Forbidden Fruit (Travis Kelce)

Almost Too Close

Arianna

The crowd in Poland roared with applause as I took my final bow. I couldn't believe it—the European leg of my tour was officially over. Forty shows in some of the most beautiful cities in the world, and now it was time to take a break before the North American leg started in two weeks. The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming, and I felt a mix of exhilaration and exhaustion.

Backstage, the energy was electric. My team and I were on a high from the show's success. We decided to go out and celebrate, and soon we found ourselves at a trendy bar in the heart of the city. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses as we toasted to our achievements.

"Cheers to an incredible European tour!" Olivia shouted, raising her glass.

"Cheers!" everyone echoed, clinking their glasses together.

Olivia pulled me into a tight hug. "Ari, you were amazing tonight. I can't believe it's over."

"Thanks, Liv. You were incredible too," I replied, smiling. "I can't believe it's over either."

Theo came over, handing me another drink. "To the best tour I've ever been a part of. You killed it, Ari."

"Thanks, Theo," I said, taking a sip of my drink. "I couldn't have done it without you guys."

As the night went on, the drinks kept flowing, and I found myself getting drunk. The conversations were lively, filled with reminiscing about our favorite moments on tour and making plans for the future. It felt good to let loose and celebrate with the people who had become like family to me.

At some point, Theo and I found ourselves alone in a quieter corner of the bar. We were talking about the tour, laughing about the mishaps and the highlights.

"You know, Ari, this tour has been something else," Theo said, his voice soft and sincere. "I'm really going to miss it."

"Me too," I agreed, feeling a pang of sadness. "But we've got the North American leg to look forward to."

He nodded, his eyes locking onto mine. "Yeah, but it won't be the same."

There was a moment of silence, and the air between us seemed to thicken. Theo reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Hey, I put a song on SoundCloud a few days ago. I'd love to know what you think. Can I play it for you?"

"Of course," I said, curious and flattered that he wanted to share his music with me.

He played the song, and as I listened, I was struck by how beautiful it was. The melody, the lyrics—it all resonated with me deeply.

I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered "Goodbye" as she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart, oh

This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say "Goodbye" anymore

Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh

I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied, oh
Kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again
But I know

This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say "Goodbye" anymore

Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh

I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's alright
(It's alright, it's alright)
My pressure on your hips
Sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
'Cause I know that's what you want me to do

This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
Her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say "Goodbye" anymore

This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And my heart is breaking in front of me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before

This love has taken its toll on me
(Oh, yeah, yeah)
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
(Yeah)
And her heart is breaking in front of me
(Yeah)
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say "Goodbye" anymore

This love has taken its toll on me

This love by maroon 5

When the song ended, I looked at Theo. "Theo, that was amazing. You have such a gift."

He smiled, a hint of shyness in his eyes. "Thanks, Ari. It means a lot to hear that from you."

I couldn't help but joke, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "So, who's the song about?"

He laughed softly, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "It's just something I wrote. A mix of experiences, I guess."

There was a charged silence between us, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. His eyes locked onto mine, filled with an intensity that made my heart race. He took a step closer, and I could feel the heat between us. My breath caught in my throat as he leaned in, our faces just inches apart.

Just then, someone called out to us, breaking the moment.

"Hey, Theo! Come join us for another round!"

Theo stepped back, the spell broken. "Yeah, sure. Be right there."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I need to get some air," I said, turning to walk away before he could respond.

Back at my hotel room, I tried to process what had happened. The almost-kiss with Theo had shaken me. I couldn't deny the connection I felt in that moment, and it scared me. I loved Travis, but being away from him for so long had made me feel distant and lonely. Theo had been there, filling that void, and it made me question my relationship with Travis.

I sat on the edge of my bed, my mind racing. What did it mean? Was I just lonely, or was there something more? The guilt gnawed at me, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't want to hurt Travis, but I couldn't ignore the confusion swirling inside me.

As I lay down, I tried to push the thoughts away, but they kept coming back. I knew I needed to figure out what I was feeling and why. The North American tour was starting soon, and I couldn't afford to be distracted. I needed to sort this out, for Travis's sake and mine.

With a heavy heart, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, hoping that clarity would come with the morning light.

Author's note
Do you think she's going to tell Travis or keep it a secret?