Against the Rules (Taylor Swift x Reader)

Y/N's POV
By the time the first half of the day was over, I felt like I had lived an entire week. The training sessions were intense, the expectations high, and the energy in the office was relentless. Every task seemed to hold more weight because it wasn't just any marketing strategy—it was Taylor Swift's marketing strategy.

I tried to keep up, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was running on a treadmill set just a little too fast. Still, I refused to let my nerves show. This opportunity was everything I had dreamed of, and I wasn't about to screw it up.

"Hey," a familiar voice broke through my thoughts.

I looked up to see Lily leaning casually against the edge of my desk, a coffee cup in hand. Her sharp, polished demeanor from earlier was softened by a faint smile.

"Surviving your first day?" she asked, arching a brow.

"Barely," I admitted, letting out a nervous laugh. "It's... a lot." She smirked, taking a sip of her coffee. "Welcome to Taylor Nation. It's a baptism by fire, but you'll get used to it." "Do all the interns feel like this?" I asked, half-joking.

"Pretty much," Lily said with a shrug. "But you're doing better than most. I've seen people burst into tears in the first hour." That earned a laugh from me, and for the first time all day, I felt a little lighter.

"You're going to be fine," Lily said, her tone softer now. "Just keep your head down, pay attention, and don't—" She hesitated, her gaze flicking briefly toward the glass-walled office on the other side of the room. "—don't let her intimidate you."

I didn't need to ask who she meant. As if on cue, the door to the office opened, and Taylor Swift stepped out.

Even from across the room, her presence was magnetic. She wasn't doing anything special—just talking to one of the senior staff—but there was something about the way she moved, the way she carried herself, that demanded attention.

Lily followed my gaze, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Yeah, that's normal too."

"What is?"

"The way everyone stops and stares when she's around."

I quickly looked away, heat creeping up my neck. "I wasn't staring."

"Sure you weren't."

Before I could respond, Lily straightened, her demeanor shifting back into something more professional. "Anyway, a few of us are grabbing drinks after work. You should come."

I hesitated. "I don't know if I should—"

"Trust me," Lily interrupted. "You'll want to make friends here. And it's not just interns—some of the senior staff usually join too. It's casual, nothing crazy."

"Okay," I said after a moment. "I'll come."

"Good." She smiled, and for the first time, it felt genuine. "I'll swing by your desk before we head out."

Taylor's POV
From my office, I had a clear view of the intern workspace. It wasn't intentional—just a design choice I had come to regret on days like today.

I was supposed to be reviewing the campaign proposals for the European leg of the tour, but my eyes kept drifting toward the far corner of the room.

She was sitting at her desk, head bent over her laptop, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Y/N Y/L/N.

I hadn't meant to remember her name, but it stuck in my mind anyway. Something about her was... distracting. It wasn't just her appearance—though she was undeniably attractive. It was the way she carried herself, a mix of nervous energy and determination that was hard to ignore.

I told myself it didn't matter. She didn't matter.
But then I saw her laughing with Lily. Her face lit up, and for a moment, the stress of the day seemed to fade.

"She's fitting in well," Claire said, breaking into my thoughts. I turned to see her standing in the doorway, a stack of reports in her hands.

"Who?"

Claire nodded toward the intern workspace. "Y/N. She's sharp. Good energy. I think she'll do well here."

I forced a nod, turning my attention back to the papers on my desk. "We'll see."

Claire gave me a curious look but didn't press. "Here are the revised mockups for the UK rollout. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks."

As she left, I glanced back at Y/N one last time.

It wasn't professional. It wasn't logical. But something about her tugged at the edges of my focus, no matter how hard I tried to push it away.

Y/N's POV
By the time 5:00 PM rolled around, I was drained. My brain felt like it had been put through a blender, and my to-do list seemed longer than when I started.

"Ready?"

I looked up to see Lily standing by my desk, her coat draped over one arm.

"Ready for what?"

"Drinks, remember?"

"Oh, right." I grabbed my bag, trying not to look as frazzled as I felt.

As we walked out of the office, I couldn't help but glance toward the glass-walled office one last time. It was empty now, the lights dimmed.

"She left an hour ago," Lily said, catching me off guard.

"Who?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb. It's written all over your face."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a hand. "Relax. It's normal. Everyone has a thing for her at some point."

I didn't respond, mostly because I didn't know what to say.

Lily gave me a knowing look as we stepped into the elevator. "Just be careful, okay? This place is amazing, but it's also... complicated."

I nodded, even though I wasn't entirely sure what she meant.

As the elevator doors closed, I found myself thinking about Taylor again.

This was going to be more complicated than I thought.