A Visit

Austin, the chubby kid who'd just been grinning at Ryan, suddenly turned serious. He gritted his teeth and spat out a few words: "Swift, got a problem?"

Judging by his expression, having that surname seemed like a disgrace.

Ryan shook his head. He'd heard Taylor mention that she had a younger brother, three years her junior, but he hadn't known that he went to Hendersonville High School, let alone played on the school's football team.

Besides, whatever was going on between him and Austin's sister had nothing to do with Austin.

"Is it a lot of pressure?" Ryan asked.

"What?"

"Having a famous sister."

"Oh, yeah, it's a little stressful. There are plenty of people at this school who envy her, openly or behind her back," Austin muttered. He'd probably heard plenty of rumors about Taylor.

That was only natural. Ryan didn't need to guess what those people said. It would be the usual trio: slut-shaming, personal attacks, and questioning her talent.

"They're all idiots. They never see how hard she works. Whenever she has free time, she tries writing new songs. When she gets busy, I don't see her for a week. She can't eat too much of anything because she has to maintain her image, but she still walks around grinning like an idiot every day. I don't know what's gotten into her these past couple days, though. Ever since she got back from Florida, she's been in a foul mood, like somebody owes her money and won't pay up." Austin rambled on, probably because he'd gotten yelled at the night before.

"If anyone dares mess with her, I'll... I'll... I won't let anyone bully her," Austin said.

"Absolutely," Ryan agreed with a nod.

"What do you think of her?" Austin looked at Ryan, clearly unaware that the person who'd gone to Florida with Taylor was right in front of him. He had no idea that Ryan and his sister had shared an afternoon they couldn't talk about.

Ryan answered casually, "She'll become a world-class superstar."

"Exactly. She'll become a world-class superstar. She'll stand onstage, singing her heart out under countless spotlights, cheered on by tens of thousands of people. That's been her dream since she was a little girl." Austin nodded.

In some parallel universe, Taylor might have gone on to study finance at an Ivy League school, then joined her father on Wall Street after graduating. A few years into the job, she might have married a man with a suitably impressive background and appearance, had children, and ultimately chosen to stay home and raise them, just as her mother had. And one day, when she saw Faye Hill perform live on TV, would she remember that afternoon years ago when she'd first seen her on television—and the dream that had ignited in her mind?

When practice ended, Austin actually invited Ryan over to his house. Ryan naturally declined, making an excuse and promising he'd come next time.

"Are you coming to practice tomorrow?" Austin asked hopefully.

"Not sure," Ryan said. If Abigail didn't have practice tomorrow, she'd be helping him catch up on his schoolwork.

"Gentlemen, I have the latest news. Coach is taking tomorrow off, so practice is canceled for the day." Paul came over just then.

"Cough, Ryan, help us book a table tonight? We beat our biggest rivals, and the team hasn't even had a chance to celebrate yet. We've all agreed: tonight is a guys' night. Nobody gets to bring their girlfriend!" Paul let out an excited whoop.

Back in Florida, he'd been the one who took Ryan and the others to a "Wet T-shirt Party." He'd been a substitute in the last game because of his injury, and hadn't contributed much on the field, but whenever there was talk of going out, he was always the first to charge in!

"Does everyone have an ID?" Ryan asked.

That sort of problem was no challenge for Paul. "Every one of us has one. Eighteen to ninety—write down whatever age you want."

Then Paul turned to Austin, standing beside Ryan. "Want to come along, Boy Scout? Summer camp's nothing compared to that place. The women there—whoa, one shake and they'll leave you dizzy!"

Paul spoke as he traced a curvy figure in the air with his hands.

Ryan immediately jabbed Paul with his elbow, then told Austin to go home for the night.

"So you're allowed to pick up women at nightclubs, but nobody else is even allowed to look? Are we even teammates?" Paul said. The truth was, parties like this split the bill, and one more person meant he'd pay a little less.

Austin nodded along. "My sister said I should take part in group activities so I can fit in with the team."

Now you're willing to listen to her! Ryan thought.

Late at night, a Dodge Challenger drove through the streets of Nashville's wealthy neighborhood.

"You're home." Ryan patted Austin's cheek.

The chubby kid's face was flushed, and his head bobbed forward. He smelled faintly of alcohol.

By the end of the night, Austin had been confined to a wheelchair and couldn't move on his own. Nobody else knew where he lived, and they couldn't just leave him at the nightclub. Joel hadn't been working that night, either, so Ryan, the only one who hadn't been drinking, had to drive him home.

"Quit it!" The drunken kid swatted Ryan's hand away.

Ryan clenched his teeth, got out of the car, and opened the door from the other side. He helped Austin out, then carried him toward the house.

It was already past midnight, and the only house on the entire street with its lights on was Taylor's. Her family was probably frantic with worry.

Ryan had just carried Austin into the yard when the front door flew open. Taylor came storming out and rushed toward them.

As she walked, she cursed under her breath. "You bastard."

Seeing that she was about to teach her brother a lesson, Ryan hurried to explain on Austin's behalf. "Nobody made him drink too much. It was just one drink, only one..."

Taylor raised her hand and struck.

Smack!

The sharp slap rang out through the still night, startling a German shepherd somewhere nearby into a few loud barks.

Austin raised a hand and scratched his neck, not feeling a thing.

Because he hadn't been the one slapped.

At the last possible moment, Ryan twisted aside. Taylor's palm struck his shoulder instead. He promptly lowered Austin, and the chubby kid sprawled on the ground and fell asleep on the spot.

"Are you done yet?!" Taylor ground out, directing all her anger at Ryan from beginning to end.

Ryan was about to speak when he heard a voice behind Taylor. "Honey, how could you hit someone?"

Then a well-fed middle-aged woman came out of the house. The golden tips of Taylor's hair were just like hers; it was obvious she was her mother.

Right behind her came a middle-aged man half a head taller than Ryan. His hair was the same dark brown as Austin's. It was clear that Taylor and Austin had inherited their height from him.

When the man caught a whiff of alcohol on Austin, he realized what had happened and moved to help him up. Ryan hurried to lend a hand.

"Don't you touch him!" Taylor shouted immediately.

"Quiet," Taylor's father, Scott, barked.

"How can your father carry him all by himself? Besides, this nice young man brought your brother home. You can't be so rude." Taylor's mother, Andrea, spoke up in Ryan's defense, too.

Taylor started to speak again, but her father shot her another glare. She could only shut her mouth, disgruntled.

As if he had good intentions! Taylor thought.

She stood to the side, biting her lip and frowning as she watched Ryan carry her brother into the house almost entirely by himself. He carried him all the way to his room and laid him on the bed. Drunk people always seemed much heavier, and Austin was an inch taller than Ryan and on the chubby side. Even Ryan was breathing hard when he'd finished.

"I'll get you some water. Look how exhausted you are. Take a moment to rest," Taylor's mother said as soon as she noticed the sweat on Ryan's forehead.

"Mom... It's late. Just let him go home," Taylor said, grabbing Ryan and trying to pull him outside. She was afraid he'd spend even one more second in her house.

But she ran straight into her father, who wore glasses and had a stern expression.

"He needs to stay. I have something to ask him," Taylor's father, Scott, said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Some readers may remember that Taylor's parents appeared in Chapter 3. I made a few changes that evening and decided to expand this storyline, so this is now the first time the protagonist meets Taylor's parents.