Because Hearts Get Broken

Disconnect

After returning to the U.S., Taylor feels a sense of relief as she steps back into her familiar surroundings. She is on a tour break, and she's back in the comfortable routine of her everyday life. But the feeling of relief is fleeting.

There's a heaviness in her chest that she can't shake, a sense that something is off, that has become more evident since there's no gigs, and show preparations, and crew and crowd buzz to distract her from it.

She reunites with her boyfriend, and while he greets her with open arms and a warm smile, she can't help but feel a bit distant.

As they sit down for dinner in their favourite restaurant, he asks her; "Did you like the flowers I sent? Thought they'd look great in your dressing room. Everyone was talking about how they were the most extravagant display at the venue."

Taylor smiles, trying to match his enthusiasm. "Yeah, they were beautiful. Thank you."

He beams, clearly pleased with himself. "I knew you'd love them. The best for my girl. I made sure to pick out the rarest flowers. It was all over social media. People couldn't stop talking about it."

She nods, trying to push away the unease that's been gnawing at her. She knows she should be more appreciative—after all, it was a grand gesture, and her friends had all raved about how lucky she was. But something about it doesn't sit right with her. The display felt more like a statement to the world than a personal gesture meant just for her.

As they continue with dinner, he dives into a conversation about his training camp, his podcast renewal deal, and the excitement of an upcoming movie he's been cast in. His eyes light up as he talks about attending his friend's music festival, how cool it'll be to rub shoulders with celebrities, and how pumped he is for all the projects coming his way.

She watches him, smiling at his excitement, remembering how exhilarating and refreshing it had once felt to be around someone so carefree, so driven by the thrill of life.

But now, as he talks, her mind drifts. She desperately wants to feel the same excitement he does, to be as enthusiastic about their life together as he seems to be.

"Can we talk about something?" she asks, trying to steer the conversation away from his projects and into more personal territory.

"Sure, what's up?" he replies, still riding the high of his monologue about his upcoming plans.

"I've been feeling a little... off, lately. I'm not sure what it is, but I just—I guess I'm struggling with some things," she begins, carefully choosing her words.

He frowns slightly but doesn't seem overly concerned. "What do you mean? Is it about the tour? I thought everything went well."

"It's not the tour," she says, and a tinge of frustration seeps into her voice. She wonders why everyone assumes her issues must be related to the tour. Has she become so intertwined with it that her identity is lost in it? She sighs, searching for the right words.

"I've been feeling disconnected, like something's missing. I don't know how to explain it, but I need to talk about what's really going on with me."

He leans back in his chair, looking puzzled. "What do you mean, disconnected? We're together now, right? Things are going great for both of us. What's there to be worried about?"

She sighs, feeling the frustration build. "It's not about things going great on the surface. It's about how I feel inside. Sometimes, I just want to talk about something deeper, something more than just work or what's happening next in our lives."

He gives her a half-smile, as if trying to be reassuring, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "We're good, baby. And of course I want to listen to anything you have to say". He reaches out, placing his hand gently on top of hers.