Lady in RED || Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

Mission Impossible

Taylor sat nervously in the suite, watching the game unfold below. Her fingers absentmindedly brushed against the engagement ring that was moved to her right hand hidden beneath her oversized sweater sleeve. It was frowned upon to announce engagements or weddings during the NFL season, and Taylor was more than okay with that. She wanted to keep this part of her life private. It was another step in becoming "just Taylor."

The game was intense. Atlanta was was playing like it was the playoffs, and Taylor could feel the tension in the air. Travis had been playing hard, pushing his body to the limit as always, but midway through the third quarter, she saw him take a hard hit that made her heart lurch in her chest. He stayed down for what felt like an eternity. Donna, sitting beside her, gripped Taylor's hand, both of them watching with growing unease.

Finally, Travis got up, shaking it off like he always did, but there was something different this time. He slammed himself down on the bench in frustration, and Taylor could tell he was hurting more than he let on. She bit her lip, her eyes never leaving him for the rest of the game, knowing that while he'd push through, the toll on his body was becoming harder to ignore.

After the loss, Travis met up with them in the suite. Donna was the first to greet him, pulling him into a hug and patting him gently on the back. Taylor could see the pain etched across his face, the emotional weight of the game mixed with the physical toll. He buried his head into Taylor's shoulder, whispering, "That hit was harder than I want people to know."

Taylor's heart sank, and she whispered back, "Are you sure you don't need to see the trainers? You don't have to tough it out."

Travis shook his head, trying to reassure her. "I'm okay, I just need my own bed tonight... and time with you. I think it's really catching up with me. All my past surgeries, it's starting to feel like too much."

Taylor wrapped her arms around him tighter, knowing he was giving everything he had for one more chance and a three-peat with the Chiefs. What the sports commentators didn't realize was that it wasn't because of her or any distractions. Travis had spent his entire off-season working with the best trainers to keep his body going for just one more.

Later that night they prepared to head out, Travis had to leave on the team flight, while Taylor was going to Nashville to spend a day with her mom before heading back to Kansas City. They parted with the longest hug and a quiet kiss. "Say hello to your mom, and see you at home babe" Travis said as he walked onto team bus. 

When Taylor arrived at her mom's doorstep, Andrea was waiting for her, a knowing smile on her face. Taylor grinned as she stepped inside, holding out her hand to show her mom the engagement ring she had been hiding for days.

Andrea's eyes welled up with tears of joy. "Oh my God, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, pulling Taylor into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you, sweetheart. Let the wedding planning begin!"

The next few hours flew by as they excitedly discussing plans. Taylor had always dreamed of a fall wedding, and they wanted it to be intimate, held in the same chapel where Travis had proposed.  Keeping the wedding low-key was a priority, if they could pull off planning it without the media finding out, it would be a miracle.

Only their immediate families knew about the engagement so far. Taylor hadn't even begun to think about how they would handle telling their friends or dealing with the inevitable media frenzy. As they sat together, Andrea pulled out her phone, showing Taylor her collection of Pinterest boards she had been saving for years.

"Mom, we're going to have a wedding planner," Taylor said, laughing.

"I know, I know," Andrea replied with a smile. "But you're my only daughter, and I'll never get this chance again."