Tayvis: Twists of Fate

Chapter - 19 : Stay stay stay

Taylor didn't want to have any conversation with Travis that would break her further. Every time Travis tried to initiate a conversation, she avoided him. She kept telling herself, "It's only till lunch. Then I won't have to deal with him ever again."

Seeing her resolve, Travis decided he needed to provoke her somehow, hoping to get her to speak. As Taylor reached for the door to leave, he quickly ran to the other side and shut it, blocking her path. He smiled at her, trying to seem playful.

"Really, Travis?" Taylor sighed, but didn't say anything else, simply turning and walking away.

Frustrated but undeterred, Travis followed her to the break room. He saw her heading for the water cooler and decided to beat her to it. He grabbed the last bottle of water and chugged it down in front of her.

"Thirsty?" he asked with a grin, hoping she'd finally react.

Taylor just rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving Travis standing there with the empty bottle. "Come on, Taylor, just talk to me!" he called after her, but she kept walking.

Determined, Travis racked his brain for another idea. As the lunch hour approached, he knew he was running out of time. He decided to keep trying, hoping something would break through her wall of silence.

In the office kitchen, Taylor went to grab a slice of pizza. Travis, seeing his opportunity, swooped in and took the slice right before she could reach it.

"Seriously, Travis?" she muttered under her breath.

He grinned, holding the slice out to her. "Want to share?"

Taylor just shook her head, refusing to engage. She picked another slice and moved to the corner of the room.

Desperate, Travis decided to pull out all the stops. He found the staff's secret stash of ice cream in the freezer and grabbed the last one, waving it in front of her. "Want a bite?"

Taylor glanced at him, her expression blank. "No, thanks."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine, more for me then," and began eating it in exaggerated pleasure, hoping she'd at least roll her eyes or say something snarky.

But Taylor just focused on her pizza, ignoring him completely.

As the staff began gathering for the lunch party, Travis realized he had one last chance. He needed something big, something she couldn't ignore. He decided to use humor, hoping it would draw her out of her shell.

He found a pair of silly glasses with a fake nose and mustache in the office's lost and found. Putting them on, he approached Taylor, trying to look serious but absurd at the same time.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said in a mock-serious tone. "Have you seen a tall, handsome, and brooding guy who's been a complete idiot lately?"

Taylor couldn't help but crack a tiny smile. "What are you doing, Travis?"

"Ah! She speaks!" he exclaimed dramatically, removing the glasses. "I knew there was a human in there somewhere."

Taylor sighed but didn't walk away this time. "What do you want, Travis?"

"I want you to stay," he said, dropping the playful act. "I know I've been a jerk. I know I've hurt you. But you can't just leave everything behind. Not like this."

Taylor looked at him, her eyes weary. "I don't know if I have it in me to keep fighting."

"Then let me help you," he pleaded. "We're both in this mess together. We can help each other."

She shook her head. "I don't think it's that simple."

"It never is," he agreed. "But we owe it to ourselves to try."

Travis took the opportunity to speak to Taylor again, this time with the entire staff listening. "Taylor, the staff doesn't want you to leave. They admire you and look up to you. I know your mother would be happy if you didn't let Joe's betrayal affect you. You have a chance to inspire people by winning this struggle."

Taylor looked around at the staff, seeing the hopeful and supportive expressions on their faces. "But what if I fail?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Travis shook his head. "You won't. You're stronger than you think. When I was at my lowest, wanting to run away from everything, I saw how you handled things, and it inspired me. Even though I didn't show it, you gave me hope."

The staff, sensing the emotional moment, started speaking up.

"You've always been our rock, Taylor," one of the team members said.

Another added, "You've led us through tough times before. We believe in you."

Taylor's eyes filled with tears. "I don't know what to say."

Travis stepped closer. "Say you'll stay. Say you'll fight with us. We're a team, and we're stronger together."

The staff joined in, their voices overlapping. "Please, Taylor. Don't leave us."

Taylor looked around, overwhelmed by the support. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. I'll stay. I'll fight with you all."

A cheer erupted from the staff, and they gathered around Taylor and Travis for a group hug. The energy in the room was palpable, filled with renewed hope and determination.

Andrea, who had been watching from the sidelines, ran up to Travis and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Travis. Thank you for giving Taylor hope."

Travis smiled, hugging Andrea back. "We all need each other right now."

Andrea then turned to Taylor, her eyes brimming with pride. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. You're so strong."

Taylor hugged her mother tightly. "Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that."

Turning back to the staff, Taylor wiped her tears and took a deep breath. "Alright, everyone. We have a lot of work to do. This company is going to be debt-free, and that's the new purpose of my life. We're in this together, and we're going to succeed."

The room buzzed with excitement and determination as the team rallied around Taylor. Travis felt a weight lift off his shoulders, knowing they were all on the same page now. The fight wasn't over, but they were ready to face it head-on, united and strong.