We're sitting in the studio, the sound of country music blasting, my dad looks happy as he taps his foot in time whilst Renee, Tiago and I look between each other knowing this is not the direction i should be taking, this is not the music that I should be making at this point in my life
"Better" my father announces when the music finally comes to an end
"It was terrible" Counters Renee as she pushes her chair from the desk and stares down at Tiago "I am not having my name on anything like this"
"Your name wont be on it anyways, all writing credits are going to Taylor"
"Daddy that's not fair!" I cry, but he doesn't even turn to look at me
"This is going to sell" He announces as though he's some kind of music mogul that knows exactly what he's talking about
"This is going to bomb" Argues Renee "I need coffee" and with that she turns quickly, picks up her purse and disappears out of the studio
"She has to go!" My dad says it as though it's a demand but Tiago shakes his head
"She is the best of the best, she and Taylor were making magic before we decided to rehash this country sound"
I see my fathers face turn red but before he can unleash his fury the door opens and Renee appears, signalling for Tiago to follow her and the look on her face is anything but good
"Daddy please stop!" I beg him him but again he keeps his gaze as far away from me as possible "Renee is so talented"
"I don't think your judgement can be trusted right now Taylor so why don't you shut your mouth?!"
I dip my head and let the humiliation burn in my chest
Once again the studio door opens and Tiago is stood there looking more stressed than I have ever seen him before.
He looks at me, trying to communicate with me and as i glance at my dad just staring into space so that he doesn't have to look at me I push off my seat and announce I need the bathroom.
My dad says I have 2 minutes as I move across the studio, finally Tiago takes my hand in his and pulls me out of the studio door
"What's going on?" My voice is trembling, Tiagos face making a fear grow quickly in my chest but he just pulls me gently through reception and out the studio door
"Tay!"
I turn quickly to see Travis on the ground, two security guards holding him in place
"What the hell?" I pull away from Tiago and rush to where Travis lies "Let him go!"
"No way m, he's out of control, he's going to hurt either himself or someone else"
"Let me up!" Travis thrashes backwards and forwards, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol, his eye liner is smudged and there's a graze over his cheek that looks like it was done on the gravel as he fought to free himself "I said let me get the fuck up!"
"You're hurting him! Let him up!" I turn to Tiago who is just watching,a look on his face that I can't put a name to straight away "Tiago do something!"
"Taylor, Travis has been asked to leave the property, he refused to go, demanding to see you instead, he has terrified one of the receptionists, punched a hole in the studio wall... I can't give them permission to let him go until I know he's under control"
"Fuck You Tiago!" Travis yells as he begins fighting against the restraints once more
"I'll take him home!" I don't know how I possibly can, I don't drive and my father has me on such a tight leash he would notice I was gone immediately but I reach down and put my hand on Travis' back "Please calm down, they won't let you go otherwise. Tiago, can you call me a car and please, please make an excuse to my father. I'll take him home and be straight back"
"Kelce! You going to behave?"
"Like the good little boy I am" he says and then spits, gravel and dirt obviously finding their way into his mouth during the struggle
"Let him up" Tiago commands.
It takes the security guards a moment or two to comply but eventually they take their knees off his back and release their grip on his arms and his neck allowing him to climb to his feet, his knees are bleeding through the rips in his blue denim jeans as is one hand and his hair is damp and clinging to his forehead, he stumbles a couple of times before he makes his way to me and wraps me in a tight hug before grabbing my ass and laughing
"Travis!" I push him away but he holds me to him tight as we wait for the car that Tiago is now arranging to arrive
********************
"Here" I hand Travis a coffee as he looks up at me with just one eye open as though he's struggling to focus "where's your first aid kit?"
"Your dad's gonna kill you" he says sipping he coffee and then chuckling
"I'm glad that amuses you" my voice is sharp and holds no humour, 'drunk Travis' has quickly proven himself to be an obnoxious pain in the ass that can't keep his hands or his dirty thoughts to himself
"I don't like you when you're drunk" I admit quietly
"Yeah? Well I don't like you in those fuckin stupid dresses" I look down at the black knee length dress I'm wearing and blush at his words.
Knowing Travis doesn't like what I'm wearing isn't a surprise when my dad picked it out but it hurts nonetheless
"First aid kit?"
"Kitchen, under the sink and bring me a beer whilst you're at it your coffee tastes like shit"
Again his cruelness is like a dagger in my chest but I try to brush it off, I tell myself he's drunk and doesn't mean it but I know alcohol makes you more likely to tell the truth than to tell a lie.
I walk through his immaculate kitchen towards the sink and past a bin that's overflowing with beer cans and my stomach clenches, when I spoke to him yesterday he was just normal Travis, the difference between then and today is stark and I know for a fact something has happened to send him spiralling just as I know he's very unlikely to tell me what
Retrieving the small white box, I head back into the lounge and gasp when I find him stretched out on the sofa, fast asleep. I walk to his side and kneel on the floor watching as he snores softly
"What happened Travis?" I ask quietly as I run my hand through his hair.
I take the next five minutes to clean and dress his visible wounds before taking out his trash and fetching a blanket to cover him.
Once more I smooth my hand over his hair before gently kissing his lips
"Sleep tight" I whisper and he suddenly turns from his back to his side, I kiss his cheek and then stand up preparing to leave and go to face my father when he suddenly grabs my hand
"Don't leave me" He says, his eyes still closed "Please don't leave me, I hate sleeping alone"
