Forbidden Fruit (Travis Kelce)

Rediscovering Joy

Arianna

The house was eerily quiet. Brittany had taken the kids to Miami for a short vacation, and Patrick was away at a Nike event. I found myself alone and struggling to find something to do. The silence was almost deafening, making it hard to escape my own thoughts.

After pacing around for what felt like an eternity, I finally grabbed my phone and texted the one person I knew could help break the monotony.

Arianna: Hey Travis, I'm bored out of my mind. Everyone's gone, and I was wondering if you could help me find a recording studio in Kansas City? I need to get back to my music.

His response came almost immediately.

Travis: Hey! I'd love to help. I've got some free time. Want me to pick you up?

Arianna: That would be great, thanks!

Less than half an hour later, I heard a car pull up outside. I grabbed my bag and headed out, feeling a little thrill of excitement at the prospect of getting back into the studio. Travis was leaning against his sleek Rolls Royce Ghost, looking relaxed and casual in a t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey there," he greeted with a smile. "Ready to find you a studio?"

"Absolutely," I replied, returning his smile. "Thanks for doing this, Travis. It means a lot."

"Anything for a friend," he said, opening the passenger door for me.

As we drove through Kansas City, we chatted about everything and nothing. Travis told me about a few studios he had heard of from friends in the music industry. We decided to visit a couple of them to see which one felt right.

"Do you mind if we make a quick stop?" Travis asked, turning towards a drive-thru.

I laughed. "Sure, I'm game. What are we getting?"

"Burgers and milkshakes," he said with a grin. "Trust me, it's the best comfort food."

As we pulled up to the drive-thru speaker, I couldn't help but chuckle. "I haven't been through one of these in years."

Travis laughed too. "Well, welcome back to the real world."

We ordered our food and pulled into a parking spot to eat. The burgers were delicious, and the milkshakes were the perfect balance of creamy and sweet. Sitting there, eating fast food in a parking lot, I felt a sense of normalcy that I hadn't felt in a long time.

"This is exactly what I needed," I said, taking a sip of my milkshake. "Thanks, Travis."

"No problem," he replied, his eyes warm. "Sometimes it's the simple things that make the biggest difference."

After finishing our impromptu meal, we headed to the first recording studio on Travis's list. It was a small, intimate space in the heart of the city. The owner greeted us warmly and gave us a tour, but it didn't quite feel right to me.

Next, we visited a larger, more modern studio. The facilities were impressive, with state-of-the-art equipment and spacious recording rooms. I felt a flicker of excitement as I imagined myself working there.

"What do you think?" Travis asked as we stood in one of the recording rooms.

"I like it," I said, nodding. "It feels... inspiring."

"Then this might be the one," he said with a grin. "Do you want to give it a try?"

I nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "Yeah, let's do it."

We spoke with the studio manager, who was more than happy to accommodate us. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of a microphone, headphones on, ready to record. Travis sat in the control room, giving me a thumbs up through the glass.

Before I started singing, I noticed Travis looking a bit unsure of the control panel. I stepped into the control room, eager to help.

"Here, let me show you how this works," I said, pointing out the various controls and explaining their functions. "This one adjusts the volume, and this one here balances the audio. It's pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it."

Travis listened attentively, his focus making me smile. "Got it," he said, reaching out to try it himself.

As our hands brushed against each other, I felt a jolt of electricity shoot up my arm. We both froze, our eyes meeting for a brief moment before I quickly pulled my hand away.

"Sorry about that," I muttered, feeling a bit flustered.

"No worries," he replied, though I could see a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I think I've got it now."

I nodded and stepped back into the recording booth, trying to shake off the strange sensation that lingered from our touch. I took a deep breath and focused on the song I was about to sing, a song that had always resonated with me:

Every day is so wonderful
Then suddenly it's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down... Oh no
So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone
Is that the way it is?

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down...oh no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh, no
So don't you bring me down today

No matter what we do
(No matter what we do)
No matter what we say
(No matter what we say)
We're the song inside the tune
Full of beautiful mistakes

And everywhere we go
(And everywhere we go)
The sun will always shine
(The sun will always, always shine)
And tomorrow we might wake on the other side

We are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, no, no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down, oh, no
So don't you bring me down today

Oh, yeah, don't you bring me down today, yeah, ooh
Don't you bring me down ooh... today

Beautiful by Christina Aguilera

As I sang, I poured my heart into every note, letting the powerful lyrics wash over me. It felt incredible to be back in the studio, doing what I loved most. When I finished, I looked up to see Travis staring at me through the glass. 

I stepped out of the booth, feeling a rush of adrenaline. "How was that?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.

Travis shook his head, clearly stunned. "Arianna, that was... amazing. Your voice is incredible."

"Thanks," I said, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "It felt good to sing again."

"It shows," he replied, still looking a little dazed. "You have an incredible gift, Arianna. Don't ever forget that."

His words warmed my heart, and I felt a renewed sense of confidence. With friends like Travis by my side, I knew I could face whatever challenges lay ahead.

After wrapping up at the studio, Travis drove me back home. As he pulled up in front of the house, I turned to him, feeling a mix of gratitude and warmth.

"Thanks for today, Travis," I said softly. "I really appreciate it."

"Anytime, Arianna," he replied, his smile genuine.

Impulsively, I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You're a good friend," I said. 

Travis looked a bit surprised, but his smile widened. "Glad I could help."

I got out of the car and waved as he drove off. Standing on the doorstep, I felt a strange mix of emotions—gratitude, hope, and maybe something more. But for now, I was just thankful for the support and friendship I had found in Travis.