invisible string • Gracie Abrams

012 butterflies

CHAPTER TWELVE
butterflies
•

THE freckled girl slowly began to open her heavy eyes, groaning at the bright sunlight coming through the windows and burying her face into the warmth of whatever was beneath her. charlotte breathed in that scent she's starting to love and hummed in content as she began to slip back into sleep, but not before she recognized what was holding her.

she squinted her eyes slightly to notice an arm wrapped delicately overtop of her. charlotte noticed now that she was held protectively in gracie's arms, her head snuggled in the crook of her neck and gracie's brown hair falling slightly overtop charlotte's face.

she felt her heart race and her eyes widen, making her not so tired anymore. gracie's lips were slightly parted as she slept, and she keep the hood of her hoodie over her head. for someone who usually seemed on edge, gracie looked peaceful and content.

charlotte didn't know why her heart was beating so fast, or why she couldn't take her eyes off gracie's lips and how this was the most contanct and closeness their bodies have been together, but she shrugged it off as nothing and decided to lay her head back down on gracie's chest so that she wouldn't have to get up and wake her up. she couldn't wait a few more hours. but just as she snuggled her head back down, gracie's breathing paused and charlotte noticed the cozy girls eyes squint open.

"sorry," charlotte awkwardly said, immediately getting off of gracie and falling back to the other side of the couch. "i didn't mean to wake you up a-and i don't know why i was... on you."

gracie was still half asleep as she sat up and rubbed her eyes, "no, it's okay. sorry i didn't mean to be... holding you."

charlotte remained silent, not knowing what to say as her stomach turned into knots at the soft moment. suddenly, gracie started giggling, pulling out her phone and raising it to take a picture.

"what're you doing," charlotte laughed, covering her face and falling back into the cushions.

"look at your bed head, it's so cute," gracie said, turning charlotte even more nervous. "smile."

charlotte rolled her eyes and gave gracie a smile, staring up as if she could see her messy hair. after both their laughter died down, an awkwardness lingered in the air as they stared at the distance between them. they just spent hours cuddled with each other, enjoying it too, and are now sat in confusion at how that even happened.

charlotte began tapping her fingers on her legs, as gracie stretched out her arms, squinting her eyes shut before crumpling back into the blanket which she pulled over too her face.

"hey, i'm not being awake alone," charlotte whined, crawling back over to gracie and tugging on the blanket.

"char, stop," gracie groaned which was turned into laughter as she shoved charlotte away, which was too easy given that charlotte had basically folded at the nickname for some reason. "what time is it?"

"10:22," charlotte said, glancing at her phone.

"and you wanna wake up," gracie questioned, letting herself melt back into the couch.

"fine, you sleep and i'll cook us food 'cause i am so fucking hungry," charlotte said, standing up and about to walk to the kitchen until gracie shifted back up.

"n-no that's okay, i'm up," she yawned, standing up with the blanket still wrapped around her.

they stood face to face, tired eyes looking into ones stuck in admiration. charlotte nervously cracked her knuckles as gracie cleared her throat.