Tara's hands gently pressed down on Selena's shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Selena?"
Selena's eyelids fluttered, half-opening as she looked up at Tara. Under the dim lighting of the lounge, her skin had taken on a soft warmth, touched by the faint blush of wine. Her eyes, drowsy but intense, held a teasing gleam that stirred something deep within Tara, like the strumming of an invisible chord.
Selena's fingers found Tara's and traced soft circles along her fingertips, almost absentmindedly, as if testing the boundaries. Tara raised an eyebrow but didn't pull away. Her free hand, cool to the touch, slowly lifted to cup Selena's cheek, fingers trailing along her jawline with precise gentleness, finally tipping her chin upward.
Selena tilted her head, locking her gaze with Tara's. For a moment, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, but the desire lingered, deep and steady. Emboldened, her fingers pressed into Tara's hand with a silent challenge, the faintest hint of a dare.
Tara's hand, already encircling Selena's, shifted just enough to fully enclose hers. She could sense the growing tension in the room, a quiet strength settling over her, as her thumb traced the line of Selena's lower lip. "Selena," Tara's voice was a low murmur, husky and warm, "what exactly are you doing?"
The coldness of Tara's fingers sent a shiver through Selena. Her shoulder tensed slightly, a tremor that Tara noticed instantly, her eyes glinting with a knowing look. Her voice dropped to a deep, almost sultry tone, one that made the air between them thicken. "Why are you trembling?"
Selena hesitated, her gaze wavering briefly before she nodded, her face inches from Tara's.
Tara leaned down slowly, her movements drawn out, deliberate, a frame-by-frame approach as her breath mingled with Selena's. Just before their lips met, she paused, letting the tension coil between them.
"If I kissed you now," Tara whispered, her breath brushing Selena's ear, "would you remember it tomorrow?"
Selena's hand tightened around Tara's, her pulse fluttering. Her eyes, usually guarded, softened with a vulnerability that both excited and unnerved her.
But before Selena could fully grasp the moment, Tara leaned away, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "I'm kidding, Selena. Let's get you home, okay?"
As Tara pulled back, Selena exhaled, a mixture of relief and disappointment passing over her face. Tara released her hand and stood up, but an odd, hollow feeling remained with Selena, one she couldn't quite shake. She didn't even know what she'd been hoping for—only that the absence of it left her oddly bereft.
Tara stepped back, studying Selena's face through the fall of her dark hair. Selena's expression was carefully composed, aloof, though something in her eyes flickered when she met Tara's gaze.
"Let's go, Selena," Tara said softly. "It's late."
Selena let out a dry laugh, pulling on her detached demeanor once more. "Sure. You go on ahead; I'll meet you at the door." She paused, her voice cool again. "Just need to say goodbye."
Tara hesitated, sensing an unspoken weight in her words, but quickly nodded. "Got it."
Watching Tara's figure disappear down the stairs, Selena collected herself and headed to the main floor.
She picked up her jacket, the fabric thick with the pungent smell of alcohol. Wrinkling her nose, she tossed it over her shoulder, nodding to her friends. "I'm off. Enjoy the night."
A few friends exchanged glances and smirked knowingly at the smudged lipstick on her mouth, teasing her as she moved to leave. "Leaving so soon? What happened to our all-nighter?" someone joked.
One girl, Nina, who sat closest to Selena and had known her longest, piped up with a bold smirk, "What's the rush, Selena? Didn't you say we'd stay out till dawn? Or has someone else already claimed your attention tonight?"
Selena's lips curved up in a cool smile, her voice effortlessly smooth. "Oh, it's not what you think. I just asked Tara to pick me up."
But the mention of Tara seemed to ruffle Nina's feathers. She watched as Selena's other friends cheered her off, each laugh and wave adding a layer of frustration that twisted in her gut. As Selena turned away, Nina downed her drink, then quietly slipped away, trailing after her.
Nina jogged forward, calling out, "Selena!"
Selena stopped, turning to see Nina half-running toward her. She looked vaguely annoyed, but Nina ignored the frosty expression, her gaze lingering on the smudged lipstick that softened Selena's otherwise perfect face.
"So…" Nina began, her tone falsely casual, "you like her, huh? That assistant of yours?"
Selena's eyes narrowed as her guard went up. Though she kept her tone light, her words were measured. "I don't think that's any of your business, Nina."
Nina laughed and reached out to pull Selena by the wrist, backing her roughly into the wall. Selena's breath caught as her shoulders hit the hard surface. Her expression twisted, showing a rare flash of discomfort that Nina, emboldened by her own frustration, ignored.
"You want someone who can keep up with you, right?" Nina leaned in, her voice low. "You're out here chasing this little assistant of yours. For what? A little good-night hug? I bet I can give you a better time."
Selena's face darkened, her voice dropping to a sharp edge. "You're drunk, Nina. And you have no idea what you're talking about."
She pulled her arm free and took a step back, but Nina caught her wrist again. Just then, Tara rounded the corner, catching sight of them. Her face hardened, and she crossed the distance swiftly, stepping protectively between Selena and Nina.
"What do you think you're doing?" Tara's tone was cold, her presence firm as she leveled a steady glare at Nina.
Nina sneered, sizing up Tara with disdain. "Why are you even here, 'Assistant'? Got nothing better to do than follow your boss around after hours?"
Tara's fists clenched, but before she could speak, Selena gently tugged on her sleeve, signaling her to step back. "Let it go," she murmured. Tara glanced back, her jaw tight, but she respected Selena's wish, lowering her hand with a barely suppressed glare.
Selena held Tara's hand tightly, her tone icily polite as she turned back to Nina. "Nina, Tara is my friend. You'd do well to remember that if you don't want to see me turn my back on you for good."
Nina stood there, momentarily thrown, though she quickly masked it with another smirk. With a half-hearted wave, she backed away, clearly irked, though unwilling to push further. "Whatever you say, Selena. Guess I'll be seeing you around."
As she watched Nina leave, Selena sighed and loosened her grip on Tara's hand, which now held a warm cup of tea. Tara pressed it into Selena's hands, her expression softening as she said, "Drink this while it's hot. It'll help with the hangover tomorrow."
Selena took a sip, letting the warmth spread through her as she and Tara walked side by side into the cold night. Behind them, Nina watched their retreating figures, her gaze hardening with a bitterness that made her vow to remember Tara's name.