Playing The Field

Chapter 1

Travis Kelce

I have never been one to shy away from a challenge, off or on the football field. But standing in the box of my home stadium and watching the global pop star, Taylor Swift, perform I was becoming more and more nervous about my plan. I asked before the show if I could meet her, a dream I've had for a while, but her security said she had to rest her voice. Talk about a turndown, but again, I never turn down a challenge.

At that point, I decided that I would try to talk to her again after the show and go through with my plan. I was confident. But then she stepped out on stage and everything changed.

I always knew she was beautiful, I knew that VERY well. But seeing her on stage, confident as hell and with the largest smile, she became a step above beautiful. Gorgeous. Her smile, her grace, her talent. I was enthralled by her.

The show was nothing less than amazing. She was rocking it and even though I had no connection to her whatsoever apart from a minor crush, I was proud of her. Every single person in the crowd was screaming every word she had written, including me. In the span of the night, she celebrated her new album, premiered a music video and brought 3 celebrities onto the stage and it was amazing. Beyond amazing.

She was now on her acoustic set and the audience was buzzing with anticipation. I was amazed at her ability to easily play her instruments. Her humble selflessness showed as she sang "Never Grow Up" and one of the newer songs I hadn't heard. It was sweet though, about a friend falling in love, catchy too. The crowd roared for her and I joined the clapping loudly and giving a few whoops. Taylor started pacing the end of the stage blowing kisses to fans and waving. She was radiant so freaking gorg-

Hold up. Did she just dive into the stage? A collective gasp left everyone standing in the box. Is she alright? What did she just jump onto? Is she hurt? Where is she? Wait a minute. Is that a video of her swimming through the stage? My god she really knows how to put on a show. Just as I came back to reality after what just happened the loud bass of Lavender haze filled the stadium. I knew this song by heart. It was my training song. As she appeared on the stage I started dancing. Everyone in the booth's eyes were on me but I didn't care, I was having a blast. However, it was worrying me that we were getting closer to the end of the show and I would have to go through with my plan.

As the song ended I quickly ran to the bathroom to practice what I would say to her after the show. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked ok. I had a basic outfit on, just a white T-shirt and some shorts, nothing compared to what I usually wore. But when I was planning my outfit I didn't want to steal the show away from Taylor, not that I ever could, so I opted for the simpler outfit. I had on a green baseball cap not to hide my face or anything but just to add some accessories. Like my Mama says, I'm a fashionista. I had just finished growing my beard out to a short length after last season. I have a tradition of having a moustache during the playing season as a good luck charm and I would have to say goodbye to my beard at the end of August.

I stared hard at myself in the mirror of the bathroom. I could do this. She was just a person. Except she isn't. God, why am I so nervous? I'm never like this over women. I take a deep breath, clutching the sides of the sink which causes my arms to flex. I look at them in the mirror. I got this. She can't turn down arms like this.

With my new surge of confidence, I start practising what I'm going to say to her once I meet her. I roll my shoulders back and stare into the mirror. "Hey Taylor," I do a fake hair flip and laugh. No. No. I have to be serious. This isn't just anyone. It's Taylor fucking Swift.

I focus up and clear my throat. "Hey, Taylor" I smile widely and dip my cap while doing a curtsy. "Stop stop stop stop," I say to myself.

I close my eyes and let out a long breath "Hey, Taylor. Great show" I smile "I made you a special friendship bracelet" I say pulling out the red and gold friendship bracelet with my phone number on it out of my pocket. I read all over social media that all of her fans bring friendship bracelets to her show to trade so I thought why not make one for her?

I'm not going to lie, it was hard. I almost gave up 100 times at it. I was seconds away from a full-on man tantrum, screaming ferociously, every time all the beads fell off. My god, it was so tedious. But we got there in the end.

I put the bracelet back into my pocket, walking out of the bathroom and back to the booth while rehearsing my little speech in my head.

"Hey, Taylor. Great show. I made you a special friendship bracelet"

"Hey, Taylor. Great show. I made you a special friendship bracelet"

"Hey, Taylor. Great show. I made you a special friendship bracelet"

"Hey, Taylor. Great show. I made you a special friendship bracelet"

I repeated over and over again while I made my back to the booth. When I got back in she had just finished the song "Midnight Rain". She was wearing a dark blue bodysuit with beaded tassels along the bottom and a matching garter. My god, when I saw her my jaw almost hit the flaw. Her hair was slightly tousled and wavy after 3 hours of singing and dancing but she couldn't have looked more beautiful in this moment than ever.

Just as I was settled into the box again dancers came up from below the stage with chairs. Taylor sang as a loud beat filled the stadium "Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man". She started walking towards a chair, stopping next to it and sliding her hand down her body. She was trying to kill me. Taylor then spread her legs on either side of the chair and started to sit down. So. Fucking. Slow. My jaw was on the floor and I didn't want to pick it up anytime soon.

I wanted every other man in this stadium to close their eyes or I was going to shut them for them. I have no right to feel so protective ever here, yet I do. Her legs quickly slammed shut. Good girl. Just when I thought the torture was over, she stands up and starts dragging her chair into the centre of her stage. She lifts one of her knee-high boots onto the chair and repeats the same move of dragging her hand down her body. My knees almost give out.

The next minute of the performance passes in a blur until it reaches the bridge of the song and the stage starts to lift. Taylor sweetly crosses her legs as she sings, waiting for the stage to reach its position. She performs her choreography, moving her arms and legs to the beat of the song. Just when I think she couldn't get any hotter she spreads her legs and leans back with a smirk. I was gone. Gone was this whole "minor-crush" bullshit. I needed her religiously.

The rest of the song comes in surges of red flashing lights. When If ends, twinkling sounds fill the stadium and Taylor starts doing goofy facial expressions before singing "Bejeweled". I almost laugh at the drastic change in mood. I need to figure out my game plan for seeing her tonight.

I make some calls to see if I can get backstage this time to see her. "Sorry trav but she has another show tomorrow night and has to save her voice. There's nothing we can do" they tell me.

Man. I'm butthurt.