#mikayla celebrates

[lucavettorisworld-blog]

[sultryrealm]

[bollywoodsirens]

Mikayla Demaiter

[koffeesfancy]

Defend Ch. 1 | Bodyguard!AU | Koffee x Reader

Summary: You're a district attorney that has been placed under 24/7 security during the investigation of a prominent member of a local gang. You believe the whole situation is blown out of proportion and resent the imperious woman you are entrusted to. Partly due to her teasing, cocky nature, you struggle to take the short-statured woman seriously. Eventually, you not only find yourself seeking her protection but also solace in her company.

Genre: Slow-burn romance, fluff, angst

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 2241

A/N: I really appreciate any engagement such as likes and reposts. I particularly would be grateful if you all could provide feedback. Like for this writing, I experimented with Mikayla's character codeswitching in-between an American and Jamaican accent. Maybe just let me know what you think about that or anything else you read. Love <3

"You know it's not too late to call this whole thing off," you mumble in a sing-songy voice. If Oje Ollivierre, the state attorney, heard you it was not obvious. He stood in the full length mirror of his executive office looking over his suit- an unusual plum colored ensemble amidst his habit of all black and occasionally navy blue. His assistant, Daniel, looked up from his spot on the floor straightening the man's pants cuffs to give you a pointed look of pity.

"Daniel, don't you think this purple is a bit..." Oje began.

"Tacky?" you chimed in.

"Assuming..." Oje murmured, raising his eyes in the mirror to meet your gaze. Daniel blankly nodded in agreement. You gave a nervous dry chuckle to stifle your shiver. The air froze in painful tension as no one laughed. You sucked your bottom lip into your mouth in a wince, eyes rolling off into another direction.

"I will offset the forwardness with my black double breasted blazer and the Explorer instead of the Yacht Master," the state attorney added. He unclasped his Rolex and his assistant received it with delicacy and scampered off to the adjoining coat room to do as he said.

"You know, Ollivierre, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I've been meaning to apologize about the whole crab dip thing ever since my election celebration, but you know I got wrapped up in this whole Thomas case right after-" you rambled.

The state attorney raised his large, well-manicured hand before turning around. He pushed his long dark brown locs off his shoulder, took off his glasses, and reached in his blazer pocket for a handkerchief in one fluid motion.

"It has been four months since you were elected," he stated with clear disinterest while rubbing the Tom Ford frames spot-free. There was something particularly disarming about his hooded brown eyes. As if to pin you in place, he stared directly in your face for the first time since you had entered his office. "Did you come all the way to the capitol to humor me about a nearly half-year old dry cleaning snafu?"

You lowered your gaze to your kitten heels, shaking your head in a defeated no. "Well sir, I was... uh.. well, I actually came today because- well, I was wondering if I could maybe, uh, get some maybe, uh, some space with the whole bodyguard thing perhaps... please?" you churned out nervously. Your palms greased with sweat.

Daniel entered the office again carefully carrying a black blazer and jewelry box like a soldier in a flag folding ceremony. He helped the state attorney shrug out of his plum jacket and set it aside neatly.

"No," Oje stated directly, lifting his arms to have the new suit lint rolled. Daniel shot you a look of sympathy from under his long limbs. You began to stutter out a rebuttal when he continued. "You know, I was initially quite supportive of your campaign for district attorney. And I was honored that our state not only became home to the highest percent of female district attorneys per capita, but also the youngest D.A. in American history," he lamented. He strained his long neck as Daniel adjusted his tie.

"Furthermore, I was stunned by how our constituents were progressive enough to elect someone with such..." he drawled, pausing for thought.

"Moxy?" you chimed in, expectantly.

"Naivete..." he continued. You let out a nervous chuckle, hoping to cut the tension in the air. Nobody laughed. "It is certainly not to my pleasure that you are working such a high-profile case a few months into your term, but I will not have you killed by the mafia nonetheless. O'neil Thomas is a long time enemy of the state and it is only a matter of when not if his thugs will retaliate for the investigation. You will need to be under protection until we feel that the threat has been eliminated. This is not up for debate. Any questions D.A.?" he remarked plainly. You quietly kissed your teeth before muttering a barely audible no sir and turning on your heel to leave.

