blurred lines in a forbidden fairytale

{10} I took a chance, I took a shot

Taylor's POV:

The alarm blares, its piercing shriek echoing off the walls, and my heart plummets. I can feel every muscle in my body tighten as the reality of what's happening crashes over me like a wave. This isn't a drill. The shots I heard were real.
I rush to lock the door, my fingers fumbling for a moment before I manage to turn the bolt. I flip the light switch, plunging the room into shadow, and pull down the blinds as quickly as I can.

"Get down," I whisper. "Behind the desk."

Aurora moves without a word, and I crouch next to her, the two of us huddled close. My breath feels too loud in my chest, and I force myself to steady it. The darkness presses in, and the alarm seems louder now that we're trying so hard to be silent.

"Ms. Swift, this isn't practice, is it?" Aurora's voice is a low, shaky whisper. Her eyes are wide, and I can see the fear in them, mirroring my own.

"No," I whisper back, and the words feel surreal, like they're coming from someone else's mouth. "We have to stay quiet."

She nods, and for a moment, we just we just sit there, the only sound our shallow breaths and the alarm blaring through the silence. I can feel her shaking next to me, and my hand reaches out instinctively, finding hers.

Her grip is tight, and it feels like she's holding on for dear life. I don't let go.

"We'll be okay," I say, even though my voice wavers. "We just need to stay calm."

Minutes pass, though they feel like hours. Every noise—every distant footstep, every shout—makes my pulse race faster. I try to focus on Aurora's breathing, on the feel of her hand in mine. She's so close, her body pressed against mine, and there's something raw and electric about being this close to her in this moment.

Our eyes meet, and for a second, everything else falls away—the fear, the alarm, the darkness. It's just the two of us. I don't know if it's the adrenaline or something else entirely, but the way she looks at me feels like it's pulling me in. I can't stop myself from staring, from noticing the way her lips part slightly, the way her breath hitches.

"Taylor..." she whispers, and hearing her say my name like that sends a shiver down my spine. It's the first time she's called me that. It feels intimate, like a secret shared between us.

I hesitate. This isn't right. She's my student. I should be focused on protecting her, not—whatever this is. But there's something in her eyes that pulls me in, something vulnerable and raw. And it's not just fear. It's the way her lips part slightly, the way her gaze flickers down, lingering on my mouth for just a heartbeat too long.

I know I shouldn't, but I feel the pull, the heat.
This is wrong, I think, my mind screaming at me to pull back, to focus. But her eyes—there's something there that feels like a dare, like she's challenging me to cross that line. And I'm terrified, not just of the situation outside, but of this moment—of how much I want to lean in, to close the gap between us.

For a heartbeat, I stay still, battling with myself. I can feel her breath on my skin, warm and quick, and the air between us feels charged, like a live wire. My instincts are telling me to protect her, to keep my distance, but the way she's looking at me—like I'm the only thing she trusts in this moment—it makes everything else fade away.

Slowly, I close the space between us. Her eyes stay locked on mine, wide and questioning, and there's a beat of hesitation before I move. I know this is dangerous—maybe more dangerous than anything happening outside that door—but I can't help myself.

Our lips meet, tentative at first, like testing the waters. Her mouth is soft, and for a second, I almost pull back, fear and guilt coiling inside me. But then she kisses me back, and the hesitation melts away. The kiss deepens, and there's nothing tentative about it now. There's a need, a desperation, like we're both clinging to this moment because it's the only thing keeping us from breaking. Her hands find my face, pulling me closer, and my heart races, the adrenaline mixing with a heat that's impossible to ignore.