invisible string • Gracie Abrams

018 do it again

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
do it again
•

"TALK about it later, just drive," charlotte said, her only focus right now being to get to that apartment.

"no, lets talk about it now, when were you going to tell me, when was this?! who was it, are you okay?" jude asked, his overprotective stare burning into the road as he began to drive.

"i'm fine, jude, i got out of there before anything could happen, just drive," she said back, getting frustrated.

jude sighed and gripped the wheel, forwarding on the gas, "fine."

charlotte's heart was racing the whole way there, she tapped her fingers rapidly against her bouncing leg. she wasn't sure what to expect, an 'i need you' text late in the evening could range from needing help with an impulse hair dyeing process, or an i'm about to lose it situation. a part of her was freaking out thinking what if gracie's parents found out about their friendship, or what if something got leaked that she didn't see.

jude followed charlotte up to the apartment once they got there. charlotte knocked on the door and waited for a moment to no answer. she knocked again for the same result. she sighed and looked down at the potted plant beside the door and lifted it to revel the same spare key gracie used that drunken night they first met. once inside, charlotte slowly stepped in and stood in the open entrance.

"just wait here," she said, turning to her brother and shutting the door on him, despite his utterly confused face. "gracie?" she called out.

there was no answer which made her heart fall. charlotte wiped off her shoes and dropped her purse, walking through the first floor to see just the dark and empty spaces. she went up the stairs and immediately turned into gracie's bedroom, which was also empty except for her dog sleeping peacefully on the bed. but her bathroom light was on and she could hear the tired breathing coming from there.

"gracie," charlotte let out in relief and turned into the bathroom, stopping once she saw the brunette that was sitting against the wall at the floor. her face was puffy from crying and her knees were brought up to her chest. she looked at charlotte with a sad smile and adoring eyes. "what happened," she softly said, sitting down next to her and opening her arms up. gracie fell into her arms, her shoulders shaking as she silently let out tears. "i'm here, it's okay," charlotte said, her hand nervously running through gracie's messy hair.

"you came," gracie mumbled, her head burrowed into charlotte's sweater.

"of course i did," charlotte replied, her legs tangled with gracie's on the bathroom floor. "what's wrong?" she softly said, gracie's head lifting to make eye contact.

"i just—sorry," she said, wiping her tears away and trying to fix her hair with her hands. she snuggled and scooted back so she was sitting next to charlotte, both leaning against the wall. "it's just been hard recently with um... people are still mad about me and alex being over and of course they attack the one who got broken up with in in the relationship," she chuckled. she looked at charlotte as a frown tugged at her lips, "i don't think anyone likes me right now."

charlotte felt she was able to tell that the breakup effects wasn't getting any better on gracie as their days went on. her constant need to check her socials, how she avoided going out not just because of her and charlotte's controversy but because of alex. how the new song lyrics taped to the windows were damp with tears. but she never knew if she should say or anything or even what to say. but now that it was right in front of her, she knew.

"it doesn't matter what those fucking lowlifes on your feed think," charlotte said, her hand intertwining with gracie where she gave the cold hands a squeeze. "i like you. and so many others." she paused and made the most eye contact she was able to hold with gracie since the time they stared at each other when they first met, like deer in headlights. "you're so lovely."