Forbidden Fruit (Travis Kelce)

Back to Kansas

Arianna

I woke up cuddling Travis, his arms wrapped securely around me. For a moment, it felt like heaven. The nightmare of the past weeks seemed to fade away, replaced by the warmth and comfort of his embrace. But the bubble was quickly broken when Travis stirred and whispered, "I have to go."

I blinked, trying to hold onto the peaceful feeling a little longer. "Go where?"

"Back to Kansas," he said, sitting up. "I have practice, and I can't miss it. But I want you to come with me. You can hide at the house."

"No, that's not a good idea," I said, shaking my head. "The press will be all over the house. I should stay here."

He looked at me with determination. "I'll hire as much security as possible, but I don't want to be without you anymore. Trust me."

I hesitated, the thought of facing the media storm making my stomach churn. But the sincerity in his eyes made me reconsider. After a moment, I nodded. "Okay. I'll come with you."

A look of relief washed over his face. He helped me pack up my clothes, and I grabbed my journal, flipping through the pages filled with lyrics. I paused when I saw the songs I had written in my darkest moments, believing Travis had betrayed me. With a deep breath, I tore those pages out and threw them away.

"I just need to change, and I'll be ready," I told him, heading to the bathroom.

I covered myself in a hoodie and sunglasses, trying to disguise my appearance as much as possible. Travis held my hand as we left the house, making our way to the jet. He reassured me repeatedly that everything would be fine, and I tried to believe him.

As we boarded the plane, I was surprised to see Patrick and Brittany already seated. Their eyes widened in shock when they saw me.

"Arianna?" Patrick exclaimed, standing up. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm coming back to Kansas," I replied, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Travis convinced me."

Brittany looked at me with a mixture of relief and concern. "It's so good to see you, Ari. I was worried about you."

"I know," I said softly, hugging her. "Thank you for everything."

Once we were all settled, I reached out to my publicist. "I need you to look into who leaked the TMZ scandal about Travis. Use any contacts you have there."

"I'll get on it right away," she assured me.

As the plane took off, the four of us started brainstorming. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. "What about Kayla?" I suggested, breaking the silence.

Brittany frowned. "She is crazy, but not that crazy."

Travis sighed, running a hand through his hair. "At this point, she just might be."

Patrick nodded. "It's worth looking into. We need to cover all our bases."

We spent the rest of the flight discussing possible leads and scenarios. The idea that someone had intentionally tried to destroy our relationship was infuriating, but it also gave me a sense of purpose. I wasn't going to let whoever did this get away with it.

Travis held my hand throughout the flight, his presence a comforting anchor. When we finally landed in Kansas, I felt a mix of anxiety and determination. The journey ahead wouldn't be easy, but I was ready to face it with Travis by my side.

As we drove closer to the house, I noticed a crowd of press waiting outside, their cameras flashing in anticipation. Thankfully, the car windows were blacked out, so they couldn't see into the back. My heart raced, but Travis squeezed my hand reassuringly.

Brittany and Patrick went home, leaving Travis and me to go back to his house. Walking through the door, I felt a strange sense of unease. The memories of what had happened made the place feel different.

Travis noticed my hesitation and hugged me, kissing my forehead. "This is your home, Ari. I love you, and I'm sorry all this is happening."

I nodded, trying to shake off the feeling. "It just feels weird being here after everything."

"All of your things are still here," he said softly. "Brittany tried to move them out, but I couldn't let go. Take a bath to relax, and I'll order us some dinner."

I managed a small smile. "Okay."

He led me upstairs to the bathroom, running a warm bath for me. As I slipped into the water, I let out a sigh of relief. The warmth enveloped me, easing some of the tension.

While in the bath, I couldn't help but contemplate how crazy my life had become lately. I had run away from my problems all the way to Switzerland and then Malibu. Now, I realized I did all of that for nothing. Travis was drugged in Boston. The thought made me feel so bad because if I had just unblocked him, things might have been figured out by now.

The guilt gnawed at me as I soaked in the tub. The water, once comforting, now felt heavy with the weight of my regrets. I couldn't believe how far I had gone to escape my feelings, only to find that the truth had been different all along. I felt a deep sense of remorse for not trusting Travis, for running away instead of facing our problems head-on.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to let go of the guilt. It wasn't easy, but I had to remind myself that I wasn't alone in this. Travis was here, willing to work through everything with me. That thought brought a small measure of comfort.

When I finally got out of the bath and changed into some comfortable clothes, I felt a little better. I found Travis in the kitchen, setting the table for dinner. He looked up and smiled when he saw me.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"A little," I admitted, walking over to him.

He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "We'll get through this, Ari. Together."

I nodded against his chest, finding comfort in his embrace. "I know."

As we sat down to eat, I felt a renewed sense of hope. "Travis," I started, "when I thought you cheated, something broke inside me. I didn't know how to process the emotions I felt. It's overwhelming to learn the truth now."

He reached across the table, taking my hand in his. "I can't imagine how hard this has been for you. I'm so sorry, Ari. I wish I could take all that pain away."

"I know you do," I said, squeezing his hand. "It's just... it's a lot to handle."

"We'll handle it together," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere."

After dinner, we headed upstairs to the bedroom. The familiar space felt different now, but having Travis by my side made it a little easier. He wrapped his arms around me, kissing me gently. "This is your home," he whispered, his lips brushing against my forehead.

I nestled into his embrace, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. "I love you," I whispered back, "and I'm sorry for everything."

He held me tighter. "I love you too, Ari. We'll get through this."

We cuddled together, his warmth and presence soothing my frayed nerves. As he kissed me, all the doubts and fears began to melt away. In his arms, I felt safe, loved, and finally at peace. It wasn't long before sleep claimed us both, the comfort of being together easing the burdens of the past few weeks.