sparks; gracie abrams

chapter nine- back-alley organ harvesting

Some days, Ember felt like she knew what she was doing. Today was not one of those days. She had woken up suddenly from a nightmare, and bless him, Spoon got scared and scratched a long line on her cheek. On top of that, she had missed her alarm, scrambled to get ready for a writing session with Jack, and burned her wrist making coffee. Her mind had been a bit of a mess lately, with her new and confusing feelings about Gracie. It seemed like the universe was conspiring against her on this particular morning. Despite the chaotic start, Ember tried to shake off the lingering unease as she headed to the studio for her session with Jack.

She rushed into the doors of the studio, a good 15 minutes late and clearly flustered. Jack, always laid-back, looked up from his guitar, a playful grin on his face at the state of the girl. "Rough morning, Ember?" She gave him an exaggerated offended look, "Do I look that bad?" Jack rolled his eyes, "You look like someone punched you in both eyes then cut your cheek." His deadpan made her laugh and she rubbed her cheek. "Yeah, I had a late night and Spoon went crazy on me this morning. Sorry I'm late." He waves her apology off but smirks, "Late night, huh?" It was Ember's turn to roll her eyes, but she blushed a little, thinking about the brunette that had occupied her thoughts, stealing her sleep. Jack gasped dramatically, pointing at her, "Is Ember blushing?" He says way too loudly for her liking which only makes her blush harder. "No, I'm just winded from running here, Jack." She says his name pointedly and he just laughs. Jack chuckled, enjoying Ember's playful banter. "Alright, alright. Late night and a sprint to the studio—sounds like the life of a rockstar in the making." Ember smirked, trying to shake off the awkwardness that came with discussing her personal life, especially with someone like Jack who had a knack for teasing. "Let's just get to the music, shall we?"

As they delved back into the songwriting process, Ember found her mind wasn't really in it. The lyrics weren't flowing and nothing sounded right together. Every now and then, Gracie's face would surface in her thoughts, a gentle reminder of the emotions she was still grappling with. She couldn't shake the thought of Gracie's comforting presence, especially after the vulnerable moment they had shared. It added an extra layer of distraction to an already chaotic day. Ember wondered if Jack, with his perceptive nature, could sense the underlying tension. She pushed the thoughts aside, trying to focus on what Jack was saying about production.

After Ember had to ask him to repeat himself for the third time, Jack leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen against the table. "You know what, Ember? We need a change of scenery. I know a really amazing songwriter who has been talking about your lyrics lately, I think you guys would work really well together." He pulls out his phone to text someone and Ember moves to pack up her stuff. "Who?" She asks, putting back the studio's guitar and Jack just waves her off, "Just an old friend." Despite her hesitations, Ember agreed, figuring a new environment might help clear her mind. Their Uber, that Jack had insisted on paying for, let them out in a clearly wealthy neighborhood. "Jack, I'm not exactly dressed for this," Ember says, looking down at her baggy jeans and thrifted knit sweater, well aware that her hair had been hastily tied back and her bangs were windswept. "You're fine, this is a very casual last minute thing, she won't care at all." He dismissed quickly as he ushered the girl to what looked like a back door. Jack rang the doorbell while Ember stood behind him awkwardly.

A large man opened the door, letting them into a long hallway while speaking into his earpiece. Ember's stomach was in knots as she worried about where she had been taken. Surely she could trust Jack though? He had been acting a little strange now that she thought about it, nerves making her lightheaded. "I think I'm actually going to head home," Ember says, turning around to see another large man seemingly guarding the door they had just walked through. "Jack what the hell is going on, where are we?" Ember asked as the door opened, revealing a blonde woman in a cat sweatshirt. Jack laughed at her panicky tone, giving the woman a friendly hug. She hugged back but flicked him playfully, "Jack, what did I tell you about your surprises, they always feel like a murder plot." Ember finally makes eye contact, all the pieces clicking. Taylor Swift is in front of her, holding out her hand. Ember, in a state of shock, shook her hand. "I'm so sorry for whatever he told you, I'm Taylor, it's so nice to meet you." The blonde introduced herself, letting them into her apartment. "Oh my god, I thought he was about to harvest my organs." Ember said, still in shock, which made Jack burst into laughter and Taylor gave him a dirty look, offering the nervous girl a comforting smile. "Sorry Em, I wanted it to be a surprise." Jack says a little sheepishly, and Ember blinks, realizing she didn't introduce herself. "Sorry, I'm Ember. It's an honor to meet you."