In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter Fourteen

December 31, 2020

As soon as Taylor's jet touched down in Kansas City, the anxious knot in her chest tightened.

It couldn't possibly get any worse than this, could it? At this point, she didn't care.

Her driver and Drew picked her up from her hotel that morning, the tension in the air mirroring the chaos in her mind. The car ride was silent apart from the hum of the engine as they made their way to the address she had given them.

When they pulled into the driveway, Taylor's heart began to pound, her palms damp as she gripped her bag. Her mouth felt dry, and for a moment, she considered telling the driver to turn around.

But it was too late for second thoughts now. She'd come this far—there was no backing out.

Drew stepped out of the car and opened her door, his expression a mix of readiness and concern. "I'll be fine alone, it's okay," Taylor assured him, her voice soft but firm. He paused, searching her face for a moment before reluctantly nodding and sliding back into the car.

Taylor turned toward the house, her heart hammering as she made her way up the walkway. The weight of her decision pressed heavily on her shoulders. When she reached the front door, she froze, a wave of doubt crashing over her.

What if this didn't go the way she hoped? What if she had made a mistake? Regret curled in her chest, tightening her throat. What was she thinking? Travis had no idea who she was.

Before she could muster the courage to turn around and retreat, the door creaked open.

The door opened wider, revealing a shocked and visibly confused Travis. He blinked, tilting his head slightly, as if trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Taylor Swift?" he said, his voice a mix of disbelief and surprise.

"Can I come in?" Taylor asked softly, her voice almost trembling as she took in his startled expression. It did nothing to calm her racing heart.

Travis blinked, clearly caught off guard, before fumbling for a response. Finally, he stepped aside, opening the door wider. "Uh, yeah... sure. Come in."

Taylor stood silently as Travis processed her unexpected visit, the weight of the moment settling in. He was still standing, eyes wide, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Look, I know this is... unexpected," Taylor began, but quickly stopped herself. What could she possibly say to make him understand?

Travis's eyes narrowed slightly, but instead of pushing for answers, he took a step back. "I mean, I'm still not sure why you're here. But, uh, you can stand here if you want. Let's just... talk."

She hesitated for a moment, before standing there, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She couldn't explain why she was there, not yet. It wasn't the right time. Maybe it never would be.

"I'm sorry for showing up like this," Taylor said quietly, looking down at her hands. "I just needed to see you."

Travis blinked, clearly still processing what was happening. He stood in the entryway, trying to make sense of the situation, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Look, I don't—" he stopped himself, taking a step back. "This is... unexpected. I mean, you're Taylor Swift, right? What are you doing here?"

Taylor's heart thudded painfully in her chest. She wasn't sure how to explain herself—how to make him understand. "I know this probably doesn't make sense, and I don't even know why I'm here," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just needed to see you. I know that sounds crazy, but I had to come."

Travis stood silent for a moment, glancing at her warily, then at the ground as if trying to find the right words. Finally, he shook his head. "I mean, yeah, it's crazy," he said, his tone unsure, "but you're here now. You want to explain? Because, to be honest, I'm a little lost."

Taylor swallowed, feeling an unfamiliar tension tighten in her chest. She knew why she was here—she had to see him, even if she couldn't explain why. It was just something she needed to do, though she wasn't ready to confront the reasons behind it.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, her words rushed. "I don't know what I'm asking for. I just needed to be around you. I know you don't know me, and I don't know how to make this make sense."

Travis took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. "You're Taylor Swift. You don't need to explain yourself to me. I'm just—" He ran a hand through his hair, still unsure of what to do. "This is all a lot. I don't know what you're hoping for here, but..."

Taylor's heart raced. She had no idea what she was hoping for either. This wasn't how she imagined it going. The reality of the situation felt heavier than she anticipated.

"You don't have to do anything," she said quickly. "I don't expect you to. I just... I guess I just needed to see you. That's it."

There was a long pause before Travis nodded slowly, trying to process her words. "Okay," he said finally, "but you're telling me you just came here because you needed to see me? You don't even know me."

Taylor felt the weight of his words but kept her expression steady, even as her pulse quickened. "I know how it sounds," she said, her voice soft but unconvincing. "It's hard to explain. I've just... heard a lot about you, and something told me I needed to see for myself." The words felt like an obvious lie even as they left her mouth, and she could tell by the way his brow furrowed that he wasn't entirely buying it.

Travis studied her for a moment, his confusion giving way to cautious skepticism. "Heard a lot about me?" he repeated, his tone dipping slightly into disbelief. "That's kind of vague, don't you think? I mean, I'm just a guy who plays football. Why would someone like you need to 'see for yourself'?"

Taylor forced a tight smile, her voice wavering slightly. "I know it sounds crazy, but... yeah. I just wanted to see for myself. Something about this felt important."

Her words were careful, but even as she said them, she knew they didn't fully make sense. It wasn't the truth, not even close, but she couldn't risk telling him that.

Travis studied her for a moment, his confusion only deepening. "Important how?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe. "I mean, you show up here out of nowhere, and I'm just supposed to believe this is about... what? Curiosity?"

"Do you have any wine?" Taylor asked abruptly, her voice breaking the tense silence.

Travis blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. He hesitated for a moment before nodding and gesturing toward the kitchen. "Uh, yeah... I think I have some."

Without another word, he turned and walked toward the kitchen, leaving Taylor standing in the entryway, her heart pounding in her chest.

Soon after, she followed him into the kitchen, her steps slow but determined. As Travis set the freshly poured glass of wine on the counter, she reached for it without hesitation.

Lifting it to her lips, she took a long gulp, the rich liquid soothing her frayed nerves. She exhaled shakily, gripping the glass tighter. She needed this—anything to keep her from losing her mind entirely.