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It was one of those rare lazy afternoons where Travis and his older brother, Jason, had absolutely nothing to do. Football season was in full swing, but today was their day off, and they were taking full advantage of it. They were sprawled out on the couch in Travis's living room, each lost in their own world as they scrolled through their phones.
Jason, ever the curious one, had been poking around on TikTok for a good laugh, watching the latest dance crazes and hilarious fails. Travis, on the other hand, was half-watching a movie playing on the TV, his thumb lazily swiping through Instagram.
"Hey, Trav, you ever see any of Taylor's TikToks?" Jason suddenly asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
Travis glanced up, brow furrowed in thought. "She has a TikTok account, but she doesn't post much. Mostly just keeps up with trends and stuff."
Jason grinned, his curiosity piqued. "You sure about that?"
Travis's curiosity was now piqued as well. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I was scrolling through TikTok, and I came across this account named 'Tay_Abby89.' Looks like it's run by Taylor and I'm assuming her best friend, Abigail." Jason turned his phone screen toward Travis, showing him the profile.
Travis squinted at the screen, a slow grin spreading across his face. "No way. She didn't tell me about this."
"Guess it's her little secret," Jason said with a chuckle. "Wanna see what they've been up to?"
Travis hesitated for a second, feeling a small pang of guilt about invading Taylor's privacy. But then again, this was TikTok, not some deep, dark secret. Plus, he was curious to see what kind of shenanigans Taylor got up to with Abigail.
"Yeah, let's see," Travis finally said, settling back into the couch with a smile.
They clicked on the first video that caught their eye—a clip of Taylor and Abigail in a car, with the song "Hideaway" by Daya blaring through the speakers. The camera was propped up on the dashboard, capturing both women as they sang along to the upbeat tune. Taylor was in the passenger seat, looking effortlessly casual in a baseball cap and sunglasses, her hair loose and free. Abigail was behind the wheel, equally laid-back in a hoodie, her head bopping to the music.
The video started off light and fun, with both of them belting out the lyrics like they were on stage. Travis couldn't help but smile as he watched Taylor laugh and sing, her voice blending perfectly with Abigail's.
But then, as the song slowed down, so did Taylor. Her smile faded slightly, and there was a brief flicker of sadness in her eyes. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Abigail noticed right away.
The camera caught the moment when Abigail glanced over at Taylor, concern evident on her face. "Don't worry, we'll find you someone," Abigail said, her voice soft and reassuring.
Travis felt his heart squeeze. He knew that look, that sadness, all too well. He remembered how lonely Taylor had been before they started dating, how she had put on a brave face while secretly longing for something more. This video was posted just a month before they'd gotten together.
"Damn," Travis muttered, his smile turning bittersweet. "I wish I'd known how she was feeling back then."
Jason, ever the supportive big brother, patted Travis on the back. "Hey, you found her now, and that's what matters. She looks a lot happier these days, thanks to you."
Travis nodded, his chest swelling with pride and love. "Yeah, she does."
They scrolled through the account, laughing at the goofy videos of Taylor and Abigail attempting various TikTok challenges. Then, they stumbled upon a video that promised chaos from the thumbnail alone. The caption read, "When cooking goes wrong... way wrong."