"Since you are already here, I had your security report directly for duty. So they should be waiting at the check-in" he called out, flicking his hand to shoo Daniel away from fretting at his clothes anymore. "Oh, and one more thing before you go, D.A."

You stand by the door tapping your foot nervously. Oje steps over to his desk and scribbles on a post-it before handing it to his assistant. Daniel takes it with two hands and walks to the door, offering it to you with one. It reads a 4 digit number. You raise an eyebrow to Oje quizzically.

He turns back to the mirror to admire his change of costume, adding in a bored tone, "That is the amount needed to replace the dress shirt from your... crab dip thing. You may inquire at the desk for the routing and account number."

"Look at me, I'm the state attorney and I don't even know my head from my own ass, blah blah blah," you mocked in an inaccurately high-pitched voice as you rounded the corner, holding another post-it from the front desk reading the aforementioned banking numbers. You toed across the lobby to alleviate the pain in your feet from the ill-fitting, cheap heels you’d worn. Were it not for student loans and random expenses like replacing $3000 crab dip stained shirts for your boss, you’d maybe be able to afford some shoes that didn’t require a tight-rope routine to walk comfortably. As you began to lose yourself in your lamentful thoughts, you took a misstep and felt your toes turn at an odd angle- twisting your ankle and throwing you off balance. 

As you expected to meet the cold floor in the lobby (a very fitting humiliation to match the other ones from today), you felt a strong grip on your arm and were yanked upright. You stood awkwardly in the lobby for a moment, knees still bent and braced in preparation for a spill. You blinked and turned your neck left and right in confusion. Business attired people walk to and fro in all directions without paying you mind. 

“I see why dem hire mi,” you heard from a firm, yet taunting lilt from behind you. You quickly turned around to match a face to the voice, only to be met by the tail end of a blur. You made a sound of confusion and frustration, turning only for the figure to shift out of the corner of your eye again.

“Look, whoever you are, you better find someone else to play with. I’m the distri-” you started in annoyance. 

“District attorney. Yes, yuh di district attorney who a daydream when she walk, but think she cyaah defend herself against a mafia ah drug traffickers an' hitmen,” the voice chuckled, an accent emerging. Before you could lash out, the figure stepped from behind to stand in front of you. 

The noise that arose from your throat was akin to an animalistic choke- and obviously one of clear disregard. The person in front of you raised an eyebrow in a look of equal disbelief towards your reaction. She was caramel-skinned with an oval face sculpted by plump cheeks, a button nose, and a sharp jaw. Her inquisitive eyes were rather large, slightly upturned like a cat’s, and a deep warm brown hue. Her dark chocolate dreadlocks shared the same color as her thick eyebrows and were tied up in a haphazard bun with a few strands straying down her face. She wore all black fatigues that contrasted against the diamond studs in her ears. 

Most shockingly of all, the strange woman could not have been taller than 5 feet flat. When you gathered yourself enough to recollect the events of the past few seconds, you broke out in an uncontrollable laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. You failed to straighten your back and just sunk lower as you let the laughs shake throughout your body. The woman stood over you unamused. 

“So, it’s you, huh?” you ask, wiping away the tears at the corner of your eyes, adding sarcastically, “The one who will defend me against imminent danger.” 

“Lieutenant Colonel Mikayla Simpson of Jamaica Regiment’s Sixth Infantry Battalion- honorably discharged,” she spoke, extending her hand to take. You straightened and enveloped it in your larger one, pleasantly surprised by how soft and warm it was. Her widening smile revealed a mouth full of silver braces.

“Aren’t you like twelve?” you snorted. The soft grasp on your hand turned into a vice-like clench, crushing bones you didn’t even know existed.

“I’ll do my best fi protect yuh, ma'am.” she spoke through the gritted teeth of her grin, before loosening the grip. You could’ve sworn you caught a flash of something crazy in her eyes. Was that some sort of threat? You rubbed your hand, still wincing from the vice-like grip, and watched Mikayla adjust the sleeves of her black softshell jacket. Her composed demeanor only irritated you further.

