Tayvis One-Shots

bully

Travis's POV

The cafeteria was as loud as ever, a mix of clinking trays, overlapping conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter from the popular table. I sat with a few of the guys from the football team, half-listening to their debate about Friday night's game plan while my eyes wandered across the room.

It didn't take long to find her, Taylor Swift, sitting near the edge of the room with her usual group of friends. She was smiling, her laugh carrying over the noise. She always had this way of lighting up a room without even trying.

But my stomach twisted when I noticed Kayla walking by Taylor's table, her eyes locked on her like a predator who'd found her prey. She had that look on her face, the one that meant trouble.

I tried to focus on the conversation at my table, but I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling creeping up my spine. Kayla didn't just let things slide. If she had something to say, or someone to humiliate, she'd make sure it was loud and public.

The bell rang, cutting through the chatter and signaling the end of lunch. Everyone started filing out, trays clattering as they were returned. I stayed back, pretending to tie my shoelace, keeping an eye on Taylor as she made her way to her locker.

Sure enough, Kayla followed.

"Dude, you coming?" one of my teammates called from the door.

"In a second," I muttered, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

I knew I couldn't let this go. Kayla had been on Taylor's case for weeks now, and I was done watching it happen.

By the time I got to the hallway, Kayla and her friends were already closing in on Taylor. The way Kayla leaned against the lockers screamed superiority, and her voice carried just enough that I caught the mocking tone in her words.

"Hey, Swift," Kayla sneered, leaning one arm against the locker beside Taylor. "Writing love songs about your diary again? Maybe you should stick to something you're actually good at."

Taylor didn't even flinch. She just kept organizing her books, like Kayla's words didn't exist.

"Oh, wait," Kayla continued, her voice dripping with fake sweetness, "That would require actually being good at something."

I felt my jaw clench as I picked up my pace. By the time I reached them, Kayla had flipped Taylor's notebook closed and was smirking like she'd just won something.

"Knock it off, Kayla," I said, stepping between them.

Kayla raised her perfectly arched eyebrows at me, feigning surprise. "Oh, look who it is, the knight in shining football gear. What are you doing here, Travis? Defending your little friend?"

"She doesn't need defending," I shot back. "But you do need to back off."

Kayla rolled her eyes dramatically and crossed her arms. "Oh, please. Why do you even care? She's just—"

"Don't finish that sentence," I warned, my voice low enough to shut her up mid-sentence. "She's more than you'll ever be, so maybe you should spend less time tearing her down and more time figuring out how to be a decent person."

Taylor finally looked up, her blue eyes wide, a mixture of surprise and gratitude flickering there.

"Whatever," Kayla said, tossing her hair over her shoulder like the moment didn't matter. "Have fun with your charity case."

She turned on her heel, her friends following her down the hall in a fit of giggles.

I turned back to Taylor, my heart pounding a little harder than it should have been. She closed her locker, hugging her books close to her chest.