almost inaccessible—tore me apart. Nika had always been the most energetic, the most vibrant of the two of us. But now, it was like all that spark I'd always admired had dimmed.

Classes were demanding, and I tried to stay focused, but my mind always drifted back to her. I watched every gesture, every heavy breath when we were together. If she used to start most conversations, now Nika remained silent, her gaze distant, only speaking when someone addressed her directly. I knew she was trying to appear "normal" in public, but there was always a shadow on her face, a weight she was carrying alone, not letting me in.

At practice, Nika was even worse. Her performance had dropped so much that Geno could barely hide his frustration. And her temper, usually so controlled, was becoming increasingly volatile. In one practice, I saw her yell at Dorka over a simple play, something she would normally correct practically and patiently. When Geno called her out, she just fell silent and crossed her arms, but I could see what looked like a glimmer of tears in her eyes. My heart broke, but I knew that trying to comfort her then would only make things worse.

That afternoon, Geno called me over after practice. "Bennett," he started, his gaze serious and concerned. "You know Mühl isn't in a condition to play on the main team right now. She needs some time, and maybe it's better for her to focus on the bench team practices while she deals with... whatever she's going through. I'll be putting Inês in her place until Nika is better. I'm letting you know because I know you'll handle the beast after she hears the news."