Who Are We To Fight The Alchemy? (en)

Begin Again

{Flashback} August, 2023

Taylor was alone in her NYC apartment, the soft light of the late afternoon filling the room as she stared at the dress she had carefully chosen for the evening's date. It hung on the hanger as though it held the weight of how the night might unfold. Sitting at the edge of her bed, her hands fidgeted nervously with the fabric, while her mind raced in circles. The nervousness was almost overwhelming - a mixture of anxiety and anticipation that was impossible to shake. After everything that had happened with Matty Healy earlier in the summer, Taylor couldn't help but wonder if she was truly ready to try again.

It was her first date since that traumatic experience, and the wound was still fresh. The idea of opening herself up to someone again terrified her, yet there was something about Travis that made her want to take the risk. Even though the thought of a new beginning brought a heavy weight to her chest, there was also a spark of hope. It all started when Travis Kelce, a football player for the Kansas City Chiefs, mentioned on his podcast New Heights that he had gone to one of her concerts and made a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it, hoping to give it to her. But the opportunity never came, and he never got to hand it over.

The story went viral in an instant, grabbing headlines all over the world until it finally reached her. Taylor thought it was one of the sweetest things she'd ever heard. Who makes a friendship bracelet with their phone number for someone they don't even know? The idea was simple, yet so incredibly endearing. Taylor had seen it all - grand gestures, elaborate schemes, all with hidden motives. But this? This felt genuine, something innocent and carefree. No one had ever courted her like that before.

Curious, Taylor decided to ask a mutual friend about him. And what they said only piqued her interest further. "Travis is a great guy, Tay," her friend had told her. "He's all about family, really laid-back, and he's looking for the same things you are. He's been single for a few months now, and I honestly think you two would get along. You should give him a chance."

Those words echoed in her mind for days. Before she could second-guess herself, Taylor got Travis's number and, in a rare moment of bravery, sent him a message. What started as a few casual texts quickly became part of her daily routine. They talked every day - jokes, stories, little pieces of their lives. Though they hadn't yet met in person, Taylor already felt a connection she hadn't expected to find so soon.

Now, nearly two weeks later, they were finally going to meet face-to-face. The date was set at a discreet restaurant she trusted, one where she knew the press wouldn't get wind of it. Still, despite how perfectly everything had been planned, her heart raced every time she thought about what might happen that night.

Standing up, Taylor walked over to the window, watching as the city gradually lit up with the glow of the evening. What if this goes wrong? The question echoed in her mind, heavy with fear. The relationship with Matty had been a painful reminder that sometimes, what seems perfect at first can unravel quickly. The fear of being hurt again, of opening her heart only to be let down, weighed on her every decision.

Taylor had this constant fear, a feeling that maybe she was cursed, as if there was something holding her back from the happy ending she had always dreamed of. She had been through relationships that seemed promising but fell apart over time. Now, the fear that it could happen again with Travis felt all too real. Would he be different? And what if, despite all his sincerity, Travis wasn't willing to handle the chaos of her life either?

She moved away from the window, a tight knot forming in her stomach. What would happen when he saw the real her? Taylor's life wasn't easy - she knew that better than anyone. The weight of fame, the constant exposure, the unrealistic expectations the world had of her - it all trickled down to anyone who stood by her side. Was Travis really ready to deal with that? Was he prepared to face the whirlwind that came with dating Taylor Swift?