The Secret Of Us

one

October 5th, 2022
Taylor

"I don't get why you have to put in so much effort for the guy." 

"Because he's my best friend." I snapped at my husband, looking over my shoulder. "Matty we've been over this." I didn't get why he was so against how close Travis and I were. We'd known each other twenty-seven years.

Matty sighed and left the living room where I was setting up for Travis' surprise birthday party. I rolled my eyes at him as he left, constantly annoyed by his butting in. I still wasn't sure why I'd married him back in January, but we'd been drunk and stupid. Now all these months later, I was pretty sure the only reason we were still married was because of our fame. The media would have a field day if Matty and I had got a divorce, so we just hadn't. I didn't particularly love him at all or even like him, but it wasn't too bad. He was out a lot.

And I had Travis. My best friend, my rock, my ride or die. He knew me a way Matty never would, and Travis and I told each other everything. The sucky part was that I wanted a lot more from our relationship than I could ever have. I loved Travis like my best friend, but for some reason I was an addict to the thought of having him. I wanted my best friend in such a dark and dangerous way, and it killed me.

Then I heard a light knock on the door and the jangle of keys that announced the arrival of my best friend. Matty didn't like that I'd given Travis a key to the apartment, but technically it was my apartment and my name was on the lease. Not his. I had a key to Travis' place, and he had a key to mine.

"Trav?" I called, running out into the hallway to see my best friend closing the door behind him. 

"Bug!" Travis smiled and hugged me close as I jumped into his arms, wrapping mine around his neck as he lifted me off my feet. "Hey there Bug, how are you?" He murmured as he placed me back on the ground.

"Good." I smiled back. "Happy birthday old man."

"Oh shut up." Travis chuckled as I wrinkled my nose at him. 

"I have a surprise for you!" I said in a sing song voice, grabbing both of his hands. "Close your eyes." I demanded, and Travis did as I dragged him down to the living room. He was early so no one was here yet, but that didn't matter. It would still be a surprise. "Okay open." I said.

Travis looked around, smiling a little when he saw what I'd done for him. The whole thing; balloons, streamers hung up, presents on the coffee table, his favorite snacks, the TV set up to play music. Travis' smile grew as he turned to me, and I grinned at him, my fingers curled up into fists by my mouth. I swayed a little from side to side as I waited for his response, and then he laughed, picking me up and spinning me around.

"This is amazing Bug, I can't believe you did this for me." He set me down on my feet and ruffled my hair playfully. God, I loved it when he called me Bug. It was a nickname from when we were kids and I'd been the only one on the class trip who had wanted to hold the insects, and ever since then it had stuck. I was his Tay-Bug. 

"Happy birthday Trav." I tapped his nose. "Ready for your first birthday present."

"Bug, tell me you did not get me more than one."

"Of course not." I said innocently. "I got you more than two." Travis groaned at me but I laughed, picking up the most important one and placing it in his hands. "I'm a billionaire remember? Just open it."

Travis sighed at me but nodded, and I bit my lip excitedly as I watched him unwrap what I'd got for him. His eyes lit up at the sight of the logo on the shoebox. I didn't get it, but Travis loved shoes and he had a whole shoe cupboard for his collection. I'd managed to snag him a pair of super limited edition ones that I knew he'd love.