So High School

Overwhelmed (pt1)

The pair were at an event, a charity gala of some sort. They were sat at a table next to eachother, chatting to another couple who they had just met. Taylor was extra clingy tonight, and Travis smiled at the feel of her hand in his, the weight of her leaning against his shoulder.

However as time went by, Taylor got quieter, only laughing when the others did, trying to keep her head in the present. Travis started to notice her clinginess increasing, until she was practically draped over him like a cat as they spoke. Her head rested against his chest, her leg bouncing uncontrollably and her fingers nervously toying with his.

That was the main giveaway that something was wrong; the way she kept weaving her fingers in and out of his, twisting them over eachother. He pulled one of his hands away, gently placing it on her bouncing leg.
"You okay?" He leant down to whisper in her ear, feeling as the bouncing in her leg reduced to little taps.
"Mhm, I'm fine" her voice was tight, and as she smiled up at him he could see the pain in her eyes.
"Do you wanna leave?" He whispered again, but Taylor shook her head thoroughly. It was his event. He had been invited, she was just a plus one. She couldn't make him leave just because she was feeling a little overstimulated.
Travis sighed, about to protest when a male voice pulled him back into the conversation. He continued talking, glancing back at Taylor every now and then, his thumb stroking her thigh comfortingly.

Taylor twisted the rings round and round her finger, her heart thumping in her ears. It was too loud, the chatter and clinking of cutlery too much. The scraping of plates, the head radiating off of the many bodies packed into that small room, how stuffy it was.

Travis noticed as Taylor's breathing started coming in shorter breaths, her leg bouncing returning. He noticed the way she was sat, her shoulders hunched up. The way they inched upwards every time a chair scraped, the way she flinched.

"Come on baby, we're leaving" he told her softly, taking her arm and standing up. She nodded numbly, barely able to make out he said. She trailed behind him, feeling his hand tight around her arm. They weaved around the tables, through groups of people, and it took everything in her to not squeeze her palms over her ears. Not here, not now. Everyone's watching.

The door to the outside alley was in sight, just ten steps and they were there. She could make it. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four...

Someone barged past the pair, their shoulder colliding with Taylor's. Whoever it was grasped into her shoulders to steady her, murmuring an apology. It was an accident, but it was that that set her off.

Travis pulled her out the door, sensing what was coming. As soon as the door slammed shut behind them Taylor dropped to the floor, the wet concrete meeting her as she squished herself back against the brick wall. Her hands over her ears, her palms pressing tightly. The drips of water from the drain pipe, the roar from the road as cars whizzed past, the faint sound of music coming from the other side of the door; it was all too much.

Her breaths coming in short pants, the tears hot and fast against her cheeks. Travis searched fractically through the bag he had brought. He was sure he had packed her noise cancelling headphones, he distinctly remembered putting them in the bag.

Eventually his hands closed around the plastic and he pulled them out, his fingers grazing over the peeling cat stickers stuck haphazardly over the pink cover. He bent down, quickly slipping them over his girlfriends ears. He watched as she visibly relaxed, though her shoulders still tense.

All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms, tell her it will all be okay. But he couldn't, he knew that touching her was the worst thing he could do at that time. He had been with her through quite a few of these 'episodes', and he knew he had to wait for her to make the first move.

He called her security to come and pick her up then just stood there, watching as she drew patterns on the wet ground with her finger. She was completely lost in her own world, her eyes red rimmed and her cheeks wet.

Not long after, Taylor shuffled over, and Travis watched as she leant back against his legs. Still not looking at him, her eyes still fixated on the ground, but it was progress. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and her head leaned back, and she looked exhausted.

Just then Travis spotted her security's car pulling up at the end of the alleyway. He touched her arm gently, motioning towards it and she looked up at him, nodding. He helped her up, taking most of her weight as they made their way to the car.

In the car Taylor lay across the seats, her head in Travis's lap as he ran his fingers through her hair. She still had her headphones on and as she gazed up at him sleepily through her eyelashes, Travis couldn't help but think she looked adorable.

A/N GUYS I'M GETTING A CAT! she's a russian blue and she's sooo tiny (I get her in about a month)

I'm actually allergic to cats like really badly (it sets off my asthma) but she's a hypoallergenic cat so I'm praying it will be okay 🙏

More ideas pleasee