Forbidden Fruit (Travis Kelce)

Three's a Crowd

Arianna

Abel followed Brittany as she showed him around the house, eventually leading him to the guest room. Meanwhile, I made my way to find the kids. Sterling and Bronze's laughter filled the house, and my heart swelled at the sound.

"Hey, munchkins!" I called out as I entered the playroom. Sterling ran to me, her face lighting up with joy.

"Auntie Ari!" she squealed, wrapping her little arms around my legs.

I scooped her up and gave her a big hug. "I've missed you so much!"

Bronze toddled over, reaching up for his own hug. I bent down and scooped him up too, feeling a sense of peace I hadn't felt in a while.

After a few minutes of playing with the kids, Brittany called out to me from the kitchen. "Ari, can you help with dinner?"

"Sure thing," I replied, giving the kids one last hug before heading to the kitchen.

Abel passed by us, waving his phone. "I have to make some calls. Catch you guys later."

In the kitchen, Brittany handed me a chopping board and some vegetables. "So, what's been going on with your love life?" she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.

I sighed, focusing on chopping the vegetables. "No update, really. I've been celibate since Zach. Harry and I made out once, but nothing happened."

Brittany raised an eyebrow. "Really? Harry Styles and nothing happened? I'm impressed."

I laughed softly. "It just didn't feel right."

As we continued to prepare dinner, Brittany glanced at me. "Oh, by the way, Travis and Isiah are coming for dinner."

My heart skipped a beat. I wasn't expecting to see Travis so soon. I thought I would at least have some time before the party. I tried to play it off, but the anxiety was building inside me. "Oh, cool," I managed to say, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Brittany gave me a knowing look but didn't press further. We finished cooking, and I excused myself to go change. I needed a moment to gather myself before seeing Travis again.

In my room, I checked my appearance in the mirror, then decided to check on Abel. I found him lounging in his guest room, scrolling through his phone.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked.

He looked up, a mischievous grin on his face. "Travis is coming to dinner, huh?"

I nodded, feeling the anxiety creep back in. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting to see him so soon. I thought I'd have more time to prepare myself."

He stood up and walked over to me, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Hey, it's going to be fine. Just be yourself. You've got this."

I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "Thanks, Abel."

We made our way downstairs just as the doorbell rang. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.

Abel leaned in and whispered, "Showtime."

I nudged him playfully. "Shut up," I whispered back, and he laughed quietly.

Brittany opened the door to reveal Isiah, followed closely by Travis. "Hey, come on in," she said, ushering them inside.

I greeted Isiah and Travis, my eyes meeting Travis's for a moment longer than necessary. "Travis, Isiah, this is Abel," I said, introducing them.

"Nice to meet you," Abel said, shaking their hands.