Blurred lines in a forbidden fairytale [Taylor x OC]

{63} you just don't know the answer 'til someone's on their knees and asks you

Aurora's POV:

Sina's voice floats around me like background noise, each word muffled as if I'm underwater. She's laughing, gesturing animatedly about something—I don't even know what—but I can't bring myself to focus. My mind is stuck, rewinding and replaying the last thirty minutes in vivid, excruciating detail.

The feel of Taylor's hands gripping my waist. The heat of her breath against my neck. The weight of her body pressing against mine in that tiny, suffocating stall.

I blink hard, trying to shake the images, but they're relentless. They crawl under my skin, make my chest tighten and my stomach twist. I can still feel her lips on mine, the sharp edge of desperation behind every kiss, the way her walls momentarily crumbled only to rise again, twice as high.

"Aurora?"
Sina's voice cuts through, a touch sharper now, and I realize I've been staring blankly at the centerpiece for God knows how long. Her brow furrows as she leans closer, concern lacing her tone. "Are you even listening to me?"

I snap out of it—or at least try to. "Sorry," I say, shaking my head and forcing a smile. "What were you saying?"

She narrows her eyes slightly, skeptical, but doesn't push. "I was saying we should try to get a picture together before the night's over. You know, while everything's all fancy." She flashes that wide, innocent grin, her enthusiasm spilling over. "We never get dressed up like this."
Her sweetness makes my stomach churn. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve me sitting here, zoning out because I can't stop thinking about another woman.

"Yeah, sure," I mumble, barely managing to string the words together. My voice sounds hollow, even to me, but Sina doesn't seem to notice. She's already pulling out her phone, searching for the perfect angle.
I glance around the room, trying to anchor myself in the present. My eyes fall on the empty seat Taylor left behind, and my chest constricts all over again. She's gone, and yet she's everywhere. Her voice lingers in the air, her presence still crackling like electricity in my veins, though we said we'd move on now, forget about each other...
I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have let things get that far. But when she touched me, all the guilt, the distance, the years—it all burned away. For those few stolen moments, it was just us again. Raw and messy and full of everything we never said.

"Babe." Sina's voice cuts through again, softer this time. Her hand rests on my arm, grounding me. "Are you okay? You've been kinda weird all night."

I nod quickly, forcing another smile. "Don't worry," I lie, even as my heart thunders against my ribs. "It's all just a lot...this whole event you know."

She gives me a long look, then leans back, seemingly satisfied. "Alright. But if you keep spacing out, I'm stealing your dessert."
I laugh weakly, but my mind's already gone again, back to Taylor. Back to the bathroom. Back to the way she kissed me like she hated herself for it.

And as Sina chatters on, oblivious, I can't help but wonder if Taylor's replaying it too—or if she's already found a way to bury me all over again.

—

When we get back to the apartment, Sina is all smiles and soft touches, her hand sliding over my waist as we step inside. She shuts the door behind us, and I can already feel the shift in her energy. There's an eagerness to her movements, a warmth in her gaze that makes my stomach twist.

I force a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes, kicking off my heels and trying to ignore the weight of her eyes on me. "You were really into that event tonight," I say, my voice light, deflecting. "I don't think I've ever seen you fangirl so hard."

She grins, a little embarrassed but mostly unapologetic. "Well, can you blame me? Taylor Swift, Aurora. Taylor freaking Swift. And you just casually know her? You never mentioned that."