In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter Four

Continuation—December 11, 2024

She shut her eyes tight, trying to wrap her head around the impossible situation. When she finally opened them, the screen still read 2024.

Her face went pale as the truth hit her. This made no sense. Why was this happening? How did she end up here? Was she in some kind of alternate universe? Was she still Taylor Swift?

Her chest felt tight, and she squeezed her eyes shut again, gripping the phone like it was a lifeline, wishing she could just will the date to change.

Suddenly, she felt two strong hands on her shoulders. When she opened her eyes, she saw a concerned Travis looking back at her.

"Why don't you go lie down?" he said gently. "I know you must be tired."

Why did everyone keep saying that? A mix of anger, confusion, sadness, and a deep sense of being lost washed over her.

She didn't respond as Travis guided her to the bedroom. Crawling into bed, her heart raced so fast she could hear it pounding in her ears.

Travis sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that felt both comforting and foreign. "Get some rest, okay?" he said softly, his head tilting just enough to emphasize the gentle concern in his voice. The warmth in his eyes, so genuine and unguarded, was something she had never known—something that made her heart ache in the most unfamiliar way.

She shut her eyes and sensed him walking away. His footsteps faded as she heard the bedroom door click shut.

For a moment, she just lay there, trying to wrap her head around what was going on. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and glanced at the phone still gripping in her hand.

She unlocked it and stared at the screen. Taylor had never been one to look herself up online—she always thought it was a bit silly. But how else was she supposed to find out what was happening?

Was she still Taylor Swift? Who was this Travis guy? She opened Google and typed in her name.

A wave of relief washed over her as the search results popped up. "American singer-songwriter." Gradually, her heartbeat started to settle down.

Taking another deep breath, she clicked on the news tab.

"Taylor Swift Concludes Final Eras Tour Show in Vancouver. What's next for Taylor Swift?"

She stopped and read the headline again. The Eras Tour? Her curiosity began to overshadow her anxiety as she typed The Eras Tour into the search bar.

Her gaze drifted over the text. "It kicked off in Glendale, Arizona, on March 17, 2023, and wrapped up in Vancouver on December 8, 2024, featuring 149 shows across five continents."

As Taylor kept reading about the tour, a swirl of feelings hit her. It was all so strange. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. There were no memories attached to it. Then it hit her that it had just wrapped up three days ago.

Taylor's finger tapped the search bar again. She hesitated for a moment before typing in her name alongside Travis's.

Staring at the screen, she read the words but couldn't make sense of any of it. It felt like it was happening to someone else. "Travis Kelce, football tight end," she read.

Everything felt so unfamiliar as she dug deeper into the articles. A friendship bracelet? A podcast? Coachella? Football games? She brought him on stage?

For the next hour, Taylor was glued to Google, scrolling through articles and watching videos that featured her name and face. It was surreal, almost like watching a stranger. She recognized herself in the images, but the person she saw felt distant, unfamiliar—like a version of her she couldn't quite place.

Then she stumbled upon the photos of her and Travis. Something shifted. In those moments captured on camera, she looked so happy, so free. A strange warmth spread through her chest as she read his words about her. The way he spoke about her made her heart race, just a little.

Taylor clicked on the search bar again, typing in time traveling. The absurdity of it almost made her laugh.

This whole situation was beyond her comprehension. She wasn't one to buy into conspiracy theories, but there had to be some explanation. If she really had time traveled, what was the reason? It wasn't like she had signed up for this.

Sighing, she shut off the phone and closed her eyes, trying to steady the whirlwind in her mind. Was she supposed to accept this? To catch up and move forward?

That thought didn't sit well with her. Taylor found herself missing Joe, picturing the calmness of their home and the comfort it brought her. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts.

Her heart raced when the bedroom door creaked open. Travis walked in, crossing the room to sit on the edge of the bed.

"How did I know you wouldn't be able to fall asleep?" he teased, his tone light and playful, like he was trying to chip away at whatever weight she carried.

She stayed silent, unsure of how to respond. He still felt like a stranger to her.

"You're awfully quiet," he said, shifting to lie down next to her. "Too quiet," he added, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and resting his hand on her cheek.

She met his gaze, feeling a bit lost. "I'm sorry," she said, not really knowing what else to add. Travis shook his head, dismissing her apology.

The room fell into a comfortable silence as he continued stroking her cheek. But for Taylor, guilt started to settle in. It might've been 2024, but to her, it wasn't. She loved Joe. She was with Joe.

"Can you tell me how we met?" she finally broke the quiet, noticing his brows furrowed before a smile spread across his face. "I just want to hear it again," she added quickly, aware that it might sound odd.

"I'll tell you, baby," he said, his voice filled with warmth, like he held the most treasured secret in the world.

Taylor managed a small smile in return. Damn, he was charming. Too charming.