The sound of my phone letting me know I have a new message is the first sound I register as I manage to open my eyes and gaze sleepily around my room.
The sun is shining brightly through my window so I know I have over slept but it's Saturday and Saturdays are made for sleeping and for... Travis.
Travis...
I look at my phone, hoping it's a message from him and my optimism is rewarded because not only is it a message, it's a photo.
My hands shake with excitement as I take two attempts to type in my pin code and when I finally get it open and click on the photo my heart swells and my mouth drools
It's a selfie of him sitting up in his bed, no sleepy smile just a dark, brooding 'come hither' look and I want to climb into my phone and into the bed with him.
I examine every tiny part of the photo looking for clues about Travis in his bedroom but all I can see is a very nice headboard and very white, clean sheets. Knowing the hell hole Travis lives in, that probably says more about him than I first realised.
I take a second to drool over his muscular shoulders and chest, inwardly punching myself in the face for stopping him when things got hot and heavy in the sand last night but it was the right thing to do, my gut was telling me it was too much too soon and he realised it too.
Finally I type out my reply and then wait
T: Well good morning there 🤤
It takes all of 30 seconds for his reply to come through
TK: Good morning ❤️
The red heart makes my heart skip a beat but a second message comes through immediately after
TK: Tell me we can spend time together today. I dreamt about you all night and now I need the real thing
How is this Travis Kelce being so frickin sweet???
Where is the guy with the ego and the attitude? The one that goes down on girls on garage floors and then acts like it never happened?
T: I have cheer practise at the school but we can hang out after?
TK: Yes! Can we go get milkshakes? I dreamt about them too
T: I hate milkshake but I will let you treat me to a Diet Coke
TK: You're such a cheap date Swifty 🙄
T: Just wait until it's my birthday, I'll have you bankrupt before you can breathe 😂
TK: I can't wait to celebrate your birthday with you.
I try not to melt at how sweet he's being and then I tell him I have to go before arranging to meet up later.
I jump out of bed with a huge smile on my face and don't bother reaching for my robe, I found these new herbal teas that contain senna and fig and I'm desperate for a cup to kick off my Saturday routine
I skip down the stairs and swing around the door frame into the kitchen
"Buenos días" I call out happily and then gasp as I stumble to a stop "Mr.Quinn!"
I desperately try to hide behind the kitchen Island, aware that my naked legs are on show and the way he sucks on his bottom lip makes it clear he already saw them
"What... what are you doing here?" I stutter, feeling underprepared and underdressed for a surprise meeting with Mr. Quinn in my kitchen on a Saturday morning
"My car broke down as I was passing, luckily your dad saw me and came to help me out"
"Lucky" I repeat quietly, not feeling lucky at all.
"Where are he and my mom?"
"He's looking at the car, your mom made me a coffee and then went upstairs with your brother. He's a cute kid"
For some reason my stomach clenches at the thought of him being anywhere near Austin
"Oh morning" my mother appears behind me carrying a cup of coffee and smiling and that immediately makes me angry.
"You could have told me we had company" I hiss whilst motioning to my lack of clothing
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't think"
"It's fine Taylor honestly" says Mr. Quinn with a smile on his lips that makes me want to put on 10 layers of the thickest, most ugly clothing possible.
"David was just telling us about Travis fighting again yesterday and with a girl; I just can't believe it, he seemed like such a nice boy"
David?!
"It wasn't really like that, Travis was provoked" both my mom and Mr. Quinn observe me suspiciously
"You were there?" My mom asks and plants her hand firmly on her hip
"Well it was in the hallway and I was at my locker"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because it's none of your business. Britney provoked Travis, wanting him to snap and then and all he did was grab her, he didn't hurt her" I cross my arms and realise I'm now in a stand off with my mom over Travis and we are doing it in front of Mr. Quinn
"You were told to stay away from him, he's a troubled boy"
"You don't know anything about him!"
"David has already told us about him fighting at school and then he attacked him, a teacher no less and now he's attacking girls. You do not go near him Taylor I am warning you"
"I wasn't near him I was near my locker and he happened to be in the same hallway, we go to the same school mom, I can't avoid him completely besides you aren't being fair to him you are just jumping to conclusions"
"Based on what your teacher has told us Taylor"
"He is not my teacher but Travis was my friend. You told me to stay away and I have but it's not right that you are judging him..."
"Can you please keep your voice down Taylor, you are embarrassing us in front of David"
"I'm going to get dressed, I have cheer practise"
"I can give you a ride if you like" offers Mr. Quinn "save your parents the trouble"
"I thought your car was broken" I don't even turn back to look at him, goosebumps creeping over my skin as my jaw tenses so hard it aches
"Your dad's on his way inside, the smile on his face tells me the car problem is solved"
If there even was a car problem
I don't know where the thought came from but I can't shake it, the fact that his car would break down right outside of my house proving too much of a coincidence to believe
"It's fine, I like to walk when it's sunny out"
"Are you sure I really don't mind"
"I said I like to walk!"
My mother gasps at my abruptness but I don't hang around to apologise, I just bite down on the fact that he's getting a good eyeful of my legs and stomp past my mom, annoyed that what had started as such a great morning had gone down hill so quickly