"Let's just get this over with," you muttered, trying to mask your embarrassment and irritation. She gave a curt nod and gestured toward the elevator to the parking garage.

The walk to the car was filled with an awkward silence, punctuated only by the sound of your heels clicking on the pavement and the occasional car passing by. You couldn't resist a few more digs, hoping to get a reaction out of the woman.

"So, do you always sneak up on people like that, or is it just your charming way of making a first impression?" you asked, feigning casual curiosity.

Mikayla didn't even break her stride. "If you'd been paying attention, you would have noticed me. Situational awareness is crucial, especially in your position."

You rolled your eyes. "Great, another lecture. Just what I needed."

You clicked the fob on the keys assigned to you that morning when you had been informed of the new security measures. You marched to the vehicle, your frustration mounting as you remembered you left your comfy driving moccasins in your own car which you were forbidden from driving until ‘this all blows over’. Mikayla stood there, arms crossed, waiting patiently. You couldn't help but feel like a child being watched by a stern teacher.

"I hope you know this is completely unnecessary," you grumbled as you unlocked the car. "I can take care of myself."

Mikayla raised an eyebrow. "Well, yuh track record seh different." You glared at her, but before you could retort, she had already slipped into the passenger seat, much to your displeasure. You sank into the driver's seat with a sigh, starting the engine and resting your head on the steering wheel for a long pause.

"Where to?" you finally asked, breaking the silence. The car was quiet for a few more seconds, the tension thick in the air. You focused on the dashboard, trying to disassociate from the presence of your unwelcome passenger.

"We're going to a secured location outside the city. I’ll provide you with directions," Mikayla replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.

You gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I need to stop by my place first. I have things I need to pick up."

"That's not possible," Mikayla said firmly. "We already arrange fi yuh essentials fi get tek care of. We can't risk yuh safety, ma’am."

You let out a frustrated groan. "This is ridiculous! I can't just be whisked away without any of my stuff."

Mikayla's expression softened slightly, though her resolve remained firm. "I understand this is difficult, but it's for yuh own safety. Everything you need will be provided."

You knew she was right, but that didn't make it any easier to accept. You pressed your lips together in a thin line, trying to hold back your frustration as you drove in silence minus the occasional noise of her giving you directions. Your own city was almost two hours away from the capitol and the mystery location was even further west.

Finally, you arrived at an unmarked, inconspicuous single-family farmhouse down a dirt road from the interstate. Mikayla directed you to a flat patch in the grass for parking and you both exited the car.

"This is where we'll be staying?" you asked, looking up at the residence with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. You toed around the side to see a nice thicket of forest. 

Mikayla called after you, "Yes, it's a secure facility. Try nuh fi get lost, mi nuh want fi haffi rescue yuh two times inna one day.”

You rolled your eyes and followed behind her as she went to unlock the door. Your mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead. The reality of your situation was sinking in, and you couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in your chest.

As you stepped into the entrance, you cowered behind Mikayla, who walked into the darkness with an effortlessly confident posture. Despite your initial annoyance, you couldn't help but feel a small measure of relief knowing she was on the clock and legally binded to kill any spiders or whatever lay in the abyss of the mysterious house. 

"Let's hope this is worth it," you muttered under your breath as the doors closed behind you, sealing you both inside.

Table of contents

Next chapter

[berniesrevolution]

IN THESE TIMES

COLUMBUS, OHIO —The event was billed as ​“Holi-drag Storytime” and the electronic flyer asked would-be audience members if they were ​“ready for a family-friendly, LGBTQ+ holiday tradition?” It was going to be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church and tickets were $10, which included hot chocolate, a goody bag and a candy cane. The school sponsoring and hosting sold about 1,000 tickets and raised thousands of dollars for a local LGBTQ charity. The event was canceled mere hours before it was set to begin.

That Saturday morning, more than 50 people, including members of the Proud Boys and the Patriot Front, stood along the road leading to the church in tactical gear, holding guns and wearing face masks. They chanted ​“life, liberty, victory” and ​“reclaim America.” Some gave the Nazi salute.

