Stay, stay, stay

I'm here

After we've had the most amazing dinner and headed to the game's after party, where we were unfortunately photographed by someone and they posted it online, Travis dropped me off at the airport.
"You okay, babe?"
I looked at my phone, the picture of me sitting on Travis' lap, my arm around his neck, I was talking to somebody else, lighting up my face.
"Actually" I said looking up to him "I don't really care this time. I don't care that they talk about us dating because it is true and I'm too happy to hide that."
"I'm so proud of you." he smiled, popped a kiss on my forehead and pulled me in for a tight hug. I could smell his earthy and woody perfume and wanted that hug to last forever.
"Will I see you at my next game ? I think you might be my lucky charm."
I giggled like a little girl and my cheeks turned red.
"I'll see what I can do." I teased and stuck out my tongue.
He laughed and it was the most beautiful sound. It was the kind of laugh, where you can't  do anything but also start laughing. I looked into his eyes and all I could see was pure happiness and pride. I grazed my neck and kissed him like my life depended on it.
"Bye." I turned around making my way to my private jet but not quite letting his hand go.
"Bye, baby."
I climbed up the stairs of the jet and turned around before I got inside. I saw him walking to his convertible, hands in his pockets and head down.
"Please turn around, please turn around." I mumble to myself.
"Taylor, are you ready to go?" My mum asked putting her arm on my shoulder.
"Yeah, just a minute." I say without taking my eyes off Travis.
He reaches the door of his car, when finally he turns around. It feels like my heart skips a beat and I throw him a kiss. He "catches" it and then places his hand over his heart. I make my way to the lounge in the jet and immediately pull out my phone to text Travis that I already miss him. He sends back three red hearts and I sigh, smiling all the time. I can hear my mum snicker next to me.
"What?" I ask her also giggling now.
"Nothing, nothing. I'm just very happy for you. He seems like a good guy and he makes you so happy." She shakes her head while she's still laughing.
"And you're behaving like two teenagers who are in love for the first time. Can't keep your hands off each other."
I blush at her observation putting my hands over my face, trying to hide my stupidly big smile and the fact that I'm embarrassed because it is true.  Lurking through my fingers to see if she's still looking at me, I can see her winking and then browsing through a magazine.

Over the next weeks I go to two more games of the Kansas City Chiefs, bringing Blake and Ryan and also meeting a lot of the wives and girlfriends of the other players. I really enjoy the time that I get to spent with him because yes, it is tough to coordinate our schedules but we try to talk every day and we visit each other as often as we can. Most of the times we make it to each other's houses without being seen since we're still planning on when to publicly go out together for the first time. I mean, at this point everyone kinda suspects that we're together and they're not wrong. We are. And Travis also talks in his podcast with his brother about us but he talks about us in a very private but not too private way. It's weird, but it's perfect. And the fans seem really happy, too. Not that that's important but it definitely makes it easier, when you see that the fans are on your side and encourage the relationship that you're in.

We're currently in my TriBeCa apartment in New York City cuddling on the couch, when I get a call from Tree.
"Ughh." I groan, resting my forehead against Travis' chest.
"Let me get that." Travis says, grabbing my phone and holding it out of my reach.
"Don't you dare." I say laughing, climbing over him trying to get my phone back. He jumps up and runs to the other end of the living room.
"Travis!" I shriek and laugh running after him and jumping up but there's no way that I'm gonna jump high enough to reach it. He's so tall so I have a different idea. I put my hands around his neck, my lips crashing into his. He's startled for a second but then quickly kisses me back. My teeth grasp his lower lip and he leats out a feel groan. I can feel him relax and lowering his arm so I keep going for a few seconds when I see the chance to snatch my phone out of his hand. I want to run back to the couch but can feel his muscular arms  gripping my waist and picking me up. I'm laughing and kicking my feet.
"Travis, I need to call her back. First she'll kill me and then she'll kill you." I giggle.
"Alright, alright." He puts me down and places a kiss on my head.
"I'll make us some coffee."

I plop down onto the couch and proceed to call Tree back.
"Hi Taylor, I just got an invitation from Saturday Night Live. They want you to announce Ice Spice and Travis will also be making an announcement. How does that sound ?" I can her ask through the mic of my phone. I bite my lip, watching Travis how he's standing in the kitchen, softly humming a song while he's making our coffees and I can feel the anxiety of making everything public creep up in me. I thought I was over that. I told him that I was over caring what other people say about us. And I think for most of the time I am, but there's still this little part that makes me anxious.
"Taylor, are you still there?"
"Uh, yes. I am. Tree, can I call you back in a bit?" I ask her absentmindedly.
"Yes, but don't wait too long, please."
"Yeah, I promise." I already hang up the phone not waiting for her to say goodbye.

Travis comes back, he's carrying one coffee in each hand and a package of Oreo's between his teeth. I quickly grab my phone again to take a picture because this is the cutest thing.
"Trav, I'm not sure what to do." I begin.
"What's wrong, baby?" he asks, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"Tree asked me if I want to be part of a SNL announcement and you would be there, too. For as second I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to make our first official appearance together, you know, as a couple. But then all these thoughts about how everyone will dissect everything we do and then they'll know and they'll be onto you and asking you all the time and-"
"Hey, hey, hey. Breathe, Taylor." he cuts me off and takes my face in his hands. His thumb brushes across my cheek to wipe away a tear. I haven't even noticed that I started crying.
"Listen to me" he says. "I know what I signed up for when I started dating you. I know that I signed up for paparazzi outside my house and getting asked questions about us at every interview I give. I know that I signed up for a huge cult-like fandom making TikToks about
me and calling me "daddy"."
I let out a sad chuckle.
"And I did that because I really like you and I love spending time with you and I love to introduce you as my girlfriend. These are not things that bother me when in return I have you. What I'm trying to say is, that this" he kisses our intertwined hands "Will not be in any way affected by what they say about us. Not if we don't let it be. I think it would be the perfect time for our first appearance. I will be there for you. For every step of the way. I will not once let your hand go if I don't need to. I'm here, Taylor."

I let out a loud sob and fall into his chest. But now I'm crying because this is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm not alone. He's there to work through this with me.
I look up at him with red eyes and messy hair and he meets my gaze, giving me a reassuring smile.
"I'm gonna call Tree." I decide, looking for her contact.
"Tree? Hi, yeah, we'll do it. We're going to SNL and we're going as a couple."