Requested by: @reputation_dress
The energy inside the MTV VMA arena was palpable. Lights flashed in every direction, and fans screamed as their favorite artists graced the stage. Taylor Swift was at the center of it all, having already won multiple awards that night. Dressed in a shimmering gown, her signature smile gleamed under the stage lights, but behind that smile, she was battling something far more unsettling than just nerves.
Her stomach had been off since the morning—something she chalked up to nerves and excitement. But now, as the night wore on and the awards kept coming, that queasiness had morphed into full-blown nausea. Taylor was a professional; she knew how to keep her composure no matter what, but tonight was different. Her skin felt clammy, and a cold sweat began to trickle down the back of her neck. She pressed a hand to her stomach, trying to steady herself.
"Taylor, you okay?" Abigail leaned in, concern in her voice as she noticed Taylor's sudden pallor. They'd been best friends for years, and Abigail could read Taylor like a book.
"I... I don't feel so good," Taylor whispered back, her voice shaky. "I think I might be coming down with something."
Abigail's brow furrowed. "Do you want to leave? You don't look great, Tay."
Before Taylor could respond, the announcement of her final award of the night cut through the arena.
"And the award for Artist of the Year goes to... *Taylor Swift*!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, and Taylor's name flashed across the giant screens. The camera panned to her, and Taylor forced a smile, ignoring the waves of nausea rolling through her. She stood up, smoothing out her dress as the camera followed her every move.
"You got this," Abigail whispered, squeezing her hand.
Taylor nodded, taking a deep breath before walking to the stage. She waved at the crowd, her smile looking picture-perfect, but inside, her stomach twisted violently. As she accepted the award, her fingers gripped the trophy tightly, almost as if it was the only thing keeping her upright.
"Thank you so much," she began, her voice wavering slightly. The crowd quieted, and she pressed on. "This means the world to me. I want to thank my incredible fans, my team, and everyone who worked so hard to make this year possible."
She could feel the sweat on her brow, her vision blurring for a second, but she refused to falter. Not now. Not in front of all these people.
"And most importantly," Taylor continued, her voice softening. "I want to thank my partner, Travis. Babe, you've been my rock through everything, and I couldn't have done this without you."
The audience cheered again, but as Taylor's words left her lips, her stomach lurched. Her grip on the podium tightened as she tried to steady herself, but the nausea was overwhelming. She quickly wrapped up her speech, muttering a quick "Thank you" before practically stumbling off the stage.
As soon as she was backstage, Taylor doubled over, her hand pressing hard against her stomach. She felt the bile rising in her throat, and a wave of dizziness swept over her.
Abigail was at her side in an instant, her arm around Taylor's shoulders. "Taylor, you're burning up! We need to get you out of here."
Taylor nodded weakly, unable to speak as her body trembled from the nausea. Abigail quickly grabbed her phone and called Travis. She knew Taylor wouldn't be able to make it through the night without him.
"Abigail, what's up?" Travis's familiar, deep voice came through the line, full of excitement. "I just saw Taylor's speech—she gave me a shoutout!"
"Travis," Abigail interrupted, her tone urgent. "Taylor's really sick. Like, really sick. She's been feeling off all night, but it's bad now. She's burning up and just barely made it off stage. You need to come get us—now."