“They showed up with army weapons for an event that was for kids from kindergarten through fifth grade,” recalls Mikayla Denise, one of the drag queens scheduled to perform. ​“They were trying to induce fear into our hearts by coming around wearing that army gear, making us feel unsafe, making us feel like they want to hurt or kill us.

(Drag Queen Story Time Reading Held In Austin, Texas on March 11.  Texas Republicans have introduced several bills that seek to deem any affiliation with drag shows as sexually oriented businesses.)

“These people are coming to spew hate when we are creating a positive, beautiful space for kids with the support of their parents and teachers. I always wanted to be an educator. When I perform in the schools, I can use my art form to connect with young people. I didn’t grow up seeing folks that look like me living truthfully and honestly, and that’s why I do the story hour.”

Cheryl Ryan, manager of Red Oak Community School, the elementary school hosting the event, blamed Columbus police for forcing organizers to cancel the show. ​“I spent a week calling our police department and leaving voicemails about the reports we had seen,” Ryan told The Nation.

According to Ryan, the police presence was minimal, while police Sgt. Steven Dyer was recorded high-fiving a member of the Proud Boys and saying, ​“I’m here to support their right to protest.”

“In the end, our performers felt unsafe without a police presence, while our [community] safety team felt unsafe with a police presence,” Ryan said. This situation has played out more and more in cities across the nation this past year. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, in the first six months of 2022, the Proud Boys showed up to 28 separate LGBTQ and reproductive justice events. In June 2022 — celebrated as Pride Month — the activity increased.

(Continue Reading)

[archer-kacey]

Seeing as the Orientation Notebook has a few teaser images now, may as well go over them!

Transcriptions first, because the quality is very crunchy 💖

Candy Cat

"In the 1970's there was a danger of our products seeming old-fashioned, so in 1979 we launched Candy Cat as a more free-spirited character with a mischievous, even rebellious side. She loves candy! What made this design really successful was Candy's lolling tongue, which kids could roll up and put back into her mouth. Meanwhile, the hatch on her back meant you could literally stuff her with candy- or whatever you liked! She's still available to purchase in the Gift Shop today."

Bunzo Bunny

"Bunzo is a cheerful yellow rabbit who loves to celebrate birthdays and clashes his symbols together when he's excited. This toy is equipped with the ability to remember up to eight birthdays and deliver greetings on the day itself. Kids love to freak out their family and friends when Bunzo tells them when their birthday is!"

Eddie M.N. Ritterman

| Head of Research |

"Eddie has been working on new facilities here at the factory. We can't tell you much about what he's working on- he doesn't always tell us much about it!

But we're sure it will lead to great things!"

Note: "NO ONE HAS MET EDDIE. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT HIM IS JUST RUMOURS. HE DOES EXIST THOUGH...I THINK."

❤️💛💙❤️💛💙❤️💛💙❤️💛💙❤️💛💙❤️💛

A Few things to Note/Speculation:

Firstly, the mention of putting "whatever you liked" in Candy Cat's hatch. We remember the Candy Cat cutout in Chapter 2 begging us to stop feeding it, and if I had to hazard a guess, this is a subtle nod to the fact that some of the child experiments were fed something toxic. A few of the other cutouts seem to be speaking about the childrens' experiences, so this might fit thematically.

Alternatively, this could hint at a Bigger Body Candy Cat having smaller enemies inside, or something otherwise hazardous.

And secondly, we get a bit about Candy Cat's personality. This may mean nothing at all, OR it may explain why the Prototype picked Mikayla Hyssop in particular to put under his influence. If she was paired with Candy Cat on the basis of personality (which may or may not be the case), then she might have had a rebellious streak as well- hence why the Prototype might find it easier to have her bend to his whims. If he is indeed trying to save the children, she might have been his first attempt at trying to find someone who was able to save herself and the other children via the power of his influence.

Bunzo and Eddie's sections are pretty self-explanatory for now. There may be context with Eddie I'm missing, but that will have to wait. (I've got a lot of information to re-teach myself between Poppy, Project Playtime, AND the ARG's, lol.)

[paisholotus]

Mikayla's pov

The room was very loud, making it hard to drown out of the class. Since the teacher wasn't here yet, students talk amongst themselves. I was getting a head start on my work while I had my headphones on. Be without you by Mary J played through my head as I hummed the lyrics.

