Forbidden Fruit (Travis Kelce)

Unexpected Comfort

Travis

The locker room felt unusually tense after practice. Patrick's warning about Arianna's leaked video had cast a long shadow over everyone.

After practice, I headed to Patrick and Brittany's house to discuss football and the new rookies. It was a familiar drive, but today it felt different. The weight of the situation made the air feel heavier.

When I arrived, Patrick greeted me at the door. "Thanks for coming, man," he said, clapping me on the shoulder.

"Of course," I replied. "How's she holding up?"

"Not great," Patrick admitted. "She's really struggling."

We walked into the living room, where Brittany was bustling around, preparing lunch. The sound of kids playing in the background was a stark contrast to the somber mood. I spotted Arianna sitting on the floor with Sterling and Bronze. She had her hoodie up and looked almost fragile, but there was a quiet strength in her that caught my attention.

I approached her, trying to exude calm and friendliness. "Hey, Arianna," I said gently. "I'm Travis. It's nice to finally meet you."

She looked up, her eyes sad but appreciative. "Hi," she replied softly. "Nice to meet you, too."

Brittany called us all to the table for lunch. Arianna moved slowly, as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. We all sat down, and I tried to engage her in conversation.

"So, Arianna, I tried to get tickets to your last tour, but they sold out before I could snag any. You're incredible," I said, hoping to lighten the mood.

She glanced up, a faint smile touching her lips. "Thanks. That means a lot."

Brittany, ever the peacemaker, chimed in. "The next tour will be even better, right, Ari? We'll make sure Travis gets tickets this time."

Arianna nodded, though I could see the hesitation in her eyes. "I can't even think about that right now," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Patrick, sensing her discomfort, changed the subject to football. "How's training going, Travis? Ready for the season?"

"Yeah, definitely," I said, grateful for the shift in conversation. "We've got a solid team this year. I think we're going to do great things."

Throughout the meal, I kept an eye on Arianna. She picked at her food, barely eating. Despite her sadness, there was a resilience about her that I admired. After lunch, she excused herself and headed to the guest room.

I stayed a little longer, talking with Patrick about the rookies and how we could integrate them into the team. Eventually, I knew it was time to head home. I promised Patrick I'd be back soon and left, my thoughts still on Arianna.

When I got home, Kayla was waiting for me. Her expression was a mix of frustration and curiosity. "Where have you been?" she asked, her tone sharper than I expected.

"I was at Patrick's," I replied, trying to keep my tone even. "Arianna's here, and I wanted to be there for her."

Kayla crossed her arms, a skeptical look on her face. "So, you're ditching me to play hero?"

"It's not like that," I said, feeling a flicker of irritation. "She's going through something really tough. Patrick's like a brother to me, and Arianna... she needs support right now."

Kayla scoffed, her expression hardening. "It's her fault that her sex tape is all over the internet. She probably did it on purpose for publicity, like Kim Kardashian."

I stared at her, stunned by her lack of sympathy. "Are you serious, Kayla? Do you really think she wanted this? That she's using it for publicity?"

Kayla shrugged, unfazed. "You never know with these celebrities. It's always about the next big scandal."

My irritation flared into anger. "That's not fair. Arianna is hurting, and she doesn't need people judging her. She needs support."

Kayla rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Travis. If you want to waste your time playing the good guy, go ahead. But don't expect me to feel sorry for her."

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my temper in check. "I don't expect anything from you, Kayla. But I do expect a little empathy."

She just huffed and turned away, clearly done with the conversation. Frustrated and needing to clear my head, I went to the living room and turned on the TV, hoping to distract myself with sports.

As the game played in the background, my thoughts kept drifting back to Arianna. I didn't know why, but something inside me felt compelled to be there for her. She didn't need another person judging her or making assumptions. She needed a friend.