VIBE

【6】【6】

Nikki stares at the pile of Gotham gear currently laid out on the end of her bed in the hotel room.

"Are you planning on getting dressed? We're supposed to meet everyone downstairs soon."

Nikki turns and smiles at her roommate Jenna Nighswonger, "I guess I'm still a little in disbelief that I'm here. It's been a long time since I've been genuinely been this excited to put on a kit and play."

Jenna smiles and nods, having been filled in by Nikki on what led to her full circle moment. "I get it; I did the same thing earlier. It's too bad you weren't able to get the number you wanted."

"I knew that was a strong possibility coming in and it's actually perhaps for the better; I mean, the number 14 has all sorts of memories attached to it for me and this way I get to keep those memories while also getting a fresh start." Nikki reaches down and picks up the clothing emblazoned with her new number 41 on it. "Give me 5 and then we can head down." Grabbing her phone and the clothes, Nikki heads to the bathroom to get changed and send a quick message.

New Message

Nikki: Are you downstairs?

Kristie chatting with Lynn and a group of the Gotham players, reaches in her pocket and pulls out her buzzing phone to check the screen.

Kristie: Yes. Where are you?

Nikki: Would you believe I'm trying to use my phone and the mirror in the bathroom to reverse the number on my shirt.

Kristie: Do you need me to come up and talk you off the ledge? I know you're having a difficult time with the change.

Nikki: Jenna is still here and waiting for me; I'll be okay, once I step over the line and get my first touch.

Kristie: Okay. Love you.

Nikki: Love you.

Jenna knocks on the door. "Ready?"

Nikki playing with her hair, pops one of her hair ties. "Damn it! Jenna, can you do me a favour and grab a couple extra hair ties from the stash on the desk?"

Nikki opens the bathroom door and is passed some of the required ties, shakes her head and laughs, while securing her hair. "I can go all season on the same set of hair ties and all of sudden these ones pop before I even get on the pitch. Starting to feel a little nervous if this is any indication of how things are going to go."

Jenna chuckles, "I think it's just a bad batch, I had a couple break on me as well. If hair ties snapping are the worst thing that happens today, I'm good with it."

Nikki chuckles and nods, "Me too. Let me just toss the rest of my stuff in my bag and we can be off. Thanks for waiting for me."

Jenna smiles and nods and the two players make their way out of the hotel room, to the elevator and finally arrive down in the lobby to meet up with their teammates before they all make the short trip to the pitch together.

Falling in with the group, Nikki soon forgets all about the number on her chest and turns her attention to proving herself worthy of wearing the crest after having already shown that she's willing to put in the work in the gym and being in the best physical shape of her life, thanks in large part to the tall blonde smiling and laughing away on the other side of the group.

Having already completed their physicals and testing, the players are keen to finally get on the field and get some touches in.

Nikki watches and listens in before falling in line very quickly with the drills and skills after finding her rhythm, finding herself being paired up with Kristie on a few of them as they run through the lines and making a point of playing to her girl's strong side.