I was so focused on my work that I let out a sudden startled noise, feeling someone had sat next to me.

I slowly looked up to see golden hazel eyes staring into my dark brown ones. I looked back down at the table, getting embarrassed from the loud noise I made. "I didn't mean to scare you." He said smoothly, giving me a kind smile.

"It's alright, my bad for yelling. I get really caught up in things I'm doing, and don't be paying attention." I said slightly, smiling back.

"You're Mikayla, right? I've seen you and your sister around." He said, lowly smiling.

"Yeah." I breathed out, "you're Edward, right? I think I've met your two brothers and sisters, um.. Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Bella?" I asked slowly.

"Yeah." He answered. His voice was soft and gentle. It made chills run down my back, I honestly didn't see why these people were the talk of the town. They just seemed like normal people.

"It's really nice to meet you. I'm sure you get tired of hearing people say any ole kind of thing about y'all." I said, actually meaning it. People acted like talking to any of the Cullen family was such a big deal. 'Like calm the hell down. They are not celebrities.' Edward, let another small chuckle out, and I'm not gonna lie. It was cute.

"It's alright, I guess. I've been wanting to talk to you for a while." He told me, making me look at him surprised.

"You wanted to talk to me?" I asked, actually confused.

Edward cracked a small crooked smile and nodded. "Yeah, I think you are very smart. And, I wanted to get to know you." He said, making me look back down, blushing.

"You sure? Didn't think I would be the type you hang around with." I told him truthfully.

"I'm sure. And you are a person I want to hang around." Edward said, making me smile at him.

"Well, I guess you can say I've been wanting to talk to you too, Edward." I told him, making him smile wider at me. Our teacher came in, and we began our lesson, teaching us different formulas and techniques. The rest of the class period Edward and I laughed and talked.

I was packing up my things when Edward asked me if he could walk me to my next class, and I told him yes. We walked and talked till I got to my class and he lifted my hand and kissed my wrist and told me he would see me later.

I have a feeling this is going to be a good year.

[itchose]

once she's alone with @manslaught, she realizes she doesn't actually know what to say to her —   but somehow, it doesn't matter, her offer to help her fueled by her latest annoyance with jackie, who didn't actually do anything wrong other than be her perfect self. she knew it was coming: jackie was going to win homecoming queen, jeff was going to win homecoming king, and shauna, invisibly caught in the middle, would be left alone. it's easy to resent them both when she sees them together, glowing in their crowns, everyone clapping, whispers about how they're the perfect couple, how everyone was certain they'd both win. it's why she had been the first to offer to help with mikayla's ripped dress, solely because it was a way to tell jackie she was done with her for the night ( and isn't that what jackie wants, anyway? to celebrate with her king, not her best friend? it's only what shauna could assume. )

❝  here it is, ❞ she mutters as she finally finishes rummaging through her gym locker to find the the small sewing kit she keeps in case of emergency. she turns back to look at mikayla, eyes glancing down to her dress, her hand reaching up, but she stops, because the only way to fix the rip is to slide her fingers underneath, and the thought makes her nervous, so she glances back to mikayla's eyes, looking for permission. ❝  i can stitch it like this. or you could take it off. if that's easier. i don't want to fuck it up more. it's really pretty.  ❞ her words almost feel fake, mostly because there's a part of her annoyed that jackie isn't here to hear them. but as spiteful as shauna feels, she's being genuine, likely the only time she's ever complimented mikayla directly.

[heyymikki]

WHO: @nikodimopoulos LOCATION: Niko's place

The celebration was small, but it was exactly what Mikayla needed to renew her spirit. Niko had set things up for her birthday, closing up the restaurant for the night for a private dinner party. She'd finally had the chance to meet her half-brother, a few of Niko's cousins, and Elliott's girlfriend, Lydia, and they had all spent the night getting to know each other and enjoying the delicious meal prepared for them.

It was late by the time they had gotten back to Niko's, so she almost immediately went to prepare for bed, though whether or not she would actually get any sleep was up in the air. Cleaned up and nestled into her favorite pajamas, she made her way over to Niko, holding his face as she kissed him. "Thank you for everything. Tonight was better than I could've asked for."

