Forbidden Fruit (Travis Kelce)

Welcome to Kansas City

Arianna

The plane ride from LA to Kansas City felt like an eternity. I spent the entire flight with my hoodie pulled up and my face bare of makeup, which was unlike me. I just didn't have the energy to care. My emotions were all over the place—anger, humiliation, sadness, and a strange sense of relief to be getting away from the constant media scrutiny in LA.

As the car pulled into Patrick and Brittany's driveway, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Brittany was waiting on the front porch, her arms open wide. The sight of her familiar, comforting face brought tears to my eyes. I hurried out of the car and into her embrace.

"Britt," I murmured, my voice cracking.

"Ari, I'm so glad you're here," Brittany said, holding me tightly. "Come on inside. Patrick's here, too. We're all here for you."

I nodded, allowing her to lead me inside. The house was warm and inviting, filled with the sounds of laughter and the smell of freshly baked cookies. It was the perfect refuge from the storm I had been caught in.

Sterling, their three-year-old daughter, ran up to me with a big smile. "Auntie Ari!" she exclaimed, throwing her little arms around my legs.

"Hey, Sterling," I said, my heart melting at her innocent joy. "How's my favorite girl?"

Bronze, their one-year-old son, was toddling around, his chubby hands reaching out for balance. Seeing the kids brought a sense of normalcy that I desperately needed. It was a reminder that not everything in my life was chaos.

I found solace in the playroom with Sterling and Bronze, their laughter and innocence providing a temporary escape from the harsh reality outside. I kept my hoodie up, feeling numb and sad, unable to muster the energy to engage fully with the world around me.

Patrick's voice carried from the living room, where he was talking about football with Travis Kelce, one of his closest friends and teammates. I had never met Travis before, but I had heard plenty about him. He was a star on the field, charismatic and confident. Right now, I wasn't in the mood to meet anyone new.

Brittany was busy in the kitchen, working on lunch, and the smell of cooking wafted through the house, mingling with the sound of the kids playing. I sat on the floor, half-heartedly stacking blocks with Sterling while Bronze babbled happily nearby.

A short while later, Brittany called us all to the table. I gathered the kids and made my way to the dining room, where Patrick and Travis were already seated. Travis looked up as I entered, his expression warm and friendly.

"Hey, Arianna," he said, his voice gentle. "I'm Travis. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Hi," I replied softly, forcing a small smile. "Nice to meet you, too."

We all sat down for lunch, and I tried to join in on the conversation, but my heart wasn't in it. Brittany had made a spread of sandwiches, salads, and fruit, but I couldn't bring myself to eat much. I pushed the food around on my plate, unable to find my appetite.

Travis tried to engage me in conversation a few times, his demeanor kind and understanding. "So, Arianna, I tried to get tickets to your last tour, but they sold out before I could snag any. You're incredible."

I glanced up, appreciating his effort. "Thanks. That means a lot."

Brittany jumped in, trying to lighten the mood. "The next tour will be even better, right, Ari? We'll make sure Travis gets tickets this time."

I nodded, though the thought of performing in front of people right now made my stomach churn. "I can't even think about that right now," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Patrick, sensing my discomfort, steered the conversation back to safer topics. "How's training going, Travis? Ready for the season?"

"Yeah, definitely," Travis said, smiling. "We've got a solid team this year. I think we're going to do great things."

I appreciated Patrick's attempt to take the focus off me. I listened as they talked about football, their camaraderie evident in their easy banter. It was comforting to be surrounded by family, even if I didn't feel fully present.

Despite my lack of appetite, I noticed Travis's efforts to include me, and I appreciated it. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot. After lunch, I excused myself and headed to the guest room, needing to be alone.

I lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling as tears silently slipped down my cheeks. The events of the past few days replayed in my mind, making it impossible to find any peace. I felt a deep sadness and a sense of loss for the privacy and normalcy that had been ripped away from me.

As I lay there, I heard the soft murmur of voices from the living room. Patrick and Travis were still talking. Brittany popped her head into the room to check on me, her eyes filled with concern.

"Do you need anything, Ari?" she asked gently.

"No, I'm okay," I whispered, though I didn't feel okay at all.

"Alright," she said, giving me a reassuring smile. "We're here if you need us."

She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can I ask how the tape got leaked?"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't avoid the topic forever. "Zach was supposed to delete it after we ended things. He promised he would. But his phone got hacked, and now the whole world has seen it."

Brittany's eyes widened in disbelief. "What an asshole."

"Yeah," I agreed, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. "I'm never dating another athlete again. They all suck—except for Patrick, of course."

We both laughed, a real laugh that felt good despite everything. It was the first laugh I'd had in the past 24 hours, and it eased some of the weight on my heart.

"You know, you're stronger than you think," Brittany said, squeezing my hand. "We'll get through this together."

"Thanks, Britt," I said, feeling a bit lighter. "I really needed that."

As Brittany left the room, I closed my eyes, allowing the brief moment of levity to soothe my aching heart. The house was a sanctuary, a place where I could hide from the world and start to heal. I didn't know what the future held, but I knew I wasn't alone. And for now, that was enough.