love in the mix - a tayvis au <3

18 - a breakup and a secret

Natalie had been quiet the entire evening, still thinking about the unspoken tension between Taylor and Travis she had seen at the dinner. It wasn't that she hadn't noticed it before, but at the dinner party, it was undeniable. The way Taylor's eyes flickered with something more than friendly curiosity whenever she glanced at Travis, and how Travis shifted uncomfortably in his seat when Taylor was speaking—it was all too obvious.

As they drove back to the hotel after their date night, Natalie had kept her feelings bottled up, unwilling to spoil the evening by confronting him then. But now, as they sat across from each other at breakfast the next morning, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Travis," she began, her voice soft but firm, "we need to talk."

Travis looked up from his plate, his expression curious but a little wary. He could sense something was off.

"Yeah? What's going on?" he asked, setting his coffee cup down.

Natalie took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "I can't keep doing this."

Travis blinked, clearly confused. "Doing what?"

Natalie sighed, her frustration evident. "Us. This relationship. It's not going anywhere, and I think we both know why."

Travis frowned, clearly not following. "What are you talking about? I thought things were going well. I really enjoy being with you."

Natalie shook her head, her lips pressing into a thin line. "That's the problem, Travis. I don't think you're really here with me. I mean, you're physically here, but emotionally, you're somewhere else."

Travis furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

Natalie leaned forward, her gaze piercing as she spoke the words she had been holding back for weeks. "You're still hung up on Taylor."

The moment her name was spoken, Travis's expression shifted. He opened his mouth to protest, but Natalie cut him off before he could get a word out.

"Don't," she said, her voice sharper than before. "I saw the way you two looked at each other at that dinner. The way you were uncomfortable the entire night, how you were distracted. You can't tell me that wasn't because of her."

Travis leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Natalie, it's not like that. Taylor and I have a complicated history, but that's in the past."

Natalie gave him a sad smile, her eyes filled with understanding. "No, Travis. It's not in the past. You're still in love with her."

Travis froze, the weight of her words hitting him harder than he expected. He didn't deny it. In that moment, as much as he wanted to argue, he couldn't. Because deep down, he knew she was right.

Natalie sighed again, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Look, I don't want to be someone's second choice. I deserve better than that. And you deserve to figure out what you really want."

Travis stared at her, unsure of what to say. He wasn't heartbroken—at least not over Natalie. But the reality of his feelings for Taylor, feelings he had tried to push aside, now stood starkly in front of him.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice soft.

Natalie nodded, a small, understanding smile on her face. "Don't be. I just... I hope you figure it out, Travis. Because it's obvious to everyone but you."

With that, she stood, grabbing her purse and jacket. "I'll take care of everything. You don't have to worry about that."

Travis nodded, watching as she left the café without looking back. He let out a deep breath, leaning back in his chair and staring out the window. He wasn't devastated by the breakup, but he felt... unsettled. Because if Natalie was right, if he still had feelings for Taylor, what did that mean for his future? Could they ever get back to where they were before? And did Taylor even feel the same way?