[valentina--ricci]

The Ricci Family Playbook | A Self-Para

Valentina had assumed she would have felt more emotional in this moment. Like the sight of her father being carted off in handcuffs would suddenly unleash this well of empathy for the man who had helped bring her into the world. She thought that the softness she had once felt for him would rise to the surface. Maybe she’d get flashbacks of her childhood, when he’d actually sit and read with her or take her for ice cream after a good grade. 

But all Valentina felt was relief as she sat in a car with her mother further down the block. 

It had happened fast for something that had taken her years to plan. She had thought several times about finding a way to kill him but that would just be using the same playbook he had. The man cared about nothing more than his reputation so killing his reputation seemed to be the only way for her at the moment. She knew she had to be smart. She had to build a case, she had to find things that were so severe, so sturdy, that not even his lawyers could talk their way out of this one. 

His targeting of Mikayla Beaumont had sent her over the edge, an urgency rising up in her chest as she watched him act like the Godfather once again. As she watched the town almost get swept away in sand and realized that maybe she cared about the people here. Maybe. But she had to draw the line somewhere. He was out of control and even worse, he was a likely winner for Mayor. She knew that if she didn’t stop him now, or at least deter him for some time, then they would never be able to turn back. 

So she set the wheels in motion. Left breadcrumbs for the ATF agents and local cops. Enough for them to take Mikki’s article to heart. And then came her final move. 

Valentina could feel the stress leaving her body as she got out of bed and pulled on her robe, glancing back at Roman on the bed before she let him know that she had invited him over for more than letting him attend to her beautiful body. She pulled a thick folder from her dresser and dropped it down on the bed next to him. She knew he’d ask questions and she was ready for them and clear that he needed to be as quick about this as possible. And with another kiss to his cheek, she sent him on his way before going to see her mother and brother to let them know what she had done. 

And Roman had of course delivered as she knew he would. Or else she wouldn’t have trusted him with it in the first place. 

So Valentina put the car in drive as they dipped her father’s head into the police car. She was slow until the car turned down a larger street and pressed her foot to the gas so they could pull up beside the police car. She kept her speed steady as she and her mother turned to look at Gio in the back seat. And as they set their eyes on him, they both smiled. Beatrice even blew him a kiss before they sped past them and turned down the next road,  in search of an appropriate celebration.

[koffeesfancy]

Celebrating Juneteenth with Girlfriend Koffee

Mikayla has never heard of Juneteenth before, but is really excited to learn from you

She has new questions for every new bit of information you share

You start off by making a traditional Southern breakfast that she thoroughly enjoys

She's nervous and reluctant when you ask for help making red velvet cake

You make a joyful, laughter filled mess and give her your cake batter coated finger to test taste

You visit family or call home and she is sure to pay attention to stories and reflections from your elders

The two of you go to a black crafts fair and she supports by picking out handmade jewelry, beadwork, and shirts

Lots of dancing to live music

She loves seeing the dancers and drummers perform in the street

You end the night with a kiss under the fireworks 🥹

[manslaught]

mikayla + her birthday (feb 17 so it's coming)

i don't think mikayla knew what her birthday was the first few years of her life, because her father wouldn't acknowledge it at all. she found out some time after starting school, when one of the teachers mentioned it / put everyone's birthdays on a calendar or something.

because her father didn't care / even know when her birthday was, she obviously didn't get to celebrate it. she didn't bring cupcakes to school or anything. embarrassed that her own father didn't give enough of a shit about her to even attempt to throw her parties, mikayla would just tell all her friends growing up that they always went out of town for her birthday, as an excuse. they didn't question it.

she just doesn't celebrate her birthday at all. after 14 years of it feeling unimportant to everyone around her, she thinks it would be pathetic to make a big deal out of it now. i think deep down, she wants someone else to try to make a big deal out of it, because it means someone actually gives a shit about her, but she won't ask for it. she doesn't even bring it up.

i think in an attempt to do something for it, she does try to get herself something, but it's always on her own.

[female-buckets]

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — An American basketball player with a professional Polish women’s club was beaten and left with a head injury midweek with the attacker later detained, according to officials and reports in Polish media on Sunday.

