𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 - 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒘𝒊𝒇𝒕

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑇𝑒𝑛

Zoe watched her go. This was exactly why she avoided messy entanglements.

She sighed, shaking her head slightly as she turned back to Taylor.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault she's being so weird possessive."

There was a small pause, then she added, almost casually

"Red room, eh? Sounds...interesting."

Zoe flushed, her annoyance at Emily quickly replaced by embarrassment. She hadn't expected that detail to come up, especially in front of Taylor.

"It's nothing."

"Oh, I highly doubt a red room is nothing."

"You...um...
It's...it's personal, okay?"

"Alright, I won't pry. But I'm filing that information away for future reference."

"You can file it away all you want. Doesn't mean you'll find out."

Taylor smirked, leaning against the wall in a mirroring pose to before.

The challenge was back in her eyes.

"Oh, I love a good mystery. And I always get what I want."

Zoe raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. The competitive banter was becoming a habit between them, each daring the other to back down. She leaned in, closing the gap between them again. Her voice dropped to a murmur.

"You think so? Don't be so sure of yourself."

"You don't know how stubborn I can be when I want something."

Zoe navigated her way through the crowd, with Taylor following closely beside her.

They approached the bar, the space already buzzing with activity.

Zoe leaned against the counter, signaling to the bartender for two drinks, her focus momentarily directed away from Taylor as she placed the order.

Taylor leaned up against the counter next to her, close enough that their shoulders brushed.

The contact sent tiny sparks down Zoe's arm, and she silently cursed herself for reacting so strongly. But she maintained a casual exterior as they waited for their drinks.

When the bartender placed the drinks in front of them, the loud music seemed to fade into the background for a moment. Zoe took a sip of hers, relishing the cool liquid against her dry throat.

She glanced at Taylor over the rim of the glass, meeting her gaze. The eye-contact was charged, a silent language between them that the crowded bar couldn't drown out.

Taylor mirrored the action, taking a small sip of her own drink. Her eyes never left Zoe's as she swallowed, the gesture slow and deliberate. She set her glass down on the counter with a soft clink, leaning a bit closer, their faces inches apart now.

Zoe felt the heat of Taylor's proximity, her brain going fuzzy. She was losing her grip on her aloof facade, the pull between them too strong to resist. Her voice was lower than usual when she spoke.

"You're standing awfully close."

"Is it too close for you?"
 

Zoe held her gaze, her usual confidence faltering slightly. She could feel the tension coiling tighter with every breath. 

"No,"

Taylor reached out, her fingertips grazing lightly over Zoe's hand, still holding the glass. The touch was casual, but the effect was electric, their nerve endings flaring at the contact.

Taylor's voice was a whispered murmur, meant only for Zoe to hear. "Good. I'm not backing down."

Zoe set her drink down on the counter, her fingers a bit unsteady. The contact had broken the last shred of her restraint. She shifted, turning to fully face Taylor, their bodies now barely separated by millimeters.

"Who said I wanted you to?"

By 3 in the morning, the party was in full swing and the alcohol was flowing freely. Taylor was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol, her usually poised demeanor slipping a bit.

Zoe, on the other hand, was still mostly sober. She'd been pacing herself, nursing her drinks and watching with amused fascination as Taylor's personality transformed with every sip.

The singer was now giggling at pretty much everything, her guard fully down. She clung to Zoe for support, her hands wrapped around the zoe's arm. 

Zoe, who was amused by the change in Taylor, patted her hand sympathetically as the singer swayed against her.

Zoe managed to steer the tipsy Taylor outside. She leaned the singer against a wall, trying to keep her steady while trying to help Taylor find her car.

"Taylor, you have to focus. Which car is yours?"

Taylor looked up, her eyes slightly unfocused as she tried to process the question.

Then she suddenly broke into another fit of giggles.

"Taylor, I'm serious. I can't just let you drive in this state. We need to get you home."

Taylor pouted, her lower lip sticking out in a drunkenly cute manner.

"But I don't waaant to goooo."

She protested like a child as she stumbled against Zoe again, nearly causing them both to topple over.

Zoe barely managed to keep them upright, cursing silently. The singer was completely wasted, and dealing with her in this state was proving to be a challenge.

"You don't have a choice, darling. You can't drive like this and we're not staying here."

Taylor pouted again, her eyes widening as a new thought hit her drunken mind. She clung tighter to Zoe, a slight hint of fear in her voice.

"You...you're not going to leave me, right?"

Zoe's annoyance softened a bit at the vulnerability in Taylor's voice. She could see the fear of abandonment beneath the alcohol clouding Taylor's mind. She sighed, giving the singer's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just trying to get you home."