Tayvis: Twists of Fate

Chapter - 29 : Distractions

Travis tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Thoughts of Taylor consumed him. He finally grabbed his phone and sent her a text: "Hey Taylor, I'd really like to see you before I leave for practice tomorrow. Can we meet?"

He stared at his phone, waiting for a response. Taylor saw the message almost immediately, but she couldn't bring herself to reply. She felt a knot in her stomach as she remembered their kiss. She wasn't ready to face him yet, not with all the confusion swirling in her mind. She left him on read.

Travis waited, hoping for a response that never came. Morning arrived, and with it, a sense of dread. He went through his morning routine, but his heart wasn't in it. He kept glancing at his phone, hoping Taylor would change her mind and come to see him. But she didn't.

At practice, Travis was distracted. His thoughts were miles away, with Taylor. His performance was off, and his coach noticed. During a break, Coach Reynolds pulled him aside.

"Kelce, what's going on with you today? Your head isn't in the game. If you keep this up, you're not going to make the team."

Travis nodded, trying to shake off his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Coach. I'll do better."

"You'd better," Coach Reynolds said sternly. "We're counting on you."

Despite his best efforts, Travis couldn't focus. He played half-heartedly, his mind constantly drifting back to Taylor. By the end of practice, he felt defeated. The usual post-practice high was replaced by a deep sense of longing and frustration.

Meanwhile, Taylor was struggling too. She couldn't concentrate on her work. She'd forget where she left things and even walked into the wrong office twice. Her employees noticed her distracted state, but no one dared to ask. She felt like a mess, the kiss with Travis replaying in her mind over and over again.

She tried to bury herself in work, but it was no use. Every email, every phone call seemed to remind her of the turmoil she was in. She finally called one of her colleagues into her office.

"Abigail, I need you to handle the meetings today. I... I just can't focus."

Abigail looked at her with concern. "Taylor, are you okay? You don't seem like yourself."

Taylor forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed, that's all. Please handle it for me."

Abigail nodded, but her worry was evident. "Sure, Taylor. Take care of yourself, okay?"

Taylor nodded, grateful for Abigail's understanding. She retreated to her office, closing the door behind her. She sat down, her mind a whirlpool of emotions. She knew she had to figure things out with Travis, but she was scared. Scared of her feelings, scared of what it might mean for their friendship, scared of getting hurt again.

She picked up her phone several times, wanting to call or text Travis, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She thought about how he must be feeling, and the guilt gnawed at her. She knew he deserved an explanation, but she didn't know what to say.

That evening, Travis was back at his place, staring at his phone. He felt like calling Taylor, but he didn't want to push her. He'd already sent a message and received no reply. He knew she needed space, but it hurt. It hurt not knowing what she was thinking, not knowing where they stood.

As the days passed, both Taylor and Travis continued to struggle. Travis's performance at practice remained lackluster, and his coaches were losing patience. Taylor, on the other hand, was barely getting through her workdays. She'd smile and nod during meetings, but her mind was elsewhere.

Jason had been keeping an eye on Travis during practice, and he saw how much his brother was struggling. It was clear that something was deeply wrong. After practice, Jason called their mother, Donna.

"Mom, Travis is really off his game. I'm worried about him. He's not focused, and the coaches are starting to lose patience."

Donna's heart sank. She knew Travis well enough to understand that his struggles were likely tied to his feelings for Taylor. Determined to help, she reached out to Andrea, hoping she could provide some insight.

When Andrea picked up the phone, Donna wasted no time. "Andrea, I need your help. Travis is not doing well at all. He's not just struggling on the field; I think he's struggling with Taylor too. Can you talk to her?"

Andrea sighed, already suspecting what might be going on. "I've noticed that Taylor hasn't been herself lately either. I'll talk to her, Donna. We need to fix this for both of them."

That evening, Travis received a stern warning from his coaches.

"Kelce," Coach Reynolds said, "we're only giving you a chance in the first match because of your name and your past performance. If you mess up, you can forget about the rest of the season. You'll be back to business, no more football."

Travis felt the weight of his world collapsing. He had failed in his game, and his personal life was a mess. He called Donna, needing to talk to someone who could understand his pain.

"Mom, the coaches said if I mess up the first match, I'm done. I can't focus, and I can't go back to business. I don't know what to do."

Donna's heart broke hearing the despair in her son's voice. "Travis, hold on. I'm going to call Taylor. I'll do everything I can to help."

Donna immediately called Taylor. "Taylor, it's Donna. Listen, Travis needs you. He's really struggling, and I think seeing you at his match in Kansas could make all the difference. Please, don't stop yourself from getting the love you deserve. Travis loves you so much, and he needs your support."

Taylor's heart pounded as she listened. Did Travis really love her that much? Did she deserve such devotion from him? She felt overwhelmed and unsure. After hanging up with Donna, she sat down, deep in thought.

Andrea walked into Taylor's room, sensing something was wrong. "Taylor, what's going on? You've been distracted and stressed. Is it about Travis?"

Taylor looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. "Donna called. Travis is struggling. She wants me to go to his match in Kansas. She said he needs me, that he loves me. I'm just scared, mom. What if I make the wrong choice again?"

Andrea sat down beside her. "Taylor, you can't punish Travis for what Joe did. Travis is a good man, and he deserves a chance. You deserve a chance at real love too. Just because Joe was bad doesn't mean Travis will be. Give him a chance, Taylor. Don't let fear hold you back."

Taylor nodded, absorbing Andrea's words. "You're right. I just... I need to sleep on it."

That night, Taylor lay in bed, her mind racing. She thought about Travis, how he had always been there for her, how he had saved her from Shawn. Could she really let her fear of the past prevent her from embracing a future with someone who truly cared for her? She felt a wave of emotion and, for the first time in a long while, hope.