hits different - Taylor Swift and Travis kelce

gala part 3

-Taylors Pov-

Yeah, I should have known that he would find a way to talk to me. it should have been obvious by the way he wouldn't let his eyes leave me.

"Taylor, we need to talk" he starts, and I try to walk past but he grabs my arm so I can't pass him. "don't do this. Don't be with him. I know you love me. you will always love me."

"Joe, you're here with the girl you cheated on me with, and you're still trying to get to me? really? I've moved on and so should you" I sigh and try to break free, but he is holding me too hard.

"you take your hand off her right this instant" I hear Travis's voice coming from behind me, but Joe doesn't let go right away. It takes a few seconds. "we were having a conversation that doesn't concern you" Joe snaps at Travis, and now I smell the whiskey on his breath. He has been drinking.

The second he lets go I take a few steps back and into Travis's waiting arms. It's safe here, I'm protected. In his arms, I know that nothing can hurt me. not to mention my gigantic football player could take down little Joe any which way to Sunday.

People are starting to notice the little standoff, and I pray to god it doesn't make a media headline. That's the last thing I need right now. I'm already stressed, and I know that our being here together is going to be a headline on its own. I don't need my ex dragged into it. but sadly I see some cameras in the corner of my eyes, smartphone cameras to be exact, pointed towards us. They shouldn't make people leave their phones at home for these things since it's supposed to be so secretive and exclusive.

"she cowers to you. She never did that with me" Joe points out like it is a good argument. But it's really that I was the stronger person in the relationship, turning to him wouldn't have given me the protection I was seeking in public. The last thing he would want is to show affection towards me In public, god forbid. And god forbid I talked about him in public. Everything was backdoor entrances, keeping our mouths shut about the relationship and sneaking around. It was intense and not something I wanted for my life; I know that now.

"she doesn't cower. Not that either one of us owes you an explanation, Joe. She seeks protection, knows the difference" Travis argues with him, and I wish he would just stop and take me away from here. I want to go away; I want to get out of this dress burrow myself under the covers and pretend that the day didn't happen. I want to pretend I didn't run into my ex that put me in a bad place mentally. and I'm trying pretty damn hard to not go back to where I was mentally when things ended between us.

"let's go" I whimper, even though I didn't want it to come out so weak. It's just the pregnancy hormones playing with my head and I'm going insane because of them. I want to get out of here, back to the safety of my apartment.

"she is scared, everyone in this room can see that" Joe doesn't know when to shut up, so he goes on. The guy that wanted to be in the background, never make noise has had one too many to drink and is making a scene. I don't know where this Joe has been for all these years.

"she wants you to leave her alone. Do it man" Travis goes into it with him, when I just want them both to shut up and stop this nonsense. There is no use in arguing with a drunk person, especially at an event like this.

"you don't know what she wants. You don't know her like I do" Joe is raising his voice more and more, and I want to sink six feet under us, to hide from any prying eyes.

The girl, Emma, comes over and gets him away as he stumbles slightly on his feet, too drunk to walk straight.

"get me out of here," I say into Travis's chest, I need to get away from the commotion, from being the center of attention. Thankfully he listens and we leave the event in silence. Even the car ride is silent on the way back to the apartment. I'm mad at him for adding to the scene, he should have been the bigger person and just gotten me out of there. I just wanted us to go, but he didn't listen. no, he gave fuel to the fire and now this is guaranteed going to be a headline in the morning.

The apartment is quiet when we enter, and I kick off my short heels. It feels so good to have my feet free from the confinement again. They ache after wearing shoes for extended periods of time.

"you know that was unnecessary right" I get right into it, I'm tired, my body aches and I want to get this over with. He needs to know that I don't want stuff like this to happen, I don't want the headlines. I just want to get away from the situation, not add fuel to the fire.

"I need to defend you, Taylor, I can't just stand there and listen to that crap. And he laid his hands on you for god's sake. I can't stand by and watch that without talking back" he argues, and I want to pull my hair off.

"you don't waste your time arguing with drunk people making a fool out of themselves. You leave the situation, that's what you do. and now we feed the media another headline. Good job Travis, we are going to be front-page news tomorrow. Hurray" I add the last part with as much sarcasm as I can gather this late.

"how am I suddenly in trouble here? Not your ex that was crossing all the lines. He laid a hand on you, on a pregnant woman of all things. And was making a scene. I was talking control of it" he continues when I just want him to shut up, and admit he was wrong so we can go to bed. my body isn't feeling well, and I just want to rest. But now I need to deal with this shitshow before the headlines start tomorrow.

I get that this is new to him, he isn't used to this kind of attention. So I need him to listen to me when I tell him what to do with these things. I've been doing this since I was a teenager, I know what to do. you don't get into it; you don't add fuel to any fire. And you certainly don't make a scene if it can be avoided in any way possible. You don't want bad press. I know some people say all press is good press, but they are wrong. And I don't want to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, especially regarding people I've dated in the past. People will use any shot they have to bring up my past dating history, it's something that always happens and I'm tired of the joke that no one finds funny. It's an old record being played when the tune has faded out of style.

"you're supposed to take the high road, avoid any headlines you can. I know it sucks to stand there and take it but it's the best option. Get out of there, that's the best thing you can do. flee the scene to not give the media more clout for headlines. You flee the situation. Let the person making a fool out of themselves take the heat" I try to explain as I rub my temple. I'm starting to get a headache from this. I just want to go to bed.

"how can I do that? what kind of man would I be if I just let that slide" he raises his voice and I'm getting pissed off. "the bigger man! The better role models. You are having kids in a matter of months; be the role model they need" I explode.

I don't want our kids to be confrontational, I want them to know when to leave the scene and take the high road. You don't always need to have the last word if it's going to put you in a worse situation. Sometimes taking the high road is the best option, but that doesn't automatically make you a doormat either. That's a whole different story. You don't need to be a doormat to know when to leave a situation alone and move along with your day.

"I can't do this. I'm tired, my body aches. You stand here and think about it, I can't deal with it, or you are right now. I need to go to bed" I leave him with that and point towards the couch. He and his big manly ego can sleep there. I still haven't forgotten him staking his claim in public while having more focus on my ex than on me while kissing me. but I'll let that slide for now and take the bigger more important argument. I won't back down on this, some things need to be left alone and handled a certain way.