in the blink of a crinkling eye (tayvis)

he was sunshine i was midnight rain

27th December, 2022

The smell of coffee and the cozy warmth of the Starbucks made Taylor feel at ease. She chose an empty table and sat down to wait for Abigail and Travis to arrive. They had planned to meet up and catch up. Taylor had to admit she still wasn't used to Travis being back. It felt like they were two magnets with opposing poles, drawn together, yet an external force kept pulling them apart. Still, they were inevitably drawn to each other—not romantically, but magnetically. As if, no matter what, they would end up together. Whether as friends, lovers, enemies, or something else entirely, together nonetheless.

Despite all the hardships in her current relationship that had worn her down, Taylor loved Joe; he had always been everything to her. But something had changed in him, or maybe she had never noticed it before. It was as if he had created a version of Taylor in his mind that didn't match the real one. The Taylor who loved singing, her fans, and, to some extent, the attention and atmosphere of fame. Joe wanted Taylor, not Taylor Swift—but separating the two was impossible. They were one and the same. Realizing that hurt him just as much as it hurt her, but he kept her in the dark, leaving her more bruised than ever. The thought of rebuilding her life without Joe made her heart ache. Six years of her youth, given to a relationship that seemed destined to end like all the others.

Taylor startled slightly when she felt a light tap on her arm. She looked to her side and saw Wyatt. She wondered if the girl was with Travis, but soon noticed a familiar figure following behind. Jason.

"Hi, Tay," the little girl said shyly. Taylor smiled softly, turning toward her.

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you?" she asked, and the girl nodded.

"Wyatt, you can't run off like that, honey." Jason reached the table, slightly out of breath. Taylor let out a small laugh as she stood up. She wasn't sure how to react to his presence. What she had done to his brother bordered on unforgivable, leaving her feeling awkward. Jason had always liked her, but his loyalty to his brother might have made him hate her. And it had, for a while—but time has a way of offering perspective. So, he opened his arms with a smile.

"Taylor! Long time no see!"

Relieved, she returned his hug. "So long! I mean, the last time I saw you, you were in college, and now you've got a Super Bowl ring and kids." She laughed lightly, and he joined her.

"Well, you've changed a lot too. You used to be a dreamer, and now you're the most famous artist in the world," he grinned. "Congrats on everything, Little Tay. You deserve it."

"Thank you, Jason. That means a lot coming from you," she smiled.

"Tay! Do you know what I got for Christmas?" Wyatt asked, stretching out her arms, and Taylor picked her up.

"No, sweetie! What was it?"

"Your songs! Uncle Trav got them for me, can you believe it? Even the big Speak Now vinyl!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"That's amazing, darling! I'll make sure to sign them for you. What do you think?" The little girl nodded eagerly.

"Jason? What are you doing here, man?" Travis appeared behind them, greeting his brother in surprise.

"I brought Wyatt for some ice cream, and she spotted your blonde friend here from across the café. What about you?"

"Well, Taylor, Abby, and I planned to meet here today. She should be here soon. I stopped by a friend's house on the way." He shrugged. "Hi, sweetie!" He gently tapped the little girl's nose before hugging Taylor, whispering a soft "Hey, Tay."

"A friend? Since when do you have friends besides Abby and Tay?" Jason asked suspiciously.

"She's an old friend, Jas," Travis said, scratching the back of his neck. Taylor's mind immediately conjured a name—the one he surely wouldn't want to say aloud in front of her.