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I stood in the middle of our walk-in closet, staring at the empty rack where my hoodies used to be. My brain was trying to make sense of the situation, but the more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. I'd been home for two days, getting everything packed for training camp, and it wasn't until this morning that I realized something was seriously off.
All my hoodies were gone. Not just one or two—every single one of them. The black one I always threw on after practice, the gray one with the Kansas City Chiefs logo that was practically a second skin, the old college hoodie with the frayed cuffs. Every. Single. One.
I'd checked the bedroom, the laundry room, the gym, even the damn kitchen, thinking maybe I'd left one lying around. But nope, nothing. Just empty hangers and a suspicious lack of cozy fabric.
There was only one possible explanation, and it wasn't that they'd just magically disappeared. I knew exactly who the culprit was.
I pulled out my phone, shaking my head with a mix of amusement and exasperation, and hit FaceTime. It only took a few rings before Taylor picked up, her face appearing on the screen, all bright-eyed and grinning like she'd just gotten away with something.
"Hey, babe!" she greeted me, her voice all sweet and innocent, like she didn't have a closet full of my stuff thousands of miles away in London.
"Hey, Tay," I replied, trying to keep a straight face. I tilted the camera so she could see where I was standing—right in the middle of the crime scene. "So, I'm packing for camp, right? Just grabbing the essentials, and I went to get one of my hoodies. But guess what?"
Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she bit her lip, clearly fighting back a laugh. "What?"
"They're all gone," I said, spreading my arms wide to emphasize the point. "Every. Single. One. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Taylor finally let out a laugh, and I couldn't help but smile, even as I shook my head. "Oh my God, you should've seen your face just now!"
"Don't play innocent with me, Swift," I said, though my voice was more amused than anything else. "I know you've been stealing them. You think I haven't noticed? My collection has been dwindling every time you're home. I've been keeping track!"
She raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed with herself. "Really? Have you been keeping a spreadsheet or something?"
"Don't tempt me," I shot back, shaking my head. "But seriously, Tay. What am I supposed to do? I can't go to camp without at least one hoodie. It's part of the whole football vibe, you know?"
She leaned back in her chair, still grinning like she'd won some kind of contest. "Okay, okay. You got me. But in my defense, your hoodies are just too comfortable. And, honestly, they look way better on me than they do on you."
I scoffed, though I was definitely entertained by this whole situation. "Better on you? You're swimming in them!"
"Exactly!" she said, holding up her arms so I could see how the sleeves hung way past her hands. "This is peak comfort. Plus, they smell like you, which is nice when I'm stuck over here in London."
My heart did a little flip at that, but I kept my tone light. "Okay, I get that. But all of them, Tay? Really? I don't even have one left."
"Wait, not even the one with the mustard stain?" she asked, feigning shock. "I thought I left you that one on purpose!"
I groaned, rubbing a hand over my face. "Even that one's gone. I think you might be a hoodie kleptomaniac."
Taylor twirled a strand of hair around her finger, clearly enjoying this way too much. "Maybe I am. But it's your fault for leaving them lying around where I can find them."
"Lying around? They were in my closet!" I exclaimed, gesturing wildly to the empty space behind me.
"Semantics," she quipped, waving her hand like it was no big deal. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll survive camp without them. You're tough, right?"
I narrowed my eyes at her, a mischievous plan forming in the back of my mind. "Oh, I'll survive. But you should know that payback is coming. Big time."
She perked up at that, intrigued. "Oh? What do you have in mind, Kelce?"
"I'm not giving away my secrets," I said, leaning closer to the camera with a grin. "But just know, the next time I'm in London, I'm raiding your wardrobe. You might find a few things missing."
"Bold of you to assume I have anything left to steal," she shot back, smirking. "Between the tour merch and your hoodies, my wardrobe is pretty much complete."
"We'll see about that," I said, already plotting my revenge. "But for now, how about you send me one of my hoodies? Preferably before I have to leave for camp?"
Taylor tapped her chin like she was really thinking it over, but I knew she was just messing with me. "Hmm, I suppose I could do that. But which one? The black one? The gray one with the hole in the pocket? Or maybe the Chiefs one you left here last time?"
"You know, you could just send them all back," I suggested, trying to sound hopeful.
She laughed, shaking her head. "Not a chance. But I'll send you the gray one—you know, as a token of my love."
"Gee, thanks," I said with a grin. "Just make sure it gets here before I have to freeze my butt off in the locker room."
"Consider it done," she replied, her voice softening as she looked at me. "I miss you, Trav."
"I miss you too, Tay," I said, feeling that familiar tug in my chest. It always hit me whenever we were apart for too long. "But hey, it won't be long before we're back together. And when we are, I'm reclaiming my hoodies."
She smirked, her eyes sparkling with that teasing look I loved so much. "You can try, but I think they've found a permanent home with me."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "We'll see about that. But for now, I'll let you get back to your tour. Just don't forget to send that hoodie, okay?"
"Don't worry, I've got you covered," she promised, blowing me a kiss through the screen. "Good luck at camp. I'll be thinking of you."
"And I'll be thinking of you every time I can't find one of my hoodies," I teased, winking at her.
With a final smile, we said our goodbyes, and I ended the call, still shaking my head at the whole situation. Taylor was the ultimate hoodie thief, no doubt about it. But honestly, if it meant she was carrying a piece of me with her wherever she went, I couldn't really be mad.
Besides, I had a feeling I'd be getting my revenge soon enough. The next time I was in London, her wardrobe better watch out.
