blurred lines in a forbidden fairytale

{40} I'm gonna get you back

Sarah's (Felicia's) POV:

I wipe my nose on my sleeve and take a shaky breath. The box feels heavy in my lap, like it's full of answers I'm scared to see. But I can't stop now. My fingers are clumsy as I flip the lid open again. The papers sit there like they're staring at me, daring me to keep digging.

I pick through them, slower this time. The adoption certificate is on top, the thick paper crinkled where I accidentally bent it. My chest squeezes as I read the names again—my name, Felicia Alison, and then the names underneath.

Not Taylor's name.

Theirs.

I shove the paper aside and pull out more, flipping through them like I'm searching for something specific even though I don't know what. A letter with a fancy logo at the top catches my eye. The words Sunrise Adoption Services are printed in big, curvy letters.

I hold the letter up to the light coming from my window and squint at it. The address is listed at the bottom, along with a phone number. My heart skips a beat when I see it. A phone number.

If I could just call them—

I sag back against my bed and clutch the letter to my chest. I don't have a phone. My parents don't let me use theirs, and they'd probably notice if I tried. My hands itch, desperate to pick up something and start dialing, even though I know I can't.

"Maybe...maybe I could borrow one." I whisper the words into the quiet room, my voice shaky. My friend Emily has a phone. She always brags about it at school, showing off her glittery pink case and the silly games she downloads.

But how do I explain why I need it?

My stomach twists in knots, my head spinning with a million ideas and none of them making sense. I glance at the clock on my nightstand. It's late, and if I don't put the box back soon, they might find it.

The thought sends a shiver down my spine. If they find out what I've been doing—

No. I won't let that happen.

I pull myself up, hugging the box against me, and shuffle back toward the door. My knees feel wobbly, but I keep going, opening the door just a crack to make sure the coast is clear. The sound of their voices drifts up from downstairs, muffled and slurred.

Perfect.

I slip out, my socks silent against the carpet, and hurry back to their room. The box fits easily into the drawer where I found it. I push it all the way to the back, arranging the socks over it so it doesn't look like anything's been touched.

When I get back to my room, I close the door quietly and collapse onto my bed. My heart is pounding, my hands shaking again. I stare at the ceiling, the weight of everything pressing down on me.

I have to find Taylor.

Somehow, I have to find a way to talk to her. To really ask her why she left me, why she gave me to them.

And I can't stop thinking about the bruises on my arms, the ones I try so hard to hide. Would she be mad if she knew? Would she even care?

I squeeze Mr. Whiskers tight and whisper to the darkness. "I'll find you, Taylor. I'll find you...Mom."

The following day
Taylor's POV:

I wake up to the soft rhythm of Aurora's breathing, her chest rising and falling steadily against the morning light that peeks through the curtains. For a moment, I don't move. I just lie here, letting my eyes trace the curves of her face, the faint freckles on her nose, the way her lips part slightly in her sleep.