The Black Tangled Heart

The Date

Sitting at the table in the most expensive restaurant she had ever been taken to, Taylor tried to stay calm.

Roger was sat next to her whilst her mother sat opposite and every now and then she would feel Rogers knee bumping against her own and if on occasion she dared to look up at him she would see the slimy smile pull at his thin, dry lips

So far there was no sign of Travis or Cassie and Taylor hoped against hope that somehow her friend had decided to do as she had asked and keep Travis away from the restaurant, but deep in her guts she knew Cassie would do only what she wanted with no care or consideration for her 'friends' request

"So Tay Tay, tell me about school" he said it as a demand with his strong New York accent leaving her with no option to stay silent

"School's fine thank you"

"Passing everything?"

"Yes"

Roger gave her a dark stare whilst sucking his teeth "Yes sir" she replied whilst looking down at the white cotton napkin that lay on her empty plate

"She's very good in school, and this year she even made the cheer team"

Taylors eyes shot up to look at her mother, her face desperately asking why she would tell him that

"The cheer team hu? You'll have to let me see you in the uniform" again it was said as a demand not a request

"I'm cheering at the football game on Friday, you and mom could come" She said hopefully

"I was thinking more of a private show" he replied and Taylors heart dropped hard as a sweaty hand made contact with her bare thigh and then her eyes made contact with a group being lead into the dining room and then ushered to a table just across from where she, Roger and Maria were sitting, one pair of eyes fixed on her and then moving to the man sat at her right, his face darkening and turning hard as he took in the man that was Taylors date'

"That's her date?!" Whisper yelled Cassie into Travis' ear but he barely heard her as he eyed the scene in front of him and took his seat "and what is with that dress?!" Cassie sat down as Jason dropped his full, pink lips to his brothers ear

"Does she ever shut the fuck up?!" He asked, not even trying to keep his words from being heard by the blond

"That's not a date" Travis observed "Thats a situation and it's making me very fuckin uncomfortable"

Jason ran a hand over his hair and then smoothed it over the slight shadow of stubble he hadn't time to shave before Travis had all but thrown a black t shirt and black dress pants at him and then almost forced him to wear a pair of his black boots that were almost two sizes too big for the older but shorter Kelce brother

"So this is jealous Travis?" Mocked his brother "Nice to meet you, you look a lot like my little brother only with a slight green tinge"

"Fuck you Jason, look how close he's sitting to her and how uncomfortable she looks"

"Can we order champagne?" Asked Cassie, oblivious to Travis' concerns as the set the drinks menu down and looked hopefully between both men

"Travis can't drink" announced Jason whilst motioning to the waiter "1 beer and two diet cokes please" He asked as Cassies mouth fell open "And you're only 18 so no alcohol for you either"

"Another one?" Travis asked his brother, tearing his eyes from Taylor for just a few seconds "Already?!"

"Yup. So what's the plan? We just sitting here and observing or are we getting involved?"

"Well she knows we're here so she knows she's safe. Let's just watch for a bit"

"Oh I'm definitely having the lobster" said Cassie once again oblivious to the conversation around her

"And you're definitely paying for that" said Travis, his eyes once again fixed on Taylor

"That's not fair, the guy always pays!" she whined, taking hold of Travis' bicep

"If this was a date I would quite happily pay but it's not a date, I'm not interested in you and if you don't take your hands off me it's going to be the scene between you and I that everyone is watching" Travis tore his arm from her grip as he watched Taylor suddenly stand up from the table before making her excuses and heading towards the bathroom.

Travis gave her a few seconds lead and then followed behind her, walking into the ladies bathroom without hesitation and then locking the door behind himself as he found the girl in a tiny dress that looked like her grandmother had chosen it, leaning with her back against the ceramic tiled wall

"Who's the guy?"

"My uncle" Taylor replied quietly, her heart hammering for a dozen different reasons

"You said it was a date"

"I was trying to piss you off because I caught you making out with Cassie" her honesty surprised Travis as she took one of her hands in the other and stared down at her feet

"I wasn't 'making out' with Cassie, she was making out with my face, I wasn't participating at all" Travis told her as he stepped closer, hating this version of her. He liked the Taylor he knew, the one with the attitude, the one that would tell him just how much she hated him and then go straight for his face

"Why did you come here Travis?"

"In all honesty I came here to beat the shit out of the guy that thought he could bring you on a date but now I see him I'm here to look after you" he lifted a hand and smoothed it over her loose curls

"I don't need to be looked after"

"Sure you do, you forget that I saw you that night, I held you and listened to you cry yourself to sleep. No one gets to do that to you ever again" smoothing the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone he had just begun to close the distance between their lips when someone tried to turn the handle of the bathroom door

"Sorry, I'm still using it" Taylor told the person waiting, her gaze never moving from Travis' lips

"Tay Tay it's me" Came the masculine voice with the strong accent "Let me in"

Taylor turned sharply towards the door as Travis' entire demeanour changed. Gone was the softness of moments earlier, instead he stood to his full height and squared his shoulders

"Tay Tay open this door!"

"Why the fuck does he want to come to the bathroom with you?"

"Sssh, please Travis, don't let him know you're in here"

"Oh he's going to know it because he's about to eat my fuckin fist"

"Travis please..." She lurched forward and grabbed both of his arms "He's my uncle, I don't want a fuss, you stay here and I'll go back to my table"

"Taylor hurry the fuck up, I didn't buy you that dress not to get a proper look at it..."

"Travis..." she warned as she saw his hands roll into fists by his side

"Or what's under it at least" were the words that caused every last bit of Travis' self control to give way, the man on the other side of the door heard the lock turn and pushed into the bathroom expecting to get his hands on the blond he had grown obsessed with but instead found himself face to face with a 6 foot 4 male, the look on his face telling the much shorter and older man that all hell was about to break loose