Mikayla Cowling, who plays for VBW Arka Gdynia, was attacked late Wednesday in a music club in Gdansk, a city in northern Poland, according to the RMF FM broadcaster, which also quoted the club saying the “brutal beating” left her with a fractured eye socket, among other injuries.

Gdansk is a neighboring city to Gdynia on the Baltic coast.

“I am outraged that such a shameful situation has occurred. Violence and aggression are unacceptable and must be opposed,” Gdynia Mayor Wojciech Szczurek said Sunday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Fortunately, the police quickly caught the attacker. We wish the player good health!”

The attack happened after a EuroCup women’s match where the Gdynia team defeated rivals from Switzerland, BCF Elfic Fribourg, 77-47. Cowling, who played her college basketball at Cal, scored 7 points.

The president of the Gdynia club, Boguslaw Witkowski, said in an interview with the Polish state news agency PAP that the player was attacked near the women’s restroom by a security guard.

Cowling, 27, was hit several times on the head, and when she fell, she was also kicked. The most serious injury was to her face and the athlete has a fractured orbital bone, he said. He added that she is at home under observation and will have additional tests next week.

PAP also quoted a police spokesperson who said the attacker, a 48-year-old man, was arrested on Friday.

–

After this photo was taken, Mikayla went out to a nightclub to celebrate a victory with her teammates. And then she was targeted and brutally beaten by a male security guard.

Poland is a destination for international professional women's basketball players looking for work. Women have been going overseas to play in Poland for decades without major problems until now.

However, in recent years, Polish society shifted far to the right. And that's relevant when a young black woman is brutally beaten by a Polish security guard.

There are many other countries talented international athletes can play in. Mikayla has also played for teams in France, Greece, Turkey, and New Zealand. These women don't need Poland. If Poland is not a safe place for foreigners and minorities, they simply won't go there anymore. And Polish professional sports teams won't be able to compete in European leagues without international talent.

Mikayla has the support of her team and teammates. But the wider women's basketball world just lost a great deal of trust in Poland.

[ladyintree]

she thought she could skirt by @roidgret all night and never actually talk to him personally, because although she was invited, she didn't come here for herself. she got more out of it than she expected, but that has nothing to do with asher, at least not until now as she makes her way to him, like a fucking walk of shame, but she'll do anything for mikayla. she's failed at that for years, but after being face to face with her, it all came rushing back, reminding her just how important it is to be there for her now, because now she has a point to prove, even if it means going through him to do it. she promised she'd call, so she will.

❝  congratulations. ❞ the greeting is noticeably empty, because she doesn't actually care what he's accomplished nor why they're here celebrating him. she has one mission and she's going to complete with as little fuss as possible. ❝  — i need mikayla desousa's number, ❞ she says, getting straight to the point. ❝  you have it. yes? ❞

[itchose]

@manslaught said, "i'm not mad. i don't know what i am."

❝  scared?  ❞   she asks quietly,   like she’s not allowed to say it,  and she’s been trying to avoid it with everyone else—    but she and mikayla have already proven to understand each other on a different level than she can say for most people,   and they’ve already been vulnerable with each other in ways at least shauna knows she can’t be with anyone else,   so it feels like she’s not overstepping when it comes to admitting it with her.   ❝  i don’t really know what i am, either.  ❞     she finally looks at mikayla now,   and it’s then that she realizes she’s been avoiding this all year—  ever looking her in the eye,  ever letting her gaze linger on her too long,  as if everyone would immediately know what they did if they caught her. 

she tries to shake off the thought, allowing herself to do something she hasn't been able to do not only just for the last few months, but ever, really: talk to mikayla.   ❝  you know what’s really stupid?  i didn’t even fucking care that we made it to nationals,  ❞    she admits under her breath,  her eyes rolling.  when they won,  she was thrilled because she got to celebrate her best friend,  and they got to share that excitement—  but there was a big part of her that was hoping that would be the last game she ever played. ❝  i just wanted it to be over.   soccer.  ❞   she looks down, letting out a scoff.   ❝  i guess it is now,  ❞   she adds quietly.