guilty as sin? (tayvis)

it felt like breathing

(2/3)

The sunlight streamed through the curtains of Taylor's apartment the next morning, casting a golden hue over the room. She stirred beneath the covers, blinking against the brightness, feeling a strange sense of peace she hadn't experienced in a long time. Her thoughts were slow, the remnants of last night still lingering in her mind—the feel of Travis's arms around her, the weight of their kiss, the promises unspoken but understood.

For the first time in months, Taylor wasn't dreading the day ahead. She wasn't caught in the same suffocating loop of confusion and heartache. Instead, there was a softness in the air, a sense of hope that had been missing for far too long.

She turned over in bed, her hand reaching for her phone on the nightstand. A message from Travis flashed on the screen.

Trav 💌:
Morning, Tay. I couldn't stop thinking about last night. Let's take it one step at a time, okay? I'm here when you're ready.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she read his words. One step at a time. She could do that. She could handle slow, could handle figuring things out as they came. She typed a quick reply.

You:
I couldn't stop thinking about it either. Thank you for being patient with me. See you later?

The response came almost instantly.

Trav 💌:
You bet.

Taylor placed the phone back down, sighing softly into her pillow. Things with Travis felt so different. There was no rush, no pressure. It was just them, finally allowing themselves to be in the same moment, without looking back or ahead too much. She hadn't realized how badly she needed that.

But as much as her thoughts were filled with Travis, a shadow still lingered in the background. Joe. She had finally gotten closure, finally put their past to rest, but the emotions he stirred up hadn't completely disappeared. She knew they wouldn't fade overnight. Years of memories, of shared life, couldn't just be erased. And yet, she felt lighter, like she had finally taken the first real step toward healing.

With a determined breath, she swung her legs out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air as she brewed a pot, her mind still swirling with thoughts of last night, of the way Travis had looked at her, the way he had reassured her with just a touch.

The knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. She wasn't expecting anyone this early. She opened the door to find her best friend, Abigail, standing there with two cups of coffee and a grin that could only mean one thing: she knew.

"Morning, stranger," Abigail said, breezing past Taylor into the apartment, setting the coffees down on the kitchen counter. "I thought you could use a caffeine boost after... whatever it was that happened last night."

Taylor groaned but couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "Did you seriously bring coffee just to interrogate me?"

Abigail plopped down on the couch, her eyes gleaming. "Obviously. Spill, Swift. What's going on with you and Travis?"

Taylor grabbed her own cup of coffee and joined Abigail on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her. "I don't even know where to start."

"How about the part where you and Travis finally realized what literally everyone else has known for years?" Abigail teased, taking a sip of her drink.

Taylor laughed, shaking her head. "It's not that simple."

"It never is with you." Abigail raised an eyebrow, but her smile was soft, encouraging. "So? Tell me. What happened?"