Requested by: @unicornbunny07
Inspired by The Bolter
The sound of Travis's voice echoed in Taylor's head as she paced the living room of their Kansas City home. She clutched her phone tightly, staring at his last text, her heart pounding in her chest. They'd had arguments before, sure—who hadn't? But this one felt different. Something about the way their words had cut through her had left her shaken. She knew she should have stayed calm, should have just let it go, but her emotions were all over the place, and every little thing Travis said seemed to sting.
Their relationship had always been strong, but lately, she felt the cracks forming. He was deep into football season, and she was preparing for her own commitments, the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders. They were drifting apart, and it terrified her.
It started with a simple text—a plea for a sliver of attention—but it spiraled into something much worse.
---
**Taylor [10:12 AM]:**
*Will you be home after practice today?*
She sent the message, knowing it wasn't the first time she'd asked this week, but she needed the reassurance, needed to know that he still wanted to be with her, that football hadn't consumed him entirely.
The three dots popped up on her screen, and her stomach twisted with anxiety. When his response finally came, it was brief.
**Travis [10:15 AM]:**
*Not sure yet. Could run late.*
Her heart sank, and her fingers trembled as she quickly typed back.
**Taylor [10:17 AM]:**
*You said that yesterday. It's like you don't even care anymore.*
She knew it wasn't fair to put all her feelings into a text like that, but the emotions swirled in her, too heavy to ignore. She watched the screen as the dots appeared, disappeared, then appeared again. Finally, his reply came through.
**Travis [10:21 AM]:**
*Taylor, come on. You know I care. I'm just busy.*
Busy. Always busy. She felt a wave of frustration rise in her chest.
**Taylor [10:23 AM]:**
*You're always busy. When was the last time you actually made time for me?*
There was no response. She waited, watching the screen, hoping, praying he'd say something to fix this, to ease the ache that had been growing in her chest for days.
But the silence dragged on.
Minutes passed. She stared at her phone, willing him to say something. Anything. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest, the sting of being ignored growing unbearable.
---
**Travis [10:30 AM]:**
*I'm doing my best. Why is that never enough?*
Her eyes stung with sudden tears. She swallowed hard, her fingers flying across the screen.
**Taylor [10:32 AM]:**
*Because I don't feel like a priority. I feel like you're slipping away.*
The truth hung heavy in the air. She pressed send before she could second-guess it, and almost immediately regretted her vulnerability. He wasn't going to understand. He never really did.
**Travis [10:35 AM]:**
*I'm not slipping away, Taylor. I'm trying to balance everything. You know this.*
Taylor let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling. It wasn't enough. His words weren't enough. She left him on read, her thoughts spiraling into a familiar, chaotic pattern. She'd been through this before—feeling like she wasn't enough, like she was holding on to something that was slipping through her fingers no matter how tightly she tried to grip it.
