Catching Kelce

She will be loved

Travis

As the night stretched on, a heavy weight settled over me, the absence of Dua's presence weighing heavily on my mind. Despite the victory on the field, a hollow ache lingered within me, a longing for the comfort and familiarity of her presence.

With a mixture of nerves and anticipation coursing through me, I finally mustered the courage to call Dua. As the phone rang, my heart pounded in my chest, unsure of what her response would be.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded soft and hesitant on the other end of the line.

"Dua, hey, it's Travis," I said, trying to keep my tone steady despite the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me.

"Travis, hi," she replied, her voice warm yet guarded. "What's up?"

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before speaking. "I was wondering if... if I could come see you," I said, my words coming out in a rush. "I know it's late, but I just... I really need to talk to you."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, my heart felt like it might stop altogether. But then, finally, she spoke.

"Okay," she said softly, her voice filled with a hint of uncertainty. "I'm at the hotel. You can come over if you want."

Relief flooded through me at her words, and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. "Thank you, Dua," I said earnestly. "I'll be there soon."

As I hung up the phone and made my way to her hotel, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope stirring inside me. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the chance we needed to finally find our way back to each other.

With a sense of purpose burning within me, I quickly made my way to her hotel.

As I stood outside Dua's hotel room, my heart pounded in my chest, uncertainty swirling within me like a tempest. But as the door swung open and Dua greeted me with a warm smile, a sense of calm washed over me, the tension melting away in her presence.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I took in her appearance – clad in pajamas, her hair tousled and her eyes sparkling with mischief. It was a stark contrast to the glamorous image I had grown accustomed to seeing her in, but somehow, it felt more real, more authentic.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice breaking through the silence that hung between us. "Come on in."

With a nod, I stepped into the room, the warmth of Dua's presence enveloping me like a comforting embrace. We settled onto the couch, the air heavy with unspoken words as we faced each other across the space.

"Travis," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Dua," I replied, my own voice tinged with emotion. "I... I don't even know where to begin."

"I'm sorry," I said, the words spilling out in a rush. "I'm sorry for everything – for the misunderstandings, the mistakes, the pain I've caused you. I never meant for any of it to happen, and I hate myself for letting things spiral out of control like they did."

Dua listened in silence, her eyes fixed on mine, her expression unreadable. I could see the walls she had built around her heart, the barriers she had erected to protect herself from further hurt.

"But most of all," I continued, my voice filled with sincerity, "I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me. I let my own insecurities and fears get in the way, and I pushed you away when I should have been by your side."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I spoke, the weight of my regrets heavy on my heart. I wanted nothing more than to make things right, to mend the fractured pieces of our relationship and start anew.

"Dua," I said, reaching out to gently cup her face in my hands, "I love you. And I'll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust and prove to you that I'm worthy of your love."

For a long moment, there was silence between us, the air thick with emotion. And then, finally, Dua spoke.

"I... I don't know what to say," she admitted softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "But I appreciate your apology, Travis. And I... I want to believe that we can find a way to move forward from this."

As I gazed into Dua's eyes, the weight of my confession heavy on my heart, I knew there was one more truth I needed to share – one that weighed heavily on our chances of reconciliation.

"Dua," I began, my voice tinged with sadness, "there's something else you need to know. It's about your label."

Confusion flickered across her face as she waited for me to continue.

"They... they don't want us to be together," I admitted, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "They've been trying to break us up, manipulating situations and planting seeds of doubt."

Dua's expression shifted from confusion to disbelief, her eyes widening in shock. "But why?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," I confessed, my heart heavy with the weight of our reality. "Maybe they think it's bad for your image, or that it'll distract you from your career. But whatever their reasons, they're determined to keep us apart."

A heavy silence settled between us as we grappled with the implications of my revelation.

"Dua, listen to me," I said, my voice firm with determination. "You can't let them dictate your happiness. We can fight this together."

But as she spoke of releasing her album and breaking her contract, a sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach. I knew the risks involved – the loss of her masters, the potential legal battles – and it tore me apart to see her even considering such a drastic decision.

"Dua," I said softly, my voice filled with conviction, "maybe it's best if we keep our relationship between us for now. We don't need to give them any more ammunition to use against us."

Dua nodded in understanding, her eyes reflecting the same determination that burned within me. "I agree, Travis," she replied, her voice steady.

And with that decision made, a sense of relief washed over me.

"Travis," she said softly, her voice tinged with vulnerability, "can you stay the night? I don't want to be alone."

I nodded. "Of course, Dua," I replied, a sense of peace settling over me. "I'll stay with you, for as long as you need me."

And as we settled in for the night, wrapped in each other's arms, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as we faced them together.

Author's note
The book is ending soon. I'm trying to make it under 100 chapters.